The Diamond Life

I want to thank God, because He’s the one I look up to, He’s graced my life with opportunities that I know are not of my hand or any other human kind.  Matthew McConaughey

      Each year, the Oscars set out with one goal: to recognize accomplishments in the film industry. The goal may be simple but the actual event is anything but. There are pre-parties, during parties and after-parties. The glitzy dresses, red carpet interviews, paparazzi and screaming fans all add to the excitement. And then, there are the acceptance speeches. Once a winner is called, the world is literally their stage.  Over the years, a lot has happened on that stage. Every...
winner has a choice: use the moment to thank the people who have helped him get there, or use it to make a statement—there’s usually not time for both. Some stars do a better job of saying “thank you” than others and every year there’s at least one speech that makes headlines.

      This past weekend, Barb Roose shared that none of our accomplishments happen in a bubble. There is always someone or something that supports us along the way. The people in our life can push us to new levels or pick up our slack as we pursue our dreams. Our accomplishments are not always made possible just by people. Sometimes, it’s the “something” that helps us succeed. Consider a musician whose talent is magnified by a top-of-the-line instrument or the athlete with access to the best equipment.

      When we recognize someone or something for the extraordinary role in our lives, we call that acknowledgment “giving glory”. Another way of explaining “glory” is to give honor, praise or respect when it’s due. We tend to think about giving glory only after receiving recognition (like the famous Oscar acceptance speeches), but the scriptures call believers to glorify God throughout our entire lives. Many believers get spiritually stuck working for personal glory or significance. The world is impressed by our achievements, so we continue to pursue worldly success, but the Bible calls this “double-mindedness”. Picture yourself on a tennis court. The net divides God’s glory on one side and personal glory on the other side. Now imagine you’re playing alone. You hit the ball to God’s glory, jump the net and hit the ball back to your side. When the ball lands you run across the court again and hit the ball back to the other side. It won’t take too many serves until you are exhausted and frustrated and not really enjoying the game at all. You can’t play both sides of the net and be a winner. 

      That’s the danger of double-mindedness. It feels frustrating and unfulfilling to us, but even more importantly, if we try to enjoy personal significance at the expense of God’s glory, we are really asking God to serve us, instead of wanting to serve Him. Instead, we should focus on trusting His will, even when the results take time. The experience we are gaining today through every challenge, celebration or trial may be the preparation needed to ultimately do the good work God has uniquely designed us to complete. In this week’s LivingItOut, we’re going to learn how to keep score by giving God the glory no matter what happens in life because we ultimately have two choices. We can glorify God and say, “Wow, God! You’re awesome!” or we can glorify ourselves and say,“Wow! I’m awesome!” Only one choice leads us to winning the diamond life.

THIS WEEK’S STUDY IS ABOUT WHO TO LIVE THE HOME RUN LIFE FOR TO WIN THE DIAMOND LIFE.

MONDAY–It’s Not You… It’s Me – Sincerely, God

Big Point: God uses our successes to bring glory to Him, not us.

God’s glory is His reputation. To live for God’s glory means to live so that God’s reputation is enhanced and not diminished in any way.

– Charles Ryrie, pastor 

When Barb kicked off the Home Run series she talked about Jacob and now, with the conclusion of the series, we come full circle to pick back up with the same family, but this time with Jacob’s son, Joseph. Joseph started life out thinking he was amazing but, decades later, came to the point when he realized that it was God who was the main thing. In Genesis 37, we’re told Joseph was Jacob’s favorite; Joseph even had a couple of dreams where he saw his brothers, then later the sun, moon and stars, bow low before him. Hearing this from Joseph, his brothers plotted to kill him. But one brother intervened and Joseph was sold into slavery instead. Over the next many years, Joseph would then be wrongly accused of a crime and thrown into prison. Then he would have an opportunity to be freed from prison, but still not get out!

