tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27305512865067651572024-02-21T19:59:41.795+11:00Living in FreedomLiving in Freedom is a blog to give glory and honor to God for the liberty He so lavishing bestows on us.Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-66723701448337365792023-05-29T16:24:00.001+10:002023-05-29T16:29:44.666+10:00Does Prayer Move God?<div style="text-align: left;">One of the most mysterious aspects of spirituality or religion is prayer. It’s difficult to define and can be experienced in a myriad of ways. Cambridge Dictionary describes it as “<i>the act or ceremony of speaking to God or a god, esp. to express thanks or to ask for help, or the words used in this act.</i>"<br />In the Christian faith, it is believed that when one prays, God hears and acts. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2ormLIdmJoHq3SQ38T8LTrLOZb-Px2760b84cD5hLMoygfpiT_o5bUnnf2sc83hU-QWoDs8-D2OZ1k4Edbc8e50J4mzwWczK2BkEfQNHkVuiwkDOUscOSFtBPcCXoh05cxhKjeg49Y79tjD4HitugRH8yltZU_IjpBNzggtv-en2RSUydW2ztxVVFQ/s450/60FF194F-2F42-4B35-A2C7-0942B372F76B_4_5005_c.jpeg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="450" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2ormLIdmJoHq3SQ38T8LTrLOZb-Px2760b84cD5hLMoygfpiT_o5bUnnf2sc83hU-QWoDs8-D2OZ1k4Edbc8e50J4mzwWczK2BkEfQNHkVuiwkDOUscOSFtBPcCXoh05cxhKjeg49Y79tjD4HitugRH8yltZU_IjpBNzggtv-en2RSUydW2ztxVVFQ/w461-h258/60FF194F-2F42-4B35-A2C7-0942B372F76B_4_5005_c.jpeg" width="461" /></a></div><a href="https://www.calhounministries.org/books" target="_blank">Adele Calhoun</a> suggests that disciplines of prayer “<i>open us to the divine dialogue through intentional encounter with the Trinity”</i>.</div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;">It is a phenomenon that somehow while one prays, earnestly seeking God’s intervention, where some of heaven could meet earth, and where the one praying is changed or transformed as they deepen their relationship with God.</div><p></p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><b><u>How Should We Pray?</u></b></h3><p>Instructions on prayer include quiet reflections, meditations, formulaic style, memorized prayers, and as author Beth Moore puts it- <a href="https://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/products/praying-gods-word/" target="_blank"><i>Praying God’s Word</i>.</a> </p><p>Moore says, "<i>God has handed us two sticks of dynamite with which to demolish our strongholds: His Word and prayer. What is more powerful than two sticks of dynamite placed in separate locations? Two strapped together…taking our two primary sticks of dynamite—prayer and the Word—strapping them together and igniting them with faith in what God says He can do</i>. ”</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMiEzY0fyR_9KYIqGk-cq8fjGdiT49zgkjY6JZ6iY_y9Clhlw73LBsF2CshdBF5wRXC70zxRiKp-S_2L4qLQYEMi8-G6Dsr-vh8D8RtnigEcd9DaRUsz6pMzzjlltYiAFX5bFGjSuWwMYZF0DDxu_sOUbHM3CrGHJ4o0p6_OudQB3IVew4ryaou9MtJA/s602/41CBFE13-9265-4690-A1A1-B3E62EB0944C_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="602" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMiEzY0fyR_9KYIqGk-cq8fjGdiT49zgkjY6JZ6iY_y9Clhlw73LBsF2CshdBF5wRXC70zxRiKp-S_2L4qLQYEMi8-G6Dsr-vh8D8RtnigEcd9DaRUsz6pMzzjlltYiAFX5bFGjSuWwMYZF0DDxu_sOUbHM3CrGHJ4o0p6_OudQB3IVew4ryaou9MtJA/w400-h270/41CBFE13-9265-4690-A1A1-B3E62EB0944C_1_201_a.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p><p>The concept of praying God’s word is that He has already spoken and inspired the Bible for us, it is already His spoken will. To pray scripture means to pray back to God His own words, which are inspired. In other words, asking God to fulfill His own promises is the fulfillment of John 15:7 “<i><span style="color: red;">If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you</span></i>.” The caveat here is that we actually pray God’s will and <u>not our own</u>.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Christian Broadcast Network has an article on the <a href="https://www2.cbn.com/article/prayer/basics-prayer-and-how-god-answers-prayer" target="_blank">Basics of Prayer</a>. They identify prayer and speak about the elements of it and how to have effective prayers . They refer to the Lord’s prayer, or rather the way that Jesus taught His disciples to pray, from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6. The basic understanding from this passage of scripture is that we humble ourselves and first worship God for who He is- the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe. Second, agree with God that His will be done- not ours. Third, ask for our daily provision, then spend time in confession, repentance, and intercession for others. Finally, we ask for protection and once again acknowledge His sovereignty. (Matt. 6:9-13 NKJV)</p><p>The interesting portion of this article from CBN is the section on “<i>How can I know that God will answer my prayers?</i>” It reiterates Beth Moore’s views on praying God’s will and His Word. That would necessitate engagement in reading and understanding the Bible, in order to know how to pray what it says. This article suggests “<i>God's will is best understood through a combination of different sources. Our chief source is the Bible. If you read the Bible daily and understand it clearly, you will know the will of God, because it contains His will for our lives </i>.”</p><p>This article ends with a section on unanswered prayer, or the perception of unanswered prayers. Referring to Psalm 27:14 that says “<i>Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord</i>”, they remind the reader that our ideas of God’s timing are not His, nor are our ways His (Isa. 55:9). </p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>We project our interpretation <br /></i><i>of how things ought to be done onto God, <br /></i><i>as if He is made in our image, <br /></i><i>rather than us being made in His.</i></span></div><p><br /></p><p>To sum up the basics of prayer, the point is to humbly communicate with God, praying in His will and surrendering to His sovereignty in the timing and method of the answer.</p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></u></b></h3><h3 style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-size: medium;">Prayer Examples Then</span></u></b></h3><p>There are many interesting examples of prayer throughout the Bible. One of which is Jesus praying in John 17. He prays for Himself, for His disciples and for all believers. One thing that is repeated is statements of unity. Verses 9 and 10 says “<i><span style="color: red;">I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.</span></i>” (CSB) Jesus is acknowledging that all humanity is created by God, and that He has given Jesus to us and given us to Jesus.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>A conclusion could be drawn that since God loves us and desires the same unity within the Trinity to be with His created humans, that God’s ear would then be tuned to listening to His beloved’s prayers.</b></p><p>When we consider this, we can find some comfort that Revelation tells us that God keeps our prayers near His Throne. Revelation 5:8 says that there are bowls of incense that are the prayers of the saints. Chapter 8:3-4 says “<i>Another angel, with a golden incense burner, came and stood at the altar. He was given a large amount of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar in front of the throne. The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up in the presence of God from the angel’s hand</i>.” (CSB)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_9grUtyHY-lEjxLewo1y8MLigLXEHHIOmlWdtiGaNeYuSv16nZ64xqt0yF_YOeMdh8LvMIbjc981QYQACl2dtLSaT9qywYt9pwFxPwZ-DBA2YlGF9JXUAiVsTlyuOBVwdqLGXxsoOGtRF7hkFq25kFHW9WfP4mVGnN0Kg6J4odvHCqkSGTyUthx5yQ/s799/4EF32B33-5F1A-41F8-A0C2-277322F26C7E_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="799" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_9grUtyHY-lEjxLewo1y8MLigLXEHHIOmlWdtiGaNeYuSv16nZ64xqt0yF_YOeMdh8LvMIbjc981QYQACl2dtLSaT9qywYt9pwFxPwZ-DBA2YlGF9JXUAiVsTlyuOBVwdqLGXxsoOGtRF7hkFq25kFHW9WfP4mVGnN0Kg6J4odvHCqkSGTyUthx5yQ/w400-h318/4EF32B33-5F1A-41F8-A0C2-277322F26C7E_1_201_a.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">Make no mistake, that is our prayers being breathed in by God Himself.</h2><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>We have established how to pray, that we are valuable to God, and that He certainly hears our prayers, in fact keeps them before His throne. Psalms 65:2 confirms that “<i>All humanity will come to you, the One who hears prayer.</i>” (CSB)</p><div style="text-align: left;">So, our response to this incredible reality is found in Ephesians 6:18- “<i>Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints</i>”. (CSB) </div><p>It’s no coincidence this is in the Armour of God passage. After listing what our armour is, and admonishing us to stand firm, we are exhorted to pray. Always.</p><p>We are not God, nor can we understand His ways. </p><p>The answer to our prayers may come within the same 24 hours we pray it or after our lifetime. The point is, it is not for us to grapple with and to think we can manipulate God’s timeliness as we prefer it. Nor should we waste our time wringing our hands in worry. Our confidence is to be placed in Him who is the beginning and ending, and exists outside of time, orchestrating His sovereign will while somehow still allowing us free will.</p><p>Biblical examples of God listening and reacting to prayer can be found with God and Abraham in Genesis 18:16-33 and God with Moses in Deuteronomy 9:13-14. In both instances, these men were, in a way, speaking “face to face” with God, which in our form we call prayer. Abraham and Moses were interceding on behalf of others caught in sin, petitioning God for a merciful outcome. They each had compassion on the people they were praying for, and also sought God’s glory to be displayed through it. God heard them and moved. They were righteous men interceding on behalf others who were fallen. </p><p>Biblical accounts of Elijah praying for unusual things and God answering are awe inspiring. </p><p>1 Kings 17 and 18 tell an incredible story of Elijah first asking God for a 3-year drought, God providing for Elijah through it, then a truly miraculous display of God’s power on a mountain top, where Elijah asks God to prove Himself by sending fire to burn up an offering on an altar. Afterwards, God answers Elijah’s prayer for rain to return. These are faith builder stories in the bible to help us realize God’s desire toward us, to hear us, and to answer us.</p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Prayer Now</u></b></h3><p><a href="https://amzn.asia/d/2gPuzJQ" target="_blank">Adele Calhoun</a> describes beautifully how we surrender to pray in God’s will.</p><p>“<i>God tells us to ask him for what we need, regardless of our own intuitive responses to requests. He wants us to know that he’s invested in us and concerned about our lives and world. The almighty One wants our prayers. In fact, God will change this world through them. But it is important to realize that we don’t always know what we or others need most. So, listening in our spirit to God’s desires for us and this world is an important part of intercession. God’s Spirit is always concerned with his glory and his kingdom. And his Spirit can lead us to pray in a different manner than we would pray on our own</i>. ”</p><p>So as my title asks- Does Prayer Move God?</p><p><i><b>It’s a complicated yes and no.</b></i></p><p>As it’s been established, God confirms His own Sovereignty in scripture over and over. This is to say, He is almighty, and He alone knows the entire timeline of history through future.</p><p>However, an example of the complicated piece in this can be found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 “<i>If my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.</i>” (ESV) Also, in Psalm 91:15 “<i>When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him</i>.” (ESV) </p><p>Prayer matters to God. We matter to God. </p><p>He desires to communicate with us. He desires to bless us. He desires to help us.</p><p>So we pray.</p><p>And God moves.</p><div><br /></div>Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-22230205627959041862022-11-22T08:40:00.000+11:002022-11-22T08:40:45.218+11:00Costly Obedience <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Some may say this last year I have had is truly peculiar and uncommon. If I were to give an unvarnished description, most would think me to be a little unhinged or a spiritual fanatic. What I’d like to do is describe what it is to have lived a life of costly obedience to God. To give a transparent accounting of the dissected anatomy of what it actually means to die to yourself and ruthlessly obey God, regardless of what is said.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I don’t come from a culture that abuses or puts to death Christians, but I do come from a culture that doesn’t typically see a follower of Christ loving Him with abandon, beyond all that is reasonable or able to be explained. That’s the very point. Unable to explain. It requires faith to understand.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">When I felt the deep conviction of God calling me towards Australia, it wasn’t something I personally desired or wished to do. It was something I fought with God about for a while. He kept giving me sign after sign, proof after proof that He was indeed pushing me to obey Him. If you have never experienced this kind of burning conviction to obey God, you’ll have a hard time understanding the rest of this.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It was towards something, a life purpose to be later revealed. It has yet to be fully revealed but I have a clearer picture now.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">When a person is faced with costly obedience, there’s a few things that seem to be common. These are my personal experiences and I know I have heard others say similar things.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I’m going to offer some descriptions and the scriptures that have accompanied my convictions.</span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAdc59RgVYokPeFYXco8rbglp_GtgVhWHljC64Mb9iVQUqOn7g25_3hJajWeOkrfspRNtexr217WCcaEKnQbapP1yvCES7eczee98cV0QWzpqifFRW5feTsds3DyJeThjwxHGiHYc5iM35odijgW1uRDvyKjkekvXXy5co6TDXO_OZ1t9N3pqOZz_pw/s1873/76BECCD2-BC9A-46ED-BEA6-86D85171E1B0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1873" data-original-width="1736" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAdc59RgVYokPeFYXco8rbglp_GtgVhWHljC64Mb9iVQUqOn7g25_3hJajWeOkrfspRNtexr217WCcaEKnQbapP1yvCES7eczee98cV0QWzpqifFRW5feTsds3DyJeThjwxHGiHYc5iM35odijgW1uRDvyKjkekvXXy5co6TDXO_OZ1t9N3pqOZz_pw/w371-h400/76BECCD2-BC9A-46ED-BEA6-86D85171E1B0.jpeg" width="371" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">There is an actual death of self, personal life desires, personal life plans. You quite literally open your hands to God and say, “<i>whatever You want</i>”. <b>Thy will, not my will</b>. It is painful, but worth it. Once you get on the other side of selfish sorrow for your own plans, you can fully embrace the real purpose God intends. <u><i>The hidden gem of fulfilled life calling and purpose is found within rigorous surrender</i></u>. </span></li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>⭐<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Luke 9:23 and he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Matt 10:38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Colossians 3:3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">There is fear and anxiety when weighing safe self-plans for life vs. accepting the unknown God plans. <b>You can live a lifetime paralyzed inside of the what ifs</b>. It’s the enemy’s best plan at keeping you useless and side-lined, to hold you in fear of the unknown. The reality is, God is either the only real Creator and has the only real eternal plan for humanity, or He doesn’t. There isn’t any in between on this one. It requires a response. You either believe Him or not. And if you do, what then? Do you see how this forces a response when God directs your path towards something you aren’t comfy with?</span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">⭐<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Psalm 37:23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">When I began to flex my faith muscle and walk towards obedience to this crazy direction, I began to count the costs of suffering. It is true that the provision of God has been ridiculous. Only God can make a way that is so full of gracious abundance. There’s nothing we could have forced or schemed that could have provided like He has. The flip side of this is a question I’ve been asked so many times I’ve lost count. “<i>Don’t you miss you husband, your family? Isn’t it awfully hard to be apart?</i>” <b>This is where the cost of obedience hits, the actual suffering.</b> People don’t realize how frustrating and truly painful it is to be misunderstood. It sounds like a trite complaint, however, in this particular case being misunderstood has huge ramifications. I generally lead with the fact that my husband is the one who has commissioned and sent me. He was the one with conviction from God first. However, comforted I am by his support, it still doesn’t cover the cost of the absence. It pales in comparison to the expense. This is where the rubber meets the road, as they say. D<i>o I still believe God called me? Is obeying Him truly worth it? Will He supply all my heart needs, both perceived needs and actual needs? Will I choose to believe God for the sufficient grace He promises</i>?</span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">⭐<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Romans 5:3-5 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Philippians 1:29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">One thing that has become as regular as breathing to me is learning consistency in intentionally remembering what God’s called me to do, and what He’s done to prepare me ahead of time. After believing Him for all of this, after seeing the countless miracles my life represents, how can I not recall to mind His unfathomable grace and goodness? <b>Walking into obedience daily is a choice. </b>I may be physically present in this country and college, but it is very easy to get slack and begin to choose my will again, if I am not intentional. It may begin to look rigid and harsh, but the reality is, I’m not out for others approval. I want God’s approval.</span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">⭐<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">John 15:16-17 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐2 Timothy 2:11-14 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. Remind them of these things and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Considering how good God is, being able to celebrate the little victories along the path of obedience has been a balm and joy. The opportunity to come away with Him, so to speak, and have devoted time to grow myself in the Lord is priceless. I often will think- look where I’m standing! <b>The fulfilment of God making me more and more into the person He wants me to be is a blessing I don’t really have words for.</b> I used to be a person who had such little self-worth, spending so much time in self-loathing and self-destructive behavior, believing I’d never be able to be used by God because I had ruined my life. For God to prove me wrong so thoroughly has provided a deep sense of gratitude and curiosity for what all He has planned.</span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">⭐<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Once some patterns of behavior get established, then added to it is rigorously choosing surrender, confession, and repentance each day to stay in a blameless and upright walk. <b>There’s not a lot of place for worldly things when you choose to be set apart.</b> The thing is, God opens your mind to what is truly of worth and what is worthless. It’s very hard to choose mindless things once you know the truth, <i>you can’t unsee it.</i> As Romans 12:1 says below, our reasonable service to God is offer ourselves wholly devoted to Him. Reasonable because of what He’s done for you. He died, gave His life as a substitute for mine, when I deserved to bear my own punishment. <i>The very little I can do to say a heartfelt thanks is give my life back to Him, a living sacrifice to obediently follow</i>.</span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">⭐<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Psalm 19:12-13 Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Psalm 143:10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">After living this lifestyle a while, I can now boldly choose to obey God's word regardless of surrounding oppression or negativity. My conviction to the Truth has grown a strong enough muscle that it no longer is a chore for me to choose God’s will over my own (or others). <b>For me, there is not another option anymore</b>. This is supernatural faith.