The PURPOSE is closer than ever!

Esther 4:14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"


Wow I'm not ready to share here what is in my heart but this verse is just what I needed to read. I have come to the royal position as daughter of the King of Kings for such a time as this. I know that God is about to do awesome things in my life. I am willing and waiting for his hand to guide me. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Dirt to Destiny

I have been neglecting this blog a bit but that is because Operation Giggle is keeping me busier than I have words for! I do want to invite everyone to our Dirt to Destiny Women's Conference on November 14, 2009. It is called Behind the Veil "An intimate encounter with Jehovah". Sometimes the dirt of our past has us thinking that we can not enter into the Holy place with our Jehovah but He longs for an encounter with each one of us that will change us forever. Please feel free to email me as sdrgodsgirl@yahoo.com if you would like more information. Or click on the icon on the side of the screen and it will take you to our website. Click on Ministries and the womens conference will be the first page you see.

There will be great singing, speaking and worship! We would love to have you!

In Christ Alone,

Sherri

He's an On Time God

Timing. I have none. I am late to EVERYTHING! My Dad always says I will be late to my own funeral...that is one thing I would like to miss altogether! Anyway I am so glad that my God has timing...perfect timing...impeccable timing. Even when I don't understand what the wait is all about or when I don't understand why my plans were all ruined. Even when I don't understand why I can't just get everyone (including Him) to do things my way...he is not rushed one bit, he is never late and he is not swayed by my jumping up and down telling him when and what to do. I don't understand how he puts up with me acting like an impatient two year old but somehow he knows me and loves me. When I listen to His voice I can reap the benefits of his timing.

The reason I was thinking about timing is because my best friend Tara, that I accompanied to China last year to pick up her daughter Nora, sent me an email today. She had gotten an email from her Adoption Agency it was a monthly update. It said that they were placing children with an LID of March 2006. Tara's LID was May 2006. That means that if she had not added her name to the Special Needs list she would still be waiting to get Nora. Of course Nora is worth the wait but the problem with that would have been that Tara's mom, Bunnie (see the post before this for more about her) passed away two weeks ago. If Tara hadn't followed God's leading and added her name to the Special Needs list then Bunnie would have never touched Nora or looked into her beautiful eyes. How many times do we miss something by a month, a week or a minute because of our disobedience? We should all challenge ourselves to obey God's will even when we don't understand why he tells us to do something. Just Do It! He has good plans for us...Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that. We need to just trust Him and obey Him in every situation. I praise God for His wonderful favor and impeccable timing in my life!!

I'm just me.

The last few months have been hard for me. I have been in a slump...or valley...or whatever you want to call it. It hasn't been constant. I have had mountain moments but overall I have felt far away, not just from God but from my family and even from myself if that makes any sense. I would like to begin the next sentence with "It all started when..." and give some example of some reason that this valley came to be but I can't do that. See it didn't happen overnight. It didn't occur one weekend. It was a slow fade. I was right in the center of God's will when I checked and then I got busy and distracted and looked up and realized I had moved...I was no longer at "the spot where the honey falls out" (as my Dad puts it.) I looked around and at first I thought where did you go God? Instantly I realized He never changes, He never leaves me, He never walks away. It's always me that moves. I hate being wrong, I hate being the one who messed up, the sinner. Oh I know that we all fall short of the glory of God but sometimes I feel like I do it better than anyone. Sin is sin and one sin is no bigger or smaller than another. So I don't mean that I commit "bigger" or "greater" sin than the next person. What I mean is that I find myself in sin so many times when what I long to do is serve God and please my heavenly father. My flesh is selfish. That is the main problem. I want to do what I want to do. I hate that part of me.

Paul said it best when he said: Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me." I want to be all God wants me to be. It took me a long time to say that. But now I truly do want what he has for me. But I know my God and he expects me to overcome sin with His grace and help. He wants me to stop giving in to "the sin that dwells within me". I am more than a conqueror through him. We all are.

