When we first moved to Denmark, it seemed like I had one cold virus after another. It literally seemed like all the time I was coughing and blowing my nose. It wasn’t allergies. It was virus after virus. I take vitamins. I wash my hands often. I try to drink plenty of water and get enough rest, but I was still hit with all these germs! Grrrrrr! I was NOT HAPPY!

I have read lots of books and heard lots of sermons about healing. It seems there are many schools of thought regarding this topic. Some say if you are sick, must be there is sin in your life. Hmmm....  Sure, I do think a sinful lifestyle may lead to sickness, but I know plenty of strong and righteous Christian people who have gotten sick. Some have died. We are human. We have a “shelf life!”

Some people say that all that is required to be healed is FAITH. Yes, the Bible does say that, and I do believe it. However, if your affliction is something that God has allowed to come into your life to mold and shape you to be more like Him, then perhaps there comes a point when you have to surrender to His plan and trust Him for grace and strength. We need discernment. In spite of what you may have heard or read, there is no “formula” for healing. You can quote healing scriptures all day long, but if God has determined that you are to go THROUGH it, you would be better off to take His hand and start walking.

But, there are those situations when we should use the authority Jesus has given us. Like I said, we need discernment to know. I felt God wanted to teach me something from all these colds. Here is how He explained it to me-----

Have you ever ordered anything on line, or from a catalog? What do you do with it if, when you receive it, it is not what you ordered? Or, what if it doesn’t fit right? Or, it is damaged in some way. What do you do? You send it back, right?

(James 1:16-17 NLT)  So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

If you receive something that is not good, it probably does not come from God. So..... what should you do with it? SEND IT BACK! Yes, send it right back to where it came from. Where did it come from? Well, if it didn’t come from  GOD, where do you think it came from? Yeah.... send it back there.

So, I started taking authority in Christ’s name over all these pesky cold germs that kept coming my way. I felt God had given me understanding and a “green light” to do this. If I feel like I am starting in with a cold, I speak to it, like Jesus said to speak to the mountains in this verse.
(Mark 11:23 NLT) “I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.”  I tell the cold, “Get out of here in Jesus’ name. I don’t want you. I don’t need you, and I have authority through Christ’s mighty name to send you away.”  And you know what? Since I have been doing this, I have not suffered a bad cold! I tell it to go, and then I trust God!  I do not allow myself to think about it or worry about it. I consider it done. I guess you can think whatever you want to, but I thought I would just share what I have learned (and am still learning!)  

We have authority in Christ, but we have to learn how to use it, and what to use it for. It is not to be used for selfish reasons or to make ourselves seem important. It is given to us so that we can build up God’s people and His Kingdom. It is given to help us overcome the enemy. We need to remember that without faith in HIM, we can do nothing.

I am so thankful that I have not been sick with a cold for months and months. I have had a stomach virus a time or two, and I do have some physical things in my body I am dealing with, but not colds! It may not seem like much of a victory to you, but I am grateful to God for it. I am thankful for what He is teaching me about His authority.

Send it back!

Some of us have the dangerous habit of letting our emotions run our lives. We tend to react to situations not with a rational attitude, but with our feelings. Sure, those emotions COME, but that doesn’t mean we have to give them control. We can CHOOSE.

Yes. We really can. We can choose what we are going to let irritate us. We can decide NOT to be angry. We can determine not to be afraid. We can work with ourselves and with God’s help, decide we are not going to be pulled down. Yes, it is work. But, it is so worth it.

(Psalm 37:7-8 MSG)  Quiet down before GOD, be prayerful before him. Don't bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top.  Bridle your anger, trash your wrath, cool your pipes--it only makes things worse.

There are some people who have shut down emotionally. They do not react outwardly. They push their emotions down and do not acknowledge them. This is also a dangerous way to live. Eventually, those people are going to pop an artery or something!  Better to deal with your emotions than to keep covering them. That can turn a person into a walking volcano! It will also take its toll on your health. It is better to be honest. It is better to admit, “This makes me angry.” We can own the emotion, but we do not have to let it rule over us.

(Proverbs  25:28 NLT)  A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.

Maybe you grew up in a family where everyone screamed, yelled and slammed doors when upset. Maybe you experienced verbal or physical abuse at the hand of an angry person. Maybe you grew up in a household where anger was shown by people giving each other “the silent treatment.” Maybe you saw people use drugs or alcohol to deal with problems of anger or stress.

Maybe you were taught to fear everything. Maybe the people in your early life reacted to situations by avoiding any confrontation. Living under fear’s influence can cripple you. It makes your world very small.

