New Location!

Hi friends! Thanks for sticking with me. I wanted to share some exciting information!

My blog has a new location - www.erincpeters.wordpress.com

It's bigger and better than before and I can't wait to start posting again. Look for my next blog post later this week!

What Are "Heart Sisters" Anyway?

Have ever watched Anne Of Green Gables? If so, you'll remember when Anne and Diana discovered their friendship was more than just a friendship, but that they were true kindred spirits. I remember wondering if anyone would ever find me as their kindred spirit. Years later, I have found not one, but many friends that I would consider kindred spirits.

Now don't get me wrong, I've seen more than my fair share of friends come and go, and often wondered "is there something wrong with me?" Have you ever felt that way. Maybe you still ponder such questions in your mind.

Well, I have great news for you! Whether you are good a friendships, bad at friendships or would love to know how God wants us to function in friendships, "Heart Sisters" by Natalie Chambers Snapp is a must read book!

Natalie shares from her heart as she journeys through some of her own friendship mistakes, which has any woman who has had even one friend shouting, "me too!" But she doesn't stop there. She continues by taking a look at The Super Seven Sisters, women from the Bible who modelled true "Heart Sister" character. I'm a Deborah myself :)

One of the many things I love about this book is how Natalie does not shy away from the true nitty gritty of friendships, and now true forgiveness and   conflict resolution can strengthen "Heart Sisters". Here's just one of the quotes I highlighted :)

"Being humble doesn’t only mean you don’t toot your own horn. It means you accept you will mess up from time to time and might need to apologize for it to boot. It means going to someone in a nonaccusatory manner to seek understanding without assuming you have done nothing wrong and being willing to own your part and move toward reconciliation."

As she wraps up the book, Natalie devotes a chapter to passing on and modelling to the next generation of "Heart Sisters", what true friendships that are designed by God and centered on Him look like. 

What a blessing it has been to get to know Natalie through her book and to feel her passion about God's design and importance of true "Heart Sister" friendships!

Heart Sisters book

Giving My Dream Away

I have dream to be a writer...but I gave it away.

I have a dream to be a speaker...but I gave it away.

I have a dream to be a leader of women...but I gave it away.

I have a dream of being an amazing wife...but I gave it away.

I have a dream of being an awesome mom...but I gave it away. 

Why did I give these dreams away?

I didn't give these dreams away because of distractions or obstacles or being too busy. I didn't throw them in the garbage or disregard them with a casual attitude. I didn't get bogged down with "why me". 

I gave them to the One who can actually make them happen. I gave them to the One who will make them perfect. I gave them to the One who knows me and all my strengths and weaknesses better than I do.

Most importantly, I gave them away because I want God to be in charge of the outcome of my life.

I know there will be times when I try to take them back. Times when I try and take control of my path or try and force something that should not happen. But I trust God to bring me back to this place of surrendering my hopes, dreams and desires to Him.

God Is Bigger!

At the start of every new year, I begin with the best of intentions to keep on track with a Bible reading plan. The furthest I ever made it is the end of July before getting off track. This year I decided to read through the Bible chronologically. Thankfully, my husband decided to do it with me. Well, the truth is that I set up the YouVersion app on his iPad mini and signed him up. But so far, we've been faithful everyday.

A few days ago, we started with the book of Exodus. Since I've started reading through the Bible every year numerous times before, this means I've read this book many times before. But that just means that I have to work on being intentional in how I read and why I read!


Today, I opened up to Exodus chapter 14. Like every time I read the story of the Israelites, I get extremely frustrated with these people who are finally free after 430 years of bondage! Yes, I try and remind myself that I am very similar to them, but honestly, do I really act as ungrateful as them? This part of the story is where Pharoh's army has them trapped beside the Red Sea. And what do the people do? They complain and grumble at The Lord and Moses for bringing them out of Egypt. Very frustrating people!

But today as I read, Moses' response in verse 13 stuck out in a very big way to me!

