Waiting

I believe in Holy Ghost timing. In God’s own time, all our prayers will be answered—one way or another—but the trouble is, we are afraid to submit our prayers to Holy Ghost scrutiny. Some of our prayers need to be purged because often our faith is misspent on requests that are not mature. We do not know how to pray, “Thy will be done.” We don’t want his will as much as those things permitted by his will.

Abraham exercised his faith to keep reminding himself he was a stranger on this earth. His blessing pact produced only a tent to dwell in, because he put all his faith in that city whose builder and maker is God.

Were some of these faith warriors not living in faith? Did God refuse to answer some of their prayers? After all, not all of them were delivered and not all lived to see answers to their payers. Not all were spared pain, suffering and even death. Some were tortured; others were torn asunder, wandering about destitute, afflicted, and tormented (Hebrews 11:36-38).

Some who had a reputation for having great faith “received not the promise” (Hebrews 11:39). Those who did “obtain promises” used their faith to work righteousness, to gain strength in times of weakness, and to put the enemy to flight.

Don’t worry about whether God is saying “Yes” or “No” to your request. Don’t be downcast when the answer is not in sight and, please, quit concentrating on faith formulas and methods. Just commit every prayer to Jesus and go about your business with confidence. He will not be one moment early or late in answering, and if the answer you seek is not forthcoming, say to your heart, “He is all I need. If I need more, he will not withhold it. He will answer in his time and in his way. And if he does not fulfill my request, he must have a perfect reason for not doing so. No matter what happens, I will always have faith in his faithfulness.”

God forgive us if we are more concerned about getting prayers answered than in learning total submission to Christ himself. We do not learn obedience by the things we obtain but by the things we suffer. Are you willing to learn by suffering a little longer with what appears to be an unanswered prayer? Will you rest in his love while patiently waiting for the promise? -David Wilkerson

Strong woman, soft hearts

I am excited to start reading the next book for our book club! Get to know Paula Rinehart, the author of this book and some background into what made her write this book. Enjoy!

Keep Your List Short,

These words really spoke volumes to me. Are we really acting out what we say? If we do not believe in something then why so often do we continue to be a part of things that we know are not right? Walking in TRUE faith is hard. Here are some words that may help you as they have helped me.

Keep Your List Short,

You know what I do , but do you know who I am?

Real Estate is what I do- it is not who I am. Who I am is a person who loves God- Loves his people and wants to do what he needs me to do each day to bless those around me. Real Estate is the career I have chosen- One that I am passionate about because it is a tool that allows me to bless people who need someone to care about them during a big event in their life. Whether you are moving today, tomorrow or you just need someone to talk to- that is what matters to me. Yes- I am a realtor- a good one- but beyond all of that I am just a person like you dealing with the same struggles each day. I am not a superhero, I am just me. I am an asset to you not just because I have all the right tools and knowledge (because I do) but because I am me, a person who does what I say I will do. A person who does right by people and a person who knows WHY I do what I do each day. I have a purpose and a vision. I sell houses yes- but more important I serve people. So thats my story- I look forward to meeting you, hearing your story and helping you in your Real Estate journey or just getting to know you and sharing in the joys or the sorrows of life.

The bottom line...

I will continue to make the choice not to stay where God is not invited. To demonstrate my faith and let the truth be known. Whether or not that truth is accepted or if it is rejected. I continue to make the choice to not submit to the power of rejection but to conquer it. Making this choice may cost me popularity, it may cost me money and most times it will bring to me rejection and pain. I have learned that true worship will cost me something and it is risky. This is a risk and a cost that I am willing to take to continue to plant the seeds of truth and to continue to trust God to produce the fruit....

