This Journey

This Journey http://sandyharless.com/blog.cfm Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:00:16 GMT http://bandzoogle.com "She only likes my hand..." http://sandyharless.com/blog.cfm?feature=180900&postid=1700456 While tucking my 7 yr old into bed this evening....she remembered leaving her dolls downstairs and asked me to run and fetch them. Knowing she would just "play in bed" for another hour on a school night, I told her she didn't need her dolls. I told her that her kitty was waiting for her to settle down. (Her cat actually was sitting in the middle of her bed staring at her patiently while she waited to curl up beside her and snuggle. This is a nightly routine.) She quickly replied to me with, "uh..uh.., she only loves my hand." This made me think...... I wonder if that's how God feels about me sometimes. Does He think I only love His hand? His hand is the one that reaches out to 'do' for me, to 'bless' me, to 'comfort' me, to 'heal' me, to 'help' me in my numerous times of need. There is so much more to God than that. Do I take the time to let Him know that I know that? Or do I spend my time asking for His hand? was sitting in the middle of her bed staring at her patiently while she waited to curl up beside her and snuggle. This is a nightly routine.) She quickly replied to me with, "uh..uh.., she only loves my hand." This made me think......

I wonder if that's how God feels about me sometimes. Does He think I only love His hand? His hand is the one that reaches out to 'do' for me, to 'bless' me, to 'comfort' me, to 'heal' me, to 'help' me in my numerous times of need. There is so much more to God than that. Do I take the time to let Him know that I know that? Or do I spend my time asking for His hand?]]> Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:00:16 GMT 51D5408AC6CE9C137C83718658E01650 How to Love Your Husband into a Hero - teaching by Helen Hirshman http://sandyharless.com/blog.cfm?feature=180900&postid=546120 Proverbs 31:11-12 (NIV) 11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. 12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. Her husband trusts her completely and never regrets it. Why? Because she is never spiteful and treats him generously as her own life. “Love covers a multitude of sins.” What was God’s intention for woman before the fall? Genesis 1:26-31 (NIV) 26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Genesis 2:18-24 (NIV) 18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” 19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam[a] no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs[b] and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib[c] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. The element of relationship is in the image of God. “No one comes to know themselves through introspection, but instead through relationships with others.” Alone we become set in our ways and cease to grow. HELPER – is mentioned 21 times in the Old Testament and refers to strength and to God as the helper. HELPMATE – is mentioned 4 times and refers to a woman, a powerful ally, and to God. Women bring an incredible power to help their husbands. Proverbs 31:11 (NIV) the husband….. “lacks nothing of value.” Is this referring to material wealth? Probably not, but instead he has the gift of his “helpmate” meeting his emotional needs. In this he becomes a confident man. What Are a Man’s Needs? Respect To be loved – Why did he marry? To have someone to care about him. He needs the security of genuine love that stands the test of time; through better or worse (including his behavior). To be admired – The Family Super Hero. Never compare your husband to any other man for any reason. Never belittle your husband’s character, his activities, or his abilities (especially in front of his friends or children). Never boss your husband around, but instead ask. To be responsible – Do you exert pressure on your husband to do something until it gets done? To be trusted – Are you a suspicious judge? To be honored – Do you complain? To be loving – Have you accused your husband of being insensitive? (We can be VERY sensitive) Peter 3:7 Husbands b e considerate of your wives and treat them with respect as the weaker vessel. (weaker means more sensitive or more fragile vessel) If your husband is a large steel bucket, then you are a glass vase. The bucket, being the stronger vessel, can carry more weight, but also pours out more strongly and tends to flood their spouse or children. To know that his advice is valuable To feel appreciated To be understood To be accepted Proverbs 31:12 (NIV) She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. People behave badly when their emotional needs are not being met. What Are A Woman’s Needs: The Proverbs 31 woman has found her needs met in God, her role as a wife, and her role as a mother. But, from our husband we need: 1. Security 2. Love 3. Respect 4. Affection…..but most importantly 5. ATTENTION. 6. She needs quality time with her husband 7. Increased sensitivity to comfort, not lectures 8. For our husband to receive correction without being defensive 9. For our husband to appreciate us 10. For our husband to be a “helpmate” with the children How do we help our men meet our needs? James 3:13, 17-18 (NIV) 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. Essential Qualities of Inner Beauty Courage to commit to the relationship and do whatever it takes to make it work. Get rid of unrealistic view of marriage and replace it with a goal. Persistence – until the goal is achieved (accept the lecture, and then ask for a hug) Gratefulness – sincere appreciation for the benefits you’ve received from being his wife. Think of praiseworthy qualities your husband has. (for every negative, there is a positive) Minimize your expectations for your spouse. (the result of being too hard on people is disappointment and discouragement) Stop expressing your expectations and begin expressing appreciation. Look for your fulfillment in God. Turn off your internal timer for your goals of “change” to be met. Calmness and inner peace. 1 Peter 3:4, “Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” Gentleness – showing tender consideration for another’s feelings Unselfish Love – genuine (actions directed towards filling another person’s needs) Depending on the state of your relationship, it may be hard for you to show these qualities to your spouse at first. One woman shared that she did things for her husband that he would not notice. She did them in service to God as a symbol of her commitment to her marriage. She also prayed for three hours each day, stating that this was the only way she was able to overcome her anger, stay committed and do the acts of kindness. My personal experience: This breakout session couldn’t have come at a better time for me. Let’s suffice it to say that I really needed to hear this teaching. I came to this retreat with the goal of hearing SOMETHING from God. God does not disappoint and he began speaking the first night. I landed on a scripture that set the tone for what I was going to receive that weekend. Jude 1:1-2 (The Message) my bible has the NIV & The Message side by side “I, Jude, am a slave to Jesus Christ and brother to James, writing to those loved by God the Father, called and kept safe by Jesus Christ. Relax, everything's going to be all right; rest, everything's coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way!” There are things in this teaching on how to treat your husband that I feel like I have a good handle on, and there are some things that need work. It’s so easy to focus on someone else’s shortcomings and justify your own complaints. It’s incredibly hard to lay down your own desires for fulfillment and try even harder than you did before to fulfill someone else’s needs. Jesus never said any of this was going to be easy. Proverbs 31:11-12 (NIV)
11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

Her husband trusts her completely and never regrets it. Why? Because she is never spiteful and treats him generously as her own life. “Love covers a multitude of sins.”

