Being a Finisher

I read in my Oswald Chambers devotion for today...about being a finisher. (espec over despair)

The disciples were placed in this situation in the Garden with Jesus when He asked them to pray and they instead slept.

How many times have I looked back onto the past with the same despair of making a decision, and only to regret it later? Yet Christ comes to me just as He did to the disciples and says, "Come, let us get up..." For the Disciples the next thing led their Lord to a cross, one intended for us to bear not the Perfect Messiah.

O.C. last sentence is what really got me. "Never let the sense of past failure defeat your next step." Where would the Disciples be without the next step? Oh yes, it was one that was reaped in tragedy, but We know the end of the story! Jesus took that step for the freedom of our eternal lives.

Despair can cripple a ministry, a friendship, a marriage, or even a career. I don't want to be defined by my past steps, but the ones I have chosen to follow in obedience to His love for me.

In the front of my Bible there is a quote. This quote is not a scholars, or teachers, it's a sports commentator's.. There were 2 commentators talking about the late Walter Payton. My quote reads, " Walter Payton in his career with the Chicago Bears ran for a total of 9 miles in yards. The amazing thing is this was while getting knocked down EVERY 4.6 yards!!!"

Heb 12:2-3 tells us, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter (Teleiotes - to complete, a completer, perfecter, particularly one who reaches a goal so as to win the prize (lexical aids)) of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning it's shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

I love the translation of perfecter...yet what grabbed me was our focus. "let us fix our eyes" or "consider him who endured", these all require our focus to come off our despair and take the next step with Him. Walter Payton was a running back who's main focus is 10 yards. A touchdown is always nice, but his primary concern is getting those 10 yards. He never lost focus as his career stats tell us. I pray that my life with Christ can be seen in the same scope, that one could say, "She never lost her focus, and she finished her race well."

Thank you Lord, for your willingness to take the next step for me. I desire to be a finisher, let me do so today. Let me lay aside all despair from past choices which have the desire to pull me backwards. Let me keep my eyes on you, the author and FINISHER of my Faith. I love you Lord!

Snow in the South

How amazing is His creation in this beautiful snow.

This is my fave place to go in my back yard during the summer to sit and pray.

Mr. Patch and Gehrig, she wants to play

Patch investigating

Home Sweet Home

My light :) when i first bought the house, i had to call the previous

owners, to see if there was a switch, it's on solar power :) LOL, but

the yellow jasmine that grows lights it up in the summer too ;)

Thought I would share some of the pics from this weekend, my animals went out too. Even Patch got to put Gehrig's leash on and step out into the snow. hope you enjoy...

my fave things ;)

Sis, Adrienne and myself w/ Gehrig Hiking

(her husband Jay took the pic)

Me and my "girl"

Rainbow Falls, SC

This is one of my fave hikes to do (not right now of course) but as i celebrated my Birthday yesterday, i reflected on a year thru pics. I stumbled upon these as i looked. My sis and bro-in law came to my house for thanksgiving (they live in ATL) so we went hiking (in which i almost did them in - this is a hard hike ;)) But i love the rainbows... which you can really only see about 5 months out of the year bc the trees cover the light getting to the falls. I love the rushing water, and the beautiful pic of the rainbow in the midst of all the noise. Enjoy the Pics.

so I see you're in the mood . . .

so I see you're in the mood . . .

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SMT Celebration 2010

Years ago, "encouraged" by a friend, I memorized the Word. However, it turned into more like a competition for me. Seeing which one of us could out-memorize the other. The Words just were words on a notecard, their addresses became fleeting and the meaning behind them lost.

I never thought I would do it again, I had laid down hope of memorizing because I wanted the Word to become more alive than black and white on a page. Boy, DID IT EVER!!!

Last December, as I read LPM's Blog I found myself praying at end of 2008, "Lord - let's do something different...This time I want to meet with you with these verses. Not how many I can memorize but to learn the depth behind the Words You have written to me." It has been my breath for this past year! Beginning with the first verse in Isaiah to the last one in John for December, it has been a wild ride.

Through these 24 verses I could see my year, where I was and where I had needed His extra umph to get me over or thru whatever obstacle I needed to overcome.

On January 22, 2010, I entered into a room of 507 women, all there for the same reason to celebrate the completion of memorizing God’s Word over a year. For whether we realized it, the connection of diving into the Presence of the Living God was found as we clung to our Scriptures. Each Word on a small page held deep meaning for each of us. Truly the Living Word of God!!!

176!!!! WOO-HOO!!! Verses in Ps 119! Broken down into 22 sections, with each 8 verses starting with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and then the lines of each section also starting with the same letter!!! Oh, how marvelous and alive His Words are!!!!

“I am a resident alien…seeking direction… in deep want of wonder…in peril and need…troubled by humanity…especially my own…knowing that to follow, is the only free road… for a straying sheep longing to be found.”

To stand in the courtyard on Saturday and see Siesta’s telling their verses, brought tears to my eyes, and joy to my heart. As I know it did for our King as well…WOW!!! And the weather -PERFECT!!!

I was so blessed to meet some of my fellow siestas, Lifeattheparsonage, Valeriechris, Angie, GeorgiaJan, Momofeleven, Emmy, Twinkle, MooseMama. You ladies ROCK!!!! (Especially after that flight back to ATL J)

Plus I got to Eat Amazing Food!!! (ok – so FreeBirds is SOOO Awesome!! )

Chrystie and I attended sunday morning service at Houston First. Where we heard a wonderful message by Pastor Gregg Matte.

To out Siesta Mama, I have been to so many of your events (I actually miss the dog stories ;) LOL!!! I never grow tired of hearing you teach us what God has shared with you. Thank you for reminding us to not rapidly pass it along, but to receive it for ourselves.

Amanda and Melissa, thank you for sharing not only your mom with us all, but your own lives as well. You two are wonderful godly women.

Travis – I thank you for being man enough to step into a room charged with estrogen!!! J and for leading precious worship !

For the beautiful women of LPM!!! Y’all were so very welcoming – THANK YOU!

Thank you ladies for an amazing weekend, one I will never forget. It was by far the most intimate event I have been to, and to all come together for the common goal of celebrating learning His Word – AMAZING!!! Lets’ Do it again!!!!