Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for the Lord allowing life lessons. While going through these difficult times I'm not always "so thankful" though. There have been times in my life that I've cried out in anger - not understanding how a GOOD GOD could allow such BAD things. Its only after many years that I realize the bad things in this world are exactly that..... The bad things IN THIS WORLD... We live in a fallen world full of sin.

Heb 12:5-8 (NIV) "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

As I think on the lessons he has allowed in my own life I think back of the lessons I tried to teach my children and how bad it hurt me to have to spank or scold them. How much more does our heavenly Father hurt when he has to discipline us?

Thanking him for loving US FIRST!

Hugs,
Holly

LET ME WALK IN YOUR FOOT STEPS!

The above photo is a picture of my Son-in-Law's foot and his baby Grace's foot.
When looking at this picture it makes me think of the scripture:
Psalms 37:23-24 (NLT) "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand."

This Wednesday I am thankful to the good Lord for providing such an amazing Daddy for my Grand Daughter Grace and awesome Husband for my Daughter as well!
I love to watch him with his baby girl. His eyes just sparkle when he walks in the door from work and she throws out her arms and says " HI - Daddy"!

What joy it has brought to this Granny's heart to watch him open the word of God and study....... I can trust that he desires to raise his daughter with the knowledge of our precious Savior.

Thank you heavenly Father for your Holy Spirit drawing this family to your kingdom purposes. Your word does not lie and we can trust in the following:

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."
[Proverbs 22:6].......... **** this goes for she will not depart as well**** :)

Psalms 37:23-24 (NLT) "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand."

Have a blessed Wednesday ladies,
Holly

WHAT A MESS!

Have you ever had one of those days? You know the ones I'm talking about.....
You wake up late - try to make up time in order to make it to work on time. Well, I had one of those days today. I have decided to make my temple healthier and yesterday went out and purchased a new outfit to workout in.

Sooo - this morning I threw my protein shake in my purse and laid my cloths on top. While in the bathroom I heard my purse fall from the table. Went in the kitchen and there it was. Chocolate shake all over the floor and the cloths right in the middle of the mess...... I bowed down at the mess - began to wipe it up and spray the cloths down and could picture Christ doing the same thing with my life.

WHAT A MESS..... Yes.. what a mess I have made in the natural many many times. But through the blood of Christ - he has wiped it all clean.

In Francis Chan's book (Crazy Love) he says:

"The irony is that while God doesn’t need
us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don’t really want Him most of the
time.

I want to always remember what it cost Christ in order to be a sacrifice for my sin.

1 John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Thanking God today for cleansing my mess!

Have a blessed day,
Holly

FREE SPIRIT HAVEN: About Fearless Fridays

FREE SPIRIT HAVEN: About Fearless Fridays

Fearless Friday - A Single's Word

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I woke this morning and as I was praying, the Lord laid upon my heart the thought of my singleness. In the past I viewed my being single as a handicap. I didn't fit in anymore. I had been married for 22 years and just did not know HOW TO BE SINGLE nor did I desire to be SINGLE.

I had never viewed my thoughts as sin until a recent bible study. My fear of being single was causing "being in a relationship" my main focus - my main idol of the heart. The hope of being in a relationship would deliver me from the loneliness of singlehood. I do believe God allowed my fiance' in to my life for a purpose. He always uses people and events in our life "FOR OUR GOOD"........ For some reason though - we did not get married.

I have made the statement in the past that I desire to be so lost in the Lord that a man will have to seek him first in order to find me! WOW..... Today I stand on that statement. It doesn't matter what the rest of the world thinks of us and whether or not they respect us is immaterial: God's grace has freed us from demanding our own respect and now we can live for the fame and honor of Jesus (1 Cor. 10:31).

Dr. Steve Childers wrote: Faith requires a continual rehearsing and delighting in the many privileges that are now ours in Christ....
Notice that faith is setting our affections on Christ!

