Today as I left to run errands, my two year-old son yelled,
"MOMMY! MOMMY!! DON'T LEAVE ME!!!"
He did not care where I was going...
He did not care what I was doing...
He did not need to know details or what time I would be home....
HE JUST WANTED TO BE WITH ME!
He knows that as his Mommy:
Wherever we go,
I will take care of him,
protect him,
and provide for his needs.
Our Heavenly Father promises us the same things...
IT IS TIME TO DROP WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW AND TRUST IN GOD!!!
Think about a young child with his or her mother...you can trust God with the same kind of trust...
HE WON'T EVER LET YOU DOWN.
Blessings ~ Karlee
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
An Everlasting Love
Malachi 1:2 ~ "I have loved you," says the Lord.
Why have I spent my whole life trying to prove to Him that I am not worth loving,
It may be because people have hurt and failed me.
It may be because I have failed myself.
The truth is, I spend my time trying to "prove" I am worthy to those around me,
rather than drawing close to the One who will never let me down.
As I shared this verse in a childrens' sermon...
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."
Blessings ~ Karlee
Please visit the following website for a scholarship opportunity to the She Speaks Conference:
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/
She Speaks Conference website: http://shespeaksconference.com/
Why have I spent my whole life trying to prove to Him that I am not worth loving,
rather than excepting His great love for me?
It may be because people have hurt and failed me.
It may be because I have failed myself.
The truth is, I spend my time trying to "prove" I am worthy to those around me,
rather than drawing close to the One who will never let me down.
Matthew 10:30 tells us of God's unfathomable love when it says...
"but the very hairs of our heads are all numbered."
As I shared this verse in a childrens' sermon...
...a dear friend sat in a pew and stroked the strands of hair she has left after chemotherapy.
"Where is God then?"
He was right there:
counting the hairs as they fell from her head,
collecting the tears as they fell from her eyes,
whispering "I love you" to the depths of her soul.
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."
Blessings ~ Karlee
Please visit the following website for a scholarship opportunity to the She Speaks Conference:
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/
She Speaks Conference website: http://shespeaksconference.com/
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Be Who God Made You To Be!!!
As humans, we have a tendency to compare ourselves to others.
When we do this we either:
A. Determine we are better off than the person we are comparing ourselves to, or;
B. Find ourselves lacking something they have.
Comparisons do us no good.
God made us unique! One of a kind!
Let's stop the comparing and embrace who our Heavenly Father made us to be.
Thank you God for making me me!!!!!
Blessings ~ Karlee
When we do this we either:
A. Determine we are better off than the person we are comparing ourselves to, or;
B. Find ourselves lacking something they have.
Comparisons do us no good.
God made us unique! One of a kind!
Let's stop the comparing and embrace who our Heavenly Father made us to be.
Thank you God for making me me!!!!!
Blessings ~ Karlee
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Answered Prayer
Last night I prayed the following prayer:
"Dear Lord, this has been one of the worst weeks ever. I am so tired. I just want to feel special.
I think a Vera Bradley bag would make me feel better. I know this is a shallow prayer.
Please forgive me for praying it. I have just wanted one for a long time...
and this week has been so hard. Give me strength Father. Amen."
Regardless of what you think of the above prayer, please read what happened next:
I got home and a friend called. She said she wanted to give me a gift to lift my spirits since my week had
been so hard. She arrived shortly after and handed me a...Vera Bradley bag!!!
Lesson: God cares about us so much the smallest things matter to Him.
If we can trust Him with the small things, we can definitely trust Him with the
big things!!!
Blessings ~ Karlee
"Dear Lord, this has been one of the worst weeks ever. I am so tired. I just want to feel special.
I think a Vera Bradley bag would make me feel better. I know this is a shallow prayer.
Please forgive me for praying it. I have just wanted one for a long time...
and this week has been so hard. Give me strength Father. Amen."
Regardless of what you think of the above prayer, please read what happened next:
I got home and a friend called. She said she wanted to give me a gift to lift my spirits since my week had
been so hard. She arrived shortly after and handed me a...Vera Bradley bag!!!
Lesson: God cares about us so much the smallest things matter to Him.
If we can trust Him with the small things, we can definitely trust Him with the
big things!!!
Blessings ~ Karlee
Friday, March 25, 2011
The Greatest Generation
Within the last two months, my husband and I have both had a grandfather pass away. Our grandparents are part of what is called, "The Greatest Generation."
One of the things that made both of our grandfathers so wonderful was that no matter what - they had time for us. Relationships came first - work and tv came second.
