What? Why?

     I'm embarking upon an experiment - a social experiment, to see if a person can truly live as the Bible commands and see God move miraculously on his behalf.  
     Why?  Because I feel the call on my life to live in a way that pleases God and the Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please Him.  But beyond that, God has gifted me to write.  He's called me to use that gift to point others to Him.
 

Inspiration and Advice

     So what prompted me to do this?   How did the idea originate?  In the 5th grade Sunday School class I teach, there are a series of books called, Heroes of the Faith.  I figured if they were there for my kids to read, I should know what they say, so I borrowed one: a biography of a man named George Muller.  This book profoundly changed my life.

Need or Greed

     I  remember the story of the rich young ruler in the Bible.  He asked Jesus what he had to do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus listed the 10 commandments for him.  The young man stated that he'd kept these from his youth.  Jesus told him to sell all he owned, give it to the poor and follow Him.  The ruler went away sad because he had great possessions he was not willing to give up.

My First Challenge

     Ever since I had lasik surgery in 2005, my eyes have been sensitive to light.  I see great, but living in the Arizona desert requires me to wear sunglasses during the day.  I especially need them while driving.  Last week I lost my sunglasses.

Closet Cleaning

     I am your typical girly-girl.  I love clothes, shoes, jewelry, makeup, hair accessories, purses and hats.  This is easily my area of greatest excess.  So I sought God about what He'd have me do in this area of my life.  

Limited Grace

     It was my lunch break and I was driving to the bank, excited to cash my first paycheck since beginning the experiment.  I had already figured how much money I'd need to pay my rent, utilities, insurance, gas, groceries and other obligations.  Now my mind was eagerly contemplating how I'd use the rest of the check to further the kingdom of God.  That's when I heard the familiar still small voice speak.
     That's not your money to spend. 

Fun- Raising

     I'm discovering as I travel through this experiment, that the areas I'm working on are spilling over into other areas.  It's not cut and dried.  One action or activity in one area affects another.
 

Talk the Walk

     It's very important that Christians "walk the walk" and "talk the talk" (act in sincerity, thereby setting a proper example).  But I discovered I can work on two areas of my life at once if I talk the walk.

Louder than Words

     Last night on my way home from work, I stopped at the store to pick up a few things.  I shopped very frugally for only the things I needed and left.  As I was putting the groceries in the car, I was approached by a man asking me if I could spare some change.

Love Story

     Where do I begin?  To tell the story of how great a love can be...  A sweet love story that is older than the sea.  The simple truth about the love He gives to me.  Where do I start?

Smarter than a 5th Grader?

    I had been struggling with a decision for two weeks.  Fretting over the what-ifs, trying to leave it in God's hands, but playing out all the scenarios in my mind.  Then I opened the teacher's guide to the lesson I'd be teaching my 5th grade class on Wednesday night and found the answer to my dilemma had been there all along!
 

The Importance of Friends

     I am a personable, out-going person who never met a stranger.  Even as a child, I was drawn to people and they seemed drawn to me.  Would it surprise you to know that for 30 years of my life I had no friends?  It's true, and it was just the way I wanted it.

Gold Circle Sinners

     Perspective is everything.  How do we view ourselves?  How do we view other people?  How does God view us?  I believe I got some insight into these things last night while standing in the general admission line for a Sandy Patty concert.

The Lord's Day

     Today is Sunday; sometimes called "The Lord's Day".  But is it really?  Today I am going to attempt something I've never done before.  I'm going to see if I can spend the whole day doing only things that develop my relationship with God or in some way furthers His kingdom.

Tell Someone

      Have you ever been afraid to speak something out loud, because once you do, it becomes real to you?  You can't unspeak it; someone can't unhear it; now it's out there for all time and eternity.  Telling someone is a commitment.  Once you do, there's no going back.  That's the reason I'm writing this blog.

Two Puppies

     They call it crucifying the flesh for a reason.  Crucifixion is painful; it's a slow death, little by little.  Our flesh dies painfully, slowly, not going without a fight.  This is what the Apostle Paul meant when he said, "I die daily".  Our flesh wants to live, it wants to live large, it wants to be in control.

Extraordinary Ordinary People

     I called Pastor Scott's radio program, A Reason For Hope, on my way home from work last night.  I asked him for scriptures that state we can live the way the Bible tells us to live in this day and age.  He gave me some encouraging passages, but more than that, he gave me examples.

