IT IS SO MUCH EASIER

I POSTED A STATUS HERE ON FACEBOOK YESTERDAY WHICH WAS SIMPLE AND TO THE POINT.  THAT STATUS HAS BEEN POPPING IN AND OUT OF MY MIND EVER SINCE.  ALL IT SAID WAS "IT IS MUCH EASIER TO BE CONSUMED BY GOD THAN IT IS TO BE CONSUMED BY SIN."  THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE.  THIS STATEMENT CAN BE APPLIED TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
IN MY CASE, IT IS SO VERY MUCH EASIER!

I SPENT MANY YEARS CONSUMED BY SIN.  I RIPPED AND RAN BLINDLY FROM ONE DISASTER TO THE NEXT.  I HID FROM THIS ONE, I LIED TO THAT ONE AND BECAME A MASTER AT KEEPING MY STORIES STRAIGHT.  I OFTEN HAD TO ASK PEOPLE TO COVER UP FOR ME.  EVERY DAY WAS EXHAUSTING BECAUSE I CHASED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS "HAPPINESS" IN ORDER TO "FEEL GOOD."  BEFORE I WENT TO SLEEP EACH NIGHT, I HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE NEXT DAY.  MY RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO TRULY LOVED ME WENT FROM SHAKY, TO BAD, TO TERRIBLE, TO ALMOST NON EXISTENT. 

AND I ONLY HAD MYSELF TO BLAME!

MY PARENTS TRIED TELLING ME SO MANY TIMES THAT I NEEDED TO STOP WHAT I WAS DOING.  THEY WERE SO CONCERNED THAT I WAS GOING TO END UP DEAD OR IN SERIOUS TROUBLE.  THEY MADE SURE TO KEEP MY BURIAL INSURANCE PAID AND THEY HATED TO HEAR THE PHONE RING DURING THE NIGHT.  

I WONDER HOW MANY TIMES I TOLD MYSELF "OK MICHELLE, ITS TIME TO STRAIGHTEN UP."  REHAB DIDNT HELP.  ANTI DEPRESSANTS DIDNT HELP.  THE ANGER AND EMBARRASSMENT OF MY FAMILY DIDNT HELP.  NOT EVEN BECOMING INCARCERATED HELPED ME!

I WAS CONSUMED BY SIN!!!!

THESE DAYS, I HAVE BEEN CONSUMED BY GOD!   IT DIDNT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, I SLOWLY BUT SURELY BECAME MORE AND MORE DEPENDANT UPON HIM, NOT MICHELLE.  BY ATTENDING CHURCH SERVICES FAITHFULLY AND RELYING UPON HIS WORD, I DEVELOPED NEW HABITS.  I LEARNED THAT I MUST REPENT DAILY OF MY SINS AND TO NOT REJECT HIS PRESENCE. 

I HAVE NEVER FELT THE HAPPINESS AND JOY THAT I EXPERIENCE TODAY.  EVERY DAY.  SURE, PROBLEMS ARISE, BUT I TAKE IT TO JESUS.  OF COURSE I STILL HAVE SIN IN MY LIFE, WE ALL DO, BUT I ASK FOR FORGIVENESS THESE DAYS.  I GO TO BED AND SLEEP SO GOOD WHEN I LAY MY HEAD DOWN AT NIGHT.  MY DAYS HAVE SLOWED DOWN CONSIDERABLY.  I ALLOW GOD TO TALK TO ME DAILY THROUGH HIS WORD.  I SEE THE WORLD THROUGH DIFFERENT EYES. 

IT IS SO MUCH EASIER TO BE CONSUMED BY GOD!
I THANK HIM DAILY FOR HIS CORRECTION, HIS DIRECTION AND HIS PROTECTION!

HE WANTS TO DO THE SAME THING FOR YOU.  YOU WOULD BE AMAZED AT THE TRANSFORMATION GOD CAN MAKE IN YOUR LIFE.  IF HE DID IT FOR ME, HE CAN AND HE SURELY WILL DO IT FOR YOU!

NO ROOM FOR CONFUSION

LIFE'S LITTLE AGGRAVATIONS WERE TRYING THEIR BEST TO GET TO ME THIS MORNING.  MY CONCENTRATION HAD NOT BEEN SO GREAT IN THE PAST HOUR.  I USUALLY KNOW RIGHT AWAY WHAT I AM GOING TO WRITE ABOUT WHEN I WAKE UP EACH MORNING, BUT TODAY, I WAS BEGINNING TO WONDER IF I HAD ANYTHING TO SAY AT ALL.  IT SEEMS LIKE I HAD BARRICADES SET UP IN MY MIND.  THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, THE MORE I BEGAN TO SEE WHAT I NEEDED TO WRITE ABOUT.