</span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">⭐<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐John 15:15-19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name because they do not know him who sent me.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">As a result of all this, I’ve noticed I am now able to share my story, as God leads me, without shame, heavy tears, and sorrow. My story is meant to help others, and this proves my healing and God’s divine purpose in rescuing me. I’m able to share the victories without as much pain, and this is a monumental growth! The weight of shame and regrets that used to plague me served as a paralyzation, unable to be useful. <i>For God to break through all of that and shine me up like a trophy to display of His tremendous power to restore is a miracle!</i></span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">⭐<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Acts 20:24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Luke 7:47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Psalm 103:2-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;"><i>⭐Isaiah 61:3-5 to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise, instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">One final addition is to give attention to the fact that this costly obedience isn’t just here in Australia. My faithful, God-following husband who has remained home and keeps the home-life together has <b><i>every bit of the costly obedience and faith steps I do. </i></b>His daily walk just looks different than mine. We are called together and uniquely. This means if you are a stay-at-home mom, raising kids like I was for years, costly obedience and faith can look like being faithful to God in a faithless generation, raising your kids to be set apart and holy in a world pot-marked by evil. It comes in all shapes and sizes. What matters is the heart and motive. Are you obedient to what God has called you to do?</span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Well, there you have it! Those that have had the endurance to keep reading, or just have curiosity, hopefully now have a better understanding of what on earth I’m doing here and why I am returning for another year in 2023! 🎉🎉</span></div><div><br /></div></div>Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-61592997101562595382022-07-11T12:06:00.000+10:002022-07-11T12:06:21.240+10:00A Full and Fruitful Semester<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The end of my first semester of college in Australia. <span style="text-align: center;">17 weeks, 4 months.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyAUfkupmyiQDb1zdxeZ6ecZY6X-4-LZCaEqZ8gTxrdtT59dGsLxhBXXv4qubq3PwB81_joBk-DKI9a885nPj4LciiBXwAQSqrbhP_-Ku4dmD-cFjKlVNujcoFkCJVnfJ4ZknH2hHQ2aItSWSkYl4KmVd3C7DUr09g1aIcXZZVaitRyZ03qsEEbxrM5Q/s960/hillsong%20church.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyAUfkupmyiQDb1zdxeZ6ecZY6X-4-LZCaEqZ8gTxrdtT59dGsLxhBXXv4qubq3PwB81_joBk-DKI9a885nPj4LciiBXwAQSqrbhP_-Ku4dmD-cFjKlVNujcoFkCJVnfJ4ZknH2hHQ2aItSWSkYl4KmVd3C7DUr09g1aIcXZZVaitRyZ03qsEEbxrM5Q/w200-h150/hillsong%20church.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>The task of writing an update that recaps my first semester of college in Australia is truly impossible. Despite my best efforts to journal so I can remember, the fullness of my days with incredible experiences and new meaningful relationships are overwhelming and innumerable. <span style="text-align: center;">I really loved my classes and felt it such a privilege to get this chance later in life to experience college life abroad, on campus.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know several reading this don’t realize what I actually went to study in Australia, or why. I am studying at Hillsong International Leadership College, with an emphasis in pastoral counselling. At my home church in Michigan, I often was mentoring women with significant spiritual needs and needing help with life direction. The education I am getting is growing my pastoral counselling techniques while also increasing my biblical education. The other tremendous blessing in this is that I never got to go to college. 26 years ago we got married and started a family immediately. This has been a redeeming of the past by God, a total gift for me. It’s incredibly humbling.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2551" data-original-width="3024" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKQ-8jV4Cxo4p5EssS0aLBm9OWLDdtIJ_mKky9vFyAJzzksTiNy1tU0mVb4H1lLR-fKdfbtLIyftlu94lI7AS7BZDwKfbIhuCQSsaNdBF4fgISa6m0vLtsnHIVawXPxTWwQGve3N1de5wumX44J_JNriUCC5MSbSbbWDGl5nQY6zmO0X7WIylqauUkg/w320-h316/174D28CA-E027-4728-91D2-912A5C53FC13_1_201_a.heic" width="320" /></div> <span style="text-align: center;">For this reason, I have not wanted to take a second of it for granted, <i>not wanting to miss a thing</i>! I finished my first semester with distinction🎉!! I made sure to not only live each day to the fullest but be very mindful of the things specific things I thought God was leading me to work on personally. </span><div style="text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2484" data-original-width="2032" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHH32GemN9JUHsyBQvqmVe6PlrPtoG4aB15pF0Lgvo5_F5zfXRjCFGsDHdtXWTKLd20rljG7Hk0kdPmWTjSljaeiYwtcXNbM3lc_OhgTdNt2nnE9E1U5PVio6pW3AV28GrvvhX8NOHpcmwU-EXouSw_HNcMILyKDoMx21FStNj0Zj4YIK0YUGUdr2OQ/w164-h200/376CB84E-F62F-42B2-91B2-366FFEE1D8A9.jpeg" width="164" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">Daily disciplines and self-care are among the top things. Being a wife, mother, dog-mom, volunteer and serving at church over the years has left very little time for self-care. </span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">One of the things I discovered while living alone is that I hadn’t fully overcome unworthiness like I thought I had. So, me and Jesus worked on that abit too.</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Late April, Chip had planned to come visit for over 2 weeks. What I didn’t know about was his surprise he was bringing along.....my oldest son James and his wife Alexia came to visit also for a week, and they definitely got me good with the surprise! </div><div><br /></div><div>It was a bit of worlds colliding feeling, having them join me in the new way of life I had adapted to. My husband immediately noticed that I had apparently changed👀. He said I was more confident in my independence. It was a wonderful time of connection, rest, and renewal. A portion of this trip for my husband was a work emphasis and had been planned long before I arrived in Australia. However, in God’s perfect planning and goodness I was on 2 weeks break from classes when he came!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0EXeDkM4_fQPeVEb29Uha46KaBLpbDFYn1tA2WoHstchlvWj5GZWzAwPXKdeVf3werCa6V8Lobltw52JjTS3enRLpVEdtBnSDVflOlsBiHYAk-qtSBZnmupIhY4Vwyrxha3DK9e6mm4wZYIMeALcR4CdeHaGSd4JHo4SvQ5HIWcXWQcUwwpIxrYLlA/s3735/chair.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="3735" data-original-width="2956" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0EXeDkM4_fQPeVEb29Uha46KaBLpbDFYn1tA2WoHstchlvWj5GZWzAwPXKdeVf3werCa6V8Lobltw52JjTS3enRLpVEdtBnSDVflOlsBiHYAk-qtSBZnmupIhY4Vwyrxha3DK9e6mm4wZYIMeALcR4CdeHaGSd4JHo4SvQ5HIWcXWQcUwwpIxrYLlA/w158-h200/chair.jpeg" width="158" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Some of my favorite things from this semester have been a café by my apartment called Whole, cliff views at Bondi beach and Manly beach, sunrises viewed from my beloved “Jesus” chair and sunsets while walking to church on Sunday nights. I have loved hosting friends for meals and long chats, late night homework help, and deep, life-changing talks with new close friends. I prefer to be at church whenever there’s a service to attend because I want to give God every opportunity to teach me something new or to hear Him speak in a new way. I have loved how God has taken worship songs that I have known and loved for years and given me fresh perspective from them. I have been blessed by new songs coming out of the talented Hillsong music teams as well.</div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Some of my favorite points from all the church services I have attended are: </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>“Any great battle outwardly begins with a great battle inwardly”</i>- Lucinda Dooley </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>“Choosing ‘this’ over ‘that’ is an art of Trust and Surrender, it is a quiet and brutal space, costly and worth it, fueled by grace.”</i>- Laura Toggs </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“<i>You have to look past the natural to the supernatural, need to go to a whole ‘nother level and shift your dish”- (shift your perspective- dish=face, sight etc)</i> – Lucinda Dooley</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>GREAT Leaders resolve to 1. See beyond obstacles 2. Hear what others cannot hear 3. Go where others consider it impossible 4. Rise up in authority 5. Stretch out in faith 6. Walk in God’s path.”</i> – Lee Burns</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“<i>Funny how giving grace becomes offensive when we think someone doesn’t deserve it, none of us ever deserves it”</i> -Sam Lopez </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>“When there’s no new news, stick to the old news. When it doesn’t look like I thought, don’t revaluate ALL of life. Keep doing what God first told you to do, or the last thing He told you to do”</i>. -Sam Lopez </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>“Worship is all that we are responding to ALL that He is.”</i> -Haydn Nelson</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I shifted to being home for 7 weeks while on break, it’s given me some reflection time and to see where my difficulties will be in keeping up my new disciplines.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have a running list in the back of my prayer journal for all the areas of growth or change that God has been at work in. Some of those are: Confidence (in myself and God), being wholly dependent on God for everything, increased depth in prayer life, obedience (including in the very hard things), expectancy of seeing God move, having eyes of faith and ears opened to His leading, humility (all I have and am today is from Jesus), being steadfast in Him, consistency in behaviors, unshakeable faith (He is my Anchor), and awe of God- His incredible power to accomplish His perfect will.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Besides being on break and to be with my family, a big reason I am home is that my daughter Lizzie is getting married July 23rd! Aside from all this talk of college and Australia, I’d like to take a second and brag about her 😊😊</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lizzie has been a strong and independent young woman for quite a long time. We’ve always said she was built to be an executive.😏 However, she has a tender heart for the Lord and has been transformed by Jesus into this gorgeous example of a life redeemed. We couldn’t be prouder and so we are throwing the party of the year to celebrate her marriage to Brian. What an incredibly good young man, we are so grateful for him and to his parents for raising such a wonderful person💖. He is perfect for our girl and I know that blessings untold await them in their new adventure of life together!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>I am thoroughly looking forward to second semester and seeing what </i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>God has in store for me for the rest of the year!</i></b></div></div></div></div></div>Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-79371442477835507972022-03-29T22:54:00.000+11:002022-03-29T22:54:27.822+11:001 Month Marker<h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKHDAzbh9gO11gExy9Ev171f-tUbZcOCSFdIbpa6ONnxuVOd0_6_C7y4vFoh5_AN7Vkefts10xGzQzt8H6QU_iJpJWDWGeeJ4Fg5QhQ7qsb-d_ZpcaexMAYoViVMSLVBBOKOgUAGZj0ZDWnQ7NXVZ1hWiQfBLBIAEu5YfwGYrNCUn6UWZ759mj7lu4A/s2100/welcome%20to%20hills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1574" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKHDAzbh9gO11gExy9Ev171f-tUbZcOCSFdIbpa6ONnxuVOd0_6_C7y4vFoh5_AN7Vkefts10xGzQzt8H6QU_iJpJWDWGeeJ4Fg5QhQ7qsb-d_ZpcaexMAYoViVMSLVBBOKOgUAGZj0ZDWnQ7NXVZ1hWiQfBLBIAEu5YfwGYrNCUn6UWZ759mj7lu4A/w240-h320/welcome%20to%20hills.jpg" width="240" /><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></a></p><div style="text-align: left;">Saturday the 24th marked 1 month I’ve been living in Australia.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As expected, the number of adjustments and changes I would encounter were many. I spent the first 2 weeks here in a hotel, well actually 2 different hotels. The first one couldn’t extend my stay, so I had to move. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It didn’t really feel like I was settling into my new life because of the whole hotel stay and my home situation being unknown. In the midst of that, I was beginning to attend college, get used to walking everywhere, and plead with the Lord to miraculously adjust my body and hair to the tropical humidity. (Still waiting on that miracle by the way…😳)</div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Trying to rent and get settled into a new apartment took a little time and some efforts in organization with opening an Australian bank account, getting an Aussie phone number and getting my documents together for an application. I also had some work to do outfitting an apartment. Not having a car meant coordinating with college and new friends to give me a ride and help get items into my apartment. </p><p style="text-align: right;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsmSGKJhcnsU1Lb9x017qMR3wjbUCosEStlkB0o9gY-Sfa1ZxiEcWIS2Ab-3n_rMy1jodZ5dGGxCHVYxHO2GGDh441L1XAT6CAe1OUzMPHgexrnui5ikeNyYbjz79vc_pIgfkuKfIu7sVoNwfbOXY4eTxF1POti5QVsiSxNVS_ptIgQ-DwyVseyIvMg/s2100/boys%20helping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1575" data-original-width="2100" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsmSGKJhcnsU1Lb9x017qMR3wjbUCosEStlkB0o9gY-Sfa1ZxiEcWIS2Ab-3n_rMy1jodZ5dGGxCHVYxHO2GGDh441L1XAT6CAe1OUzMPHgexrnui5ikeNyYbjz79vc_pIgfkuKfIu7sVoNwfbOXY4eTxF1POti5QVsiSxNVS_ptIgQ-DwyVseyIvMg/w320-h240/boys%20helping.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I had the privilege of spending a few hours with some very kind (and strong) </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">young men who helped me. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We even had an expert level Ikea assembler who is from Sweden and could tell us what the names of the products meant!👀</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>As faithful as the sun is to rise, so is God in providing and going before me. </i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>I have a lovely place to live that exceeds any need I have and is completely a gift from the Lord.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6ptYWzbZ0lAtTEAXChFCjX4vbv5AkJqOIIPlf3y5C6tcyY6K65XpsxkY_9qA9nD1ll6EnOXiZmhpxS4tiLJwCK0gkiebFsa3ApyQIdEywMatb9fokyCfPEDD022mzwpaEXW-0xwZvRnDZcpTbynM7xwBl3JcGEBBGhE43tMJSrMXiZ_IQ6QeqDx69g/s1676/living%20room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1676" data-original-width="1170" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6ptYWzbZ0lAtTEAXChFCjX4vbv5AkJqOIIPlf3y5C6tcyY6K65XpsxkY_9qA9nD1ll6EnOXiZmhpxS4tiLJwCK0gkiebFsa3ApyQIdEywMatb9fokyCfPEDD022mzwpaEXW-0xwZvRnDZcpTbynM7xwBl3JcGEBBGhE43tMJSrMXiZ_IQ6QeqDx69g/w446-h640/living%20room.jpg" width="446" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I’ve got a running list of things where I see God working and growing me. There are so many new experiences and rhythms of life to get used to, so much <i><b>daily</b></i> surrender. For instance, I have never lived alone, and I have never not had a car. There are benefits of getting a sabbatical from regular life, the rest from the usual busyness of home life. However, much like everything else that sounds like a dream, there’s a honeymoon period and then the new shininess wears off and you settle into reality. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVD0MGI4nNEva2yyFS4OT7uMASDpT-2FsV6hnKZiKRUvU90Bbh4AU41JGk3xqJXFzRlF_mE3UN6B92pPZtTNntyUy-rHMPcvRu-jFqvHGBR4-5tPRar6a99_vciH4xsCOIzyC36x6qw3lkknTilqRBT49yUKWo9o6nwi9wghVCenA9bjgw8n77g_qwg/s4032/class.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVD0MGI4nNEva2yyFS4OT7uMASDpT-2FsV6hnKZiKRUvU90Bbh4AU41JGk3xqJXFzRlF_mE3UN6B92pPZtTNntyUy-rHMPcvRu-jFqvHGBR4-5tPRar6a99_vciH4xsCOIzyC36x6qw3lkknTilqRBT49yUKWo9o6nwi9wghVCenA9bjgw8n77g_qwg/s320/class.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>My schedule is fairly easy, I have Wednesday as my 1 big day of classes from 8:30am till 5:15pm, otherwise, just an hour or so on Tuesday morning and 3 hours on Thursday. <p></p><p style="text-align: left;">My apartment is about an 8–10-minute walk from church and school, which are situated together separated by a parking lot. Being in school again after so many years was a challenge to my mindset, planning for homework time etc. I just needed a couple weeks of just doing it to gauge what my pace would be. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br />One of the things God is working on in me is time management. Having been in a lifestyle where things were relaxed to now having a certain schedule every day, there were some adjustments that occurred regarding my morning routine. I may or may not have run for the first time in a decade in order to make it to class on time….😬</p><p style="text-align: left;">I have a wonderful group of ladies that adopted me right away. I may have looked a little new and lonely my first Sunday at church…but these ladies didn’t waste any time in becoming my friends. They’ve been great helping me shop for household items and getting them back to my apartment, sharing a meal, and just overall encouragement to me as I embarked on this new lifestyle. </p><p style="text-align: left;">There are so many little things I take for granted at home in Michigan. Like the ease of getting groceries, getting bigger household items into the house, and going places when the weather is not ideal. Walking is good for my body and soul, and is how I planned to get around, as well as using public transit. I’ve been exhausted at bedtime after all the mental adjustments and physical changes this past month!</p><p style="text-align: left;">The good and praiseworthy report is that God is incredibly faithful and so generously kind. I have had so many conversations and experiences that are clearly from Him. Church is always a tender place for me. God has worked some major growth in myself and my family through this wonderful church and their music, so I am reminded of that whenever I enter the sanctuary. Regardless of how hard a day may be, I have full faith that He has called me here for this season. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The personal growth and opportunities I am having to give encouragement to others based on redeeming work God has already done in me is clear proof. Ephesians 2:10 says “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them”, and I am seeing that worked out before me each day.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I have some ideas of why God has called me here, especially this time in my life. However, He surprises me constantly with hidden blessings He’s prepared for me in advance. It shouldn’t be a surprise anymore, after all I have seen Him do. It still causes me to feel overwhelmed with gratitude that God would see me and my little details and bless me in the most kind and tender ways to prove that He sees and is with me.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfzBNNAwb2nWrj7EE9Idlf0I3KpGAqiq5yGBO-kVio1FqZWg4-yNZste3s2keqyHgPt9y8O22VBInts6Y5xL099F7fPt2eEn6IDo9rcejHbFE-KUIs-pMHWfMH85lzLsIvqR9wsZRDqG0VKhWO0BbYXfS8NlLoM9pa5pEkWfDdgwObKTP84oUdYaYReA/s3735/chair.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3735" data-original-width="2956" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfzBNNAwb2nWrj7EE9Idlf0I3KpGAqiq5yGBO-kVio1FqZWg4-yNZste3s2keqyHgPt9y8O22VBInts6Y5xL099F7fPt2eEn6IDo9rcejHbFE-KUIs-pMHWfMH85lzLsIvqR9wsZRDqG0VKhWO0BbYXfS8NlLoM9pa5pEkWfDdgwObKTP84oUdYaYReA/s320/chair.jpeg" width="253" /></a></div><br />I wake up with daily expectation for seeing something great! This church’s focus for the lent season is 40 days of devotion. What I chose to do during that is to give up a bit of sleep early in the morning and to begin my day on my knees in surrender and worship. <p></p><p style="text-align: left;">The song I use each morning is an old hymn called “Take my Life” that’s been redone by Chris Tomlin. You have no idea what that small action can do to change a person until you try it. The song goes through each part of a person; take my mind, take my lips, words, hands and feet, intellect and love. I pray through the song each morning, and this sets up my day. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Each morning God is faithful to meet with me there.