mommy4jesus

What are you waiting for? Life is full of what ifs. We are too scared to do things because we don’t know what the outcome will be. We all want to see our friends, family, and the rest of the world change their lives to have a relationship with God, but we don’t want to do anything to help change them. 
This past Sunday at church a pastor named Jay Schribner filled in. He told us the story about a man named Larry Walters who wanted to fly so bad but could never get in the pilot seat. Larry took matters into his own hands and made himself fly with helium balloons. After the air force and navy saved him he was taken for questioning. When they asked him what he did that for he said, “You can’t just sit there.”  
I am so glad that Jay was our guest this week and that he told us this story. We can’t just sit around and do nothing. It is up to us as Christians to save the world. We must go out into the world and evangelize. We may be the only way some people will ever know a thing about Christ. If we do nothing and jut sit back and think that we are going to heaven but we do nothing to save other people, how does that make us as Christians? We are here to do God’s work. We have made the decision to follow Christ, now it’s our job to spread the good news. 
We all have people in our lives that we aren’t sure if they are going to heaven. If we love those people should we not know 100% sure that they have accepted Jesus Christ as their lord and savior and that they too will have eternal life in heaven. 
Don’t just sit there. Go out and save people. Go out and do something. We need to open our arms to everyone who needs it. We need to pray for each other. We need to keep each other accountable for all these things. Most importantly we must do. Don’t wait until it is too late. 
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15 

In death there is life, eternal life with our father in heaven. In death we should rejoice that our loved one is finally home. It is a beautiful thing when someone finally gets to meet Jesus our savior. 
Death is never easy. We have spent our whole lives with the ones who we love. We hate to live our life without them. But we have faith that when God calls us home we will see those loved ones again. 
I will never forget the times I spent with my grandmother. She was one of my best friends. I’ll never forget her laugh, her smile, and her stubbornness. 
My heart is broken, but I know 100% that my grandmother is in a better place. She is rejoicing in heaven and watching over us already. She is another angel in the sky. She fought a long hard battle with that ugly “C” and it finally won. But in the end she was victorious. She is home! 
We never understand why things happen the way that they do and why Jesus takes our loved ones at the times he does, but I believe he does it for a reason. He is always for us and will never forsake us. 
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. John 5:24

I love you grandma! This isn’t goodbye, it’s a see ya soon! 

Life is a beautiful thing. We spend our earthly lives dealing with lots of heartache, loss, fear, anger, hope, happiness, and the list could go on for days. As Christians we experience all of these same things as non-believers do. The thing that differs is we have faith that our God is there and will deliver us from whatever tribulation we are going through. We know that the struggles of this life will be forgot when we join our heavenly father in eternity.

Life is full of evil. The enemy is always near trying to claim the victory of our hearts. As a child of God we know that he will never win this war. We have already won! We know how our story ends and no matter how hard he tries to change that story, we keep praying and God will keep him from it.

One thing we lose sight of in the hard times is that Jesus is always by our side. He never said that our lives were going to be easy and free of heartache and pain. We are going to face some of the toughest battles that we could ever imagine in our lives, but we will always win when faced against the enemy as long as we look to God for guidance.

He tells us in the bible that we should not be afraid.

                33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

                                          God is the victor! He will overcome every situation!

12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

                                                                                                           Romans 12:12

If we remain focused on his word and stay constant in prayer we can make it through. We will always face battles each and every day. At times we are going to try and give up because we don’t think we can take it anymore. We must remember that we are victorious and we must not give the enemy any leeway into our hearts.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

                                                                                                                                                   Romans 8:31

God speaks to us in many different ways. Some people feel they never hear him and some can talk with then anytime, anywhere. Talking with god and hearing him speaks depends on your relationship with him. Are you always asking God for something and never doing anything for him? Our relationship with God should be the one we cherish the most out of any relationship that we have. He is our one true friend. He is with us always and will never forsake us. He knows every aspect of our lives before we do. We should talk with God like he is sitting next to us, because he is there.

The bible shows us the many ways that God has spoken to people and how we can be situated to hear him.

            2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. Exodus 3:2

            13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Matthew 2:13

God also speaks to us through the bible. He has given us everything we need to live a life that magnifies and brings glory to his name. It is all in his written word. The more time we spend reading and memorizing his word, the easier it becomes to sense his presence with you always and the easier it is to hear him speak to you.

One way that I feel that he has spoken to me in the past is through dreams. There have been several instances since I recommitted my life to Christ in 2014 that I have had a dream with a message I am positive came from him. I am not saying that it is really him making me have these dreams but the way that I interpret them are that he is telling me what I have been praying for on a daily basis is going to pay off. The latest dream I had was about the rapture. I remember waking when it was over and becoming sad because it was just a dream, my king had not returned for me yet. Every day, several times a day, I pray for my friends and family that I am not sure have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This is something that weighs heavy on my heart because I feel it is my purpose to make sure that they one day will seek out the love of Christ and ask him into their hearts.