And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of The Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. (Exodus 14:13)

These people are trapped. They're stuck. They are convinced this is the end and it cannot get any worse. This is the stuff that horrible nightmares are made of. But notice how Moses draws their focus off of themselves and points them to The Lord.

This is where I stop, shake my head and raise my hand. Yes, that is what I do when faced with the worst situation I can imagine. I cry out to God in frustration, and yes, there is usually complaining involved in some way. I am just like the Israelites.

But God! Or how He has shed new light on this old-time story for me today. He showed me that just as He led the Israelites to their place of biggest fear, so He leads me sometimes. And why does He do this? Because sometimes God allows us to face our biggest fear to show us that He is bigger!


So today, as you face that potential job layoff, a sick child, a marriage in shambles, or loneliness, know that God hasn't abandoned you. You're right where He wants you to be in order to show you more of Himself.

The Health of My Heart

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
             1 Corinthians 13:4-7


The clock read 11:37pm. The curtains were drawn and everyone was asleep, except my son. He sat in my arms, wrapped in his soft green blanket, smiling. Oh that smile. Cute, but not at 11:37pm.

So many thoughts ran through my head. Why he was still awake? Why is my husband sleeping? Doesn't he know that I have to get up at 6am too? Yes, he has a "real" job, but my "job" gets the kids fed, clothed and keeps them from fighting all day. Plus I have a meeting in the morning. And we need lightbulbs from the store. I get to have coffee tomorrow. Haven't had it four days. Ugh! Why is this child not sleeping.

Them bam! I felt it. That God tap. That reminder of what love is.

It's patient with what comes throughout the day, or night.

It's kind when my child interrupts me because he needs a snuggle.

It's not envious that my husband gets to go to work and talk to adults all day long.

It doesn't boast over how much I do for those I love.

It's not proud at what I've accomplished.

It doesn't push my own selfish "needs" before those that I am trusted to care for.

It doesn't seek to elevate my position.

It doesn't get angry when my plans get changed.

It doesn't keep a record of how many times I've taken the "night-shift" with the kids.

It doesn't get joy out of another mom's struggle.

It always protects.

It always trusts.

It always hopes.

It always perseveres.

It was then that I realized that I hadn't been loving those whom God gave me to love. I was crushed with the overwhelming sense of guilt and repentance at what I had been truly feeling in my heart. This was the health of my heart and I didn't like it.

So I prayed. Prayed for His forgiveness and His help, because it's easy to be the opposite of loving. That part comes naturally.

As I woke today, I was refreshed despite the loss of sleep. But I woke with a different perspective. A God perspecitive. I want the Holy Spirit to guide me in loving all those in my path. This is my prayer.

Have you checked the condition of your heart lately?

Who Are You Fighting?

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
             1 Peter 3:8-9




It's breaking out. People everywhere fall prey without even realizing it. Those who thought they were immune are being hit the hardest.

No, I'm not talking about ebola.

I'm talking about Christians taking out other Christians. Attacking. Slandering. Snickering. Backstabbing. Breaking ties. Lying.

What is the cause?

Honestly, I believe it starts very small, as all sin does. It might begin with not liking how someone looked at us or maybe they didn't sit in their usual spot on Sunday morning. Maybe it was a disagreement over a sermon or how the potluck at church was cancelled. It may have started over a Christmas card getting lost in the mail.

You may laugh at some or all of the above, but it's true. Christians can sometimes be the most petty and get a burr under their saddle over the tiniest thing.

How do I know? Because I've done it. As I sat and typed this, recalling others who have attacked and participated in going after another Christian, God boldly reminded me of something I cannot deny. I've done this and the number of times is too many to count. I've attacked. I've slandered. I've snickered. I've backstabbed.

