Oh how He loves us!!

When I hear this song, I weep.  I remember singing it with thousands a few years back in Atlanta, GA during Passion's Good Friday Service.  I weep because I am so blessed that He loves me so much, even when I continue to disappoint Him each day.  When I choose other things over Him.  When I want to check facebook in the morning before opening His love story to me, the Bible.  When he waits patiently for me to meet Him for intimate conversation, but I find something more important.  When I struggle with being worthy of His love.  But I am.  WORTHY.  I remember back to the day in Cumming, GA when I heard how much he loved me.  I couldn't even fathom it.  I wept all by myself in that church.  That was the day that I prayed to change my life and walk with Him.  I don't remember exactly how it went, but I remember realizing that God loved me although I didn't get that message through "religion".  I got the rules and I saw God as a disciplinarian.  I grew up not really going to church except on Christmas and Easter or when my Grammie would take me and it was boring sitting there as a child.  I am glad that I went to that Women's Conference at a different type of church.  Although I wasn't a hand raiser, I saw the way those ladies worshiped, eyes closed hands raised in praise and I embraced the difference.  Although not my style, it was theirs and it was beautiful.  That day was many years ago and I have regrets that it took me many more years before I really got that it is more than religion and attending church on Sunday.  It is about a relationship with Jesus.  About reading His love story to us, The Bible, praying and for me journaling my thoughts so I can focus and be able to look back on where I was and where I am now.

This morning as I was reading my Bible Reading Plan (read the whole Bible in 6 months) on You Version I read these words in Mark and I began to think about my faith walk.

Mark 4:14-20 The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.

I had no roots.  I heard the Word with Joy but I kept reverting back to the world and was quickly snatched back up in it.  There were times where I was on fire again, after a Women of Faith Conference or something, but that too fizzled out and my seed burned up as it wasn't in good soil.  It took many years and many spiritual mulligans and I am glad God didn't give up on me.

Today I sit here still feeling like a seedling fighting to get enough water and sunlight to not get burned up and slip back into a worldly life.  There is something different.  I know I need a personal relationship with Jesus, every day.  I need His Word from His Book because the world and even religion will lead me astray.  I am reading and learning more than I have ever learned and learning to crave His Word and relationship.  I see when Satan comes and tries to take it away, but I can recognize it and cling more tightly to Him and His promises.

In His Grip,

Jodi

Many Needs.....

I was talking with someone this week about the obvious and many needs here in the Dominican Republic.  As we spoke I told him it is hard.  There are so many needs.  Sometimes helping actually hurts.  Kind of the like the sign at the duck pond, "Don't feed the ducks, because then the ducks can't feed themselves".  Handouts of food can give false hope to a family who waits on the next hand out without looking for work to help themselves.  There are many here that are making due.  Living off the $15 US dollars a day which is typical for work. They survive, their bellies are full, their pants are tight.  Rice is cheap, red beans add a little protein.  Chicken, beef or fish is a treat and only comes infrequently if at all.  Veggies and bread are plentiful and are available off many trucks and motos that drive around the villages.

I am reminded that if I have the means, then I should help.  Not just by a hand out, but by loving, sharing God's love and equipping.  In September  I met Carina and her four precious children.  She is Haitian and lives here in the Dominican in Boca Chica.  She had a husband, she had a house, she had a better life.  But her husband died and then a very short time later, her house burned to the ground, literally.  Life as she knew it was not the same.  She has no family here and her mother in law helps as much as she can with what little she has.  So she found a place to live, a one room apartment with a double bed for the 5 of them to sleep in, a chair and a table to hold the few possessions she has.  She asked how we could help her.  I can't help everyone but I can help the ones that pop in my face.

Carina and her 3 girls and little boy

This is what is left of Carina's house

I asked, "What does it mean to help?"  She has asked if I could build her a new house...like the one we just built for another family.  I explained to her that it wasn't me that built that house, but God provided the funding through people who loved Jesus and gave generously of their own money.  I told her it might be possible in the future to build her a home.

