The Average Jane Journal #36
Saturday, February 28, 2009
I have been struggling a bit lately. I keep giving in to listening to the "dark side", believing things that are not true. I have been trying to get back on track(as best I can), and just keep things simple. So I have been reminding myself of just two simple truths.
Truth #1
God loves me, no matter what. He is Truth, and the only Truth I need-never changing. His grace and mercies are more than enough for me. I will fail and God will always be there to pick me up. God knows my heart.
Truth #2
"There is a glory to your life that your enemy fears, and is hell-bent on destroying that glory before you act on it. The story of your life is the story of the long and brutal assault on your heart by the one who knows what you could be and fears it." (quote from Waking the Dead)
I have opposition in this world, an enemy who hates my God and wants me to turn my back on God. The "dark side" is not only in the movies-my fears, anger, rejection, pride, feelings of failure, etc are feelings that can lead to listening to the author of lies. I have been struggling a lot with feelings of failure-trying to be perfect. "Perfection is our enemy"-a line from a song I heard recently; oh how that fact hit home for me. I am determined to fight the "dark side" and become what my enemy fears-a life that brings glory.
(I have to give a shout out to my fellow Star Wars fans. Never give into the dark side.)
"Voice of Truth" by Casting Crown
Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out His hand
But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"
Chorus:
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
The voice of truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
But the giant's calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"
But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them lookin' down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
The Average Jane Journal #35 - God's Oscar
The Average Jane Journal #35
February 22, 2009
I watched the Oscar Awards tonight. I have a bit of a confession to make-I LOVE award shows. I always have. I remember watching them as a teenager. I had my lists ready, with all the nominees and marked the winners in my notebook. Boys grew up with their sports stats, well I had a notebook full of music and acting awards.
Tonight I was thinking about my love of music and acting-basically a love of entertainment. Since being a child, I have always thought how cool it would be to be a singer or an actor; skills I was not given, sadly. I have also wondered what it must feel like to write a song, book or movie-to have my feelings, words, experiences touch someone else. But it dawned on me tonight that basically I dream of creating something.
We were created in God’s image. Well, since He is our Creator-doesn’t it make sense that we might have a desire to create also? I think we all have a bit of that desire in us, a desire to create something that means something to someone.
The big questions is-what am I creating? Is it worthy of the ultimate Creator’s approval? Whether you enjoy the same things I do or not, we all have skills, dreams, passions-we can all create.
Never forget-God created you and you mean something.
You are God’s Oscar!!
February 22, 2009
I watched the Oscar Awards tonight. I have a bit of a confession to make-I LOVE award shows. I always have. I remember watching them as a teenager. I had my lists ready, with all the nominees and marked the winners in my notebook. Boys grew up with their sports stats, well I had a notebook full of music and acting awards.
Tonight I was thinking about my love of music and acting-basically a love of entertainment. Since being a child, I have always thought how cool it would be to be a singer or an actor; skills I was not given, sadly. I have also wondered what it must feel like to write a song, book or movie-to have my feelings, words, experiences touch someone else. But it dawned on me tonight that basically I dream of creating something.
We were created in God’s image. Well, since He is our Creator-doesn’t it make sense that we might have a desire to create also? I think we all have a bit of that desire in us, a desire to create something that means something to someone.
The big questions is-what am I creating? Is it worthy of the ultimate Creator’s approval? Whether you enjoy the same things I do or not, we all have skills, dreams, passions-we can all create.
Never forget-God created you and you mean something.
You are God’s Oscar!!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Average Jane Journal #34 - Our Adoption
The Average Jane Journal #34
February 19, 2009
I wanted to share this article I just read. I really liked the way it showed the picture of us being adopted by God, a story to show the depth of God's love and the price He paid to adopt us.
Ultimate Security
A local businessman was in to share with our Ministry Team a while back, and he made a fascinating observation about his family. He's got three children; two are all grown up and in their late 20s. His youngest is just a nine year old girl. He assured us that she wasn't a "mistake." In fact, she was their choice. And he pointed out something the authorities made very clear at the time the adoption went through. There could come a time when he had a major falling out with one of his natural-born children - a time when he could conceivably, as a father, disown that child; even put him out of the will. But not so with this girl he was adopting. He was legally committed to never disown her, to never put her out of his will, and to always take care of her. They said, in essence, "When you adopt a child, she is your child forever."
For my businessman friend, that experience with adoption opened up a whole new world in terms of his personal relationship with God. It could be the same for you. Because adoption plays a central part in whether or not you actually belong to God, whether or not you go to heaven when you die.
In our word for today from the Word of God, the Lord pulls back the curtain of eternity to let us see this panoramic view of how God has planned and provided for you joining His family. Ephesians 1:4 says this: "In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons (or His children) through Jesus Christ...In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." God has had His eye on you before there was a world! And He made a plan to adopt you into His family so you could be with Him forever.
