THe Average Jane Journal #61 - Something to Admit

Since writing my last journal entry, I have had to admit something to myself and to God. The last few days while pondering on my son's future, and thinking I had given it all to God; I discovered something. Anytime I would ponder the question "What if he goes into ministry?" I immediately wanted to shout "No, Lord, please no". Isn't that sad?? We all have career choices we would NOT want our children to make, but my top of the list is going into ministry!! I know why I feel this way, but it just made me realize I had not fully given my son's future over to the Lord. I'm not saying that I can control it, I'm just saying I hadn't let go of it. (I'm also not saying that God told me my son would be in ministry.)

So anyway, I admitted to God that I was still holding on and felt like sharing that. Bottom line is this: If my son is the local town mechanic or he has some sort of "stage" in his future; if his priority is God in everything he does, then that is the future I want for him.

The Average Jane Journal #60 - My Dream for My Son

That's my son Jackson, and as most of you know it is my heart's desire to see this kid find God someday. And I know he will someday, because I feel like God has told me so. So now I just wait...praying and dreaming about the man of God I desire him to be. I don't just want him to be satisfied with being saved from Hell, I desire for him to totally get it; for God to be his everything. I don't want much huh? But I know you all understand, I'm sure you want the same for your kids.

We all know Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I have been praying that lately for my son. I have been asking God what His plans are for my son and telling Him that I'm excited to see what they are. I know that faithfulness goes right beside the promise to that verse; and that is where my desire for Jackson to one day be totally bananas for God comes from. I want him to experience that plan God has for him, and I desire it to be a great plan. (Yes, I know I'm a bit partial there-but I totally leave it up to God.)

And listen how cool that verse sounds in The Message translation, "I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." It's not much different but it made my heart swell when I read that version. As much as I can dream about my son's future-God can dream bigger. I pray that my son's heart will eventually catch that dream.

This morning I heard a song that felt like "home" when I heard it. It is a song about a father praying for his child. The singer is a guy that is a member of my church, but he never gets to go because he travels on the weekends to sing at other churches or conferences, etc. I have seen him sing three times now and I always love his stories. I hope you enjoy the words to this song as much as I did-maybe it will give you a new excitement for praying for your children and wondering what their God plan is.


"Thought You Should Know" by Danny Oertli

It started on the day you were born,
I wanted you to have everything.
Now it seems my conscience is torn
between what I desire and what I believe.
What kind of man would I be if
I didn't pray for you what my father prayed for me?

So I pray with all my heart
That you will be broken
and in brokenness find God.
And I pray that you will fall
and falling down you'll stand to rise above it all.
I pray that God would break you as you grow.
Thought you should know.

As you walk down your winding road
faith and love will go a long way.
You'll learn all you'll need to know,
that life is hard yet love remains.
I wish you nothing but the best
so I'm asking God to put you to the test.

I pray that God would break you as you grow,
and I'm with you every step upon that road.
Thought you should know.

The Average Jane Journal #59 - Are You Dreamin'?

Has anyone been dreamin'? God dreamin'? I encourage you to ask God "What did you make me to do? What is my special talent that I can use for you?" (in less you already know the answer, then "yeah" for you)
I have to say I'm in an excited and fearful place; and I realize how that fear could take over so I'm trying to stay focused, faithful, and encouraged. Just wanted to share some things(from Janie Baer http://godswordalive.com/blog/?p=481) about dreamin' with God that are really encouraging me. Sweet dreams to you all!! Go set the world on fire for God's glory!!

God has made you a dreamer, like Himself, for you were created in His likeness and image.

Dreamers are people who can see things that others cannot see and are the most powerful people on the earth.

God given dreams are God’s dreams, God’s hopes, God’s desires, and God’s plans for you that are already planned out and ready for you to discover and live.

God given dreams come from God and are spoken to your spirit and are different from simple, flimsy wishes, for they capture your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, your imagination and your spirit.

God given dreams show you how God sees you and how He wants you to see yourself. (I love this one)

God given dreams are something you will embrace and they will embrace you.

God given dreams are something you won’t be able to set aside, for they will consume your thoughts, bring excited expectation of their fulfillment and stir a passion inside you to see them become reality in your life.

God given dreams stir your imagination and bring you into an expectant hope of living in those dreams.

God given dreams require you to become a dreamer, a big dreamer!

God given dreams are a testimony of the greatness of your God.


Another dreamin' with God song!!

Set the World on Fire by Britt Nicole

I wanna set the world on fire
Until it's burning bright for You
It's everything that I desire
Can I be the one You use?