This is something we can all do...ENGAGE! Take time for relationships...pause in your day for a cup of coffee with a friend...play with children. Make others your first priority. You won't regret it!
One of the things that made both of our grandfathers so wonderful was that no matter what - they had time for us. Relationships came first - work and tv came second.
This is something we can all do...ENGAGE! Take time for relationships...pause in your day for a cup of coffee with a friend...play with children. Make others your first priority. You won't regret it!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
What God Has Promised
God has not promised
Skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways
All our lives thro':
God has not promised
Sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow,
Peace without pain.
God has not promised
We shall not know
Toil and temptation,
Trouble and woe;
He has not told us
We shall not bear
Many a burden,
Many a care.
But God has promised
Strength for the day,
Rest for the laborer,
Light for the way,
Grace from the trials,
Help from above,
Unfailing sympathy,
Undying love.
Annie Johnson Flint
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Moments and Breaths
If each moment is a gift
and each breath we take a blessing....
Imagine seeing all of the moments we live and breaths we take knit together;
we would see what God can see...
Our lives have purpose
Moments + Breaths = A masterpiece in the making!!!!
and each breath we take a blessing....
Imagine seeing all of the moments we live and breaths we take knit together;
we would see what God can see...
Our lives have purpose
Moments + Breaths = A masterpiece in the making!!!!
When I Am Weak He Is Strong
I've got GREAT new for you:
You don't have to do it all on your own!
2 Corinthians 12:19 ~ "My Grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness."
When we are weak, He is strong. Rely on Jesus...Trust in Him...He will bring you through it all!
Blessings ~ Karlee
You don't have to do it all on your own!
2 Corinthians 12:19 ~ "My Grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness."
When we are weak, He is strong. Rely on Jesus...Trust in Him...He will bring you through it all!
Blessings ~ Karlee
Monday, March 21, 2011
The Truth
We live in a world of relativism.
To be completely honest with you...this concept tires me out...especially when it comes to matters of faith.
It isn't rare to hear comments like:
"All religions are equally valid."
"We are all worshipping the same God in different ways. We will be in heaven together some day."
Those comments simply are not true. The truth is that we, as Christians, serve the One and Only True God.
A God of love and mercy who sent His only Son to wash away our sins. God loved us so much He refused to let our sin cause eternal separation. In John 14:2-3, Jesus tells the diciples He is going to prepare a place for them. Through faith in Christ Jesus we can spend eternity in that place also. The way...the only way...is Jesus.
John 14:6 ~ Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
That my friends, is the truth...the whole truth...and nothing but the truth.
Blessings ~ Karlee
To be completely honest with you...this concept tires me out...especially when it comes to matters of faith.
It isn't rare to hear comments like:
"All religions are equally valid."
"We are all worshipping the same God in different ways. We will be in heaven together some day."
Those comments simply are not true. The truth is that we, as Christians, serve the One and Only True God.
A God of love and mercy who sent His only Son to wash away our sins. God loved us so much He refused to let our sin cause eternal separation. In John 14:2-3, Jesus tells the diciples He is going to prepare a place for them. Through faith in Christ Jesus we can spend eternity in that place also. The way...the only way...is Jesus.
John 14:6 ~ Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
That my friends, is the truth...the whole truth...and nothing but the truth.
Blessings ~ Karlee
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Ask And It Will Be Given, Seek And Ye Shall Find, Knock And The Door Will Open
A few years ago, after the birth of my second child, I was feeling overwhelmed and lonely. I remember hitting bottom one day and asking God for a friend. I asked out of desperation and didn't think about it again.
God, however, did not forget about my prayer....a few months later I met some of the most amazing women I know.
I learned then that God does hear and answer prayer. What is on your heart? Share it with our Heavenly Father.
Blessings ~ Karlee
God, however, did not forget about my prayer....a few months later I met some of the most amazing women I know.
I learned then that God does hear and answer prayer. What is on your heart? Share it with our Heavenly Father.
Blessings ~ Karlee
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Matthew 10:30
Matthew 10:30 "But the very hairs on your head are all numbered."
This verse has captivated me.
God loves us so much and knows us so intimately that He has numbered the hairs on our heads.
WOW!
This verse has captivated me.
God loves us so much and knows us so intimately that He has numbered the hairs on our heads.
WOW!
Friday, March 18, 2011
A crazy day...
Today was a crazy day...
A day of not enough hours to do all that needed to be done.
A day with keys locked in the car.
A day that didn't go as planned.
For a moment I looked at the lives' of others and thought theirs' looked pretty good.
