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RE: Dailyjoy - 5/9/2008 2:18:47 PM
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joy2give2u
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I went for a walk at lunch around a local campus.
The students were moving out of their dorms.
Reminded me of my college days.
My roommate and I lived on the third flour of our dorm.
The first three years of college, when move out time came, she and I would not only move out our own stuff but helped most the other girls move as well.
We use to take such pride in our physical strength and endurance. Climbing up and down the stairs carrying heavy loads we would pass the girlie girls huffing and puffing and smile at each other with that "look at those wimps" smile.
Back then I was physically and emotionally strong but I wasn't spiritually strong. Oh I thought I was... going to a Christian college and doing all the right Christian things like reading my bible daily, doing devotionals and praying. My relationship was based on what others had taught me God was saying in this or that verse, along with doing things the way others told me I suppose to do things to be a christian. I knew what this or that scripture was saying because I had heard so and so preach on it.....and I knew how to pray and do devotional so I could grow close to God........The thing I didn't know was him personally. He didn't speak directly to me back then.......Knowing God through others was like lifting 1lb weights when it came to building spiritual muscle compared to the 50 lb weights which are used when your relationship moves from knowing who he is to knowing him.
As I walked and watched the students I reflected back on my life........
At times I was physically and emotionally strong but lacking in spiritual strength.
Other times I was strong emotionally and spiritually but had no physical muscle.
When it comes to training I am very singular focused. What ever I am training to do becomes my life and everything in my life centers on training.
It doesn't matter if I am training to be a disciple of the Lords by spending three or four hours every day in the library reading, meditating and talking to the Lord or spend that amount of time in the gym working out........Or even spend that much time working on relationships.
Whatever muscles I am focused on building the training becomes my entire life.
The problem is I can't seem to focus on building muscle in all three areas at once. Two I have done but not all three. To live a balanced life and be all who God intends for me to be I must be strong in all three areas.
How do I train for all three at the same time Lord? Will I ever be able to be strong in all three? Will I always sacrifice one of them to the other two?
"No, Joy , get rid of all the clutter in your life, both things and people, which take up your thoughts and time then focus only on training in those three areas. "
Pretty wise advice Lord.
I think I will take it.
< Message edited by joy2give2u -- 5/9/2008 2:48:10 PM >
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It is better to communicate the Spirit of what the Word says then the actual words read
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RE: Dailyjoy - 5/9/2008 3:10:11 PM
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mutinywxgirl
Posts: 12698
Joined: 4/29/2005
From: west coast of FL
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You know, I do believe you're onto something here - something that too many of us have been guilty of over the years of being saved. We "know" what to say. We "know" how to act. We "know" what to do in certain situations. We've been "trained" properly. We can give all the right answers.
But for me, at least, my heart was dead. God has given me an incredible brain - of that I have no doubt. But I've used that brain to collect all this information about Him and the Bible and everything else. However, did I have a true relationship with Him? Absolutely not!
I've been going through some courses that have changed this for me, and I am eternally grateful. God has broken me in ways I never knew needed broken. My prayer going into them was for the lessons to not get stuck in my head but to make their way into my heart.
Well, they've done that, and I am truly - finally - a new person in Christ. I GET it - finally - after 20+ years of being saved! How silly is that? I'm an intelligent person. I thought I was doing it right. Well, guess what? I wasn't! I didn't know true joy.
I do now! I can't wait to get to church now to be able to sing and worship and praise. It's the relationship I've never had.
Wow - what I've missed all these years!!!!!!!!!
And while God still has immense work to do on me yet, I look forward to it because it's just making me more into His image and each day is one day closer to when I'm home with Him.
How cool is that?????
I studied Atmospheric Dynamics and Thermodynamics. Even then I would walk out of class in awe at the intricacies of the atmosphere, and my faith was greatly increased with each new discovery. But now, if I were to take them, I don't think I'd be able to keep my mouth shut about how great is our God!