Charity Begins at Home

     My 12-year-old granddaughter, Sierra, has been front and center for my experiment.  Having recently come to the Lord herself, she is very interested in what I am doing and why.  So she was thrilled when I asked her if she wanted to participate.

Thanksgiving

     Today at work we are having our company Thanksgiving dinner. I'm skipping the walk today to cook.  I'm making cinnamon vanilla sweet potatoes with bacon and deep fried green beans.  So though it's a week early, my thoughts are turning toward Thanksgiving.
     

Yard Sale

     My mom's having a yard sale soon.  That means that today  I am going through my entire apartment marking things for the sale.  It's closet cleaning on a much bigger scale.  I'm only keeping the things that are sentimental and the things I need.
     

Consequences

    I'm doing really well in some areas of this experiment - all but one, in fact.  It's the area I struggle with the most.  But as I've been teaching my fifth grade class - though God forgives sin, there are still consequences for our choices.

The Swap

     The Lord has put a recurring thought in my mind lately.  What do you need a 42" flat screen TV for?  You've got such a little apartment.  No one comes over to watch TV or movies.  You don't even have a couch.

Moderation

     I'm an all-or-nothing type of girl.  Gung-ho.  In for a penny, in for a pound.  It's just the way I am.  But lately, the Lord has been whispering a word to my spirit: moderation.

Theme Song

     My ex-husband was constantly telling me that if my life had a theme song it would be "Le Freak" by Chic, because I had a tendency to freak out over every little thing.  Thanks to God and this experiment, I've adopted a new theme song...

Overwhelmed

     How much goodness can God pack into one day?  When I feel so blessed I'm in tears and my heart feels full to bursting, He brings another blessing..that's what I felt like yesterday. Overwhelmed.  In a good way.

Right Place, Right Time

     God has his servants everywhere.  He has you right where He wants you.  If you have a desire to be used by God, you can rest assured that you will be in just the right place at just the right time. 

Snapshot

     As I watched photos of friends, family, loved ones, holidays, occasions and celebrations roll across my mom's computer screen, I realized that life is a series of snapshots.  We've got to live in each moment, because after it's gone, we don't get it back.  It's just a memory.

Somewhere to Turn

     You never know when the Lord is going to call on you to be there for someone.  It could be anytime, anytime place - even in the middle of a family get-together.

Tis the Season

     Ok.  Thanksgiving is officially over and Christmas celebrations can now proceed unrestrained...well, in most places.

Back to Work

     Vacation's over.  I'm back home and going back to work.  It's time to start doing again.  Start walking, start praying, start reading the Word, start paying off the bills.  It's time to go back to work.

Progress Report

     People are constantly asking me, "So, how's the experiment going for you?"  Today marks one month in this adventure, so it's time to assess, take stock, see where I started, where I am and where I have yet to go.  It's time for a progress report.

Pressing Onward

     Progress is defined as a "forward or onward movement toward a goal."  It doesn't matter how slow you move or how much you stumble along the way - as long as you are still pressing onward toward your goal, that is progress.

My Way or the "High" Way

     I thought I knew exactly what this experiment would look like, how it would work, and what the results would be.  But I asked God to be in control of it and His ways are higher than my ways.

Under New Management

     Have you ever had a bad experience at a restaurant, but tried it again after seeing a sign that says "Under New Management" and found everything to be different and so much better?  What a difference new management can make! 

Accidentally On Purpose

     I remember a time as a child when one of my brothers pulled the head off of one of my Barbies.  He swore it was an accident, but I knew it was intentional.  I responded, "Yeah, accidentally on purpose!" 

We, Like Sheep

     I've known from day one that this experiment was not my destination - it's the packing (or rather, unpacking) for the journey. 

Not Ashamed

     I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation...

A Better Job

    Would you like to trade your boring job for one that makes a difference?  I just did, and I didn't go anywhere... 

Whom the Son Sets Free

     My grand-daughter, Sierra, had an irrational fear of balloons. It started a few years ago when one popped in her face while she was blowing it up. Yesterday she had the fear- today she doesn't!