But, God wasn’t done with Joseph’s life, just like He isn’t done with us. We need to realize that God has something much bigger than our success in mind as we go through life. Often His greater purpose leads to saving people, as it did for Joseph. Through a God-driven set of circumstances, Joseph got out of prison and was made second-in-command of Egypt and in charge of preparing the country to survive a devastating famine. When Joseph’s brothers arrived in Egypt looking for food, he ultimately held the lives of his brothers in his hands. Rather than revert to the old foolish ways of bragging and pride, Joseph gave the glory to God. While we are not commanders in Egypt, we do have the same choice to give the glory to God every day.

READ and THINK… What does the Bible say?

1. The Israelites and all the people of that region were two years into a seven-year famine that was sweeping the land. It was common for families to make their way to the government for help with basic provisions at times like this. This brings Joseph face-to-face with the brothers who betrayed him, sold him into slavery and changed the path of his life.

Question: What is the main thing Joseph wants to reassure his brothers about? How does Joseph glorify God in this situation rather than demand it for himself?

Genesis 45:7-8 (New Living Translation)

⁷ God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. ⁸ So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh–the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt. 

Answer: 

2. Colossians 3 lays out instructions for believers, no matter their station in life, on how to live in Christ. When we read the following verse, we are encouraged to do our best for God’s glory and not for our own or for the sake of impressing others.

Question: Why was Paul telling the church in Colosse the importance of working hard for the Lord

Colossians 3:23-24 (New Living Translation)

²³ Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ²⁴ Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

 Answer:

LIVE… What will you do now?

In what way can you relate to Joseph and the trials, setbacks and even hopelessness he may have felt? Why do you think God allows us to go through trials before showing us how the end result will bring Him glory?

Think of a situation right now that is frustrating, challenging or overwhelming. Now look at it through the lens of Colossians 3:23. How does this change your perspective? How can you think, act and live in a way that gives God glory?

We’ve learned what it looks like to live a Home Run Life with God, and the importance of running the bases in order. In what way can you now run towards home base, giving God the glory in your relationships, at home and at work?

Why could it give you more motivation to serve others better knowing that you have an opportunity to glorify God? How could that be more fulfilling than just serving for your own satisfaction?

PRAY… God, what do you want me to know and do?

Ask God to help you run the bases of your life in proper order with the end result of bringing Him the glory. Pray for Him to develop any areas needed to help you grow in faith, strengthen relationships and serve Him to the best of your ability.

To All Mothers...

Enjoy your day!!  Be blessed!

When my oldest son, Stephen was a child, he gave me this hand-written Mother's Day Card, which I will cherish forever.  What a sweet child he was and he grew up to be a wonderful man.  One Mother's Day, he wrote me this beautiful card, filled with words every mother
longs to hear.

Here we are together - while I was in Wisconsin, on vacation a few years ago.  I don't get to see him very often, since I haven't been able to travel back to Wisconsin in several years.  He is so busy with his business, home, his wife...and his dogs, that he seldom is even able to get away from it all.  He's not been able to take a vacation and come here to my home in Michigan.

I have another son, Jeffrey.  He lives in Wisconsin too and he is 14 months younger than Stephen.  I haven't seen him or spoken to him in years.  Quite some time ago, he decided he didn't need or want a mother...but he still has one...ME!

I Love you Stephen & Jeffrey!

My New Favorite Song...

While I was driving in my car yesterday, I heard this amazing song!  It reminded me again, that no matter what you or I are going through, that God is always with us.  After all that has transpired in the past 5 weeks, He has been reminding me over and over again that all I have to do is reach out to...
Him and give Him my problems and He is able to do great things with them...and that even though I have felt broken, He loves me and can use me.  I have had many prayers answered!  Thanks to all of you that have been praying for me, you are precious friends.

I have found a church...and I'm loving it.  Whether a Bible Study or a Church Service - or singing Worship Songs...they have all been a true blessing to me.

Here's the song I heard yesterday...It's called...I'm Not Alone and it's sung by Kari Jobe.  Here are the Lyrics and the YouTube Video.  

To watch the video, make sure you mute my Blog Music.  To do that, look for the Gold Crown 

in the upper left corner of my blog and click on it.