There are few more comforting and more peace-giving words in the English language than this one - secure. But security may be something you've never had much of in your life. You've experienced a lot of conditional love, performance love, but not much love that would be there no matter how unlovable you are. Maybe there have been people or positions or things that were your security blanket but they're gone, and with them, that sense of being safe. If you've been disappointed in relationships, if you've been hurt a lot, or if you're tired of losing what you were hanging onto, then you're ready to be adopted by God.
Remember what the authorities told my friend, "When you adopt a child, she is yours forever." That's the kind of unshakable, unlosable security God is offering you. Adoptions can be expensive. For God to adopt you, the price was unthinkable - the sacrifice of His one and only Son on the cross. Because there's no way you could be a daughter or son in God's family with all the wrong things you've done. After all, God the Father is perfect. But, as the verse says, God offers forgiveness of sins through the blood Jesus shed on the cross. Your sin was paid for so your sin could be forgiven. And God stands ready to make you His child.
But only if you want Him to. Only if you'll pin all your hopes on Jesus and what He did on the cross for you. At the moment you give yourself to Jesus, you are adopted into God's family, and you finally belong. You're finally secure.
If you're ready to join God's family, would you tell Jesus that? And then, I hope you'll go to our website where you'll find a lot of valuable, practical information on how to be sure you belong to Jesus Christ. It's YoursForLife.net. I hope you'll go there at your first convenience today. Or you can call and get for no charge my booklet Yours For Life just by calling 877-741-1200.
Your lifelong search for a love you could never lose can end this very day. God has paid the price to adopt you. His arms are open wide. It's time for you to run into your Father's waiting arms. Once you do, He'll never let you go.
Copyright © 2008 Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.christianity.com
February 19, 2009
I wanted to share this article I just read. I really liked the way it showed the picture of us being adopted by God, a story to show the depth of God's love and the price He paid to adopt us.
Ultimate Security
A local businessman was in to share with our Ministry Team a while back, and he made a fascinating observation about his family. He's got three children; two are all grown up and in their late 20s. His youngest is just a nine year old girl. He assured us that she wasn't a "mistake." In fact, she was their choice. And he pointed out something the authorities made very clear at the time the adoption went through. There could come a time when he had a major falling out with one of his natural-born children - a time when he could conceivably, as a father, disown that child; even put him out of the will. But not so with this girl he was adopting. He was legally committed to never disown her, to never put her out of his will, and to always take care of her. They said, in essence, "When you adopt a child, she is your child forever."
For my businessman friend, that experience with adoption opened up a whole new world in terms of his personal relationship with God. It could be the same for you. Because adoption plays a central part in whether or not you actually belong to God, whether or not you go to heaven when you die.
In our word for today from the Word of God, the Lord pulls back the curtain of eternity to let us see this panoramic view of how God has planned and provided for you joining His family. Ephesians 1:4 says this: "In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons (or His children) through Jesus Christ...In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." God has had His eye on you before there was a world! And He made a plan to adopt you into His family so you could be with Him forever.
There are few more comforting and more peace-giving words in the English language than this one - secure. But security may be something you've never had much of in your life. You've experienced a lot of conditional love, performance love, but not much love that would be there no matter how unlovable you are. Maybe there have been people or positions or things that were your security blanket but they're gone, and with them, that sense of being safe. If you've been disappointed in relationships, if you've been hurt a lot, or if you're tired of losing what you were hanging onto, then you're ready to be adopted by God.
Remember what the authorities told my friend, "When you adopt a child, she is yours forever." That's the kind of unshakable, unlosable security God is offering you. Adoptions can be expensive. For God to adopt you, the price was unthinkable - the sacrifice of His one and only Son on the cross. Because there's no way you could be a daughter or son in God's family with all the wrong things you've done. After all, God the Father is perfect. But, as the verse says, God offers forgiveness of sins through the blood Jesus shed on the cross. Your sin was paid for so your sin could be forgiven. And God stands ready to make you His child.
But only if you want Him to. Only if you'll pin all your hopes on Jesus and what He did on the cross for you. At the moment you give yourself to Jesus, you are adopted into God's family, and you finally belong. You're finally secure.
If you're ready to join God's family, would you tell Jesus that? And then, I hope you'll go to our website where you'll find a lot of valuable, practical information on how to be sure you belong to Jesus Christ. It's YoursForLife.net. I hope you'll go there at your first convenience today. Or you can call and get for no charge my booklet Yours For Life just by calling 877-741-1200.
Your lifelong search for a love you could never lose can end this very day. God has paid the price to adopt you. His arms are open wide. It's time for you to run into your Father's waiting arms. Once you do, He'll never let you go.
Copyright © 2008 Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.christianity.com
Sunday, February 15, 2009
The Average Jane Journal #33 - Regret
The Average Jane Journal
February 15, 2009
I'm sure we all have regrets as we look back on our lives. I'm writing with regret on my heart as I look back on something I wished I had done differntly.