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfFmTFz8HgB-IDSFen4x8z1OO3JXUM3b4oP_Y1yKVPB0jup5Y4ALaiCZLB6N7gRX38WqRmE_tata1SYUNFhuzn74VwRNZpc5GgWo-jrlxchlUyKN7DUfS5Op3K_noR6Fva51Hdi8nFCaQ4vSvp5RerzI-EZzLaq3ZTgvAuybsATI3bfZoSuptBe7kWQ/s2208/blankets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1206" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfFmTFz8HgB-IDSFen4x8z1OO3JXUM3b4oP_Y1yKVPB0jup5Y4ALaiCZLB6N7gRX38WqRmE_tata1SYUNFhuzn74VwRNZpc5GgWo-jrlxchlUyKN7DUfS5Op3K_noR6Fva51Hdi8nFCaQ4vSvp5RerzI-EZzLaq3ZTgvAuybsATI3bfZoSuptBe7kWQ/w219-h400/blankets.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">One month has gone by fast, but slow at times too. I miss my husband, family, and pups so much that if I give any mind-space to dwell on that the tears are immediate, so close to the surface. 👉</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">God is tender and gracious to hold and carry me through that as well. I am very much learning how to rely on Him for my each and every thing.</p><div><br /></div>Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-25237017171077565372022-03-01T06:54:00.001+11:002022-03-01T06:54:28.674+11:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h2 style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>My Year of Devotion in Australia</i></span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Why would a married woman and mother of 4 adult kids go away for a year to Australia? Never mind that year long concept… Australia! About as far away as you can go!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am doing a reboot of my blog and using it to document this epic year before me, and so if you’d like to have updates and follow my journey you can subscribe and get email notifications when I post.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5XVd9ze-CItuN0Bpsbb4Ap7-NUYQEOzKeu5vTPgaZBKm2mcy61d7EKwW1gfl_3LdSTX0uUfy1NpWlpuSJTLMiDQzm_PJ9FfO5Cf92sWFX3XuIe5WHH25DpiDGOMH1pKK-J2LhGY6R2HB3iL9PLM4VtuJxSQM034j5BJffPlXrqY1-dm5zhA48W7dwdg=s960" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="960" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5XVd9ze-CItuN0Bpsbb4Ap7-NUYQEOzKeu5vTPgaZBKm2mcy61d7EKwW1gfl_3LdSTX0uUfy1NpWlpuSJTLMiDQzm_PJ9FfO5Cf92sWFX3XuIe5WHH25DpiDGOMH1pKK-J2LhGY6R2HB3iL9PLM4VtuJxSQM034j5BJffPlXrqY1-dm5zhA48W7dwdg=s320" width="320" /></a></div>A quick snapshot into our current family situation- Chip and I have been married 25 years, going on 26 this September. Chip is an owner at the firm he’s been at for more than 22 years. Our oldest son James is married to Alexia, they met in Australia at Hillsong College. They are now living back home in Michigan. James is about to finish his degree and begin his fulltime career in public accounting. Alexia is fast becoming the best saleswoman David’s Bridal has seen! Lizzie is engaged to be married this summer to Brian, he is such a wonderful match for our Lizzie. 💖 She is also finishing her degree and flourishing in a tax internship. Charlie works full time in concrete and is starting to drive the trucks too. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGqoyHGsQePJmjGoif9tk6PxbfykMDKxtWc_Xw7qCf6qTyZhJ5_JB5Y5iMoUVHNCeVgStWqnPLkX2mkil-DjOqznYuFCiyimXeiR-o9YaBghO0hpVT2tPGiF5RQPzFEgKjSX3BF8UiVksSjYh21oagYxDUwEdxiGbZPrqMsmI8vUFtbwr_pp3D9ZPOtQ=s3484" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2293" data-original-width="3484" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGqoyHGsQePJmjGoif9tk6PxbfykMDKxtWc_Xw7qCf6qTyZhJ5_JB5Y5iMoUVHNCeVgStWqnPLkX2mkil-DjOqznYuFCiyimXeiR-o9YaBghO0hpVT2tPGiF5RQPzFEgKjSX3BF8UiVksSjYh21oagYxDUwEdxiGbZPrqMsmI8vUFtbwr_pp3D9ZPOtQ=w320-h211" width="320" /></a></div>We’re so proud of his dedication and hard work. He’s quite a catch for any young woman! Baby Grace is in college full time and working. She’s got a servant’s heart and we are so looking forward to how God will grow her into the woman He’s created her to be. Last but certainly not least, is my 3 fur babies! Sassafras, Ducky, and Huckleberry are 3 Vizsla’s that have a large piece of my heart.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So that leaves me. As you can imagine, raising a family over these years, working parttime and full time some years, sometimes so busy with sports and school schedules I could hardly see straight has been a very full life so far. That brings us to the question of what on earth am I doing going to Australia for a year?!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To start at the beginning would be too long a story, and maybe over time I can share it throughout this journey. However, what I can do is build a timeline of sorts.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So I suppose for me, it might’ve began 25 years ago. I was a very young, pregnant mom-to-be back then, when I first heard Hillsong’s "Shout to the Lord". God often uses music to speak to me, to comfort my heart and lead me to Himself. This song was a catalyst to that. That baby I was pregnant with is James. He went to their college for 3.5 years. This is a <a href="https://livinginmyfreedom.blogspot.com/2016/12/but-do-you-actually-believe-it.html" target="_blank">blog</a> about my faith struggle to send him.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We can fast forward several years, close to 8 years ago now, we found ourselves in a crisis. I don’t want to bury this post in that whole story, you can find some of that in my post archives in the beginning of my <a href="https://livinginmyfreedom.blogspot.com/2015/09/new-adventure-freedom.html" target="_blank">blog</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhr-EWOyIO1JS40MijBqRIVJWEO7Q6-B96qcq8Yg0TgQ5EMJxtRTq4fEAOfu9ksetvqfy5tPnUxDjn4P2ANJafQuTRPSjEHVcxSnbcLGTNqpWhKPnExuVYKnh0fJtWP0W4_on76NL2IFmZ0LZeT_bN3_4M6Wo4wwJCDll0uooAmwJFSfBjSr8BOTsUANg=s960" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhr-EWOyIO1JS40MijBqRIVJWEO7Q6-B96qcq8Yg0TgQ5EMJxtRTq4fEAOfu9ksetvqfy5tPnUxDjn4P2ANJafQuTRPSjEHVcxSnbcLGTNqpWhKPnExuVYKnh0fJtWP0W4_on76NL2IFmZ0LZeT_bN3_4M6Wo4wwJCDll0uooAmwJFSfBjSr8BOTsUANg=w200-h150" width="200" /></a></div>However, that’s where this whole thing began with Hillsong Church’s influence in my walk with God. As most know, they are well known for their music. Their church has been around for more than 30 years and their leadership college has been for over 20 years. They expanded beyond their own little corner of the world into a worldwide superpower of good for the Kingdom of God. He mightily blessed them and I would even say that when I’ve been in their home church building, the presence of God is palatable!<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Eight years ago, in that marriage crisis we were in, I spent some serious time in sorrow and at times it was deeply oppressive. My husband would come lay over me, pray, read scripture and he started to play Hillsong worship music. In that peaceful moment, God chased away the darkness I was in and healed my heart. We began to look more into who they were, the church and services we could watch online. It was such a source of encouragement in my restoration time that it became regular. From that, came the strong leading for James to go to the college. It was a big battle of faith for me. At the time, there was no way to go see him, I had no passport, and certainly not extra cash to take that kind of trip. In my tiny seed of faith I mustered, God grew an incredible tree of opportunity!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hillsong has several conferences they do over the course of a year, all focused on growing people to live for Christ and to grow leaders in the Christian community to spread the gospel and lead well. During James’ time there, God did a lot of blessing and changing in our family. He grew Chip’s work practice tremendously, we got passports and began traveling. Among the first trips Chip took for a business conference was to Sydney just 2 short months after we sent James. Then God made a way for me to go 6 months later! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first visit that July had a big impact. I was completely taken off guard by the deep the sense of “home” I felt inside the church building. I knew the spiritual academic stuff, that being among fellow believers and in a church building can give you the “my people” feeling. This was different. So much stronger and pulling.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For the sake of brevity, I’ll just say that God’s blessing grew far past anything we had hoped or dreamed for, and the continual strong pull to go to Sydney just grew. I had the privilege to go 7 total times, each one attending a conference. In November 2019, Chip and I were there together, he at a work conference and me for visiting. We attended church Sunday morning, and there was an ad that played for the college. The line that caught my attention was “Give God a year of your life and see what He will do”. It sounded amazing! A year of solely devoted to seeking Him, studying and resting from all my normal life things. However, completely unrealistic and outside of the realm of possibility for me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>Or so I thought.</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While I was thinking it was unrealistic, the Lord was impressing on my husband’s heart that he needed to send me there for a year. Chip later told me about what he thought the Lord’s leading was, and my first reaction was very much doubt and disbelief. How could this be possible? To leave my family and my whole life for a year? The cost of supporting an entirely separate life in another country was daunting and seemed ridiculously extravagant. Chip felt the Lord’s leading on timing was to be after my youngest graduated from high school. So we continued to pray and we waited.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When March 2020 happened, we had to bring James and Alexia home, leaving behind an unfinished degree for both. I was in Australia at the time, at the women’s Colour Conference. While we were in the last Sunday evening service together, we were waiting for God to fully confirm what we were dreading. We asked Him to confirm to us as a collective little group that we needed to bring James and Alexia home right then because of the covid scare happening and closing of borders. God did indeed answer and confirmed for us that we needed to. I was very sorrowful because I knew how big this whole college experience had been and that it was cutting it short. I also knew that if they left right then it was quite possible that whenever the Lord planned to send me here, that they wouldn’t be here anymore. I really did not like this plan. We had all sorts of things worked out in our minds of how it would look if I were to come to college. Besides bringing the kids home right then, I got one clear message from God- “Will you still obey Me? Will you still come?”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As we got through the tremendous year of change in 2020, I began to have real doubts if college for me would ever happen. We rolled into 2021, and there was a small glimmer of hope that borders would open, but as December approached, hope was lost. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>Until December 20th, when God spoke to me on the way to church.</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was just driving along, singing worship music and praying a bit when this very loud and strong sentence popped into my head. <i>“It’s time, I want you to go now, the January intake for college”</i>. First of all, this is nothing I ever would’ve come up with on my own. I didn’t know the borders had opened to students yet. As it turned out, they had opened 3 days prior! I was still questioning, wanting to have a strong confirmation before I voiced out loud what I thought I heard. I went home after church and was by myself for a while, so I took the opportunity to pray more about this. I put on a sermon from my church that I hadn’t heard yet, to have on in the background. It turned out to be my confirmation. One of our pastors, Tom, was preaching out of Genesis 12- the Abraham and Sarah obeying God and going to a distant land chapter. At first, I thought well it’s just coincidence because our church is doing a series through Genesis and it just happened to be that chapter. However, when my pastor leaned towards the camera and said “<i>Is God asking you to do something right now? Is there something you need to obey God on right away?”</i> I then acknowledged this was not a coincidence but my confirmation I asked for.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In upcoming posts I will share more regarding the struggles of actually getting into the country. But for now, you can see that I am indeed here, I did obey, and my mind is heavy with anticipation for what God has called me here for. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One thing is for certain. It is a year wholly devoted to Him.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYh6kCvy62bEDGwx7-YycC8C9dIF9ZEHnuAGaOvd8HPgaFKWeC3KL183UhV6gqrRgDbh9XB67ZFvdxrTv_ZC6tasaw1eZiw_9TFMYQWXb5sbQqogAj_tB4MoGFfU5cFrh2K3q7WDYfNYOyrBFOE4SyRYD7Pu7F-dhIlI62snpGs9LV2wjwzUQtG2oAFA=s2477" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1775" data-original-width="2477" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYh6kCvy62bEDGwx7-YycC8C9dIF9ZEHnuAGaOvd8HPgaFKWeC3KL183UhV6gqrRgDbh9XB67ZFvdxrTv_ZC6tasaw1eZiw_9TFMYQWXb5sbQqogAj_tB4MoGFfU5cFrh2K3q7WDYfNYOyrBFOE4SyRYD7Pu7F-dhIlI62snpGs9LV2wjwzUQtG2oAFA=s320" width="320" /></a></div></div><p></p>Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-12843391398267965102018-05-25T05:30:00.000+10:002018-05-25T05:30:53.123+10:00The Study Bible for Women<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59v36zu5vLkl2nNlS0pNT1k5sbd3ckDCOej0UCakrRhl4pwdn-d5PFzVQNo-I6bc8gLEw_Y2kkT-3Zyo7SPzBPxWnvCs9wXfE6cMMRUKx_Ld7Fay-RUyTZjb1_7fFsJJgV4TjCVMGyqr-/s1600/CSB+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59v36zu5vLkl2nNlS0pNT1k5sbd3ckDCOej0UCakrRhl4pwdn-d5PFzVQNo-I6bc8gLEw_Y2kkT-3Zyo7SPzBPxWnvCs9wXfE6cMMRUKx_Ld7Fay-RUyTZjb1_7fFsJJgV4TjCVMGyqr-/s320/CSB+front.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">One of my favorite book reviews to do is of Bible
translations and ones that include study guides! It used to be that we’d have
to buy all sorts of other resources to study scripture deeper and to get
historical information or commentary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Inside this new CSB Women’s Study Bible, so many wonderful
articles on doctrine and biblical womanhood, historical information, and 101 character profiles on women of the
bible are included. As a matter of fact, every woman in Scripture is listed in
the concordance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As a woman, I appreciate that the publishers had women theologians,
authors, teachers and lay ministers as the primary contributors in the articles
written and study materials provided. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
encourages me to continue in my own study and pursuit of biblical knowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06xG6owrR7yqVEj0NwsHxDWIybQtSIVt9iH5FfugQ9Tlh7iv7caVh-Y0S3CFMrsNet23ewY6zXMqQ091g7YNnDtxzmycPbnK-ajJqZPtKwy8CoPFZq5LNawjQM7v2WqOjZQ6LwzEuYGxL/s1600/bible+review+quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06xG6owrR7yqVEj0NwsHxDWIybQtSIVt9iH5FfugQ9Tlh7iv7caVh-Y0S3CFMrsNet23ewY6zXMqQ091g7YNnDtxzmycPbnK-ajJqZPtKwy8CoPFZq5LNawjQM7v2WqOjZQ6LwzEuYGxL/s320/bible+review+quote.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Many of the articles highlight biblical womanhood, a
trait not promoted enough, but very God honoring. Many necessary topics identified
and addressed within the realm of “what does God say”, such as female identity,
motherhood, spiritual mothering, women’s worth and identity in Christ, and her
mission as daughter of the King.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The CSB translation, (stands for Christian Standard Bible)
has used the Optimal Equivalence translation philosophy. This is a marrying of
the more traditional Formal equivalence and the Dynamic or Functional
equivalence. This means that is has taken both the word for word literal
translations and the “thought for thought” style of communicating the meaning
and impact of a passage to translate. This has produced a very readable, but historically
faithful style of bible translation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This compilation opens with an introduction on how to study
the bible. Dorothy Kelley Patterson highlights how to inductively observe, ask questions, view
passages as a whole and then how to apply and meditate on Scripture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This Bible closes
with an extensive explanation section for all of its teaching helps as seen here and an
expansive concordance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You can find this bible at Lifeway Christian bookstores, on
their <a href="https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/the-csb-study-bible-for-women-light-turquoise-sand-hardcover-P005787303" target="_blank">website</a>, and on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Study-Bible-Women-Turquoise-Hardcover/dp/1433644207/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527188601&sr=8-1&keywords=csb+study+bible+for+women" target="_blank">Amazon</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-76078460298981430832018-04-02T02:13:00.000+10:002018-04-02T02:13:01.721+10:00Why do we Sing? ~ A book review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>What causes you to burst out in song?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Do you have a swell of school pride and belt out your </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Alma Mater?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>At our favorite sporting events, do we whoop and holler along </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>What is this within us that causes us to have a rise of emotion that bubbles up and out of our mouths in a joyous melody?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Ever consider that it's a part of your very essence, part of the basic foundation of who you are as a human?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In their
book, SING!, Keith and Kristyn Getty delve into why we sing, how singing
changes our lives and where it comes from in our souls. In their second
chapter, they identify that there are more than 400 scripture verses that say
we are not only created to sing by a creative God, but also commanded to sing,
that it is an act of obedience and worship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">More so than just singing in general, they focus in on the Church and how we sing <i><b>together</b></i>. They share that "<i>It is hard- impossible, in fact - to sing what you are excited about in your spirit and grateful for in your heart in a way that is tepid, tentative, and withdrawn. Deeply felt thankfulness produces a sound from our voices that is robust and enthusiastic</i>."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In many places in our world including our churches, somehow we've completely misplaced our robust enthusiasm
for singing, or singing with deep conviction with quiet apathy. Not one of us feels awkward or embarrassed when we cheer loudly for our kids or at a sporting event. As a matter of fact, we feel the air of camaraderie or belonging when we join the throng of voices. </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">However, in many churches it's being discussed that we've lost our vigor for worshiping God Almighty.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Getty’s have written a compelling and inspiring call to
action! This book kicks off with an impressive 10 pages of rave reviews from
many Christian leaders and singers from all walks of life. They’ve designed
the format to even be a group discussion or small group study book with a few
focus questions at the end of each chapter. At the back, they've written a section for pastors, worship leaders, song writers and creatives as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In the chapter “The Radical Witness When the Congregation...Sings!”, the authors talk about how “<i>the sight and sound of a congregation singing praise
to God together is a radical witness in a culture that rejects God and embraces
individualism. Our songs are the public manifesto of what we believe.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Contrasting that with the opposite type of witness that
a visitor noted at one church saying “<i>that what they were singing was either
not true, or not wonderful or both.</i>” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
questioned whether the people really took seriously what they believed or even
