Tag Archive | Christ

Let Others See Jesus In You

Where have you come from? The person you were before Christ came into your life should be gone. The habits and attitudes that defined you then should be changed. You are a new creature!!!

When you opened the door of you heart and asked Jesus walked in so did love, compassion, forgiveness, concern for others, honesty, justice, and self-sacrifice. Every characteristic found in Christ now dwells in you.

You are no longer defined by the old you but by Christ who dwells in you.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Does that mean you are perfect? NOPE…old habits die-hard!

So, begin each day by asking God to allow Jesus to shine in you; for others to see Jesus in you. As Jesus begins to shine, His light will illuminate the darkness and you will be known as a child of Light…His Light!

So, Out With The Old & In With The New…Let Others See Jesus Shine In You…

Love Lee ♥

Gotta Get It Right

Dec28

No one can be wrong with man and right with God…

Profound statement and so true! Man is God’s greatest and most complex creation. We are the sparkle of His eye. But…God does not like it when His kids don’t get along. In fact so much so He commands we love one another and in so doing we fulfill the law of Christ.

By no means am I saying I have arrived! In fact at times it is just the opposite!!! As I grow in this area I become keenly aware those difficult personalities placed in our path are to either distract us or define us.

The Distraction…is satan’s way of removing our focus from God and placing it on people. Our focus becomes selfish and we focus on the negative traits of people rather than honing in on their beautiful attributes God has blessed them with. When we become focused on the negative our attention is drawn away from the Lord and viola…satan’s mission is accomplished.

The Definition…God does not allow failure and He expects us to rise above the temptation of being mean and hurtful to others. It is when we focus on the positive and beautiful attributes of others we are able to see God more clearly and we are drawn into His presence.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 1 John 4:11

O Lord, I know that You are aware and care about each person I will face today. Please let others see Jesus in me and allow me to extend Your love as commanded.

Love Lee♥

Silent Mornings

Dec24

Being a morning girl, I am up at the crack of dawn each day. With a fresh cup of steaming hot coffee, I sit in my favorite chair and listen to the soft music playing, my precious birds chirping, and the soft snore of Maggie Mae who is sleeping next to my chair.

This time of day has always been special to me as it carries the hope of new and exciting things to come…A fresh slate…A new beginning…An book waiting to be written.

But, first things first…I grab my laptop and go to Blue Letter Bible online for my morning Bible study. I love this application as it allows me to research, read, and navigate more easily. I love my time with the Lord in the morning! Reading His word keeps me in close relationship with Him!

But [it is] good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works. Psalms 73:28

It is when I draw near to Him, I am better able to recognize His sovereign hand on my life and trust He has everything under control. It is when I draw near to Him, I become keenly aware of His incredible love for me.

As I sit here this Christmas Eve morning surrounded by the comforts of home, I can’t help but reflect on

Those struggling emotionally with the holiday season
Those on foreign soil defending my right to be able to sit in the comfort of my home
Children missing their mommy or daddy because they are from broken homes
Moms or dads missing their children because of divorce
Those missing a family member who is no longer living
The homeless, cold, and hungry

Dear Daddy God,

I ask you in the precious name of Jesus to place your loving arms around each of these. Please meet them where they are; wrap your loving arms around them and hold their tender hearts in your hands. Keep them safe and warm. Shower them with your presence and make your presence known to them. Please give them comfort and a peace that passes understanding while making provisions for their needs. I thank you Father for the blessings you have poured out over my life. I love you and am so thankful you love me. THANK YOU FATHER!

Love Lee ❤

Pregnant With Possibility

Dec20

There will be worries. There will be struggles. But tomorrow is filled with possibility. I am inching toward eternity, and this is a journey I want to savor, not suffer through.

When Mary received the news she was carrying the Christ Child, she embraced the present for the future. She embraced the glares, glances, whispers, and disapproving looks of society all because she was pregnant with our possibilities…

The possibilities we have in today and tomorrow is because Mary said “Be it unto me”.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Matthew 6:34

Because you have Jesus, you too are pregnant with possibility! Life is full of possibilities with Him. He is our hope, future, protector, healer, sustainer, strength, and joy. He wants us to live up to our full potential. To take life by the horns and enjoy the ride…

Have the courage to live fully today and await tomorrow with great hope; to be Pregnant with Possibility

Love Lee ♥

God Whispers

Nov29

I love the saying “Make time for the quiet moments for God whispers and the world is loud” so much so I have it framed and hanging in my kitchen as a reminder.