Or, it could be that you learned at an early age to take the blame for everything. You have such a victim mentality that you constantly apologize – as if you don’t deserve to breathe the air and take up space. Everything is your fault.

Perhaps what you experienced plenty of negativity. Maybe your family coped with life by blaming everybody else — the government, the church, the education system, etc. Accusing others instead of taking responsibility for our own issues is not a good way to go.

We are all shaped by what we have experienced in life. But, we do not have to let it have the final word in who we are. We have a choice. While we cannot change our past, we can certainly determine that we are going to make a better future for ourselves. One of the first steps we need to take is to own up to our feelings and then work to take back control. Honest. You can change the way you think. You can change how you react to life. You do not have to let your emotions define you.

(Proverbs 14:30 AMP)  A calm and undisturbed mind and heart are the life and health of the body, but envy, jealousy, and wrath are like rottenness of the bones.

Many years ago, I ask God to take charge of my life. He taught me a new way to live. He is still teaching me! He has changed me so much. I have peace and joy without all the drama! I have a deep contentment. I do not have to REACT to everything. My emotions do not control me anymore.

What controls your life?

Hello, Xanga friends!

Sorry I have not been on here much lately. Life gets so busy at times, and honestly, I was in a bit of a quandary about what I was going to do if Xanga did not make it. But, I think everything is going to be OK, and a wonderful friend has blessed me with a membership, so I will carry on here. I also link my posts on FB, so if you are moving, but are on FB, you can read me there. If you don't already know, Danishdoll is Mae Jones, and that is how you can find me on FB. Message me if you want to friend me. I get a lot of requests, and I don't always check them regularly, but I check my messages.

I know many of you in the U.S. are having such hot weather! Here in Denmark, we have had over a week of rain with temperatures in the 50's! I am ready for some sun.

In recent weeks, I have been thinking about God's love. God loves us. That is the whole foundation on which our faith is built. John 3:16. Many of us memorized it as children in Sunday School. Yes. We know with our HEADS that God loves us, but truthfully, there are many whose HEARTS are not convinced of it, and because of that, they do not really trust God. Even though God gave us the gift of His only Son in order to bring us back to Himself, we have trouble connecting to His love for us. Why do you think that might be? I have a few ideas.

1. We have been the victim of misguided, unbiblical teaching. Somewhere, sometime we were promised that if we came to Christ, all our problems would go away and life would be perfect. Faced with Life's problems, we have become disillusioned. But the Bible never promises rainbows and roses. The Bible is clear about the fact that life is not easy, and that God's people will suffer tribulation. God's promise is that He will be with us through every storm and trial. He will strengthen and comfort us. I know personally, I would not want to go through life without my hand securely in His.

2. We have asked God for things and have not received them. We have misunderstood the function of prayer and feel that God has let us down somehow. We reason that if He REALLY loved us, He would give us what we ask for. Think about it. Do you give your children everything they ask for? Does any parent? Of course not. We know that it wouldn't be good for our children if we gave them all their hearts desired and their little selfish wills demanded! God is like that, too. He is a good parent, and He knows what is best for us.

3. We have such low self esteem, we have trouble believing ANYONE really loves us.  This is a tough one. But, some things have to be accepted through faith. God's love is one of those things. He loves us. He loves us in spite of us. He loves us even though we do not know how to love ourselves. He sees the value in us when we only see failure.

4. We have been used, hurt and broken to the point where we have constructed walls around our emotions which keep us from being able to feel or respond to love.   We have to understand that God is not like anyone we have ever known. He is perfect. His love is perfect. He is not going to take advantage of you. He is totally trustworthy. He wants to heal those broken parts of you.

5. We don't even believe God exists, so how could He love us?  All I can say is that my life would be sad, empty and dull without God in it. Unless you know what God looks like and have been everywhere in the Universe, I don't see how you can be so sure God does not exist. How can you possibly prove that? Down through they ages, mankind has had vital, personal contact with God. The proof of His reality is seen over and over again though the miracle of  creation and changed lives. Maybe in your world He is not present, but in my world, He reigns in power and glory. In my world, He is a constant help and friend. I prefer my world.

6. We feel for some reason God is angry with us -- that we do not deserve His love. Hey! Sometimes I get angry with my kids or my husband, but I still love them very much, and they love me. There is no sin that cannot be forgiven. There is nothing you have done that God cannot see past. If you reach out to Him, He will be there. If you confess, He will forgive. He is merciful.

