Good morning and happy birthday to our son, Nathan who is 11 today!! At this very moment, eleven years ago, I was in the midst of a pain filled, gut wrenching, 12 hour long labor. But the end result - was worth it all!!! I treasure our sweet boy.

I was sitting this morning, thinking about some great struggles that our friends are going through. My heart hurts when I see people hurting - especially those I love so much. I was wishing that there was something I could do to make things better for them.

Our struggles, much like the labor I endured 11 years ago, produce something much greater. It is through those times that we hurt so badly, that we learn how to rely on God and not ourselves. Going through the most difficult time in my life, taught me that God is enough. Without almost losing everything I loved, I would not have learned this lesson.

Knowing that our pain will produce something positive doesn't take the pain away but it does give us something to hope for. It does give our pain a purpose.

Think back about what your previous pain taught you and gain the strength to say thank you to God no matter what you are enduring right now.

Have a great day

Living fearlessly in Christ

Christie

Good morning and happy Monday! What wonderful warm weather we enjoyed over the weekend! I could get used to this in February but I don't think it will stay for very long. :( My husband and I started in a new Sunday school class yesterday and they were beginning a study called "Discovering God's Will" by Andy Stanley. I really enjoy listening to and reading books by Andy Stanley, so I was excited from the get go!

I learned that we can see God's will in 3 different ways - 3 ways that I really hadn't ever considered.

1. Providential Will of God - this is things that God will do, no matter what

You don't have to pray for God to do it for Him to do it (Gal. 4:4-5)

It is not dependent on our obedience or faith


2. The Moral Will of God - this is the things that God has already given us direct commands about (the do's and don'ts of Scripture)

The more familiar we are with God's Word, the easier it will be to distinguish

1 Peter 2:15 - part of God's moral will is that we should obey the government (you don't need to pray and ask God if you can cheat on your taxes or drive over the speed limit)

God's Word tells us to remain morally pure (you don't need to pray and ask God if you should move in with your girlfriend/boyfriend, have sex before marriage, cheat on your spouse, get a divorce, etc.) - He has already given you the answer

3. The Personal Will of God

Should I marry this person?
Should I take this job?
Should I move here or there?

The more familiar you become to the providential will and obedient to the moral will, the easier it will be for you to determine and understand the personal will of God.

God's providential will determines the standards for what God is going to call you to do.....the more surrendered we are to His moral will, the easier it is to understand the personal will of God for you.

As people grow spiritually, it is much easier to determine and understand the will of God.


I get asked alot about discerning the will of God, so understanding this, makes it much easier to explain. It brought good insight to me and I hope it gives you something to think about too!!!

Have a great day!

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

Happy Friday! Next Tuesday, is our son's 11th birthday so tomorrow we're having all the family over to PARTY! This entails much more work for me, but it's so worth it to celebrate another year with our boy.

We heard of the death of a local boy with leukemia this week, who was Nathan's age. It has made us do alot of thinking. That could have so easily been our son.

Why does one child get leukemia and another not? Why did this boy die when our son's friend with leukemia lives on, getting stronger each day? Why does this family have to live with an empty spot in their heart?

I can't answer any of these questions. I have wondered each one. What I do know is that we are not meant to understand everything - no matter how much we want to. I also know that our God is in control, even when things seem out of control.

Does knowing this take all the sadness away? No, but it can bring comfort to a hurting heart.

What are you struggling to understand? What difficulties are you holding against God?

I encourage you to allow God to bring you comfort. Yes, I said allow - you have to allow God to comfort you. He is bigger than your situation. He is bigger than your past. He is bigger than what someone has done to you. He is bigger than you!

Give it up to Him. He is much more capable of handling it than you! Give it up and let Him comfort and heal you.

Have a great day and weekend in His peace

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

Good morning! Like, I said earlier this week, I'm studying the book of Ezekiel. Some verses really jumped out at me in chapter 3.