If asked last July when my Fiance' broke our engagement if I would still be content the following February I would have answered "NO" and in my own strength that answer would still be NO.....

This day I chose not to fear my singleness and trust that my Savior adores me as his own child......

DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am so very thankful for my Sisters in Christ.... I recently had a blow to the heart. I'm not any one special. Most woman have had their share of heart aches. We have all encountered heart ache from a loved one, a family member, a child, an illness or even a death in our family.

What I have discovered is this: The family of God.
I was one of those woman that once hurt - decided that I didn't need ANYONE. Most people would eventually end up hurting me. Disappointing me. Still today. There could still be truth in that statement. People will hurt me and disappoint me, and guess what... I will disappoint and hurt others as well.....

BUT - what I have discovered is amazing relationships in the body of Christ. I do need their support, their counsel, their HUGS...........What amazing love is waiting in the body of Christ to encourage, edify, build up one another!

"We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, 'The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.'” Romans 15:1-3

I have found many Sisters in the Lord that do exactly what the above scriptures commands us to do!

Thanking God for each and every one of you this day,
Holly

After The Rain

Thinking this morning about Spring rains and the beauty that the Lord supplies after the rains.

We all encounter rains and storms in our lives. But its what we do with those rains when they come. I want to always choose to be as Christ in Matthew 8:23-27. His confidence was in God. He could rest assured that he was safe. He found his comfort and peace in the one that controlled the storm.
What a lesson in life for me. As I walk through times in my life when I don't understand the rainy seasons. When I don't know the day the Sun is coming out for certain. My certainty is this: The sun will come out. Even during the rain the SON CAN ALWAYS SHINE!

I believe our life is an adventure. We can learn from it, grow from it, be created from it. After all - Gods word promises in Psalm 138 that he will fulfill his purpose in us:
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your love, O LORD, endures forever - do not abandon the works of your hands.

So today I have decided to look upon my life in this way:

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."

Be blessed and dance a little.

Hugs,
Holly

Monday Bible Study / February 16, 2010

Week Two - Monday Bible Study

Question:

What does it mean to know that I am precious in God's sight?

I had made an addition to my weekend blog but decided to add it here for my answer.
Yesterday my ex fiance wrote to tell me he is pursuing a new relationship. When I first read it, I became sick to my stomach... I felt like he kicked me in the gut. You see... I had been praying the prayer of Jabez over Mark for 6 months...

Dear Lord - Bless Mark, increase his territory - watch over him - keep him from evil.... I desired God's BEST FOR MARK..... Until I read that email... I have found someone new......

Bottom line... I still desire God's blessings for his life - in my spirit... but we all know that we battle against flesh and blood. I'm hurt because I wasn't the right one!

All of that to get to my question: What does it mean to know that I'm precious in God's sight?
Answer: That he loves me so unconditionally - he was willing to die for me. In spite of me - my sin - my flaws -
He cares so deeply for me that he will spare me from mistakes as long as my focus is on him and his desire for my life.

TODAY I CAN TRUST Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope!
NO MATTER WHAT I FEEL.... I CAN TRUST THE WORD OF GOD...................PERIOD!

I feel peace and assurance in the fact that I am his precious daughter and he desires and delights in giving me "GOOD GIFTS".............

Be blessed ladies,
Holly

The Right Road

This photo was taken driving down my lane at home this past week. My thought was how beautiful the road looked and so peaceful.

Made me think of Gods way.... The road he has chosen for me to follow.
Last week I wrote about how I drifted off the path that I know is pleasing to God.
This week he reminds me that his ways are good, beautiful, peaceful and will bring my life joy. I thought of what it would look like to drift off the road in the snow... Chances are I would get stuck... Isn't that how life is as well..... what happens when I drift off of the right way, what if I linger there to long?

I love being able to trust in the fact the GOD KNOWS THE PLANS HE HAS FOR ME..... His plan.. not mine....

Proverbs 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will direct thy paths.

