Tag Archives: GodIsGood

The “Right” Kind of Help

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I am all about loving thy neighbor, but when that neighbor comes into your place of business just to criticize the kind of help you give, it becomes very difficult. I work for a non-profit that supports other organizations and their programs. We are not set up to just give out money, we don’t have a closet full of goods to hand out. We keep about 10 backpacks with basic hygiene products and a small blanket but that is it. Also, I’m all about helping people, where we live we don’t have an actual homeless shelter and yes that stinks and we need one, but we can’t just create a homeless shelter. We run off of donations given to our annual campaigns. That is how are able to do what we do. Now, to the homeless woman who likes to just walk in and criticize us that we aren’t helping in the “right” way, I am sorry your needs are not being met. We try to help the best we can, even in light of the current pandemic situations.

I try no to judge, I really do. However, when a person comes in twice in the span of a few months you get a little frustrated. The first time in she stated that she even had a degree in sociology, and then proceeded to grill a co-worker on her beliefs and her view of the world today, while criticizing her and our organization. This woman seems intelligent, I watch her walk up and down the street all day long pushing her cart so she isn’t completely disabled. It makes you wonder why she herself does not have a job. Matter of fact, instead of complaining to those who have no power, she herself could make a difference.

In times like these, it becomes difficult to be gracious and giving. Right after she left I had to say a prayer for the mean thoughts that ran through my head. I prayed for grace, mercy, and tolerance. Just a rule of thumb, you don’t pray for patience because he will test you! I prayed for forgiveness. It is so hard not to judge those that judge us. However, we do not have to act on those judgements. Just because something flashes across your mind doesn’t mean you have to say it or do it. Instead, wait for a second and see what else flashes through. It may be your saving grace.

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you…”
— Luke 6:27

Complacency

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I am terrible about being a person that settles with becoming complacent. “Things aren’t terrible so I’m good”. If you find yourself saying this guess what…you are not good! The worst part is what I become complacent in. My walk with God has not been in something I seek to improve on. Even though there is no church services for me right now does not give me a reason to slack. I say a prayer every now and then, I sit in on the zoom meetings with my Sunday school class and I am still going through the motions, but I am not growing as a Christian. I can’t remember the last time I actually opened my bible. I carry it with me in my backpack. It goes to work, school, anywhere my backpack goes which is, for the most part, everywhere. About once a week I think to myself, “I’m going to start reading this and doing that”. Do I ever actually do it? NOPE! You know why? I have become COMPLACENT! Want to know what this leads to????? Complacency in other parts of your life. Think of it like an infection, if you don’t clear it out and get your butt in gear everything you do is going to be “not bad, so it’s good”. The worst part, it is going to spread to how you interact with your kids. “They aren’t bothering me so it’s fine.” Not fine. This is something I need to work on and I know it, but again, complacency. Another way to think about it is like glitter. If you ever do any arts or crafts with glitter then you know the problem. “A little dash of glitter will jazz this up”. NOPE! There is no such thing as a little dash of glitter. It spreads. A year later you will still find it in the floor and getting stuck to your feet. Same thing with complacency. “I need to clean the car. But it is hot and it doesn’t smell and nobody will know it is messy. I’ll do it tomorrow.” Then, a month down the road you still haven’t cleaned it.

What we don’t realize is that being complacent in your walk with God is actually hurting you and setting you up to fall on your face. The longer you go without growing in your faith, the more vulnerable you are to temptations. Your faith is like a muscle. If you don’t use it and work at it, it atrophies. Complacency is almost worse than turning away from God because you don’t know that it is happening. It just hits you one day that you can’t remember the last real prayer you said, or the last thing you studied. If you aren’t growing in your faith, are you even living in your faith?

“One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.”
— Proverbs 18:9

The Kids & The Oxen

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This week, at our Wednesday small group class, a topic arose. The topic of a clean house. One thing was pointed out, without kids our houses are clean and tidy. Everything has a place. Even when our kids are babies, the toys have a basket or something to go in. Then they get a little bit older and start doing things themselves and dumping whole toy boxes out. This is where things get messy. As our kids get bigger, so do their toys. So do their messes. However, if you take a look at it, a lot of it is just clutter. That isn’t a dirty house; it is a full house.

One thing we as mothers tend to focus on is the cleaning of the house. Picking up toys all day, along with socks and clothes that get left in the floor. Again, it is clutter. We need to remember that a home with kids in it is going to be full of this clutter. In these circumstances a cluttered home is a home full of play an laughter. Let the kids be kids and don’t worry about the clutter. Kids are the ones that you can truly say, the messier they are, the happier they are.

“Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.”
–Proverbs 14:4

#Mondays

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It’s a Monday again. Usually I am not one to complain about Mondays, but I certainly could have slept on sleeping when my alarm went off this morning. I thought I was going to be really late to D-Group, when in fact I was only like 5 minutes late. Plus, there was only 1 person on the road that almost caused a wreck. Just an FYI, it is always best to look before you merge into a lane; but all was good. I went on to work at 9 and I overcooked my pop-tart. There is no toaster so I was heating it up in the microwave which I have done too many times to count. This time, I left it in there just a few seconds too long. The thing about overcooked pop-tarts is, when done in the microwave, they don’t burn. Instead, when they have cooled off enough to be edible, they get HARD. I’m not talking crunchy hard, I mean they quickly
become chewy like the candy sugar babies,
undefined and then they become a brick. Needless to say I am anxiously awaiting 2:00 so I can have something in my belly other than half a chewy pop-tart and a Pepsi.

Days that start out like today tend to make you wanna use a few choice words every now and then. Maybe call a person a name or too.
FEAR NOT!!! The Lord is with you!!

“For we live by faith, not by sight.” –2 Corinthians 5:7

It’s Been A Minute

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Hello all. It has been a minute since I have written anything. It hasn’t been for lack of topics, rather lack time and energy. Good news is, the new job so far is going great. Haven’t learned everything I need to, but it is coming along. I am starting to see the possible reasoning behind God’s plan to move me here.

When I started working at the Church over a year ago, I didn’t necessarily expect to be doing that job forever. After a few months I knew I wouldn’t be staying in that position specifically. I had a feeling God had a different place for me. However, I thought I would just be changing roles, not place of employment. Whenever they told me about the position being eliminated I wasn’t ready. I thought I still had stuff to work on before this point. I thought I would be in that position until time to take on a different role. Yet, now I think I am starting to see God’s plan.

I am now working at the local United Way office as an office assistant. Basically, the same kind of stuff I was doing at the church, but a little more involved. I am getting to go to events and sit at a booth and talk about what we have going on. I get to go to libraries to sign kids up to a free book program we have. I am in staff and board meetings. As like normal office assistants there is the paperwork I process as well. I was put here to get involved in things in the community. I am starting a single mother ministry, how could I be successful without getting into the community. God knew I would need this to reach those that need Him most.

One aspect of this job is the networking. I am getting to know people who give back to the community. I get to know more people in the community. God used the church job as my stepping stone to getting the ball rolling on a new ministry. To see the hole that needs to be filled in His kingdom. I believe that He put me here at United Way for me to grow, and for the vision I have for the ministry to come to life. I am here to make a difference and spread His light and love to the single mother’s that don’t know Him yet, or that don’t feel they deserve His love. I am here to lead them to a church home so that they can come to know Him and to love Him.

We never will know what step is coming next. As long as we step with God, He will lead us down the right path.

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
–Proverbs 16:9

The Reason for the Season

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This time of year seems to be the busiest. Travel plans, gift buying, keeping track of which family is where. We have crammed so much into such a short amount of time that we can’t truly enjoy it. It has also caused us to forget the true meaning of this holiday. Once Halloween is over people instantly get into Christmas mode. Making lists for themselves and lists for buying to give to other people. We can’t wait for those Christmas bonuses and Christmas club checks to hit the bank. We just keep going, going, going, and more going. Going to see family. Going to buy presents. Going to buy decorations. Going to buy wrapping paper. Going out to eat. Going to parties.

For those of us where money is really tight, Christmas is stressful. All of a sudden you have to buy as many cool toys as possible for your kids. The newest outfit for your parents or sibling. Our focus has been taken off of the the reason for the season. The real reason for the season. I too am guilt of forgetting the important part of this season.

Christmas wasn’t just created by marketing companies to bring in buckets of revenue. They just piggy backed for the profits. Christmas is for celebrating the birth of Jesus; the true ultimate gift. God gifted us with the birth of Jesus so that he could die for our sins to be wiped away. For our sins to be forgiven. The reason we gift things to each other is to symbolize the gifts given by the wisemen. Over the years the gift giving has become something completely different.

Don’t let this time of year become too much of a stresser. Just relax and enjoy the time spent with family and friends. Don’t worry about getting the “perfect” gift. Anything given in love is enough for those that love you too.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” –James 1:17

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” –Isaiah 9:6

His Plans

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Got some inconvenient news yesterday. The office is eliminating my position to open up a different position. Unfortunately this means I have about a month to find a new job. Hopefully one that will allow me to stay in school. This was not what I was hoping for but I keep reminding myself that God has his plan. He put me here as a stepping stone to get me to where He wants me. This is a scary time but I find comfort in knowing that He has plans for me that I just don’t know about yet. I know He will take care of our family and provide with whatever we may need. When problems like this arise we need to focus on the solution. The solution is God. He will not only provide the right job, but everything in between now and then.