For now, I can hire her to clean my house and give her a little extra money each week.  Her little room that she has provided for her family costs a mere $20 US dollars a month and the little extra I give her is about $5 US dollars a week.  I could very easily give her the money each week and month, but I wanted to give her a feeling of providing for her family, for working for it.  I also give her a wonderful food product that we have from SERV International that gives her family the needed nutrients to fill their bellies.  Not all her kids like it, but hope they will learn to like it over time.  I dug through the kids drawers and gave her our access clothes.

I found out her kids were not in school.  Due to paperwork (which I don't really understand) issues they couldn't go to school and she didn't feel right about them walking across the busy highway to go to school.  I am sure she fears losing something more having them so far away and not close to her.  Miguel one of our Dominican friends took an interest in helping her and took her to numerous appointments to get the paperwork for them to go to school.  Took her to the fire station to get documentation that her house did indeed burn to the ground.  After a month or so, the paperwork was all in place and her four children were ready to go to school.  The next week she came to my house with a list of all the things the kids would need to go to school.  Uniforms, backpacks, shoes, tennis shoes, notebooks, pencils, etc.  So Mike and Miguel took her to the store with all the kids.  I wasn't home so I didn't get to see it, but I would have loved to see it!  Her little boy who is 5 I think loved riding in Mike's truck.  Later he told Mike, "I don't have a daddy" and Mike responded back with "Neither do I, but I have a Father in Heaven who loves me very much, and He loves you too!"  Momma responded with "Amen" and he just had a look of surprise on his little face.

Today when I picked her up, always with a smile on her face, I asked if everything was OK with the kids and their new school.  She said they don't have the money that they need to pay for the school each month.  Ok, so how much is that I asked?  Public school is free but they are not at a private school.  It is by no means a private school, but a school that you do have to pay.  It is about $50.00 a month for all 4 kids.  We are personally helping a lot of other ministries here and doing what we can to help those in need.  We sponsor a little girl, Rosaly in an orphanage in Boca Chica, here in the Dominican.  We sponsor a man in the Amazon who is spreading the love of Jesus there.  We help our friends in the inner city of Atlanta serving with FCA.  We still have a Compassion child in Africa that we have had for years.

So here is where I ask for your help!  Are there 2 people who can help sponsor Carina's family at $25 each?  Or someone who can do the whole thing?  Is someone looking for a family to sponsor for the holidays?  Is there someone that wants to spearhead raising money to build her a new house?  She owns her property, so we would need labor to help and money for materials.  Could you help raise $10,000?  I can hook you up with SERV International who can facilitate it for you.  Save her picture, print it out, and put it on your fridge so you can remember to pray for her and her children or see where God is leading you to help.

Email me at jodilynne21 at gmail or leave a comment here.

There are MANY other needs here that I know of, so if you are lead to help, get in touch with me and I can tell you what the needs are.  Have a heart for women?  There are prostitutes who are off the streets and need sponsoring.  Or a heart for kids?  There are orphanages, a boy's home, or a day care that need people to sponsor their kids.


Hebrews 13:16
And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

In His Grip and Loving His People,

Jodi Shaheen

Twenty Cans of Success

I am reading a book called Victory Over the Darkness ~ Realizing the Power of Your Identity in Christ by Neil T. Anderson.  My friend Whitney had it here in the DR and we were talking one day and she said, "I have a book for you to read".  Then about a week later the same book came up again and another person mentioned the SAME book.  So I started reading it right after that.  There is SO much good information in that book, but in Chapter 6 I found this amazing gem and it really touched me deep in my soul.  

Twenty Cans of Success

1.  Why should I say I can't when the Bible says I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13)

2.  Why should I worry about my needs when I know that God will take care of all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)

3.  Why should I fear when the Bible says God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7)

4.  Why should I lack faith to live for Christ when God has given me a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)

5.  Why should I be weak when the Bible says that the Lord is the strength of my life and that I will display strength and take action because I know God (Psalm 27:1; Daniel 11:23)

6.  Why should I allow Satan control over my life when He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4)

7.  Why should I accept defeat when the Bible says that God always leads me in victory (2 Corinthians 2:14)

8.  Why should I lack wisdom when I know that Christ became wisdom to me from God and God gives wisdom to me generously when I ask Him for it (1 Corinthians 1:30; James 1:5)

