Good Morning!
I was thinking last night about all the changes I have made since accepting Christ as my Savior and becoming a Christian. All of these changes were indeed long overdue, and definitely welcome. It's amazing how now I look at some of my old friends and realize how lost they are in the world of sin. I have tried talking to them about the Lord, but most of them are as stubborn as I was. Others are living false Christian lives, going every Sunday to church and thinking that is enough to save their sinful lives during the week. I am a Christian, so I won't turn my backs on them and will pray for them, but it doesn't mean I have to hang out with them and engage in their sinful activities. God is blessing me with many new friends at church and everywhere else, Christian friends, whom enjoy spending time doing wholesome things and talking about God. These are the type of friends I want my kids being around ; Good influences. I have a family member that is pregnant with her first child. This miracle of life has already sparked a change in her. Before, she used to go out drinking, smoking and popping pills. Her life was one of excess, and not in any good way. Well, now that she knows a life depends on her, she stopped all of that nonsense and has devoted herself to her child. I invited her and her husband to my church, and she says she will go. It's one more for God, and another loss for the enemy! :)
The way I see it...if God can do so much for you, the least you can do is honor Him by the way you live your life. So I will continue to pray for the lost souls, but will continue to make and keep friends that are also part of what I like to call "God's Army."
Good Morning Everyone! How is everyone this morning? I am feeling very blessed. You know something?? I am very happy to be a Christian. I guess I should share a little of my story with you so you can see how God has lifted me up.
I am the mother of 2 beautiful kids. Victor Jr is my youngest, he's 8. Jessica is my oldest, she's 14. The story begins when Jessica was 6 years old. She was a very happy child with big dreams. She was already in first grade and learning to read when our lives were tumbled upside down. Through a mosquito bite, she contracted a viral encephalitis which developed into a seizure disorder. She was having as many as 40 seizures in one hour! The doctors believed she wouldn't make it. Through the mercy of God, she did. She was now a special needs child, depending on me for all of her basic needs. In the very beginning of her illness, I fell into a deep depression that lasted for years. I kept asking 'Why'. I blamed God. I grew very angry with him. My depression took on a life of its own, and I began to spiral downward. Friends and family kept telling me that I needed God in my life, but I refused, thinking he had forsaken me and my family.
Well, just a couple of months ago, I was at my wits end. I was tired of always being stuck at home with a sick child. I was sick of watching life pass me by and knowing my life would never be 'normal' again. I had had it, and even considered the coward's way out of this situation. I yelled at God and asked him why had He allowed this to happen, why was He making my life such a sad sight to see. I wanted something more, something to look forward to. And as I sat there at my kitchen counter, looking at Jessica and feeling sorry for her and for myself, God spoke to me. Not that I actually heard Morgan Freeman's voice doing the voice-over or anything crazy like that. I heard God deep within me, telling me He had a purpose for me and for Jessica, that I only had to open the door and let him in to receive His blessings. Somehow, I felt a little better and to distract myself, I went online to Facebook. I noticed a close friend of mine had tried a new local church and had liked it, and something moved me to try this new church.
The next weekend, my family and I visited this new church, and we were washed over with the presence of the Lord. While at the service, God again whispered to my heart, telling me 'Here is where you belong, worshipping me and thanking me for all the good that is to come." And since that day, my life has turned around for the better. I have become an active member of this church (Relevant Church Miami) and pray daily through devotionals and Bible study. I have even taken on a ministry of sorts by forming a group on Facebook called the same as this page (Christian Moms Reflections). The more involved I get with Jesus, the more involved He is with me. I face life with a new hope that I didn't have before. And even if things get tough, I know God will be there to help me through it all. I no longer feel lonely. I am a child of Christ.
This morning, God spoke to my heart again. He said I will lead a sermon someday as I testify to His glorious wonders. Funny, because I would have never thought I would ever lead a sermon, but if God says I will, His will be done. So someday you shall see me leading and testifying, and now I look forward to that.
It DOES get better with Christ. He lifts you up, even carries you when you need it. All you have to do is open the door of your heart and let Him in. Give your life fully to Him and He will rain blessings down upon you. Open your eyes and look around, He is already blessing you.
God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has provided to those who love him. (James 1:12)
Good Morning Christian Moms! I hope this weekend was as blessed for you all as it was for me. Service at church yesterday was truly amazing, and I know that God is smiling down on us for having been so honored. I feel so special to have been a part of the worship team because we really did rock it out for the Lord. I can't wait until next weekend when the new series "Rock of Ages" gets started, and I hope I am invited to join the worship team again.
On another note, my family and I introduced "The Swear Jar" into our home this weekend as well. My husband and I decided we use swear words way too much and wanted to genuinely stop using them, so my husband came up with th idea of the swear jar. It's basically just a large flower vase, and everytime one of us swears, we write our name on one of the teeny tiny post its and place it inside the swear jar. We have determined that each post it is worth a dollar and that we will empty it out on a weekly basis and that the money collected in the swear jar will be given to our church. Well....right now the swear jar is breaking the bank! Think about it, sad to admit it but both my husband and I have had a very colorful vocabulary throughout our 15+ years of marriage so to try and change that overnight is not the easiest task. But we are determined to stop this nasty habit and glorify Him with only clean language. Sure, my husband already owes $7, I already owe $5 and even our son owes $1 for saying "H-E-double-hockey-sticks" last night, but we know it's worth it. And the money will go to a great benefit, so even better.
If you or your spouse have a colorful vocabulary, I strongly recommend you try The Swear Jar. Sure it may break your bank at first, but it will be worth it in the end.
Honor God with the words you speak.
God bless you all! <3
Welcome to all Christian Moms! This is the new blog for our devotional group "Christian Moms Reflections". This is a place where I can not only continue to post the daily devotionals, but also share with you my own personal experiences as a God-fearing woman of Christ trying to raise my children under God's Word.
My only hope is that my blog can serve as inspiration for those that need it, to see that we are all promised an abundance of blessings if we only accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and allow him into our hearts. We need to surrender our lives completely to Him and He will bless us.
So please feel free to visit this site as often as you want to, recommend it to your friends and family, and listen to the gospel.
And always remember to smile, Jesus loves you!