But let's be brutally honest. Every one of those situations could have been dealt with in a loving way if those involved had turned to God for their reaction rather than rallying support and/or blowing it out of proportion. Would He want the reaction of us getting huffy over someone's mistake or small error, or would He have wanted grace extended and a civil conversation? Would He want more people than necessary involved or would He want it brought to Him in prayer? Would He want a letter/text/email sent in haste or grace/prayer/time? I think we all know the answer.

This may all seem over the top and like I'm scraping the bottom of my blog writing barrel. Sadly, I'm not. It's all true and very, very sad.

The reality of it all is that satan has distracted us from fighting him by turning us against each other. He plants seeds of doubt, paranoia, and gossip and then sits back while we tear eachother apart. He gives us a taste of feeling like someone has wronged us or that we have a right to fight a fight over something that was never worth fighting over.

We need to take our eyes off of ourselves and refocus on God! Our gatherings should resemble the throne room where God resides instead of looking like a courtroom where we come to fight for victory over a fellow Christian.

Basically what is all comes down to is we need to pray. Pray against satan's temptations in our lives and pray that we hold fast to what God has extended to us, His power over sin and His grace of which we are so very undeserving. Because remembering that grace that we don't deserve that God has given to us should stop us before ever attacking another brother or sister in Christ.

And extend that same grace when we don't receive a Christmas card from someone this year.

God Is In To Details

Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.
          Exodus 25:9



I know, it's been forever since I posted something. I've missed it and longed to sit down and write. So here I am, on a cloudly, Canadian Thanksgiving Monday morning with my cup of green tea and my Bible. Kids are playing happily, for the moment.

Are you a detailed person? Do you like to have things a certain way? Or are you a more laid back, go-with-the-flow, spontaneous personality? No matter what category you find yourself, I bet there are at least parts of your life that you are detailed, or picky, about. It may be the way you like your coffee or how you fold your clothes. It could be that you can only eat steak if it is very lightly pink in the middle or your car must be parked in that specific spot in the driveway.

I'm very much a detailed person. Sometimes, yes it's over the top and picky. And believe me, I have spent so much time and energy making sure the details are written down, packed or communicated.

Did you know that God is into details too? I'm reading a book called Leaving Ordinary by Donna Gaines where she walks through the Old Testament tabernacle, the house of God and the correlation between Jesus Christ. As I was reading yesterday, she quoted verses from Luke chapter 2 that tell of Jesus' birth and verses from Revelations 21 that tell of the New Jerusalem where we who are believers will dwell with God forever. Donna explained that these plans that God has laid out have and will come to pass, down to the finest detail.

God does care about the details of your life too. How do I know? Because nothing happens by accident. He cares that you got stuck in the long line at Wal-Mart today because He knew you needed to talk to the little old lady behind you. He cares that you have to deal with a very difficult situation at work because He knows your co-workers are watching how you react. He cares that your child is in a class at school where there is an autistic child, which will teach her compassion and that different is still special.

In a time in when our world seems to be in chaos and who don't know what evil is going to do next, the thought that God has everything planned out, down to every small details comforts me. Because ultimately, He's the one in control. The details I care about may not be exactly what God is concerned with, but the ones that really matter are totally in His control.

What about you? Does knowing that God is in to details comfort you as it does me?

What Trials Bring

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
                   James 1:2-4


When I was about 11 or 12, my mom and my sisters and I would listen to a popular kids Christian radio program every day on the way home from school. I remember one episode focused on James 1:2a and told me to "count it all joy." At the time, I thought it was a good verse to memorize because it was short, and it talked about something good, joy, and I knew I needed more of that.

As I grew older and read the rest of the verse, I learned that it wasn't just telling me to have joy in the good times, but when there were trials in my life! So for years I focused on the section where it talked about the trials of life. I would get upset with myself if, during the trials my family was going through, I didn't feel joyful.

Then I came to a place in my life where I could look back at the trials I had experienced and see how they had affected me, both good and bad. I discovered that through those terrible times is when I discovered the most about God and grew stronger in my faith. I truly began to realize what verses three and four of James chapter 1 meant! I had gained assurance of my faith, became grounded in God's truths, and knew where to find wisdom.

