Who Am I?

It’s a question many people struggle with.  Life is all about the journey, the adventure, of finding out “Who Am I?”  I think, very often, most people never really arrive at an answer that “suits” them.  We live life as the child of our parents, then we might become “the friend of so & so”, the spouse of such & such, then the parent of our children.  We are never just “us”.  It’s never really been just “Angela – you know her, right?”  It’s been more like “Angela, you know Mason & Marleigh’s mom”.  Our identity almost always falls to our association with another.  As I have gotten older, now on my own, searching for my true identity, it occurs to me that no one really ever said “you know, Angela, that Christian lady”.  I haven’t always been associated with Christ.  And, why not?  Since I am, indeed, His child! 

I have been working on that now for quite some time.  I want people to look at me & see Christ in me!  So, who am I?  I am a daughter of the Most High King!  I am His chosen!  I am loved & adored by the One who created the universe.  He knows me by name!  He doesn’t refer to me as Otis & Joanne’s daughter or Mason & Marleigh’s mother – He calls me beloved!  He calls me SPECIAL!!!  He knows me personally, inside & out.  He loves me & accepts me just the way I am, with all of my shortcomings & failures – with all of my stubbornness!  He still knocks at my door, asking to come in & visit al while.  He is all knowing, yet He wants me to tell Him about myself – He wants to get to know me better by listening to me.  Who am I?  I am loved, forgiven, blessed, anointed.  I am Angela, a special child of Christ!! 

Who are you?  Exactly the same – a child of Christ!  If you have never met him personally – now is your chance!!  It’s simple, all you have to do is say this “Hi Lord, it’s me, _________________.”  Yes, He already knows your name & who you are, but it’s great to introduce yourself in a new way to Him & talk to Him just as you would anyone else!  “I have sinned & fallen short of Your glory, but I am totally ready to change!  I want to be known as a child of the King.  I want people to associate me with You.  So, I would be so grateful if You’d come into my heart to stay.  i want to live my life for You, starting right now!!  Thank you, sweet Jesus!!”  That’s it!  Now you are saved!  Your part is to start living like it!  Consult God about everything!!  Be constantly aware of His presence in your life.  he will lead & guide you!!

Who are we?  Family!!!  With an AMAZING FATHER!!!!!!! 

Click here:  Who Am I? Casting Crowns

God With Skin On - An Update!

If you haven't had a chance to read God With Skin On, I encourage you to go read it now.  Click here.  I was convinced that Regina was really an angel sent from heaven above for me that particular night!  I had been back to Wal-Mart on several occassions & never saw her again.  I even told my mother that I didn't believe she was a "real person"!  Well, just in the good old fashioned "God Way", something simply amazing happened to me the other day - or should I say, it happened to US!!! 

I was getting up to get ready for my daughter's birthday party, when my phone rang.  I didn't recognize the number, but I answered it anyway, just in case it was somebody inquiring about the party.  When I answered the voice on the other end says "Well, good morning!"  I replied with a sleepy "good morning".  The voice was not one I recognized.  She began to talk & tell me her story - she said "My name is Regina & I work at Wal-Mart."  I immediately perked up!!  I felt like the M&M from the commercial with Santa Clause - you know, the one where they all faint saying "He does exist, They do exist"!  Ha!!  Regina does exist & she is talking to me from the other end of this phone line.  She proceeded to tell me about how someone read my blog & printed a copy of it, took it to her supervisors at Wal-Mart & how they called her into the office to tell her all about it!  She said they were all in tears as they read the letter to her & gave her a copy of it.  She too was in tears because she realized that her prayers had been answered.  She didn't feel like she was really making an impact for the kingdom of God & wasn't sure that God was hearing her.  After she read the blog, she understood that God had indeed heard her & that, just as she prayed for Him to work through her, He had done just that!  She said "this letter is not about me at all, but it's about God working through me!"  She just rejoiced on the phone that day because just as God had used Regina to let ME know He heard ME, God turned right around & used ME to let REGINA know that He heard HER as well!!!  How amazing is that?!? 

Now, if that wasn't miracle enough - I was certainly wondering how in the world she knew my phone number!  As she was telling about how good God is & the story of how we first met, a customer recognized the story - she told Regina that it sounded familiar & pulled a book out of her purse & said "here you go, this is Angela's phone number."  Man - what an amazing God we have!!  To put all of this together & get us in touch again... it's absolutely astounding!  Nothing but God could have worked that out!!  It was a good 3 months from the night we met until the day she called me - so remember....