HOW AWESOME IS THAT... Thanking God for his gentle reminder and amazingly beautiful way he revealed his truth to me this week.

God Bless Ladies,
Holly

Thankful Thursday/ Feb. 11

"Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love." (Luke 7:44-47, NLT)

Today I am so very thankful for God's forgiveness..... The above woman referenced in this scripture is me ladies. I have done things in my past that I struggled to BELIEVE that a "perfect and holy God" could ever forgive.

So thankful that I can TRUST CHRIST at his word and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that "it is finished"... My sin is cast as far as the East is from the West.....What peace............what assurance......

Brings to mind the ole hymm Blessed assurance.................

Thanking my precious Savior this day for choosing me - long before he formed me - even knowing the sin I would choose and yet still loving me inspite of it all!

Lovingly yours,
Holly

Write the Vision down!

The Righteous Shall Live by His Faith

Habakkuh 2
And the LORD answered me

"Write the vision; make it plain on tablets,
so he may run who reads it.
3For still the vision awaits its appointed time;
it hastens to the end—it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.

I have chosen to write the vision down and to live by faith.
God is sovereign over our lives. He desires to give us good gifts and that we are
abundantly blessed. I think of Valentines day coming up and I am so tempted to
try and go out on my own and search for that one true love of my life, knowing full well
in my spirit that I already have that ONE TRUE LOVE IN MY LIFE.

I have a man that loved me so very much that he gave his one and only life for me. No man on the face of this earth has ever loved me THAT MUCH.

When my engagement was broken off – God woke me with these words… The answer is not NO – but NEW…… When I get to feeling sorry for myself or discontent about my current circumstance, I can rest assured that God is already working on my future. Already has his very best in store for me. Already working on other hearts that may need a nudge while he works on my heart and prepares me for his blessings.

What a happy thought for this Valentines Day. My Lord is already working on a “perfect gift” for my life. All things work together for our good. Even the mistakes I have made in the past are now working for my good through Christ. He has used them to mold me into his image. Creating in me a heart that desires his will far above my own.

So for me – My vision for today will wait until its appointed time….. God does not lie and even though it may seem slow to HOLLY – I will still WAIT because his word says it will surely come and not delay!

GIVE ME EARS TO HEAR OH LORD!

The enemy has flooded your house. He seeped in through some cracks which you thought were unimportant. He knows not to come in the front door because you know how to fight and have victory there. Clean house. Find the hidden cracks, no matter how small. Don't think because you have been victorious at the front door he won't go for the cracks. There are things which you have gotten lax about. The enemy is relentless, even though he has been publicly defeated. The battle for Jericho was won according to My word, but it also had to be won according to My word. It wasn't, so Joshua's army was defeated.
Joshua 7:13 "Rise up! Consecrate the people and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus the Lord, the God of Israel, has said, "There are things under the ban in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst."

Last weekend I went to a bar and grill with my girlfriend for dinner. Innocent enough right... well.. They had a band playing...
So we decided to stay and listen.
My flesh was weaker than I thought. We danced to the band - but then a man came and asked me to dance. I danced one dance with him to be nice.
Later - someone came to me and said " Don't talk to him - he has a bet on you that you will go home with him tonight!

Ladies - That made me want to vomit...... What on earth would make someone think that?

The moral of this story.... Why did I put myself in a place where anyone could even come against me?

It goes back to what Paul speaks about... My flesh is weak... I do the things I don't want to do and don't do the thinks I wish I would.....

I want to make certain that all the cracks are sealed by the holy spirit in my heart.... I know I fail but I have a heavenly Father that has sent his son to justify my sin... LORD KNOWS I CAN'T DO IT ON MY OWN!

Just as Isaiah 30:21 says: And your ears will hear a word behind you, This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right or to the left................... Thats my hearts desire... To have ears to hear my Lord whisper - not that way Holly - but this way!

God Bless.

HOW MUCH DO WE LOVE THE LORD?