9.  Why should I be depressed when I have hope and can recall to mind God's loving-kindness, compassion and faithfulness (Lamentations 3:21-23)

10.  Why should I worry and be upset when I can cast all my anxieties on Christ who cares for me (1 Peter 5:7)

11.  Why should I ever be in bondage knowing that there is freedom where the Spirit of the Lord is (2 Corinthians  3:17)

12.  Why should I feel condemned when the Bible says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)

13.  Why should I feel alone when Jesus said He is with me always and He will never leave me or forsake me (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5)

14.  Why should I feel as if I'm cursed or have bad luck when the Bible says that Christ rescued me from the curse of the law that I might receive His Spirit by faith (Galatians 3:12, 14)

15.  Why should I be unhappy when I, like Paul, can learn to be content whatever the circumstances (Philippians 4:11)

16.  Why should I feel worthless when Christ became sin for me so that I might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21)

17.  Why should I feel helpless in the presence of others when I know that if God is for me, who can be against me (Romans 8:31)

18.  Why should I be confused when God is the author of peace and he gives me a knowledge through His spirit who lives in me (1 Corinthians 2:12; 14:33)

19.  Why should I feel like a failure when I am more than a conqueror through Christ who loved me (Romans 8:37)

20.  Why should I let the pressures of life bother me when I can take courage knowing that Jesus has overcome the world and its problems (John 6:33)

So with these promises we are reminded that God is all powerful and sovereign.  Print these out for the next time you need a reminder of the promises when you follow Christ!

In His Grip,
Jodi Shaheen

Prayer

I have not been the best at praying.  I am good at praying when I need or want something or when I am at the end of myself.  I never just prayed to pray and pray without ceasing....all the time!  I still struggle daily with my quiet time with the Lord.  I mentioned a book before called Confession of a Prayer Slacker, and it had this to say about how to do quiet time with God:

1.  Read at least (AT LEAST) one chapter from the Bible per day.

2.  In a journal write out the following:

A. At least (AT LEAST) one thing you are thankful for

B.  Confession - pray this, Search me o God and know my heart, actions, thoughts, words, attitudes, things I neglected to do, times I ignored God's promptings, and times I have yanked back control in certain areas of my life.  Once you are done see what comes to mind and confess it and ask for forgiveness.

C.  Prayers for others - family, church, church family

D.  Urgent Prayers - natural disasters, etc.

E.  Prayers for America - President, leaders and military

F.  Prayers for those needing saving faith

G.  Personal Prayers - husband, children, self

Another good model to follow is

A - Adoration
C - Confession
T - Thanksgiving
S - Supplication

This has helped me tremendously as I need to have structure to what I am doing, and I am a visual person.  I started out using a piece of paper folded in half and I had a half side of one full sheet for each one of the areas above.  I wanted something that I could change out easier and thought of a spread-sheet but thought it would be too formal.  So I bought a notebook at Target (when I was back in the states) and I have a pocket in the front for my journal, pens, blank business size cards, printouts, special things etc.  Then I bought the business card storage inserts and I have them in there and I have have a page for each of the areas of prayer above, then I write a prayer on each card and slip it into the holder.  I can then remove prayers when they are answered and put those towards the back. In that front pocket I even have an index card with the instructions above.

I am finding that I still need help with prayer so I searched the web and found this video and it took my prayers to another level!!  When I think of prayer as not a petition (what I want or need) and more of a inner mystical awakening and a dialog with God then it is so much more!

Two things really spoke to me in this quick video:

Hover over me God, remind me you are there.

~ Teresa of Avila

and

Please enter where you already abide ~ Marianne Williamson from Illuminta

Here is the rest of the prayer here, I printed this out an put it in the pocket in the front of my prayer binder.

