Selfish! This Isn't For You.

Selfish! This isn't for you. I keep hearing over and over in my head, said from a Father to a greedy child reaching for more than her share of treats from the bowl He is reaching down to her. This summer has held many blessings for me. Some trials, many temptations, lots of confirmations and atta' girls from my heavenly Father. As I start to reflect on it all and store it up in my heart I hear it,the voice of my Father. Selfish! This isn't for you! Just like the knowlege I gained at my salvation of the saving power of my Saviors love, each step with Him is something to be shared with others. Others who may not know Him, others that may know Him and just need some encouragement. There's just no telling. But for me to keep it to myself, all that He has done, is selfish. This life is not my own. The blessings, trials, learning moments and loving moments are all apart of a life that He wants to use to bring people to Him. I am aware I am a unworthy and imperfect vessel, but I am eternally grateful that He saw me worthy of His love. He finds me worthy of trial and tribulation, a time that when focused on Him can instead of breaking you down, makes you stronger. Today, I sit in this busy coffee shop with a challenge for you friends. What is He teaching you now? What has He taught you in the past ? What has He brought you through that could save another ? Share it!!!! Find your voice. Blog, facebook status, a song, even a journal to be left behind for those that come after you. Find your voice, share your voice, let it be His voice speaking through you.    

Silence, what a beautiful sound.

Today I write from a anything but quiet pizzeria. It is busteling with patrons and noises from the kitchen. I however am focused on silence. Monday I challenged myself to be silent. No t.v., radio, phone calls, facebook, etc. Now, I woke up to a fallen tree in the back yard so a few phone calls had to be made. Beyond that I spent the better part of the day in silence. I did house work, read, journaled, sat on the front porch enjoying the beauty of the day and God's provision, read, and read some more. I even took a moment to color a picture. I wanted to know if I could rest in silence or if I was indeed the kind of person my mother always accused me of....the child that just HAD to be doing something every hour of the day. As the day ended I was proud of my silent accopmlishment. It was such a blessed day. I loved the noise of God's creation around me. It was a sweet reminder that we are not alone. We share this earth with all sorts of things tree's, bugs, deer, chipmunk, puppies, and eachother. It reminded me that if a day goes by and I only rest, I have still accomplished something. He longs to speak to me through His creation. He desires to allow me time to rest in His presence with only the noise of my beating heart and the whisper of the breeze. He wants me to sit in His glory and say nothing at all. Yesterday in Come Away My Beloved ,a book that has become a huge part of my quiet time, there was a sentence that said "I tell you now, I am never silent;but you are deaf". The day before I read, "If I give you a time of rest, it is for a reason." These two combined lead me to challenge myself to seek out silent times. I don't know what your days hold, but I want to challenge you to find one where you can truly rest. Sit in silence and wait for what God has to say to you.

To Blog or Not to Blog.....that was my question.

I have been debating for a majority of the Summer about blogging. I truly do not love to "follow the crowd" and so it's trendy following caused me hesitance. But after prayer and thought, yes I prayed about blogging, I have decided to jump in. The idea that what God has for my life just might not be for only myself, but more for others pushed me into the blogasphere. So, here we go, The Faith Journals. My desire is to share about the journey the Lord is leading me on and has lead me on in my life. To share what He has done and is doing so that perhaps there is one less out there wondering if they are the only one. If they are the first to take that step of faith, to ask that question, to say to God, "I know you are there with my mind, but today I don't  always feel you there with my heart". And to know He has reached out to someone, somewhere and reassured them that indeed He is there. Giving a hope that He will reach out to someone else, somewere else reassuring them that indeed He is there. And here we go misspelled words, in proper puncuation, and a English teacher or editors worst nightmare........follow me.