2015APR 1 of 3 ONE THOUSAND GIFTS

Three Gifts A Day... APRIL 2015
Based on the book, One Thousand Gifts, (by Ann Voskamp) #1000Gifts #JoyDare
I took the 1,000 Gifts Dare for the year of 2012... continued in 2013... and 2014! Now, I'm headed into 2015 :) GOD IS FULL OF BLESSINGS...
 

Wed 4/1/15

T's SENIOR RECITAL AT CCM!!!

3439. the hilarious things that can happen with TEXTING!!!

3440. friends of all ages
3441. modern music

Please, Don't Make Me Leave My Home

Today, I am thankful for fireplaces,
space heaters, long underwear,
and the warm love of The LORD!

Today, as I waited patiently (or not so patiently) to hear back from the HVAC company as to whether the part to fix our furnace would come in before the COLD weekend, God gave me a HUGE hug!

Shortly after moving to "stuckinindiana" from the Sunshine State almost 25 years ago, it became painfully evident that I had some issues with winter blues (SAD  - Seasonal Affective Disorder). During the days that my two children were small, my moods were rather even keel. It's my theory that breastfeeding both of them well into their first years boosted my emotions. I remember the peace & fulfillment I felt as I held them near & provided for their needs in a way that none other could. In the subsequent years, I was fine in the summers when I was out walking daily in the sunshine or "babysitting" our neighbor's pool as they traveled. However, the winters were hard. 

I've learned over the years that exercise, healthy eating, and good sleep habits can maximize how I feel in the winter months. But being a "nester" most of my life, no matter how well I'm feeling, I still don't want to leave my home when the weather turns cold & gray. My inner voice is always screaming, "Please, Don't Make Me Leave My Home!" 

This cold winter morning - when I was buried under covers & praying to hear from our heating company soon - I saw a Facebook post pop up on my news feed (from the evening before) from a fellow Women's Ministries Fan ...

"Any Anderson friends have a couch I can crash on tomorrow for a few hours after 11am until about 3?"

Without really thinking about it, my fingers typed the words...

"I do -- message me!"

In about 4 hours, a young lady who attends the same church as I do (whom I'd messaged with but never met face-to-face) was fast asleep on our couch in the basement family room beside the fire, as I continued to wait upstairs by that fire for a call from our HVAC company. What a wonderful & unexpected blessing it was for God to use me in my weakness. He is so loving & kind to me -- really, to all His children. I'm thankful that my heart shouted YES when I saw Jenn's post!

Over the years, I've had people tell me that God doesn't intend for me to suffer from depression and/or winter blues. I've been told that if I truly believed in His healing powers that I would be healed of that affliction. And, I'm not a theological scholar to debate with them intelligently. However, I'm a Lover of the Lord!. And, I've always had a strong feeling when reading the King James Version of Philippians 2:12b 

"...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." 

I've gotten the sense from that scripture that I need to be seeking how I should live out the scriptures in a way that honors the Lord. Personally, I feel that God allows me to suffer in this way, at this time, while working through me despite my weaknesses.

In such a time, I run to The Word...

• "For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust." Psalm 103:14 NLT

• "Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 8-10

• "If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am." 2 Corinthians 11:30 NLT

I encourage you to seek what God is saying to YOU in the Bible. Start new each morning with the hopes and belief that God will work in & through you to accomplish what is needed for the world to see God in you & desire to know God personally.

Praying for you just now... believing that God is at work in YOU!

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today...