Answering the call of God...

Have you ever felt like God is tapping you on the shoulder? Is he trying to get through to you, but you just don't want to listen or are having a hard time discerning His voice? Sometimes, I've found that the Lord can be very subtle or He can also be very blunt and bring you to your knees if He needs to,....your choice.

But, I think you have to be in tune to Him to hear what he's trying to say to you. So, how do you do that?

Picking up your bible would be a good first step. Get back into His Word. It's great to go to church and worship with fellow Christians, but just attending church on Sunday and listening to a 1 hour sermon often doesn't fulfill your needs if you are seeking a closer relationship with the Lord. I think you really have to delve into His Word through Bible Study either in church or a small group where you can learn and share what you've learned with like minded seekers.

If you feel that that still small voice is trying to get in touch with you....don't resist. Don't be afraid, God is just trying to pull you back unto himself. Sometimes He has to hit you over the head with a sledgehammer to get your attention. Don't wait until then! When you feel Him calling, answer on the first ring! You will never regret that decision.

The blessings that will come from a closer walk with Jesus are always significant and often life changing. God's peace will fall on you like a soft warm blanket. The little things that used to drive you crazy seem to fall away because your focus is on Him and His Word and not on what's happening in this world. The peace of God will surround you just like it says in Philippians 4:7 " And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." 

If you listen to the daily newscasts, you can easily be overwhelmed and think that the world is falling apart. It is from a human point of view. But, as Christians, we know that God is in control of everything and everyone. His purposes will always be triumphant. That is the thing to keep in mind when you begin to get stressed out by the way things are going. God will win and we will win with him as his followers. Remember Romans 8:28 " And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose."

If you feel God knocking on the door of your heart, open it! What have you got to lose?

My verses for today are above in red

My prayer for today:

Lord Jesus,

Be with me Lord. Help me to discern your still small voice when it is calling. Help me to reach out to others so they can hear it too. Teach me Lord and use me to spread your Word to others. Here I am Lord, use me!

In Jesus Name,
Amen

The benefits of living with MS?

An MS Facebook friend posted a comment a few weeks ago and it really got me thinking. She said this...

"God says that everything happens for our good, and His glory. Have you discovered anything "good" that has come from a diagnosis of MS?

I've had a while to think about that I've spent the last few months getting ready for a big baptism and party for my precious granddaughter Grace. I realized that my answer to that question is an easy one. MS changed has changed my life pretty dramatically from what it was back in January of 1998 when I was officially diagnosed. I was a driven self absorbed workaholic and supermom or so I thought. I thought I had everything in my life under control. My health, my family, my kids and husband, my career, and everything about my life. Everything was going according to how I thought my life ---everything and everyone in my orbit should go, until my health crisis in December of 1997. That is when everything, and I mean everything turned upside down. You realize pretty quickly that you really aren't in control of anything at all. Far from it. 

When a doctor looks at you and says he hasn't got good news and asks you to verify that the name on those MRI films are indeed yours, everything in your world changes immediately. After a month of every harrowing medical test known to man, including a brain biopsy, many doctors visits, many faithful prayers by our family and friends all over the world, we finally had a diagnosis. It wasn't brain cancer like they originally thought, it was this disease I had never heard of and I knew nothing about called Multiple Sclerosis.

I had no idea how much my life was going to change over the years because of those two little letters, MS. But change it did, and now that I've officially lived with this disease for over 17 years (I had symptoms for years and didn't know what they were so it's probably more like 25 years or more), I've got a totally different perspective on life.

When you have to slow down and face your mortality, you quickly realize, at least I did, that all the "stuff" you thought was so important, didn't amount to a "hill of beans," - a phrase my sweet Dad used to use all the time when he was still with us.  

Worrying about how your house looked, your yard looked, and having everything in it's proper place didn't really matter at all. Keeping up with the Jones' was never really my thing, and I realized pretty quickly who my real friends were when I became sick. 

