~God has a plan

I have something very exciting to tell you! You may not realize this but God has very special plans for you! Higher than you could ever imagine. He has a special purpose JUST for you. People may tell you that you're not worth much they may even tell you that you're not very useful- don't get discouraged! That's when you can light up with a smile because you know that God has plans for you. (Isaiah 55:9) You are His special treasure.
  I always liked the second half especially, of Isaiah 43:1. God was talking to Israel but He's also talking to us too. WE are His chosen people.

 "Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name; you are mine."

And also John 15:16
  "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you ask of the Father in my name, He may give it you."

 So now that you KNOW He has a purpose for you, are you prepared to accomplish it?

• do you read your Bible daily seeking God's wisdom
• do you ask Him every day to show you His will for your life
• do you purpose to do whatever He asks, go where ever He sends
• do you spend your day talking with Him

God has a purpose for everyone, but whether or not it is accomplished depends a lot on the effort and emphasis they put into doing it. Don't get me wrong, God can make anything possible, but we need to do our part too.
  If you were to lose a nickel in the grass somewhere how long would you spend looking for it?
  But if you lost a $1000 wouldn't you keep looking till you found it?!! How valuable is knowing God, to you?

~Just been riding

I wrote up this post about a week ago then never did anything about it. So here it is. Just some pictures and an update on what I'm doing with my horses.

All the photos were taken a couple weeks ago by my lovely sister Tashia ;)

Yeah I've been riding! 

Jess was out riding with me too.

And yes I'm wearing sneakers! I like them better for riding bareback. (Don't ask me why)

Doesn't this look cool?

We were having a bunch of fun riding around bareback. As I'm sure you can see! I rarely ride Dunny bareback (except when I bring them in from the pasture) so I thought it would be fun to do it then. And you know then you don't have to tack up! LAZY!! I actually had one near disaster while doing it. I was cantering around and somehow got a bit out of place. So I tried to right myself and must have tensed up while doing it, because he took off! The bad thing was that I still wasn't in place to stop him and he headed right for a corner! As you can imagine I was trying to hang on while pulling back while prepare for a sliding stop or a quick turn. It wasn't looking good. Thankfully he just stopped and I threw myself around his neck to stop from flying over his shoulder. So it ended up OK and yes I went and did more cantering but with no more catastrophes! And also Tashia wasn't watching so no real embarrassing pictures! 

I've been riding Kat too and she's doing great! I started lunging her before I ride and it helps soooo much! A couple days ago I did her first round penning with her and riding her after that was amazing! She was so much more relaxed and was starting to extend a bit more in her canter. When riding, I was having problems with her cantering or lack of it. (before I started lunging and round penning her) She would canter a few steps and that was it. And just those few steps were so bad that I felt like a sack of potatoes flying around. I don't think she knew how to canter with a rider on her back. 

Before I had gotten her she hadn't done any trail riding but I've been taking her out and have never had her try anything! No bolting, no skitzing out, not even any panicky moments. She just takes everything in stride. Thats pretty amazing to me, knowing how little training she has had. She's just so calm! Its not because of me either, she just has such a great temperament. I love my lil gal! 

 

~Am I deceived?

In church today the minister asked a question- "Am I deceived?" Then he went on to ask "Am I being deceived?" I had to think about it.
  Yes, I know I must be deceived in some areas of my life, but the thing about being deceived is that you don't realize it! So how can I know? How can YOU know?
  I came to the conclusion that there is only one way to really find out because there is only one person who can tell you: JESUS! He said "I am the way the TRUTH and the life."
  You can trust Him, He won't deceive you. He wants you to be free from Satan's lies! Completely! But you will never realize them all until you go to Him and ask Him to show you them. Ask Him!

~In His Presence

This story like scene has been going around in my mind for a while and just a few days ago I wrote it out. Read them through. In a million years from now, where will you be?

{Taken from Matthew 7:22-23, 25:31-46}

The room was cold and still. There I stood-alone. A hooded figure flitted around me, bringing to everyone’s attention my failures and sins. I could not look up. The shame of my sin weighed on me heavily. What could I say? It was true.
  The black cape on the hooded figure swirled around him as he brought accusation after accusation against me, till finally he flung his hand towards me with a slender finger pointing, he hissed “Guilty!”
  All eyes now rose to the seat where the heavenly Father, the King of glory, sat waiting. Slowly He rose up in all His majesty and glory, and stepped forward.
  I lifted my eyes up to see Him staring back. But as I watched, I noticed He wasn't looking at me, but behind me. Watching His eyes I saw them harden, and with that He turned away. My heart froze in fear and I cried out “Lord! Didn't I teach in your name? And by your name cast out devils? With your name didn't I do many wonderful things?” Rushing forward I reached out to take a hold of His robe, but before I could, two heavenly beings pulled me back. “Lord!” I cried out again. He stopped, squared His shoulder, and replied “I never knew you.” Then without even looking back He commanded “Depart from me, you that work iniquity!”
  At His command the beings drug me away, out of His presence and away from His love forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The room was still. There I stood-alone. A hooded figure flitted around me, bringing to everyone’s attention my failures and sins. I could not look up. It was true.
  The black cape on the hooded figure swirled around him as he brought accusation after accusation against me, till finally he flung his hand towards me with a slender finger pointing, he hissed “Guilty!”
  All eyes now rose to the seat where the heavenly Father, the King of glory, sat waiting. Slowly He rose up in all His majesty and glory, and stepped forward.
  I lifted my eyes up to see Him staring back. But as I watched, I noticed He wasn't looking at me, but behind me. A smile spread across His face. Suddenly I felt such a calm; a peace that went completely beyond my understanding. Almost…almost as if someone were there behind me, standing with me. Looking over my shoulder I saw Him! There was someone behind me! The Prince! My Savior who died for me! Stepping forward, He extended a hand towards me. It was marred and bruised, and in the center of the wrist there was an ugly black scar. Looking up into His face I saw tears in His eyes, but even more than that-love. Such complete love and…peace.
   Slowly I raised my hand and took a hold of His, and Oh, there was such power in His hold! He then turned to the King and spoke “Father, this is my child. I have bought her with my blood. She is free!
   Then He looked back to me and said while taking both my hands in His “Come, ye blessed of my Father! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in, naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came unto me.”
   Confused I looked down, “But Lord, I’m afraid you must be thinking of someone else.” I said while shaking my head. “When did I ever see you as a stranger and take you in? Or naked and clothe you? And when were you sick or in prison that I came to see you?”
   Turning me towards the people, He smiled and extended a hand out over them. “In as much as you have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me!”    

