Hearing from God Each Morning (July 7)

This blog is about today's devotion in the book Hearing from God Each Morning by Joyce Meyer.

Today's devotion was about spending time seeking God instead of using all of your spiritual energy trying to please God through religious works. This doesn't mean we shouldn't do religious works, but sometimes we do a bunch of things and get worn out because we're doing it out of obligation, not out of love.

We need to listen to God and hear His voice to know what he wants from us. If we're spending all of our time working "for God" but aren't taking the time to listen to Him, who are we really doing those works for? Most of the time we try to replace the relationship with God with all the good things we are doing for Him. It would be like a friend doing a bunch of things for you, but not spending the time to talk to you and do the other things friends do. It just doesn't work. God doesn't want us as His slaves. He wants us as His friends and children.

Hearing from God Each Morning (July 6)

This blog is about today's devotion in the book Hearing from God Each Morning by Joyce Meyer.

I love today's devotion! It talks about focusing on our relationship with God instead of religion and doing "religious" things. This has been my theme, more or less, this past month or so. I've been really focusing on God and what He is trying to tell me instead of keeping up that image of being a strong Christian.

The funny thing is, when we start to focus on God instead of doing all of those good works, the good works come naturally and we don't even realize it. And when the body of Christ is focused on God instead of the walls they've built up, that opens the doors for God to do some amazing things!

For me personally, my "religious acts" weren't so much doing good deeds with the wrong motive, but it was going through the motions at church--including pretending to be happy when I am not. By changing my focus from pleasing the church to pleasing God and being real with Him, the way I act in church has changed completely. When I'm around believers, those walls that used to be there are gone. I'm not afraid to tell people what's going on, because I also have such overwhelming praises in my heart to share with them, too. Instead of saying, "I'm fine," I tell them what's wrong, but then I get the chance to share all of the things that are right. I may cry, but I may also sing and laugh and share that joy with someone else.

God opens doors when we're focused on Him.

Braggin' on God

I've decided the best feeling ever is being able to spend a few hours braggin' on God, telling people about all the wonderful things He has done. I got the chance to do that tonight.

I wasn't so sure about going to this Bible study with David again. Although I really enjoyed it last time, I still didn't know many people and it is a BIG group, which kind of intimidates me.

But a couple of times during the lesson I had thoughts that I wasn't too insecure to share. The whole time I was silently praying, "God, give me the chance to tell someone about what You have been doing in my life."

And God answered that prayer.

When we broke into groups to pray, I ended up with three girls: Alivia, Nichole, and Heather. We were all sitting down to get ready to share prayer requests and I suggested we start by talking about what God has done in our lives recently, since I have recently learned that when you start by talking about all of the good, it helps to keep your prayer requests in perspective (along with the rest of your life).

We spent over an hour talking. I got a chance to share all about what God has been doing in my life, and it felt AMAZING!! The best part is, I could feel that burning in me and I knew that parts of what I was saying really meant something to these girls. God has given me a powerful testimony, and it feels so great to be able to use it!

God is incrasing my faith daily, and my outlook on life has changed so much this past few weeks! One of the girls (I think it was Nichole, but I'm not sure) mentioned that I was so positive about everything, and I told her that I wasn't like this some time ago, and it's true. And now, when I pause and really think about it, God has changed my attitude towards everything so much. This isn't just a happy face I put on so people don't ask me questions. I am truly happy!

Praise God! He heals our physical, spiritual, and emotional wounds! What can I do but praise Him?

Hearing from God Each Morning (July 5)

This blog is about today's devotion in the book Hearing from God Each Morning by Joyce Meyer.

This blog is a reminder of what I have been learning from the prayer group I've been going to. God blesses and answers our prayers when we pray boldly and with faith.

This is a short blog, since I really have not much to say except this: My only prayer right now is for the strength to get through today. And God gives me that strength.

Church: July 4

I have not been getting much sleep. I am tired. But God is sustaining me.

During the church service, I cried through worship. I cried when people talked to me. And during prayer I was crying so loud that I decided I had to leave. I went into the girl's bathroom and cried my heart out.

I felt God leading me towards the church office area and the church library. I started to calm down, and I saw a book that stood out to me. I picked it up and opened it to look through it. The page I opened to said in large letters, "Take Things One Step at a Time." I knew it was God saying, "Faith, slow down, don't worry about more than today."

I cried a little more, then went outside for a walk. I sat down and sang a few praises to God, and just waited. Then I started to really enjoy the nature around me. God's creation has been what He uses to comfort me recently. I saw a huge bee, a beautiful brown and orange butterfly (my favorite colors!), and two dragonflies flying by. I just sat and praised Him while enjoying His creation.

God comforts us and leads us. We just need to listen and wait for Him.

