February 2, 2012 Journal Entry. Sometimes Ministry Keeps me TOO busy

Dear Father, the month of January rolled by much too quickly.  How easy it is to become incredibly busy, even with ministry! I praise and thank You for the many opportunities You have orchestrated in allowing me to share Your love with others. Yet, I must admit, I’ve missed You. In fact, it is only now while sitting here quietly at Your feet that I realize just how much. Today, I am just thankful for the opportunity to find rest at Your feet and to hear Your Word, spoken gently to my heart.  

Why would I think buying Christmas presents brings Joy?

My husband & Son golfing together

As a Christmas gift to my husband this year, I wanted to buy him a round of golf. I thought, "It has been while since he has been able to spend time with our now 23-year-old son. Maybe they can resume that old tradition of playing golf together on Christmas morning."

However, a round of Golf is expensive, especially where we live. In fact, I figured I would have to spend around $100.00 on this gift. I wondered, "How am I going to generate this amount of money when I haven't worked since March 2011?" http://dlouyoung.blogspot.com/p/unemployed-mother-turns-down-needed-to.html. I decided to sell some of my belongings to afford the gift. So, I listed items I knew would sell on Ebay.

Perhaps, I became too focused on buying Christmas presents this year. Because, this morning I found myself setting my closed bible aside to curiously inquire about my Ebay Seller account. I noticed right away the bids for the items I was selling had increased. This meant that I would be receiving more money. I would have thought this would make me feel happy. Yet, for reasons unknown to me at that moment, I was feeling a little let down.

As a result, I grabbed my bible and walked away from the computer desk. As usual, I allowed the pages to fall open and land as they may. As God would have it, they settled on 2 Kings Chapter 5. Right away, I wondered, "What does leprosy have to do with my day?" Still, I kept reading. It took me a little while to digest the story. I had to pause frequently. Then when my eyes finally caught verse 26 I knew what God was communicating to my heart!

2 Kings Chapter 5:26

"Then he said to him, "Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?" (NKJV)

My eyes welled with tears as I quietly whispered to my Lord, "It is time when You say it is time!" Then, the most loving and caring voice spoke to my heart, saying, "Don't you have everything you need?" I simply and humbly replied, "Yes Lord." Then, He said, "Then what is it you need money for?" I thought about how Christmas wasn't about buying presents for others. So, wiping the tears from my eyes, I replied, "Nothing Lord."

The Word of God-A love Story

After that, something happened that had never happened to me before! I heard the Lord say, "I love you, my sweet daughter." Sobbing, I replied, "I love you too Lord!"

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below! 

To read the first written and published personal testimony 

please go to: http://dlouyoung.blogspot.com/p/store.html

5 Top Ways God Changed My Heart

Sometimes a simple conversation with a person from my past serves to bitterly remind me of how hardened my heart was. Yet, I am also able to praise God for the changes He has made in me!

Here are the Top 5 ways God changed my heart! 

  5. From Judgmental to Merciful

Proverbs 11:17 The merciful man does good for his own soul, But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh (NKJV).  

In the past, I was mean to others. I often judged people harshly and formed immediate opinions. I rarely showed others mercy. I held grudges. I was even told once “You are mean!” I didn’t realize then, that my abrasive behavior towards others was hurting my own soul. What changed this was the mercy and compassion God provided through others during one of my greatest trials in life.These days, rather than harshly judging others, I show everyone I meet mercy as though the Lord if He were by my side watching.

4. From the discouraging word to the healing word

Proverbs 15:4-6 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, 

But perverseness in it breaks the spirit (NKJV). 

Prior to October 2008, I never understood the power of words. I didn’t understand how a gentle word could encourage the soul or how a cruel word could devastate one’s spirit. While living an unholy life, I used words to express my anger, to discourage and to control others. I have since discovered how words of the righteous can influence, support and even win souls. What changed this was the lie that was said that caused my arrest. And the subsequent call I received from Community Care Licensing, when the investigative agent stated, "I know what you did, I have the paperwork in front of me." Later, after gathering the true facts, the agent would also be humbled with her discouraging words.

3. From trouble maker to comforter

Proverbs 11:29  He who troubles his own house
will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to he wise of heart (NKJV).

Coming from an upbringing that was more chaotic than peaceful, it became more comfortable to stir things up and live in chaos than in peace. Therefore, I often used my temper, anxiety and bitterness to disrupt peaceful situations. I suffered the effects of my behavior both professionally and personally and as Proverbs 11:29 suggests, by doing so, my actions never allowed me to hold onto anything that mattered. Instead, I inherited only more problems. What changed this was spending time reading God's Word. Reading my bible surrounded me with a sense of serenity that I had never known before. The more I persisted, the more calm I became. I found comfort in God’s word. I especially found reassurance in scripture when I felt attacked by others.

2. From pride and shame to humility and submission to Christ

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes
shame; But with the humble is wisdom (NKJV).

God had a plan in helping me conquer my pride. His plan began the night I called the police on October 20, 2008, to teach my husband a lesson. In my arrogance, I thought I was calling the police to win the fight. I wanted my husband to understand that “No one who lays a hand on me can get away with it.” That night, I learned God was in charge. Later, I began to see my arrest as a wake up call from God. I wondered if God had stopped me down my road to Damascus. When I realized how far I had ran from the presence of God and how much I still needed Him, I decided to leave pride and arrogance far behind.

 AND THE NUMBER ONE WAY GOD CHANGED MY HEART???

1. From Christian by name only to True Believer

Proverbs 11:3 The integrity of the upright
will guide them, But the perversity of the
unfaithful will destroy them (NKJV).

Even though I called myself a Christian, I didn’t become a true Christian until age thirty eight. Up until time, I rarely walked with integrity and had not surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. By leading a dishonest life filled with unfaithfulness to my heavenly father, I caused myself years of unnecessary misery and pain. Once I submitted my life to Christ and began to lead an honest life, I found direction and guidance. What changed this was I surrendered my whole heart and and soul to Jesus Christ in that cold and isolated holding jail cell when I thought, "I just lost everything dear to me!"

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

 To read the first written and published Christian Testimony, please go to:

http://dlouyoung.blogspot.com/p/store.html