What was God’s intention for woman before the fall?

Genesis 1:26-31 (NIV)
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Genesis 2:18-24 (NIV)
18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.
But for Adam[a] no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs[b] and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib[c] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”
24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

The element of relationship is in the image of God.

“No one comes to know themselves through introspection, but instead through relationships with others.”
Alone we become set in our ways and cease to grow.

HELPER – is mentioned 21 times in the Old Testament and refers to strength and to God as the helper.
HELPMATE – is mentioned 4 times and refers to a woman, a powerful ally, and to God.

Women bring an incredible power to help their husbands.

Proverbs 31:11 (NIV)
the husband….. “lacks nothing of value.”

Is this referring to material wealth?
Probably not, but instead he has the gift of his “helpmate” meeting his emotional needs. In this he becomes a confident man.

What Are a Man’s Needs?
Respect
To be loved – Why did he marry? To have someone to care about him. He needs the security of genuine love that stands the test of time; through better or worse (including his behavior).
To be admired – The Family Super Hero. Never compare your husband to any other man for any reason. Never belittle your husband’s character, his activities, or his abilities (especially in front of his friends or children).
Never boss your husband around, but instead ask.
To be responsible – Do you exert pressure on your husband to do something until it gets done?
To be trusted – Are you a suspicious judge?
To be honored – Do you complain?
To be loving – Have you accused your husband of being insensitive? (We can be VERY sensitive) Peter 3:7 Husbands b e considerate of your wives and treat them with respect as the weaker vessel. (weaker means more sensitive or more fragile vessel) If your husband is a large steel bucket, then you are a glass vase. The bucket, being the stronger vessel, can carry more weight, but also pours out more strongly and tends to flood their spouse or children.
To know that his advice is valuable To feel appreciated
To be understood
To be accepted

Proverbs 31:12 (NIV)
She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

People behave badly when their emotional needs are not being met.

What Are A Woman’s Needs:

The Proverbs 31 woman has found her needs met in God, her role as a wife, and her role as a mother. But, from our husband we need:

1. Security
2. Love
3. Respect
4. Affection…..but most importantly
5. ATTENTION.
6. She needs quality time with her husband
7. Increased sensitivity to comfort, not lectures
8. For our husband to receive correction without being defensive
9. For our husband to appreciate us
10. For our husband to be a “helpmate” with the children

How do we help our men meet our needs?

James 3:13, 17-18 (NIV)
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Essential Qualities of Inner Beauty

Courage to commit to the relationship and do whatever it takes to make it work. Get rid of unrealistic view of marriage and replace it with a goal.
Persistence – until the goal is achieved (accept the lecture, and then ask for a hug)
Gratefulness – sincere appreciation for the benefits you’ve received from being his wife. Think of praiseworthy qualities your husband has. (for every negative, there is a positive)
Minimize your expectations for your spouse. (the result of being too hard on people is disappointment and discouragement)
Stop expressing your expectations and begin expressing appreciation. Look for your fulfillment in God. Turn off your internal timer for your goals of “change” to be met.
Calmness and inner peace. 1 Peter 3:4, “Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”
Gentleness – showing tender consideration for another’s feelings
Unselfish Love – genuine (actions directed towards filling another person’s needs)

Depending on the state of your relationship, it may be hard for you to show these qualities to your spouse at first. One woman shared that she did things for her husband that he would not notice. She did them in service to God as a symbol of her commitment to her marriage. She also prayed for three hours each day, stating that this was the only way she was able to overcome her anger, stay committed and do the acts of kindness.

My personal experience:
This breakout session couldn’t have come at a better time for me. Let’s suffice it to say that I really needed to hear this teaching. I came to this retreat with the goal of hearing SOMETHING from God. God does not disappoint and he began speaking the first night. I landed on a scripture that set the tone for what I was going to receive that weekend.

Jude 1:1-2 (The Message) my bible has the NIV & The Message side by side
“I, Jude, am a slave to Jesus Christ and brother to James, writing to those loved by God the Father, called and kept safe by Jesus Christ. Relax, everything's going to be all right; rest, everything's coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way!”

There are things in this teaching on how to treat your husband that I feel like I have a good handle on, and there are some things that need work. It’s so easy to focus on someone else’s shortcomings and justify your own complaints. It’s incredibly hard to lay down your own desires for fulfillment and try even harder than you did before to fulfill someone else’s needs. Jesus never said any of this was going to be easy.