believed it at all.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6A2iSmtM1uzQiOL8pdsRxrhTRu5s8sgGF5FHxWXSEoGfSfRARyglUJy9OZ08___4AbfEcQJGfi6TrbCSubY5gynWqlgddYkoxNwJHutS2ezuT926nAB8zqY7iPoZgud8HTLbq0624r4z/s1600/cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="960" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6A2iSmtM1uzQiOL8pdsRxrhTRu5s8sgGF5FHxWXSEoGfSfRARyglUJy9OZ08___4AbfEcQJGfi6TrbCSubY5gynWqlgddYkoxNwJHutS2ezuT926nAB8zqY7iPoZgud8HTLbq0624r4z/s400/cross.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The charge given to us first by God in the Bible and echoed
in this book is that we are a witness to the world and our singing is one way
the world detects that we are different. The conviction that ought to be in our
hearts over what Christ has done for us should be something that can’t help but
to bubble up out of us when we worship Him in song. I cannot imagine passively sitting
to sing the words “<i>This the power of the Cross..Christ became sin for us..took
the blame, bore the wrath...we stand forgiven at the cross!</i>” or “<i>Holy, Holy,
Holy is the Lord God Almighty</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It ought to be more like- He is Worthy of all my praise and
all my expression, how can I not? If it pleases the Lord that I act a fool in
my worship of Him, then I hope I can be counted among bible characters such as
David who danced in the streets!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I highly recommend this book for everyone, especially worship leaders at churches. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This book can be found on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sing-Worship-Transforms-Family-Church/dp/1462742661/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1522597362&sr=1-1&keywords=sing%21">Amazon</a> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTictkstGwkl-rX3ztZ-Ce7SzHWRzDzaWUKPWFk-_n-A3PU1pbBB972KEunoIl7dW7iCyCFK3peZzj6Mc3Gjbdm7o8h0bSEIQSxyjNDZVklJl910aVb32re7P69tt22NDxocz-jHeSfRUy/s1600/Blue_BloggerBadge.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTictkstGwkl-rX3ztZ-Ce7SzHWRzDzaWUKPWFk-_n-A3PU1pbBB972KEunoIl7dW7iCyCFK3peZzj6Mc3Gjbdm7o8h0bSEIQSxyjNDZVklJl910aVb32re7P69tt22NDxocz-jHeSfRUy/s200/Blue_BloggerBadge.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-54748200796578845162017-03-14T07:08:00.000+11:002017-03-14T07:08:24.523+11:00Forcing the appointing of your anointing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVscddMNw4FltLFPoX_OsfLbVF7S-jaKFtr6yEVpn2eh9SMIO3llUmvjx8eB18AfX4_lMwCrNE1RrGx3pmoiFtDP1LqOawkH62P2-0OQ7e-EVUKS9QXIXjo19pl8m4EY-B1ufcXTE9ORcw/s1600/clock+appointing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVscddMNw4FltLFPoX_OsfLbVF7S-jaKFtr6yEVpn2eh9SMIO3llUmvjx8eB18AfX4_lMwCrNE1RrGx3pmoiFtDP1LqOawkH62P2-0OQ7e-EVUKS9QXIXjo19pl8m4EY-B1ufcXTE9ORcw/s320/clock+appointing.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Do you feel anointed but that somehow you’ve missed the appointing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you think you are meant for the platform, writing the
next best seller, or speaking life giving words to thousands but can’t handle
taking your turn in the church nursery, you might have a problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you are in the throes of motherhood and know you possess
gifts that you sense God is going to use publicly one day, but can’t teach your
children of Christ, you might have a problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you are waiting for God to place you in front of the multitudes
to teach but aren’t giving your best to leading a small bible study, you might
have a problem...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In our Christian-ese, we use words like “anointed” and “appointed”
to speak of the moment when God chooses us for some special calling and sets us
into that place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2 Corinthians 1:21-22 says “And it is God who establishes us
with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us
and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee” This is applicable to all
Christians. We are all called to do something or be something in the body of
Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Scripture has several characters that provide a glimpse into
that picture and provide some good understanding to the concept of being anointed
and then being appointed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">David is a famous example in scripture of being chosen (anointed)
by God. He was just a boy out in the fields with the sheep. He wasn’t
significant enough in his father’s eyes to call him home when the priest Samuel
came. Once Samuel passed by 7 of the 8 sons and God clearly told him that none
of these young men were God’s chosen...Samuel had to ask if there was any other
sons.... enter the boy David...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">David did not walk into the kingdom and take the throne the
day of his anointing. He went back to work...<i>in the field</i>. He lived with his
father longer, as a child (<i>who had just been chosen as the next King</i>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">He was willing to obey, to follow the Lord and do menial
tasks and later, great big tasks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">He obeyed his father and brought food to his
brothers on the front line of the war with the philistines. His huge entry into spotlight was of course
Goliath. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>What happened before that though?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">He learned to lead by having herds of sheep to shepherd. Not glamorous, not an impressive place on a platform.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">He watched over sheep, normally a dull time until he killed
bears and lions... with no gun.... with his bare hands... (1 Samuel 17:34-36)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">His character and strength were built in obscurity, alone
with the Lord and quietly in the field. He was being prepared for one of his
many momentous occasions, forever captured on the pages of scripture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">David didn’t become a full-fledged King until he was 30
years old (2 Samuel 5). Some scholars believe it was a 15 year wait. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mW8A0fUojdthU8mkxntLIK83fFzFRSFFyxkQbdFYsjS29IgtCL8TZ54CLBXZe_y0Cp9Mbq5CnRCi91UqfJvPtgXo0nLPhpTIMzyUjqqvv5ccgkseOXpoFTzQBuCiAvTdKmlRQXgDExBj/s1600/anointing+oil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mW8A0fUojdthU8mkxntLIK83fFzFRSFFyxkQbdFYsjS29IgtCL8TZ54CLBXZe_y0Cp9Mbq5CnRCi91UqfJvPtgXo0nLPhpTIMzyUjqqvv5ccgkseOXpoFTzQBuCiAvTdKmlRQXgDExBj/s400/anointing+oil.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">His appointing came <u>years</u> after his anointing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Do we feel that God has chosen us for something, anointed us
for a special calling? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How patient are we? How much faith in the Lord do we have? Do
we expect to be whisked away to the height of that calling immediately? Do we
get impatient with God’s timing, wondering when He’s going to “make it happen”?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How about this.... do we force the outcome? Do we push and
make things happen? Go out and find the way and commandingly step out into the
calling we are certain God has for us right this very minute? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ever hear the saying “God helps those who help themselves”?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is not scriptural. We certainly have to participate in the kingdom work, but it
gets abused by telling us to pull up our bootstraps, to go out and make it
happen!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our example of what to do is in the Word of God. He gave us
all these biblical characters and their stories to show us how to do it. Just
because we aren’t herding sheep doesn’t mean we aren’t cleaning the house, or changing
diapers or driving kids all over. None are glamorous, but they are a perfect
breeding ground for character building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">God may have told you that one day you are meant for
something... chosen, anointed. However, you have some time before that
appointing happens. You typically do not appoint yourself, someone higher up
appoints you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What was David doing in the in between time? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Still serving
the Lord, it just looked different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes it’s not a refusal to do the behind-the scenes work,
but it’s just losing heart and being impatient.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Friend, God did not forget you. He didn’t forget that He
chose you. He’s got you exactly where you are for a reason, your job is to
listen to Him, surrender your will and find out what He’s got for you right in
this moment. Don’t miss the blessing of right now because your dreaming about
the appointing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Each day has a set allotment of mercy, grace and blessings,
scripture says it’s new every morning. When that day is done, its gone. You get a fresh new crop the next day, but
you won’t get yesterdays.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Use this time you are in to grow your faith in the Lord, believe
He will do what He says, and trust Him for the outcome! His timing is always
far better than anything we can fabricate or force. </span><o:p></o:p><br />
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Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-14890529178987963792017-02-16T06:32:00.000+11:002017-02-16T06:32:08.506+11:00Detours by Tony Evans ~ A Book Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIYG0LXGG_SEtkzTWseH6S6rDcZRfwi4ivy11HIBxzsrocG3ZThybA663uh4a4KhxaqzW1hmsRrY_oMAWhBNxiOLIVIEd_HUFNeYODEE9AIbCd_gQ25edVKzPzbedrvNXP6P8oiQqzvNo/s1600/detours.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIYG0LXGG_SEtkzTWseH6S6rDcZRfwi4ivy11HIBxzsrocG3ZThybA663uh4a4KhxaqzW1hmsRrY_oMAWhBNxiOLIVIEd_HUFNeYODEE9AIbCd_gQ25edVKzPzbedrvNXP6P8oiQqzvNo/s320/detours.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am so grateful for getting the opportunity to read Detours
by Tony Evans. This book grabs your attention and shouts “HEY! This is for
<u>you</u> right now!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Detours is a book about how God ordains the pathways of our
life, leading us to exactly what He has for us. Detours in life don’t appear to
be good or desirable, they annoy us and make us want to give up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tony Evans makes an excellent case for staying the course
and trusting God amidst your detours. He tells us the story of Joseph from the
Old Testament. Joseph had many things go seemingly wrong for him. His life was
a story of several trips through hardship from being in a literal pit having
been rejected and sold by his own family into slavery, to later being in a jail
cell for years because he was wrongfully accused.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>However- God had a greater plan.</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That’s the application for us. Our lives are not nice, neat, straight lines from point A to point B. We have trips down alleys, two tracking
it down unpaved roads, pothole-filled roads under construction and once and a while getting to experience that perfectly paved road without detours. The key
is HOW you walk through the detours in life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On page 91, Tony says “<i>One
of the reasons some of us haven’t gotten off our detour is we are still too
self-sufficient. We still feel like we can handle it ourselves. We think we
know the right people, or have the right money, or even work the right job. We
think that because of our own hookups, human abilities, talent, contacts, or
even our own resources- that if we just toss a prayer on top- we can get to
where we want to go.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">“<i>It doesn’t work that
way. God doesn’t work that way</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This book came at such a great time for me personally.
It was confirming to where God had been leading me in my own life and
encouraged me to stay the course and trust the Lord to continue to lead me one
step at a time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zvbPZSji1CVySf1zcsEHISRtl2mX3IPOCvTd69Qpv9hhzJsK2sn9eGMPM7646uZ6nYeqBYSMvBpXkwQAvc1v_Ogop_wmyW7Nna7O4ddIQuAmp_uEUmOd5O0rgIaoUoRbdG8IXJ413-w2/s1600/15873227_751777026980_8063159722075183639_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zvbPZSji1CVySf1zcsEHISRtl2mX3IPOCvTd69Qpv9hhzJsK2sn9eGMPM7646uZ6nYeqBYSMvBpXkwQAvc1v_Ogop_wmyW7Nna7O4ddIQuAmp_uEUmOd5O0rgIaoUoRbdG8IXJ413-w2/s400/15873227_751777026980_8063159722075183639_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I loved the alliteration Evans used in his chapter titles.
There are 16 small, easy to read chapters beginning with “The Purpose of
Detours” and ending with “The Path of Detours”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">He does such a good job explaining how sometimes our detours
have the appearance of evil. That God takes what was intended for evil purposes
and turns it into something good that glorifies Him and puts you further on the
path to your purpose in life. “Evil. God. Good.” is the pattern of many
detours. You can’t get to the good without it starting bad and God intervening.
If we constantly try to be in the way, manipulating things and try to work it out ourselves,
we will stay on that detour for a longer time than if we had surrendered our
will to God’s perfect will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tony Evans will give readers the answers to several crucial
questions that many of us have in life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“How do you find the destiny God has designed for your life?”</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">“How can you make the most of the detours God has planned
for you?”</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">“Is there a way to shorten a detour and speed up your
progression in life?”</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">“What is the purpose of a detour?”</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am so grateful to Dr. Evans for writing this book, it was
so timely for me. I also want to thank B&H Publishing for the opportunity
to review this great book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You can get your own copy by visiting <a href="http://detoursbook.com/">http://detoursbook.com/</a> or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Detours-Unpredictable-Path-Your-Destiny/dp/1433686597/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485529771&sr=8-1&keywords=detours">Amazon</a></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-83806887762099973602017-02-01T05:30:00.000+11:002017-02-01T05:33:25.761+11:00When we expect God to choose from our multiple choice options<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPR170cOYd_5N5dJdZmeQU1nXhom3hAC7kyS2VxvEIpAwgTawYoK47svbVC5bBeCJ6HKezAsTVYU9JDvG-l4sngONISjHQZTu33DxYtBtWUgU_E5ZhD_cuiIvImXlOx1BEaDi38H2C8D3r/s1600/psalm+145-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPR170cOYd_5N5dJdZmeQU1nXhom3hAC7kyS2VxvEIpAwgTawYoK47svbVC5bBeCJ6HKezAsTVYU9JDvG-l4sngONISjHQZTu33DxYtBtWUgU_E5ZhD_cuiIvImXlOx1BEaDi38H2C8D3r/s320/psalm+145-9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">How often when we pray do we give God multiple choice or ask
Him to give us an answer on “either this or that”? It’s like playing a card
game with God asking Him to choose from only the options you’ve presented Him
with. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We forget that God exists outside of time and knows the exact perfect
will and plan for our lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Romans 8:26 says “<i>In
the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray
as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>deep
for words;”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So often we use prayer as a second choice or even last
resort after we’ve come to end of ourselves and what we can do. By the time we
take it to prayer, we are desperate, especially desperate for the exact outcome
we desire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">By the time we pray about something, </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">we
are so desperate for it to <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">have the exact outcome we desire that </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">we
forget that God’s will <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>might be different than what we want</i></b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We are flawed, imperfect human beings. That also means that
our prayers are flawed. We ask selfishly, or incorrectly without knowing the
whole story like God does. That is why He tells us that the Holy Spirit
intercedes for us, praying spiritual groanings too deep for words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Have you ever felt so deeply for something you were praying
about that all you could do was cry, lay in silence or just repeat the same words
over and over? The Holy Spirit takes our heart cry and delivers it to the
throne room of heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The amazing thing about God and prayer, is even when we don’t
quite ask right, or our motives are wrong, He answers in the best, most perfect
way because He knows our hearts and also knows what is best for us in His
perfect will. Matthew 7:11 says "<i>If
you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much
more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!</i>”
and also Psalm 145:9 “<i>God is good to one
and all; everything he does is suffused with grace</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">My husband and I had an experience with this. We were
praying about my employment. We had several factors contributing and not the
least of which was making sure we could afford our 4 teenagers and that we felt
called to give to our church’s building project. I was working and the current
life circumstances were pushing me towards leaving that job for another.
However, through prayer we had no peace. We kept praying and asking God for an
answer regarding the two options. We only prayed about those two though. God
did not give clear direction on either option.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After a couple of months, we sought some counsel and on the
way there asked God to speak through the Pastor we were meeting with to provide
us with an answer. Well…answer He did! Just not the way we expected at all!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I am now a stay at home mom and have been able to obey and
follow God’s leading on several things that would’ve never happened if I was
working all day every day. We also had to learn a fuller dependence on God and
He has been faithful to open the heavens and shower us with blessings! It is
clear as day that He gets all the glory for what has happened!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Isaiah 55:8-9 says “<i>For
My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares
the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher
than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We have no idea what the future holds and what God’s perfect
plan is. We can pray to the best of our ability, but we have to keep our hearts
open to the possibility that He might answer off our multiple choice plan. I am
so grateful that He answers the way He sees fit and not the way I see fit!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-57485238646283733562017-01-07T05:39:00.000+11:002017-01-07T05:39:23.447+11:00The Message of the Twelve ~ A Book Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had the privilege of reading The Message of the Twelve- hearing
the voice of the minor prophets by Richard Alan Fuhr, Jr. and Gary E. Yates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This book will educate and intrigue you! It is a rich,
in-depth look into the minor prophets of the old testament. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It reads much like a textbook that you might find in a
theology class, but it is easy enough reading that anyone interested in digging
deeper into the Old Testament will enjoy also.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The authors begin with explaining the historical context in
which the prophets ministered and to which Kings. Sometimes when we read scripture
we can forget that many of the authors were contemporaries and their recording
of events each bare a different perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The time period that this part of scripture spans is 770-430
B.C. During this time, God’s chosen people, Israel, spent most of their time in
disobedience and rebellion to the Lord. God calls 12 men to prophesy His word
of rebuke and promised judgement if they do not return to the Lord their God.