7. We had/have a terrible earthly father. He hurt us, and was never loving or fair. We put those attributes on God and think He is the same. No. God is not like your father. He the true parent. The only perfect parent. He only wants our good. He will fight for us and never be unfaithful to us.

Perhaps there are other reasons as well. Please feel free to tell me. Just fill in the blank --- God does not love me because _____________.

The point is, trusting in God's love for us is the very foundation of Christianity. Believing His goodness is the rock upon which our faith is built. When we actually begin to KNOW without a doubt that God loves us tenderly, fiercely, jealously, completely beyond anything we could ever imagine, we will be changed. If you are not in that place, you can get there. Ask God to help you. Tell Him you want to know His love in your heart, not just your head! God wants you to know Him. God wants you to feel the amazing security of His love.

He loves you.

“Your will be done.” Those words are part of what we call The Lord’s Prayer. They are also words Jesus Himself said in the garden of Gethsemane when He prepared to suffer for us. Strong words. Sometimes, hard words. We know we are supposed to want God’s will, and saying “Your will be done” sounds so holy, doesn’t it? I have heard it used so “religiously” and falsely.

Personally, it can be a difficult prayer for me. There are times when it is looking very much like His will is not going to be something I will like – when I see a big hit coming to my pride.  There are times when I know God’s will being done is going to cost a price I would rather not pay. To be honest, in the process of agreeing to God’s will there is often that silly time when I try to make a deal with Him for something a little more favorable to me -- something a little easier on my flesh. SIGH.......

You know, God is not shocked by our honesty. He made us. He knows we struggle. He observes our tendency to put self first. I am quite sure He would rather have us admit that we are struggling then for us to try to impress Him with our “spiritualness.” I have to admit I have told God a time or two, “I DON’T WANNA!”

Yes, I have said no to God. On those occasions the feeling that comes after I have done that is not a nice feeling at all. You see, I love God. I really do. I want to please Him. I know His way is the best way. But knowing all that doesn’t mean I don’t struggle. Knowing it doesn’t mean I am always in a perfect place of complete surrender to His will. I do not want to live a mediocre life. I can look around and see Christians who never once have surrendered to the scary, wonderful process of being stretched and shaped by the will of God. Yeah, I suppose they will go to Heaven, but what have they really done for God? What difference have they made in their world?

It concerns me that their influence is more negative than positive. It concerns me that they may become like those mentioned in the book of Jude, “They are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots.” (Jude 1:18) Be careful not to be influenced by these kinds of people. I do not choose that way.

So, I will have my struggles. And I will surrender as often as I can. I am comforted as I read
through the Bible and see that many of the heroes of the faith struggled too. They goofed up sometimes. They had to suffer the consequences of wrong choices just like the rest of us. It’s a process.We learn to trust His love. We learn there is a higher purpose to living than just satisfying ourselves. And once we have learned that, we can be truly useful to God. We can fulfill His purposes. See, if we say no, He will find someone else to use. But, we will miss out on the chance to be a part of something incredible.

The place that we need to come to is the place Mary came to when she was confronted by God’s angel and informed she was the one chosen to bear the Messiah. She had a few questions, and the angel explained things. Still, I would imagine it was all quite a shock! Yet, she said, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true." (Luke 1:38)

Be that kind of Christian.

There is no accounting for taste, is there? We are all individuals with different likes and dislikes. I remember a girl at the university I attended who kept a bottle of straight lemon juice in the dorm refrigerator. She would drink that like others drank Coke. It made me shiver to watch!  Some people have a taste for sushi. I just cannot go there. I have actually had it in my mouth, but I couldn't swallow it.

Some people have to have chocolate every day. Some folks feel like they couldn't survive without coffee. Others are into healthy eating. They sing the praises of fruit smoothies, carrot juice and spelt. Pregnant ladies often have strange cravings. When I was pregnant with my first child, I wanted tomatoes and mayo on a toasted English muffin EVERY DAY. 

Then there are our tastes in fashion! Goodness! I have seen young ladies in the Bronx wearing earrings as big as their heads! I have seen folks with every inch of the skin you can see covered by tattoos. Some people are compelled to buy shoes, shoes and more shoes. There are so many tastes when it comes to fashion. I find some ridiculous, but I know that is the opinion of a more *a-hem* mature individual who is a bit on the lumpy side.

Oh! The choices we make! Oh! The things we crave! So much of what we choose is not even healthy for us, is it? It gains us no good thing. Some activities start out making us happy only to become addictions.