Morning Prayer

Dear God,
I give this day to You.
May my mind stay centered on the things of spirit.
May I not be tempted to stray from love.
As I begin this day, I open to receive You.
Please enter where You already abide.
May my mind and heart be pure and true, and may I not deviate from the things of goodness.
May I see the love and innocence in all mankind, behind the masks we all wear and the illusions of this worldly plane.
I surrender to You my doings this day.
I ask only that they serve You and the healing of the world.
May I bring Your love and goodness with me, to give unto others wherever I go.
Make me the person You would have me be.
Direct my footsteps, and show me what You would have me do.
Make the world a safer, more beautiful place.
Bless all Your creatures.
Heal us all, and use me, dear Lord, that I might know the joy of being used by You.
Amen.
- from Illuminata
Marianne Williamson

It was there all along

Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105

I have this scripture on the wall going up my stairs in my home back in Georgia.

I was just reading an article from Proverb 31 Ministry and at the bottom I saw a link and it said Do you know Jesus? I often still think I am not doing enough or I could be better, so I wanted to read it. Really make sure that I know what I need to know.  It can't hurt right?  I felt like I agreed with what it had to say.  And then I got to the part at the bottom, so you now know Jesus so...now what do you do?  Where was this back when I invited Jesus into my heart 8 or so years ago???

Number 4 says this, and references MY scripture from MY wall, that I looked at every day, multiple times a day but I guess I didn't know what it meant.  Right there in front of my face and I didn't get it!!  Oh so frustrated with myself!

#4  Pray and read your Bible daily:

God communicates His will for your life through His Word and prayer.  Ahem....read that again!  Then it referenced my scripture.

Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105

I shared in my last post about how I feel I wasted a lot of my life after I invited Jesus into my heart back in a Women's Conference about 8 years ago.  I beat myself up because until recently in the past year and a half, I didn't know the TRUE importance of spending time in the Word of God and my personal intimate relationship with Jesus. You know as I write this, I hear God saying "In MY timing, my love! I did this on purpose for your testimony to be what it is.  For you to have the message of this most importantly. Because you didn't get it quickly enough in your mind, you will be able to tell others not to make your mistake. Well I knew then, and know now, what I am doing".

I constantly struggle with the fact that I get these aha moments where I get all fired up and feel like I am finally getting life and my calling and I want to do so much, then I see something shiny :(  I hate how distracted I can be.  I wish I could just drill it into my thick skull that I can only take it one day at a time.  I can only wake up, spend my time in the Word and with the One who created me to be me.  I then can take my day and use it to glorify Him!  Maybe I don't get all the laundry done, maybe the tub still doesn't drain because my hair that is falling out by the bunches, has made it by the foolproof hair catchy thingy that I bought off Amazon.  Well I can be ok waiting outside of an office for my new friend who needs help getting her kids into school.  I can sit and enjoy the sounds of the island, or catch up on some emails, or read my Bible.  I can use the time I would usually feel like I was wasting while I thought about all the things I have to do for good. Instead of thinking too much when I can't do anything anyway, I can sit and pray for my new friend.  My friend who now has to go to the fire station to prove that her house really burned to the ground just months after her husband passed away.  I tear up at her precious heart that now needs to relive that day.  To see those fire trucks that maybe didn't make it to her house in time.  As the little bit of normal she had went up in smoke.  She does it because she wants to see how she can get her 4 kids into school.  She and her children are Haitian and she may not have the right papers and surely not the money to pay for them to go to school.

I need to slow down and not be so concerned about what other people think I should be doing with my life.  I know I need work on my Spanish.  I know I waste time on facebook catching up on all the friends and family I left behind when I came to this country, but it comforts me to feel like a little piece of me still is there.  I need to do what I feel is important.  I need to be a better wife who doesn't always interrupt her husband or yell at her kids.  I need to be a better follower of Christ.  I need more Truth in my life.  I want to leave a legacy.  I want to make a difference.

In His Grip,

Jodi

I am not sure who I wrote this for....

As I write this, it is the 11th anniversary of 9/11.  11 years ago I am sure we all know where we were.  We made promises, wanted to change our ways, love better, be nicer, finally do that one thing we had put off.  We may be the lucky ones because although many of our fellow Americans had died, we were not rocked to the core like those who lost loved ones that day.  But we were still effected in some way.  Life became more precious and we weren't quite as safe as we thought we were.

