Tag Archive | Forgiveness

A Trip To The Pig Pen

I love the story of the prodigal son. Here is a young man who has it all…a home, wealth, food, and his father’s love. He becomes discontent and restless so he goes to his father and asks for his inheritance early. The father grants his son’s wishes and the son takes the money and runs.

The little party animal goes out and squanders away all the money his father gave him. With no money he is forced to go to work for a pig farmer. While working for the pig farmer he doesn’t even make enough money to buy food. He is forced to eat the same food the pigs eat.

After living in this state for a while he decides to go back home. He felt certain being a servant for his father would be better than working for the pig farmer. So he heads home…

As he approaches his father’s place, his dad sees him and runs out to greet him. His dad embraces him and welcomes him home. Not as a servant but as a son.

This young man like many of us, we don’t recognize what we have and are never satisfied so we go out and experiment to find those things and people who bring us “happiness”. Sometimes it just takes a…

A Trip To The Pig Pen

For us to change our mindset and recognize how truly blessed we are!!!

PS: For you parents who have kids in the “Pig Pen” you hold on to the promises of God…They will return home!!!

Love Lee ♥

There Is A Winner Within

Sep19

Wow, who would have thought…

Landau Eugene Murphy Jr takes the stage and appears to be the least likely person to audition much less win America’s Got Talent.

As you will see in the video, none of the judges were expecting to hear such a spectacular audition. In-fact their body language and reaction to Landau’s appearance indicates they have absolutely no confidence in his ability. In-fact, the judges had judged him before he had even opened his mouth.

As I watched this episode of America’s Got Talent and then watched again in the video, I couldn’t help but wonder…How would we respond if Landau had walked through the doors of our church and sat down next to us? Oh I know, we all would like to believe we would welcome him with open arms. But, would we really?

As much as Christians hate to admit it we are such a judgmental group of people. I’m sure you are thinking… “Not Me!” Are you sure about that? Below are some scenarios, as you read them being totally honest with yourself…What would be your gut reaction to this person who decides to sit next to you in church?

A 15-year-old female wearing Daisy Dukes
A derelict who reeks of alcohol
An elderly man who’s clothing smells of old urine
A teenage boy wearing a baseball cap
A group of young men wearing black trench coats
A woman in her 40’s wearing a t-shirt and no bra
A young mother with a screaming baby
A teenager eating a hot dog and drinking a coke

Hmmm…did you get up and move from your pew, ignore them, or embrace them?

I would venture to say if we are totally honest with ourselves if we did embrace them, we did not embrace them with our heart but in gesture only.

My friend, we cannot continue to judge a book by its cover. We must open up the hard external cover of broken lives and begin to read the pages chalked full of experiences. We must begin to see the internal person; the one screaming to come out.

We are so bound by tradition and religion we lose track of who we are and our calling. We are called to love the “Unlovely” and the “Rule Breakers”.

“Church is not a household for saints. It is a hospital for sinners.” ~Robin Butler

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37

Don’t Judge the Book by Its Cover…

There Is A Winner Within!!!

Love Lee ♥

Dealing with Difficult People

Sep8

“Life is too short to spend your precious time trying to convince a person who wants to live in gloom and doom otherwise. Give lifting that person your best shot, but don’t hang around long enough for his or her bad attitude to pull you down. Instead, surround yourself with optimistic people.” ~Zig Ziglar

Ain’t That the Truth!

I would rather rob a liquor store than be around that person but unfortunately you have to work with that person or worship with that person or perhaps even live with that person. We have all had to deal with that difficult personality who is miserable and wants to share their misery with everyone else by being…

Negative
Hateful
A Bully
Vindictive
A Kill Joy
Angry
Unrealistic
Passive aggressive

You get the picture and I am sure someone’s name or face came to mind as your read the list of negative descriptions. So, how do you deal with this person you are forced to interact with?

Recognize The Enemy:It is spiritual warfare. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
Put Your Armor on: Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:11
Say to Yourself: “They are not the enemy”. You are not fighting against flesh and blood. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. Ephesians 6:12
Pray: Take a mental pause from the ranting and raving to whisper the name of Jesus over your situation. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. 2 Thessalonians 3:2
Love: We are instructed to love our enemies so when this difficult person is acting out make a conscious decision to love. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:44

It is easy to get caught up in drama but we must be the rational healthy one and recognize we can not change this person but God can. And remember that is why they are refered to as…

Difficult People

Love Lee ♥

Just for Today

Aug30

Close your eyes, take a deep breath and imagine with me…

What would the world be like if everyone walked in love…Just for today
What would the world be like if everyone spoke with kindness…Just for today
What would the world be like if everyone helped their neighbor…Just for today
What would the world be like if everyone allowed someone to go to the head of the line…Just for today
What would the world be like if everyone offered a meal to the hungry…Just for today
What would the world be like if everyone was non-judgemental…Just for Today
What would the world be like if everyone put others first…Just for Today
What would the world be like if everyone omitted the words “me” and “I”…Just for Today
What would the world be like if everyone cared…Just for Today

We are only promised this moment in time. To chose to make an impact on the world… Just for Today allows us to breaks down lifetime goals into manageable components of time. We remove so much stress and pressure when we wake up and say…

Just for Today

For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. Deuteronomy 30:16

Love Lee ♥

Enough Said…

Aug15

I Love This Saying!!!