]]> Tue, 02 Nov 2010 04:14:55 GMT 3067F30471CB13B4F897261BCED4037B Call Security - MY TAKE on Pastor Matt's 6/6/10 sermon http://sandyharless.com/blog.cfm?feature=180900&postid=314289 On the way to church Sunday morning I heard Natalie Grant’s, I WILL NOT BE MOVED. I love this song! The lyrics remind me of my life and how I hold on to the promises in God’s word that tell me: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” “The plans that God has for me are for a future filled with hope” “I am called and equipped according to God’s plans for me” “I am a child of God and He will never leave or forsake me” “I am fearfully and WONDERFULLY made” Romans 12:3 tells us to walk in confidence and security, but not to get puffed up: 3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. But we are also not to think too little of ourselves. In Numbers 13, God promises to give the homeless Israelites an awesome piece of real estate. But when they went to check it out, they were afraid of all the giants inhabiting the land and instantly felt small, weak and afraid. 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." When we FEEL small, we LOOK small to others. There are people in this world who take advantage of the weak, and Satan would love nothing better than for you to feel small. He knows that God has a plan for your life! Jeremiah 29:11 11 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. You can know the promises of God and never live a victorious life if you don’t choose to walk in them! You can forfeit all the plans that God has for you by choosing to walk in fear and unbelief. Now back to that song…. I WILL NOT BE MOVED? I began to think of things that threaten my footing; things that could potentially cause me to waiver; things that HAVE caused me to waiver in my faith. When I open my eyes and look around there are giants everywhere! When I’m focused on the giants, I fail to look up and focus on a MUCH bigger God. When I’m focused on the giants, my circumstances appear to be overwhelming. When I’m focused on the giants, I feel small, weak, ineffective, ill equipped, not useful, defeated. I have been moved. Moved to complaining bitterly when my feelings are hurt; moved to tears over unanswered prayers and broken dreams; moved to being reclusive when I can’t handle anymore. In Matthew 12 and Luke 6, God’s word reveals that “out of the heart, the mouth speaks.” A broken heart rehearses its wounds. Choosing salvation isn’t insurance against the wounding of your heart, but instead, assurance that you won’t walk this way alone. In John 16, Jesus tells us himself that we will have troubles: 33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." In Deuteronomy 31, Moses reminds us that we are not alone: 8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." We are not to be afraid or discouraged, though discouragement will surely come. I may have allowed myself to be moved, but I still hold firm to my faith in God. He is who He says He is, and He can do what He says he can do. So how can I stay secure? 1. Obey the word of God – if you want to obey it, you have to read it. If you want to understand it better, you need to study it. Join a small group, or bible study group, or get some friends to join you at your house and study the word together. ME: I have seasons where I’m better at this than others. And, it shows. I can see and feel a difference in myself and the “giant sightings” on the plains of my life. 2. Stop thinking and saying negative stuff about yourself AND about others. Live in a constant state of forgiveness, allowing others to be just as imperfect as you are. Ephesians 4:29-30 29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. If every word (or matter) is established by 2-3 witnesses as it states in 2 Corinthians 13:1, then why would we want to be the one to speak a negative over our own life or the life of another? Remember, Satan the accuser is always the first witness for evil for every living soul. Why would we want to confirm it by being the 2nd or 3rd witness? You will become what you believe yourself to be. Proverbs 23 (NKJV) 7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. People will rise or fall with the words they agree with. ME: How many negative words echo in the halls of my sub conscience? Words that were (or are) spoken over me, to me, around me, about me? Arrows loaded with the poison to kill God’s plans for my life. How many of them did I believe? Probably all at some point. How many bad choices did I make because of what I believed about myself at any given time? Many. Those words, once spoken….once received, must continually be replaced with the words of God in order to lose their power. Whose words have you agreed with over your life? Whose life have you affected with your own words? Words of life, or words of accusation? 3. Stop comparing yourself to others. Your value comes only from your identity in Christ. Phillippians 1:6 …..that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It’s not about how good you are, or how “good at it” you are. There is always someone else who is better, or better at it. And there is always someone that needs encouragement. It’s not about “what” you are doing in service to God. We are all gifted differently for a purpose. 1 Corinthians 12:4 4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 1 Corinthians 12:12 12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. ME: I know now that I am called by God to use my gifts for Him. There are things that I do well, and things that I don’t do well. We are to bring our best offering to God, so I bring him what I do best. But even my best is not as good as others who are gifted in the same way. Do I compare myself?  Human nature says yes. Does it mean that this couldn’t possibly be my calling or God’s plan for my life? I’m learning that it does not. If I let the fact that someone is more spiritual, sings better, plays better, or writes better stop me from doing any of it….how can God get the glory from my life and who He created me to be? I don’t have to be the best, I have to be obedient. I don’t need to have accolades, awards, acceptance or approval. I need to be obedient. Obedience brings a blessing of peace in knowing that you are doing what God wants you to do; that deep sense of knowing. And occasionally God sends some warm fuzzies of encouragement my way! And all the rest of that stuff that I don’t do well? God can have that too and use it how He sees fit. So call Security! Call Jesus! based on Sermon by Matt Hoole June 6, 2010 visit <a href="http://www.mccag.org">www.mccag.org to hear the audio file
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”
“The plans that God has for me are for a future filled with hope”
“I am called and equipped according to God’s plans for me”
“I am a child of God and He will never leave or forsake me”
“I am fearfully and WONDERFULLY made”

Romans 12:3 tells us to walk in confidence and security, but not to get puffed up:

3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

But we are also not to think too little of ourselves.

In Numbers 13, God promises to give the homeless Israelites an awesome piece of real estate. But when they went to check it out, they were afraid of all the giants inhabiting the land and instantly felt small, weak and afraid.

31 But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."

When we FEEL small, we LOOK small to others. There are people in this world who take advantage of the weak, and Satan would love nothing better than for you to feel small. He knows that God has a plan for your life!

Jeremiah 29:11
11 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.

You can know the promises of God and never live a victorious life if you don’t choose to walk in them! You can forfeit all the plans that God has for you by choosing to walk in fear and unbelief. Now back to that song….

I WILL NOT BE MOVED? I began to think of things that threaten my footing; things that could potentially cause me to waiver; things that HAVE caused me to waiver in my faith. When I open my eyes and look around there are giants everywhere! When I’m focused on the giants, I fail to look up and focus on a MUCH bigger God. When I’m focused on the giants, my circumstances appear to be overwhelming. When I’m focused on the giants, I feel small, weak, ineffective, ill equipped, not useful, defeated.

I have been moved. Moved to complaining bitterly when my feelings are hurt; moved to tears over unanswered prayers and broken dreams; moved to being reclusive when I can’t handle anymore. In Matthew 12 and Luke 6, God’s word reveals that “out of the heart, the mouth speaks.” A broken heart rehearses its wounds. Choosing salvation isn’t insurance against the wounding of your heart, but instead, assurance that you won’t walk this way alone.

In John 16, Jesus tells us himself that we will have troubles:

33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

In Deuteronomy 31, Moses reminds us that we are not alone:

8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

We are not to be afraid or discouraged, though discouragement will surely come. I may have allowed myself to be moved, but I still hold firm to my faith in God. He is who He says He is, and He can do what He says he can do.

So how can I stay secure?

1. Obey the word of God – if you want to obey it, you have to read it. If you want to understand it better, you need to study it. Join a small group, or bible study group, or get some friends to join you at your house and study the word together.

ME: I have seasons where I’m better at this than others. And, it shows. I can see and feel a difference in myself and the “giant sightings” on the plains of my life.

