Day 9 (Rich & Satisfying Life:21day @YouVersion )

• 2 Kings 4:8-10 Woman from Shunem set up a room for Elisha to stay when he came by
• Acts 16:13-15  Lydia- insisted that Paul and Silas stay at her house. God gave her trust. 

I pray that God would give us trust. As we grow older, our hearts seem to grow harder. But If we have that trust we can know that when we do what God wants us to do, things will work out good- for his purpose! 

It was awesome that Lydia opened her house and Paul and Silas always had a place to stay and receive a meal and be encouraged. We need to be that for other people. We need to stop looking at just ourselves and how other people can help us. But how we can reach out and help other people. TRUST right now, with even the little you may feel you have, God can use it in a BIG BIG way. 

So I went on to read the story and it talks about a slave girl, physic who followed Paul and Silas for days until they finally got tired of it and commanded the spirit out of her. Her owners were upset because they couldnt make any money from her now. So they got Paul and Silas thrown in jail. And after beaten black and blue and thrown in the worst place, THEY PRAISED GOD! --God sent an earthquake, broke the chains off the prisoners. Its incredible to me, that they didnt say to themselves "Hey its a sign from God, lets run away!"- I probably would have. Yet they stayed uncomfortable because God had them there for a reason. They had known God  to be faithful. First setting the slave girl free, and breaking the chains on all the prisoners in the cell... which eventually lead to the guard (people fighting against Jesus) to be fighting FOR Him. I am totally amazed. 

Do you know God to be faithful?

Ive read this story time and time over, but this morning God really showed it to me in a new light and I am trying my best to convey it to you. I can't help but think of the many who are in-slaved today, and how much has to be done to rescue these sons and daughters. But if we are faithful, stick around and stay in the fight---just like Paul and Silas we will see many free and come to Jesus. This just excites my soul so much. That my attitude changes to those who ARE being rescued, and even just for one to be saved, my fight is worth it. Tears come to my eyes when I think to a few months back, I had dreams literally scared for my life to get involved in the fight of human trafficking. But as much as my heart aches now for those unsaved, how much more it would to ignore the issue! 

We, I, you and Me--need to open not only our homes but our hearts to the people around us. At the end of the story it says Paul and Silas go back to Lydia's house. A home that they know to be safe and they encouraged their friends there. If Jesus is rescuing people, they need a place to stay and be loved on, and that's where we come in. Foster kids, elderly, disabled, trafficked, hurting and even missionaries need places to stay. If we open our homes up (for a fact) because we set out to bless someone, God will actually pour blessings out on us. (See Mark 10:30) He is faithful to do it. He sees us and knows our biggest needs. Lydia, a woman of trust, trust God that He is good and he is able. 

My hope for you today starts with a quote  "Not everyone can do everything, but everyone can do something." We busy ourselves and think we have no time because we're trying to do other than what God has called us to specifically. Ask God what that is for you today. Do you want to set captives free? Do you want to be free? God can give us way more abundantly than we every thought possible to accomplish everything He wants us to do. 

 Maybe your fight is not directly related to human trafficking. OK. Ask God, He will lead you. Whats your passion? Line it up with God's. Injustice in the world is SO overwhelming; we look at it and say it's too much, there's nothing we can do. But we have to be the change we want to see, we have to inspire those and be thankful for those who have inspired us. We need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and what he is doing, Stop ignoring it. Slow down. Enjoy life, God and all he has for you, even right now. 

My prayer for us today is what Paul writes to us in Phil 4:12...

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

Faith in my fruit smoothie, pls!

So Raul wrote a blog, Are you Fruity?, talking about the Jesus being the vine and producing in us good fruit. He also gave a challenge to think about the fruit that is or isn't in our life. And I wanted to post my response in my own blog. Here we go...