I see "Never Forget" all over facebook today.  I hope this means that we will always remember.  Remember those loved ones that tragically lost their lives.  Remember that life is short, we never know when it is the 9th inning, 2 outs, bases loaded with a full count.  Remember that we are not in control of what happens in our lives.  We are not guaranteed even another second on this earth.

I hope to see memorials to those lost, those that didn't do anything wrong.  I don't want any press given to the ones that did this.  We must remember and we also must forgive.  We must extend mercy to those that wronged us.  Pray for them.  I know this sounds ridiculous if your loved one died in those towers, but this is what we are called to do if we consider ourselves followers of Jesus.  We are only asked to do the things that are done for us by our Heavenly Father.  He loves us unconditionally and we are to love others.

Matthew 22:36-40

New International Version (NIV)

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

This is the first and greatest commandment. 

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

No if, and or buts to this.  LOVE.  I know this is sometimes hard and it can only be done with the Holy Spirit in you.  Our human minds cannot understand this concept.  Without Jesus in our heart and  filled with the Holy Spirit we cannot do this one on our own.  Too many times we want to cut and paste the Word of God to create what we think we are able to do, and this is dangerous.  Especially when it comes to this.  Oh I can love this one, but oh that one, no way, too much hurt over there.

This week has been a crazy one for me and along with 9/11 and googling brain aneurysm as my brother-in-law lays in a hospital bed when just the day before he was fully functioning, I am reminded of how life can be cut short in an instant.  I am aware that this is not our home.  This referring to earth.  As a follower of Jesus, this earth is only a temporary stop on a spiritual journey for me.  This earth is satan's playground.  Suffering, tears, disappointment, bankruptcy, death, hatred, greed, divorce, sin, sexual abuse, murder all live here.

On a walk one morning I felt convicted on how I share my faith and that I needed to do more.  A friend recently wonderfully and quickly had to defend her faith and I wasn't sure I could do the same.  I am still growing spiritually.  Well I guess we all are right?  I feel like I have these revelations one day and am fired up for the Lord, and then in the next minute I get distracted (squirrel) and I am off after the latest shiny thing that gets my attention.  I crawl back to God and ask for another spiritual mulligan.  There are days when I don't want to read my bible. I would rather listen to a sermon.  I walk by God as he sits and waits patiently for me, same place, same time each day and I tell Him "Maybe later...".  I am ashamed that I keep making the wrong choices.  This adventure in the wilderness is tough.  There are days I am in the bushes tangled up and I can't find my way out.  Then there are days I come across beautiful streams with deer lapping up the cool water.  There are days that are so dark I can barely see my eyes in front of my face and I practically break my skull on a tree right in front of my face. But I keep going.  I ask for another mulligan.  And I am given one.  Every. Single. Time.

Now even though I am a missionary that doesn't mean that I am holy or better than anyone.  I will admit, I am far, far from that.  I am just a lost soul longing for my eternal home in heaven.  God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called.  Boy is this so true!  When God called me to ministry work I was shocked that He would want to use little ole me to His service.  But He did and He is equipping me with what I need to get His work done.

My greatest struggle has been that I haven't shared the Gospel with anyone.  Well, I don't think I have.  I have fallen back on the words of Francis of Assisi "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words."  I have translated that to say live in such a way that it is obvious that you know the Gospel and your actions show it.  I fall short on this even at times, but I am not doing the first part....Preaching the Gospel at all.  I don't feel I am gifted to be a preacher, but I do need to spread the Good News and tell those about Jesus.  I do feel my gift is story telling and I share my faith through my testimony, experiences and stories, but that isn't the same as Preach the Gospel is it?  

If I had some medicine that could cure whatever illness you had, would you want me to give it to you?  I think that question would get a resounding YES!!  Well what if I know something, that I didn't always know, and I know it now, yet I don't share it?  Wow...pressure!!  That is what I feel like.

I know that there was a man named Jesus Christ.  God is His father and sent Him to earth to save us sinners.  He died on a cross, was buried and three days later He rose from the dead.  I believe that this is true and He died for me and my sins so I can have everlasting life in heaven.  I know that I can't do anything to earn this salvation.  It is His free gift to me.  Once I accept His free gift of grace and believe Jesus is my Savior, I can have a relationship with Him. I am a new creation. At this time and afterwards, whenever I repent of my sins, He forgives them.  All that came before is gone.  I am washed clean.  I have a new beginning.  I am born again.  When God looks at me he sees not my personal righteousness but rather He sees Christ's righteousness instead. Instead of my feeble attempts at goodness He see's Christ's perfection on my behalf.    