He also communicates clearly the benefit and blessings they will receive for
their repentance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Without a little background, education and the discernment
of the Holy Spirit, the minor prophets can be difficult to understand. Fuhr and
Yates fill in the education part thoroughly. There is poetry, narrative, rich
imagery, hyperbole, and metaphors held within these 12 book of the bible. The
authors dive deep into each of the 12 books and discuss influences of the times
and culture of people. They highlight the Lord’s heart of love, but furious
jealousy for His people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The authors conclude chapter one stating that the “historical
period to which the Book of the Twelve belonged concluded without Israel ever experiencing
the full restoration the Lord promised through His prophets.....despite the
disappointing history of the prophets, their promises of salvation and restoration
for Israel and the nations would not fail. The Lord would overcome even the unbelief
of His own people to bring those promises to pass."</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2 Timothy 3:16 says “All Scripture is God-breathed and is
useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” If we
are to understand what God has for us in the rich history of the Old Testament,
we need to get in the Word and read it. The bible is God’s breath on a page,
His words to us. The Message of the Twelve is a wonderful companion when
navigating Hosea through Malachi. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-25857476728799733012016-12-29T05:42:00.000+11:002016-12-29T05:42:30.755+11:00Fear Fighting: When Rejection Tears Your Heart Apart<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>I am so pleased to introduce you to Kelly Balarie, author of the new book Fear Fighting. She has graciously written this as a guest blog. I hope you love her just as much as I do!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I
remember it like yesterday: he was the handsome 13 year old. I was the girl who
looked like she put her finger in the electrical socket. My hair never was
something I could easily tame.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had my eye on him
for a while. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">He was so handsome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">He was so funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">He was so confident.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now, as I looked at
him, he was just standing there on the other side of the room. He looked alone.
Sad even? No one was with him. Everyone else was dancing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I really could ask
him to dance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I could, for once,
try to be brave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">There's always a
chance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My dress is pretty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I mustered my inner
beauty and asked him. He looked at me like I was a martian from an alternate
universe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Uhh...well, we
can't dance because there are parents watching."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I stared. <i>There
were parents watching the other 50 dancing children too. It didn't stop them.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">His head turned left
and right; he was trying to see who was watching. He wanted to make sure no one
saw him talking - to me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I got the message.
Head down, shoulders slumped and mind sure I'd never allow myself to get hurt
like this again, I shuffled back to my spot. The seat at the table where no one
else was. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I made a silent
agreement, a firm handshake deal, with myself: I'll leave man before man ever
hurts me again like this!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This deal still lives.
Even, today, I leave man. At first sign of injury, I turn my back on him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If he has a word of
advice, I take it as a sign of criticism and freeze over my heart. If he speaks
too loudly, I take it as he's ready to abandon me and I shut my mind down.
If he does something wrong, I figure it is personal; I raise the security
walls around my heart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I run from man so man
can't run me over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm not proud of it.
I certainly don't speak aloud of it. But, it's true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What about you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Has man so injured you,
that injustice plagues you? Nips at your skin? Pulls out the worst of you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">God's pinged my heart
with many arrows of rejection lately. Yet, like the loving cupid he is, I think
he's allowed me to get struck, so I can read the message of love attached to
me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It reads like
this: <span style="background: rgb(253 , 254 , 255); color: #001320;">He was despised and rejected by mankind, a
man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their
faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. (Is. 53:3)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(253 , 254 , 255); color: #001320;">You see, God hit me with the truth: Jesus was
rejected. Badly rejected.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(253 , 254 , 255); color: #001320;">But, what did Jesus do, in the face of his
rejection?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(253 , 254 , 255); color: #001320;">Did he grab all his favorite robes and go
hide out in a cave until man could pull his act together? No. Did he stop
healing, loving and moving on earth because man was mean and insensitive? No.
Did he turn away from loving, remembering the list of dirty laundry we flaunt
nearly every day - in his face? No.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(253 , 254 , 255); color: #001320;">He trudged down a road with a back-breaking
cross, digging deep into his skin - on account of me. He rode a lowly donkey
that made him look like the village-idiot - on account of me. He made his heart
available and accessible - on account of me.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(253 , 254 , 255); color: #001320;">Jesus didn't let man's rejection, give him
license to reject man. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(253 , 254 , 255); color: #001320;">And, thank God this is the case. Look at what
his alternate approach to rejection accomplished: it saved mankind.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(253 , 254 , 255); color: #001320;">What might we accomplish by responding to
rejection - in a different way? In a loving way? In a mercy-giving way? In a
grace-building way?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #001320;">And, most of all, what might we save? Could it be our own heart?
Our marriage? Our relationships? Our feelings? Or, most importantly, a special
dance with God. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJ0DkAb266dIyFmNsn19SNsEW7UIYhvGpO1_LT6w1_PtUiCsY72Df_iV-umK1gIMlaxKdXeESVTOabL8B3sdPKFjyDl1BYyoB7z4JZHVUPcvnlz4Uyxyaht3oYwQYPVrPR0V5MkAFkANW/s1600/Balarie_FearFighting_3D+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJ0DkAb266dIyFmNsn19SNsEW7UIYhvGpO1_LT6w1_PtUiCsY72Df_iV-umK1gIMlaxKdXeESVTOabL8B3sdPKFjyDl1BYyoB7z4JZHVUPcvnlz4Uyxyaht3oYwQYPVrPR0V5MkAFkANW/s320/Balarie_FearFighting_3D+%25281%2529.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #5e5e5e;">About the book, Fear Fighting, Awakening the
Courage to Overcome Your Fears:</span></b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Author and Speaker, Kelly Balarie didn’t always fight fear –
for a large part of her life, she was controlled by it. Yet, in her book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fear-Fighting-Awakening-Courage-Overcome/dp/0801019346/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480448516&sr=8-1&keywords=fear+fighting">Fear
Fighting: Awakening Courage to Overcome Your Fears</a>,
with God, Kelly charts a new course. Join Kelly, on the journey to go and grow
with Christ’s bravery, the Spirit’s counsel and God’s unending love that
squelches fear. This book reads like a love letter from God, while offering practical
heart-calming prayers, anxiety-reducing tips, and courage-building decrees that
will transform your day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqS4aljJWY3ZhpUd39wUlU2ScB3dPkBOi7TMHd8NKSAh08cb0VVUaYkj6zRuTOkTQC_xrBNnwkojjRr0KkBgmS7yp2I7rAAJ0Nsl7OL5G9VUvGAt90TyjmUEup0Aq2bB34EZwZW2P_SiKx/s1600/kellypic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqS4aljJWY3ZhpUd39wUlU2ScB3dPkBOi7TMHd8NKSAh08cb0VVUaYkj6zRuTOkTQC_xrBNnwkojjRr0KkBgmS7yp2I7rAAJ0Nsl7OL5G9VUvGAt90TyjmUEup0Aq2bB34EZwZW2P_SiKx/s320/kellypic.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #5e5e5e;">About Kelly Balarie:</span></b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: #5e5e5e;">Kelly is both a Cheerleader
of Faith and a Fighter of Fear. She </span>leans on the power of God, rests on
the shoulder of Christ, and discovers how to glow in the dark places of life.<span style="color: #5e5e5e;"> <span style="background: white;">Get all
Kelly’s </span></span><a href="https://app.convertkit.com/landing_pages/119374"><span style="background: white; color: #d11969;">blog posts</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #5e5e5e;"> by
email or visit her on her blog, </span><a href="http://www.purposefulfaith.com/"><span style="background: white;">Purposeful Faith</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #5e5e5e;">. You
can also find a variety of resources for your fight against fear at </span><a href="http://www.fearfightingbook.com/"><span style="background: white;">http://www.fearfightingbook.com/</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #5e5e5e;">.</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-49829212712073091472016-12-21T04:52:00.000+11:002016-12-21T04:52:37.006+11:00... but do you actually believe it?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u>My rough journey as a mother to trust God with my children.</u></i></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYiGiC8psYTaR3ZOgZEtRQWwT6lpgYayGy2i4Yrh9GvK0QtXoZ4y7d5fOa1ypzL9YDnK4JDVwlAeEUXjQTmj3nZ8HPjHkbNgb_SuHyupshoLqEmu9O-sPw84W677DYz8weX0zS4Itvmeb/s1600/baby+shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYiGiC8psYTaR3ZOgZEtRQWwT6lpgYayGy2i4Yrh9GvK0QtXoZ4y7d5fOa1ypzL9YDnK4JDVwlAeEUXjQTmj3nZ8HPjHkbNgb_SuHyupshoLqEmu9O-sPw84W677DYz8weX0zS4Itvmeb/s400/baby+shoes.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">When most people come to a crossroads of learning something
new or being brought to the jumping off point on a cliff, they are focused
typically on one thing. Overcoming fear, anger, addiction or learning to
believe God for the first time, dealing with a situation out of your control,
or the joy of taking a leap of faith are all centrally focused on the one thing
at hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This season of mothering that has come is literally testing
all of my fortitude and believing God that I can muster. Not in just the normal
way of letting go and releasing my grown children like parents do, but actually
not fretting and trusting God with them, not meddling and trying to control the
situation but allowing room for them to make mistakes and learn, grasping
tightly to the joy of my salvation and embracing the new season of life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Let me give a quick intro to my family. I am married to my
best friend of 20 years and we’ve got 4 teenage kids. A 19 year old son, a 17
year old daughter, a 16 year old son and a 14 year old daughter. We knew years
ago that this time would come. Like an avalanche unable to be controlled, they’d
be growing up, graduating and leaving all within a short period of time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It’s like merciless crashing waves over my head that just relentlessly
keep hitting and keep coming . <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzV-1c-XTNP6kVfOL8VjNQpM_-FwEzB33v16fbTIuQMr9GcdKY9nT5_olj06zmOXWamNBBdmroGfEkMNsJiMQzjCwiC4cu9VPjK1i3FN45xA_HrXRssAyHlQzXlcviyi0dwU-RwlLAu6n/s1600/James+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzV-1c-XTNP6kVfOL8VjNQpM_-FwEzB33v16fbTIuQMr9GcdKY9nT5_olj06zmOXWamNBBdmroGfEkMNsJiMQzjCwiC4cu9VPjK1i3FN45xA_HrXRssAyHlQzXlcviyi0dwU-RwlLAu6n/s320/James+2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">We are extraordinarily proud of these kids, they’ve grown to
be mature, respectable young adults who respect authority, have a great work
ethic and try to honor God with their lives. They’ve got bright futures ahead
and I’ve got a nagging feeling in my heart that they aren’t going to live close
by. Our oldest, pictured here, is off in 3 weeks to Australia for Bible college. To say that
this has caused some heart ache is an understatement. To add to the party of releasing, our 17 year old daughter also will graduate 5 months after that and leave for college in August.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Time is racing ahead of me and is no respecter of my </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>panicking feelings.</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Life, as we know it, is basically done. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>The season is over
and the abrupt halt of it is harsh.</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I’d like to be very vulnerable in my raw honesty here
because I feel like someone else needs to know about this process and how to
make it through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When the subject of my son going to Australia was brought
up, it was a leading from God. We strongly believe this. Too many things
aligning, prayers answered, and confirmations given to doubt it. However, when
it first came up, my comment was “<i>My son is not going to Australia without his
mother coming along to help get him settled so I can see with my own eyes that
he’s going to be ok”</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yea.... I said that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Where, you ask, was my trust in God? Nowhere.... it was no
where .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It was residing in my abilities alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fast forward many months later, lots of bridges crossed and
prayers answered. The moment where my claimed faith crashed into an unforeseen trial
and I have to put on my big girl pants and decide to actually believe God. This
is not a fun exercise in trust, by the way. It sounds poetic to say let go and
let God, or leave it with the Lord etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is not pretty. Lots of proverbial stomping of the feet,
clenching fists, toddler style crying and pouts and finally choosing to
surrender and accept that the God of the Bible, the God of the Universe, my
Savior and Redeemer actually does sit on the throne.... and I do not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My husband came to me and said he sensed God was leading us
to not go with our son. Not only that, to choose to give that plane ticket
money as an offering to the Lord, as an act of faith and trust that He will
sustain and care for our son. (Any men reading this can understand the care and
trepidation my husband had in bringing this up to me.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Can you hear the whoosh of wind knocking out of my stomach?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This placed before me so many things to overcome in a short
amount of time in order to be successful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">~Do I choose to support my husband’s
direction and leading? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">~Do I do this, but wait in expectation for God to give us
the money back as a blessing for obedience? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">~Do I give it with abandonment not
expecting anything in return?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">~Can I do this with a heart of gratitude for all
that God has done to restore our family? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">~Is it possible to get my heart and
mind straight, remove the anger, indignation, sorrow and frustration and truly
walk forward in obedience and faith in God?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Well, it has happened, and frankly <u>all to God’s glory</u> because
this isn’t something I want, it is not a path I’d ever choose myself. He has
worked nothing short of a miracle in my heart to bring me to a place of not
only joyfully giving and overwhelmed with gratitude, but shreds of confidence
in His ability to carry my child.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It grows little by little, this trust in Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It’s so crazy, I believe God for all the amazing miracles of
the Bible, I believe and know personally and intimately how he transforms
wretched, broken lives into something beautiful that glorifies Him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yet... when it comes to loosening the apron strings.... <i>ALL
the way to Australia</i>...deep anguishing struggle ensues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have 3 weeks of precious time. We are choosing what we do
wisely and with purpose. I am temporarily stuffing the sadness of not having my
sweet boy’s face coming up the stairs, bleary eyed in the morning for breakfast
and devotions. I am refusing to bawl yet for the things he will miss here at
home, and for no more having his deep spiritual conversations and questions. I
cannot mourn the longing for the fun we’ve had, silliness and laughter from him that has filled
our house. The things that drove me crazy will be the things I miss most. I am
stuffing the strangling fear of what- ifs. I am setting panic on the back
burner for now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrrroxoEIYJncBK8077bK8DrdjQvLC0jFEvgaPbwe7s7j41QQBsdiUQ2zkHBQluUteHK2zq6oi_1AxPijBNWtq0gmNYB0LEb6Vo4tNDG0QR4Ns81ym6INQzp6RU8F6i4-Z9mnwiybBhPN/s1600/james+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrrroxoEIYJncBK8077bK8DrdjQvLC0jFEvgaPbwe7s7j41QQBsdiUQ2zkHBQluUteHK2zq6oi_1AxPijBNWtq0gmNYB0LEb6Vo4tNDG0QR4Ns81ym6INQzp6RU8F6i4-Z9mnwiybBhPN/s320/james+1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Lord, help me get through this one day at a time. Drawing on
Your never-ending strength alone to sustain my broken heart. I believe You have
great things for my boy, and You are good....ALL of the time.</span></i><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-57100830384001307192016-12-08T11:33:00.000+11:002016-12-08T11:33:34.067+11:00For you...or for them?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDzIQl_JI2Cgg08TBsQBhf6Mcpaqtms5yG3o9cUArZed2rg9nA1GTMTEpCUPZArLqTdc38T3wuWymyb8ZWyf6wk7fjlboUO0Pqi9lkNnZqSu-Dl3gVUXEJWheBv3ONDFA3MvKV0a0GDu6/s1600/12-7+homeless+man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDzIQl_JI2Cgg08TBsQBhf6Mcpaqtms5yG3o9cUArZed2rg9nA1GTMTEpCUPZArLqTdc38T3wuWymyb8ZWyf6wk7fjlboUO0Pqi9lkNnZqSu-Dl3gVUXEJWheBv3ONDFA3MvKV0a0GDu6/s400/12-7+homeless+man.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1 Corinthians 13:1-3 is the precursor of the greatest
description of love written by the apostle Paul. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Verses 4-13 describes what Love is and what it is not. The
part I’d like to highlight is the beginning of this chapter in verse one where it says in the NIV version that if we do these
things without love we sound like a clanging cymbal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My reason to highlight this is that
so often we skip over what our responsibility is and just want the end product
of feeling perfect love. The perfect love itself comes from God alone, we can’t
fabricate it or manipulate it into being.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The first verses of 1 Corinthians 13 is our part. It is the
part at which we decide to either be driven by ourselves and the good feelings
we produce in our mind or driven by selfless Godly love for others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most of us have times when we chose to be kind, love someone
unlovely or do a seemingly selfless act because it <i>makes us feel good about our
selves</i> and it gives us a good story to tell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Scripture tells us that we are like annoying clanging
cymbals, just making noise, having no good purpose when we love this way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I bring this up because during the Christmas season we often
feel obligated to participate in service projects, giving of food baskets,
tossing our extra change into the red buckets and participating in angel
tree-type projects. For some it’s an <i>obligation</i> out of the “Christmas spirit”,
or peer pressure to join in. For others, <i>it warms their own heart</i> to be
generous.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgra2CmyIpltGdO_AxP2Xj5t4iPHlnvD67Ov6SUPGzV_ZFpWoWlsqdtdsPi8MQanJoRsbnfAIypeeSATFbBlFfCDmrlEi7jfTDjPm1Djm41WvDpYi2niO65iIHRCkxrNIdPwzP6nJq_EJBb/s1600/12-7+salvation+army+bucket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgra2CmyIpltGdO_AxP2Xj5t4iPHlnvD67Ov6SUPGzV_ZFpWoWlsqdtdsPi8MQanJoRsbnfAIypeeSATFbBlFfCDmrlEi7jfTDjPm1Djm41WvDpYi2niO65iIHRCkxrNIdPwzP6nJq_EJBb/s320/12-7+salvation+army+bucket.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">What if the entire motive was up-ended and we participated
not just during the Christmas season but all year long because of our deep
gratitude for what God has done for us and truly out of a selfless heart,
wanting <i>only</i> to bless the other
person.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What does that look like in real life?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>-<span style="font-size: large; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><i><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;">Pay attention around you and find an actual
individual or family that is suffering and quietly or anonymously offer
assistance. If it’s monetarily or actually showing up at their home to help in
some way, expect nothing in return, not even a thank you, because you aren’t
doing it to hear accolades and get a pat on the back, you are doing it out of
compassion and love for </span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;">them and their
need alone.</span></i></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>-<span style="font-size: large; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;"><i>In that same vein, if you are blessed with
excess funds after your bills are paid, get some cash, write a card to someone
in need, don’t sign it, and send it or drop it off without being found out. If
you are unsure of who to give to, start by asking your church who might have
needs.</i></span></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>-<span style="font-size: large; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;"><i>Go to a nursing home and ask the front desk who
the residents are that do not get family visitors. Join them for a meal at the
home, play cards with them, talk with them and ask them about their life.
