God can use you right where you are

This morning devotional was about sharing your testimony and spreading the love of Jesus by sharing your story of how He changed your life.

Of course, in thinking about this, I immediately thought of my work days, and how sharing the love of Jesus was easier when you are face to face with people everyday. You can sit down and have a conversation in person and answer any questions that person may have about how Jesus has changed you.

It's more of a challenge right now for me because I am pretty much home bound most of the time. BUT, and that is a big BUT, with the invention of social media and the internet, sharing your love of the Lord is as easy as a few clicks on the keyboard.

There's a pretty famous poem going around the internet about how our Lord can use anyone, and that we shouldn't feel unworthy. We are all sinners and always have been since Eve took the bite of that apple from the tree of knowledge. But the Lord can still use us. Just remember:

Watching the Bible Series on TV these past 3 weeks, has brought to my mind how ordinary these great heroes from the Bible really were. I think we tend to look at them as almost God-like figures --Abraham, Noah, and David, just to name a few. But they were just normal guys, living life and trying to do the best they could and please their Lord with their lives. Kinda like us, right?

They doubted the Lord, they got angry, they questioned Him, they turned their back on Him, but they came back time and time again because they knew they needed to please Him in order to live a life worthy of Him. But they failed, and after failure upon failure, God decided to try plan B and sent Jesus Christ into the world as a sacrificial lamb for the sins of all of us. I thank Him for doing that.

Fast forward over 2,000 years. God can use all of us, if we have a willing heart, and I think that is really the key. You don't have to be super educated, or a bible scholar for God to use your testimony to win souls for His Kingdom. Philippians 2:13 reminds us "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him."

So, the Lord can use you wherever you are and whatever your lot in life. You just have to open your heart up to Him and let in.

This is a different time in my life. Being confined to the house most of the days with mobility and health issues can get challenging at times. But my Lord is using me in powerful ways in spite of that to reach out to others who may be hurting. As you know if you read my last post, I have begun at prayer group for women with MS on Facebook, and it is growing each day. The ladies are beginning to know each other and really share their fears and challenges of living with MS. That is an answered prayer.

                                             Our ladies with MS prayer group is growing - thank you Jesus!

I also use my regular Facebook posts to try and encourage others. This blog is another way I spread the love of Jesus. My prayer is that I touch others with the truth of His words through my writing.

Although my life may seem simple and uneventful to many, for me, I rejoice in fact that despite this disease I live with, I am well enough to do these important things to help spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and I pray I will be able to do so for many years. Thank you Lord!

You were MADE to make a difference!

                                                      

Wherever you are in life, the Lord can use you too! You can make a difference in the lives of others. Search your heart and ask for His guidance and He will show you the way. It's a promise from His Word and He doesn't break promises!

Proverbs 3:5-6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight."

My verses for today are above in red.

My prayer for today:

Thank you Jesus! Thank you for the work you are doing in my life! Help me Lord to continue to serve you all the days of my life Lord. Help me to reach out to others in your precious name. Lord, there are so many people that are hurting in this world. I pray that you will touch their hearts and make them open to hearing your words.

 I pray,

Amen and Amen

Here I am, Lord

Do you ever feel like the Lord is talking specifically to you? Have you ever heard a "calling" from the God? Has that "still small voice" ever whispered in your ear? Well if you have, you know that it is God Almighty talking to you and if you smart, you'll tune into his voice and listen to what he has to say. 

When my involvement in another Christian MS prayer group didn't work out because of conflicts with me freely posting about the benefits of CCSVI, I clearly felt the Lord telling me to start my own group, where we could talk about anything related to dealing with the symptoms of living with this nasty disease. If it can help others live a better life, keep the conversation flowing was the words He put on my heart.This verse kept popping up in my head from Isaiah 6:8 "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" I kept hearing that song Here I am Lord in my head the entire week!

Here I am Lord song

I prayed about it that night, and the next day, and just knew the Lord was wanting me to move ahead and step out in faith and so I did.

I started The Master's Servants- Christian women living with MS facebook page and off we went. I made it a secret group, so we could pray openly without retribution from others. We have a few women who asked to make a closed group to keep prying eyes away because social media is so open now. 

God talked,and I thankfully, I obeyed. The response has been amazing, and so far in just a week, we have almost 200 women that have joined and are unashamedly praying for each other. They are praying about their own daily challenges of living with MS, and the needs of their family members. It is a wonderful site to behold and I feel blessed by these strong women of the Lord.