He DOES hear you when you pray!!  He DOES listen when you pray!!  Just because you don't see the results you may be looking for right now, does not mean HE doesn't hear & HE isn't listening!  He is just working things out behind the scenes!!!  When it happens, you will KNOW IT WAS GOD!!!

Be blessed today!!  I sure am!!!!

Faith or Fault

Being open minded is really harder than one might think.  I feel like I have a pretty open mind about most things & a tolerance for things people around “these parts” don’t always have.  However, I have learned that having an open mind to the promises of God is sometimes a really hard thing to do.  Maybe it’s because God doesn’t always fulfill those promises “right now”; or maybe it’s because we can’t see God &, therefore, have trouble believing what He says.  We are mostly a skeptical people who need to see with human eyes & feel with human feelings – which is reasonable since we are indeed human.  But, we must also realize that we are spiritual beings as well – God created us with a spirit that lives inside & as the Bible tells us, we are to walk by FAITH & not by SIGHT.  (2 Corinthians 5:7)  We really are a faithless people when you think about it.  We say “I have faith in God”, but when it comes to the fulfillment of a promise He has given, we tend to question Him.  When God?  How God?  How long will it be God? Why not now God?  If the fulfillment doesn’t happen when we think it should or how we think it should, we want to give up on God.  We want to throw up our hands & say “whatever, God!” 

The Bible says in 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in doing what He promised, the way some people understand slowness.  But God is being patient with you.  He does not want anyone to be lost, but He wants all people to change their hearts & lives.”  (NLT)

This verse speaks to me on so many levels today!  1st of all “The Lord is not slow in doing what He promised, the way some people understand slowness…” When God says it, it’s done… period!  Just because we can’t see it with our human eyes does NOT mean it hasn’t been completed!  In God’s eyes – it has been done!!  The way we understand it, it’s slow… but not to our God!!

Secondly, “But God is being patient with you.”  Uh-humm…. excuse me??  God is being patient with ME??  But I am the one down here WAITING!!  Patiently!!!  Well, kind of patiently… At least, I thought I was the one being patient – what does this mean?  God is being patient with me?  Matthew 6:2, 5, 16 talks about when you give, when you pray, when you fast.  Are we doing all of these things which God has commanded us to do?  Are we giving to the needs necessary – to needy people?  We don’t have to wait for God to tell us to give – HE ALREADY DID!!  Are we praying & reading the Word with diligence?  Are we fasting like we should?  If you have a specific need you are praying for, are you also fasting for that need?  Jesus sacrificed His life on the cross for us!  He suffered persecution & humiliation to save our lives that we might have eternal life with Him!  Can we not “sacrifice” a meal?  Can we not “sacrifice” Facebook for even a week?  Can we not “sacrifice” television?  Can we not “sacrifice” giving of our time?  Can we not “sacrifice” some money for someone in need?  How much “sacrifice” is it really??  What would you really miss by “sacrificing” any of these things?

Third, “He does not want anyone to be lost, but He wants all people to change their hearts & lives.”  God wants us to become repentant.  Repentance does not mean we ask God for forgiveness & then continue in the same way… doing things we shouldn’t do – or, dare I say, NOT doing things we SHOULD do!  Repentance means we ask God to forgive us & then turn from our old ways.  You change your heart and your life!!!  God wants us to put our trust in him, to change our way of living & our way of thinking.  To have FAITH that He is doing (has already done) what He has promised He would do & for us to do as He commanded.  TO GIVE, TO PRAY, TO FAST.  When we do our part, He has more liberty to do His part.  We are the ones slowing up the process!  God is being patient with us!  I think it’s time we get serious & get busy!!!  So, search yourself today – are you living with FAITH or FAULT??

Lord, I thank you today for being so patient with me!  Thank you for your sacrifice on the cross & thank you for not giving up on me when I don’t do my part.  Father, place in me a desire to do what you commanded – to give, to pray, to fast.  Help me understand that the promises you have given me are already done in your eyes & I must continue to praise you for them.  Lord, I want to be found faithful in Your sight… not at fault.  I want to do my part!  My sacrifice is nothing compared to what You have done for me.  Thank you for Your promises & thank you for being faithful to me!!  You are an awesome God!!