Now, here I am, years down the line and looking at my children. I see them so young in their faith and it brings me to remember when I was in their place. And I ache for them. Why? Because I know for them to mature in their faith and really grow in their faith, they will have to face trials and hard times. Can I be honest? I'm scared for them too! They will have to learn how to make choices in the face of opposition to God's ways. They will have to go through heartbreak and rejection in order to really be able to sympathize and honestly say "I know how you feel." So many lessons for them to learn along the way.

But I know that through all those times, God will be, yet again, testing me as their mom while I watch them struggle. My prayers will be for them to persevere and mature in their faith, no matter what they must journey through. And one thing I know for sure from going through my own trials is that God will watch over them and their mom, through it all.

Let Myself Go

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
              Zephaniah 3:17



Love. We hear about it all the time. Songs on the radio, books and TV shows constantly throw the word love around. Many a young girl has been caught up in all those media-laced ideas of love and what it looks like. Like, how many red roses will he send you if he's really in love? Or, will he magically pick out the biggest ring and propose to me with a photographer hidden in the bushes? I admit, that the image of love that our society portrays to us is very enticing. But it falls short, doesn't it. We all have stories, some funny and some not so funny, of when the fairytale came to a screetching halt!

Isn't it funny how human love is blown way out of proportion, while the true love story of the universe has been minimized to the point that it barely gets mentioned in an average daily conversation, even amongst Christians. Why is that?

My why is this. Right now, at this place today, I'm struggling. Struggling to not second-guess myself constantly because I'm not sure what I'm supposed to feel of this love from God. I'm struggling to not be terrified that Jesus is going to tell me, I never knew you. I'm struggling not to compare how I feel by what others tell me they feel. But as I've processed these thoughts and struggles, I've realized the basis of it all. I'm struggling to let myself go into my Father's Arms.

Oh, how desperately I want to, but I'm not a let myself go kind of person. I'm the always in control, never let them see you question, roll-with-it kind of person. But I don't want to be that kind of person with God anymore. I want to cling to Him with everything that is in me. I want to radiate His love because I've finally let myself go. I want Him to amaze those around me, through me. I want to live in the verse from Zephaniah 3:17 that I've quoted above. I want God to quiet me by His love.

So let this be my declaration of God's love. I declare that I am going to let myself go into God's love. Will you join me?

Deceived Into Doubting

I have a confession to make. I doubt most people. I doubt the motive of strangers walking down the street. I doubt the government's press releases. I doubt what the sales girl says about that pair of jeans I just showed her, so I have to send my girlfriend a picture while I'm in the change room. Am I the only one who has doubts like that? Probably not. But if I'm honest, the doubt I feel the most intense and the most often is doubt about myself. 

For a very long time I've struggled to feel like I mattered to those around me. I've had so many friendships over the years that were so one-sided that caused me to feel like I wasn't important or worth being around. I would be the one seeking that friend out for coffee or movie or just simply a phone chat. 

I've also struggled with the doubt of my abilities. Although I would get that pat on the back or raise at work, I'd never feel like I had done enough or that I wasn't quite good enough. Even to the point where things like my music awards or grades made me feel like I had fooled the teachers into thinking I was good, but lived in fear of them finding out what an imposter I was. 

But there is One that I've never been able to run from or hide from or fool...God. He knows me, the real me. He wants to be with me, talk to me and enjoy me. He has shown me what it's like to be treasured and known so that I don't have to pretend.

Psalm 139:1-3 says that, "You have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways." Just reading that gives me such a comforting feeling and a blaring reminder that all those labels of doubt that I've felt over the years are not how God sees me. As verse 14 of that same chapter says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; you works are wonderful. I know that full well."