In God We Trust

As many of you are aware the TV and Radio has been filled with the voices of politician's and Americans as the new health care bill is being discussed. I am not big into politics and have many thoughts on this subject- this post is not the place for them. The other night Dustin had the debate on. As I watched each person come to the podium and reveal what they thought about the health care bill my eye was fixed on what was written on the wood above them in the courtroom. It said - IN GOD WE TRUST. Do they? Do these people trust in God to provide for them? I felt confused and bothered by what I saw. I prayed about it. Dustin has become very involved in the politics of all of this and I see such a fire in him for the first time. This is something we do not share ( up until now). I have wondered - am I wrong for not caring? For not wanting to get involved? Does my opinion really count? I also say though that keeping quiet and not standing up for what you believe is wrong so why do I do it with this? I have been praying about this and I feel like God has put in my heart that I do need to be more educated, more involved and stand up for what I believe but know that no matter what happens he is always good. No matter the outcome. I am not going to go on and on about my thoughts but I am not for this health care bill. Dustin and I have many reasons why and some would disagree. In life we have to really believe in what we are fighting for. We also have to know that no matter what happens good or bad, wrong or right - that will not stop our faith in God and knowing the truth that he brings to our lives. I will get involved and exercise my freedom to speech but I will always choose to exercise my right to Freedom from fear, anxiety,and loss of hope for Gods people. Things in this world are a mess- they are ugly- and I feel like more people need to live by the words - IN GOD WE TRUST just a little bit more. Read below ....

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No matter how unsettled the world becomes, God's people can relax and keep their joy flowing, because our Lord has promised special protection when it is most needed.

Didn't God have an emergency plan for the children of Israel during the worldwide famine? He sent Joseph ahead to Egypt, promoted him to prime minister and filled the warehouses with enough grain to last out the famine. He then transported his people within walking distance of those storehouses and fed them to the full all through the raging famine.

Didn't God have emergency plans for Elijah? While his nation reeled under the impact of an economic collapse and food was scare because of severe famine—and a wicked king had a ransom on his head—God put his emergency plan for Elijah into effect. He hid him by a quiet brook and fed him by having a bird deliver his food. The survival plan also included a mysterious barrel of grain that never ran out.

What about Noah? What a detailed survival plan God had for him and his family! An ark—floating him and his family safely above all the death and destruction of a worldwide flood.

And Lot? God actually sent angels to personally pull him and his children out of the doomed city of Sodom. God's hands were tied until Lot was safely out of the suburbs. It was more than a loss of his job, more than a collapse of the economy, more than a downfall of the government—it was total annihilation of his society. But Lot was delivered safely.

Paul proved God's emergency contingencies over and over! This apostle was shipwrecked, chased by thieves, imprisoned, accused of treason and plotted against by assassins yet, in every crisis, God had a contingency plan for deliverance. Only when God determined his race was over did he call in his last contingency plan. He called him to his resurrection.

We, too, have an emergency plan for survival—designed specifically for each believer.

Let there be no question about it—God will see us through every crisis!

David Wilkerson.

ACT NOW!

Below is something that David Wilkerson wrote which really hit home for me. Faith is an action and we need to act on our faith and living out our freedom. It does not just happen. Someone once told me that being a christian is the easy way out - a crutch. Well, that could not be farther from the truth. Being a christian is hard- it takes work each day to die of your flesh and live and walk out your life the way that the bible show us to. As this world becomes more and more ran by the devil- feeding our heads with lies we have to work even harder to stay focused on the truth. We are all free but we all need to act that way in order to live the life the is meant for us. I find it troubling how you can see people who from the outside look so pulled together, they live in their big fancy house, run a "successful business" , go to church every Sunday, put the christian bumper sticker ( so to speak) on everyday but yet I see how each day they add chains of bondage to them by their fear of ACTING out their faith. They can speak of god and his word but they can not DO his word. I hear from this very person how it is everyone else that is holding them captive but in actuality it is only them who adds the chains to their lives. They do not see the accountability part in being a christian and see it as everyone else's problem when they are called out on choices they are making. Jesus would say reach out to them but I would say remember that they have choices just like everyone else- free will to either listen to you or to continue to be held captive. We are all held captive and each day need to work towards breaking those chains. We are all the same- all going through life fighting the same battle. We may all look different but we are not so different after all. The only main difference that I see is that there are those who take responsibility for their actions and realize it is them who can make the difference and then there are those who look at everyone else for the reason they are held captive. You are either a survivor or a victim. I am starting to realize that not many victim thinking people can change. Be careful how long you invest in them because before you know it they are adding chains to you and dragging you along with them . Do not allow yourself to fall into the trap of being the one to assume the role they want for you to play. The role that only takes the accountablity off of them. By doing this you are only adding to the problem. The problem of what this shows to other's who are watching. The reason that so many people are not walking with us is from these very people and people like you and me that assume it for them to make them and ourselves feel better. Face it- it is easier to not say anything and just ignore. Well that is a lie. Who said we are to always do the easy thing? Act now and be free yourself and do your part in bringing others to freedom. Saving lives may not make you most popular in this life but it will in another....