The Best Things in Life

     Coco Chanel once said, "The best things in life are free.  The second-best things are very, very expensive."  I would modify her quote.  I have found that the best things in life are free.  They are also very, very expensive.

Catalyst

     Ok, I'll admit it.  There is one area of this experiment in which I am failing miserably.  I'm indulging my flesh and making excuses and I can't seem to get the momentum I need to get out of the pit.  So God sent me a catalyst.

Not About Me

     I woke up later than usual this morning, and didn't have time to write the blog.  I was going all day long and by evening, thought, "I don't have anything to say".  Then I got a text that reminded me that it's not about me.

The Secret is Out

     We all want to know that God hears our prayers.  We all would like to pray effective prayers that get things done.  So what is the secret to powerful prayer? I'll tell you what it's not.  It's not the way you pray, or anything you say.

Count it all Joy

     What do you do when there are too many activities competing for one little slice of your time?  How do you choose which gets priority and which get eliminated?  What if they are all important?  This busy season, I must count it all JOY.

One-Sided

     As a Christian, a Republican and a Conservative, my viewpoints about our president are pretty predictible.  He's not my favorite person for many reasons.  But I discovered this morning, that my view may be one-sided.

Write or Wrong?

          God has gifted me with the ability to write.  I always know when something I'm writing is of Him or is being done in my own strength by how easily it comes.  That's how I can tell if its Write or Wrong.

Days, Weeks and Months

     I thought I was done writing this blog - God says I'm not.  Then He showed me something very interesting about Himself and time.  As usual, I had it all wrong...

Do Unto Others

     Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  It's the golden rule.  It's not easy to follow when everyone around you is telling you to do the opposite...

The Hardest Part

     New Year's Eve. Tomorrow is a do-over, a fresh start, a time to accomplish everything I didn't get done last year.  I'm gung-ho to get started.

Father Knows Best

     God's ways are higher than my ways.   When I start stressing out because things aren't going my way, I would do well to remember that Father knows best.

Got Plans?

     It's January 4th.  By now I usually have my calendar for the month nearly full and have started making plans for February.  If someone were to ask me if I had plans, my response would be, "For which hour of which day?"

Hurry Up and Wait

     I'm not good at leaving things until the last minute.  I usually have all my Christmas shopping done by October.  But here I sit, with my study one week a way, doing nothing... 

Good Measure

     Give and it will be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and flowing over will men heap unto your bosom.  For with the measure you give, it shall be given unto you...

That Which I Have Greatly Feared

      This week I have been tormented with fears and anxieties.  It was an attack of the enemy.  I knew it...and I just let him do it.

The God of the Mountain

     Last night, I was driving home from my Bible study praising God for His goodness, excited at how well the night had gone when I got a phone call that plucked me off the mountain and set me right down in a valley.

Declaration of "In"Dependence

     Independence is an illusion.  We are all dependent upon someone or something.  You depend upon your job, your paycheck.  Your boss depends upon his customers to pay for his product or services so he can provide your job and paycheck.  Who do you depend upon?

Afterlife Insurance

     The statistics are alarming.  One out of every one persons will die.  Knowing this, we can prepare - with life insurance and afterlife insurance.

The Right Thing to Do

    I am so often tempted to take the easy way out.  Why does it seem that the hardest action to take or conversation to have is usually the right thing to do?

Prospects or Suspects

     If there is one spiritual gift the believer is going to need in these last days, it is discernment.  There is nothing the devil would like better than to get you wasting your valuable time on something unfruitful...

Now You See it, Now You Don't

     Some things can only be explained by the miraculous workings of God and the power of prayer...

The Secret Weapon

     You and I have a weapon that is effective against all of society's ills.  We aren't skilled at using it properly and aren't even aware of how powerful it is.  It's so secret some of us don't even realize we own it.

Do Something!

     We look at all the injustice in this world and we shake our fist at Heaven and say, "God, why don't you do something?" and He says, "I did.  I created you."

Seeing Eye God

     As I walk blindly through this world, I am so thankful for a relationship with One who sees all.  I have a seeing eye God.

Solid Ground?

     We walk through this life, blissfully unaware that just beneath the surface, out of our sight, is a force working diligently to undermine the very foundation we think is so solid.     

A Moment Such as This

          There are moments in our lives that define us; times when we acknowledge that we are doing what we were created to do.  I have entered into a moment such as this.