I don't always live as if I believe those truths of God's word, but He continues to speak His love and affirmation into my life. And who am I to say to God that He is wrong or that He messed up when He made me, because I can't. I can only focus on who He says I am, and pray that He penetrates my heart so that when I feel those old labels of doubt creeping back into my mind, His stamp of approval smashes them to pieces.

What labels are you struggling with? 

My Valley of Dirty Laundry and Sticky Fingers

But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who delievered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.

               1 Samuel 17:34-37

At least once a year I get all fired up to get my cleaning schedule organized. I search Pinterest for all those handy schedules that someone else has prepared to tell me what to clean on which day of the week. One year I even purchased an app for my phone that reminded me of my daily checklist. I thought it was fabulous...for about a week. 

Needless to say, my life as a wife and mom of three little ones gives me a never ending list of things to do. School lunches, loading and unloading the dishwasher, and the never ending piles of dirty laundry fill my days. Not to mention the fact that as soon as I complete a task, like laundry and dishes, it has to be done again.  I'm not going to lie, there are days where my life seems to be going in circles and I'm left wondering why I even bother to scrub the floors or pick up the toys. Days that just looking at my kitchen table leave me exhausted.

Those are days when I turn to the verses found above in 1 Samuel. I read about how David, although a young man and annointed king of Israel, was still tending the sheep in his father's flock. Not evenhis own flock, but his father's. But the verses above also lead up to the time when he was stepping out in faith to challenge Goliath. While everyone else, including the king, was afraid of the Philistine giant, David boldly declared that he would fight the giant because he knew the God of Israel would win the battle for him. Why? Because he has spent all that time tending his father's sheep getting to know The Lord and witnessing God's provision and protection in facing the day to day tasks of tending those sheep.

As I tend my own little sheep and all their messes, I remember that this is a huge mission field that God has placed me in each day. He has given me simple tasks that bless the members of my family. And even if I never have a book published or speak to change lives, being faithful in raising my children to follow The Lord is enough.

Is there something small that The Lord is calling you to be faithful in today?

Rest. Be.

This post is a little bit different from what I usually post, but something I wanted to share with you. I'd love to hear your reaction and if it prompts you to look at your own time with God differently!

I hear my name softly as I walk through the aisles. Row after row of words jump out at me. Book after book call out for me to take them and explore their pages. I start to take one down, but stop.

I hear my name again.

I walk faster, quickly glancing down each row before moving on. Still I press on and resist the distractions, though I am tempted.

Finally, I round the last row and find a quiet little corner with two cushioned chairs in front of a crackling fire.

I notice He is there, just like always.

He smiles and invites me to sit. I start to say something, but He already knows my excuses and temptations, even the ones I gave in to. He knows my requests before I speak. I fight the urge to speak first and try to calm my racing thoughts as I await His voice.

Finally, He speaks.

"I am always here and never as far away as you may think I am. Even amid the distractions that surround you, I am with you. Rest. Be." 

The Treasure of the Word

All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

               2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

If you came to visit me at my house, you'd learn a few things about me just by walking into my kitchen. First, I'm not a big fan of cleaning. Having three little kiddos running around makes it hard to keep things super clean and I don't like doing pointless things. Second, I love coffee! I have a really big coffee mug that I got on my one trip to NYC in 2005. It's my favorite and never far away. And third, I love books! I have a corner hutch in my kitchen that is supposed to be for keeping fancy dishes, but it's full of books instead. I have one shelf of currently reading and another of to be read. But no matter what historical fiction, Christian living or doctrine book I'm reading, my Bible (or Bibles) is always top of my pile.

Why is the Bible never far from me? It's because I look to it as a manual for living. It applies to every point of my life and every struggle I'm facing. And for the past almost three weeks I have been following Wendy Blight's "Living So That" book on how to make faith-filled choices in the midst of a messy life. Wendy has continually pointed me to scripture in a new and refreshing way. But I know that Wendy is not the one working in my life. It's the Spirit of God moving in my life, renewing my mind and transforming my heart. 