MY LACK OF FOCUS THIS MORNING WAS NOTHING BUT A TRICK OF THE DEVIL.  IT WAS  NOTHING MAJOR, JUST A CONTINUOUS LITTLE NAGGING FEELING OF CONFUSION.  I ALMOST HAD TO LAUGH WHEN THE LORD REVEALED TO ME THE TOPIC OF MY "NOTE" TODAY.  GOD HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR.  BELIEVE THAT.  JUST TYPING IN THESE WORDS AND COMMANDING AUTHORITY OVER THE DEVIL HAS PUT A SMILE ON MY FACE. 





I AM PRETTY SURE THAT ANYONE READING THIS NOTE CAN IDENTIFY WITH WHAT I AM WRITING THIS MORNING.  THE DEVIL LOVES TO AGGRAVATE US.  HE LOVES TO TRY TO RUIN OUR DAY.  HE IS PERSISTANT AND TRIES A VARIETY OF TRICKS BEFORE DECIDING WHICH TOOL OF HIS TO USE AT ANY PARTICULAR MONENT.  HE IS THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION.  THE LEADER OF UNHAPPINESS.  THE PRINCE OF DEPRESSION. 





I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME THE ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THESE TRICKS OF SATAN FOR EVACTLY WHAT THEY ARE.  I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER NOW THAT I HAVE PUT HIM FIRMLY BACK IN HIS PLACE.  I DONT HAVE TO BE ANGRY.  I DESERVE TO ENJOY A BEAUTIFUL DAY SUCH AS TODAY.  CONFUSION HAS NO PLACE IN MY LIFE.  I REBUKED HIS PESKY PRESENCE IN THE NAME OF JESUS!   THANKS BE TO GOD! 





IF I HAVE TO PUT SATAN BEHIND ME ALL DAY LONG, THATS EXACTLY WHAT I WILL DO.  THAT NAGGING FEELING HAS IS GONE AND I REFUSE TO LET IT EVEN TRY TO GET BACK IN THE DOOR.  I THANK MY LORD FOR GIVING ME THE VICTORY IN HIS NAME!  I AM SO HAPPY THAT I HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW MY GOD AND THAT HE HAS ALLOWED ME TO RECEIVE HIS PROMISES! 





HIS DIRECTION AND HIS PROTECTION CAME THROUGH FOR ME THIS MORNING.  IF HE DID IT FOR ME, HE CAN AND HE SURELY WILL DO IT FOR YOU.  OUR HAPPINESS MEANS EVERYTHING TO HIM. 

RAINSTORM ON NORRIS

ONE AFTERNOON THIS PAST WEEK, WE HAD QUITE A RAINSTORM OUT HERE ON NORRIS ROAD.  IT DIDNT TAKE LONG FOR OUR ENTIRE BACK YARD TO LOOK LIKE A SOLID LAKE.  MY POOR FLOWER BED WAS DRENCHED.  EVERY SO OFTEN, I WOULD GO OUT THE BACK DOOR JUST TO LOOK AT MY ONCE BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FLOWERS.  SOME OF THE SMALLER ONES WERE COMPLETELY LAID OVER.  THE BLOOMS LOOKED WILTED AND HOPELESS.  EVERYONE ASSURED ME THAT THE FLOWERS WOULD INDEED MAKE IT THROUGH THIS STORM. 

I REALIZED THEN THAT THERE WAS A LESSON TO BE LEARNED YET AGAIN REGARDING MY FLOWER BED.  THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, THE MORE I REALIZED THAT IN GODS EYES, WE ARE MUCH LIKE THE YOUNG, TENDER FLOWERS THAT I HAVE PLANTED.  LIFE'S STORMS COME THROUGH AND FLATTEN US QUITE REGULARLY.  THE WINDS OF DAILY LIVING OFTEN THREATEN TO UPROOT US.  WE SOMETIMES FEEL WE MIGHT DROWN IN OUR OWN SORROW. 

......BUT......