"I Am Not Alone"

When I walk through deep waters
I know that You will be with me
When I'm standing in the fire
I will not be overcome
Through the valley of the shadow
I will not fear

I am not alone
I am not alone
You will go before me
You will never leave me

In the midst of deep sorrow
I see Your light is breaking through
The dark of night will not overtake me
I am pressing into You
Lord, You fight my every battle
And I will not fear

You amaze me
Redeem me
You call me as Your own

You're my strength
You're my defender
You're my refuge in the storm
Through these trials
You've always been faithful
You bring healing to my soul

Follow the Game Plan

A home run is within reach!

It’s the seventh inning stretch with just one week left in our Home Run series. So stand up, grab your peanuts and Cracker Jacks and let’s check in with our Home Run Game Plan:

HOME PLATE

Are you regularly attending church?

Are you finding time each day to read the Bible and pray?

FIRST BASE...

Have you identified character issues?

Are you surrendering them to God?

SECOND BASE

Are you connected regularly to other believers?

Do you show love, humility and forgiveness to others?

THIRD BASE

Do you focus on home plate, first and second base before results?

Are you doing what God has created you to do?

Ken Blanchard, author and management expert says, “There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.” Take a look at your checklist. How committed are you to your results? A home run is within reach!

READ, THINK and LIVE… Read and apply the Bible.

1. The early church grew and grew as believers shared their faith with one another.

Question: What happened to the early believers as the church experienced growth?

Acts 16:5 (New Living Translation)

So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day. 

Answer: 

In what ways have you seen growth in your life since having a relationship with Jesus? How has that strengthened your faith? Have you considered that your attendance at church can make a difference in your faith and the faith of others? Do you feel you are doing what God created you to do?

PRAY… God, what do you want me to know and do?

Thank God for allowing growth in your life. Ask Him to show you areas where you still need to grow. Pray for patience to continue to grow and pray for fellow believers who may be stuck in their faith. Ask God to grow our church like the early church in Acts and strengthen our faith in the process.

Build Failure Into the Game Plan

Learn from strike outs, then get back in the game.Yeah, I know nobody knowsWhere it comes and where it goesI know it’s everybody’s sinYou got to lose to know how to win.— Aerosmith, “Dream On”Walk into any elementary school classroom today and you’ll likely see posters of cute baby animals with quotes saying things like: if you want it... go get it; dream big; shoot for the moon, think positive; you can do it. As we grow, those phrases take on more meaning, but if these stay the elements of our game plan for life, we’re going to keep running to third base every time.

How about this phrase for a poster: If you haven’t failed, then you’ve been missing out. The full life as God intended is filled with growth. And growth requires change, and perhaps more importantly, failures that make us better when we use them.

Myers shares about an experience he had with failure that just about knocked him off course. He was asked to do a speaking engagement in Texas about this very topic, The Home Run Life. Myers recalls how the talk was a total disaster! He felt like his whiff had let people down and wasted their time. Then, just a few months later, he was asked to speak again. Uncertain after the recent failure in Texas, he again was preparing, but felt God reassuring him that failure is not final when we allow Him in. With God, that talk was a standing ovation success.

Myers goes on to share that through that experience, he learned about turning failure into success, saying: “If you desire to do anything of value in life, you will fail. How will you manage that? What will you do with the chances you get after you fall down and fall short? Don’t allow your failures to become final. Learn from it when you strike out and get back in the game.” It’s in part how we know we’re really playing the game, rather than just running to third.

READ and THINK… What does the Bible say?

1. Jesus’ words in Matthew 13:30 may seem strange to us. The farmer in the parable tells his workers NOT to pull weeds (as a kid you might have wished your mom had said the same thing).

Question: In the parable, why did the farmer allow the weeds to continue growing? In a spiritual sense, who represents the “weeds”?

Matthew 13:30 (New Living Translation)

Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.

Answer:  

2. We cannot reach God’s plan for our lives if we continue to live in the world and behave as the world does. We also will not stumble upon God’s plan, wake up one day and be good to go. We must develop a game plan and live it out.

Question: Why are we called to give our bodies as a living sacrifice to God?

Romans 12:1 (New Living Translation)

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

Answer:

  

LIVE… What will you do now?