That is the Gospel according to my simple little mind.  But I said the prayer, I went up for the alter call, tears streamed down my face thinking am I worthy of such love?  Who is this Jesus?  The God I knew was the disciplinarian, not this loving person I am hearing about.  Why has it taken me so long to get it?  Because I don't think that once I had it, that I knew what to do with it.  Why almost 10 years later am I coming across the sticky note that says "Hey, this is Jesus, and I need a relationship with you"?

I found this this below here, and I think it sums it up nicely....

"Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (John 17:3). Most people believe in God, even Satan does. But to receive salvation, we must turn to God, form a personal relationship, turn away from our sins, and follow Him. We must trust in Jesus with everything we have and everything we do. "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference" (Romans 3:22). The Bible teaches that there is no other way to salvation than through Christ. Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Notice that it says:

1. Turn to God
2. Form a personal relationship
3. Turn away from your sins
4. Follow Him

Go to Him even before you are perfect (which you will never be).  Before you have your act together.  Don't wait until you finish this, or finish that, or do this, or do that.  Now.  If you turn to Him and have that personal relationship He will reveal your sins.  Sometimes you may not have even thought you were sinning.  Through prayer He will reveal them and with the power of the Holy Spirit you won't want to act the same way again.  You will begin to act differently.  You will be convicted to be more Christlike.

That day at the Women's Convention in Cumming, GA the sanctification process began.  By definition sanctification is the process of allowing the holy character of God to be manifested in the behavior of regenerated men.  Joyce Meyer explains it to be much like a pregnancy.  There is a seed planted the day that you commit to Jesus.  No one may even know that you have made this decision.  But the seed is there and it grows.  Just like a real pregnancy there comes a time that you must deliver the baby, or in the life of a believer, share what you know.  Spread the Good News.  Tell your story, give your testimony, share the Gospel, tell others why you have the hope that you do, why you love the unlovable, why you forgive the unforgivable, why are you so different than the others.  Notice I said different...not better?

Only within the last year have I really known about the importance of a personal, intimate relationship with God.  Without this I do not think we can truly be a Christ follower.  If we just go to church and try to be a good person we will still feel empty and unfulfilled.  But without quiet time in discussion with the Lord and reading the Word of God it just doesn't happen.  I didn't get this.  Days that I don't start my day with the Lord I see how I can slowly slip back into my old life.  Slowly, without even noticing, the enemy tries to claim me back.  I will admit, that old life was easier.  I even have purposely tried to avoid the spiritual attacks that happen to me only when I am right with God and seem to disappear when I am far away.  I forget that I may suffer for the Lord. The enemy will try to ruin my day.  Little by little I will become the most ungodly person I know.  Small things will bother me and I will exhibit behavior that I am ashamed of and must confess over and over and over.  I can't do it alone.  I may wake up in the morning and say "Today I am only going to speak sweetness to my spouse and children".  But without first starting my day in prayer, repentance, thanksgiving and communion with the Lord I am sure to fail.  I can't do it alone, and as soon as I speak that "I" am going to try, I will fail.  I must invite the Holy Spirit to fill me, and with the Holy Spirit in me, I can use His words in speaking sweetness to everyone.

Question: "Is Jesus the only way to Heaven?" from this website, says it better than I can....

Answer: "I'm basically a good person, so I'll go to heaven." "OK, so I do some bad things, but I do more good things, so I'll go to heaven." "God won't send me to hell just because I don't live by the Bible. Times have changed!" "Only really bad people like child molesters and murderers go to hell."

These are all common rationalizations, but the truth is that they are all lies. Satan, the ruler of the world, plants these thoughts in our heads. He, and anyone who follows his ways, is an enemy of God (1Peter 5:8). Satan is a deceiver and often disguises himself as someone good (2 Corinthians 11:14), but he has control over all the minds that do not belong to God. "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Corinthians 4:4).