WE HAVE A GOD WHO LOVES US AND PROTECTS US, NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF STORM WE ARE FACING.  THROUGH FAITH WE REMAIN GROUNDED.  THROUGH PRAYER, WE THRIVE.  THROUGH HIS LOVE, WE SHINE.  WHEN WE MAKE IT THROUGH ONE OF LIFES STORMS, OUR ROOTS ARE STRONGER, OUR COLORS ARE BRIGHTER AND WE APPEAR SO MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL IN HIS EYES.  MUCH LIKE MY FLOWER BED DOES TODAY.   MY "FLOWER BED" HAS TRULY BECOME MY "PRAYER GARDEN."

I AM SO GLAD MY SIMPLE LITTLE FLOWER BED CONTINUES TO TEACH ME SO MUCH ABOUT MY WALK WITH GOD.  FROM PULLING WEEDS TO BATTLING LIFES STORMS, HE HAS BEEN GUIDING ME DAILY.  I AM SO THANKFUL THAT I HAVE BEEN LEARNING TO LISTEN TO THE VOICE AND DIRECTION OF THE LORD.  HE LOVES US SO MUCH AND SPEAKS TO US SOMETIMES THROUGH THE MOST UNLIKELY WAYS.  AND FOR THAT I AM SO THANKFUL. 

MOTH BALLS

YESTERDAY MORNING AT THE CAMP, MY DAD WAS BUSY SPREADING MOTH BALLS HERE AND THERE AT THE CAMP.  HE THREW THEM AROUND THE EDGES OF THE POND, AROUND THE WOOD PILE, BY THE BOAT AND ALL AROUND THE STAIRS LEADING UP TO THE ACTUAL CAMP ITSELF.  OF COURSE I ASKED HIM WHAT IN THE WORLD ALL THOSE MOTH BALLS WERE ABOUT.  HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT USUALLY A SNAKE WOULD NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR A MOTH BALL OR THE SMELL OF A MOTH BALL.  

HEARING MY DADS EXPLANATION OF MOTH BALLS AND SNAKES TURNED INTO A SPIRITUAL LESSON FOR ME YESTERDAY MORNING.  I WAS REMINDED THAT MY BIBLE AND THE WORD OF GOD WERE SPIRITUAL BARRIERS TO THE INFLUENCES OF EVIL.  IN THE NATURAL, A MOTH BALL CAN GET RID OF A SNAKE.  IN THE SPIRITUAL, THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WORD AND A CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE ACT IN THE SAME WAY. 

WE SAW SEVERAL SNAKES THIS WEEKEND, BUT NONE CAME CLOSE TO US.  I WONDER HOW MANY MORE WE ACTUALLY DID NOT SEE.  AGAIN, THE SAME PRINCIPAL CAN BE APPLIED SPIRITUALLY.  WE OFTEN RECOGNIZE SIN IN OUR LIVES DAILY AND CHOOSE NOT TO FOLLOW OUR HUMAN NATURE.  HOW OFTEN DOES GOD PREVENT EVEN MORE SIN AND SPIRITUAL DESTRUCTION TO COME OUR WAY? 

TODAY, I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR GOD'S PROTECTION.  I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT HE PATIENTLY WATCHED OVER ME THROUGHOUT SO MANY YEARS OF MY LIFE.  I SEE NOW THAT GOD ALWAYS HAD HIS EYES ON ME.  HIS ARMS OF COMPASSION HELD ME THROUGH IT ALL.  I DIDNT EVEN KNOW IT, BUT HE GUIDED ME THROUGH MY SELF DESTRUCTION.  I REALIZE ALL OF THESE THINGS TODAY.

NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH, THE SAME GOD WHO STOOD BY ME IS STANDING BY YOU AS WELL.  I THANK HIM DAILY FOR HIS FORGIVENESS, HIS GRACE, HIS MERCY AND HIS LOVE.  I THANK HIM FOR MY SPIRITUAL PROTECTION.  IT WORKS MUCH BETTER THAN MOTH BALLS. 

MOTH BALLS

YESTERDAY MORNING AT THE CAMP, MY DAD WAS BUSY SPREADING MOTH BALLS HERE AND THERE AT THE CAMP.  HE THREW THEM AROUND THE EDGES OF THE POND, AROUND THE WOOD PILE, BY THE BOAT AND ALL AROUND THE STAIRS LEADING UP TO THE ACTUAL CAMP ITSELF.  OF COURSE I ASKED HIM WHAT IN THE WORLD ALL THOSE MOTH BALLS WERE ABOUT.  HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT USUALLY A SNAKE WOULD NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR A MOTH BALL OR THE SMELL OF A MOTH BALL.  