It’s time for some third base reflection:

• How well are you handling the pace of progress in your career, your education goals or your priorities as a stay-at-home parent?
• Do you find the pace to be rewardingly fast, frustratingly slow, or somewhere in between? Have you always reacted to the pace as you do now?
• In what circumstances/situations have you prioritized third base (results) over making sure that you were on track with God, maintaining good character and being connected to others?

What keeps you from developing really deep roots and a plan? Is it no results? Is it running to third base first and coming up empty? Is it a past failure? Have you let the “weeds” take over rather than burning them?

Describe a failure you experienced and handled well. What was the key to your ability to do well in that situation? How can you apply that key to other areas of your life?

PRAY… God, what do you want me to know and do?

Ask God to help you develop your game plan. If there is an area in your life where you feel you have failed or are struggling, ask God to help you learn from that strike out. Get back in the game!

Get Trained and Be Trained Every Day

We each have unique talents to use to further the kingdom of God.  You need to stay in your strength zone, but get out of your comfort zone.  – John Maxwell

          Every year on January first, thousands of people flood gyms nationwide in search of a healthier lifestyle. Many have tried and failed on their own and are in need of a trainer. They need someone who will push them out of their comfort zone and encourage them until different results are achieved. Lee shared that before he started with his trainer, he could not even do one push-up. With dedication and guidance, he is now up to 2 sets of 25! Growing...
into a deeper relationship with Christ is the same.

A trainer’s job is to create a workout that is unique to each client. Each person has different

strengths and talents and cannot be expected to perform the same as the client before. Similarly, God has gifted each of His children with talents unique to them and their abilities. It can be easy to get caught up in the comparison game, especially when observing someone with the same talent as yourself. The parable of the three servants in Matthew 25 lets us know that God values everyone the same, but treats everyone differently. The choice is ours. Will we be like the first two servants and invest into the kingdom and perform our best? Or, will we bury our gifts because we are afraid someone else might do it better? We should be celebrating the performance of fellow Christians while continuing to bring our best each day.

Life doesn’t have to be perfect for you to use your gifts. You can bring value and talent wherever you are, no matter how messy things seem.

READ and THINK… What does the Bible say?

1. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the three servants. The servants are each given different amounts of money to care for while their master is gone. Two invested the money while the third buried it out of fear. This is the master’s response to the two who invested their money.

Question: Read Matthew 25:14-28. Who does the master represent? Who do the servants represent? 

Matthew 25:23 (New Living Translation)

The master said, “Well done, my good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!”

Answer:

Paul writes to the Romans to encourage them to keep on in their faith. Their faith in God had been heard about all over the world.

Question: Why did Paul want to bring them spiritual gifts? What does he say having these gifts will do for their faith?

Romans 1:11-12 (New Living Translation)

¹¹ For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. ¹² When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.

Answer:

Timothy was a young pastor who needed the reminder that his spiritual “muscles” needed training just as much as his physical body. 

Question: Why is training for godliness better than just physical training? What result does it bring?

1 Timothy 4:8 (New Living Translation)

Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.

Answer:

LIVE… What will you do now?What talents/skills has God given you? How are you using them? How would you like to use them more often or to a greater measure?

Do you find yourself comparing your talents/skills to others? Or do you often wish that you had someone else’s talent? When are comparisons most likely to happen?

How can you shift your focus and reignite a passion for doing God’s work with your unique gift?

PRAY… God, what do you want me to know and do?

Thank God for giving you talents that are unique to you. Ask God to present opportunities for you to use these gifts. Pray each day for renewed strength so you can perform to the best of your ability.

Get Your Head Out of the Clouds

Have a funeral to bury the old and make way for the new.  If you focus on results, you will never change, if you focus on change, you will get results.  ― Jack Dixon 

As children, we are often asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and just like that, dreams are born. The possibilities are endless…and then life happens. We age...
We learn our talents and weaknesses. We develop insecurities. We are thrown curve balls in this game of life. And sometimes, we fail. When dreams don’t pan out as imagined, it can be frustrating. You didn’t get the job that you wanted. Maybe your relationship is failing. As Lee has shared with the church, he and his wife had dreams of what life would look like for them after retirement. Nowhere in those dreams was a Parkinson’s diagnosis.