Invest in someone that can give you nothing in return.</i></span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>-<span style="font-size: large; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;"><i>Go to a coffee shop, buy 4 coffees, deliver to
the homeless. To go one step further, bring them a salvation tract. To go one
step further than that, do it regularly.</i></span></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>-<span style="font-size: large; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.25in;"><i>Google search where your local orphanage is.
Call them and find out what they might need. If you have children that have
outgrown tons of stuffed animals, donate them. If you love to be creative and
make things (blankets, scarves, mittens, hats, paint pictures, etc.) see if you
can bless a child or two with a gift.</i></span></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">James 1:27 says pure and genuine religion in the sight of
God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and
refusing to let the world corrupt you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>This is service to others out of selfless love. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>They can do
nothing in return for you.</i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">To adopt this kind of love into your life, marriages and
parenting style it requires us laying down our self-centered ideas of love and
choosing to put into action Godly love instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Choose to love someone this way this Christmas season.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-15435543437722462672016-11-22T03:32:00.000+11:002016-11-22T03:32:01.562+11:00The Real Reason for Being Grateful<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I’d like to say thanks again to all who spent time reading
my Write 31 Days posts. I have never written fiction before and it was a fun
experience!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">My typical genre is non-fiction Christian living and
encouraging believers to walk as we are called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I took a break for a bit mainly because of the intensity of writing
everyday for 31 days. I also was able to visit London with my husband and we’ve
got holiday things happening, and I am dealing with sending my son abroad in January
to Hillsong Leadership College in Australia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">As you can imagine, this mama’s heart is struggling between
being so proud of my son and excited to launch him but also seriously saddened
about the hole he will leave behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">So, switching gears, the month of November is typically
reserved for a focus on gratitude. I’d like to offer a slightly different
perspective on gratitude.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I’d like to explore verses that speak about what happens <i>when </i>we are grateful. There are
scriptures that give clear direction that if we have a mindset of thankfulness
it changes our hearts and we receive blessings from God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Let first look at Philippians 4:6-7, it says</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> “Do not be
anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, <b><i>with
thanksgiving</i></b>, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Two big things I am going to highlight in this verse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">1) The command </span><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">“Do
Not”</i><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> at the very beginning. When Christ gives a command, we need to obey. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">It’s not a suggestion, if we don’t then we are in sin.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">2) You get the peace of God </span><u style="text-indent: -0.25in;">AFTER</u><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> you do the
first part. Do not be anxious, pray and </span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i>be grateful</i></b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlyreplVmo1cSGhBws5L4LdBJVX9aJawYag_U40xb0eZifCwnqzD4-Wnwi4kgzJOsA2CvpkmENJNm3WJTh1cdP3U3wtaIwsjvEpBwnG6Q-8Oc2tVLEBlUIjC_gQMFHaX2yPS3PNofBLGD/s1600/Gratitude+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlyreplVmo1cSGhBws5L4LdBJVX9aJawYag_U40xb0eZifCwnqzD4-Wnwi4kgzJOsA2CvpkmENJNm3WJTh1cdP3U3wtaIwsjvEpBwnG6Q-8Oc2tVLEBlUIjC_gQMFHaX2yPS3PNofBLGD/s400/Gratitude+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">So often we want the quick fix. We want to be able to ask
God for peace, or worse we go out and try to find it in the world are then
upset and lose faith when it doesn’t happen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">It’s time for us to take responsibility for our part in
receiving that peace that we so desire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Obedience and Thanksgiving unlocks our ability to receive
with open hands God’s blessing and promise of peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">We aren’t going to get this supernatural peace with closed,
pouty fists wanting what we want and expecting more of it tomorrow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">We have so much to be grateful for! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The blessings in this
first-world, extravagant country we live in are sometimes embarrassing because
of their lavishness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: large;">We forget to be grateful for running water, water heaters
and unlimited sources of water.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">We forget to be grateful for isles and isles of choices at
our grocery stores.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">We forget to be grateful for sunrises and sunsets.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">We forget to be grateful for coffee, ice cream and other
indulgent treats.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Instead we build up entitlement ideas in our heads, we
insist that we “need”. The reality is most people able to read this have
phones, tablets or computers with internet. That alone is extravagant by the
rest of the world’s standards. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">We don’t have that many real needs that we can’t
just go fulfill on our own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">If you desire peace in your life, the peace that passes all
understanding, reason and ability to fabricate, then you must learn gratitude.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I have made a gratefulness list in my journal and I continue
to add to it. I read it when I am feeling selfish, self-centered, disappointed,
down or sad, when I think I deserve something and especially when I get angry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl08aAvpF2tM2yVYNr63wiz2uHBuhyphenhyphennjIg258xgc2Y4hHRsLPiQc1uxu4wIpsUasY65VQ83CzGV8VZlNIEp1qJhlA68GPGvlx1Pq-DPplTmgTZLyQ62mSq6hyphenhyphenFQrDhxwhRNOQE5CadwDcq/s1600/Gratitude+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl08aAvpF2tM2yVYNr63wiz2uHBuhyphenhyphennjIg258xgc2Y4hHRsLPiQc1uxu4wIpsUasY65VQ83CzGV8VZlNIEp1qJhlA68GPGvlx1Pq-DPplTmgTZLyQ62mSq6hyphenhyphenFQrDhxwhRNOQE5CadwDcq/s400/Gratitude+2.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Considering God’s riches He bestows on us, there is no
reason under heaven for us to refuse to be grateful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">When we express thankfulness, it changes our hearts. There’s
something powerful about turning our thoughts from inward focus to outward
gratitude. That is why God tells us to do it and then we’ll receive God’s peace
that guards our hearts and minds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Why would we need peace to guard our hearts?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Peace guards your heart from being ungrateful, and
forgetting what God’s done for you. When you experience that supernatural peace,
you don’t forget it, it marks you, it leaves a deposit so to speak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The guarding of your heart is against sin, self-centeredness,
pride of thinking you did it all on your own, and entitlement. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">When we receive
this supernatural peace from God it enables or activates our ability to stay in
that place of gratitude and selflessness because we have experienced His power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I encourage you to take some time this week and make a gratitude
list that you can reflect back on when times are hard or you know you’ve got a
bad attitude about something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Happiest of Thanksgivings to you all! </span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-44837298603599079472016-11-01T00:19:00.001+11:002016-11-01T00:21:24.029+11:00Second Chances and New Resolve<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bI-zPkKv80mKkd7DYHxhGexCD4lD1L_ZyJLf9LGPx0YYGF2xQdSGqJyu-il5G9if8drPgK44CMr9JR_doiJmodmAc7h6nLlT5JDTMi9cp4uBAClCHs9pvIIT9hzuxu_OlRPn1fq_M4f2/s1600/when+she+falls+link.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bI-zPkKv80mKkd7DYHxhGexCD4lD1L_ZyJLf9LGPx0YYGF2xQdSGqJyu-il5G9if8drPgK44CMr9JR_doiJmodmAc7h6nLlT5JDTMi9cp4uBAClCHs9pvIIT9hzuxu_OlRPn1fq_M4f2/s200/when+she+falls+link.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(This is Day 31 in write 31 days series. Click <a href="http://livinginmyfreedom.blogspot.com/2016/09/when-she-falls.html">here for the title page</a> )</i></span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Lisa and her husband stepped into the church office, both
feeling very awkward and unsure. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Neither wanted to admit how much work they had to do to
repair their marriage, but both had enough resolve to want to stay together.
Their first step was to go see their pastor, and probably from there, go to
counseling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They loved each other and loved their children. Things had
just been off kilter for a while and caused them to drift apart. They had
allowed temptation and sin to come between them. It was time to rebuild and
strengthen their relationship so this didn’t happen again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lisa was so encouraged that her husband had agreed with her
that things weren’t going well and they’d better get help. That spoke volumes
to her and showed her how much he cared. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They both listened intently as their pastor started speaking
to them about what a Godly marriage looked like. He spoke about both of them
working on their own relationships with the Lord so they were healthy and able
to work on the marriage and family life together, that neither were meant to
fill the other. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">That was God’s job, theirs was surrender and obedience to
the Lord. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">By drifting away from the Lord and each other, it had
created gaping holes of need in their lives. Their holes that they were seeking
to fill could only be filled by the Lord. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lisa left so grateful for second chances and the opportunity
to fall in love with her husband and Jesus all over again.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMj3jKCVlhnHvlBo3cver5PA13vjeJCjiN7VGQ86Ke9kYoWYjmzBDs69_o9PAGknR7_41048i1SZhqlJTQwnb7uPBZP59mC1f9jLP9hMb0ubnnIg8tTUM-TkdhpE94KDobshm-dgoHamk/s1600/Oct+9+sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMj3jKCVlhnHvlBo3cver5PA13vjeJCjiN7VGQ86Ke9kYoWYjmzBDs69_o9PAGknR7_41048i1SZhqlJTQwnb7uPBZP59mC1f9jLP9hMb0ubnnIg8tTUM-TkdhpE94KDobshm-dgoHamk/s400/Oct+9+sunrise.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Dear Reader,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you so much for following along on my first “Write 31
days” adventure!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">My intention with this series was to open eyes to the
attacks and deviousness of our enemy, Satan. When you think that bad things are
happening, you feel thwarted, or you battle with the same issue over and over
you might be dealing with an attack of the enemy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Let me just tell you how difficult this became at times!
Satan did not leave me alone, I dealt with my own temptations and struggles the
whole way through. It seemed that he was not very happy with my attempt to
uncover some of his schemes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I persevered and drew on the Lord’s strength. I knew this
was important and that God was going to speak to someone through it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">These three women in my story dealt with many feelings that
they allowed to dictate outcomes in their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Mary believed that where she was in life wasn’t the best
outcome or future. The reality is that all life has seasons. When you are raising
kids, your life goes through so many stages, especially when the kids require
more of mom than they do of dad. Mary wished for a different lifestyle. She was
not finding her contentment in the Lord and her satisfaction from worshiping
Him in her life right where she was at. God’s calling for her life at that
moment was to raise those kids and Mary needed to know that there was no higher
calling, no greener grass waiting somewhere else. The temptation of a new man
in her life comes in as being pseudo innocent and unassuming. Satan has the
simplest of ways of infiltrating our psyche and thought processes. We MUST stay
vigilant and recognize sin for what it is and choose to follow Christ each and
every day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Lisa was a different story. She and her husband both worked,
and she consistently felt not good enough. She felt she had to prove herself
every day, that her approval was wrapped up in achievement and her abilities.
We are ALL good enough in Christ. He made us each unique and He loves us
individually. God is able to provide us with everything we need to succeed in
the life He placed us in, all we have to do is ask. We must move our selfish
pride out of the way, choose surrender of self, and accept His best for our
lives. Lisa also battled with a temptation of another man. Her marriage was
missing strength in Christ, just as Mary’s did. Both spouses had a deficit and
were not filling it with the things of Christ. When you find yourself in place
of longing, emptiness and want, it is typically because you are not seeking Christ
first and asking Him to fill your needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Anne’s fight was with identity. She struggled to overcome
her past and chose to not follow in her parent’s examples. She also battled
with an onslaught of thoughts and feelings that the enemy tried to bury her in.
I am convinced that the hardest part of recovery for some is their thought
life. Guilt, shame, remorse, regret and self-loathing all have the power to
defeat and leave us in a place of soul desolation. We can appear put-together
on the outside, but inside we anguish. There are 2 very important things we can
do as Christians to overcome our battle in the mind. <b>1) Obey God</b> when He says
in 1 Corinthians 10:5 to capture every thought and bring it into obedience of
Christ. <b>2) We have to surrender</b> our weakness and desire to wallow in our pain.