Some people have a need to see every new movie to hit the cinema. Some people stay up late into the night playing video games. Some people are always looking for new experiences and thrills. Some people cannot stay away from porn. Others love to travel, or garden or shop.What are you hungry for?

(Jer. 15:16 NLT)  When I discovered Your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear Your name, O LORD God of Heaven's Armies.

(Mat. 5:6 MSG)  "You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat."

With all that we do and crave, where does God fit? Are we hungry to know Him better? Do we desire His presence every day? Do we look forward to spending time in His house with His people? When we open our Bible, are we excited about what God will show us in His word? 

Maybe it is time to make better choices. Maybe it is time to ask God to give us more of a hunger for Him. Maybe it's time to turn off the computer or the TV and spend some time with God. Maybe it's time to stop pointing the finger at others, and do some personal repenting.

(Psalm 51:2-7, 10-12 MSG)  Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry. I know how bad I've been; my sins are staring me down. You're the One I've violated, and you've seen it all, seen the full extent of my evil. You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair. I've been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since before I was born. What you're after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life. Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean, scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don't throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails!

Ask God for a new appetite.

So often we seem to define ourselves by our faults and failures. We see who we are NOT. We focus on the shame, the mistakes and those embarrassing moments and we allow them to shape our world. Silly us!

We say things like,  “I’m too fat. I am bad at math. I remember once I farted really loud in church, and everyone laughed. I tripped and fell when I was getting my diploma. Even my mom says my nose is too big. At sports, I was always picked last. I had pimples on my wedding day......”  

Why is it so easy to remember every hurtful thing said to us, and to forget what almighty GOD says? And, we even have this compulsion when we do receive a compliment to try to talk the person out of their good opinion. ( “Oh, this dress? I’ve had it for ages.” ) Do we think we are being “humble?” True humility is agreeing with God. Did you know that? If God says we are His beloved, then we are. If God sees us worth loving, then we are. When are we going to get it? We need to agree with God!

(Rom 8:37-39 NLT) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So many of the people we admire and think have it “all together” have faults, too. They have done things they are not proud of. There are things about themselves that are not perfect. The difference is they don’t dwell on the negatives. They step over them. They get it. We are all flawed, but we still have value.

(Psalm 139:17NLT)  How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!

I know the enemy wants us NEVER to get it, because when we really begin to understand WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST, we are going to be victorious over areas of our lives where we have been struggling and losing. When we grasp the truth, we are going to start acting different. Living different. We will begin to see everything through different eyes. We will begin to do what we were made to do. We will begin to function in our “God calling.” We will reach out to the broken hearted. We will lift up the fallen. We will convince others of the truth and freedom there is in knowing Jesus.

Just click and listen to this song. Please. It will bless you. It made me so glad to be HIS!

Have a wonderful day.

I know I usually publish a devotional, but every now and then I just want to visit. That's OK, right?

So, what is going on in my life? Plenty!

I have been making lots of rag rugs. I thought I could do this to raise some money for NTC, (Our outreach to Romania ---www.needtocare.dk) However, I am not sure how to sell them. Shipping them anywhere would probably cost more than the rugs are worth! Our church is thinking of having some kind of craft sale in October or November, so maybe that will be the way to go. In the mean time, the rugs are piling up! I am working on number 14 now! People who find out what I am doing have given me SO MUCH fabric! Whew! Storage is getting to be an issue! But, it is such a blessing.

I like making something useful out of materials that no one wants. I like the "shabby chic" look, too, so I am having fun creating!

I am also all "a-twitter" because my youngest daughter, who lives in N. Ireland is bringing her little girls over at the beginning of August! They can stay for THREE WEEKS! I can hardly wait!

At the end of August I will be heading to NY for the arrival of the newest grandchild. My oldest daughter has two boys, and we were all so excited to hear that this next one is a little girl! I have been there when the others were born, and am so blessed that I will be able to be there for little Annaliese's birth. I will enjoy spending time with my grandsons as well, and will have a chance to see my sisters and their families and hug my sweet momma. I wish my husband could come, too, but Bible school will be starting up again, and paying for one ticket is a challenge!

What else have I been doing? Teaching, Praying. Writing. Sewing. Mentoring. Loving people. Taking pictures. Reading. Baking. Taking care of my wonderful husband. Someone gave me fabric for my rugs that was so pretty I made curtains for the study with it. I am so happy to have something new in there. The other curtains came with the apartment, and they were horrid! I made a lemon pound cake for my cell group that was SO yummy! I can't tell you how many cakes I have bakes since we moved to Denmark. We are very much a cake and coffee society here, and our church is always celebrating something -- the birth of a baby, a wedding, etc. If I had the energy, I would do so much more, but I seem to be slowing down a little since I hit age 60!