When dreams are shattered, sometimes the best thing to do is have a funeral for them. Mourn the loss of that dream. Take all the emotion that comes with the loss and face it. Then, bury it. Once the old dream is buried, get a new dream—it’s imperative to get a new dream! Without a proper funeral and new dream, we dwell in the land of “what if” and regret. Without adjusting and moving forward, we might never know what God has waiting. Rather than new soil that is ready for planting a new dream, the soil of our lives stays rocky, sidelined on the dusty road, in the rocks, or thorny and bitter. In other words, we stop growing.

It is during these times of trial that it is important to be intentional. Lee and his wife mourned the loss of their retirement dream and are allowing God to use Lee’s diagnosis as He wants. As “Home Run” author Kevin Myers says, “God has a dream for your life. He loves you. He made you uniquely. He has given you gifts and talents. He created you with a purpose. And you can fulfill it!”

READ and THINK… What does the Bible say?

1. Matthew is narrating how Jesus responded to his disciples’ question as to why he used stories (parables) when speaking to people, like in the parable of the sower that we’ve talked about this week.

Question: What does Jesus mean by his reasoning for using parables? (Hint: see box following answer space)

Matthew 13:13 (New Living Translation)

That is why I use these parables, for they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.

Answer: 

We’re all going to encounter heartache and setbacks. The psalmist is honest about the state of his life—and his hope.

Question: Why should we depend on God for strength when life doesn’t feel fair?

Psalm 73:26 (New Living Translation)

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

Answer:

 LIVE… What will you do now?

Are there some heartaches or expectations that you need to let go of now? What isn’t going to happen in your life no matter how badly you want it? For what dream do you need to conduct a funeral and bury?

How will you be impacted spiritually if you don’t have the funeral and let it go?

When old dreams die, new ones are born. Are you at a place in your life where God is giving you a new dream? If you aren’t sure, then what is the next best step you can take?

PRAY… God, what do you want me to know and do?

Praise God for the dreams that have come to fruition in your life. Ask God for clarity when it comes to your current dreams. Are they in line with the dreams He has for you? Ask God to use you for His good. 

God Likes to Grow Things

If winning isn’t everything, then why do they keep score?   – Vince Lombardi 

As we round the corner to third base, our focus shifts to growing results but really, every play of the game has included growth, hasn’t it? At home plate it was GROWTH in our relationship with God. On first base it was GROWTH in our own character. At second base it was GROWTH in our relationships with others. Arriving at third base, it’s time to shift our eyes on growing and winning results.  This feels so natural for us, doesn’t it? After all, we know that growing...
results at work means

promotions, more money and more respect. Winning results with our personal health might look like lost pounds, increased strength or more energy. We are a results driven world and time is of the essence. We hustle at work, home and school. We think about goals and efficiency in a way that will take us to the next level.

Yet, God is in the business of reminding us that His plan for growth and results can look a lot different than ours. Kevin Myers and John Maxwell share in “Home Run: Learn God’s Game Plan for Life and Leadership” that, “Adam and Eve were the only people in history who started life fully formed. Every other person took nine months (give or take) in the womb and eighteen years in the world to grow into adulthood.” Did you ever think about that? This means that we all must grow and change. Results take time.

In the Bible, Jesus addresses the idea that enduring spiritual growth takes time. His parable (story) of the sower is found in three gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) and reinforces this idea that growth takes time. Jesus uses the analogy of a growing plant as a symbol for how we mature. Seeds are planted, tended to, grow, mature and are harvested. We can’t plant a seed for a tomato plant and expect to eat the tomato the next day for lunch. We must also remember that growth in all aspects of our lives takes time, too.

