What Matters Most

Ask yourself this one question.

What matters most to me?

When life gets you down.. What matters most?

When bad things happen to you.. What matters most?

When everything fails.. What matters most?

When your life is crumbling down around you..

What Matters Most?

I've heard it said that your focus determines your reality.

And how true it is...

If we focus on bad things, bad things just seem to keep coming.

When we focus on pain, everything begins to hurt.

What would you say if I told you, time with the Lord everyday

will refocus your life on Joy and make life enjoyable again?

Time everyday can be hard...but its necessary

to have a completely fulfilling life.

If we focus on the Lord and His Word, our focus remains

on things above and gives us lasting joy, contentment, and guidance.

We are commanded to have His Word in our heart and soul.

Deuteronomy 11:18-20

"You shall therefore lay up these words of mine

in your heart and in your soul,

 and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, 

and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 

You shall teach them to your children, talking of them 

when you are sitting in your house, 

and when you are walking by the way, 

and when you lie down, 

and when you rise.

You shall write them on the doorposts 

of your house and on your gates, esv

How can we answer the questions of life, 

when we don't read about the answers?

How can we expect God to step in when we put

Him aside in our daily lives?

Your focus determines your reality. Will you learn what blessings 

God has set aside for you and what He has already given you?

Focus your life on the Lord God. The rewards are endless!

The benefits are to many to write!

Live a fulfilled life with no regrets.

What matters most to you?

Toward or Away?

Toward or Away

Life is full of choices. Every day we make them. Some we enjoy, others we regret.

Whether we believe it or not, our lives are a path.

We choose to walk forward on the right path, or we turn around and stumble.

I recently was reading the story of Jonah and realized

I had already stumbled and turned away. 

The Lord was gently reminding me to turn around and get back on the path.

Read the book, and see Jonah's lesson. It applies to us all!

Jonah 1:1-3

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, " Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me." But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.

Here we see Jonah decide to flee from the presence of the Lord. 

He didn't out right say NO! I will not go!

He didn't negotiate. He just turned and walked.

Our lives are much like this. We think we are just making a decision, and we move.

We don't always think that decision is moving us away from God.

But then the storm comes, and we begin to question what is going wrong.

At that point some begin to blame God for what is happening, 

asking why He lets these things happen to us.

But in the end, we are the cause of our own issue.

That is why we are so very fortunate to have a patient, kind, and loving God.

Who wishes that none should perish. 

In His great mercy, He provides protection, grace, and forgiveness. 

Jonah 4:5-6

Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant.

Even when we are the ones turning away, the Lord shelters us. He gives us grace, 

even though we are traveling the wrong direction. 

But in the grace and protection, there is correction. 

A lesson He is trying to teach us. 

Jonah 4: 7-8a

But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint.

Because God loves us and wants us close, He will teach and correct us. 

Sometimes that trial we are going through is God pulling us back to Him. 

We just need to see and understand. Then turn around and move.

Forgiveness is waiting, no matter how far you have gone.

No matter where you are, and no matter what you have done. 

I have decided to follow Jesus!

Toward or Away?

What will you decide?

Land of Desolation

In the quiet, I cover my face..

Down on my knees, there's not a trace,

Of the joy I once felt.

All that is left is a barren disgrace.

Fire raged in, there was no escape.

The ashes of a once productive life,

fall from the sky.

As the smoke rises up, 

the emptiness rushes in.

Hopelessness surrounds. How can I survive?

There is no escape, Desolation all around.

From the North to the South,

East to the West,

From all directions, Hope seems to have left.

In my desolation, I cry to the Lord!

Help me Father! I know not what to do!

I've made a mess of all you have given,

Destroyed everything, 

Nothing has been saved..

And nothing is made new!

How can I go on? 

There's nothing I can do...

.

I raise my head, for one final cry....

I see in the distance, a Light in the sky!

How can this be? He coming to me!

Here you are, He says! I've found you at last!

You have wandered so far, But I've always been near.

Watching and waiting for you to look to Me.

I have your answers, I hold the key.

Now its time to come home, Your coming with Me!

He picks me up, though I'm covered in ash.

Holds out His arms and says 

Come to Me, I will heal your heart!

A loving embrace is all I know now.

Endless compassion, as I sit on His knee.

Amidst the destruction, He uncovered the ash.

What I saw gave me hope. I could not believe..

There underneath, hidden...Waiting.... 

For the time to be right.

New, and green! New life growing up!

Restoration and Joy, Forgiveness and hope!

His love knows no bounds!

He's waiting for you!

He found me, He can surely find you!

Trust in the Lord,

He knows what to do. 

He created you and makes all things new!