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Abraham Lincoln is said to have "freed the slaves" with the Emancipation Proclamation. This legal document declared that slavery was dead and all the slaves were set free.

When this news first spread through southern plantations, many of the slaves would not believe it. They continued slaving for their masters, convinced their promise of freedom was a hoax. Numbers of unscrupulous landowners told their slaves it was just a rumor and kept them under bondage. But little by little, the truth dawned on them as they saw former slaves walking about, happy in their newfound freedom. One by one, they threw down their loads, turned their backs on slavery, and walked away to begin a new life.

Maybe you haven't heard yet, or maybe it sounds too good to be true, but Christ emancipated all the slaves to sin at Calvary. You can now "walk out" on the devil! You can throw down your load of sin, walk away from Satan's dominion, and enter into a new life of freedom.

Let me show you what the Bible means when it talks about dying to sin. When Lincoln emancipated the slaves, the "issue" of slavery died. Not the slave master—not the slave. The slave could walk away free, saying to himself, “Slavery is a dead issue.”

Now the slave could slip back into the field and pick a few more rows of cotton—perhaps through fear or instinct—but that in no way made him a slave again. He was free, but he had to exercise his freedom. The proclamation couldn't force compliance, and neither could the slave master force him to return. It was a matter of the will of the slave.

The Bible says, "...he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe we shall also live with him" (Romans 6:7-8).

What that means is simply this: Since the matter of your slavery to sin is a dead issue, seeing that Christ has already declared you emancipated, you are now free to live as a new person in Christ by thinking of yourself as unchained.

Christ can't make you do right, and Satan can't make you do wrong. Christ declares you are free by faith, but you must act as a free person.

Weichert INSITES - News you can use...

Valuable information for buyers and sellers. If you are selling your house, insight as to what buyers are looking for in a home is priceless. According to the results of the Next Home Survey recently presented by Eliot Nusbaum, executive editor at Better Homes and Gardens magazine, consumers are taking a "cents and sensibilities" approach when buying a home. For those buyers planning to purchase a new home in the coming months, price, energy-efficiency, organization and comfort are their top priorities. This is in sharp contrast to several years ago, when the focus was on large homes with expensive touches. The Next Home Survey also found that: 87 percent of respondents would like a greener, more energy efficient home. 68 percent wanted an outdoor grilling and living area. 59 percent wanted a home office. 36 percent said their next home would be somewhat smaller or much smaller.

Plan B

I follow the blog Jesus Needs New PR by Matthew Paul Turner. He is a great writer. He wrote recently about his pastor who has a book coming out. I watched the trailer and found tears streaming down my face. I look forward to reading it and thought I would share it with you. Pete Wilson, is the pastor of Crosspoint church. Although I do not live in Nashville where his church is I do listen to his teachings. He delivers such a strong message and goes a bit deeper which is where I love to go.

So what happens when your plan A does not work out? I have been so fearful for so long to even think of a plan b in my life. So angry, confused, sad and left wondering why if God loves me so much would he withhold my plan A from me? Life is tough,painful and sometimes so overwhelming you just can't breath. I pray that if you are fearful of plan B that you will be given the peace to move out of your comfort zone and explore what else God has in store for you. Here's to taking that first step together..

Sweetheart night

Last night Dustin and I went to a friends church to enjoy Sweetheart night. It was a fun filled night of fellowship with friends, delicious desserts and music by Matt and Kim Goss. Dustin and I left with this beautiful flower since we were the couple at our table married the closest to 25 years. I hope all of you had a wonderful Valentines day and will remember to love the ones we love not just on valentines day but every day of the year..

To do List continued..

The last couple of days have been relaxing and productive. I embraced the blizzard of 2010 and embraced balance between productivity and relaxation. I feel pretty good about the list of things I completed and thought I would share them with you..