The other day my post spoke of my need for the Lord to help me love him....... Today I wanted to share on what that truly looks like. In 1st John 3:16-20 he says this:

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life fo us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us.

WOW...... This passage has surely given me much to meditate on. I live on a farm. I haven't even been running cattle, horses or anything on it for over 6 years since my husband left me. I held on to the farm (saying it was for my children, etc.) but the truth of the matter I believe was then PRIDE.........OUCH! Today I believe I keeping it for a heritage to leave my Grandchildren... Which is definitly more biblical.... But the above scripture convicts my heart.

I have lifted up the people of Haiti, the starving in Africa, the homeless in St. Louis even.... I donate what I can in the form of money. BUT - Oh my the BUT.......
Am I laying down my life?
I must love them all as my Brothers, Sisters, Sons and Daughters out there... What would I do if my little Grand babies had no food in their home? I would go without?

My prayer is to love as Christ loves. John 3:16 says: FOR GOD SO LOVED - THAT HE GAVE.....................Look at what our heavenly Father gave.

This scripture has challenged my heart and I pray it challenges yours as well!

God did not just give a little or just lift up a few prayers for us, did he? No - HE GAVE MUCH!

Be blessed my dear Sisters and talk with you soon...... Bear Hug!

God is so very good!

I'm praising God this morning for his goodness. His grace and mercies that are new and fresh each and every morning. This past weekend I felt as though I disappointed God. I did stumble - But praise God (because of his son, Jesus Christ) I did not fall down. That's the joy of being a child of God.

Do we still stumble? Do we still make mistakes? Without a doubt..... YES. Of course we do. But there in lies the answer. Why else would we need a Savior if we could do it perfectly on our own through our own efforts.

I'm growing to realize my desperate need for Jesus. I don't want to try this walk on my own strengths. I would fail each and every time.


Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to You. Psalm 143: 8

Praise God for being there to show me where to walk and not only that but the guidance and knowledge to know where I SHOULD be walking.......

Thank you Lord for loving me enough to choose me even before you knew me!

Help! I Don't Love you

I have been reading the book by Francis Chan called Crazy Love.

This past weekend I felt like I totally let the Lord down. I dropped my guard and went along with the worldly thoughts of just getting out and having fun. What about ME syndrome. Don't I deserve syndrome. I'm all alone and no one cares syndrome. You know those day!

I was so surprised to read the words "I need God to help me love God." Which is so true. I found myself in a complacent state of mind. Not really pursuing God or running after him or his word. My prayer life was getting slothful, my desire weak.....The fact is if I need his help to love him ( a perfect being) I definitely need his help to love others, fault-filled humans.

It spoke of the remarkable cycle. Our prayers for more love result in more love, which naturally causes us to pray more, which results in more love... Imagine going for a run while eating a box of twinkies... Besides being self defeating and side ache- inducing (which so reminds me of myself)lol...... it would also be near impossible - we would have to stop our run just to eat the twinkies...

So in the same way... we have to stop loving and pursuing Christ in order to sin.. OUCH... This was my case. I had stopped running after Christ.... As long as I chasing after him and his ways I won't desire the things of the flesh.... I will be running toward our Refuge, toward Love, toward freedom... Free from sin!

The more I focus on my love for Christ, all other loves will become NATURAL! I like the way Francis Chan said it " As long as we are pursuing Christ - we are satisfied in Him... WOW.... such good word for me. I do not want to be Luke warm like the church of Laodicea? Do you? I desire instead to be as David in the Psalms... You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Ps. 16:11

Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

I am so thankful that he loves you and I unconditionally. Even when we are not loving and pursuing him like he created us to. Then most importantly I'm thankful for the God moments when his presence is so new and fresh that you know with all of your heart that he is the love of your life and you cannot fill any void or place in your heart with any thing other than HIM! Thats when all things are added, right?

Be blessed and I pray you as well will RUN AFTER CHRIST!