Why is it important to keep striving to do what is right? Why is it important to fight against our sin nature? Because if we don't then we will live a defeated life. If we try to hide who we truly are from God then it is impossible to enjoy our life. My friend Bunnie died last Sunday. She had a long battle with cancer and through it all if I had to find one word to describe her it would be VICTORIOUS. She was not defeated and she didn't live her life like someone who was. She didn't hide who she was from God, she enjoyed her life. She loved her Christian walk. She loved to worship God and read her bible. She decided, with God's help, what was right for her. She didn't need anyone else to give her a long list of legalism to follow. (I pity any fool who might have tried!) She knew that her God loved her. All of her, not just the parts that were considered "Godly". He loved the part of her that liked to put on Motown and dance. He liked the parts of her that took her daughter on her first honeymoon after the wedding was called off and spent the week showing her that life was by no means over. He loved the part of her that none of us even knew about the parts of her that she might rather be left hidden. She loved Him and He loved her. That is the kind of life I want. I want to be me. Completely and totally me. I don't care if everyone likes me. I don't care if I fit your mold, I don't care if I offend the "religious". I know that to be accepted by God I don't have to be perfect, I just have to be me. I am going to enjoy being me. So who am I? I like to dance too...maybe not to Motown but some Seger will work. I love my kids, I love my husband. I love girls night's out with Tara. I love the color Pink. But most of all I love Him and He loves me. (pic above on right is Bunnie in high school)

Silence...they say it's golden. I think I agree. I have been at the beach for a couple of days now and when I sit on the balcony and look out over the beautiful beach and ocean I am amazed. It is so silent. But somehow in my soul it stirs up praise. I really wish I had my praise leader Pastor Larry here this morning leading praise by the pool. I think the natural beauty of this place coupled with the ability to spend uninterrupted time with my family (no jobs to run do or yard that needs mowed) has caused me to feel so very blessed. For me a natural part of feeling blessed is needing to praise God for it. You see nothing good or righteous in my life comes from me. I am a sinner by nature and pretty good at turning things that are supposed to be good in my life into negatives. So when something is as good, peaceful, and positive as this week it means that it's from him. So Praise God from who all blessings flow!

Pity, Pride, Pits, Traps, and Mud Holes

Ever been in a mud hole? Ever got out of a mud hole and felt that icky sticky stuff dry to your skin? It's pretty miserable isn't it? Well when you find yourself wallowing in a spiritual mud hole it feels about the same. I am a little upset with myself. We know the tricks and snares of the enemy but we fall into them time and again. I know that when I am praying for something for other people I should always look at myself first to see if I am lacking in the item of prayer. But still I find myself up to my neck in some sort of pity, pride, or sin and look around like how did I get here?! Well I have learned to recognize it pretty rapidly. At least I don't wallow in it for days at a time like I once did. However I wish I could just miss those pits, traps, and mud holes all together. I guess if I went long enough without winding up with a face full of mud then I would forget to be thankful for Grace. So I will continue to try to live out Philippians 3:13 and 14 and "forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead" I must "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." I'll be the first to tell you that left to my own demise things would get bleak but I have a loving Father that I can pray to as Daniel did:

Daniel 9:17 Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. 19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”

I know that he will pay attention and act, praise God for HIS righteousness!!! He's got enough for us both!

Until next time...

Back to School

Well the school year is officially underway and as I often do at this time of year I want to spend a little time looking back. I can not believe how big Sarah and Colton are, it seems like just a few days ago when Sarah's preschool teacher came to the house to visit her and she cried because she didn't want to sit next to them for a picture.

Yesterday was the first half day of school they did great. (I know this picture is grainy but my camera is out of order so my cell had to do.) This morning I walked her into her first full day as a 4th grader and she hugged me went and put her stuff up and sat down. Where are the tears and the 1 more hugs? Colton walked into 2nd grade and did the same thing. I remember thinking I would be so glad when they were older and didn't cry for me. Now I am not so sure. I guess it did something for my ego to know that I was such an awesome mom they couldn't imagine being away from me for even a few hours. I guess that reality sets in even at 7 and 9.

So today was our first real day, they had school all day and I had to come to work for awhile. Things are going to be crazy for us for awhile. Mitchell is going back to school full time for work I am going to school full time and working full time and the kids are both in school. Thank God my Step-Mom is quiting her job soon. I don't know what I would do if she didn't "fill in" for me for the next few months. It's so good for the kids to have a routine for after school and I am glad I don't have to pay half my pay check for after school care. God's timing is impeccable. He has made a way for me to do what I need to do and still provided a loving, Christian environment for my kids to thrive in. (they aren't moving in or anything...despite their Mamaw Lene and Papaw Jack's best tries :) they are just going there after school and until one of us finally get home at the end of the day so they will be doing homework and stuff there.) Again I am so thankful for all of my family! My Aunt and my mom will be filing in when Lene is busy and of course Mitchell's Mom is a great back up too. We are truly blessed with family. I hope everyone else is having a great first week of school also! Until next time....