I remember the dream so vividly. The people that I pray for daily were in this dream and when we were raptured from this earth I remember the feeling of soaring through the air to heaven. It felt like the biggest adrenaline rush I have ever had. Once we made it we were all standing in line waiting to see if our names were on the list to enter the gates of heaven. I remember looking at the list and seeing the names of all the people I have been praying for. It was the biggest relief I had ever felt.

I believe that God is telling me to keep spreading the good word. Eventually these people are going to listen to it, and really believe it. If you have never experienced the love of Christ I am here to tell you, you are missing out. God is always with us and waiting for you to cry out to him. He is waiting for you to stop and listen!

As I was reading a study about marriage today a passage from the book really struck me, ” We teach that even though Jesus lived simply, we have the right to live luxuriously. Even as we teach that Jesus was rejected by the world, we pursue popularity.” I agree with this statement. Most people in America always want more. We think we need to have a bigger home, a nicer car, the best clothes or electronics, but none of these things are what should be important. Our relationship with God the Father should be our top priority. 

Many people forget that Jesus was a simple man. He lived the simple life. People have a misconception that if they have nicer things they will be more popular among their peers. If your peers judge you for the material things in your life, they aren’t really yours friends. The bible tells us in Matthew, 

” You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:22

Wouldn’t you rather live your life following Jesus and know that you WILL spend eternity with him in heaven than live your life focused on material items and money. Don’t let Satan win. Don’t let him steal your life away. 

Then Jesus said to his disciples- “truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:23

Jesus tells us to leave everything and follow him. He will provide everything we need to survive. Nothing else matters but our relationship with him. We will be persecuted in our lives but what we will face doesn’t even compare to what Jesus had to endure when he died on the cross for our sins. He paid the ultimate price for us, so we should do everything we can for him. We need to drop everything and follow him. 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

John 3:16 is probably one of the most known scriptures there is. Two Sunday’s ago it was Valentine’s Day and Brother Jerry preached that Jesus’ love is the greatest love that anyone could ever experience.This is true. The love of Jesus is unlike anything you could ever imagine. Jesus loves us so much that he died on the cross for OUR SINS. Jesus was sinless, but he still chose to pay the ultimate sacrifice for US. Why did he choose to do this for us you ask? Jesus died for our sins so that we may have eternal life. Isn’t that something that you want to experience?

The love of Jesus is never failing. He is always with us.Jesus loves us more than we love ourselves. It is important that we have a loving relationship with Jesus before we can have a loving relationship with anyone else, including ourselves. Some people may disagree with me on that statement, but it is true. We must learn to live for Jesus follow the guidelines he has left for our life. We must learn to trust him in all things. If we doubt him then we aren’t fully trusting him. When we learn to trust him, we can learn to trust others.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand up.  Psalm 20:7-8

God had a plan for you. Before you were even born. He knew that he wanted you to do great things in your life. He knows how special you are because He loves you. He will always love you. That is a promise from him. That is why he sent his son Jesus to die on the cross for us.

One thing that Brother Jerry said on Sunday that has stuck with me was that there is nothing we can do to make Jesus love us any more or any less. No one is perfect, but when we accept Jesus into our hearts as our savior he will bless us more than imaginable. He will still love you if you slip up. We must remember that our relationship with him should be 1st over everything else. He wants us to talk with him daily about our lives and our decisions. He wants us to fully trust him in everything that we do. His love really is the greatest love that we can accept. If you think that you are too far gone or that he won’t love you because of your past, think again. He cannot wait to save you. All you have to do is let him.

“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out m spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the names of the Lord shall be saved.   Acts 2:17-21

Do you ever wonder what its going to be like when you meet Jesus? Do you ever think about what he will say or do? Or, do you think about what it will be like here on earth when that time comes near for Jesus to return?  I think about it often. I think about how violent the world has become and how much worse it will get before He returns for his kingdom.

The bible tells us,

For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.    1 Thessalonians 5:2

This refers to when the Lord will return to save the faithful and punish the disobedient. I don’t know about you, but I know I will be saved. Then I picture entering the Kingdom of Heaven. Taking in all of its beauty and feeling honored that God truly does love me. I also wonder what the first words are that he will speak to me. I know that I will have to face judgment for all of the wrongs in my past, and I pray that changing my life will help him see that I truly am sorry for all of the wrongs.

Most people live their whole lives and never think about any of these things one time. It makes me sad to see someone pass away who had no relationship with God, because I know where they will send eternity. As Christians we need to be telling everyone we know about the word of God. It is our job to teach the gospel to all of the people who know nothing about His love. Don’t let your loved ones be apart of the lost. Don’t you want them to join you in eternity where there is no more sadness or hurt? Or do you want to leave them behind for the terrible wrath that God will place on the earth after he comes back for the chosen ones.

Make the right decision to live for Jesus, and you will forever live with him in eternity.