This past year marked 20 years since my high school graduation. I did not go to the reunion, and just this past week discovered a website dedicated for my class-pictures, contact info, etc. I had so much fun looking at all the pix of everyone-"looking back" pix and "now" pix. But then I clicked on the section marked "in memory of" and my breath stopped for a second. I had no idea that one of my friends had passed away. I don't even know the details of her death, but it saddens me so.
We were close friends through junior high and some through high school. Then after high school I tried a couple of times to stay in contact, and have thought about her so many times through the years.
First of all, if you haven't already experienced this, it is so weird to find out that a person the same age as you has died-someone you spent so much time with when younger. (I guess I will experience that more the older I get.)
The regret I have been feeling the last few days comes from me wondering about this friend's faith. Did she know Jesus?
I have spent so many wasted years. I have been to church all my life, and accepted Jesus when I was 14; but showing my faith was not an important part of my life when I was in school. I have always admired teens when I hear about them living their lives for God while in school. What a horrible place to choose to live for God-that takes love for God!! We always think about things we would have done differently if we had the chance. I would defintely want to live a better life for God if I had to go back. I wish I could go back and talk to my friend.
February 15, 2009
I'm sure we all have regrets as we look back on our lives. I'm writing with regret on my heart as I look back on something I wished I had done differntly.
This past year marked 20 years since my high school graduation. I did not go to the reunion, and just this past week discovered a website dedicated for my class-pictures, contact info, etc. I had so much fun looking at all the pix of everyone-"looking back" pix and "now" pix. But then I clicked on the section marked "in memory of" and my breath stopped for a second. I had no idea that one of my friends had passed away. I don't even know the details of her death, but it saddens me so.
We were close friends through junior high and some through high school. Then after high school I tried a couple of times to stay in contact, and have thought about her so many times through the years.
First of all, if you haven't already experienced this, it is so weird to find out that a person the same age as you has died-someone you spent so much time with when younger. (I guess I will experience that more the older I get.)
The regret I have been feeling the last few days comes from me wondering about this friend's faith. Did she know Jesus?
I have spent so many wasted years. I have been to church all my life, and accepted Jesus when I was 14; but showing my faith was not an important part of my life when I was in school. I have always admired teens when I hear about them living their lives for God while in school. What a horrible place to choose to live for God-that takes love for God!! We always think about things we would have done differently if we had the chance. I would defintely want to live a better life for God if I had to go back. I wish I could go back and talk to my friend.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
The Average Jane Journal #32 - Dinner With Jesus
The Average Jane Journal #32
February 8, 2009
I just watched an amazing movie and wanted to pass on the suggestion. The movie is called "The Perfect Stranger", and is about a woman having dinner with Jesus. Just like when I read "The Shack" and wanted a weekend away with God, this movie made me want a dinner with Jesus. I was totally weeping in the movie, but in a good way. I was also surprised at how defensive I felt when the woman was being rude in the beginning to Jesus.
I also watched the sequel, "Another Perfect Stranger". It was good also, and I suggest watching it. But I was more moved by the first one, probably because the main character was an adult woman and the second movie was a girl aged 19 or 20-but still the points talked about were great. Both movies touched on Heaven and hell, suffering, "religion" verses relationship, and God's perfect love for us.
Revelation 3:20
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."
I hope you enjoy them, maybe throw me a line on anything that moved you.
Friday, February 6, 2009
The Average Jane Journal # 31 - Moron
The Average Jane Journal #31
February 6, 2009
Hey guess what? You're a moron!!!!
I was chitchatting with one of my fav gal pals this week. I was expressing to her how I wonder why when I have experienced God's "peace that passes understanding", why then do I end up looking elsewhere sometimes? I was telling her how I was such a moron.
I told her how I used to always wonder how the Israelites could be such morons, after "seeing" God so many times. But now that I'm older and wiser(no comment), I see that I am just as big a moron as them. The only difference is that I do not have all my failings written down in a book for everyone to read them.(hopefully my personal journals never get published). But you know what, God always loved the Israelites-through their discipline and their high points. And I know that God loves this moron also.
So I just thought it was funny that I was calling myself a moron, because I know I fail all the time. I guess you could say we all are.
February 6, 2009
Hey guess what? You're a moron!!!!
I was chitchatting with one of my fav gal pals this week. I was expressing to her how I wonder why when I have experienced God's "peace that passes understanding", why then do I end up looking elsewhere sometimes? I was telling her how I was such a moron.
I told her how I used to always wonder how the Israelites could be such morons, after "seeing" God so many times. But now that I'm older and wiser(no comment), I see that I am just as big a moron as them. The only difference is that I do not have all my failings written down in a book for everyone to read them.(hopefully my personal journals never get published). But you know what, God always loved the Israelites-through their discipline and their high points. And I know that God loves this moron also.
So I just thought it was funny that I was calling myself a moron, because I know I fail all the time. I guess you could say we all are.
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