2. Stop thinking and saying negative stuff about yourself AND about others. Live in a constant state of forgiveness, allowing others to be just as imperfect as you are.

Ephesians 4:29-30
29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

If every word (or matter) is established by 2-3 witnesses as it states in 2 Corinthians 13:1, then why would we want to be the one to speak a negative over our own life or the life of another? Remember, Satan the accuser is always the first witness for evil for every living soul. Why would we want to confirm it by being the 2nd or 3rd witness?

You will become what you believe yourself to be.

Proverbs 23 (NKJV)
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

People will rise or fall with the words they agree with.

ME: How many negative words echo in the halls of my sub conscience? Words that were (or are) spoken over me, to me, around me, about me? Arrows loaded with the poison to kill God’s plans for my life. How many of them did I believe? Probably all at some point. How many bad choices did I make because of what I believed about myself at any given time? Many. Those words, once spoken….once received, must continually be replaced with the words of God in order to lose their power.

Whose words have you agreed with over your life?

Whose life have you affected with your own words?

Words of life, or words of accusation?

3. Stop comparing yourself to others. Your value comes only from your identity in Christ.

Phillippians 1:6
…..that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

It’s not about how good you are, or how “good at it” you are. There is always someone else who is better, or better at it. And there is always someone that needs encouragement. It’s not about “what” you are doing in service to God. We are all gifted differently for a purpose.

1 Corinthians 12:4
4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

1 Corinthians 12:12
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.

ME: I know now that I am called by God to use my gifts for Him. There are things that I do well, and things that I don’t do well. We are to bring our best offering to God, so I bring him what I do best. But even my best is not as good as others who are gifted in the same way.

Do I compare myself?

Human nature says yes. Does it mean that this couldn’t possibly be my calling or God’s plan for my life? I’m learning that it does not. If I let the fact that someone is more spiritual, sings better, plays better, or writes better stop me from doing any of it….how can God get the glory from my life and who He created me to be?

I don’t have to be the best, I have to be obedient. I don’t need to have accolades, awards, acceptance or approval. I need to be obedient. Obedience brings a blessing of peace in knowing that you are doing what God wants you to do; that deep sense of knowing. And occasionally God sends some warm fuzzies of encouragement my way!

And all the rest of that stuff that I don’t do well? God can have that too and use it how He sees fit.

So call Security! Call Jesus!

based on Sermon by Matt Hoole June 6, 2010
visit www.mccag.org to hear the audio file

]]> Mon, 07 Jun 2010 21:25:00 GMT 6B411C321AA5B7392AB72C15D3743D9B God is Good http://sandyharless.com/blog.cfm?feature=180900&postid=45223 Jesus bears us upon his shoulders and holds us in His heart as He stands before the Father presenting us as a holy offering, a pure a spotless bride, making our requests and prayers known so that God may hear and answer according to His perfect will. We are not spotless and do not deserve this special treatment, but we have a Savior who gives us a grace we will never understand out of His amazing, unselfish love, which we do not have the ability to give nor comprehend. God is perfected love, and yes, He is good! Jesus bears us upon his shoulders and holds us in His heart as He stands before the Father presenting us as a holy offering, a pure a spotless bride, making our requests and prayers known so that God may hear and answer according to His perfect will. We are not spotless and do not deserve this special treatment, but we have a Savior who gives us a grace we will never understand out of His amazing, unselfish love, which we do not have the ability to give nor comprehend. God is perfected love, and yes, He is good!]]> Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:35:00 GMT F8774A830389CDECFFD9564483AE877A I'm Sorry http://sandyharless.com/blog.cfm?feature=180900&postid=43761 “I’m sorry.” How many times have we heard these words? How many times have we heard them leave our own lips? I’ve even written a song with that title! Apologies fly through the air with great frequency, and often as an automated response to realizing that our actions have caused a negative reaction, sometimes resulting in uncomfortable consequences. How flippant we can be in a half-hearted attempt to restore our own comfort. Recently I had a refresher course in the proper dynamics of those two little words. Let’s break it down…. Regret - Repentance - Forgiveness – Restitution Regret: We can regret something we have said or done, but that does not equate to having a repentant heart. Regret is when we realize that we have caused anger, pain, or injury and that offensive act has brought negative consequences. We know from school that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. When we add human emotion to the equation, that physical law may as well be tossed to the wind! The offense changes something in the relationship. What changed is the “fellowship” and the joy shared by being in relationship with another person. Repentance: When we understand the offense or the wrong we have done and also understand how it affects our relationship with others (and with God), then our heart can begin to be sorry with a willingness to change. Sometimes we may need someone else to explain to us how our actions have affected them and our fellowship with them, but repentance must always begin with the one who committed the offense. You can not force or coerce someone else to become repentant. Forgiveness: This is a process that requires an agreement between two parties. The offendER has to want to seek forgiveness, and the offendED has to be willing to forgive. Repentance begins with the offender, but forgiveness begins with the person who was offended. Asking for forgiveness does not mean saying, “I’m sorry” when you have wronged someone with malicious intent. When you purposely wound someone, you have stolen their control. You need to humble yourself, acknowledge the offense and then ask that person, “Will you forgive me for _____?” This restores the stolen control back to the offended party. As an aside, if you sin or offend someone in front of your children, it is also right for you to acknowledge the offense and ask them to forgive you as well. Don’t be afraid to ask your children for forgiveness, this will earn their respect and teach them valuable lessons in fellowship. (Genesis 50:17, Matthew 18:21-35) Restitution: Making things right. If your wrong has left damage, then you must make every attempt at restoring the damage to its original condition or better. If you have broken something, either repair it or replace it; possibly with something better or an added bonus. Broken things are much easier to repair than broken people. When you damage people, you will need the wisdom and guidance of God to help you help them. You can ask for forgiveness, but sometimes the restoration has to begin apart from you. If your wrong has robbed someone of something, it is biblical to repay them four times the amount stolen. (read about Zaccheaus the cheating tax collector in Luke 19) In closing, remember that if we choose to live by God’s standards, we shouldn’t expect that the rest of the world is going to live by them as well. We are reminded throughout the word of God to walk in the Spirit of God exhibiting love and all the qualities love is supposed to hold. We are also encouraged not to get tired of doing the “right thing” because we should be doing it simply because we are called to by God and because it is the right thing to do. “I’m sorry.” How many times have we heard these words? How many times have we heard them leave our own lips? I’ve even written a song with that title! Apologies fly through the air with great frequency, and often as an automated response to realizing that our actions have caused a negative reaction, sometimes resulting in uncomfortable consequences. How flippant we can be in a half-hearted attempt to restore our own comfort. Recently I had a refresher course in the proper dynamics of those two little words. Let’s break it down….