[CHORUS]
I, I am small but
You, You are big enough
I, I am weak but
You, You are strong enough to
Take my dreams
Come and give them wings
Lord with You
Nothing I can not do
Nothing I cannot do

The Average Jane Journal #58 - Dreamin'

I'm dreaming again-not "sleep dreams", but exploring my desires and praying about what matches up with God's will for my life. Exploring those desires that He gave me, and what He wants me to do with them for His purpose. I'm excited and back to looking forward with a little more hope and faith. I can't say I'm perfect, without some setbacks; but I'm ready to dream again. I want to dream again-and see where God takes me. I feel like God has given me a dream for this season in my life, and I am looking back at a couple of things in my childhood that is making me realize that maybe this was my course all along. I wonder if this desire God has given me would have come to surface a long time ago if I had made different choices when younger. Isn't it wild to think back to one decision, and wonder what would have happened differently?

So as I keep dreaming, I'm praying for the strength and courage to follow my dreams. I guess I'm not 100% sure if it is from God, but I am going to keep moving forward till I have a door shut. When praying for strength, that includes not giving up and letting the enemy squash my dreams. I don't want to be reading this journal entry three months from now and not even remember what my dream was.

Thanks for listening, and sweet dreams!! What dreams has God given you? (More about my life dream later.)

Acts 5:38b - 39

"For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."


My daily anthem song to God:

Unbreakable by Firefly


God, I want to dream again
Take me where I've never been
I want to go there
This time I'm not scared
Now I am unbreakable, it's unmistakable
No one can touch me
Nothing can stop me

Sometimes it's hard to just keep going
But faith is moving without knowing
Can I trust what I can't see
To reach my destiny
I want to take control but I know better

Forget the fear it's just a crutch
That tries to hold you back
And turn your dreams to dust
All you need to do is just trust

The Average Jane Journal #57 - Movie Quote #3

"It ain't about survin', it's about being useful."

I love this quote, just wish I didn't have to DAILY remind myself of this truth. :)

The Average Jane Journal #56 - Do People See You as Powerful?

God is strong, so then why are our churches full of weak people? By that I mean, we feel like we can't do things that God has told us to do; we are cowards at times. I know I am a coward when it comes to witnessing and when doing other things in life that I feel like God has told me to do. I know sometimes I am a coward when it comes to stepping out and doing something out of the norm.

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power..." 2 Timothy 1:7

I love this illustration that I heard this morning. A pastor I was listening to said that a member of his church was one of the "strongest men in the world" - that show they have on ESPN. He is a huge, powerful man. His wife is also a strong person, benching 275 lbs. So a very powerful, strong couple - physical strength speaking. So how do you expect their children to look? Wouldn't you be surprised if they had skinny, scrawny, bony children? Wouldn't you expect healthy, strong children from two people like that?

So if we believe God to be the most powerful being there is, why do we so easily accept that it is ok for His children to be weak? We should be strong, faithful, confident children!! Right??!!

God's power should give us courage, when you are feeling fearful focus on God's power and strength; not your own. Remember we have the same power living in us that raised Jesus from the dead. I CAN DO THIS, I HAVE GOD ON MY SIDE!!!! We are children of the "strongest man in the world", we should not be "scrawny, skinny, bony" (faithless, fearful, noncaring) children.

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." Phil 4:13

God is our Creator, who are we to tell Him we can't do something. We need to come back to a reverence of the power of God. Do people see that power inside you?

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The Average Jane Journal #55 - Strong Women of God

This is short and sweet, I loved this quote I received in an email from my pal yesterday. YOU GO GIRLS!!!!

Be the kind of woman
that when your feet
hit the floor each
morning the devil says
"Oh Crap, She's up!"

The Average Jane Journal #54 - Yes, No, Wait

God spoke to me through a quote this past week.

Person #1 (speaking to Person #2) "You pray like you expect an answer."


Person #2 "That's the best way to get one."

I can see the obvious lesson from this quote would be to pray and believe you will get an answer; and that's a great way(the only way) to pray. But for my lesson, it was more than that. My lesson was about the answer. I find myself so focused on the "thing" I have prayed for that I make it so difficult, when really it's very simple. There are three answers - Yes, No, or Wait. Instead of me focusing on the "thing" I can keep it simple and just wait for one of those three actions from God. God has shown me that the answer is not the "thing", it's His action in my life.

This might not make sense to you, but for me it sort of simplified things and allowed my heart to focus on just talking to God and not get hung up on the "thing". I was just in a place where God needed to show me something about my prayer life, reminding me that it is simple conversation between me and my Creator.