Now you may think that I'm crazy, and that's okay. But I want to share one of the many very simple truths that have blown me away, and I hope will be eye-opening to you as well.

Jesus came so that I might know how to live a blameless life. He faced temptations just like I do and yet continued to follow His Father without hesitation. Wendy shares some insight in the first chapter titled "Jesus Came So That..." which literally make me stop and feel like I have had an revelation.

"In one of His last acts, Jesus forgave the thief hanging on the cross beside Him and told him he would be with Him that day in paradise. It didn't matter to Jesus what motivated this man's confession. Jesus still forgave him. He forgave him knowing he would never study the Bible, never impact the kingdom, and never bring another to Christ. What a wonderful, beautiful reminder that you and I do not have to do anything to earn God's grace. It's a free gift. Grace does not depend on what we have done, but on what God has done for us." (Living So That, page 15)

Isn't is amazing to think that all the "good Christian stuff" I do or try to accomplish really doesn't have any impact on the grace that God gave me. It really is "Amazing Grace"! Does that mean that I shouldn't do anything with what God has given me? Absolutely not! But it does mean that all I have to do is accept what God sent Jesus to do for me. 

Are you needing that grace today, my friend? Are you seeking to check the "good Christian things" off your list to help you achieve or accomplish what God has already given to you? 

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16 (NIV)

Fear of The Lord

Because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid; What can man do to me?"


Have you ever thought of fear as a good thing? I know it's not something that usually comes to my mind. Just the word fear invokes so much emotion that I become defensive and on guard. But today, I want to look at the fear of The Lord.

There are many verses in the Bible about fearing The Lord. The most recognizable is Proverbs 9:10 that says, "The fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

But do we understand what that even means to fear The Lord?

On my journey of understanding fear of The Lord, God has taken me to a place I didn't want to go. He allowed me to have to deal and confront some of those "what if" fears and unknown future fears that I struggle with. He has shown me that my heart needs to be set on Him and not to allow anyone or anything to take His place in my life. He has revealed His constant, unchanging nature that I needed to be reminded of.

And ultimately, He has shown me just how devestating and fearful being separated from Him by sin can be. It's a dark, lonely and unknown place. That is not a place I want to even visit for the weekend!

But God's grace and mercy and love is overwhelming, and I feel this in an overwhelming rush when I repent of my sin. And for me, this is where I truly experience fear of The Lord. I feel an overwhelming awe, reverence and amazement that despite Him being without sin, He welcomes me, cleanses me of the ick of my sin, and calls me His child.

Have you experienced God in this way in our own life? Have you felt the Fear of The Lord?

The Power of Christ Through My Fears

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient or you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
              2 Corinthians 12:9-10



Fear. It's crippling, immobilizing, and suffocating. It can keep us from doing things we should and causes us to react in ways we cannot control. Left unguarded and unchecked, fear can spread like wildfire in our hearts.

For too long I have lived trapped by a variety of fears. Giving up control, failure, rejection, weakness and the list could go on and on.

As I tackle this issue of fear in my life, I sought help in the Bible. Does it have anything to say directly against my fears? Some of them, yes, but one passage in particular stood out to me.

In the passages above, Paul reminds us of Jesus' words on grace. But it was more the words on my weakness that drew me in. You see, I can't stand to be thought of as weak. But I am. I can't stand to be thought of as a failure. But I am. I can't stand to be known for lack of self-control. But I am.

But Paul takes my weaknesses and holds them up to the power of Christ in me. So while I am a weak, control-freak who hates to fail, Christ's power has given me strength. I just need to live in that power so that through my fears, or weaknesses, that Christ can truly display His power.

So no matter what may come, I will delight in my weaknesses because I am weak, He is strong. Though the fear may immobilize me, it ultimately causes me to turn to Christ and rely on His power
in amazing ways.

How is He using your fears?