1. All wash is done AND put away

2. Cleaned our bedroom and bath

3. Spare bedroom cleaned and organized and closet project list is complete so I can tackle that at a later date.

4. Upstairs bathroom sparkling clean

5. Entire downstairs is cleaned and organized

6. Completed my book club book and caught up on all discussions

7. Ample time to read teachings and online research

8. Organized my workspace/desk downstairs

9. Talked with friends and family and had good for the soul conversations

I think that is it for right now. Needless to say I was busy but also took time to relax and enjoy the silence of life. I am excited for my hubby to come home from his trip and enjoy the scene I have set for him when he arrives home to a clean house, project lists and a freshly made/washed bed for him to crawl into after sleeping away from home for 5 days. I did not get to everything on my to do list from earlier in my blog but I added a few others and feel pretty good about what I have accomplished.

PS- Add to this list of course shoveling- lots and lots of shoveling!!

TGIF!

Pages

As the pages of your life are written may you always remember that God is with you, guiding you. May he be your raincoat in the storm and be praised while it is raining and when the sun is shining. May your book be one that can inspire another as they read the pages of your life. May it be one that they will want to share with others to bring inspiration for all who read them. Let your pages be the legacy you leave for others who will live on after you have gone home...

Chapter Clip - Same kind of Different as me

God gives each person on the earth a set of keys, keys to live this life down here on earth. Now in this set, there is one key you can use to unlock prison doors and set captives free.

Denver turned his head just slightly so that the right side of his face was closer to me than the left. He leaned in with his right shoulder and narrowed his eyes even farther. "Mr. Ron , I was captive in the devils prison. That was easy for Miss Debbie to see. But I got to tell you: many folks had seen me behind the bars in that prison for more than thirty years, and they just walked on by. Kept their keys in their pocket and left me locked up. Now I ain't tryin to run them other folks down, cause I was not a nice fella- dangerous - and probly just as happy to stay in prison. But Miss Debbie was different - she seen me behind them bars and reached way down in her pocket and pulled out the keys God gave her and used one to unlock the prison door and set me free.

Denver pounded home those last words like eight separate nails, then sat back in his chair, sipped his coffee. He put the mug down. "She the onlyest person that ever loved me enough not to give up on me, and I praise God that today I can sit here in your home a changed man- a free man.

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This is such a good book. As I read this book my eyes are filling up with tears. Such an amazing story, one that will stay with me forever. I love learning, growing and joining along in the journey of ones story whether face to face with them in life or in reading a book. So good for the soul.

MORE SNOW!

So today I am snowed in again! We are getting another major storm here in Lancaster. I have not seen this much snow in a long time. I am thankful for a fenced in yard so that I can just let my dogs out to explore as I stay warm inside. They are so funny to watch. This is even too much snow for my snow dogs. They look confused and disappointed that all the tunnels they created are now all covered. I will soon have to bundle up and go out to shovel but for now I am going to curl up with the book I am reading with a book club. It is so good but heart wrenching. I am working my way to the next stopping point so I can embrace the discussions with other's reading and learn how this book is impacting them.

Happy Snow Day!!

Peace Making or Truth Telling

There comes a point in your life when you will be faced with telling the truth. Telling the truth when that truth may be hard for someone to hear. Being honest with someone you see making bad choices is showing what it is to be real. Showing that you are not going to continue to ignore things that need fixed. Are you choosing peace making over truth telling? Is it time to be honest with someone about the things they are doing to themselves or others? If so I encourage you to be honest with them but do so remembering the following:

Always think before speaking and speak the truth when necessary.

Love and Truth go together. Think about how your words can come from your heart in a loving way.

Do not underestimate the power of what your words of truth can do for another

Their decision is their choice. Even if they lie and do not tell the truth or even hear your words of truth you go to bed knowing you spoke the truth.

The truth shall set you free and who knows who else along the way...

Snow of 2010

Today we had a fun snow day! We got almost 20 inches of snow..