Yesterday I killed Spike.  Yes I did. He is (was) my biggest aloe plant, but he was just too HUGE, and top heavy. I chopped him down and cut him up. Now I have lots of aloe stalks in the freezer -- perfect for sun burns and rashes. Spike is survived by many baby Spikes, so I will have aloe until Jesus comes back, I am sure.  

What is everyone going to do if Xanga goes under? If you are moving somewhere else, please let me know. I do hope they can survive. I have made so many wonderful friends here, and I would hate to lose track of you. I don't know what I am going to do. I might just write my posts and put them up on FB. I already link them and have a few who read. I am trying to collect and save YEARS of posts from Xanga. I don't want to lose them. I have dreams of someday publishing a devotional book. I certainly have enough material. I plan to keep writing. It sharpens me.

This is kinda how I feel about Xanga going away! My little Aliza is SO good with the pout. Maybe she learned from her big sister?

The rhododendrons in the park are stunning! I do have photos, but I have not downloaded them yet. They have so many colors, and they are lush and lovely. My husband says how can I take so many pictures of the exact same thing year after year. I don't know! I just want to record that beauty as best I can. Although, so many times I see landscapes so beautiful they take my breath away, and the camera just does not do them justice. Nobody does it better than God!

I hope you are all having a good week. I find it helps to give each day to God. Before I even get out of bed I do that. When I let Him "take the wheel" things are just better. Blessings!

Fretting.Worrying. Fear. I know it is one of those things that can seem like an "instinct." I have done it. Who hasn't? But, worry can take over your life if you aren't careful. I know my tendency to worry caught me in the trap of fear. Fear can really paralyze you. It's terrible. It's like a virus that takes over in your head and fills your thoughts with the "what if's....?". It keeps you awake at night. It keeps you from doing things you want to do. It is catching. My worrying came from a family member. I know my fear impacted my children, too.

What we SEE and HEAR influences us more than we realize. I do think the media plays a part, too. We see such awful things on the news, and then we fret that it could happen to us or those we love. (Of course, it probably WON'T, but we still worry.) I remember once I read a story about a woman whose child was abducted and murdered. For months after that, I did not want my children to play outside unless my eyes were on them every minute. Fear has a real impact on how we do life.

If we allow it, fear will shape everything we do, think, and say. It will ride us everywhere we go. It can become that "constant companion" that squeezes us tighter and tighter. Panic attacks. Agoraphobia. Nightmares. It is vicious.

Of course, there are medications that doctors can prescribe to "mellow us out" and calm us down. Yippee. Now, we are not only in fear's terrible grip, but we must be medicated to cope.

Unless we want to continue living like that, we better choose to trust. Yes. It is a choice. Fear is a choice. So is trust. We must make a decision that we are not going to let fear lead us around. We are not going to let the enemy of our souls pull us into the pit.

(Psalm 56:3-4 AMP)  What time I am afraid, I will have confidence in and put my trust and reliance in You. By [the help of] God I will praise His word; on God I lean, rely, and confidently put my trust; I will not fear. What can man, who is flesh, do to me?

(2Ti 1:7 AMP) For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

If you struggle with fear and are reading this post, do NOT feel condemned! Don't feel like you are the only one who struggles. Don't think there is no help for you in God. No. He will encourage and strengthen you if you give Him a chance. He will break the hold fear has over your life if you will put your complete trust in Him. Aren't you tired of it? Wouldn't you like to be free?

God set me free, so I know He can do the same for you. Fill your heart with good Bible verses. Memorize them. Ask your pastor to pray with you that fear's control over you is broken. Don't give up! Don't give in. Fight for it. God loves you so much, and He wants you to have a good life! He wants to develop that calm and well-balanced mind in you. If you will take the time you spend worrying and use it instead to know God better, you will find the fear losing its grip. If you will choose to believe the promises of God, things will begin to change. When you feel the fear clawing at you, say, "I choose to trust God. Fear, you leave NOW, in Jesus' mighty name." Don't let the devil hassle your soul anymore.

Kick fear "to the curb" and trust God!