Hearing from God Each Morning (July 4)

This blog is about today's devotion in the book Hearing from God Each Morning by Joyce Meyer.

I needed this. Today's devotion said not to be led by our own minds, but to let the Spirit take the lead. Sometimes the logical choice isn't always the choice God wants us to make.

I've had second thoughts about moving back to Ohio so early. I feel like I should be responsible for my little sisters and brother and take care of them while mom works and dad is in jail. But I also have to look forward to school and my own life. I have a lot of things I need to do in Ohio before school starts, too. And I need to be emotionally ready to start school. If I stay here, I'll be stressed out before school starts.

I'm supposed to take things one step at a time. This is my one step. Once I get to Ohio, God will show me what to do next. And I need to do that, even if it doesn't seem logical.

Hearing from God Each Morning (July 3)

This blog is about today's devotion in the book Hearing from God Each Morning by Joyce Meyer.

In today's world, we are kept so busy. We run from one thing to the next and sometimes we don't leave time to listen to God and find out what He wants for our lives. Instead of praying about things going on, we just rush around trying to deal with them ourselves. But when we do this, everything falls apart. We need God in our life for anything to thrive.

My life recently became really stressful, but the only way I've gotten through it is by praying and keeping God a huge part of my day. I play worship music constantly, and praise Him as I work. It keeps this stressful situation from overwhelming me.

Problems and Prayer

Last night my dad was acting very strange. I was so upset and worried. I spent hours crying. Aaron called me and talked to me and encouraged me that God was there and I would be okay. Then I sent a message to everyone in the prayer group asking them to pray for me or call me to pray with me. A few minutes later, Heather called me. She said she never wakes up in the middle of the night, and that God must have made her wake up so she could pray with me. I told her about the crazy things my dad had been doing.

Then I cried to sleep.

This morning I decided that I was going to move out. I got several offers of places to stay, and I decided I would just move to my grandma's house, since that would be easiest. I told my mom about it, and she gave me her blessing.

Then told me that my dad was in jail. For meth.

I was shocked, but it makes a little more sense now. A lot of things he did and said before are explained by this now.

I told my mom I couldn't handle being here if he was here, and that I was going to live with grandma. Later, I got a message from a friend's mom saying that I was welcome to stay with her until school started. So I have made arrangements to fly to Mount Vernon on July 22nd to stay with her. I will book the flight once I confirm with her that it is really okay.

All throughout the day I have been praying and having people pray for me. It's the only way I am able to hold myself together right now.

I spent the entire day working, but kept K-love on while cleaning, driving, and resting. Some of the songs on there really have helped comfort me and keep my focus on God in this hard time.

Then Aaron, Laura, David, and Ray called me. They prayed with me, and I cried some more. Just as we finished praying, I heard the song "Held" by Natalie Grant in the background, and I just know that God sent that song for me at that time because it is perfect for what I am going through right now.

I'm so hurt, but God and the friends He blessed me with are keeping me going. I will not get cold. This will make the fire in me burn brighter, and I will be a living testimony of the power of God!

Hearing from God Each Morning (July 2)

This blog is about today's devotion in the book Hearing from God Each Morning by Joyce Meyer.

Today's devotion talks about walking by faith, and not what is going on around us and how we feel. That's big for me right now. I don't know how I'm going to get to Mount Vernon with the way my dad has been acting. I can't get him to do his taxes, and I may have to take the steps to become independent of him in order to get any financial aide. I'm looking into moving out, since I can't handle it where I am right now. There are all of these doors I need to go through to get to Mount Vernon, but they're closed. God needs to open them before I can do anything.

I need to live day by day, grow closer to God, and trust Him to lead me where I need to go. It's difficult, but it's what I need to focus on right now.

Hearing from God Each Morning (July 1)

This blog is about today's devotion in the book Hearing from God Each Morning by Joyce Meyer.

The Bible says that we will "fully know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:20). Today's devotion is about examining the fruit in both your life and the lives of others. This doesn't mean we judge them, but we do need to keep our eyes open for those living a genuine Christian life so we know who to follow and who to pray for.

But more important that examining the fruit in others' lives is examining the fruit in my own life. Sometimes I need to stop and look at my own life. Am I really living up to what I believe? Am I being patient, loving, kind? Am I listening to the Spirit when He presses me to do things?

The answer is this: the fruit in my life is not always the fruit of the Spirit. When I am at church and with friends, most of the time it appears that I am the good, Christian girl I claim to be. But at home, I am often times rude, greedy, and all around rough. I can blame it all I want on the environment and how no one else really knows God blah blah blah. But the truth is, part of it is me. I've stayed quiet and turned down my faith in the presence of my family before, but not anymore! That's not what God wants! God wants me to be me ALL THE TIME. And that is what I plan to do.

Anyone reading this: Please hold me accountable to this. It's something I need to work on.