Its actually a form of pride and self-centeredness. It might not feel that way,
but the attack focuses oneself completely on SELF. It’s hard and we must be
diligent. I can speak from experience that it’s an each and every moment
activity until you reach the point of overcoming. God will deliver you, it is
in His will that you be free! You have to want it and you have to be faithful
to obey and do it. It’s not a one time thing. It will be something you experience
the rest of your life, but once you practice and know what to do, it will not
be as difficult. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for reading this month, it was my pleasure to explore
this and stick to writing for 31 days straight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I’m planning on November’s blogs focusing on what the bible
says about gratitude. It’s not your typical thanksgiving focus, it’s more about
the promises God gives when we are grateful and what happens to change our
hearts when we are grateful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">See you in November!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-64528345015075250902016-10-30T21:00:00.000+11:002016-10-30T21:00:13.633+11:00Choosing to be a Victorious Warrior<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>(This is Day 30 in a write 31 days series. Click <a href="http://livinginmyfreedom.blogspot.com/2016/09/when-she-falls.html">here for the title page</a> )</i><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lisa had been working late to complete some elements on her
next presentation. She had decided to stay at work to finish it instead of
going home, there were so many distractions at home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She glanced up to see her “him” leaning against her door
jamb. She practically had fire alarms going off in her head! She hadn’t realized
that he had stayed late, Lisa thought she was all alone. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was time to make a
choice, this was the threshold at which she’d either cross the line or choose
to remain pure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He asked if she wanted to order in dinner to share. Lisa
actually started to perspire…why should this decision be so hard? </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIxZzx7QCGSBtwjdi33Mir9V7lYCZ5VwOBkG6lb2EPNJqmKlRKQy9cL1lkqsr_kW1nBPt2sGkUKkIVPJvPzBbMFmq1Rf5Kw7F3cnSCJV9Um801ipovImafue2IuAV9zNdw1bpW1stp9SY/s1600/Oct.+30+climber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIxZzx7QCGSBtwjdi33Mir9V7lYCZ5VwOBkG6lb2EPNJqmKlRKQy9cL1lkqsr_kW1nBPt2sGkUKkIVPJvPzBbMFmq1Rf5Kw7F3cnSCJV9Um801ipovImafue2IuAV9zNdw1bpW1stp9SY/s320/Oct.+30+climber.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Something sparked in her head, like a big warning sign. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lisa knew better, she loved her husband and family. It was
like something was working against her to shove her over the line. Every
justification she could come up with suddenly paled next to what she had and
what she knew to be right; not to mention the fact that Lisa didn’t actually
want to break up her marriage. She just wanted it to be healthy, inspiring, fun
and dependable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From the time he asked about dinner and 5 seconds later she
had made her choice. Even though it may be hard, she wanted her marriage to
work, she wanted her kids to have a happy, God-fearing family to grow up in and
to be able to trust their parents to point them in the right direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She knew when she told her coworker no for dinner it was the
first of many rebuffs that would be coming, but she knew with God’s help she
could remain firm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lisa left work that night feeling so hopeful and triumphant! She felt like the Holy Spirit had protected her. Additionally, Lisa felt God had helped direct and convince her to make to
right choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now to talk with her husband….</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQR-MvNgeji5O1V_oJDNhk1gszugpKp1LikLaflHBzurKLJUhjlfo8NE2LCC7s4RuKbdi9iiCZ7pD1PH_N3uop0OhfHMAA3yffxoTy6bJlYEhbTic8xbTonEqjl23iGbP-vrFs35fUaBa/s1600/Oct.+30+conqueror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQR-MvNgeji5O1V_oJDNhk1gszugpKp1LikLaflHBzurKLJUhjlfo8NE2LCC7s4RuKbdi9iiCZ7pD1PH_N3uop0OhfHMAA3yffxoTy6bJlYEhbTic8xbTonEqjl23iGbP-vrFs35fUaBa/s400/Oct.+30+conqueror.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Dear Uncle,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I have encountered the Hosts of Heaven and the power of the
Son.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Never before have I been thwarted in such a terrifying
manner. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>They were everywhere! I had no hope!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>As I began working my way into her thought process, and
giving her ideas of fantasy with this guy from work, all of a sudden we were
surrounded by blinding light and I felt my body go flying into the next room!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>After I came to, I realized what had happened.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>They covered her, and I could see her changing the plan
I had so carefully crafted.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>It would’ve worked, I know it!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I am so tired of being cast away from my assignments! I
should’ve never accepted the higher risk ones. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>As I have suspected, the
discipline team is coming for me. I hope to survive. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I think I will need easier targets next time. It is
impossible to contend with the Chosen Ones when they open their eyes and
realize who they are.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sepitus</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-50164228098680104672016-10-29T21:00:00.000+11:002016-10-29T21:00:01.572+11:00Competing for Worst Wound<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bI-zPkKv80mKkd7DYHxhGexCD4lD1L_ZyJLf9LGPx0YYGF2xQdSGqJyu-il5G9if8drPgK44CMr9JR_doiJmodmAc7h6nLlT5JDTMi9cp4uBAClCHs9pvIIT9hzuxu_OlRPn1fq_M4f2/s1600/when+she+falls+link.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bI-zPkKv80mKkd7DYHxhGexCD4lD1L_ZyJLf9LGPx0YYGF2xQdSGqJyu-il5G9if8drPgK44CMr9JR_doiJmodmAc7h6nLlT5JDTMi9cp4uBAClCHs9pvIIT9hzuxu_OlRPn1fq_M4f2/s200/when+she+falls+link.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(This is Day 29 in a write 31 days series. Click <a href="http://livinginmyfreedom.blogspot.com/2016/09/when-she-falls.html">here for the title page</a> )</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lisa and her husband had a chance to have dinner out
together, which hardly ever happened! The kids went to grandma’s house after
school that Friday, so they agreed to meet downtown after work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What should’ve been a time to reconnect and nourish each
other and their marriage turned into a competition. He talked about all his
work projects and Lisa tried to compete by talking about all her work stresses
too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It felt like they were trying to one up each other to prove
who had the tougher job. What Lisa really needed was for him to say that he
understood and supported her, that she looked beautiful tonight and that he was
happy to spend time together. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiml3BKdIjt9dqNWltCJGQZK9C7Cz5l9TPYLkSPEORZXwgRNK61fVEUvw-9BsdYxJDms2zbyAfxo9rx-e0L4uYy6KQ9eFG7cBwIk0-o6XxSUACoFq-OGdC5CdqZFLqM_NqdyGzX8gb4EAID/s1600/Oct.+29+hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiml3BKdIjt9dqNWltCJGQZK9C7Cz5l9TPYLkSPEORZXwgRNK61fVEUvw-9BsdYxJDms2zbyAfxo9rx-e0L4uYy6KQ9eFG7cBwIk0-o6XxSUACoFq-OGdC5CdqZFLqM_NqdyGzX8gb4EAID/s400/Oct.+29+hands.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Instead he got offended that she acted like her
job efforts were equal to his efforts, and so He abruptly changed the topic to
discuss the kids. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This didn’t help things much. It turned from one negative
thing to another negative, contentious conversation. Neither parent was happy
with the behavior of the kids lately and he seemed to blame Lisa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lisa suspected it was a direct reflection of their marriage. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her husband just wanted more discipline and maybe different daycare. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lisa felt like it was merely putting a band aid on a gaping
wound… their wound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She was starting to think their marriage may need serious
help. She assumed her husband might not be faithful and she knew she was
dancing dangerously close to having an inappropriate relationship at work. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She
felt the need in her heart and the sting of the relationship falling apart. She
thought he seemed oblivious... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How on earth did it get this far down the path?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What could she do to change it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Did she really want to change it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When was the last straw going to be?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Who was she turning into?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Dear Uncle,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>At least I can still stir up dissentions in this marriage. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>They seem destined to fight! Even if they weren’t on the
rocks, I think they’d argue about everything.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i> Nothing is ever good
enough for either of them!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I have convinced her that he is cheating and so giving her
permission to follow suit. Tomorrow at work will be the dangling carrot I give
her to step down that path of acting out the adultery she has in her heart.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Her rationalizations up to this point should tip the scales
in my favor when she has to choose to do it.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>The man we’ve found to entice her is perfect. He’s
unattached and exciting. His attentiveness is what Lisa loves most. After all, it’s what I have convinced her she is lacking the most, acceptance and unconditional
love.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkjQ3EZ9z1gJLW2UV6u6Qz956ju446K4AE_CcAs4k-a6FddRSzL_AVuR7cM-8Fbw3AahZa6KLfXX-iCpt7_3fA625uSgK-5UQhVQcHluml2ZA1vuL3KEEBIFqOhQN6UAz6sO0pRLgjHNt/s1600/Oct.+29+faith.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkjQ3EZ9z1gJLW2UV6u6Qz956ju446K4AE_CcAs4k-a6FddRSzL_AVuR7cM-8Fbw3AahZa6KLfXX-iCpt7_3fA625uSgK-5UQhVQcHluml2ZA1vuL3KEEBIFqOhQN6UAz6sO0pRLgjHNt/s400/Oct.+29+faith.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Never mind that she’s heard over and over in church and in
that wretched book of the Enemy that He Himself provides all the things she’s
lacking. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Since it’s not in her face and she must take it on faith, she doesn’t
open her eyes and heart and see it.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Which, of course, is great for me.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I am getting some excitement back that I may be able to
salvage my losses with Lisa!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Stay tuned!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sepitus</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-13137981084550569352016-10-28T21:00:00.000+11:002016-10-28T21:00:24.787+11:00The Beauty of Restoration<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>This is Day 28 in a write 31 days series. Click <a href="http://livinginmyfreedom.blogspot.com/2016/09/when-she-falls.html">here for the title page</a> )</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_B_cnkdJDDiHPnwWz3f3erqAW3absa6dWY599BthiaXr492s3JmyweUecqrzTXAMou2aW8d_KQmsf_j-l0zHDDnA7GWY74gwaiHnNsIIxG4MVpnEaQ7QX3sPcKGfTcD8kfxeC8c02-xbD/s1600/Oct.+28+Rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_B_cnkdJDDiHPnwWz3f3erqAW3absa6dWY599BthiaXr492s3JmyweUecqrzTXAMou2aW8d_KQmsf_j-l0zHDDnA7GWY74gwaiHnNsIIxG4MVpnEaQ7QX3sPcKGfTcD8kfxeC8c02-xbD/s320/Oct.+28+Rose.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary and her husband walked hand and hand into the park. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A couple weeks had passed since he had confronted her about
the relationship she was starting with another man. They both wanted to fight for
their marriage, and chose to put God back on the throne of their hearts and
relationship. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary had communicated to the friend that she was no longer
able to be friends or have any further communication; they had crossed a line
that could not be erased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary’s husband had called their church later that week and
asked about local counselors that they could seek. They could get in right
away, which relieved Mary and they were able to begin the discussion of what
broke and how to fix it. They had a road of recovery to walk, but they both
realized that it was far better doing it together and with God’s help than
trying to figure it out on their own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary was keenly aware of her short comings but also wanted
to make sure that her husband noticed what had been lacking on his part also.
There was no way they’d be able to repair the damage done without both being
willing to admit wrongs and choose to change. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJstj2qCuz7tkGUn_AGiJ3or_lZo2l_f1wDWCl69stZDH6ABIzbB65DhUtIaHHC2E7Zp9cgwGxZGkoKK_KQVbJ0YctmpLjNZCdLaP-R4agwxomsOAx0WM9yUaNbY4FNev_kgB3zo6QwRJw/s1600/Oct.+28+berries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJstj2qCuz7tkGUn_AGiJ3or_lZo2l_f1wDWCl69stZDH6ABIzbB65DhUtIaHHC2E7Zp9cgwGxZGkoKK_KQVbJ0YctmpLjNZCdLaP-R4agwxomsOAx0WM9yUaNbY4FNev_kgB3zo6QwRJw/s400/Oct.+28+berries.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary felt the weight lift off her shoulders when she
confessed and repented from her sins. She prayed and asked God to renew her
fervor to follow Him only. She recognized that she had focused too much on the
little things that caused discontentment and chosen to not be grateful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her life was so blessed and Mary chose the mindset of
thanksgiving instead of complaining. She knew that some things during her day
would have to change, like giving God her first and best each morning before
the family’s day got going. Getting her proverbial cup filled by the Lord each
morning helped her focus better and truly live out her day in an act of
worship. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary had such encouragement over where they were headed. She
knew God could redeem from the pit of sin and that restoration was His
specialty. Their marriage was back on track with the Lord as their foundation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They vowed to hold each other accountable and to never let
it slip that far again.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy750qC_AJ0IplHRGJTiQwMDKHbugVYxNKA-KaQ_JMCOrmJed6ozzfSPZNZ1bSecKSbJFCecC_b5uIlrf9pzLcjA-a9c5_LI4umV5sfN7pdvKAPTY5uwpFJi2jPoGqEhl_-P7Bj4mnqhBD/s1600/Oct.+28+lantern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy750qC_AJ0IplHRGJTiQwMDKHbugVYxNKA-KaQ_JMCOrmJed6ozzfSPZNZ1bSecKSbJFCecC_b5uIlrf9pzLcjA-a9c5_LI4umV5sfN7pdvKAPTY5uwpFJi2jPoGqEhl_-P7Bj4mnqhBD/s400/Oct.+28+lantern.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Dear Uncle,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I see what you meant in your last communication to me, that I have not given enough respect to the fact that they are Chosen Ones and have
incomparable power available to them.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>As you know, I have failed with Mary as well. My last hope
is Lisa.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I have lost all confidence in my ability, but will give this
one last shot.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I suspect after this is done, you will not hear from me for
a very long time.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Humbly yours,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sepitus</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-10992516597383636922016-10-27T23:41:00.000+11:002016-10-27T23:41:20.388+11:00Glimmers of Hope<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">(This is Day 27 in a write 31 days challenge. Click <a href="http://livinginmyfreedom.blogspot.com/2016/09/when-she-falls.html">here for the title page</a> )</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That morning Mary’s husband opened their family laptop to
check the news and his wife’s social media page was still open, there was also
a chat box open. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It appeared to be some guy she knew. He felt kind of snoopy
reading allof the messages but by the time he finished, Mary’s husband felt
very alarmed about the state of their marriage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Clearly his wife was not happy or she wouldn’t be talking to
this schmuck the way she was. It appeared that they better have some deeper
conversations or they weren’t going to make it. He instantly took blame and
wondered how he had failed. However, the emotions competing alongside were hurt
and fear of losing his beloved wife. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyy0qOokzZh1Zsq7KgWC_VYJQcoB3c4iCG4hSVcA_hjLM3S1Wsj9PSSuKDBByERtt8EDSzaHG0CFb-XGt1NuzaRFn7DoS_ims98t-IuYhJzqMiMg5A-KVIOukWbai-SC1in15NERIBJfN/s1600/Oct.+27++bible.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyy0qOokzZh1Zsq7KgWC_VYJQcoB3c4iCG4hSVcA_hjLM3S1Wsj9PSSuKDBByERtt8EDSzaHG0CFb-XGt1NuzaRFn7DoS_ims98t-IuYhJzqMiMg5A-KVIOukWbai-SC1in15NERIBJfN/s320/Oct.+27++bible.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He sunk into the couch, placed his head in his hands… he didn’t
know what to do. He remembered that
Scripture said if anyone asks for wisdom and asks for it that wisdom shall be
given unto them. Quietly, he prayed and
asked God for wisdom. He remembered then
that God promised to never leave him nor forsake him. He remembered that he was commanded to love
his wife as Christ loved the church, even to lay down his life for her. He thanked God and asked for strength to
approach his wife in a way that would be pleasing to God and consistent with
His will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As Mary walked into the kitchen, he approached her. He
didn’t want to make her angry because then they wouldn’t have a good
conversation, but he had to ask. Mary sensed something was up, her husband was
acting strange. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As he approached, he said that she had left her social media
window open last night. She knew instantly what had happened. Her sense of
guilt and shame was a heavy weight on her shoulders. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How is it that last night she was so prepared to be
deceitful and lie about meeting her friend and potentially cross a very
forbidden line and right now the instantaneous knowledge of wrongdoing permeated
her whole being. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She was ashamed that she had denied her own husband to spend
time with this guy online last night and that she had found her comfort and
relief from stress in a glass of wine instead of seeking the Lord and her
husband. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary felt slightly indignant that he had snooped, but the
reality was that she had something to hide and He discovered it, she was the
one doing wrong and getting caught. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She dissolved into tears and humbly confessed her sins,
asking God to forgive her and show her the way. Mary loved her husband and
kids, she couldn’t figure out how she had been so duped into believing that
life without them together could be better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He took the day off from work and Mary called her mom to
take the kids for the day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The had some talking to do.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdntkcnkm9yrqjYCqCT09KMdclQseM-ESBwQjnL1ewAaleoeJW4fYJX1NEywUy0vHf8Wqrk3GROsKGzjQzDSt31vDRteZzIcBMGVypZcDRiSQlb8BgolbJyWS30lh0rV_bdMMgm9xTcear/s1600/Oct.+27+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdntkcnkm9yrqjYCqCT09KMdclQseM-ESBwQjnL1ewAaleoeJW4fYJX1NEywUy0vHf8Wqrk3GROsKGzjQzDSt31vDRteZzIcBMGVypZcDRiSQlb8BgolbJyWS30lh0rV_bdMMgm9xTcear/s400/Oct.+27+girl.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Dear Uncle,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I desperately need your guidance!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I am just not sure what I am doing wrong! </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I have worked so
hard to develop this attraction and distraction for Mary. I have tried so hard
to encourage her to be discontent at home! I have stirred lust and longing. I
have pushed the buttons of insecurity and self-loathing.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I have stressed her and planted thoughts of not being
worthy.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I have then presented solutions to her problems in the way
of a new man and presented her with a fix to all her distress, a new future.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>WHY has she not taken the bait and fallen yet?!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>What have I done wrong??<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Please help,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sepitus</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5nImGInhNEkgGNfoqyGBo_fBh5o9sSSL4J5kH90cPDJJF5XJapZn48r9nQ_2v8s8Kl31AXecM6F_KsU1dtP223ACa3S0gaw_rBpxXUPBCkOy3456UHIePz0k4aJkL_YQSWVd8hZpyPn0/s1600/Oct.+27+cryout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5nImGInhNEkgGNfoqyGBo_fBh5o9sSSL4J5kH90cPDJJF5XJapZn48r9nQ_2v8s8Kl31AXecM6F_KsU1dtP223ACa3S0gaw_rBpxXUPBCkOy3456UHIePz0k4aJkL_YQSWVd8hZpyPn0/s400/Oct.+27+cryout.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dear young Sepitus,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I already knew this all would happen. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>We have hoped, here in
the ranks, that you would be stronger than predicted.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>As I suspected, you were not enough to change the outcome.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>One thing you have taken for granted with these assignments
and not clearly not respected enough is that they are Chosen Ones.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>They are not
in our kingdom, they are in His, our Enemy.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Our job was to make them defeated and ineffective.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The Chosen Ones have access at a moment’s notice to the power of the Son of God. His power far outweighs any defense you can put up.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The ones belonging to our world are the easiest targets,
they have no access to Heaven. Our only hope is to not have heaven's attention truned onto us.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>We thought perhaps you were ready for this kind of
challenging assignment, you have proven otherwise.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I have no influence over what they do to you in the
discipline department. I only hope you make it through and I can continue with
your apprenticeship later.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Your Uncle Savant</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-17825916455715061722016-10-27T00:25:00.001+11:002016-10-27T00:25:24.193+11:00Dancing on the Razor's Edge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bI-zPkKv80mKkd7DYHxhGexCD4lD1L_ZyJLf9LGPx0YYGF2xQdSGqJyu-il5G9if8drPgK44CMr9JR_doiJmodmAc7h6nLlT5JDTMi9cp4uBAClCHs9pvIIT9hzuxu_OlRPn1fq_M4f2/s1600/when+she+falls+link.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bI-zPkKv80mKkd7DYHxhGexCD4lD1L_ZyJLf9LGPx0YYGF2xQdSGqJyu-il5G9if8drPgK44CMr9JR_doiJmodmAc7h6nLlT5JDTMi9cp4uBAClCHs9pvIIT9hzuxu_OlRPn1fq_M4f2/s200/when+she+falls+link.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(This is Day 26 in a write 31 days series. Click <a href="http://livinginmyfreedom.blogspot.com/2016/09/when-she-falls.html">here for the title page</a> )</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary tried to connect with her friend on social media, as
had become the evening usual for the last several weeks. He wasn’t around. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary noticed how sharp the disappointment hit her. She
thought maybe she’d try later on that evening. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The kids went to bed and her husband was reading in bed. He
had tried to approach her about spending some private time together, but she
made up an excuse and went downstairs. On her way down, she poured a glass of
wine, she felt the need to relax. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Their online conversation lately had gotten a little risky,
Mary enjoyed it a little too much. She signed on and there was a message
waiting from him. Her heart quickened as she gulped some wine. He apologized
for missing out on their time earlier, but there was some family stuff going
on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They quickly pushed past the pleasantries and headed into
flirting, as was the norm lately. He really wanted to connect over lunch
sometime, Mary wasn’t sure how to get a sitter during the day without blatantly
lying. Oddly enough, she wasn’t averse to it, she was just calculating all the
details so she wouldn’t be found out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s not like lunch together was that bad, it just leads to
other questions and she didn’t feel like having to answer for her choices. By
the time they wrapped up a 2-hour conversation it was midnight, she had two and
half glasses of wine, which influenced her to forget to delete the conversation
and log off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When she went to bed, her husband was actually awake reading
still, which completely annoyed her. Mary was hoping to slide into bed without
having to answer his questions. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, two things happened.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1- He asked why she
had so much to drink, typically they only drank together and on special
occasions, and 2- if she wasn’t feeling good enough to be intimate then why did
she spend the evening drinking and surfing on the internet? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary could tell he
was angry and hurt. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Time for some back peddling…quickly.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_c3HqHn-o0r8cd0NYkg86BQbQDgAIC644dShsaUOST7-_lLKu8U4qnnK0HHZZV_0fr1n0_7t55TX2yL_HfcINgQZ_TG1cPvGSnNg6Am9waTzops7Zy1auuJDKGvrJy-0aUzuuCIW6ptz/s1600/Oct.+26+cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_c3HqHn-o0r8cd0NYkg86BQbQDgAIC644dShsaUOST7-_lLKu8U4qnnK0HHZZV_0fr1n0_7t55TX2yL_HfcINgQZ_TG1cPvGSnNg6Am9waTzops7Zy1auuJDKGvrJy-0aUzuuCIW6ptz/s400/Oct.+26+cross.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Dear Uncle,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>After the devastating loss of Anne, I do feel like I am able
to keep control over Mary, at least. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>She’s far too engrossed with this internet friend. It is
providing the exact distraction I hoped for! She’s invested enough that
she’s making excuses, lying and getting defensive about it.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Her husband is going to be caught in the wake of this destruction
of their marriage. He has no idea what’s going to hit. Mary is not
only being unfaithful, but she will believe that this new guy wants to be with her permanently.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Once the new guy drops her, she will be left empty,
bewildered, lonely and unable to cope with her deep unhappiness. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>She will have thought
that this was her shot at the life she was supposed to have, but with his
rejection, it will further confirm her own low self-esteem and self-loathing
will once again set in.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>However, now it’ll be terribly worse because she will have
not only decimated her relationship with her husband and potentially the kids,
but this illusion of a happier future will be dashed and sink her into deep depression.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I will make her worthless to her family.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I’ll update you tomorrow!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sepitus</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-85897927880619217732016-10-25T21:00:00.000+11:002016-10-25T21:00:10.189+11:00The White Robe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anne didn’t feel particularly good about going to church
this Sunday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She longed to worship, but felt so guilty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She felt like she was doomed to follow in her parent’s
footsteps of alcoholism and like her mother, marrying into abuse. She needed a fresh brush of
the Savior, but felt so fearful and unworthy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She blew it and nearly had a
fatal fall. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She felt like she would never actually heal and be someone
different, she’d always be a victim of a bad childhood and it would mark her
future forever. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No good man is going to want a girl with such baggage. What
on earth did she think she was doing working with Women At Risk, what could she
possibly offer? She herself hadn’t fully recovered, she had no business being
there. Maybe she should call tomorrow and cancel her meetings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She dragged herself to church out of duty and sat quietly by
herself today so she could focus. Anne felt a strong urge to listening closely
to the Lord's prompting today. She prayed God would have mercy on her and have
some encouragement for her today. Anne needed the power of transformation that
she intellectually knew God provided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She just had to have the faith to make the step toward
obedience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The pastor began to preach a message on who we are in Christ.