Regret - Repentance - Forgiveness – Restitution

Regret: We can regret something we have said or done, but that does not equate to having a repentant heart. Regret is when we realize that we have caused anger, pain, or injury and that offensive act has brought negative consequences. We know from school that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. When we add human emotion to the equation, that physical law may as well be tossed to the wind! The offense changes something in the relationship. What changed is the “fellowship” and the joy shared by being in relationship with another person.

Repentance: When we understand the offense or the wrong we have done and also understand how it affects our relationship with others (and with God), then our heart can begin to be sorry with a willingness to change. Sometimes we may need someone else to explain to us how our actions have affected them and our fellowship with them, but repentance must always begin with the one who committed the offense. You can not force or coerce someone else to become repentant.

Forgiveness: This is a process that requires an agreement between two parties. The offendER has to want to seek forgiveness, and the offendED has to be willing to forgive. Repentance begins with the offender, but forgiveness begins with the person who was offended. Asking for forgiveness does not mean saying, “I’m sorry” when you have wronged someone with malicious intent. When you purposely wound someone, you have stolen their control. You need to humble yourself, acknowledge the offense and then ask that person, “Will you forgive me for _____?” This restores the stolen control back to the offended party. As an aside, if you sin or offend someone in front of your children, it is also right for you to acknowledge the offense and ask them to forgive you as well. Don’t be afraid to ask your children for forgiveness, this will earn their respect and teach them valuable lessons in fellowship. (Genesis 50:17, Matthew 18:21-35)

Restitution: Making things right. If your wrong has left damage, then you must make every attempt at restoring the damage to its original condition or better. If you have broken something, either repair it or replace it; possibly with something better or an added bonus. Broken things are much easier to repair than broken people. When you damage people, you will need the wisdom and guidance of God to help you help them. You can ask for forgiveness, but sometimes the restoration has to begin apart from you. If your wrong has robbed someone of something, it is biblical to repay them four times the amount stolen. (read about Zaccheaus the cheating tax collector in Luke 19)

In closing, remember that if we choose to live by God’s standards, we shouldn’t expect that the rest of the world is going to live by them as well. We are reminded throughout the word of God to walk in the Spirit of God exhibiting love and all the qualities love is supposed to hold. We are also encouraged not to get tired of doing the “right thing” because we should be doing it simply because we are called to by God and because it is the right thing to do.]]> Fri, 29 May 2009 20:00:00 GMT B1B7B98F5983C590E5EF4C35F12069BE Just Be Ordinary? http://sandyharless.com/blog.cfm?feature=180900&postid=40709 Isn’t that what the rest of the world demands of you? Fit in, conform, update; just be part of what everyone else is doing. You may dare to be different at your own risk. Rejection, mockery, ridicule, exclusion, or just plain being ignored are some of the risks you will take. The fear of being on the receiving end of these things is the most basic fear of not being loved. We all want to be loved. Those around you don’t know how to react when things are not “status quo.” They have been trained from birth to be ordinary, and no matter what culture currently dictates; this is their normal. In this system, it is the opinion of the majority that makes the rules. We are well aware of how opinions can change, thus swaying the bar of normalcy to and fro. The average person could collapse from exhaustion in an attempt to be “normal” and some consistently reach for underachievement to simply appear “ordinary.” Mention the name Jesus, and you are likely to get written off by the majority. Why is that I wonder? Everything I have read about the life and character of Jesus is good. He spent his time trying to explain the complexities of God in stories that people could relate to. He sought out the desperate and the sick and brought restoration and healing. He made himself available to all, not making any distinctions and not asking for anything in return. He didn’t even fight back when he was being tried and executed, because he was fulfilling the will of God for the salvation of ALL people. (not only the really good ones, but ALL) Jesus was not “ordinary” nor was he normal. He was extraordinary. He stood up for, and he stood out against anything that opposed his most basic characteristic, the most basic characteristic of The Father he came to represent….LOVE. In my opinion, that’s the kind of guy worth mentioning! That’s the kind of Savior worth serving! That’s the kind of God worth believing in. I don’t think I can do that and just be ordinary. Besides, God didn’t create me for mediocrity. He created me to be extraordinary. So if I appear a bit overzealous at times, if I appear to be striving for something you don’t understand, if I seem like I’m wasting my life on pursuits that are a little out of the ordinary…I invite you to get to know my creator. He made YOU for something special too! So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 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 is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 Isn’t that what the rest of the world demands of you? Fit in, conform, update; just be part of what everyone else is doing. You may dare to be different at your own risk. Rejection, mockery, ridicule, exclusion, or just plain being ignored are some of the risks you will take. The fear of being on the receiving end of these things is the most basic fear of not being loved. We all want to be loved.

Those around you don’t know how to react when things are not “status quo.” They have been trained from birth to be ordinary, and no matter what culture currently dictates; this is their normal. In this system, it is the opinion of the majority that makes the rules. We are well aware of how opinions can change, thus swaying the bar of normalcy to and fro. The average person could collapse from exhaustion in an attempt to be “normal” and some consistently reach for underachievement to simply appear “ordinary.”