Have you ever thought to yourself or verbalized, “If God would just tell me what to do…”? One thing I know is God is the same yesterday, today and forever! His character does not change; He is a kind and loving God who will guide and direct your path. And yes, He will even speak to you!

But, “how does He speak?” you ask. Well, there are several ways in which God speaks.

Through His word: Do you want to hear God’s voice? Then read the Bible. Find a good daily reading plan, and stick to it.“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16).
Through Prayer: Most conversations are a two-way street. Do you just stand in front of someone and wait for them to talk to you? NO…you typically introduce yourself, or initiate the conversation. It is no different when you want to talk with God. Not only does he listen but he also answers. So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer. (Ezra 8:23)
Through the council of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is the way we hear God’s voice!“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17).

Think about it when you are carrying on multiple conversations at once or you are talking to someone while listening to another conversation are you communicating effectively…I think NOT!

God is near and wants to communicate with you but like any other intimate conversation you must shut out your surroundings and focus on the person speaking and engage in one conversation at a time.

Listen to that still small voice that sits in the middle of your gut. The one that says “you ought to do this” or “you ought not do that”. I call it your sense of oughtness. When you have that sense about you, there is no confusion about what you ought to do because “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” (I Corinthians 14:33)

Is there something you feel you ought to do…

Find a quiet moment and allow God to speak!

Love Lee ♥

Keeping Your Promises

Nov23

Who out there has said, “I will…” but knew deep down “You Wouldn’t? Often people commit to things or people without giving any thought to the implications or consequences. Then when the time arrives to follow through with the commitment they realize it was never their intention to carry out what was promised so the excuses begin to flow.

Parents do this frequently. They tell the child whatever it takes to pacify them at the time. Then when it is time to deliver what was promised the parent is no longer quite so eager to please.

Before making a commitment or promise to someone you might want to consider the following:

Do you intend to you keep your word and follow through?
Is the commitment something you can realistically carry out?
Did you write down the commitment you made?
Do you know why you are making the promise?
Do you know what you hope to gain from the promise and the consequences of failure?

Keeping promises demonstrates our “True Inner Self.” It shows whether or not we have corruptible or incorruptible morals inside of us. Integrity, Honor, Self-respect and Honesty means everything to man and to the Lord! A broken promise means a broken trust and relationship. Trust and respect as well as one’s honor is the basis of our relationship with our Lord. He expects us to keep promises to others as well!

…The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. Psalms 145:13. Your Heavenly Father is the greatest promise keeper ever. His word is chalked full of promises for His children. He provides the perfect example to us His kids teaching us the importance of keeping those promises. We should strive to follow His example.

So, what promises have you made?

It is never too late to deliver!!!

Love Lee ♥

All or Nothing

Nov15

In life people are often faced with life changing decisions like marriage, parenting, or careers. These decisions can not be taken lightly and require a higher level of commitment and dedications.

One of those life changing decisions is to include Christ into ones life. Along with the decision to follow Christ, a decision about the level of commitment must be made as well. If knowing God, living for Him, and growing in your faith is important, then it is worth giving your whole heart to it. To put on a fancy show for others to convince them that you’re doing a good job or seeking to know God better. However, the bottom line is you can’t fool God. He looks deep into your heart and knows whether your efforts to know Him are shallow or whether they run deep.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with your whole heart”. Jeremiah 29:13

God looks deep into your heart and knows whether your efforts to know Him are shallow or whether they run deep. If they are deep and your heart’s desire is to know Him with all your heart, then mistakes and failures will be brushed aside.

Striving for excellence does not mean you will not make mistakes. But, unlike your family, friends, or acquaintances God does not beat you over the head with your past. He wraps his arms of forgiveness around your shoulder and supports you as you move forward in your walk with Him. His opinion should be the only one that matters and we should live our life by His standards and not the opinions of others.

“An authentic life is the most personal form of worship. Everyday life has become my prayer.” Sarah Ban Breathnach

It’s All Or Nothing…God cares about your heart’s priority so choose wisely!

Love Lee ♥

I Love to Hear Him Sing

Nov14

Music has always been a very important part of Richard’s and my life. In fact music served as the medium which brought us together. In high school Richard sang in the choir and played a French horn in the band. I will never forget the moment I realized just how gifted he was…

He was playing in a band concert one evening and invited me to go. He appeared on my front door step wearing a band uniform covered in medals; medals he had won in competitions. I have always loved a man in uniform but for that uniform to be covered in BLING!!! (Did I mention, I Love Bling ♥)

Richard has continued to exercise his passion for music by singing in the church choir and by singing solos when asked. But more important than how he sings, it is what he sings…

Richard’s passion for the Lord becomes evident with the release of the first note from his mouth. He sings of the God’s love, mercy, and grace with such conviction and emotion…

Today, I celebrate as I get to not only attend church and worship my risen Savior, I also get to witness my precious husband sing joyfully to the Lord and worship our Savior in song.

Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Psalms 33:1

We would love for you to join us for worship at First Baptist Church Brazoria in Brazoria, TX. at 10:45 AM

Love Lee ♥

If Momma Ain’t Happy

Nov8

It is amazing how much influence a woman has over her home. For years my husband has jokingly said, “If Momma Aint Happy; Aint Nobody Happy”. There is so much truth to that saying. We as women set the tone in our homes. Having a bad day? Well, you can pretty much bet everyone else in the house is too. Happy and joyful? Give it a little time and your happiness will affect the whole family. Think about it…the attitude of the wife/ mother sets the tone for entire home. That is a lot of power we possess!

I also feel it would be safe to say, the priorities of the wife/ mother becomes the priorities for the entire family. If it is a priority to attend an event, you can pretty much bet the entire family will be there. If it is a priority to clean house, momma will enlist the help of the family. Amazingly everyone’s priority becomes housework whether they are in the mood to clean or not.

When a woman gets it in her mind to do something there is little a man can do to sway her from it. In fact, the woman has a lot of power over the man to sway him to her line of thinking. This phenomenon is demonstrated in Genesis when Eve persuaded Adam to partake of the forbidden fruit. Knowing this, we as wives and mothers must be so very careful because the results of our persuasion can undermine our husband’s wisdom and authority in the home.

Ladies, I challenge you to set priorities which places God in the center of your home, to serve Him, and to create an atmosphere of worship in your homes. Meet the challenge and set priorities that will provide the opportunity and atmosphere for the rest of your family to make God important in their lives.

“But as for me and my household we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

Has this scripture been put into practice in your home? Is serving God a priority for your home? Are you living the example so your family recognizes this as a priority?

Place Jesus in the heart of your home and your home will have a heart like Jesus!

Love Lee ♥

Say Thank You

Oct11

Saying “Thank You” is so important especially when you are living in a thankless world. Do you receive those kind words, subtle niceties, or random acts of kindness with an attitude of gratitude or do you take them for granted?

It’s All About Manners

We loved it when Richard’s grandmother, Gramma came to visit. She enjoyed playing games and one she played with our girls was “Please and Thank You” . It was a twist on “Go Fish”. When asking for a card you must say “Please” or you lose your turn. Then if you received the card you requested by saying “Please” but forgot to say “Thank You” you had to hand them back not only the card that was just handed to you but also the ones in your hand that matched that card. A great way to teach children manners. But, what about the kids or for that matter adults who did not have a Gramma to play “Please and Thank You” with? Is it too late to develop an attitude of gratitude? I say it is never too late!

Recognize the Gift

It is important to recognize we must say, “Thank You” not only for those things we ask for but for those things which are given to us as a gift. But first we must recognize the gift and it is not always easy!

Several years ago, I was at work one day and my dear friend and neighbor came over to my house and mowed my yard. I was so surprised to find a perfectly manicured yard when I returned home. Immediately I knew who had done it. I walked over to her house and thanked her profusely for mowing for me…She stopped me right in the middle of my “Thank You” and said, “The gift was not a yard mowing. It was a gift of time. I wanted you take the time it would have taken you to mow your yard and apply it to the time you spend with Richard which is what you enjoy the most.” Suddenly the gift became even more valuable in my eyes.

A gift can come in many forms; a smile, a nod, a note or email, flowers…etc. The list could go on forever and that is why it is not always easy to recognize exactly what the gift might be. So, I challenge you to look for the hidden meanings as well as the obvious!

Acknowledge the Gift

Now that you have recognized a gift how did you acknowledge it? There are many ways to say “Thank You” …

For the casual gifts such as a smile, kind word, or deed a casual “Thank You” will work. Casual meaning an email, phone call, an e-card or even a Facebook post. But for those special gifts a formal “Thank You” is in order. Gifts given for a special occasion such as graduation, wedding, birth of a baby, or birthday warrant a more formal “Thank You” such as a “Thank You” card. When sending a “Thank You” it is important to remember…

Avoid pre-printed “Thank You” cards but instead send one that is blank with an added personal hand written note.
Timing is everything so send the card within a week of the event or receipt of the gift.
Content should be short with reference to the gift that was given.

America Has Lost Its Manners…We can begin now to teach the next generation how to be thankful…

Perhaps you could start by playing a game of “Please and Thank You”

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15

Love Lee ♥