Spiritually, we can get in a hurry! When we feel sure of God’s will and we begin to pray, it’s easy to become impatient if the outcome isn’t instant. Perhaps you’re feeling a call to lead a ministry and the opportunity hasn’t happened. Or, you’ve prayed for God to restore your marriage and things seem to be worse. Maybe, despite your best efforts and hard work, you are passed up for a promotion. This is when Myers and Maxwell offer this reality check: “Will we give up on the process or grow up into productive people? I have to confess that over time I had begun to expect life to be harvest, harvest, harvest when it’s designed by God to be plow, plant, harvest. No one’s life is harvest, harvest, harvest.”

Have you ever felt this impatience with your faith? It may start with the feeling that you have heard a weekend message before. Or, that you’ve prayed the same prayer and read the same scriptures over and over. So, you skip a day of reading scripture, miss more weekend services and stop serving. Before you know it, you’re spiritually stuck and results are nowhere in sight. The thing is, the game’s not over. Not even close. We can get on the path to productivity and results, but we have to be committed to real growth that’s not wrapped up in worldly measurements or super-fast timing. We need growth that results in growing the kingdom and making you wildly successful in the eyes of God. Do you agree to grow?

THIS WEEK’S STUDY IS ABOUT WINNING WITH RESULTS

TO LIVE THE HOME RUN LIFE.

Big Point: God is the author of success. He is the Creator, and He likes to grow things!

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my tree.

— Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Kevin Myers opens his discussion of third base saying, “As a rule in our society, people are esteemed for their career and material success. It seems to be true from sports to Hollywood, from politics to business. You can lack character, but if you have cash, you’ll be envied. If you blowup your marriage, but build your career, people call you successful. However, if you build up your marriage and family but your work world stalls, people dismiss you. ‘Nice person,’ they say, ‘but hasn’t done much.’ That’s why it’s important to remember one of life’s most transforming truths: God doesn’t keep score the way we do.”

So how does He keep score? Is God anti-success? Does He just not care? Fact is— God is the author of success. He is the Creator and He likes to grow things!

The growth and improvement process is woven into the very fabric of the world. God gives us a clear picture of how He keeps score in the parable of the sower. The parable is simple: the sower (Christ) scatters his seeds (Words of God) generously and they end up on four different types of terrain. Some lands on the side of the road, some on rocks, others in thorny soil and some in good soil. The first three groups of seeds die for lack of nourishment (no results) but the seed planted in the good soil flourishes (good result). The meaning of the parable of the sower is twofold for all believers: First, Jesus calls us to share the gospel and God’s Word with everyone. Secondly, each individual determines how well the “seed” (gospel message) that they’ve received will impact their life and to what extent they will yield results.

Portions excerpted from “Home Run”

READ and THINK… What does the Bible say?

1. In Matthew 13:23, Jesus reveals the results of the seeds that were sown.

Question: Does it seem wasteful that the sower scattered his seeds everywhere, not just on good soil? What were the spiritual results of the “seed” that fell on good soil? What kind of results were yielded?

Matthew 13:23 (New Living Translation)

The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!

Answer:

 Throughout this week’s LivingItOut, all quotes are from “Home Run” by Kevin Myers and John C. Maxwell unless otherwise noted.

2. Jesus didn’t let a person’s background of shortcomings stop them from receiving salvation. In fact, Jesus purposefully connected with them.

Question: Who are the “sick people” Jesus is referring to in verse 17?

Mark 2:15a, 16b-17 (New Living Translation)

^15a Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. ^16b …they (religious leaders) asked his (Jesus’) disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?” ¹⁷ When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” 

Answer:

 As the Apostle Paul traveled to share the gospel message, he was keenly aware that God played the main role in drawing people to faith in Christ.

Question: How do these verses show us the roles that we play in sharing the gospel and the role that God plays in transforming lives?

1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (New Living Translation)

⁶ I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. ⁷ It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.

 Answer:

 LIVE… What will you do now?

When in your life have you SPIRITUALLY felt like you were firmly planted in good soil? What kind of results did your life yield during that time?

Have there been other times in your life when you felt downtrodden, hardened or lost? What helped you decide to keep growing and keep getting results?

God’s plan for results at third base takes time: plow, plant and harvest rather than results, results, results. Think about your life right now. In what areas of your life are you plowing (breaking new ground spiritually), planting (sharing your faith or committing to discipleship) or harvesting (leading others to greater spiritual growth)?