He hit points about not listening to Satan’s attempts to de-value us. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He used
an analogy of exchanging our filthy rags of self-directed living and sinful
lives for the white robe of righteousness that Jesus provided for us by dying
on the cross for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3CWCIlh1XvtqoO2SjYNauKiQpHVaKlPLNlKxUVwRqi_1dzyRgtMSE_eQWKwuQbBGXtOUDsv97gt6OpPunNRTua1FuvRAXEk63gomlJPHs6y0rjs9tdAp85lxDDEn-a4YhXumZ6N5KToX4/s1600/Oct.+25+robe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3CWCIlh1XvtqoO2SjYNauKiQpHVaKlPLNlKxUVwRqi_1dzyRgtMSE_eQWKwuQbBGXtOUDsv97gt6OpPunNRTua1FuvRAXEk63gomlJPHs6y0rjs9tdAp85lxDDEn-a4YhXumZ6N5KToX4/s400/Oct.+25+robe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The pastor taught that so many believers forget what they
have in Jesus Christ’s freedom and grace. How we often forget that we are
wearing the robe of righteousness and a crown of an heir of heaven all day every
day and that we just have to choose to live as we are called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anne felt Jesus calling her. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Calling her to lay down her
controlling plans and self-centeredness for His life of living in forgiveness,
grace and freedom from the bondage of sin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She could almost hear the cell door creak open and feel the chains falling.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIhaG58e9R4PVGK9OoBzl74p6M9KGkSeWOe7rLVomeKHcnhGDJDIqwVMFIe0nK6ICtLSJ9hnCmOW_lYhEQY7lyurTc1hEj7Q3zCzNUPuX6D_hmRntzDoPkHmQOoJM3fklel9m0KQvttN3/s1600/Oct.+25+hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIhaG58e9R4PVGK9OoBzl74p6M9KGkSeWOe7rLVomeKHcnhGDJDIqwVMFIe0nK6ICtLSJ9hnCmOW_lYhEQY7lyurTc1hEj7Q3zCzNUPuX6D_hmRntzDoPkHmQOoJM3fklel9m0KQvttN3/s400/Oct.+25+hands.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Dear Uncle,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">I don’t know what to say.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">I am sorry.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">I lost Anne.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">I sit terrified of the discipline ranks that are coming to find
me. They are ruthless.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">I will double my efforts on Mary and Lisa.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Sincerely, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Sepitus</span></i><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-39635537579504677532016-10-24T21:00:00.000+11:002016-10-24T21:00:24.195+11:00Best Laid Plans<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bI-zPkKv80mKkd7DYHxhGexCD4lD1L_ZyJLf9LGPx0YYGF2xQdSGqJyu-il5G9if8drPgK44CMr9JR_doiJmodmAc7h6nLlT5JDTMi9cp4uBAClCHs9pvIIT9hzuxu_OlRPn1fq_M4f2/s1600/when+she+falls+link.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bI-zPkKv80mKkd7DYHxhGexCD4lD1L_ZyJLf9LGPx0YYGF2xQdSGqJyu-il5G9if8drPgK44CMr9JR_doiJmodmAc7h6nLlT5JDTMi9cp4uBAClCHs9pvIIT9hzuxu_OlRPn1fq_M4f2/s200/when+she+falls+link.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(This is Day 24 in a write 31 days series. Click <a href="http://livinginmyfreedom.blogspot.com/2016/09/when-she-falls.html">here for the title page</a> )</i></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anne could not focus on studying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her roommates had gone for the day and she had one
gloriously quiet afternoon to study by herself in her room…but to no avail. All
she could think about was this guy from the party. Questions just swirled in
her head. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why had she had so much to drink? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why did she get so familiar with him so quick? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Was he just like the other guys, only wanting her for one
thing? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Did he have better qualities than that? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why did she not find out if He was a believer? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course he had questionable character…. he pushed me to
drink and tried to sleep with me! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why am I so naïve? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Did God intervene to keep me safe? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why, oh why did I drink last night? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Am I ever going to break free from this temptation to
disconnect from stress by drinking?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anne knew what she had learned from God’s word, it was just
hard to choose it sometimes over what was in front of her at the moment. Anne’s
intentions were to follow hard after Jesus, serve others and be a light.
Somehow she found herself tripped up and face planting in the mud instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was not her plan. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She couldn’t shake the feeling that
it seemed inevitable…it’s who she really was.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7-tqEsS5eSafqpy5dZDZMiPETvZp1CzB2vw4Z6FcfoSxwq1rVL7z69P5Y5MLHibP1GWUDxp90eyST9JB0pZID0OrAFST9UfDL8wwo5VNqJ3c5b0Ky1MH91HWXjJqRBwFDdZdN8wNapIf/s1600/Oct.+24+calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7-tqEsS5eSafqpy5dZDZMiPETvZp1CzB2vw4Z6FcfoSxwq1rVL7z69P5Y5MLHibP1GWUDxp90eyST9JB0pZID0OrAFST9UfDL8wwo5VNqJ3c5b0Ky1MH91HWXjJqRBwFDdZdN8wNapIf/s400/Oct.+24+calendar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Dear Uncle Savant,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>We are almost there!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>She’s beginning to spiral downward. Her self-talk is
destructive and convincing. Anne believes that if this is what she thinks about
herself, what must others think about her?<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>I have also tweaked her thinking a little for her to believe
that it’s “her” plan for her life, and not actually some supernatural, divine
plan from our Enemy. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>What this has done is made her responsible for the outcome. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>She truly believes that if she doesn’t realize the plan she
has made for her life that she’s failed and it must be because it’s the plan
she had is not who she is destined to be. She was made how she was made and
her predispositions are locked into her fundamental personality…unchangeable,
not redeemable.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Anne will believe that somehow she’ll have to find a way to
function with her broken upbringing, past, and self-actualized fears of
becoming like her parents. All of this stress will dominate her thought life.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Instead of stress it will just seem to her like she’s
pulling up her bootstraps and dealing, making plans, setting up a path, and
trying hard to make the future she’s dreamed of.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>This stress and unachievable plan will bury her. It will
consume her. All of her decisions will be based in control of her life’s plan.
It’ll be so much that she will seek opportunities to relax and disconnect from
the stress. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Our world has perfected apathetic disconnecting. With creating
the illusion of fun and stress relief we’ve developed a lovely vice that turns
into addiction quickly. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>They simply “have to have” their stress relief. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Thank you for your direction with Anne, things are working
perfectly!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Your apprentice,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Sepitus</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-3949973047869677982016-10-24T03:18:00.001+11:002016-10-24T03:18:19.408+11:00Nothing good happens after midnight<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bI-zPkKv80mKkd7DYHxhGexCD4lD1L_ZyJLf9LGPx0YYGF2xQdSGqJyu-il5G9if8drPgK44CMr9JR_doiJmodmAc7h6nLlT5JDTMi9cp4uBAClCHs9pvIIT9hzuxu_OlRPn1fq_M4f2/s1600/when+she+falls+link.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bI-zPkKv80mKkd7DYHxhGexCD4lD1L_ZyJLf9LGPx0YYGF2xQdSGqJyu-il5G9if8drPgK44CMr9JR_doiJmodmAc7h6nLlT5JDTMi9cp4uBAClCHs9pvIIT9hzuxu_OlRPn1fq_M4f2/s200/when+she+falls+link.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>(This is Day 23 in a write 31 days series. Click <a href="http://livinginmyfreedom.blogspot.com/2016/09/when-she-falls.html">here for the title page</a> )</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anne’s friends invite her to a party on the weekend. It’s on
a Sunday night, so she’s not super excited because she had an early class
Monday morning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They push hard and badger her to hang out with them, so she
caves but plans to leave early. When she walks in, the music is loud and the
smell of beer is very strong. She’s learned not to drink the punch and get a
can of Coke straight from the fridge herself. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But tonight the good looking boy
from the coffee shop is there, and he walks up with a can of beer for her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In her dreamy-eyed fuzzy brain, she accepts the beer, it’s
just one- no big deal. They have a great time talking, even though she could
only catch some of what he said over the booming tunes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Toward the end of the night, she’s had more than one
beer…and he makes a clear move to take things further. Suddenly she hears
someone calling her name at the door, it’s her friends and they are getting
ready to leave. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She has a moment of clarity and realizes what she was about to
do, abruptly stands up and goes to leave with her friends.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Dearest Uncle Savant,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Well, I did it! I laid the foundation for Anne’s fall!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">She caved in to attend a party with her friends. She caved
in to have a beer from the guy she likes. She caved in to having far more than
one.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The only thing left is to finish to temptation off with this
boy she likes. Once I get her to be with him, he will drop her and her
self-worth will plummet. Then I will kindly remind her that this was why her
parents drank- to escape the pain of this world. </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">A little evening of soaking
her wretchedness in alcohol, wallowing in hurt, disappointment and failure will
catapult my assignment into the orbit of cycling in and out of the same sin for
years.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">She won’t be able to bring herself out of the self-loathing
she will have for falling the same way her parents did. She might even begin to
justify some of the very things they did to abuse her with how bad they must
have felt to go that low. She will begin to identify, and choose to hang around
people that “understand her”.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkAyFFV4tMXYopMsR8MYVHEVSe7CYUGBJe12iL8k-mXh1lYykOfSLBeB3A9SEPdstH1OW5rMaJfGoL1b-WKOXqyfneYOLFT0zHZ0XaqzL-dZhFCW3eaarULfQItrxIB1_GqNntOZ-Bp8b/s1600/Oct+23+sprout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkAyFFV4tMXYopMsR8MYVHEVSe7CYUGBJe12iL8k-mXh1lYykOfSLBeB3A9SEPdstH1OW5rMaJfGoL1b-WKOXqyfneYOLFT0zHZ0XaqzL-dZhFCW3eaarULfQItrxIB1_GqNntOZ-Bp8b/s400/Oct+23+sprout.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">All of this whipped up whirlwind of inner focus leaves no
room for the Enemy. He couldn’t possibly fit into such a mind filled with our
world and our methods.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">I will be working really hard this week to focus her energy
on daydreaming about the guy she likes. Imagining what might have happened had
her friends not interrupted. She longs for someone to love her, accept her
wholly as she is and approve of her. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">I absolutely love that she has no clue that our Enemy is all
of those things for her. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Who knows why He dotes over His worthless creation like He
does, but the facts unfortunately are that He does provide that to them, if
they figure out how to shirk off our efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">I am glad I have Anne so firm in my clutches that I don’t
have to worry about getting thrown off any time soon!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Your persistent nephew,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Sepitus</span></i><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2730551286506765157.post-31626248452142857792016-10-23T02:42:00.001+11:002016-10-23T02:42:47.811+11:00Come Back!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bI-zPkKv80mKkd7DYHxhGexCD4lD1L_ZyJLf9LGPx0YYGF2xQdSGqJyu-il5G9if8drPgK44CMr9JR_doiJmodmAc7h6nLlT5JDTMi9cp4uBAClCHs9pvIIT9hzuxu_OlRPn1fq_M4f2/s1600/when+she+falls+link.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bI-zPkKv80mKkd7DYHxhGexCD4lD1L_ZyJLf9LGPx0YYGF2xQdSGqJyu-il5G9if8drPgK44CMr9JR_doiJmodmAc7h6nLlT5JDTMi9cp4uBAClCHs9pvIIT9hzuxu_OlRPn1fq_M4f2/s200/when+she+falls+link.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(This is Day 22 in a write 31 days series. Click <a href="http://livinginmyfreedom.blogspot.com/2016/09/when-she-falls.html">here for the title page</a> )</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The new guy at work was totally overwhelming to Lisa. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He was so nice and attractive. She was trying very hard to
keep pure thoughts but his attention to her made it difficult to not get the
butterflies churning in her stomach. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He asked her to a business lunch, but they talked about very
little business. He mainly focused on getting to know her and just intently
listening, which unnerved Lisa considering he wasn’t used to her own husband paying
much attention to her while she talked. It was so nice to connect with someone!
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lisa knew that there were red flags popping up all over the
place, to steer clear and to remain professional. However, her cavernous need
for love, affection and approval were pushing her reasoning out of the way. She
knew what the bible said about how to behave as a redeemed believer, but she
also knew that if she just flirted a little it wasn’t that bad…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...she could ask for forgiveness later.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Dear Uncle,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Once again, I stand amazed that your genius ideas on how
to destroy marriages works like a charm.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">How is it you know what these women and men will fall for? I
think you mentioned one time that it’s something that has been around since centuries
passed, but this temptation of the opposite sex just seems to be an especially
potent one. You would think they'd recognize the pattern and avoid it!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">My inventory of successes with Lisa up to now are:
perfectionist, controlling, prideful, liar, complaining, judging,
worthlessness, depression, self-focused, sabotaging self-talk, unresolved anger,
and now lust, faithlessness, and adultery.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">I’d say I’m feeling pretty good about my progress with her.
As long as she wallows in all of this sin, I can’t lose.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The only real threat is if she wakes up one day and realizes
how wretched she has become and falls on her face before our Enemy, asking for
forgiveness…. Generally, at that point, all hope is lost.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzdb2MMEuqi6gOXojzKUkAYDV-3x-GLYYYL12J_P61_Tnt051w7scnAnswLhgkMNFjVr3tl_u6hfI8Z4mJgy6Z2a6vPvttTNNaAqwE0xzofFeriZcgSIYEbGi6AxICoxliqfZ3oAJl754/s1600/Oct.+22+board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzdb2MMEuqi6gOXojzKUkAYDV-3x-GLYYYL12J_P61_Tnt051w7scnAnswLhgkMNFjVr3tl_u6hfI8Z4mJgy6Z2a6vPvttTNNaAqwE0xzofFeriZcgSIYEbGi6AxICoxliqfZ3oAJl754/s400/Oct.+22+board.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">I cannot figure out why our Enemy cares for this insipid lot
so much, they are so weak and ridiculous in their simple little lives.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">First of
all, they have no idea the power that lies at their fingertips, and second of
all, they have such pride built up and they focus so hard on all their
accomplishments in this world as if this is it. Completely NO grasp of eternity
and what matters.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">I understand from your last report that we have quite a nice
collection of souls for our side, which must mean we are pretty successful in
this world at pulling them away from the Enemy’s clutches. I don’t want to seem
arrogant, but the Hosts of Heaven have nothing on our power it seems. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">The only
time I have noticed that we are powerless is if the Enemy Himself gets involved…then
we are doomed.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Any thoughts on how we keep Him away from our assignments?</span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">I’d
love to know your insight.<br /><br />Your faithful apprentice,<br />Sepitus</span></i></div>
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Dana Hoebekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296290117364130150noreply@blogger.com0