People may think I'm nuts, but that's okay - it doesn't matter. The ONLY thing of concern to me is that EVERYTHING I do bring glory to God - no matter the cost.
Hey Joy - I may have to join you in that triple training you mentioned. Seems God has some things for both of us to be doing in the coming days and weeks and months.
Here's to a GREAT journey! 
_____________________________
John O's Angels  L.M.S.T. Dangerous When Thinking
<--- me and paternal grandfather.
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RE: Dailyjoy - 5/9/2008 4:02:50 PM
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joy2give2u
Posts: 3823
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quote:
Wait, we can ALL do it at the GT. And here I was all set not to go to the GT but now I really want to meet you.......
I will see.........I am still not sure what God is saying about the GT and what my emotions are saying........But even if I don't go to the GT maybe you and I can get together while you are here.
_____________________________
It is better to communicate the Spirit of what the Word says then the actual words read
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RE: Dailyjoy - 5/9/2008 4:30:17 PM
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joy2give2u
Posts: 3823
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For all of us that are nuts I wanted to expand a little on what I was talking about when I said when we hear directly from God, when we hear his voice and see his face, how we can not help but be changed..........where as the Bible not have the same effect.
In Deuteronomy Moses is talking to the ones who will enter the promise land and he is recounting everything that happened so that they will not forget.......
In verse 5:4 Moses says "The Lord spoke to you face to face from the heart of the fire on the mountain. I stood as an intermediary between you and the Lord, for you were afraid of the fire and did not climb the mountain. He spoke to me, and I passed His words on to you......."
God wanted to speak to them all face to face but their fear kept them at the base of the mountain and they needed someone else to pass the words on to them.
I remember thinking when I was reading this passage..........God I don't want to stay at the base of the mountain and know you only through what someone else passes to me.........I want to see your face.
The next part was were God really spoke to me and showed me how much he wants to speak to me through the bible but also through a one on one encounter.
Verse 22
The Lord spoke these words with a loud voice to all of you from the heart of the fire, surrounded by clouds and deep darkness. This was all he said at that time, and he wrote his words on two stone tablets and gave them to me.
23 But when you heard the voice from the darkness, while the mountain was blazing with fire, all your tribal leaders came to me
24 They said, "The Lord our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice from the heart of the fire. Today we have seen God speaking to humans, and yet we live!
25 But now, why should we die? If the Lord our God speaks to us again, we will certainly die and be consumed by this awesome fire.
26 Can any living thing hear the voice of the living God from the heart of the fire and yet survive?
27 You go and listen to what the Lord our God says. Then come and tell us everything he tells you, and we will listen and obey.
I bolded the parts where God really got my attention.
Notice God spoke to them........they heard his voice and were afraid... yes ...but did not die....... then they say we don't want to hear God's voice or see his face because if we do we shall die.
How can you have heard a voice and not died but then say if you do hear the voice you will die?
What God showed me........
If you hear God's voice directly and see His face you will die......because the part of your nature which clings to who you were before he changed you has no choice but to die......When God speaks to you one on one, face to face, with no mediator your flesh has no choice but die........
They realized this........and did not want to give up completely their old nature....they knew if they continued to talk to God and hear his voice they would have no choice but die to the things their flesh still wanted to hang unto .......so what did they do.......they asked for Moses to listen to God and they would in return listen to him and read the words God had written.......because they knew that in those written words were how they were to live their lives but it did not "kill" their old nature.
< Message edited by joy2give2u -- 5/9/2008 4:37:15 PM >
_____________________________
It is better to communicate the Spirit of what the Word says then the actual words read
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RE: Dailyjoy - 5/10/2008 6:12:18 PM
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AlwaysR8chel
Posts: 3968
Joined: 4/11/2005
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......... wow, Lisa!!!!!
(((((Lisa!)))))
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Sadly Sweet.
