Determination

I’ve been thinking a lot about determination lately. The dictionary defines determination as: the act of coming to a decision or of fixing or settling on a purpose.

We all have hopes, dreams and goals, but how many of us can say that we have determination?

Somehow over the years, I think most of us have lost our purpose. We’ve let the things that are important slip off to the side as we continue stumbling through our life...incredibly busy, doing unimportant, trivial things or hanging on to bad habits.

What are we waiting for?

We have lost our determination in the waiting. We need to remember that while there is always waiting, we need to be fixed on our true purpose and determined to stay on course.

It takes just one right decision at a time, each day. That's it! When faced with a familiar situation, be determined to make the right choice. Complete determination to break any bondage (Habits) that are holding you captive. With each right choice...you are one step closer to breaking a bad habit...BE DETERMINED!

Jesus Christ was our example. He came to this earth to fulfill His Fathers will. He knew He had a purpose and spent His life pursuing it.

Determination...He gave us an example to live by.

As you seek your life calling...BE DETERMINED to start your day with scripture & prayer, asking for help to continue to be DETERMINED to do that which you were made for.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Romans 12:11-13

Do You Have The Butterfly Effect?

Story By: Lisa Petrarca

As a little girl my sister & I loved to catch the “black furry caterpillars.” We would get a shoe box, punch dozens of air holes in the top. Then it was time to scour around the neighborhood looking for all the décor. Lots of broken tree branches with bright green leaves still attached, Small twigs, grass, and a little dirt. We wanted our new pet to feel right at home in his new environment.
Finding the caterpillar was another adventure. This process could take days, sometimes weeks, but we never failed to catch our “pet.” We took it home and with a sense of pride, presented it to our mom, who promptly replied, “That better not get out of the shoebox or it’s the last time you’ll ever have one!”

We would play with our little fuzzy pet daily. We even took him on bike rides, carefully placing the “home” in the basket and taking it out to show our friends. One day, not long after we had it, we went to pull out our little fur ball, but it wasn’t there. In its place was a small green pouch, hanging beneath the tree branch. Our "pet" had made a cocoon, and was undergoing a new transformation.
Two weeks went by as we waited for our caterpillar to change. It was frustrating; we were impatient, checking the box daily; knowing that once it had changed forms, we'd have to let it go. It was a strange mixture of emotions, sad to give up our new friend, but excited to see the change.
The day finally came...lifting the corner of the box, to peak inside...bright orange and black wings fluttered. With a squeal of delight, I ran to tell my sister. We gently carried the box outside, preparing to let it free. We counted in unison, “1..2...3!” Opening the lid...it burst out, fluttering up, lingering in front of us for a moment, as we gazed at its beauty, then higher and higher until it was out of sight.

In our lives, many of us are like my pet caterpillar, stuck in our everyday box. We have made a comfortable home there, however, we are made for more than what we are currently living. We have a bigger purpose, something that is greater than we can imagine.

We slowly began the painful process of sitting inside our cocoons. Each of our cocoons look different, just like caterpillars. Your transformations are happening under the disguise of difficult times. You may be jobless, sick, hurting, lonely, unfulfilled, grieving, fearful, angry, sad, or worried...we all have cocoons. We need to realize that during this process, God is right beside us, carrying us safely through our transformation. He will help us when we cry out to Him...moving us ever so gently towards whom we are supposed to be. We need to be patient, this change cannot happen overnight. We need to shed our “old skin” and with faith, patience, prayer and time, He will help us to eventually emerge as the butterfly, brilliant, beautiful and free...knowing how to fly because of complete faith. You are fulfilling God’s will and true purpose for your life. You have become the person that God intended you to be!
He says, “I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket. In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud.
Psalms 81:6, 7

But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:17, 18

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Isaiah 55:12

The Eagle

Every morning I make sure and do a half hour bible study, then turn on the t.v. to watch Joyce Meyer's at 8:00 a.m. I turn it up really loud so I can hear it while I'm in the bathroom getting ready for work. She told a GREAT true story about Eagle's that I wanted to share.

As an Eagle ages, his feathers start to wear down, his beak gets covered with barnacles and his claws are worn and not quite as sharp. As he fly's low to swoop upon his prey, his feathers make a loud whistling sound and scares away his food.

After a while, the old Eagle decides to take drastic measures to survive. He flies high into the sky...higher and higher, getting as close to the sun as possible. Once he finds a perfect spot, he begins the painful process of plucking out every feather, one by one, all two thousand of them. The Eagles skin is raw and swollen, he has gone through a painful process.

As he waits for forty days for his new, re-growth, he doesn't waste time, he begins to rub his worn, barnacled beak against a rock. Scraping day by day, refining it to a stronger form. He begins to also sharpen his claws on the rocks. For forty days he continues to prepare. He knows that this process is for his own good. He endures the time of waiting with careful preparation. Each day is spent growing, strengthening and becoming stronger. When his new feathers appear he is now ready to start fresh. With vibrant new sleek feathers, a stronger beak and claws...he is prepared.

Notice that it took forty days for the feathers to regrow. Jesus spent forty days and forty nights being tempted and tried by satan. God often uses our difficult times to pluck, reshape and refine us for his purpose. Jesus, our Lord and Savior, the only perfect person to ever walk the earth was also put through severe pain, struggles and even death.

The next time you ask the question, "Why me God? What have I done that I have to go through this?" Remember, without the trials we would not grow. God did not even spare Jesus, his only begotten son from trials and pain.

He is getting ready to use you for his ultimate purpose for your life!

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like Eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.
2 Thessalonians 1:11