PRAY… God, what do you want me to know and do?

The game of baseball is like life. Ask God to give you the strength to “keep on swinging, cause you might hit something!” Amen.

One Month Ago...

 I think about the man I married 10 years ago.  He was the kindest and most loving man when we met and married.  He truly loved me and did all he could to see to it that I was happy.  He did all the little things I've wanted someone to do.  He thought about me during the day and picked up the phone to let me know.  Now he doesn't call at all.  I remember his promises to me.  He said he'd love me forever and take care of me and that he'd never leave me.  The man who left me and the Pups isn't the man that I married - he wouldn't do that.  

He wouldn't see a doctor for his memory problems, so wasn't formally diagnosed...but he has shown quite a few symptoms over the years, of Alzheimer's, which his mother had.  Alzheimer's changes a person.  It can make someone unrecognizable, confused...even mean.  It can leave the person feeling confused, scared and alone.  It can make them do things out of the ordinary...making them into someone they really aren't.

Did we argue?  Yes, like most married couples I know.  Did we say and do things we regret?  Yes...I did and I'm quite sure he would say the same thing.  

Tom moved out of our home one month ago today. He packed up his belongings and walked right out the door - and never looked back! {The poor Pups...I feel so awful for them. They sit here, looking out the window...waiting for him to return.} 

This past month has been very hard on me.  I am in mourning over the fact that Tom isn't here with me in the home we moved into shortly after our wedding.  I'm mourning over the life that was to be...this was to be our last home - where we would love each other and live together until the end of our lives.  He often bragged to people about how I designed the interior of our house, as well as our walled-in courtyard.  Everything I did inside and outside our home was my way of showing love and affection for him.  The same with my cooking and baking.

I cry over the way all of this happened.  I cry because we didn't get to live out our "dream".  I cry because I love him and miss him.  I cry for the man I know he was and and how different he is now. 

Will he ever come home to be with me again?  Does he even think about that?  Does he think about me at all?  Does he think about the Pups he loved so much?  Only time will tell.  

I pray he finds peace and comfort...now and forever.

I had planned to return to blogging, but I will be staying away for a while longer - on my break.  I will continue posting that wonderful LIVING IT OUT devotion!  I plan to return soon...to my usual posts, but until then, please keep us both in your prayers, They are very much appreciated.

God Is In the Business of Change

If we can’t win with others, we won’t make it to third base for winning results.

It’s Fun Science Friday and this our question for today: Do you know why leaves change their color? The answer actually begins with why leaves are green in the first place.  Chlorophyll gives leaves their green color and it is so...
dominant throughout most of the life of a leaf that it hides the other colors. However, when fall comes, the chlorophyll breaks down, allowing the leaves to show off their beautiful hues of red, orange and yellow. God works in us in much the same way.

Before we are connected with Him, there are traits within us that are dominant, but once we allow God to change us, we then show off all of the beautiful attributes of Christ in us for the benefit of others. As one Christ-follower shares, “There came a moment when I realized that everything God did, He did for people. I could not be a true follower of Christ and not care about people and building relationships. That realization gave me the courage and conviction to change.” During the best and worst of times, allow God to be a part of the story and let Him change you and others. This coming weekend, we will be rounding to third base, and the work we’ve done at second base puts us in scoring position. 

READ, THINK and LIVE… Read and apply the Bible.

1. Jeremiah had a vision after the King of Israel’s son and other important leaders had been carried away in exile to Babylon.

Question: How does God regard us? What must we do in order to be God’s people?

Jeremiah 24:7 (New Living Translation)

I will give them hearts that recognize me as the Lord. They will be my people and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.

Answer: 

What was the dominant thing people saw in your life before you came to Christ? What is the dominant thing they see now? What is one thing you will do differently as a result of this week’s study? 

PRAY… God, what do you want me to know and do?

Thank God for the people in your life. Ask Him to continue to develop your character to not only change you, but to help build healthy, meaningful relationships with others so they can come to know Him, too.