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RE: Dailyjoy - 5/12/2008 9:42:24 AM
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AlwaysR8chel
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......... prayers from Indiana, sweet thing..... 
DailyJoy: Security in knowing who I am.
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Sadly Sweet.
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RE: Dailyjoy - 5/12/2008 1:24:44 PM
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iwillfearnoevil
Posts: 1333
Joined: 11/6/2007
From: upstate NY
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dailyjoy (from yesterday) - serving the Lord - yesterday at church we had a church breakfast for mother's day before service after which there was 'let's make a deal' for the women with lots of gift certificates for prizes. really cool event i think, anyways after it all ended, i ended up staying behind during service to finish cleaning. i felt a different kind of joy and happiness from taking care of God's house and it was a really nice experience. i wish i would feel that joy when scooping the catbox at home ;)
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RE: Dailyjoy - 5/13/2008 9:14:20 AM
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AlwaysR8chel
Posts: 3968
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........ very cool, Lisa....
I prayed for you this morning as well...
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Sadly Sweet.
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RE: Dailyjoy - 5/13/2008 11:49:40 AM
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joy2give2u
Posts: 3823
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quote:
DailyJoy- that some people are sooooo popular that their PM box is full ... any idea who that may be Joy? ED????
quote:
Another dailyjoy- I had a lovely Mother's day. The whole family was over, we ate and played and talked and had a great day!! 
quote:
Our God is SO AWESOME!!!!!!! Yes he is
I love my little girls so much. They are such a wonderful blessing from the Lord. I can't imagine having more love for anyone then I do for these girls.
It always amazes me the lessons I learn by observing them. How powerful God speaks into my life through their lives.
This morning driving to work I couldn't stop smiling and laughing as I thought of Sky and something she did at her ball game.
Both my older nieces play softball. K plays for a fast pitch traveling team. She is the youngest, at eight, on the team. Most the players are 10 or 11.
Sky is in her first year of instructional and is one of the youngest on her team. She and one other girl are the only new ones to the team this year.
Both girls, being the youngest and least experienced, have seen bench time this year.
There reactions are so different.
When K is benched she moves around constantly, talking to the coaches making sure they know how much she wants to play. After batting she is the first by the coaches, looking at them with big eyes, pleading for them to let her into the game.K makes sure they notice her. You see she doesn't hope she will get to play she knows she will because she will continually remind the coaches she has not been in yet until they let her play.........K loves to be on the field and in the game........
Sky wants to play as badly as K. She eagerly prepares for each game, excited to take the field in warm up with the hope she will play.
The contrast between the two was very obvious this weekend. K made sure she got to play and she played well.
What about Sky you might ask? Well let me tell you about Sky's game. Maybe it will make you smile and laugh as much as it still does me.
When the game began the coach told each girl to take a seat on the bench. Sky sat down in her spot. Then the coach called out the girl and their position and told them to take the field. Sky was on the bench.
After the second inning the coach said it was time to switch up the players and he asked who wants to play which position. The girls all clamoured around him, lifting their hands and begging to play this or that position. All but Sky that is........she quietly stood by the coach, her huge eyes pleading him to please put her in but, in the noise of the other girls, she was unnoticed.
The confusion was too much, with all the girls waving their arms and talking at once, so coach told the girls to take the same spot in the field they were and he would move them around from there.
Sky, instead of staying by the coach as K would have, making sure he noticed her, went back to the bench and with a downcast, defeated look sat down in the exact spot she had sat in the beginning of the game.
My sister went up to Sky and told her to go stand by the coach so he can see her and remember she hasn't played..........
Sky looked straight in her mother's eyes and said with a saddened tone. I can't.......coach told us to go to our spot and this is my spot.
My poor Sky looked like she was going to cry yet in obedience to the coach she took her spot.
Now before you get sad and start crying.......the story has a good ending.
The assistant coach noticed Sky and said to the head coach.......hey Sky hasn't played yet.