Intentional Living Sacrifice

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will it--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
            Romans 12:1-2



When you see the word sacrifice, what comes to mind? More than likely, you got an image of an alter with either an animal or person being killed. And yes, that is the dictionary definition. Do you ever think that there are things that we are making a choice on a daily basis to sacrifice our lives to? Work, entertainment, food, power and popularity are just a few things that we can be offering our bodies as a sacrifice to. But today, I want to look at the first two verses in Romans 12 to give us another picture of sacrifice. A living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God.

When I first read this passage, I'm all on board for this living sacrifice to God thing. I mean really, it sounds like it's the direct way to be holy and pleasing to God, so who wouldn't want that? But how do I do this and what is God calling me to do? In verse two, we are told how to be living sacrifices. And here is where it gets not as appealing. It means making choices to not live as the world around us does, but to hold everything we put into our bodies, both physically and spiritually, up to the will of God.

In chapter 17 of Made to Crave, Lysa TerKeurst says, "Moment by moment we have the choice to live in our own strength and risk failure or to reach across the gap and grab hold of God's unwavering strength. And the beautiful thing is, the more dependant we become on God's strength, the less enamored we are with other choices." I love this quote, because it really does nail down how I feel when I am living in God's will. I'm not swayed by the other things I could be "enjoying". I'm not feeling empty or lacking in any way.

Lysa also points out that we are making the choice. And isn't that when being a living sacrifice becomes an intentional sacrifice! When push comes to shove, my choices and no one else's determine what my life is be sacrificed to.

It's those choices every day that are the hard part of the equation. Am I choosing to not watch that TV show that fills my mind with garbage? Am I choosing to not eat that piece of cake that will be gone before I feel better after a friend made a negative comment about something my kid did? Am I choosing to surround myself with positive and uplifting friends?

Choosing to fill my heart and mind with God's word is how the renewing and transformation really occurs. And that will make being an intentional living sacrifice, not necessarily the easy choice, but the obvious choice.

What will you choose today?

The Lord Is My Portion

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
                     Lamentations 3:22-24




Do you ever wake up in the morning and wonder how you are going to make it through the day? What you do you? Do you pull the covers back over your head or take a deep breathe and let your feet hit the floor?

For me, there are so many days when the lure of my pillow would be my choice. But what would happen to the three little people who need breakfast? What would happen to the laundry that is piled up in my laundry room? And the emails...garbage...exercise? That list of things that "need" my attention is most of the time what makes me want to stay in bed.

I have to be honest with you. I am scared to death of failing and not completing my to do list. Why? Because somewhere along the way, I found my idenity in being the responsible and reliable person that everyone depends on. And the saddest part is that everything I do is accomplished in my own strength.

The verses from Lamentations that I have quoted above are part of the message from Lysa TerKeurst in "Made to Crave" this week and have really stopped me in my tracks this week. Is The Lord truly my portion for today or am I seeking to do things that give me a sense of fulfillment only to have tomorrow morning be another battle for my sanity? When was the last time His love was enough to fill me so that I am not consumed by the fear of failure?

Honestly, I don't remember. Isn't that sad? And I don't have any quick fix answers other than to make a choice to focus on The Lord. He is what I need today and everyday. He is what you need too, my friend.

So tomorrow when my alarm goes off, I'm going to take a deep breathe, thank The Lord for his blessings and ask Him to lead me in my day.

Made to Be a Victor

I keep asking that the Good of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength.

              Ephesians 1:17-20


Struggles. Cravings. Temptations. No matter what you call them, they are a part of our battle between the Holy Spirit in us and the sinful nature that we are born with.

I now call my daily battle with food "To Eat, Or Not To Eat". Why? Because I'm either fighting the pull to eat whatever I want with no regard or the other extreme of spending so much time counting calories that it consumes my day. But as I learned this week in Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst, I am made for more and don't have to live in either of those extremes.

