Sunday, April 29, 2012

And Your Footsteps were Not Known

Psalm 77: 19...And Your footsteps were not known. As I read the scriptures surrounding this, my mind and eyes keep jumping back to this verse. We see the miracles that God did. We read about them. No wonder God tells His children to teach their children so we don't forget. We don’t know where God leads us, just as the Israelites didn't. Who would've thought they would walk right through the sea? They were in an impossible situation. Trapped, a full deep and wide sea on one side, steep mountains on another, and an army of angry solders coming at them. They were trapped. But even with their complaining, disobeying, and rebellion God provided the way out. Moses stepped out in obedience into the sea with the rod of God as God parted the sea providing dry land, a path to the other side. Not only that but after all Gods' children crossed safely over, He allowed the sea to come crashing down on the enemies keeping the Israelites safe and free. Who does that? Our God that's who. And has He ever let us down? Really? I wonder how many times we panic and take matters into our own hands when God was just at the verge of stepping in and doing what He does best. How many times have we, His children messed up His plan, His provision, just to blame Him for our misfortune? How many times I wonder? I'm sure, too many to count. As always, I'm talking to myself here. God is talking to me. It's quite an eye opener, and writing in my journal is one thing. But blogging actually opens up a whole new dimension of my mind, learning what God is telling me. Pretty cool actually. Give me some feedback. Can you relate to any of this, or am I the only one. Oh, wait...if I'm the only one, don't answer me. I would rather think that nobody is reading this than to think I was the only one. lol

Friday, April 27, 2012

...And the Earth Feared and was Still

Psalms 76:7,8 God was angry, the earth feared and was still.
Wow! Do we really get it? His is alive! The earth knows it!
When I read this and the following chapter, 77, I'm reminded of how I would make it through hard, sad, depressing times in my life. There are seasons of life where I would feel alone, afraid, or forgotten. It was during those times that I just took one step at a time, thinking, singing, repeating...Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Holy are you Lord. Listening to Christian music that lifted God up and gave him Glory would fill my mind when I woke up and when I went to bed. Reading His word even when I just went through the motions soothed my soul. God is alive! I remember when my dad was dieing, I had no prayer to pray...numb and blank, yet I felt the Holy Spirit pray for me. God is alive!!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

A Hard Lesson to Practice

Psalm 75...A lesson I'll admit is hard to remember and practice. What helps me is the fact that I hate it when I'm judged by others. V1 We give thanks! V2 God's timing is perfect even if we don't understand or don't think so. V7 God knows all, the heart, the circumstances, the future.

Easier said than done, judging is for God. Especially when a loved one is hurt or the seemingly unjust gets by with something they shouldn't. When it seems unfair or uneven, we thnk we need to step in and help God out. Yesteday at church I realized a new way of thinking. the Pastor said to resign from leadership and let God take charge. The same goes eveywhere, including as a parent. Our relationship with our children, friends, co-workers, family. Take charge of all of them and let us all see "You"!

What helps you keep God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in focus even during the hard times?

Sometimes I get these crazy ideas!

Sometimes my brain overflows with ideas and I can't get them out quick enough! Anybody else have that problem? My brain flits from one thing to another. Well, this blog is helping me zone in on one subject...JVR/CWJC...tyring to use my new found blogger skills and knowledge, I'm searching all the CWJC and CMJC sites, blogs, and FaceBook pages out there on cyberspace. I'm working on building my comunity! Well, I'm trying anyway. CWJC/CMJC Check out their blog.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Not Homeless...Just Houseless

Here we are again, the second time in our life...houseless. It would'nt be fair or correct to say we're 'homeless', even though we are inbetween homes, again. Though we have encountered the obstacles of not having an address. You can't do anything without an address. Fortunately we thought ahead this time and set up a post office box before we lost our home address. But even then, most places will not accept a PO Box number and require a physical address. Then there's the joy, and challenge of living with somebody, if you're fortunate. In our case we're living with our 29 year old son. This in itself is ironic and comical. Our son moved out of the house when he was 18 and moved back into our home when he was 25. He, in fact, just moved out and back on his own about three months ago. Then we sell our house and...surprise! We didn't even need to ask, he volunteered before the subject even came up, what a sweetie! As I said earlier this isn't our first time. Our first, exactly 25 years ago. We were living in Missouri, in a two story old and cool, I might add, Mother-in-law house. we had three of our children at that time, the boys. The twins were 4 and our baby, 1. We had a wonderful solid church home, with wonderful close friends. My hubby had a great job that well, what can I say, it was the 80's. The first of large corporations liquidating their work staff and merging with other large corporations. (Maybe not the first in history, but the first in our lives.) There were a sequence of events that happened 25 years ago. We were ready to move out of renting and into home ownership. I was home working on our budget, and had just completed a budget plan that would allow us to be able to afford to purchase a home. Only one little problem, we didn't have a down payment. The phone rang and it was somebody we hadn't heard from for a while. They explained that they had been blessed by God and wanted to bless somebody else. God had laid us on their hearts. They wanted to give us a down payment for a house. They didn't even know we were looking for a house. Then as we proceeded with our house search, my hubby's job made their huge announcement. Fortunately for us we were able to take advantage of a volunteer package, and after much prayer and advice we felt God was leading us to Indiana. My brother -in-law and sister-in-law opened their home to us for three months. God, of course has blessed us, and now here we go again. Only this time we get to stay in town. This is obviously where God wants us! How about you? Can you relate?

