Praise God!

For my last four day break I went to Iowa with Jack and Jim and had an incredible time. We were able to spend time and encourage fellow believers, pray for those the Lord lead us to pray for and we spent time with the Marr's (Augie's family) and Johnson's. These families have taught me so much and it was such a blessing to spend time with them. Then we drove to have lunch with my cousins and their sons, and then to Wildwood Hills Ranch where I showed the guys around. After Ranch we drove to my grandparents and spend the rest of our time with them absorbing as much as we could. Watching other people appreciate my grandparents reignited the love and appreciation I have for them and it all has started making me realize how incredibly blessed I am by the people God has surrounded me with. 


All of this made returning to work at Rawhide difficult. It's not that I don't love my job- I do- but in Ames and Durant it's easy to be loved and love. I generally don't feel opposition about anything. But God didn't call me to comfort and ease, He called me to Rawhide.


These feelings lead to a stinky-stuck-in-a-rut attitude for most of my morning. Fortunately I didn't work much with the guys and my feelings weren't infiltrating their moods but I knew I wasn't glorifying God with mine. Around noon the Lord convicted me to go to prayer with other RI's so I did. Normally prayer has turned into me and Jack but this morning there was four of us there to pray and it was anointed! God used that time to show me to take the focus off of myself and return it rightfully back to Him. Shortly after prayer I worked with the guys in my house and God guided and blessed the conversations- I was able to be used to answer questions about God's righteousness that THREE of our guys had. I was able to be used to encourage one of our guys that is a believer but has been struggling. He was so encouraged he was near tears- it was absolutely incredible to watch God work...and all to think that I could have chosen to be in a stinky mood. 


Praise God His work isn't dependent on my moods. 

Stop dinking around!

There's a long list of things in my life that I've been told to do, I enjoy doing them, these things are beneficial to my health and yet I don't do them. A short list would include things like:


Flossing my teeth
Washing my hands more (I DO wash my hands....let's be clear on that)
Doing my laundry more than 1 a month
Exercising
Taking deep breaths
Getting adequate sleep
Being in fellowship with other believers
Praying
Reading the Word
Meditating on the Word
Fasting
Submitting
Surrendering
Serving
Worshiping


This all came to me recently, especially after I flossed my teeth for the first time in about a month. Why do I choose to miss out on these things that I am more than capable of doing and that I can benefit from? It's so foolish! I give myself so many reasons and excuses but 9.5 times out of 10 if I actually analyzed it my excuses would be garbage. God has blessed my times of obedience and submission so grandly, even when I do things halfheartedly or while dragging my feet. I am so thankful to have a patient and loving Father, but I would like to be a servant of God that doesn't drag her feet. That doesn't make lame excuses. That does things for the health of me! My physical, spiritual and emotional health all rely on God and He gives me descriptive instructions on how to do them. I just need to quit being a dink about it all.