Many of us, if we were completely honest, would have to admit that we do not totally believe that God has given us His best. We know we should, but we just don't. And why is it that we feel this way? Because we have asked God for things, and we did not get them. Maybe we ask for healing, or a better job. Maybe we ask that we would be spared some bad thing which was ready to fall on us. We ask for these things, and we did not get them, so --- God let us down. God disappointed us, and we are not sure if we can REALLY trust Him. Have you ever felt that way? I know I have.

We get some idea in our head and try to use God like He is a vending machine where our prayer goes in, and the answer we want comes out. Yeah... it doesn't work like that. As shocking as this my be, we are wrong to assume that we always know what is best for us! How can we, really? We do not see the future. We do not have God's understanding of events to come. How can we really know what is best and right? We know what is EASIEST for us. But God is not about easy. God's purposes cannot always be understood. We can't see ahead like He can.

(Isa 55:8 -9 NLT)  "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Probably when Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery he was wondering where God was. How could God possibly allow something so terrible to happen to him? But God did. And, when Joseph had walked through it, he was able to see God's plan in it all. He was able to say to his brothers, "I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. But don't feel badly, don't blame yourselves for selling me. God was behind it. God sent me here ahead of you to save lives." (Gen 45:4-5 MSG)

When I was in the hospital for a surgery, I got to know the young man who came each day to draw blood. He saw my Bible on my night stand, and started asking me questions about why I read it. We had some good talks, and then I asked him if he would like a Bible of his own. He did. I ask my husband to bring one up to the hospital when he next visited. My surgery required that I have bone grafts, so I was in the hospital for a long time. Eventually, I had the joy of praying with this young man to receive Christ. That would never have happened if God had instantly healed me. I would not have been in a hospital needing surgery if God had answered the "easy prayer." Sure, God could have had this young man meet someone else who could lead him to Christ, but I got to be the one! What a joy! The value of his redeemed soul was certainly worth whatever I had to go through. I see that now.

Many things have happened in my life that were certainly not my choice. I did not understand and I struggled. I cried. But, my only choices were to trust and obey God, or tell Him no.

It is hard to trust. It is hard to say "Not my will, Lord, but YOURS be done." But it is the best thing for us. Of course, there is nothing wrong with telling God what we would like. He says we should. Often, He does say yes to our requests. Those are good times, aren't they? But, sometimes He says no. Or wait. Not such good times then. The key is being convinced of God's goodness. The key is believing that He really DOES know best, and He loves you too much to give you something less than His best. The key is faith. I love the quote by Oswald Chambers which says, "Faith is flinging yourself with reckless confidence on God."

(Rom 11:33 AMP)  Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)!

So, what will YOU do? Will you hold back, or will you trust? Are you ready to say YES to God's best?

Have you ever done something stupid like slip or trip and fall in some public place? I have. It is embarrassing. I jump up (as best I can) and assure people I am fine. Fine. Of course, parts of me may be throbbing, and I know I am really NOT fine, but with all those people looking on, you have to pretend. Well, at least I do.

Have you ever had an opportunity to observe people when they do not know they are being watched? I used to love to stand at the window and watch my children outside playing. I have also causally observed other people picking their noses, making out with their girlfriend, scratching certain unmentionable parts of their bodies, playing imaginary drums and rocking out to some song in their head and various other human behaviors. Very entertaining. Maybe they didn't know anyone was watching. Maybe they didn't care.

Most of us do try to put our best side out there when we know people are watching. Is that pride I wonder? My grandmother would not even hang her underwear out on the clothesline because she didn't think that was something others should see. From just a child I was made aware that people were watching. When you are the daughter of a pastor in a small town, you are often lectured on appearance and the need to set a good example.

Have you ever worked with people who only actually WORK when they know the boss is around? Yes, we often change how we behave when we know others are watching. Knowing you are being observed makes you want to look your best and do your best, right?

I know when my apartment needs tidying, it doesn't bother me too much until someone calls and asks if they can drop by. WOW! You should see me then! I am flying around like a crazy person, dusting, plumping up pillows, folding the afghan, washing the dirty dishes and picking up junk. We know that what people see will form an opinion. I know I am not perfect, and I am sure others know it, too, but I like to do my best when possible.

Perhaps we forget that GOD is ALWAYS watching. He sees everything. He hears it all. He can even read our hearts and know our motivation. Nothing is hidden from Him. He is watching when we gossip. He is watching when we complain. He is a constant, ever-present God.

(Prov. 15:3 NLT)  The LORD is watching everywhere, keeping His eye on both the evil and the good.

Wouldn't it be a good idea to live our lives with the knowledge that God is keeping His eye on us? Should we not always be mindful of the fact that God is watching?