Enjoy that Brownie you got

The Lord LOVES to show me things through my children's actions and words.

The other day, my oldest daughter, Elisabeth, had just gotten her own brownie. Her brother, Aaron, had also gotten his brownie and had chowed down on it like a ravenous lion. Elisabeth, who eats very slowly, still had her brownie in her hand.

Aaron decided he wanted another one...so, of course, I gave it to him. When Elisabeth saw her brother get another portion, she immediately decided that she was not going to be outdone by her brother. I'm sure she was thinking something like: "How dare he get more than I do? It's not fair! I'd better get just as much as he does!"

So, Elisabeth reaches out with her free hand while her other hand is still plumb full of brownie and she shouts "Can I have another one, too?"

That picture of her holding that brownie in one hand while reaching out for more with her other just really struck me. Is that what I've been doing?

Have I been living my life with a handful of something wonderful, yet I'm reaching for more and more as if it's not enough!?

I have my ever-maturing husband and my five wonderful children, I have shelter over my head, I have food in my fridge and cupboards, I have clothes not only on my back but several more in my closet and drawers, I have hot and running water, I have light...I HAVE SO MUCH.

My hand is brimming over with wonderful blessings! But here I am: holding my one brownie without even enjoying it fully and reaching out for more and more and more.
So what do I need to do? I need to enjoy the "brownie" I already have!

The principle here is contentment. To be content means to be satisfied with, to be enough.
According to the Word, I should be super satisfied with what I already have!
1 Timothy 6:8 says that I should be content with just food and clothes. I've already listed much, much more than those two blessings!

Hebrews 13:5 says: "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

So how is it that I can be content? How is it that I can be thoroughly satisfied?

By remembering that the Lord will NEVER leave me nor forsake me!

In Him is my content. In Him is my satisfaction. He is MORE than enough for me.

Going Past the "Choke Point"

This weekend, a speaker, Tracey Stewart, was invited to our church to share some revelations in the Word.

One thing she addressed was moving beyond the "choke point". The "choke point" is when you think or plan something and you can't think or plan any further than the "choke point" because it is difficult in our little minds to comprehend going even farther than what you are trying to dream.

So, I tried to think past this "choke point". I got up and wrote some dreams and plans of mine and I tried to stretch them past the "choke point". My "choke point" comes when, in the natural, I do not have the resources, current ability or skills to make that happen myself. But God does! If you diligently listen to the voice of the Lord and follow His commandments, He will bless anything you put your hand to (Deuteronomy 28)! As long as He is my focus, He will also direct my path and guide me to do whatever I need to do to get past that "choke point" (Proverbs 3:6)!

So, if my focus is on God, then it will be EASY to get past the "choke point" because with God ALL things are possible (Matthew 19:26)! With God, we are WELL able to overcome any and all obstacles that might get in the way (Numbers 13:30).

I WILL surpass my obstacles and great things WILL happen for the Kingdom!

I have been a glutton

I have been a glutton.

What exactly is a glutton?

First of all, Proverbs 23:21 says: "For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty."
That word-glutton-means to be worthless, insignificant, make light of, squander.
So, I have been squandering away the provision that the Lord has been giving me by eating MUCH MUCH more than I actually needed! So, since I've been clinging to His provision, (and He HAS been providing abundantly) yet I've been eating it all up in a day, I've been lacking from my own sin.
Secondly, this verse says that gluttons will come to poverty! I have been sucking in the food like there's no tomorrow and what does that leave me with? Nothing for tomorrow! Gluttony eats away food stores and eats away finances.
One of my main goals is to get out of debt. I am dead-set on and very dedicated to getting out of debt! I can SEE my Debt-less Day (DDay) on the horizon...
Yet, I have been hindering my own progress to DDay by being a glutton!
The money I've poured into fast food is ridiculous. The money I've wasted running to Publix for a pecan pie or cake or cookies--not to share, but to shove in my own mouth-it's all gone! I squandered it all away. And what else has the Lord provided for me and my family yet I squandered it all away, too??

Setting Captives Free has helped me to pay attention to my issues with food so that I can deal with them the way the Lord wants me to.

Go to settingcaptivesfree.com if you are interested.

Setting Captives Free is an online website ministry that allows you to take courses that guide and teach you what God says about certain issues in scripture. They address sexual purity, food issues, substance abuse and gambling. They also have Bible study lessons that you can sign up for.