 Lately, I think I struggle with Faithfulness, a little, alot, n all around. I so love and appreciate the fact that even though we are unfaithful, he remains faithful b/c God cannot deny who he is. There is so much to be faithful in! - friendships,marriage, mom duties, wife duties, and basically God's overall call on my life. I want need to be faithful to Him, and in the Word and prayer mostly and like Matt 6:33 seek first the kingdom and all will be added unto you. I believe if my time w/ God is in its proper place, fruit starts poppin like automatic. If I put it on the back burner, my fruit gets real ripe like no other, expired maybe? Forsure! but  I do struggle, being faithful- staying on top of all I have goin on and having faith, knowing that God has equipped us for every good work he has planned for us in advance to do. (He has, btw Ephesians 2:10)

Today, Adopt-a-block was amazing. I know its really going to work, draw people, its almost scary. I feel like the need is beyond me. Of course it is, but its never beyond God. Even though there is so much to be done and so much that I cannot fulfill, tonight I find it hard to rest in the fact- Its all in God's hands, each person and every need. I need some strt up faith, halleluyer. This does not mean I give up, God calls us to be faithful, thorough in performance, and steady in allegiance! just because our part may be small, we point ppl to him and he can do BIG things. 

 I will suck it up, press forward, b/c He's faithful. 

-Allie

Check it out, Gal 5:22-23

But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

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Because I'm alive, I'll give You my life 

Because I am free, I'll bow at Your feet

Because I am loved, I'm able to love

Because I am Yours, my worth is secure

God be praised. 

Allie

A verse to live life by!

"Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.

Don't worry about missing out.

You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met."

Matt. 6:33 MSG

I was raised "christian", around other "christians" and grew up in church. Although, looking back it wasn't until I truly grasped this verse that I began to truly live my life for Christ.

Story began when I was 19 yrs old, ya know the crazy stage where you're not quite sure what to do with your life. Im not a kid, and not ready to be old. I fell somewhere in the middle. And I dont know if this is normal for some people but I've always wanted to do things as fast and as soon as I could in life. I took drivers ed a week too early, so I had to -wait- patientlyfor my permit. I took my road test before I was 16, so I could walk in SOS on my birthday to obtain that license. I managed beauty school and high school at the same time, so that I could graduate early. By the time I was 18, I had my high school diploma and my license to do hair. I was proud of myself and where God had taken me, yeah. At the same time, believe it or not, I was quite upset with myself and God that I was not with the person I was supposed to marry. Like really God, my mom was married at 19 about to have her first kid, I need to be doing something with my life! It might sound crazy I know. But at 19, I thought getting married should have already been in the works. Anyway...I've had one semi-serious boyfriend in my life but I hung around a lot of guys, I figured someone was better than no one. Plus hey if they liked me it was fun to hang out. I knew I did not want to date them and it was wrong. Everyone could see it, me, my friends, family, and most importantly God.

Then I went to IHOPE (international house of prayer) @ 10mile n Frazho. I know y'all are thinking pancakes sound good right now, me too but lets stay on task. So I couldn't see truth from my friends and family about how I was living my life in sin, God decided used some older guy (think he might have ran the meetings) I have never met him in my life to come up & pray with me tell me these words...

"But put/seek God's kingdom first. Do what he wants you to do. Then all of those things (he inserted)- all the relationships and stuff that you crave- will also be given to you."

I was blown away, like really God I am that ignorant that you tried to use my family and friends and when that didn't work you cared enough about me to send some random guys to speak your truth and know what was going on in my life. It was stinkin' amazing! Plus, Everyone I went with was spoken to by God that night.

So then I had a decision, and many decisions after that. I chose to seek God with all my heart, drop everything that hinder me from getting to know and fall in love with my wonderful creator. Literally I came to a point, I remember sitting in my car thinking, God if I never get married, I will be happy as long as I know I'm doing what you for me.

I was in this life, and in it for Him. Honestly, soon after that...I became friends with my future perfect husband. It even took me a little to be fully convinced by God that this was what he wanted for me because I just told him I was okay if I never married, secretly hoping he had a back up plan. But thank God it didn't take me to long to see Raul was the one for me because I had a schedule of babies to have & keep before I'm 30.