                Luke 15:11-32 

I have read the parable of the prodigal son many times. At first when I read it my reaction was that of the “good brother.” I couldn’t see how it was fair to celebrate the “screw up.” 

In case you have never read the parable of the Prodigal Son or the “Lost Son,” the story is about a father who has two sons. The father divided his estate between the two sons. One of the sons runs off and squanders everything he has in a sinful life. The other son stays with his father and continues to work the fields and what not. Once the son loses everything he had he comes running back to his father. He confesses his son and asks for forgiveness and his father is ecstatic at his return. He throws a party for the “lost son.” When the son who was responsible gets wind of this party he is angry at his father. He doesn’t understand why his father is throwing a party for his brother who has made such a mess of his life. Then his father explains that his brother was lost but has know been found. He has repented and wants to live his life for Jesus.
Too much of our lives are consumed by the finer things like money, cars, clothes, sex, and drugs. Money is the root of most people’s problems. It tells us in 1 Timothy 6:10 

       Money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 
The sad thing is our lives all revolve around money. We have to have money to pay our rent, for food, for clothes to wear, and for transportation. Money is all around us. Money is consuming our lives. We always want more and more. People are never satisfied. They think if they just have more money then they will be happier. 
The prodigal son learns that having all of that money and wealth does not last. You may be happy for a moment but when it runs out you are left with nothing. 
As Christians we should be looking out for the “lost sons” and we should be steering them back to reality. Having lots of money and nice things are not going to get you into heaven. We must repent of our sins and ask for forgiveness. There is no sin “too big” to be forgiven. We learn in this parable that our father will be ecstatic and will celebrate our return to him. He will throw a party in our honor for returning to his way of life. 
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38 
It is that easy to be forgiven. All you have to do is ask from the bottom of your heart and truly mean it. Then you must change your life. You must choose to walk in faith and by the word of God. The bible gives you all the encouragement and resources you need to do that. And remember, Jesus loves you this I know! 

“He is jealous for me,” is the beginning of one of my favorite songs by the David Crowder Band. As I was driving home from Journey’s doctor appointment this morning this song started playing. Every time I hear this song it makes me think about the choices we make in life. I think about what I am doing for God and what I should be doing for God. 

The truth is, He IS jealous for me. He is jealous for all of us. He is jealous when we choose material things over Him. He is jealous when we make other plans on a Sunday instead of choosing to worship him with others at church. He is jealous when we do something to hurt someone when we know it’s not right. He is jealous that we are choosing Satan over Him. 

Do not worship any other God, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.         Exodus 34:14

Jesus gave his life for OUR SINS. We should be praising him and thanking him every chance we get. But, let’s be honest. Most of us don’t. Most of us go about our way and only come to him when we need something. Jesus wants us ALL of the time not just when we need something. He needs something in return. He needs our love too. Life does get messy and we get caught up in all of these earthly things, but we have to remember that He is jealous when we do not put Him first.

We must always remember that Jesus will always love us no matter how many times we screw up all we have to do is ask for forgiveness and give him the love that he deserves. Don’t let satan take over your life. Let satan be jealous because he has no chance in your life! Let God have the victory! 

Getting dirty looks in public when your baby whines or cries out is something I used to do to other people. I definitely used to do it when the child was throwing a fit. I remember always saying if I have a kid it will never act like that. Well I have a kid and it happens. 
Before I had Journey I didn’t know what it was like to try to do grocery shopping with a baby. Now , Journey is an awesome baby and hardly cries but when we are at the store she does not want to ride in her car seat, she wants to be able to see everything. She is so curious and so smart, and sometimes she will fuss until I get her out. I really don’t blame her I would not want to be scrunched up in a car seat either. The only other times she will cry are if she is hungry or has a dirty diaper. I am sorry that if I am in the store and those things happen. They just do. 
Right now Journey is already cutting her first tooth. She is fussy on and off all day because of thy stinkin tooth. I just want to open the minds of people who don’t have children who don’t understand. Having a baby is the most amazing blessing. I know I speak for all moms when I say I am sorry that my child crying bothers you so much that you have to glare or clearly talk about us. We are trying our hardest. Some moms are single and have no one else to help them so taking their baby to the store is their only option. 
Moms cannot help it if their baby gets hungry or if their baby is tired and needs a nap. We have to eat too and we have to buy groceries. If all people who do not have children would stop and think about what that mom may be growing through, or how tired she is because she has been up all night with a sick baby there might not be so many glares in public. 
If people would just stop and pray for that mom it could help her out tremendously. Prayer is something that we need more of in this world. Praying for strangers could make a difference in their lives. God is always listening and maybe that prayer can help that baby be cured of their sickness, or help that mom make it through the store with her baby in a good mood. 
Next time you are in public and you see or hear a child crying just stop and pray. Think about what situation that family could be in. Your prayer could change everything. And until you have children you will never understand but all you can do is give it a try!!!