Prayer

This is a prayer I found at abundant living. I thought you might like it. Check it out here. It made so much sense to me especially today. Some days are good and some days are good but don't seem that way.

How to Build Your Husband's Self Confidence

Everyone needs a little boost to their confidence every once in awhile. Even our husbands need it. Men have emotional needs like women do but they don't feel they can talk about their needs.

A lot of times men go to work and work hard and do their best but it is not appreciated. That is one of the reasons women need to appreciate their men and let them know it.

I wrote an article on ehow about building your husband's confidence. Click here to read the article. I think you will like it. Leave a comment for me if you have time.

The Lord Loves at all Times

"The Lord loves at all times..."

Sometimes it is hard to love people. They do things to hurt you or upset you. It seems like they just love to intentionally ruin your day. How in the world are we supposed to love them?
I am not sure that it is possible except by the grace and power of God. Since God loves us even when we mess up we should love other people. Even when they mess up! I know. It is so hard sometimes. But that is what God says in His Word.
I don't know how God can keep loving me. I just keep messing up. But He does. I don't always feel that He does but I just believe it because He wouldn't lie to me.

The Lord bless you to day and show you His love!

The Power of Respect by Deborah Norville Review

"The Power of Respect" by Deborah Norville is a book that is much needed today. In her book she tells real life stories of how the power of respect influenced different people in a positive way. She explains how we need to respect others and ourselves. Everyone wins with the power of respect.

What if businesses put the power of respect into practice? What would happen? Would the employees be happier and more motivated to do their jobs and have a better attitude? Deborah says they will. Not only the employees but also the employers and owners of the businesses would benefit from it.

In schools around the nation students are being taught the power of respect. They are taught what respect is and how it can help themselves and others around them. It is having an impact.

She goes on to explain how important respect is in the home. Children do better if they are shown respect. Couples are happier if they show each other respect.

I was given the opportunity to review this book by the Thomas Nelson Book Reviewer Bloggers. You can get more information here.

If you are interested in this book click here.The Power of Respect: Benefit from the Most Forgotten Element of Success

Veggie Tales Winner

Hi everyone. Thank you for participating in the Veggie Tales DVD giveaway. The winner of the DVD is Angela from Wisconsin. Congratulations!

I am hoping to have another giveaway in a few weeks so be watching!

Respect Yourself

We all know it is important to show respect to others. But do we show respect to ourselves? Many of us suffer from low self esteem. Perhaps because of the way we were treated growing up. Or maybe there has been some type of trauma in your life.

Whatever the reason, we need to start thinking of ourselves as deserving of respect. Think about your good qualities. You do have some. There are things about you that are good. You have abilities and characteristics that are good and praiseworthy.

Make a list of all the things you like about yourself. You will be amazed at how long the list can grow if you stop and think about it. Add some qualities you wish you had. Figure out ways to add them in your life.

Don't let what other people do make you feel worthless. They may not know you or value you as a person, but that is their problem.

Think of the good things you have done today!

Veggie Tales GiveAWay Reminder

Don't forget the Veggie Tales GiveAWay ending soon.Click here to get more details.

"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another." Romans 11:10

A Practical Way to Handle a Problem

If you have a problem and can't seem to figure out what to do, follow these steps:

1. Surround each difficulty with prayer and faith.
2. Then surround it with straight thinking.
3. Let your enthusiasm build power under it.

On this basis, you can handle any situation that can ever develop.

This is from Norman Vincente Peal's book, "Enthusiasm".

VeggieTales GiveaWay

I will be giving away a VeggieTales DVD called "Lessons From The Sock Drawer". It is over 75 minutes of fun. VeggieTales videos are fun and also teach good character qualities at the same time. We use them at our church during Junior Church and practically all of the kids love them. I will pick a winner and give the VeggieTales DVD away on October 27, 2009.

• To enter, please leave a comment below with your name and email address and tell me why you would like to win it.

• For another chance to win, subscribe to my blog and then leave a comment and let me know. Also, please include your name and email address so I can contact you if you win.

• Another way to win is to tweet it on twitter. Please leave a comment on this also letting me know that you have tweeted it and leave your contact information.

• One more way is to do a blog post on your blog. Please leave a comment with the link to your post. And too, please leave your contact information.
  

Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian Review

I read the book, The Power of a Praying® Wife Deluxe Edition'>Power of a Praying Wife, by Stormie Omartian. The author has written many books on prayer. I feel that this is one of her best. It is needed in our country today. I believe if women would read it and commit to praying for their husbands it would help their marriages.

Husbands are under a lot of pressure. They need our prayers. If we pray for them it will help them, us, and our children.

The book has a prayer on a specific need for each day of the month.

Depending On God

My little grandson is almost two. He is a good little boy. My daughter says he has started the terrible twos though. He has started saying "NO" very loudly when asked to do something. He also says "I Don't Want To!" loud and often. When she gives him his food to eat it is "I Don't Want It!" I have to smile. I know it is difficult for her and my son in law to deal with. They know what is best for him and love him with unbelievable love. But he thinks he knows best. If he doesn't get his own way he gets upset and pitches a fit.

I think that is how we do God sometimes. He knows what is best for us. He loves us with unbelievable love. He is all knowing. But we still want to do things our way. We want our own way and if we don't get it we pitch a fit. I don't know if God gets frustrated with us or not. But I do know we hurt Him. I know He wants what is best for us.