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Still Reading, Writing, and Learning

If you haven't noticed before, blogging really gets my passion going. Not so much the blogging in itself, but the opportunity to use my love for writing to share my true feelings, ideas, and passions with whoever wants to listen. I'm onto part 2 of the Guide to Blogging book I'm reading. This part of the book will help me to get my blog out there. This is a scary, yet exciting thing for me to do. This guide book has been a tremendous help, though my blogs are not political in nature by no means, the blog info is priceless. I'm also hoping this blog will pave the way towards the book I'm writing as well as the end result the ministry. I need to focus and keep my eyes on God's direction and will for my life. One is the JVR Ministry.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

JVR...CWJC...Community


JVR...Jennifer Victoria Renee...AKA...Jesus Victoriously Reigns

CWJC...Christian Women Job Corp

This is the ministry that God has given me detail by detail to start. Now God has confirmed Martinsville is the community to expand this ministry. This sounds strange, why wouldn't I have known this all along? Well it's complicated, and someday I'll blog about it. But for now, I just want to share my excitement to know that yes, Martinsville is the place!

WellSpring Center is a great starting place, this shelter is a wonderful help to the Morgan County Community. I'll blog about other helpful community contacts in future blogs.

And the JVR...The Novel? I'm writing this so all of you viewers all over the Country, possibly the world might be able to be encouraged to start a JVR in your community!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Learning to Blog!


Well, I'm learning! I'm reading TheHuffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging. I've learned almost everythingI know from books. That's so ironic because growing up I didn't like to read at all. Give me a movie over a book any day! It's crazy how we change as we grow old! Well I'm happy to say I'm blogging in the right direction, according to the book I'm reading. And it's answering a lot of questions that I've had. I'm only half way through it, so I'll learn more as I read on. I'm currently reading rule # 5 Own Your Topic. I'm currently doing just that. This Ministry, JVR...CWJC that God spoke to me years ago, is growing up. Rule # 1 Blogoften...I'm having fun at that! Rule # 2 Perfect is the Enemy of Done...Well that's for sure! My blogs are not perfect by any means! And that's the way Ilike to write. No no, not that I like to write 'non perfectly' if that's a word. It's that I love to write but I know my grammar and spelling are, well, let’s just say needs some help. Rule # 3 Write like you speak. Yes I'm writing as Ispeak...in my mind that is. I always have things to say in my mind. Not thatanybody really wants to hear. But then again, writing this blog helps me speakmy mind and anybody who is interested can read it, or not. The point is, I do have things to say and I do want to be obedient to God. Well, writing is a way feel most energized, passionate, and encouraging to do just that, be obedient to God. Rule # 4 Focus on Specific Details, well that I need to work on. But the Guide Book to Blogging is helping me with that.

Friday, April 13, 2012

People think I am crazy!

Yes, that's right, people think I'm crazy! Maybe you're one of them. I'll admit I'm a little wacky at times, and I make mistakes all the time. Boy is that an understatement! I get confused and forget things easily. I even mess up the simplest things. I know I frustrate lots if people, and down right irritate some. My thinking, ideas, convictions, motivations upset and anger many. But...I love God and my intentions are to please God in all I do and say! My motivation is to be and bring all closer to our wonderful Holy God!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Moving forward to new opportunities and challenges!

Well, yesterday was the last day in our house of 24 1/2 years. I thought it would be a bitter sweet time. But I was pleasantly surprised when, as I cleaned each room and memories flooded my mind, of how happy and excited I was. In fact I was almost jolly with laughter and excitement. Anticipating the next step in our lives as we're in between houses. Excited because I have such a peace about the whole move and I see God's hand in all of it. I'm learning how to trust in God more everyday. It reminds of how 25 years ago at this same time of year we took a huge step of faith and obedience and moved to Indiana from Missouri. One month we are in Missouri trying to decide what to do and a month later we are in Indiana, jobless, homeless, with three babies. God has blessed us so much through the years and I just cant wait to see what He has in store for us now. And I'm not talking selfishly, I'm talking ministry, sharing His truth and Holy Love with all according to God's perfect plan.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Happy Easter!

My reading today...Psalms 58. This isn't your typical Easter Bible verse and it wasn't planned to be...but...as I write in my journal what, it became all about Easter. The scripture reminds me of myself and Christians in general. We think we're so good sometimes, but that's when the pride comes in and the attitude takes over. Yes, that's when the judgmental and unforgiving attitudes come into place. That's what tear up families, marriages, relationships, people, ministries. The "attitude" the "religious attitude". We all, as God's children, have had it, I would guess, at one time or another. Some more than others. Today, Easter Sunday, represents the day God's son rose from the grave...resurrected from death! Everybody listen! HE DID NOTHING WRONG! He was falsely accused, abused, and used! He was beaten, humiliated, killed! He was abanded, mocked, tortured! Yet...he willingly, yes...I said willingly! Let it happen! Not only that He asked His Holy Father to forgive US! ALL WHO DID THIS TO HIM! In the midst...the darkest hour He did this! No bitterness toward any of us! No hatred, judgemental thoughts, accusations toward any of us! Only forgiveness! And Grace! And Holy Love! A love that not one of us can know without God! And on top of all of that, after our Heavenly Father sent down His only Son to this earth to be devoured, He left His Holy Spirit to dwell with us here on earth until He decides to come back and snatch us away from this beautiful yet wicked place we call our home, to a place without one spec of evil in the presence of our Holy Father! So, how can we, that have been forgiven of every bad we've ever done or will do will do, judge others. Keep others held up in our walk of bitterness. Shouldn't we love all, forgive all, pray for all and let God handle the judging? We can't do a thing about it but mess it up and make it worse! But God can do all things! Speaking to myself here...let's pray for each other in Gods love and let God do the judging! Let's share Gods Truth and Holy Love...isn't that our job? This said to nobody else but myself. This. Is what God spoke to me in my personal time today. Just sharing.