I have a new website where I will be doing all of my future posts. It's www.seasonalrelease.com. Check it out! Amanda

Looking Through The Eyes of Love

In Isaiah 53:2-6: The Message (MSG) we read, "The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried— our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him." While I realize that this scripture refers to Jesus, I couldn't help but think of the lost & less fortunate. I have to admit that I have been guilty in the past of looking "down my nose" on others who were "different" (ex:homeless, drug addicts, dirty, impoverished,etc.) with the attitude that they were indeed "reaping what they sowed". Since then, I have been introduced to the world of mental illness, drug addiction, poverty, & homelessness. I have been tremendously blessed and humbled by these ministries and getting to know those who fall under these curses. As I was reading this scripture, I couldn't help but think of my brothers & sisters who are struggling with the above conflicts. Yes, they are to a point "reaping what they sowed". When you think of the overall view of sin & the world, it is our sin as a whole that has infiltrated the world and instead of our faith & love overtaking our society, sin has overwhelmingly shown itself throughout. I may not personally have caused the curses or heartaches of others, yet it is sin, sin that I am guilty of in my own way, that has raised it's ugly head on & in others lives. I cannot help but hurt for others and love them if I truly understand the gospel & message of Christ. Instead of "looking down my nose", I need to truly be "looking through the eyes of love", Christ's love. Lord, help me to look beyond what I see in front of me, & look through your eyes at others. Instead of judgments, let me form prayers & action toward them. Amen.

Faithful is His Name

Yesterday I was reading in 2 Timothy 2 verses 11-13. It is about dying with Christ is living with Him. Enduring is reigning with Him. If we dare disown Him, He would disown us. I feel that I have died to Christ and my have I endured. I wouldn't dare disown Him as He is my life and breath. But verse 13 says, "if we are faithless,". As of late, I have really come to realize no matter how strong I feel in my faith; no matter how much I feel that Christ is my life; I live so much in fear rather than faith. I set out to have faith, yet my mind and actions scream fear. What an humbling confession and realization! Therefore I am faithless more times than I care to admit. I love how we can read a scripture and it is as if we have never read it before. Verse 13 says, "if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." WOW! God will still be God when I fear, fall, or fail. It is His only nature and He cannot be anything else. How can I not trust in that? I know I tend to camp out at the very place where I feel that I have been anything less than my very best for God. God doesn't miss a step. He cannot help but bless us! He longs to be faithful to us! It is His very nature! Thank you, God for loving me and being faithful despite my sinful, doubting nature.

Choose to Love, Not Feel

Today at church, we looked at Ephesians 6:1- 9. We are all aware of these verses about honoring and obeying our parents. (vs. 1-4). It really made me think of my ministry in the home. What an honor and privilege I have in raising four boys. But oh what an overwhelming responsibility! These verses made me aware of the importance that my every action, reaction, and thought is towards this call. How do I view this responsibility? How many times do I drown myself in frustration, anguish, and heartache with each day? If I am honest, with the boys being sick this week, just going through a move, finishing up the school year, and a lot of financial obstacles, I haven't been able to see through the burden to see the blessing. I know that the boys can feel and see this. We tend to let our hair down the most with the ones that we love the most. Wow, do I feel like a bum! I know that I haven't been such an example of Christ's love through this time. Our children get a view of God's love through our parental love. I don't want my children to grow up feeling that the Lord is tempermental and hormonal as I have been. We also talked this morning about 1 John 4:7, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." God's love always comes with a choice that is followed by action. We can choose to get enundated with the world's stress and pressures and miss our blessings; or we can stop, breathe, realize that there is a choice to be made and follow up with acting in love, despite our feelings. I am so thankful that the Lord doesn't respond to me acccording to His feelings and emotions. I have a choice! Today is a new day to recommit to a Christ-like response versus reacting in our emotions. I choose Christ!

Today is a step towards SOMEDAY!

Today I was reading in my devotion about SOMEDAY. How many times do we pray and wish for SOMEDAY? We all know the verse, Jeremiah 29:11- "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." That's in The Word! This gives us the freedom to believe in SOMEDAY! We live in a NOW society. If people can't have it now, it's just not worth it. Even Jesus' plan of redemption for us was not a NOW plan. It took time and it was a process. A process that still saves and liberates us today! You are in a process. Believe in today, tomorrow, and SOMEDAY! Jesus died and lives today as a hope and promise of SOMEDAY. I know that the NOW in your life may make it hard for you to believe in today, much less a SOMEDAY. Remember that SOMEDAY is promised to us. Jesus said in John 14:3, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." So believe! He knows the plans He has for you, and He is also preparing for your future. It's taken care of! I want to encourage you to set some goals. What does your SOMEDAY look like, personally and with AdvoCare? Remember that whatever goals or plans we have, the Lord has greater plans than we can even comprehend. Write out your short term and long term goals. Commit them to Him. Start walking toward SOMEDAY- TODAY!