~Called, chosen, and faithful

(Photo credit-Tashia)

I was glancing over Revelation when I came upon this verse: "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful." That made me think that these are qualifications for who will go to be with Him.
1. They are called. (Isaiah 4:1b)
But do you know, everyone is called. God gives everyone the opportunity to come to the knowledge and understanding of Himself. Otherwise He would not be just.
2. They are chosen. (Eph. 1:4)
Again, I believe everyone is chosen. It's just that not everyone accepts. (2 Peter 3:9)
Here comes the big one.
3. They are faithful. Can that be said of me? Will that be said of me?
When I meet the Father face to face will He be able to say "Well done thou good and faithful servant!" Or will He turn His back on me and say "I never knew you." I think those are the scariest words anyone will ever hear. Because at that point there will be no hope. It is sealed.
  But we are not there yet! We still have a chance! While there is breath, there is hope. So I wanted to say this:
How you live today is going to determine where you spend eternity.
What you believe today is going to determine where you spend eternity.
How you treat others today is going to determine where you spend eternity.
Your life RIGHT NOW is vital! The world tells you "You're young so live it up!" When you are older you can settle down and get serious. What does God say?
Ecc. 11:9-10 says "Rejoice, O young man, in the days of thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou; that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement. 
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity."
  OK so you may not have been faithful in the past. Don't give up there! Confess your sin, turn away from it, and move on to what God has really called you to!

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.
.......in the days of thy middle age
.......in the days of thy old age 

~Are you willing?

We are all faced with this question. Are we willing to be used by God? Where ever He leads, will you follow? Where ever He sends, will you go? Do you know that if you are a Christian you have already answered this question? When you accepted Christ into your heart and life you agreed to let Him be the guide. So are you living by that? 

What do you consider is being used of God and serving Him? Helping out an elderly person? Giving money to a needy family? Yeah those are definitely good things, but if that is all you do, you're not entirely allowing God to use you. Both those examples were physical needs. So what about spiritual needs? How often do you minister to people's heart and soul instead of their bodies? There are sick and dying people everywhere. The problem is that there are even more spiritually sick and dying people out there going to hell every day. Yes, God does ask us to help others sometimes by...mowing their lawn, but really what lasting good is that if we don't stop to take the time to encourage them and show them we care? 

 

 Jesus asked Peter "Do you love me?" And of course Peter said "Yes." How did Jesus respond? He said "Then feed my sheep." I don't think He meant physically.  

A Higher Calling

I'm here for a purpose, I'm here with a calling

To encourage the week, and lift up the falling

God's counting on me to trust and obey

And with His help I'll go all the way

I'll give my mouth to being His voice

My hands I'll give to His sovereign choice

My feet to go where He wants me to be

My eyes to have pity on lost souls I see

My heart to those that are hurting within

And show truth to those that are struggling with sin

So Lord I ask for strength from you

To continue my journey, your will to do

~Peace I leave with you

"Peace I leave with you"

The Father says to me

"Not as the world giveth

For I give freely

Let not your heart be troubled

I'm bigger than any fear

Do not be afraid

For I am always near

Will you please just trust?

I'm waiting to show my power

Just cry out to me, child

I'm listening every hour

You don't know how it hurts
When you do not come to me
If you look into my face
The tears in my eyes you'll see

My body was scarred for you
Yet you seem not to care
You go to all your friends
But don't come to me and share

Yes, I do know them already
But I want to hear your voice
I want you to come to me
I want it to be your choice

Forcing you is not my will
I just simply call
But if you do not heed my voice
I will cease to speak at all

You don't know how long I'll wait
So please don't delay
My face will light up with a smile
When you come to me and pray"

God can take care of you. Do you believe that? He can take care of your money and your health, your family and your things. He is all powerful. He is all mighty. So many times we limit God because we do not believe he can do everything. We don't ask Him to help our financial situation, but we will go to a bank and get a loan. We don't go to Him begging to know why we have a sickness and for Him to heal it, but we do run to the doctor and get a prescription to fix it. What are we telling Him when we do that? Do we really trust God? Do we really cast our cares upon Him? Because He does care for us and wants to show us He cares. We need to put down our feelings of relying on man for help and let God show us His power.
  Now I'm not saying going to the doctor is wrong but first I would encourage you to ask God: Is there a reason why you are letting this happen? or Is this a consequence for allowing some sin in my life? Everything boils down to our relationship with God. Are we where we are supposed to be?
Is my heart right with God?