So, can I say, I'm glad I got MS?Well, of course not, that would be a pretty strange thing to say. But, I have learned a lot from living with a chronic debilitating progressive disease. One that is relentless in it's pursuit of your body. 

So yes, I would say that something good has come from my diagnosis all those years ago. I've learned to wake up each day and thank God for another change to get it right. Life is precious, in any form. Every breath we draw is a gift from our Creator. I've learned to not take things or myself so seriously, after all, this life is just a journey to the next......filled with trials, confusion, anguish and hurdle after hurdle. It is truly a mine field for all of us, and you have to take everything that happens with a grain of salt and thank God that he allows you the opportunity to live through the trials. I mean, after all, what is the alternative? 

I've learned to be thankful in all things, and I mean all things, just like 2 Thessalonians 5:18 commands us to do "In everything, give thanks, for this is God's will for you." 

I've learned to really cherish those closest to me and accept the fact that there will be people who don't or can't accept me for what I am. That is a hard thing. I've always wanted everyone to like me and was always pretty popular when I was working or in school.

But as I've traveled through life, I've realized that you can't please everybody. It's just a fact that there are going to be some people, maybe even some of those closest to you who don't approve of your life, your opinions, or your faith, or the way you live out your faith. Quit beating yourself up. You can't please everybody all the time. You must be true to yourself and true to your God. In the end, He is the only one whose approval you really need because you will stand in judgement in front of Him and nobody else. 

Each day, I pray that through my Christian witness I can bring God glory in some of the everyday things I do. I look to Him for my strength, my encouragement, and my fortitude. 

Of course, there are many things about MS that I would much rather not have, like not being able to drive anymore. But it could be worse, I am thankful that it isn't. There are many things that take me ten times longer to do, but that's ok, God gives me the patience to get through those.  

Like writing in my blog. I haven't written for 4 months because of time and focus getting ready for our precious granddaughter's baptism on Easter Sunday. That is something I could have handled with ease in the old days, but now a days it took me longer, but it was worth every moment I spent. God gave me the strength to handle the planning and follow through with everything to help make that day perfect, which it was. Another thing is Praise Him for!!!

                                        The Watts Family at the baptism of our precious granddaughter:
                                        from left, Grace, Jessi, Steve, Nicki, Jordy and Eric 

Would I trade my life for some able body person's life? I have to say no, ......yes, I seriously said no. Of course there are days when I want to scream at God for allowing me to be stricken with this disease, but I'm blessed with a glass is half full personality and am happy that the Lord can use me through this illness to bring some levity to some others who are suffering. That's what it's all about, isn't it? Helping others just like Jesus did when he was on this earth? 

I pray that He will continue to bless me with the will to shine for him wherever I go and look to the good, not the bad. I am blessed and I know it!!! Thank you Lord!!

My verse for today is above in red

My prayer for today:

Heavenly Father:

Thank you for being by my side everyday since my MS diagnosis on January 8th, 1998. I couldn't have made it this far without you Lord. Continue to use me for your glory through my sickness. Help me to reach out to others who are suffering and lighten their load. Give me the fortitude to do your work for your kingdom, in Jesus name, Amen

2015 New Years Resolutions.....God Style

A very Happy New Year to all my friends and fellow bloggers. I can't believe it, but it seems that another year is coming to a close and that we are faced with the turning of the yearly clock, one more time--- into a brand New Year! Doesn't it seem impossible that it's already 2015? For me, it seems like it was just yesterday that we were celebrating the new millennium, but here we are already....15 years later.

As I look back on this past year and forward to the next, I, like most of you, are looking to improve some things in my life. New Years Resolutions always have meaning and the best intentions, but honestly,don't most of them fall by the wayside after a few weeks? We always seem to get in the way of ourselves and our best efforts.