Coach looked at her with a smile and say......."Sky what are you doing on the beach? Get over here so I can put you in."
You should of seen the huge smile which broke out on Sky's face.....pure joy and excitement.
She played the next two innings and did very well.
As I was thinking about Sky's actions this weekend. Her look when she took her "spot" I felt a oneness with her. How many times have I sadly taken my spot when I really wanted to play. Why do I stay in the background and hope someone will notice me? If I want to play why don't I make sure I get noticed?
Thought after thought raced through my mind. Then I heard God's voice.
Joy you sit on your spot because deep down you don't think you are as good as the other players. You think you are only good enough to sit on the bench and you believe others can play the game better then you.
Such a difference between Sky and K. I don't want to be a Sky anymore. I want to be a K. Because K believes if she was good enough to make the team then she is good enough to play. Her faith in her own worth gives her the courage to stand up and say Coach I want to play, put me in.
The ironic thing......... Sky is the better athlete. Don't get me wrong K is very good for her age but Sky has amazing natural ability. She is quicker and stronger then k.
Lord I so want to be noticed. How do I stop being a Sky and start being a K?
You start believing my truth instead of your experiences. Joy you have as much to offer as any other player. If I didn't think you were good enough for the team I would not have chosen you to be on it. You need to believe you have as much to offer as I know you do
My Truths Joy are.......
I would not have given you a vision of your marriage if I did not believe in your potential to be an amazing wife.
I would not have arranged things so that you had lots of training as a mother if I did not have faith in your ability to be an outstanding mother.
Joy it doesn't matter if you don't make the cut for any other team....my team is the one which needs your skills and talents and I have chosen you. You made the cut for my team because I know how very valuable of a team player you are for me.
I am so thankful that my coach not only notices me but he takes lots of time to talk to me........
Question????????
What are your spots?
Do you make sure you are noticed or do you blend in the background waiting and hoping someone will notice you?
< Message edited by joy2give2u -- 5/13/2008 11:56:41 AM >
_____________________________
It is better to communicate the Spirit of what the Word says then the actual words read
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RE: Dailyjoy - 5/13/2008 12:03:39 PM
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iwillfearnoevil
Posts: 1333
Joined: 11/6/2007
From: upstate NY
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quote:
ORIGINAL: joy2give2u
quote:
DailyJoy- that some people are sooooo popular that their PM box is full ... any idea who that may be Joy? ED????
nice try but i cleaned mine up to last for months ... i think she is referring to you ... this is YOUR thread after all ;)
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RE: Dailyjoy - 5/13/2008 2:01:49 PM
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joy2give2u
Posts: 3823
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What a wonderful walk.........It is so beautiful outside........the sun is shinning...the sky is vivid blue and there are white puffy clouds floating softly by the trees........oh and how could I forget the pink flowers on the trees..........Oh and I can't forget the blue, blue lake with gentle ripples..........WOW what a day.......Did I mention it is beautiful outside?
As I was walking around the lake I was admiring the beautiful swans. Their long graceful necks, pure white color and grace with which they swim.
Excited I noticed they were swimming towards shore a little ahead of me. I figured our timing would be perfect for me to see them close up.
I love swans close up........there is such power and strength in them.........close up they look different then they do on the water........Kinda like angels.
When you see or think of an angel it is usually of grace, white, beauty, gentleness.
But if you see an angel close up, ones from the Lord they look fierce, strong, powerful, determined and like warriors. Or at least the ones I have seen did.
As I approached the swans my thoughts were confirmed. They were not near as gentle and graceful on land........their bodies are strong and they are fierce especially when protecting one of their own.
As I was watching the swans, careful not to get them riled up, I noticed one closer to me, who seemed slightly different, more gentle in a way so I moved nearer.
Imagine my shock when I realized the white swan I was approaching wasn't a swan at all........but a pure white duck.
From the distance I could not tell but close up it was obvious.
Disappointed I thought ... | | |
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