But then,
I thought my life may not be what I thought it would be,
it may not be just as I would have planned it.
God has a better plan:
When I reflect on the day, it was also a day of many blessings. It is easy for the blessings of each day to be lost in the stress of each day. Take time to be still and thank God for the big and small blessings in your life.
Blessings ~ Karlee
A day of not enough hours to do all that needed to be done.
A day with keys locked in the car.
A day that didn't go as planned.
For a moment I looked at the lives' of others and thought theirs' looked pretty good.
But then,
I thought my life may not be what I thought it would be,
it may not be just as I would have planned it.
God has a better plan:
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 a hope and a future."
When I reflect on the day, it was also a day of many blessings. It is easy for the blessings of each day to be lost in the stress of each day. Take time to be still and thank God for the big and small blessings in your life.
Blessings ~ Karlee
Thursday, March 17, 2011
A Hymn of Faith
In a visit with a good friend, he mentioned the below scripture. A well known scripture, he told me. I had never heard before. Now that I have, this is what I want my hymn of faith to be:
Habakkuk 3:17
"Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no heard in the stalls -
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer's feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills."
To have a faith that rejoices in God in the good times, the bad times, and the 'I don't think I can make it through this' times of life...that is what I want my hymn of faith to be!
Blessings ~ Karlee
Habakkuk 3:17
"Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no heard in the stalls -
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer's feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills."
To have a faith that rejoices in God in the good times, the bad times, and the 'I don't think I can make it through this' times of life...that is what I want my hymn of faith to be!
Blessings ~ Karlee
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
"My Soul Magnifies the Lord"
(Today we find ourselves in Luke 1:46, the beginning of the Song of Mary. Mary knows that she is carrying the Mesiah and has gone visit Elizabeth.)
Mary says: "My soul magnifies the Lord!" Wow! We can learn a thing or two from Mary...
When she saw Elizabeth - Mary did not say:
"My back hurts."
"I had to leave home and travel far."
"I cannot do this."
She did not focus on her self or her weaknesses, she magnified the Lord's greatness!
When we are called to do something we often focus on our weaknesses and shortcomings and end up talking ourselves out of doing what we are called to do. Instead, let's turn our eyes from ourselves to Christ. Let's magnify the Lord and trust in His strength to bring us through what we are called to do!
Ask yourself today: How can I magnify the Lord in all I say and do?
Sidenote: The very hairs on our heads our numbered (Matthew 10:30). If God knows all the hairs on our heads, he also knows all of our weaknesses and ALL OF OUR UNDISCOVERED POTENTIAL!!! Trust in Him.
Mary says: "My soul magnifies the Lord!" Wow! We can learn a thing or two from Mary...
When she saw Elizabeth - Mary did not say:
"My back hurts."
"I had to leave home and travel far."
"I cannot do this."
She did not focus on her self or her weaknesses, she magnified the Lord's greatness!
When we are called to do something we often focus on our weaknesses and shortcomings and end up talking ourselves out of doing what we are called to do. Instead, let's turn our eyes from ourselves to Christ. Let's magnify the Lord and trust in His strength to bring us through what we are called to do!
Ask yourself today: How can I magnify the Lord in all I say and do?
Sidenote: The very hairs on our heads our numbered (Matthew 10:30). If God knows all the hairs on our heads, he also knows all of our weaknesses and ALL OF OUR UNDISCOVERED POTENTIAL!!! Trust in Him.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
The Gift of Each Day
Recently I read the following quote that made me take a good, hard look at my life and how I live it out:
"On every levle of life, from housework to heights of prayer, in all judgement and efforts to get things done, hurry and impatience are sure marks of the amateur." ~ Evelyn Underhill
Hurry and impatience are marks of the amateur! In our society they seem to be the marks of the pro, the more you can cram in a day...the more impatient and demanding your are..the more you accomplish...the better you are...right? There is a cost to all of this rushing around. The still, small moments, the true blessings in life, are lost in our daily hustle and bustle.
Consider the sunrise. The sun does not rise into the sky in a matter of seconds screaming, "I'm late!!! I have so much to do today! Get out of my way!!!!" No, the sunrise is a beautiful gift from God. The sun rises slowly - unfolding a beautiful display of colors as it ascends the heights of the sky. It is like the unwrapping of a gift...the gift of another day from God to us.
How will you spend this day?