The Lord is commissioning Ezekiel to announce God's judgement on Israel and in verses 18 & 19 says "When I say to the wicked, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from the wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself."

Wow! God didn't just commission Ezekiel but also commisions us all to tell others about Him.

Matthew 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

This commision was given to every follower of Jesus. This is your commission from Jesus, and it is not an option.

As Christians, we each have the responsibility to warn others of the results of living their lives without God and the result of living their lives with God. We don't get the choice to decide who we tell and who we don't. Jesus said, "all the nations", not, whoever you feel comfortable with.

Ezekiel 3 reminded me of that ramifications of me choosing not to share Christ with others. If I choose to be silent, I choose to disobey God.

What will your choice be?

Have a great day and choose to say yes

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

Good morning and happy Wednesday!! One of my passions in ministry is encouraging others in their marriage. Because my husband and I have worked through some extremely difficult things in our marriage, I know there is hope for every marriage. Have there been times when it didn't feel like there was hope? Absolutely - but we both had to learn that a large part of our marriage is between us and God, not us and the other person. God ordained marriage, which means that He has a purpose and plan for your marriage. It's not God that messes up our marriages, but us. His plan is for each of us to follow and obey Him, which in turn, will make a blessed marriage. Easier said than done - yes - but, still true.

Pontiac Bible Church, Pontiac IL, is showing the movie "Fireproof" on Saturday, February 21. They will be serving dessert at 6:30 and then "Fireproof" at 7:00.

In order to encourage couples to see this life-changing, marriage-changing, movie, I am adding a little catch. For each person that I invite, I am offering free childcare in my home for the evening. There is childcare available at the church, but for those not familiar with the church, I didn't want any excuses for couples not to go.

What are you doing to strengthen your marriage? No matter how good or how bad, your marriage can improve - take it from someone who can testify!!!

What are you doing to help strengthen the marriages of those around you? What an appropriate and much needed way to "love your neighbor".

Not wanting to ramble on too long, I will save my excitement about Ezekiel 3 for tomorrow. Feel free to leave a comment if you want me to watch your kids on Feb. 21, too! Remember though - only if you attend the movie!

Have a great day

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

Good morning, all! I am currently studying the book of Ezekiel and chapter 2 brought such encouragement to me today.

Vs. 3-7 Then He said to me, "Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God.' As for them, whether they listen or not - for they are a rebellious house - they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house. But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious."

Oh, what a struggle this is for me.

There are two issues here for me:
#1 When I think someone is totally against God, I tend to not share my faith with them in fear of their response.

#2 I get so easily frustrated with people when I share God's truth with them and they do not accept what I am telling them. I feel like a complete failure.

So, this lesson teaches me:

#1 God called Ezekiel to share His Word with totally rebellious people - telling him, "neither fear them nor their words".

#2 God called Ezekiel to share His Word to these totally rebellious people, "whether they listen or not"

My success or failure isn't in how people respond to me but how I respond to God. In each situation I need to ask myself, "am I obeying God?", if the answer is yes then I can be confident that the rest is in His hands.

These sweet truths bring joy to my heart and tears to my eyes. I am selling God short when I decide when I will share Him with others and when I won't. That is not my choice to make.

Lord, forgive me for fearing rejection and failure - forgive me for keeping You to myself when it is my job to share You with the world. I pray for your strength to tell others about You whether they listen or not, so I may fulfill my calling in You. Amen

Have a great day

Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie

My kids crack me up!! Three years ago, yesterday, I had a hysterectomy. My children decided to honor the day by making me a card - a happy hysterectomy day card!

I'm not sure if you will be able to read it or not, but after the poem, they had a P.S. - Mom, even though you're an it, we still love you!!! Outta the mouths of babes!!! :) :) I'm still laughing today! Happy hysterectomy day!!!!

For my own little P.S. - check out the sermon from yesterday at Pontiac Bible Church. Our pastor did a phenomenal job on the subject of overcoming addiction. www.pontiacbible.org

Have a great day!

Living fearlessly in Christ

Christie