HEARING MY DADS EXPLANATION OF MOTH BALLS AND SNAKES TURNED INTO A SPIRITUAL LESSON FOR ME YESTERDAY MORNING.  I WAS REMINDED THAT MY BIBLE AND THE WORD OF GOD WERE SPIRITUAL BARRIERS TO THE INFLUENCES OF EVIL.  IN THE NATURAL, A MOTH BALL CAN GET RID OF A SNAKE.  IN THE SPIRITUAL, THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WORD AND A CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE ACT IN THE SAME WAY. 

WE SAW SEVERAL SNAKES THIS WEEKEND, BUT NONE CAME CLOSE TO US.  I WONDER HOW MANY MORE WE ACTUALLY DID NOT SEE.  AGAIN, THE SAME PRINCIPAL CAN BE APPLIED SPIRITUALLY.  WE OFTEN RECOGNIZE SIN IN OUR LIVES DAILY AND CHOOSE NOT TO FOLLOW OUR HUMAN NATURE.  HOW OFTEN DOES GOD PREVENT EVEN MORE SIN AND SPIRITUAL DESTRUCTION TO COME OUR WAY? 

TODAY, I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR GOD'S PROTECTION.  I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT HE PATIENTLY WATCHED OVER ME THROUGHOUT SO MANY YEARS OF MY LIFE.  I SEE NOW THAT GOD ALWAYS HAD HIS EYES ON ME.  HIS ARMS OF COMPASSION HELD ME THROUGH IT ALL.  I DIDNT EVEN KNOW IT, BUT HE GUIDED ME THROUGH MY SELF DESTRUCTION.  I REALIZE ALL OF THESE THINGS TODAY.

NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH, THE SAME GOD WHO STOOD BY ME IS STANDING BY YOU AS WELL.  I THANK HIM DAILY FOR HIS FORGIVENESS, HIS GRACE, HIS MERCY AND HIS LOVE.  I THANK HIM FOR MY SPIRITUAL PROTECTION.  IT WORKS MUCH BETTER THAN MOTH BALLS. 

RENEWAL OF MY HEART

I ALWAYS HAVE LOVED SUNDAY NIGHT CHURCH SERVICE AND LAST NIGHT HAD TO BE ONE OF THE BEST.  WE STARTED OUT AS USUAL WITH SINGING AND WORSHIP BUT IT DIDNT TAKE LONG FOR THE LORD TO SHOW UP AND TAKE COMPLETE CONTROL.  THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD SWEPT OVER THE WHOLE PLACE.  BRO JERRY RECOGNIZED THIS IMMEDIATELY AND TOLD US ALL THAT WE WOULD IN NO WAY RUSH THE SERVICE.  IT WAS AWESOME!  WHEN BRO JERRY ANNOUNCED THE MESSAGE HE HAD PREPARED FOR THE SERVICE, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE LORD DID INDEED WANT US TO HEAR THE SERMON WHICH HAD BEEN PREPARED. 





LAST NIGHTS MESSAGE WAS ACTUALLY QUITE SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND.  IT WAS BASED ON SCRIPTURES FROM HEBREWS AND DEALT WITH THE HARDENING OF THE HEART.  I HAVE A NEW KING JAMES VERSION OF THE BIBLE AND IN AT LEAST THREE SCRIPTURES, THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE PLAIN AND SIMPLE.





......HARDEN NOT YOUR HEART......





IT WAS SO EASY FOR ME TO RELATE TO THE MEANING OF THESE SCRIPTURES.  FOR SO MANY YEARS, I WALKED AROUND WITH A HEART FULL OF ANGER, RAGE, UNFORGIVENESS AND HATE.  MY HEART WAS WAY PAST HARDENED.  SOME PEOPLE EVEN SAID THAT I DIDNT HAVE A HEART, THAT I HAD A LITTLE BLACK ROCK INSIDE MY CHEST.  AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS FUNNY.  I THOUGHT THAT WAS CUTE.  I ENJOYED PROVING TO PEOPLE THAT I SIMPLY DIDNT CARE HOW ANYONE ELSE FELT.  I TRULY HAD A HEART OF STONE.  MY HARDENED HEART LED ME TO A PLACE FULL OF OTHER HARDENED HEARTS.  I SHOULD HAVE FELT RIGHT AT HOME.  BUT, THANK GOD I DIDNT.