Mention the name Jesus, and you are likely to get written off by the majority. Why is that I wonder? Everything I have read about the life and character of Jesus is good. He spent his time trying to explain the complexities of God in stories that people could relate to. He sought out the desperate and the sick and brought restoration and healing. He made himself available to all, not making any distinctions and not asking for anything in return. He didn’t even fight back when he was being tried and executed, because he was fulfilling the will of God for the salvation of ALL people. (not only the really good ones, but ALL)

Jesus was not “ordinary” nor was he normal. He was extraordinary. He stood up for, and he stood out against anything that opposed his most basic characteristic, the most basic characteristic of The Father he came to represent….LOVE. In my opinion, that’s the kind of guy worth mentioning! That’s the kind of Savior worth serving! That’s the kind of God worth believing in. I don’t think I can do that and just be ordinary. Besides, God didn’t create me for mediocrity. He created me to be extraordinary. So if I appear a bit overzealous at times, if I appear to be striving for something you don’t understand, if I seem like I’m wasting my life on pursuits that are a little out of the ordinary…I invite you to get to know my creator. He made YOU for something special too!

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27
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 is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

]]> Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:35:00 GMT FA3A467BE3272E5D992D5DBCDFEF672C Is Friendship Enough? http://sandyharless.com/blog.cfm?feature=180900&postid=32277 Shopping is underway, even though the malls don't seem as busy this year. But still, the hustle and bustle to find the perfect gifts is apparent and the facial expressions of many are digressing into droopy jowled exhaustion. For all the effort, how much will it take to be "enough?" How much of what they received will the recipients of our gifts remember this time next year? How much will you yourself remember? God gives us personalized gifts every day of our life, and sometimes we don’t even recognize them, or are completely unaware of their presence. There are even days when we are completely unaware of God’s presence Chances are, if we only received one gift each year, we would not only remember what it was and who it was from, but we would appreciate it more and look forward to it with greater anticipation. But what if the one gift you waited for all year was presented to you in a way you didn’t understand. What if the person responsible for your gift took you out on a fishing trip and spent hours teaching you his secrets to fishing and talking about life. What if that person told you how much they valued your friendship and that they looked forward to being friends forever. And at the end of the day they said, “okay bud, had a great time, see ya later.” Would you be thinking, “hey that was fun. I wonder what he’s gonna get me this year?” Would you still be anticipating your “GIFT?” The Israelites did. They awaited a new King that was going to save them from all their troubles and hardships. They wanted a “FREE ticket to a great life” What they received didn’t look like what they expected, and most of them missed it. The gift was God giving us a piece of Himself. The gift is His presence in good times and in bad. THE gift was Emmanuel, God with us. He showers us with gifts every day if we’ll only notice them. He speaks to us all day long in constant contact. You wanna hear from God? Then quiet down and listen. He generally isn’t going to talk “over” you. I guess you could say, He is the gift that keeps on giving. But, it’s not the gifts we should anticipate…… It’s not the extraordinary encounters with God that go beyond human reasoning or understanding we should be looking for…… ………..it’s the friendship.....  And it’s in that friendship that we are changed in spite of ourselves. Merry Christmas Shopping is underway, even though the malls don't seem as busy this year. But still, the hustle and bustle to find the perfect gifts is apparent and the facial expressions of many are digressing into droopy jowled exhaustion. For all the effort, how much will it take to be "enough?" How much of what they received will the recipients of our gifts remember this time next year? How much will you yourself remember?

God gives us personalized gifts every day of our life, and sometimes we don’t even recognize them, or are completely unaware of their presence. There are even days when we are completely unaware of God’s presence

Chances are, if we only received one gift each year, we would not only remember what it was and who it was from, but we would appreciate it more and look forward to it with greater anticipation. But what if the one gift you waited for all year was presented to you in a way you didn’t understand. What if the person responsible for your gift took you out on a fishing trip and spent hours teaching you his secrets to fishing and talking about life. What if that person told you how much they valued your friendship and that they looked forward to being friends forever. And at the end of the day they said, “okay bud, had a great time, see ya later.”

Would you be thinking, “hey that was fun. I wonder what he’s gonna get me this year?”

Would you still be anticipating your “GIFT?”

The Israelites did. They awaited a new King that was going to save them from all their troubles and hardships. They wanted a “FREE ticket to a great life” What they received didn’t look like what they expected, and most of them missed it.

The gift was God giving us a piece of Himself.
The gift is His presence in good times and in bad.
THE gift was Emmanuel, God with us.
He showers us with gifts every day if we’ll only notice them.
He speaks to us all day long in constant contact.
You wanna hear from God?
Then quiet down and listen. He generally isn’t going to talk “over” you.

I guess you could say, He is the gift that keeps on giving.

But, it’s not the gifts we should anticipate……
It’s not the extraordinary encounters with God that go beyond human reasoning or understanding we should be looking for……

………..it’s the friendship.....

And it’s in that friendship that we are changed in spite of ourselves.

Merry Christmas
]]> Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:05:00 GMT FD644D1EB5C378B893EAA1E5326B986B Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart http://sandyharless.com/blog.cfm?feature=180900&postid=31244 We are reminded throughout scripture to give thanks in all circumstances, at all times, in all seasons, even when there are things going on around you that you are not thankful for. When we refer to scripture we find the bigger reasons to be thankful; the ones that, when our focus is lateral they are easily forgotten. In 1 Chronicles we are reminded to give thanks AND praise because He is good and His love for us endures forever. His love endures (undergoes hardship without giving in, with acceptance and tolerance, remains the same and stands firm). Can you love someone with that kind of love? Certainly God is deserving of our gratitude and our having good things to say about Him to the rest of the world based on that alone, but the word of God doesn't stop there. In 2 Chronicles we are told how the worshipers gathered with many instruments and raised their voices in the temple to praise God based on his goodness and enduring love alone. I'll just bet it wasn't quiet and "reverent." I can imagine a scene of great volume and exuberant praise! It wasn't a praise of petition, but rather an offering of praise. How did God respond? With His glorious presence in the form of a cloud which prevented the scheduled service to continue and allowed them to just simply "be" with Him. Being thankful and giving praise to God is so powerful that King Jehoshaphat sent an army of worshiping men ahead of the actual soldiers to sing thanks and praises. As they did so, their enemies were being ambushed and defeated before they even engaged in battle! THANKS AND PRAISE WAS THE FIRST WAVE! Do we even begin our prayers with thanks and praise? There are multiple stories of people giving thanks and praise to God. They praised Him for His righteousness, for being trustworthy, for strength and protection, for salvation and favor, and for many miraculous acts. They praised Him in solitude and among many. They praised Him outside the temple, at the gates, and inside the temple. There were many ways that they thanked God for what He had done for them, but mostly they thanked Him for continuing to love them in spite of themselves. Think of that person in your life whom you have labeled "the hardest to love." You spend great effort to love that person, and yet all your hard work seems to return void. You just cannot see where your efforts have made any difference at all in their life, and you certainly don't feel any warm fuzzies from them in return. How long can you continue to pour yourself into that person? When will you run out of patience, out of goodness, out of desire? Is your love unconditional, or do you have stipulations? Can YOU endure? God can. Can we be thankful to a God for simply loving us in spite of ourselves? And even more, can we give thanks with a grateful heart? We can't begin to understand how big or how deep loving like God loves can be, but we can say "thank you" and actually mean it. We each have so many "things" or "situations" to be thankful for, but the biggest thing we should be thankful for is a God who will never leave us, and never stop loving us....no matter what we are. There is power in praise and in being thankful. Not a power to be manipulated, but the power of His presence and His love. Let Him reign in your heart today based on love alone. "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. Revelations 11:17 We are reminded throughout scripture to give thanks in all circumstances, at all times, in all seasons, even when there are things going on around you that you are not thankful for. When we refer to scripture we find the bigger reasons to be thankful; the ones that, when our focus is lateral they are easily forgotten.