Here is Aspen in her hideaway in the snow

Breck peaking out through the fence

Walkway leading to the front door

Breck walking in a tunnel in the back yard

Our patio furniture. This is where I like to sit in the sun when it is nice weather out

A place to rest from shoveling

Even though I am not much of a cold weather person I am thankful for beautiful days like this that I am able to spend the day at home sipping hot chocolate and spending time with my best friend in the whole wide world, the love of my life Dustin.

Thank you God for this beautiful day...

To do list...

As the snow is falling I sit here snuggled up in a blanket thinking of what I need to get done with my snow day. I am going to try to be productive with the time while I am snowed in. So what is on your To Do list? Here are some of the things I would like to get completed.

1. Get caught up on reading

2. Organize my desk and files

3. Wash

4. Make appointment for Breck to get a bath

5. Taxes - YUCK

Here are just a few things. The most important thing, although it is not on my list, is spend time with my hubby since he has an upcoming trip to Colorado to go skiing. I will miss him!

Happy weekend fellow bloggers,

Anne

The next chapter

So with much thinking and praying I have made the decision to leave the John Smith Real Estate Group and join the Weichert Realtors team! This is a decision that I am very excited about although I will miss all the people that I am leaving behind. I do know though that God will allow those friendships to continue to grow even if we are not working together anymore. I have learned a lot while on my journey in E-Town with the John Smith Team but feel like God has opened another door for me that I wanted to take the opportunity to explore. Being the closing coordinator was a great way for me to continue to learn and grow in real estate but I am now looking forward to having my own schedule back as I am now going back to full time sales. I am back to working from home and getting more balance back into my life. I look forward to growing in my faith as the lord opens doors of opportunity for me. Like I have been told before, a rolling stone never gathers moss. Here's to new chapters in life and looking forward to what the future holds!

Words of Denver from "Same kind of different as me"

Whether your rich or poor or somewhere in between this earth is not a final resting place so in a way we are all homeless just working our way towards home.

Sin, Faith, Duty

Sin, Faith, Duty

"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."

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As I read this passage I am left with questions. I am left wondering when God says if he repents, forgive him. What does repents mean exactly? Below is the dictionary meaning of repent:

feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscience-stricken about a past action, attitude, etc. (often fol. by of): He repented after his thoughtless act.

to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better; be penitent.

My mind is focused on "to feel such sorry for sin or fault as to be disposed to change ones life for the better".

To me this is repentance. So often people use the words I'm Sorry as a way of getting off the hook. I have struggled with this for a while. At what point does I'm sorry just not cut it? When do you draw the line and expose someone for not really being sorry? To me sorry means you are aware of what you did wrong and you are willing to work towards changing. What if that I'm sorry means that person is not willing to make those changes? I lived most of my life being told I'm Sorry by someone who was suppose to love me but chose to continue to abuse me. I took the abuse day in and day out but they always said they were sorry. So we forgive them right? Is that what God is saying? Now I am aware that not all situations are going to be abusive. I think abuse is a reason to stop and evaluate having that person in your life. Remembering that you are to forgive them and pray for them to be delivered from the stronghold on their life. You can do this from a distance though and not allow the abuse to continue. I think now looking at the situation minus the abuse. When the person says I'm sorry but continues that bad behavior and does nothing to make their words an action in their day to day you should hold them accountable. I think too we need to remember that you can forgive someone but not be OK with the behavior. You can choose not to be a part of it. I don't think forgiving someone means allowing them to continue to treat you badly and having them think their sorry is good enough. We need to remember in this that you can not change someone, only God can and only if they allow the change to happen. That thing called free will. That would be where this comes into play. When you forgive someone it allows you to be free. When you pray for someone who has wronged you it also allows you to be free. Am I being too cold to think that a simple I'm sorry is not enough? Should we just let those off the hook that easy? Allow them to be lazy and selfish thinking that them and their actions do not play a part in the bigger picture? I think this is for each one of you to decide. Being who I am and coming from where I have come from this is the decision I have decided to make. To hold those accountable as I would want to be held accountable. I don't want to allow the fake sorry's to bring me down and set me off course to the path god has set for me. I want to work on forgiving those that have wronged me but letting them know that if they choose to continue the behavior that they really are not sorry. I want to forgive and move on and know who to keep close to me and who will keep my light lit when the darkness starts to make it fade..