Handling politics

If you are a regular reader of my blog you know that I am not about politics. I
feel that politics separate us and keep us from looking at the bigger picture that God has for us. (If Jesus were to come back tomorrow could you say you shared His gift with others? Or were you too busy being critical and pointing your finger?) But I do vote and I do pray for people in power(ALL the people whether I agree with them or not.) over this country and the leaders in this world.
As Christians decide on who to vote for and what bills they want passed etc. etc. I think that they should take these two scriptures below and keep them in your heart.

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life -- in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing." Philippians 2:14-16 I believe this scripture as saying that we need to leave it up to God to know that our prayers is enough. That when Jesus come back you can say you spent more time loving others and planting the seed of God in their hearts that eventually will change them. (because your arguing and yelling and finger pointing won't.)

And this second scripture: "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Live the way God wants you to live, walk in love and understanding and He promises to make your cause shine above all else.

PRAYER REQUESTS?

Post your prayer requests and I will pray for you or anyone else! God bless! Please pray for me and my family and my Christian magazine's success. Thanks

My Second Love one year...

For those who don't know I have a second blog that I now have had for one year. Please go visit it it's all about my family and you can leave a comment and brag about your family too!

Great is your faithfulness

Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

lamentations 3:21-23

Isn't it a blessing that we have God's grace and forgiveness everyday? That we don't have to wake up in the morning beating ourselves up for the mistakes we have made. That we can call upon His name and be blessed and forgiven. That He is working on the inside of us everyday so that our mistakes become less and less the more we pray and reach toward Him. That we are growing spiritually everyday. That we don't have to worry about "karma" and through Jesus' blood we are not damned to every wrong thing we do and when we do have consequences for our actions He is using them to teach us not condemn us. Great is His faithfulness. Praise God

"but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Romans 23-25

Associated content

I found a great website that looks at your writing and pays you to publish. I have 3 already published. It's very exciting, and it has a big reader base, so you can get your message out. Check it out at my links below and don't forget to stop in and read my stuff so far.

The "unfair" Parable

The parable spoke by Jesus below(Matthew 20) is often seen as an unfair parable. The parable below usually bothers those Christians who think that certain people who don't follow God's way don't deserve understanding and forgiveness. I love it because it shows the generosity and love of God. We should have an understanding attitude towards others instead of the "we are better and more righteous and you should be cursed" attitude. That isn't what changes people anyway. If you have love and compassion and pray for those who do wrong things, I firmly believe that changes will happen more quickly. For an example, I met a girl who believed in abortion. She wanted to abort her child. I had already witnessed to her and she wasn't too sure about being saved she didn't even believe in God. I didn't yell at her or tell her she was going to be a disgusting killer. That would've drove her away and given her a bad taste in her mouth about Christians. Instead I told her what I believed, told her that I loved her and so did God and even though she told me she was still going to do it, I still was kind to her and most importantly I prayed for her. Long story short, she decided to have her baby and she goes to teen bible study on Wednesdays. She's not saved yet, but I'm believing that it will happen soon.

Matthew 20:
1"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. 2He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. 3"About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5So they went. "He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. 6About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?' 7" 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.
"He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.' 8"When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.' 9"The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. 10So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.' 13"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'

Woman

This was sent to me and I really liked it. Hope you enjoy God bless!

There comes a time in every woman's life when

she has to take a close look at herself. Not at her circumstance, not at

what she did, not how unfair life is, or not at whom made you do it. She has

to just look at herself in all her glory and imperfection. Have you ever

admired a woman who has been through changes in her life?

Or have you made up in your mind that she is just messed up.

Before you make this mistake, take a closer look.

A woman who has endured the most unusual life is someone

of wisdom, someone who has been chosen by God to go through things that have made her stronger.

Think of all the great women in the Bible: Mary

Magdalene, Ruth and Naomi, the woman with an issue of blood flow,

and

Esther, to name a few. Mary was a prostitute, a very uneasy woman. But by

the time Jesus was done with her, she was His closest follower.

Esther was unfortunate in marrying an abusive man,

but by the time God was

done with her, she had married one of the wealthiest men in the land. Women are so quick to beat the next one down instead of trying to hold her up. Before you wonder,

"What's up with her?" ask yourself, "What's up with me?"

That woman could be my mother, sister, aunt, in-law, stepmother, niece, grandmother, great-grandmother, neighbor, friend, or co-worker, etc.

That woman could be me.

Women are the carriers of life, not the channels of death. Let's build and encourage each other, as did Ruth and Naomi. Pass this to all the women in your life. Encourage and Love, Forgive and Forget, and trust that the woman that receives this will be touched in some way.

May peace and love be upon you.

The Contagious Christian

One of the hardest things for Christians to do (especially Christian teens) is witness to others. Many are afraid to be laughed at or judged when sharing their faith. I know one friend was telling me that she dreads telling people she is a Christian because the minute she does she will be scrutinized for everything she does. This is difficult, but we shouldn't avoid it because one person we will tell will catch on and have their life changed. It says in the Bible that when just one sinner comes to God all heaven rejoices. Everyone matters to God so we have to reach out to as many as we can. So how can we do that? There is a teaching video that helps you share your faith in an easy and conversational manner. On the website there are even clips for you to sample and see if these video courses would help you; you can even print out worksheets.

Clergy Appreciation Month

I heard on the radio today that October 8th is Clergy Appreciation day. So I wanted to take this blog to appreciate my pastor, Pastor Gregory Dickow of LifeChangers International Church He is a wonderful man who understands how the Bible is supposed to be presented; with love and understanding. He teaches us lovingly and doesn't act as if he is above everyone else. He openly tells of his past mistakes and admits that God is still working on him. He is a dedicated pastor who does a radio show, television show and preaches not only in his main church in Hoffman Estates, IL on Sundays but drives one hour and a half to preach in the Chicago based church as well. (He also runs a private school inside of the church.) He has a very beautiful family of five children and a wonderful God fearing wife; Grace Dickow. (Grace is my She-ro I really aspire to be as spiritual as well as a submissive wife yet a strong leader for women like she is) I especially love how he doesn't make you feel guilty and condemned on Sundays, but uplifted and powerful. Pastor Dickow puts it in your head that you are a child of God and nothing in this world should be able to get you down.
Please pray for my pastor, his family and my church.

Hebrews 13:7 (MSG)
Appreciate your pastoral leaders who gave you the Word of God. Take a good look at the way they live, and let their faithfulness instruct you, as well as their truthfulness.