I HAD TO BE TAKEN DOWN TO MY KNEES.  I HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM EVERYTHING THAT MEANT ANYTHING TO ME.  I WAS LITERALLY DROPPED AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS.  I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO LOOK UP AND CRY OUT FOR FORGIVENESS.  I DIDNT WANT A STONY LITTLE BLACK HEART ANY LONGER.  I WAS COMPLETELY ASHAMED AT WHAT I HAD ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME.  IT WAS THERE AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS THAT I CRIED OUT FOR FORGIVENESS.  I ASKED THE LORD TO SEARCH MY HEART AND REMOVE THE ROOTS OF EVIL.





I DONT EVEN FEEL LIKE THE SAME PERSON THESE DAYS.  I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH OF A BURDEN HAS BEEN LIFTED FROM MY HEART.  IT IS OH SO MUCH EASIER TO ALLOW MYSELF TO LOVE AND TO CARE.  MY HARDENED HEART HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A HEART WHICH IS SOFT AND WARM.  I LEARNED THAT I MUST ASK THE LORD DAILY TO REMOVE ANY SEEDS OF BITTERNESS AND ANGER FROM MY LIFE.  THROUGH HIS FORGIVENESS, HIS GRACE, HIS MERCY AND HIS LOVE, I AM NO LONGER MY OWN WORST ENEMY. 





THANK YOU LORD FOR RESTORING MY ABILITY TO CARE. 


THANK YOU GOD YOUR WORD, WHICH DIRECTS MY PATH DAILY.


THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THE RENEWAL OF MY HEART!

A LUMP OF CLAY

I AM NOT A VERY CREATIVE PERSON.  I CANNOT DRAW.  I CANNOT PAINT A PORTRAIT.  I CANNOT CREATE NOT ONE WORK OF ART.   I HARD A HARD TIME MAKING ANYTHING OUT OF PLAY DOUGH WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID.  A LUMP OF CLAY REMAINED A LUMP OF CLAY ANY TIME I EVER PUT ONE IN MY HANDS.  I TRIED TO MOLD IT INTO SOMETHING.  I TRIED AND I TRIED AND I TRIED.  NO MATTER WHAT I DID THOUGH, IT ENDED UP BEING WHAT IT WAS......A LUMP OF CLAY.

AS I GOT OLDER, I GAVE UP ON THE PLAY DOUGH AND THE CLAY.  I REMAINED AS UNARTISTIC AS I HAD EVER BEEN.  BUT.....INSTEAD OF TRYING TO SHAPE LUMPS OF CLAY, I STARTED TRYING TO SHAPE MY LIFE INTO WHAT I WANTED IT TO BE.   I TRIED TO MOLD AND SHAPE EVERY AREA OF MY LIFE.  I HAD A VISION IN MY HEAD OF WHAT EVERYTHING SHOULD LOOK LIKE AND I MADE IT MY BUSINESS TO TRY TO SHAPE AND MOLD EVERYTHING AS I SAW FIT.  ESPECIALLY MY RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS.  I WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO SHAPE THE PERFECT RELATIONSHIP.  I DID THIS COUNTLESS TIMES.  JUST AS I THOUGHT I HAD THE PERFECT SHAPE OR MOLD, MY CLAY WOULD ONCE AGAIN RETURN BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL FORM. 

I REALIZE TODAY THAT I WILL NEVER CREATE THE PERFECT RELATIONSHIP, PERSON, JOB OR EVENT.  ANYTIME I ATTEMPTED TO DO SO, I FAILED MISERABLY.  JUST YESTERDAY, I WAS READING JEREMIAH 18:1-6, REGARDING "THE POTTER AND THE CLAY."  I WAS REMINDED THAT GOD IS THE ULTIMATE POTTER.  ANYTHING WE TRY TO SHAPE ON OUR OWN WILL ULTIMATELY COLLAPSE AND FAIL.  OUR GOD ALLOWS US TO SIT AT THAT WHEEL UNTIL WE REALIZE THAT WE CAN DO NOTHING ON OUR OWN.  THATS WHEN WE REALIZE HIS GLORY.  I AM SO GLAD THAT GOD LOVES US ENOUGH TO TAKE OVER AND COMPLETE OUR FAILED ATTEMPTS AT PERFECTION.  I AM SO GLAD THAT I LEARNED TO ALLOW HIM TO DO THIS FOR ME.

I CANT WAIT TO SIT DOWN WITH MY BIBLE AND LET THE LORD SPEAK TO ME TODAY.  WE SERVE A LIVING GOD WHO WANTS TO TEACH, DIRECT AND INSPIRE US.  I LOVE SHARING WHAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN TO ME.  I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO READ MY "NOTE".  I LOVE DOING THIS AND I THANK THE LORD FOR TOUCHING MY HEART.