If we could only trust Him and believe He knows what is best for us. Things would be a lot better.

God Forgives Us and We Are Not Condemned

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:1,2




We do not need to walk around in a cloud of condemnation. We have forgiveness in Christ. If you have done something wrong, ask His forgiveness. You are immediately forgiven. You just have to accept that by faith. Jesus can do that. He can forgive us and He does. We have to forgive ourselves.

Get out from under that cloud and walk in the sunshine of forgiveness! It feels good. God can use your failures and turn them into something good!

Gifts That Helps Others

Have you used the gifts God has given you to help others today? There are all kinds of gifts that help others. The Bible says that faith without works is dead.

I don't want my faith to be dead. I want it to be alive. I want it to be fulfilling my desires to be what God wants me to be. I think sometimes we get busy doing things. Or we get tired of helping others when it seems no one wants to help us.

Don't give up though. Is there some way you can do something special for someone today? Maybe a phone call or note? Or perhaps you can bake some cookies or a cake for someone. There are all kinds of ways to do something for someone and make their day better. It doesn't have to be anything big. Just something that says you care.

Not only will they feel better and have a brighter day but you will too. God Bless!

Remarks by Ben Stein

I was sent this email today and thought I would pass it along.

Remarks from CBS Sunday Morning - Ben Stein

I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late ! !



The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against.. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc.. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay..

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Becoming Emotionally Mature Takes Time

I found this article and thought I would share it with you. It helps give insight into why people do what they do.

Become Emotionally Mature
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Paul_Schlieker]Paul Schlieker

What is necessary to become emotionally mature? In his classic book Dare to Discipline, Dr. James Dobson tells the story of King Frederick II, who in the 13th century conducted an experiment that involved fifty infants. The purpose of the experiment was to discover what language a baby would speak if the baby never heard a spoken word. The infants were assigned foster mothers. These care givers were permitted to bathe and feed the infants, but not talk to them. All fifty babies died. Nurturing relationships are vital to survival. An unloved child cannot make it. Likewise, in God's Kingdom the absence of nurturing love leaves people emotionally immature and stuck - unable to relate positively to God, others or themselves. All people begin their Christian life with some "emotional baggage."

Some mistakenly assume that they are the only ones born into a dysfunctional family. The reality is that all families are broken and marred by the effects of sin. Although our families of origin and other traumatic life experiences have left an imprint on our lives, it is important that we not see ourselves as total victims. We cannot become emotionally mature if we adopt a "victim" mindset. Joseph initially believed his brothers sold him to Egypt. Years later he realized that God sent him to save lives (Genesis 45:7). From the time they sold him, until Joseph was reunited with his brothers, twenty-two years passed. This fact alone helps us realize how much time it takes to process certain events in our life. By coming to terms with God's providential plan, Joseph matured into a spiritual and emotional adult.

Followers of Jesus are at various levels of emotional maturity. Some are insecure and needy; others seem confident and self assured. Regardless of background or experiences, all people have inadequate images of God, distorted views of themselves and unhealthy ways of relating to others. Discipleship training must address this part of our humanity because it's impossible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature. To become emotionally mature disciples we must first identify and address unhealthy tendencies.

One key to Jesus' maturity was integrating truth and love. The child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him (Luke 2:40). This verse provides a pattern for all of Christ's followers to imitate. To further help you understand how to grow into an emotional adult, I highly recommend Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, by Peter Scazzero. In fact, this book is one of my favorites. Scazzero writes, "It is easy to grow physically into a chronological adult. It is quite another to grow into an emotional adult. Many people may be, chronologically, forty-five years old but remain an emotional infant, child or adolescent." In future articles I will offer more ideas for growing up emotionally. In the meantime, be patient with yourself and those you are discipling. Understand that emotional maturity comes from the right mix of grace, truth and time.


Paul Schlieker disciples internationals and business professionals. He attends Christ Community Church in Omaha, Nebraska. Professionally, Paul is an insurance agent. He and his wife, Peggy have written several easy to use discipleship tools and Bible studies that train believers, introduce Christianity to seekers, and ground believers in Biblical fundamentals. Learn more about these resources at http://www.christianbiblebasics.com Subscribe to a free monthly e-newsletter, read more articles by Paul and hear his sermons at http://www.bible-study-lesson-plans.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Schlieker http://EzineArticles.com/?Become-Emotionally-Mature&id=3017516

Giving Up Control

"Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence." Jeremiah 17:7

Do you ever try to control people? If you are a people pleaser then that is one way of trying to control others. It doesn't seem like it does it? But if you try to please someone to make them like you or accept you then that is trying to control them.


Do ywe try to make someone feel guilty? Do we withdraw our love?

What about our words, our facial expressions; do we use those to control people?

Let go of trying to control people. You can't really control them no matter how hard you try. Trust God and let Him have His way in their life. He will do a better job than you and you will have more peace.

Don't be Afraid

"The Lord who created you says: 'Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.' " Isaiah 43:1

The Lord has not forgotten you. He has not forgotten what you are going through. He is with you. You may not feel Him but He is there. Believe it.

Oh Lord,
Thank you for loving us and being with us no matter what. No matter what happens or what we have done, you are there.