A vow to get in shape with regular work outs, via walking, running or bike riding, setting new goals to save more money, eat better, quit smoking (if you do smoke) quit drinking ,or drinking excessively, quit gossiping, quit being jealous of others and their possessions, .... the list can go on and on if we are trying to improve our human condition, because frankly, let's face it.....we're a mess. All of us are sinners and fall very short of the Glory of God.

But, if we look to set our New Years Resolutions with God in mind, things begin to look up considerably and in my mind, at least, they seem much more attainable. If we are trying to do anything on our own, it can look insurmountable to say the least. Anything we try to accomplish on our own is so much harder than if we have the resources of the Creator of the Universe behind us. Why do we resist Him so?

So, this year, I want to really try to do things God's way. I want to turn to Him for everything. I want to rely on Him for every thought, action, and even every bite of food I put in my mouth. I want to eat good, healthy food, and only eat I'm hungry. May sound silly or unimportant to some of you, but for those of us who have always struggled with our weight, this is a valid and lofty goal. I want 2015 to be a year about Jesus, not about me or my food or anything else. Just Jesus and Jesus alone.

So, here we go into a brand New Year, As I approach my 60th birthday in October, I've thought a lot about why I'm still here. What exactly is my purpose? Why has God kept me here on this earth? He could have easily taken me back in 1997 when I had my health crisis. But evidently there was still more work for me to do.

The doctors thought for sure back in 1997 that I was a gone-er. All the great medical minds kept saying I had brain cancer and they needed to confirm that with a brain biopsy. The tests looked grim. Well, after a very tumultuous month, it was determined that I didn't have brain cancer, I actually had MS. Seems that God had other plans for me, and wasn't done with me yet. He proved the doctors wrong. Seems like they were just "practicing medicine" after all. The longer I've lived with this debilitating disease, the more I'm convinced that He still wants to use me for His glory, even in my broken down condition. I continue to try and comply with Him even when I'm hurting.

So, one thing I know for sure, as long as their is breath in my body......I will try hard to have my life, my words,and my actions be about my Lord Jesus Christ and not about me. I want my focus to be honoring Him in everything I do. I want to reach out to others that don't know Him. I want to strive to share His love with those who may be hurting. I want to strive to be the Hands of Feet of Jesus each day.There are so many people that may never step foot into a church, they may never know the love of Jesus unless than can see Him through me and through you.

This year also provided us with our first beautiful new granddaughter, Grace Natalie Watts. She also brings new purpose to my life because I so want her to know Jesus like I do, like a best friend that she can't live without. I want to set a good example for her to live her life by. I want to share His love with her as much as I can. I truly believe that her birth is a gift from God, and my responsibility as her grandmother is something I don't take lightly. I love you darling Grace, and I will always pray for and protect you.

So, will you join me in sharing God's love as we move forward into another New Year?  Can you make your New Years Resolutions with God in mind? Can you help others... your family, your extended family, your friends, and your co-workers to see Jesus through your actions, words, thoughts,and through your very life?

Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples of all the nations. Matthew 28:18-20 gives us the Great Commission... "And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Happy New Year to every single one of you. May God bless you with abundant health, blessings, joy and His peace that surpasses all human understanding in this New Year! 

My bible verse for today is above in red.

My prayer for today:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for another year. Thank you for being with me during this past year in everything I went through health wise and all the challenges I faced. Thank you for my wonderful, caring and thoughtful husband. He is such a gift Lord, and I ask that you gird him up and give him the strength he needs everyday. Thank you for our sons and our daughter in law Jessi. Be with them in this New Year and give them your peace as they go about their lives. Thank you for the birth of our beautiful granddaughter. Please keep her safe in your arms for all the days of her life. 

Jesus, please help me to set an example for all those of love, Help me to be a good Christian wife, mother and friend. Help me to be a good and faithful servant in everything I do. Help me to reach out to everyone in your name, in every situation, at all times. Help me to bring Glory to you always Lord.

Amen and Amen