Posted on in Uncategorized

Bring On the Sparkle!

pondI love anything glittery or sparkly, as most of you know. I was heading to work last week and a pond on the side of the highway caught my eye. I drive past it every day; but that morning, it was sparkling like diamonds, unlike most days.

I love to be in nature and enjoy a pond here and there. However, if you ever took the time to really look at pond water, most of the time it’s not real attractive. It’s brown or green and often has a layer of scum on top. However, that particular day with the sun shining on it, it was stunning!

As I continued to look at it as I drove past, the sparkle eventually disappeared. Apparently, as my angle changed, the sun’s reflection on the water also changed, causing it to become just like any other pond.

God hasn’t let me get that picture out of my mind ever since I drove past. It reminded me of the days when I allow God to guide and direct my thoughts versus the days I don’t. You know how it is. We all get busy from time to time and forget to pray or read our Bibles. Not focused on Him, we then get in the way of God speaking to us because we’re too caught up in our drama…you know…the scum in our life… that we don’t listen. Life is so much more beautiful when we allow God’s direction to shine on us each and every day.

I met someone a while back that I instantly connected with before even knowing anything about her. It was as though I could see Jesus in her presence. We immediately hit it off and were talking a mile a minute…as if she were a long lost sister. I walked away from the encounter asking myself, “Do people see Jesus in you like that, Lori?”  This whole scenario made me stop and evaluate myself. Am I allowing God to affect all areas of my life? Are there things I withhold from Him or refuse to listen to Him about that cause me to lose my sparkle from some angles?

This life is temporary.

As I pass through,

I want my existence to have made a difference.

I pray that no matter where someone is standing,

Jesus in my life shines brightly,

like diamonds on a scummy pond.

I pray that God will speak to you, as He has me, to help you to see those areas in your life that still need some attention. As Christians, we need to stand out from the crowd…we don’t want to be ordinary…we want others to recognize there is something different…something beautiful that perhaps they’re missing.  Salt sparkles, you know?

May God’s light shine on you brightly this week and bring beauty to your life, as He is reflected in you!

Luke 11:33-36 (NKJV) “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.  The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.  Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.  If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”

Matthew 5:13-16  “You are the salt of the earth; …You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Posted on in 2014 Posts

A Cinderella Adventure!

Cinderella adventure with infoThose of you who regularly follow my blog are probably wondering where I have been lately.  I am sorry if I have let you down without a weekly inspiration, but I assure you, I will be back soon!  A couple of months ago, my pastor’s wife asked me to pray about doing something to help grow our women’s ministry at our church–perhaps do a retreat.

Although I am actively speaking with Stonecroft Ministries, I have felt the burden recently to expand my speaking ministry.  This invitation seemed to be the perfect reason for me to focus on some new material and find new avenues for ministry.  So although you may not see me here for a few more weeks, rest assured, I am still walking the walk.  I miss my writing but only have so much time. For now, I am focusing on the speaking part of my ministry.

I would ask all of you who are prayer warriors to lift this event up in your prayers.  We can plan, organize and invite all day and night.  However, if we don’t ask for God’s blessings upon our efforts, it will all be for not.  Thank you in advance for praying for us!

If you live nearby and would like to join us for our retreat on May 17, it is open to anyone looking for more of God.  It should be a fun-filled day full of God’s special blessings for each woman who comes expecting.  Reservations must be made by May 4, so don’t delay if you want to come!  Thanks for your understanding!  See you soon!

P.S.  If you’d like to RSVP to the event, find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/seekveritas.  If you don’t attend our church, we will send you an address to send your check so that your place is held for that day!  It’s going to be so much fun!  Don’t miss it!

Posted on in 2014 Posts

Will Winter Ever End?

snow sunsetThis has been the big question of many all across the United States this year.    We have had way more snow than ever not to mention the sub-zero temperatures here in Ohio.  After several times of shoveling the driveway out, it was a relief to have someone knock on our door and ask if they could do it for us?  We negotiated a price that was suitable for all and away they went to dig us out.  It worked well the first couple of times.  However, last week, we had a deeper and heavier snow than usual.

Jim was working from home that day and I had been out.  When I pulled up, there was a young lady in her pajama pants scraping at the ice and snow on our driveway.  It appeared this was the first time she’d ever shoveled snow.  I called Jim on the phone from the road and asked, “Did you hire someone different to do the shoveling today?   This isn’t the same person that I remember.”  It had been the same person who came to our door, but instead of two strapping men, we got the lady in her p.j’s.

As I got out of the car, she was complaining that her  job was really hard.  She asked if we could pay her more money this time because it was going to take her forever to get it done.  I agreed to give her more and actually gave her more than she was asking for when she was done.  However, I should have looked closer before I paid her.  We found out the next day when we tried to get out to go to work, she had only shoveled half of the driveway outside the garage.  We had to maneuver several times in order to get out of the garage without hitting a four-foot wall of snow!  It was miraculous that we were even able to get out.

I’ve heard so many people complaining about winter.  I have been included in that conversation from time to time.  It’s like going through a trial.  When it starts out, we’re motivated to make it through. As Christians, we are taught in the Bible that we should rejoice always…even in times of trial.   At first we optimistically pray to God that He will come dig us out of our mess.  Then after a while of seeing God at work, clearing the way for us, more struggles seem to fall on us again.  Then the whining begins again.  Some days we just want to stay in our pajamas and cry, “Woe is me!”

Before you know it, the ice starts forming and we lose hope.  I don’t think I’ll ever get out of this mess!  We get discouraged, stop reading our Bible, stop praying and continue to whine.  The walls start closing in on us to where we feel trapped.  We might not get out of this one!

But then the sun comes out.  It shines down on the mess we have and begins to warm our world and melt away our problems.  When the next storm hits in your life, will you be one that whines and sees no way out?  When the skies are grey and there’s no sun to be seen, do you feel that God isn’t there?  It’s those that are willing to keep shoveling…to the very edges…that get through the storms. Don’t give up!  God will clear your paths and lead you to Him!  Don’t look at your circumstances.  Rather, trust in Him who stands by to dig you out.

Psalm 107:28-29 (NIV) Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.   He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.

God can do it for you, too!