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Sunday, 31 May 2009

Tuesday, 28 April 2009

  • Real love

    Real love doesn't hide from the challenge of the unlovable. 

    This post is more for those who are Christians, Christ followers, those who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who laid down His life for a world He loved more than Himself.  I just wanted to share from my heart to believers for a few minutes about some things I have observed.

    I live in the south right smack dab in the middle of the bible belt.  Here in Georgia where I live, there are so many churches it is unreal.  I jokingly say we have more churches than Waffle Houses and that is a lot! 

    What I don't see here, however, is change.  I do not see much change in our communities.  I do not see much change in our society.  You would think if there were so many Christians in all these churches that there would be significant changes going on concerning morality, crime, addictions, divorce, you name it, but there is not.  Why is that?  I have been observing a lot this past year and here is my own personal opinion.

    I think for the most part, Christians go to church because that is the acceptable thing to do.  Church is part of the culture, it's what you on Sundays.  They key word there is Sundays.  Folks go to church and that's it.  There is no real change in their lives because of what they might learn in church.  They go to church but live however they want to.  To me, what is even worse are the churches who stay "safe" within their own walls and keep away from what they might call sinful people or people with sinful behavior.  They judge and criticize the way people look, or behave and never try to make a difference in their lives. They don't try to reach out. You can't show me one time in the bible where Jesus criticized those who were lost.  The ones he criticized were the religious leaders of the day.  What does that tell you?

    We can not call ourselves Christians and not love what Jesus loved.  He loved people.  We can not shelter ourselves in a little cocoon and be effective in a broken and lost world.  This generation faces more than my generation ever had to face.  They face more violence, more drug abuse, more temptation when it comes to sexuality, and even more hatred toward what is good and godly.  This, however, does not give us an excuse to bury our heads in the sand or to judge and run away from  it all.  Jesus walked among those who were lost, He prayed for and ministered to them right where they were.  We have to be willing to do the same.  We cannot judge people or get offended by them living out their true nature.  We have to understand the times and respond accordingly.  We respond with love, patience, kindness, and by considering others even more than ourselves.  This sounds completely opposite of what the church is doing today it seems, don't you think?  We must love even the unlovable.  We must love the unlovable whether they are someone who does not know Christ, or a brother or sister in Christ who is having a difficult time staying on track.  Love covers a multitude of sins and real love doesn't hide from the challenge of the unlovable.  Let's not hide, let's not judge, let's be proactive and be purposeful in evangelism and in love for a world Jesus chose to lay down His life for!

    I love you all
    Cathi

Wednesday, 15 April 2009

  • I think I have been more sick in the past couple of months than I have been in the past couple of years.  What a crazy time!!!  I'm going to chalk it up to the enemy of my soul trying to keep me down because I have decided to step it up in my walk with God.  Greater is He that is within me than he that is in the world!!

    I hate that I have been absent from Xanga.  It seems I haven't had the time that I used to and I miss it very much.  I shall not give up though and I believe the Lord will continue to give me the amazing things He does to put on here.

    In the mean time, please pray for my health and the health of my family and I will also pray for yours!!!

    I love you all
    Cathi

Friday, 27 March 2009

  • Pouring out

    While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
    When the disciples saw this, they were indignant.  "Why this waste?" they asked.  "This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor."
    Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman?  She has done a beautiful thing to me.  The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.  When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.  I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached though out the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."
    Matthew 26:6-13

    Some of the most beautiful and powerful times I experience as a Christian come when I spend time in the Lord's presence.  Sometimes this is at the altar in a church setting but more often than not, it is when I am at home alone, in prayer and worship entered into His holy chambers.  That sense of deep calling to deep at the altar of surrender, that is the place I love to be and quite honestly I could care less what is going on around me.  This is as close to heaven here on earth I can ever be. 

    The woman with the alabaster jar of perfume understood this too.  She poured out everything she had and didn't care about the cost.  Even though those around her were negative, it just didn't matter to her.  If we are still measuring out our offerings, then we do not yet fully understand His worth.  To her, he was worth every bit of that expensive perfume.

    There are always going to be people around you who are negative, who don't understand your love relationship with God and they will not be afraid to spout their opinion.  But you know what?  It just doesn't matter.  What that woman did was so important to Jesus that he said that wherever the gospel was preached through out the world, what she has done should be also told in memory of her.  How amazing is that?

    I wonder if there is something I have done for the Lord that will ever be recorded in history?  Sound kind of crazy or kind of out there?  Not really.  The apostle Paul never knew a few letters he wrote to some churches were going to affect so many people as his writings are most of today's New Testament.   There is healing, peace, cleansing, forgiveness, joy, release from bondage and addiction, and pure happiness in God's presence. There is nothing more I would love to do than spend as much time there with Him as I possibly can.

    I'm pouring out...my praise on You
    I'm pouring out my love on You...

    Cathi 

Tuesday, 24 February 2009

  • It's gonna be worth it

    I'm desperate in seeking
    And I'm frantic believing
    That the sight of Your face
    is all that I'm needing
    I will say to You
    it's gonna be worth it
    all

    These are some lyrics from a song by Rita Springer called It's gonna to be worth it.  This is one of my favorite songs by her and I revisited it today since I haven't listened to her in awhile. As I listened, I was reminded why this song touched me so much.  The first line of the song says, "I don't understand Your ways, oh but I give you my song, I give you all of my praise".  Sometimes this is so true in my life.  I have gone through some things and I look to the Lord and wonder what is going on here?  But you know what?  I have also gone through enough things in my lifetime as a Christian where I came to the realization that I can trust the Lord and know He has my best interest at heart.  I can trust Him even in the things I may not understand.  Has it been easy?  No, not always.  I had times when I walked by pure faith because I had nothing else.  It was like the feeling you would get walking a tight rope with your eyes closed, but somehow having that knowing peace that you would make it to the end. I would have to constantly remind myself, "it's going to be worth it". And you know what?  It always was.  I think sometimes we get a misconception that when we go through things, the Lord is out to "get us".  That is not true at all, He knows what we were created to be and continues to give us opportunities to stretch and grow and become the beautiful sculpture the Potter has in mind for the clay.

    The older I get, the more I realize that we are eternal beings.  We are spiritual beings having a human experience.  This life here on earth is not all there is.  There is an eternity whether we choose to believe it or not.  I choose to live for eternity.

    Lord, there is nothing in this world that beats
    the wisdom of Your words,
    the safety I feel when I allow you to be my hiding place,
    Your joy which is my strength,
    or
    Your peace that passes all understanding even when I may not understand.

    In the end, I will say to You
    It really was worth it.

    I love you all
    Cathi
    <3

Fragrant_Offering

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    • Name: Cathi
    • Country: United States
    • Birthday: 9/29/1958
    • Gender: Female
    • Member Since: 11/22/2002
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About Me

  • It's not what happens to you in life, it's how you choose to respond to it. Once I learned that life principle, it changed me forever!

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