Back in March, I was featured on Lysa Terkeurst's blog. Lysa is the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries. It was, in my eyes, a big deal, simply because I wrote what I felt upon reading her book, Becoming More Than Just A Good Bible Study Girl. I just spoke from my heart. It's like getting rewarded for something that you get great pleasure out of. 


On that day, when Lysa announced that I was going to be featured, she mentioned that she would send me a prize. That was like a cherry on top of an already delicious dessert. So, I waited to see what the mailman would bring. Well, I'm happy to report that last week, the mailman did indeed deliver. 

Don’t you just love it when you make a call about one thing and find out about something else? I do. It’s like getting an extra prize in your cereal box or doing a two-for-the-price-of one deal. Exciting!


Well, come to find out that one of my family members through marriage is getting promoted. He’s in the military. I’m so excited for him. I remember when one of my good school mates was promoted to the rank of Major and invited me to his ceremony (he’s in the Army – I wrote about him in my Army Strong post). His ceremony was sooooo very nice. I really enjoyed myself. I’ll never forget it – even though I had to drive to what seemed like the end of the world to get there!


It’s always good to advance in something that you love to do. Oh yea, Chunk's mom is getting promoted too. She'll change ranks right before she deploys.


It’s such a blessing to see tangibly how God moves in the lives of my family and friends. And that, I guess, is in some ways, yet another extra prize. I’ve got prizes flowing from every corner. Isn’t that just fantastic? And guess what? You do too!


We can choose to look at each opportunity we face as a hindrance, obstacle or something equally unpleasant. Or, we can make a decision to look at every aspect of our lives and choose to see God working in them. Maturity, though hard-won, has taught me to choose the latter.


I hope you will join me in viewing every situation with the right perspective. I hope you will see that it is so much better, and peaceful, to look at each situation with an eye towards God – looking for the extra prize, and seeing His hand in it.


Happy Thursday Y’all!

The society we live in says we can do what we want, when we want. We have that "Burger King" mentality where we think we can have everything our way. And, while that may be true for some things, it is definately not true regarding the Kingdom of God. You cannot do any and everything that you want to do and still expect to get into Heaven.

This is how I know, I read Galatians 5 with particular emphasis on verses 14-21. Pasted below is the New Living Translation version of the passage. I chose this translation because it makes things very plain. The King James Version is good too, but I didn't want you to get tripped up on some words if you are not familiar with the verbage from that time. In other words, I just want to make sure you can see this text as clearly as possible - and if you have another translation that's even clearer, feel free to paste the reference in the comments section below.

If you can see yourself in this passage then you know you’ve got some work to do. In fact, if we are all honest with ourselves, we have visited these areas in our past even if we aren’t there now. 


So, as I’ve said, you cannot do anything you (your flesh) wants to do and still think you’re going to kick your feet up in Heaven. Don't be deceived. You cannot live according to the flesh and reap the reward of the those who live according to the Spirit. No, your flesh (and mine, and everybody else's that plans to go to Heaven) will have to come into submission to the Spirit.

Read the following Scripture and know that: (1) it’s time for a change; time to get right with God or (2) thank God that you have been changed and these are no longer your activities. Then finally, PRAY for your family, friends and our nation because these items ensnarl them in ways in which they do not realize.


The passage reads:

    "For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."


But if instead of showing love among yourselves you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.


So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.

The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict.

But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law.

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God."

So now the real question becomes, "where do you want to spend eternity?" You cannot have it both ways.