Good morning all my bloggy friends! I hope today finds you connecting closer with our Lord than ever before.

In the second chapter of Acts, the apostles were together on the day of Pentecost and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began speaking in other tongues and the people were amazed that they could understand the apostles in their own languages. Or should I say, some were amazed - others began mocking them saying that they were drunk.

I was reminded of how many times I have been ridiculed for doing what I knew God wanted me to do. Sometimes people were intentionally trying to hurt me and sometimes innocently, bringing me down - I have to remember that I'm not the only one who has suffered, misunderstanding.

I thought of a particular instance in which a woman saw a flyer that I would be speaking at her church. When she saw where I was from, she asked a friend about me from the same town. She was told that I may be a good speaker but to watch out for what I may be teaching. I was one of "those women" who allows their husband to lead their household. Did it sting my heart that someone was talking negatively about me? Sure, but I soon got over it and felt honored to find out that I was being ridiculed for obeying God.

I'm sure you have experienced similar situations with work, family or friends as you seek to follow our Lord. I would love to hear your stories and how you deal with them.

Have a great day
Christie

Here's a great post from my friend LuAnn Prater:
I’ve really been focusing on this word expect. When my expectations fall on unsuspecting subjects like my husband, my kids, my family or friends, the same results will inevitably occur. Disappointment! After all they are just like me, flawed! At some point they will let me down because they are dealing with their own issues, their own struggles, their own LIFE! I dug into the Word again to look for more meaning. Isaiah 64:3-4 tells us, “For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. I wonder why it is so easy to expect things from people, but we put God in a box. We expect our husband to know what we are thinking, our kids to know how to behave, our friends to know we need a listening ear, and yet we don't want to 'bother' God with our daily needs. huh? Does that even make logical sense?Remember my neighbor who had surgery on the 10th? A couple of days after she came home she asked for prayer. It seems a bruise had developed on her side that ran from under her arm to her waist. They hadn’t noticed it before and it was large and extremely discolored. Since she had just gotten home from the hospital she really hesitated to call the doctor for fear he would tell her to go back. Her husband insisted if they did not see improvement by morning they were calling the doctor. We prayed.She emailed me this note: One for the Praise book. My side looked really bad Tues evening, but by Wed, when I asked Bob to check it, it was completely gone, white skin returned. No sign of anything having been there. We still don't know if it was a bad bruise or more like a burn, but God didn't have to look in a treatment book to see how to cure it.It was another ah-ha (V-8) moment. Reminds me of the hold hymn that says, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”Today I will DO, SERVE, LOVE, GIVE, HELP, OFFER, EXTEND to others without expecting anything in return. However at the same time I will expect, anticipate, hope for all the Lord wants to pour out on me today! Have people let you down? God never will.