In times like these we all have a choice. Either focus on the negatives, which in turn causes darkness to seep into our hearts. These negatives are going to be the holes that the devil will try to get his foot in. Instead of letting these bad things bring you down focus on the positives. Remember that God has plans for you, you just don’t know what they are. He is constantly working on you to make you stronger, to bring you closer to Him. He will not forsake you as long as you remember that He has everything under control.

If you need proof, here it is. Yesterday before the bad news a sweet lady came in to the office. Her daughter works in the office too, but she stopped at my desk and handed me a card and told me that their sunday school class “adopted” my family for Christmas. What was in the card doesn’t matter. What does matter is that this class was led to help a member of their church. God put it in their hearts that part of their “extended” family was going to need love. That is what matters. I always say that your church family is just that, a family. People you can lean on, and count on, when you are in need. This family is God given just like your biological kin.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'” –Jeremiah 29:11

My thanks for my family, and for His provisions will never seem like enough.

Don’t Fret

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Going through hard times makes it difficult to be positive and worry free. But remember, God will bring you through whatever trials you face. It is too easy to see the negative in everything these days. Sometimes, that is all we see. It is alright to see possible bad outcomes of a situation, just don’t dwell on them. You never know what could be just around the corner!

Not going to lie, I just this morning almost gave myself a lot of stress over nothing. Instead of seeing things in the true order they happened, I just saw the bad spots not noticing the good spot at the top of the list. The top of that list is the only thing that matters right now but I was too focused on the stuff under it to even notice. Sometimes we need to just slow down, take a breath, and see the whole picture, not just part of it. Seeing only the negative spots is what can cause you to lose a tiny bit of faith. We don’t need to lose any of our faith.

(Let’s be real honest, it was my bank account transactions that got me a little nervous this morning.)

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” –Psalm 23:1

Discipline

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When you are a single mom, disciplining your child isn’t the greatest. You want your kid to love you and have fun with you but you have to discipline. The thing about being a single parent is that you have to be the cool parent AND the enforcer. When you are worried about being too hard on your kid, remember that discipline now as a child whose attitudes and morals are still being swayed. Spoiling them now and letting them get away with any disrespect is going to carry over into their teen and adult ages. Remember, God disciplines us the same way we discipline our children. He wants us to learn how to live and how to treat people. We still love Him and can turn to Him when we need help and our children will do the same with us. Don’t worry about being too hard. Respect and good attitudes starts at home with us as parents.

“Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.”
–Proverbs 13:24

“A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.”
–Proverbs 29:15

Guilt

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Being a single mother can be one of the hardest things a woman can go through. Sometimes the hardest thing to deal with isn’t the tempting attitudes, the potty training, or tantrums. It’s the guilt that comes along with being the only parent. Me being a mom of a little boy, it breaks my heart when I see his friends doing things with their dad that I can’t do with him. It is in these moments that I actually wish he had a decent father. I tend to blame myself for that, as it was my poor choices that led this.

In these times, I remind myself that God has everything under control. Having a church family means that we take care of each other. The men that my son sees and is learning from isn’t his violent, and angry father, but rather Godly men that see He doesn’t have a man. These are the men that take interest and don’t leave him out. They offer to do things with him so he doesn’t miss out and can join the fun. God knew my son would be watching and replaced a toxic father with better role models. Men who know how to live a godly life and what that truly means. I couldn’t be more thankful to these men. Dads of his friends, friends of mine, all the men that doesn’t see broken family, but men who see a little boy that will need something to look up to as he grows in age and spiritual awareness.

Being a single mom you always have to be aware of the people you surround yourself with. You can try and teach them the right ways but for you to successfully do that you need to live the right life. You need the people you surround yourself with to live the right life as well. Whatever your child sees you taking part in they learn that behavior, those habits you may have, are okay. This is where the cycle of broken homes begins. If your child sees men tearing you down and living the ungodly life, that is what they will believe is right. This is what they will settle for or settle being when they come of age.

Always remember, if you ask God for help He is willing to give it. So, ask Him for help in guiding your sons to be good men. Ask Him to guide your daughters into seeing how a good man should treat her. If God took someone out of your, or you child’s life, it was for a good reason. We don’t know all of God’s reasons and we don’t need to. He has the answers, He has what we need. Him and only Him.

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
–Philippians 4:6-7