Preach the Gospel, and if necessary use words. ~ Unknown

I have never been one to shove God down anyone’s throat. To do so would imply the Holy Spirit does not exist. I would rather allow the Holy Spirit to draw people to Christ.

If He chooses me to be His instrument may I…

To listen to His voice
To see Him in all His Glory
To taste His Goodness
To feel His Presence
To smell His sweet aroma

My Daily Prayer: “Here I am Lord, use me”

Enough Said

Love Lee ♥

I Won!!!

Aug3

I remember as a little girl playing a game with my classmates and friends called “Duck…Duck…Goose”. We would all sit in a circle and one person would go around the tapping each person on the head and labeling us as a duck or a goose. There was only one goose and everyone wanted to be the goose…

She would walk around the circle ” Duck…Duck…Duck…Duck…GOOSE”. Yeah…It was me!!! I am the GOOSE…I would jump up and chase her around the circle trying to catch her before she was able to get back to the slot where I had been sitting.

You know, looking back, I didn’t want to get up and run around the circle…I just wanted to CHOSEN.

Life is much like a game of Duck…Duck…Goose. Jesus walks around our lives and He chooses us wanting us to chase after Him…

The coolest part of it all is He didn’t choose me because I am

Perfect
Popular
Beautiful
Thin
Tall
Rich
Famous

He chose me because He loves me!!! He says…

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. John 15:16

Wow!!! He chose me, trusted me with an assignment and THEN…He promised to give me the desires of my heart!!!

Now that is better than any game of Duck…Duck…Goose I have ever played and already

I WON!!!

Love Lee ♥

Take a Good Look in The Mirror

Jul27

Have you found yourself…

Laughing at a joke you didn’t find funny?
In a place you have no desire to be?
Engaging in a conversation you don’t want to have?
Wearing clothes you don’t enjoy wearing?
Doing things you don’t enjoy doing?

Have you asked yourself why…I believe human beings are so hard on themselves and seek the affirmation of others to validate their existence. They often say and do things in order to “fit in” or “be liked” and lose their unique identity in doing so.

I love this quote by Susan Jeffers…

“Remove those ‘I want you to like me’ stickers from your forehead
and, instead, place them where they truly will do the most good —
on your mirror!”

Be all He created you to be and learn to like yourself…

Take a Good Look In The Mirror

Love Lee ♥

Whatcha Got?

Jul25

If you look at what you have in life,
You’ll always have more.
If you look at what you don’t have in life,
You’ll never have enough.

~ Oprah Winfrey ~

This is such an awesome quote and sooo true but I would like to add to that…

If You Have Jesus…You Have EVERYTHING!!!

Got Jesus?

Love Lee ♥

Live Life With No Regrets

Jul24

I believe it is human nature to reflect on the past. The experiences from the past can often influence the decisions we make today. On the other hand the same is not true for regrets.

~ Regret is an odd emotion because it comes only upon reflection. Regret lacks immediacy, and so its power seldom influences events when it could do some good. ~ William O’Rourke

Regret serves no purpose in the present. To dwell on the shoulda, coulda, woulda, lends no value in the here and now!

How many times have you found yourself saying, “I wish I would have___________ (fill in the blank)? To do so is such a waste of the gift of the present! Think about it…

You can’t go back
You can’t undo what has been done
You can’t change the outcome

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, Philippians 3:13 NLT

I challenge you my friend to step out of the past and enter the here and now and…

Live Life With No Regrets!

Love Lee ♥

Freedom in Passion

Jul23

More times than I can count I have been told I am passionate about different things…

To that I respond…YES, I AM!!!

I am of the belief we must be passionate about our beliefs, life, people and things we love. It is the passion we feel for all of these that give validity and importance!

In-fact…I have a passion meter; the higher the passion the greater the importance. While the term passion meter may not be used everyone has one. Other terms people may be more familiar with are

Soap Box
Button (as in when someone “pushes your button”)
Focus

To be passionate at any level ensures you are connected, engaged, care, or on board…In-fact the absence of passion leads to bondage; the bondage of apathy, listlessness, and disconnect.

Think about it…If God were not passionate about us He would have not given His Son as the ultimate sacrifice to give us freedom from our sin!!!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Allow His passion to free you from your past, your sin, your apathy…The more you become aware of His passion the more you will become passionate about Him, people, things and the life He has blessed you with!!!