In 1 Chronicles we are reminded to give thanks AND praise because He is good and His love for us endures forever. His love endures (undergoes hardship without giving in, with acceptance and tolerance, remains the same and stands firm). Can you love someone with that kind of love? Certainly God is deserving of our gratitude and our having good things to say about Him to the rest of the world based on that alone, but the word of God doesn't stop there.

In 2 Chronicles we are told how the worshipers gathered with many instruments and raised their voices in the temple to praise God based on his goodness and enduring love alone. I'll just bet it wasn't quiet and "reverent." I can imagine a scene of great volume and exuberant praise! It wasn't a praise of petition, but rather an offering of praise. How did God respond? With His glorious presence in the form of a cloud which prevented the scheduled service to continue and allowed them to just simply "be" with Him. Being thankful and giving praise to God is so powerful that King Jehoshaphat sent an army of worshiping men ahead of the actual soldiers to sing thanks and praises. As they did so, their enemies were being ambushed and defeated before they even engaged in battle! THANKS AND PRAISE WAS THE FIRST WAVE! Do we even begin our prayers with thanks and praise?

There are multiple stories of people giving thanks and praise to God. They praised Him for His righteousness, for being trustworthy, for strength and protection, for salvation and favor, and for many miraculous acts. They praised Him in solitude and among many. They praised Him outside the temple, at the gates, and inside the temple. There were many ways that they thanked God for what He had done for them, but mostly they thanked Him for continuing to love them in spite of themselves.

Think of that person in your life whom you have labeled "the hardest to love." You spend great effort to love that person, and yet all your hard work seems to return void. You just cannot see where your efforts have made any difference at all in their life, and you certainly don't feel any warm fuzzies from them in return. How long can you continue to pour yourself into that person? When will you run out of patience, out of goodness, out of desire? Is your love unconditional, or do you have stipulations? Can YOU endure? God can.

Can we be thankful to a God for simply loving us in spite of ourselves? And even more, can we give thanks with a grateful heart? We can't begin to understand how big or how deep loving like God loves can be, but we can say "thank you" and actually mean it. We each have so many "things" or "situations" to be thankful for, but the biggest thing we should be thankful for is a God who will never leave us, and never stop loving us....no matter what we are.

There is power in praise and in being thankful. Not a power to be manipulated, but the power of His presence and His love. Let Him reign in your heart today based on love alone.

"We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. Revelations 11:17
]]> Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:30:00 GMT 6711AFB63369370A13EAB2136DBD076C The Butterfly http://sandyharless.com/blog.cfm?feature=180900&postid=30628 I've always loved to look at them. They are beautiful, and there are so many different colors and patterns. I even had a dream once that I was a butterfly and I flew across the ocean to a beautiful beach. Wow, what freedom I felt in that dream! The butterfly has often been used as a picture of the "new creation" we become when we accept Jesus as our Savior. I'd like to think that I have made the switch from being a lowly worm to a colorful creature who seems to dance through life on a breeze. My favorite reason, however, is that they represent "transformation." I know it's a theme that is overdone....but the thought of transformation never gets old for me. You see, I am being transformed by the renewing of my mind through Christ Jesus. (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18) You may notice me changing on the outside in subtle ways, or you may not. But Jesus can always see into my heart, and it is there that I will be forever "in the process of transformation." Sometimes this growth is easy, and sometimes it can be downright painful. I remain in His hands by choice because I know He holds my future (Jer 29:11) and the work He is doing in me will be for my benefit and to His glory. I invite you to read the story of <a href="./stories.cfm">The Butterfly. God could have made this process easy for us, but in the end we would be unable to fly. For it is in this process that we shed what is not good, learn how to spread our wings, and allow a holy wind to be our launch and sustain us as we soar! Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthian 5:7