I am made to live free of the bondage of food.
I am made to live in victory over my earthly obsessions.
I am made to be God's child.
I am made to be obssessed with only Him.
I am made to be alive with the hope of His plans for me.
I am made to be free to be who He created me to be.

He has given me victory over all my issues. It's freeing just knowing that, and fills me to the top with joy to live feeling no pull on my except towards God's word and time with Him. I'm not saying that I still don't face choices, dilemma's and times where my emotions could be quickly "satisfied" with a nice big brownie. I'm saying that I'm making the choice to think in God's victory rather than hope that it happens. God will meet me in my moments of temptation and craving. But I know He's already been there and won, so I need not fear them when they come.

So my challenge for you today is what is your mentality? Are you already thinking like a victor or still thinking solely of the hard times?

Yearning for God Only

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of The Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
              Psalms 84:2 NIV


Have you ever had to list your priorities? For some reason, I hate having to do those type of things. I'm not really sure why. Maybe because sometimes when I list what my priorities are, I come face to face with where I'm failing. I always put God at the top of my list, but most of the time it's because that's what I know I should do, but doesn't mean I actually live it.

As I started the latest Proverbs 31 Online Bible Study, "Made to Crave" by Lysa TerKeurst, earlier this week, I've been boldly confronted and convicted with how messed up my priorities are. I have realized that not all areas of my life are being centered around God, mainly the area of food, which Lysa deals with in her book.

I have learned that I center too much of my food struggles around what I can or cannot accomplish. And base my own self-worth on what the number on the scale is. When I lose a pound, I don't give God the glory, I usually just pat myself on the back for working hard and eating better this week, and neglect to acknowledge that He gave me the time, strength and energy and provided that healthy food for me. But when I gain a pound, or five, I mentally badger myself, tearing myself down. I really should be turning my failures over to God and accepting His grace of getting to try again.

But the biggest thing I have learned, and what I ultimately want to make my goal for this study, is that the numbers on the scale are not what I want to change, but my heart needs to change. You see, the battle raging in my heart needs to stop. I need to not just make God #1 in my heart, but my ONLY god. If he isn't the only god, I am still not loving Him with my whole heart, and that is not what He deserves.

The verse from Psalms 84:2 is such a wonderful description of what I want to be my heart's cry. I want to yearn to be resting in the victories of God in my life, because He has already won my battle over food. He has won my battle over material things. He has won my battle to be noticed. I just need to accept His victory and live with Him guiding my every move, moment by moment and craving by craving. The cravings of my heart disguised as good things are really the temptations that Satan is using, trying to pull my focus off of my Lord.

If you are joining me in this journey of focusing everything on The Lord, that is great! I'd love to hear about it. If you haven't yet made that commitment, what's holding you back?

Thriving in 2014

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters
          Isaiah 55:1a



Here we are with just a couple days left in 2014. Are you a resolution maker? Do you keep them? I don't usually make new resolutions, but I do reevaluate where I'm at, where I want to be and new routines I want to get into to. I do this in September (beginning of the school year) and New Years.

Last year I was presented with the idea of choosing a word for the year. I thought it was an excellent idea to almost have a theme to live by. My word for 2013 was "Real" and I think I did pretty good with staying real in my relationships and how I dealt with life.

As I've sat back and tried to hear what God wants me to focus on for 2014, I was stumped. Then I stumbled onto the new song by Casting Crowns "Thrive. Have a listen.

I was so impacted the message of this song that I quickly pulled out my Bible and looked Isaiah 55:1 that talked about who is thirsty and coming to the waters. I am thirsty for more of The Lord and I want to surrender 2014 to Him and whatever it brings.

So my word and theme song for 2014 is "Thrive". Thriving in my relationship with The Lord. Thriving in where He has placed me to minister to others. Thriving in how I impact the world in His name

I encourage you to listen to what word The Lord wants for you to embrace for 2014. Once you know, share it with your friends and comment here, write it down, journal it!

Many blessings for the coming year!