Since I spend much time on the computer, God has been prompting me to take the group farther, so you'll probably see us on other social media sites and maybe even a website when I can get it up and running, Lord willing. He is putting all of these ideas into my head on how to help and pray for women with MS. Thank you Jesus for opening my eyes and calling me to do this. I just know that there are so many women suffering with this disease, and prayer helps so much when you are hurting. 

When you listen to the Lord's call, and obey Him, He will bless you and open the doors of Heaven for you! I truly believe this and I know that He will continue to bless what we are doing through this prayerful group of women. Thank you Jesus!

If you hear that still small voice calling to you in the night, will you listen?

                                                             Here I am Lord, use me for your Good will!

My verse for today is above in red.

My prayer for today:

Thank you Lord Jesus for opening my eyes to the needs of these women, including myself, who are suffering with MS. Use this new group to uplift and encourage the ladies who are dealing with the daily challenges of MS along with living life. Help them to feel comfortable in laying their burdens down to you Lord. Encourage all of the ladies to make new friends and share their lives and their challenges each day.

Amen and Amen - Thank you Lord!

Rejoicing through your suffering~

As many of you know I spend a lot of time on the internet and on Facebook. This is primarily because most of the time, I am home bound. My years of a crazy fast life, working and traveling, raising two boys and spend time at every baseball, basketball and football game known to man, are sadly behind me. Oh, and a little thing called Multiple Sclerosis knocked me in the face about 15 years ago too.

One of the things I am aware of as I cruise from page to page on Facebook, and catch up on the many devotional and blogging sites I often visit, are how much people are hurting and suffering in this world. I know that am not the only one by any stretch of the imagination, and I have come to the realization that I am so much better off than so many other people.

I can say that because although I do suffer greatly, everyday; for me, the difference is my attitude towards my suffering and disappointment. I do not and have never had the "why me?" attitude? How can that be, you ask? How can I deal with feeling lousy most days that I wake up? Romans 5:35 tells us that we should be rejoicing in our suffering! Rejoice?? "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

                                                 You want us to rejoice in our suffering...not easy but necessary~

In many ways suffering with multiple sclerosis has strengthened me and given me endurance and it has definitely brought me much closer to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Closer, you say? Yes, CLOSER. I don't blame God for me getting sick and for not healing me "Right NOW, which is, of course what any of us would prefer. Who in their right mind, would welcome being sick most of their adult life? Romans 5:35 tells us to rejoice, and I do rejoice in that my suffering has brought me closer to the Lord. That is a true blessing and one that I will be eternally grateful for!

Of course, in the 15 years since my diagnosis, there have been new drugs (The ABC Drugs, Tysabri, Amprya, Aubaugio, Lemtrada, and others) and new treatments (CCSVI) with the hope to improve some of the more debilitating symptoms of this devastating disease and improve our quality of life. But, and that's a big BUT, they aren't a cure, and for many of us, MS is an unwelcome yet lifelong companion.

One of the blogs I follow, had a devotional today about God using our suffering to "chisel" us into the people he wants us to be. I thought that was very appropriate, because many times I feel like I've been chiseled into the person I am now. A little bit here, a little bit there, and slowly but surely I become more of the person that Jesus wants me to be.

                         The Lord is chiseling away at me, and making me into the person He wants me to be!

It also made me think of the one of the verses about the Lord pruning us in John 15:1-2 "I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more." 

                          Like grapes that need pruning, God prunes our life to enable us to bear more fruit!

I do feel that the Lord has used me more in the last few years. The fact that I am writing this blog for His Glory is one example. He has pruned me as I have gotten closer to him through my illness. In doing so, He has helped me show more compassion and empathy with others who are in the same situation or worse. Just like the Bible says, I am bearing more fruit because He has pruned me in the process to do just that and I am thankful.

My verses for today are above in red.

My prayer for today:

My dear Lord Jesus:

It's so hard to rejoice when you are suffering, but that is exactly what you want us to do. You know that through our suffering we will turn to you for refuge, and that is exactly what has happened with me. I have suffered much through this illness I have been living with for the past 15 years, but in many ways, it has brought be closer to you and for that I am forever thankful. Take me Lord, prune me and chisel me in the person you want me to be so that I may bring you and your Kingdom Glory! 

Amen and Amen!