Blessings ~ Karlee
"On every levle of life, from housework to heights of prayer, in all judgement and efforts to get things done, hurry and impatience are sure marks of the amateur." ~ Evelyn Underhill
Hurry and impatience are marks of the amateur! In our society they seem to be the marks of the pro, the more you can cram in a day...the more impatient and demanding your are..the more you accomplish...the better you are...right? There is a cost to all of this rushing around. The still, small moments, the true blessings in life, are lost in our daily hustle and bustle.
Consider the sunrise. The sun does not rise into the sky in a matter of seconds screaming, "I'm late!!! I have so much to do today! Get out of my way!!!!" No, the sunrise is a beautiful gift from God. The sun rises slowly - unfolding a beautiful display of colors as it ascends the heights of the sky. It is like the unwrapping of a gift...the gift of another day from God to us.
How will you spend this day?
Blessings ~ Karlee
Monday, March 14, 2011
BLOOM Where YOU Are PLANTED
So often we say things like: "When this happens..." or "When I move here or there..." or "When I do this or that...", then I'll get it done... Excuses don't accomplish anything!
Why wait? Flower seeds don't wait around in the ground for years before they grow. When they hit the ground, they start growing. They know their time on earth is limited and the seasons of life are short.
Just like flowers, our time on earth is limited. Don't wait for tomorrow. Do what God is callling you to do today. Don't worry about failing...God will never give up on you. :)
Blessings ~ Karlee
Why wait? Flower seeds don't wait around in the ground for years before they grow. When they hit the ground, they start growing. They know their time on earth is limited and the seasons of life are short.
Just like flowers, our time on earth is limited. Don't wait for tomorrow. Do what God is callling you to do today. Don't worry about failing...God will never give up on you. :)
Blessings ~ Karlee
Saturday, March 12, 2011
GOOD SEEDS
An old saying goes, "You reap what you sew." If you plant good seeds: kindness, love, peace, gentleness, patience, self-control, joy, contentment; You will walk through a garden of daisies.
If you plant bad seeds: anger, discontentment, lying, gossip, strife, mean-sprit, sarcasm; You will walk through a field of thistle.
What are you planting in your life?
If you plant bad seeds: anger, discontentment, lying, gossip, strife, mean-sprit, sarcasm; You will walk through a field of thistle.
What are you planting in your life?
Friday, March 11, 2011
The Storms of Life...
As I look out my window...ALL I SEE IS WHITE. A North Dakota spring blizzard is raging outside. Flights are cancelled, roads are closed, and events scheduled for today will not be held as planned.
It reminds me of the "storms" we face in life. Things happen...plans change...dreams die...and there we stand in the midst of the storm:
-unable to see the hand in front of our face for all the snow swirling around us
-unable to hear the voice of God due to the roaring wind
-unable to think clearly due to the chaos around us
In the midst of the storm we are never alone...
God's promise in Joshua 1:5 holds true for us today: "I will never leave you or forsake you."
First Corinthians chapter 12 verse 9 states: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Let that verse settle into your soul....
-God has all we need
-His strength is made perfect in our weakness
-We don't have to do it alone
Look at the two verses above:
God will never leave us ~ His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
How is that for comfort in the storms of life! :)
A few years ago I observed a duck on a large body of water during a storm. The whited capped waves were rolling one after another. The duck sat calmly on the water and rode each wave as it came. The storm raged around it, but the duck was calm and unruffled.
That is how I want to live my life: Peaceful ~ Grounded in Christ
The storms of life will come with varying intensities, but when they come I will deal with each wave individually knowing that I am never alone and God's strength will see me through.
Love always, Karlee
It reminds me of the "storms" we face in life. Things happen...plans change...dreams die...and there we stand in the midst of the storm:
-unable to see the hand in front of our face for all the snow swirling around us
-unable to hear the voice of God due to the roaring wind
-unable to think clearly due to the chaos around us
In the midst of the storm we are never alone...
God's promise in Joshua 1:5 holds true for us today: "I will never leave you or forsake you."
First Corinthians chapter 12 verse 9 states: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Let that verse settle into your soul....
-God has all we need
-His strength is made perfect in our weakness
-We don't have to do it alone
Look at the two verses above:
God will never leave us ~ His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
How is that for comfort in the storms of life! :)
A few years ago I observed a duck on a large body of water during a storm. The whited capped waves were rolling one after another. The duck sat calmly on the water and rode each wave as it came. The storm raged around it, but the duck was calm and unruffled.
That is how I want to live my life: Peaceful ~ Grounded in Christ
The storms of life will come with varying intensities, but when they come I will deal with each wave individually knowing that I am never alone and God's strength will see me through.
Love always, Karlee
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)