I've always loved to look at them. They are beautiful, and there are so many different colors and patterns. I even had a dream once that I was a butterfly and I flew across the ocean to a beautiful beach. Wow, what freedom I felt in that dream! The butterfly has often been used as a picture of the "new creation" we become when we accept Jesus as our Savior. I'd like to think that I have made the switch from being a lowly worm to a colorful creature who seems to dance through life on a breeze. My favorite reason, however, is that they represent "transformation." I know it's a theme that is overdone....but the thought of transformation never gets old for me. You see, I am being transformed by the renewing of my mind through Christ Jesus. (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18) You may notice me changing on the outside in subtle ways, or you may not. But Jesus can always see into my heart, and it is there that I will be forever "in the process of transformation." Sometimes this growth is easy, and sometimes it can be downright painful. I remain in His hands by choice because I know He holds my future (Jer 29:11) and the work He is doing in me will be for my benefit and to His glory. I invite you to read the story of The Butterfly. God could have made this process easy for us, but in the end we would be unable to fly. For it is in this process that we shed what is not good, learn how to spread our wings, and allow a holy wind to be our launch and sustain us as we soar!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthian 5:7
]]> Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:10:00 GMT C5315A1B270856257AA6F1C9EE880AFA Palsy Schmallsy http://sandyharless.com/blog.cfm?feature=180900&postid=30394 Does everything happen in life at once? Or does it just seem that way at times? With several pressing projects needing attention, the crashing economy, stress and demands of life at home, and the holidays getting closer by the second...is it any wonder that our physical bodies would scream for solice. For me, half my face just decided to shut down. Six hours in the ER later, I have the diagnosis...Bell's Palsy. I was rejoicing that it wasn't a stroke and that I would get to go home. But, I have to say that I felt rather lop-sided in public. In fact, I had been feeling lop-sided in general for quite some time, but just could not put my finger on the reason why. In church the following Sunday I was encouraged to "worship my way through this because He is worthy." Well, yes, Ms. Francis, He certainly is worthy and He certainly is "worth it." This sealed my decision not to back out of the worship team for the following Sunday. I decided to trust God with it, and if I looked or sounded funny while I was singing, then I trusted He had a good reason for that too. But the answer to my lop-sided inner feeling came after I went up for prayer from our healing ministry team. The prayers for healing were really awesome and encouraging, but a word at the end came with a reminder. "God told you to do something that you haven't done yet." were the words spoken to me. On the way home I knew what it was I had to do. God had not only told me once, but repeatedly, to get back into His word on a daily basis. I had a lot of starts and stops....but lacked consistency. So with a renewed commitment, I am back in the word. The physical healing is not coming a quickly as I would like, but God's response to my obedience has been immediate! There are other things in the bigger picture that are being made right and I praise and thank Him for those things. Did I look funny that following Sunday when I sang? Yeah, I'm sure I did. But, mouth open wide on one side, I sang praises to my King because He is worthy! "Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings." Psalm 63:7 is my chosen scripture verse for this week. There are so many reasons for me to sing to my King...but they all pale in the one reason: that He is just simply WORTHY. Even if He never did another thing for me, I will forever remain in His shadow. Does everything happen in life at once? Or does it just seem that way at times? With several pressing projects needing attention, the crashing economy, stress and demands of life at home, and the holidays getting closer by the second...is it any wonder that our physical bodies would scream for solice. For me, half my face just decided to shut down. Six hours in the ER later, I have the diagnosis...Bell's Palsy. I was rejoicing that it wasn't a stroke and that I would get to go home. But, I have to say that I felt rather lop-sided in public. In fact, I had been feeling lop-sided in general for quite some time, but just could not put my finger on the reason why.

In church the following Sunday I was encouraged to "worship my way through this because He is worthy." Well, yes, Ms. Francis, He certainly is worthy and He certainly is "worth it." This sealed my decision not to back out of the worship team for the following Sunday. I decided to trust God with it, and if I looked or sounded funny while I was singing, then I trusted He had a good reason for that too. But the answer to my lop-sided inner feeling came after I went up for prayer from our healing ministry team. The prayers for healing were really awesome and encouraging, but a word at the end came with a reminder. "God told you to do something that you haven't done yet." were the words spoken to me. On the way home I knew what it was I had to do. God had not only told me once, but repeatedly, to get back into His word on a daily basis. I had a lot of starts and stops....but lacked consistency. So with a renewed commitment, I am back in the word. The physical healing is not coming a quickly as I would like, but God's response to my obedience has been immediate! There are other things in the bigger picture that are being made right and I praise and thank Him for those things.

Did I look funny that following Sunday when I sang? Yeah, I'm sure I did. But, mouth open wide on one side, I sang praises to my King because He is worthy! "Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings." Psalm 63:7 is my chosen scripture verse for this week. There are so many reasons for me to sing to my King...but they all pale in the one reason: that He is just simply WORTHY. Even if He never did another thing for me, I will forever remain in His shadow.]]> Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:10:00 GMT 90CE67F0C53E3A70677CE472B436FDE1 In the Storm http://sandyharless.com/blog.cfm?feature=180900&postid=22764 Lord, I stand in the midst of the storm and though the thunder makes my heart pound and the lightening makes me flinch, I stand...face to the heavens....as your rain showers me with mercy and grace and your Spirit strengthens me for another day. Lord I believe you are able and you are working, help me in my unbelief. Lord I want to be found as an oak of righteousness rooted in deep faith in You, please help my faithlessness. Lord I want to stand strong, unwavering, a true warrior of your kingdom, help me when I am weak. Lord I want to be blameless in your site, a pure spotless bride who awaits your return, help me when I stumble and fall. You, Lord, are the author and finisher of my faith. My hope, it rests only in You. In a world of unanswered questions, you are the answer I need. My soul longs for the intimacy that you desire with me. Lord, consume me in Your holy fire and saturate my being with Your presence. Help me to walk worthy of the call you have placed in me. Give me the boldness and confidence in You, not in myself, to walk it out as I approach Your throne with each step of my earthly life. Jesus, you are my refuge...I rest in Your embrace. Lord, I stand in the midst of the storm and though the thunder makes my heart pound and the lightening makes me flinch, I stand...face to the heavens....as your rain showers me with mercy and grace and your Spirit strengthens me for another day. Lord I believe you are able and you are working, help me in my unbelief. Lord I want to be found as an oak of righteousness rooted in deep faith in You, please help my faithlessness. Lord I want to stand strong, unwavering, a true warrior of your kingdom, help me when I am weak. Lord I want to be blameless in your site, a pure spotless bride who awaits your return, help me when I stumble and fall.

You, Lord, are the author and finisher of my faith. My hope, it rests only in You. In a world of unanswered questions, you are the answer I need. My soul longs for the intimacy that you desire with me. Lord, consume me in Your holy fire and saturate my being with Your presence. Help me to walk worthy of the call you have placed in me. Give me the boldness and confidence in You, not in myself, to walk it out as I approach Your throne with each step of my earthly life.

Jesus, you are my refuge...I rest in Your embrace.]]> Mon, 14 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT 33598BD347D32BFB9A1BDD8D7F642D72