We are either following God or we are attached to satan's puppet strings.  We are either on Team Jesus or we are on Team satan.  By not making a decision you are by allowing satan to control your mind.  He will deceive you.  He will make you believe that success, money, a big house, a beautiful car...these are things that are important.  As it says above but he has control over all the minds that do not belong to God.

So, that medicine I was talking about....it is a relationship with Jesus.  It is more than being a fan, it is about being a follower. It is about digging into the Word of God for yourself.  These are just my thoughts, and you must find your own way.  But I suggest the following based on wishing I knew this back then....read, read and read the Bible some more.  Study. Rely on the Word of God above everything else!  Be careful of starting out with your friend's recommendation of their latest favorite Christian book.  Your favorite on-line pastor may even have it wrong.  Your parents may have it wrong.  Your wife may have it wrong.  Once you read the Word yourself, you can distinguish what is Truth and what is NOT.  Rely on the whispers from God while you are praying and worshiping and reading His Holy Word.  That day, I think I can call the day I was saved, I didn't know what to do with it.  I didn't have anyone to disciple me.  So I did nothing and that is dangerous.  I regularly went to church on Sundays and I tried to be a nice person.  I did find it difficult to read the Bible at first.  First mistake was that I opened to page one and started to read.  Not always the best way.  I think it is good to start with the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  I used a great website or app called You Version, you can find a link here.  They have many reading plans and versions of the Bible.  I had a hard time understanding the Bible at first.  I would read and start daydreaming, suddenly remembering things I needed to do, (squirrel....shiny thing) and I would read pages, and then not even know what I read.  Then I heard about The Message version of the Bible.  My husband gave me a dual Bible with The Message on one side of the page and the NIV version on the other side.   Buy the book or the app Jesus Calling.  It is a quick daily devotional that will help you understand how much Jesus loves you.  I bought my Son The Action Bible and it is great for even us adults who think we got the story the first time.  Start reading with your kids and you can learn right along side them!  Even if you can quote 743 bible verses and have read the Bible 249 times, it is still the relationship that is the most important thing.  We can be a fan and know everything there is to know, but there is still nothing like the intimate time in the Word and in prayer and this is where the relationship builds.

Matthew 7:21-23 warns us....

 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

"I never knew you"

Ouch!

Please, make sure He knows who you are.  Please.

He won't know you unless you spend intimate time in His Word and prayer.  I read a book that was helpful called Confession of a Prayer Slacker, this may be the best $2.99 I have ever spent!!

I once spent about 7 days around a young man who I am still amazed at.  It wasn't until after his death at just 16 years old did I really get to know about him and his walk with the Lord.  His name is Holt Rowland and he makes me want to be a better follower.  Here is an earlier post with more info if you want to read more.  Here is a video I made for his family on the one year anniversary of his trip to heaven.  If you have about 12 minutes, you can see what I was talking about above in action.

I would love to hear from you, if you want to send me a message you can do so at jodilynne21@gmail.com.

In His Grip,

Jodi

My new friend

So in the back of my neighborhood there is a home.  It is not your typical home.  It is not a building.  It is kind of like a fort.  You can't see it good from the road.  It is made out of the bushes.  There is a little path.  The way I knew it was a home was from the smoke coming from the small cooking fire.  From the clothes that were hung off the bush.

Since we have lived here since January, I wondered who lived there.  I didn't see anyone, but it was evident that someone did live there.  So the other day I saw him working in a garden near by.  I said good morning to him and he responded back with a big smile, hello and a wave.  I walked back home and found a Jesus loves you backpack, some snacks, a couple of lifesaver candies and a Messenger (audio bible with New Testament and Charles Stanley messages) in Spanish.  I just handed him the backpack and told him I had a gift for him.  He thanked me profusely over and over and over again.  I don't think anyone pays much attention to him.  Ever.

We wave to each other and say hi each morning.  He is up early working in his garden.  In the hot, hot sun.  He chops away with his machete.  Every morning.

Today I walked up to him.

Asked his name.

He said his name Licien.

He is my new friend.

I love him.

In his grip,

Jodi