Posted on March 18, 2013 in Uncategorized

What Gets You Excited?

My grandson and I anxiously awaiting the new arrival!

Last week, my daughter had another baby, giving us our sixth grandchild! It was certainly an exciting day! His big brother and I were in the lobby waiting for them to announce the birth. He said, “Grandma, I am so excited, I can hardly hold it all in.” He’s been working hard in first grade learning self-control and it was so funny to hear his struggle as I could certainly relate. I, too, have a tendency to get excited about things and sometimes lose control. I remember the day I realized I had fallen in love with Jim. I couldn’t believe what had happened and I just had to tell him. However, it didn’t just come out in a simple, “I love you.” I thought about it all day and struggled with how and when to tell him. Then all of a sudden, it just blurted out, “I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU! We still laugh about it.

Talking about getting excited, with Spring just around the corner, I am finding it hard to contain myself. Last week we set our clocks an hour forward and now we are having more light in the evenings. I’m really loving that! When we start getting more sun and the flowers start to bud, I literally come alive.

Isn’t a new beginning refreshing? We have new babies and they’re oh so cool. What an awesome miracle they are to everyone involved. Then we get a change of seasons, at least here in Ohio, and we get excited about the newness of the world around us. First Spring and then Easter comes. Easter reminds us of the most important new beginning we can have. You see, for those who will believe Jesus’ death on the cross was the sacrifice for their sins, confess their sins of their old life, and ask Him to come into their lives as their Savior; they get a new beginning. The old life is gone and the new life begins. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the fact that we have a Savior that gives us a new beginning…a chance to do things right.

Who do you know that needs a new beginning? Maybe it’s you! Say a prayer today for you or someone you know that needs a change. God is so willing to give you the strength to get out of the rut you’re in and give you a new start. He doesn’t care what you’ve done, where you’ve been or who you are. He just wants you to be His. He wants you to experience the excitement of a new life in Him! He wants to bless you with a new awareness of the world around you; just as though you were a child again. He LOVE, LOVE, LOVES you! Knowing that I am loved by the Creator of the Universe and Most High God, I get excited! So excited I can hardly hold it all in! I hope by now, you’re excited too!

In fact, now that we’ve been reminded of how exciting a life with God can be, this is a great time to invite those you know need a little excitement in their lives to church. Easter will be here in just a couple of weeks. Easter and Christmas are the two holidays even non-Christians will say, “Yes,” and attend. Start making your invitation list today. If prayerfully done, God will bless and guide you to those who He knows need a change of season! If it’s you, here’s your invitation. I’ve planted the thought, now you go find a local church you feel God is calling you to attend. He will be faithful to lead you there as well. All you have to do is ask! If you’re local, come to church with me! We’d love to have you.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear your stories of your new beginnings. I’m absolutely positive I am not the only person who has exciting God stories to tell. Won’t you be a blessing and share? All of you wannabe bloggers who haven’t done it yet…here’s your chance! Give God some praise and share it with others to encourage and excite them in their walk with Him. Thank you all for being such a blessing to me. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE you all! Have a great week and don’t forget to go out and be a blessing!

1 Thessalonians 5:11(NIV) Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Psalm 5:11 (NKJV) But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.

Posted on March 11, 2013March 11, 2013 in 2013 Posts

What’s Brewing In Your Life Today?

Did you ever have a day that nothing went right? It is now 9:01 am and I am declaring that today has been a hard day. Today would have been my brother’s 65^th birthday if he had not passed away in October. March 11 to me is a big, fat, reminder of what I have lost. After realizing what the date was, then accidentally breaking a glass, and knowing a few other struggles in my path today, I was beginning to feel sorry for myself.

Then a good friend called. She said, “Lori, The Lord has put you on my mind this morning and I don’t know why. All I know is that He asked me to call and pray with you today.” I was quickly put back on track to know that no matter what trials and tribulations, heartbreaks, disappointments or fears we might face; God is always there for us. He might come to us through a song, a scripture, or even through a stranger that crosses our path. Other times, He might just come as the peace that passes all understanding. That’s like when we know and can feel that He is calming our spirit and giving us strength to face another day. Today He chose to come to me through a friend. So today, I’m not going to feel sorry for myself. Rather, I will once again choose to praise Him through the storms!

You’re probably wondering why the picture of my coffee pot fiasco a few days ago? I once again forgot to put a cup under it when I pushed brew. I laugh and I like to say, “That’s my brain not on caffeine!” However, I know now that it was God, once again, giving me the perfect illustration. You see, we can load our brains with scriptures and head knowledge, just as we would be loading the coffee pot with coffee. However, if we don’t open our hearts and allow them to be filled with God’s Spirit, as a coffee cup would be filled with coffee, we never really can understand the fullness of God. Because you see, it first requires us providing a vessel for Him to fill and then secondly, we have to drink from the cup. Psalm 34:8 (NKJV) Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Just know that whatever you are facing, God wants to be there for you. As a matter of fact, He wants to fill your cup to overflowing. Pray and ask Him to be Lord over your life and your struggles then expect to taste and see the most magnificent expression of love from the Creator, Himself. Perhaps you’re too tired to pray or don’t have the words. Ask a friend to pray with you. You can even send me a private prayer request at justtryingtobeablessing@gmail.com and I will pray for you this week too.

I want to keep it short this week because in closing, I want you to have time to enjoy this song that was sung a few weeks ago in our church. May it speak to your heart and help you to find strength for another day no matter what your circumstances might be. Then don’t forget, once you are filled…go out and be a blessing!

Please take the time to Listen…You won’t be disappointed!

Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.

Posted on March 6, 2013March 6, 2013 in Uncategorized

Winter Wonderland Wednesday…

I woke up this morning to a winter wonderland and just had to share! Some of you may be tired of snow, but we really don’t get much around here that amounts to anything. This morning, I turned on the outside lights and this was my view out my window! I love it when God changes the scenery!