Lord I Want It

Story By: Lisa Petrarca

As children many of us learned how to use manipulative tactics to get our way, (temper tantrums, pouting, bullying, crying, pleading, smiling sweetly). We all learned what worked for our benefit.

When we became adults, we somehow have forgotten to leave our selfish ways behind.

I was thinking about how many times we ask for the Lords help in our lives. We pray & pray for that “thing” that is so important to us.

Then when we are blessed with an answer, (usually something even better than we hoped for), we become too self absorbed or busy to go to church, pray, read the Bible, or help others in need.

Are we really too busy or do we no longer need God? We received what we asked for and like a spoiled child...off we go to enjoy it.

Then when the next crisis comes...we drop to our knees, show up at church and promise to change...if only He will get you out of the mess your in.

The Lord shows each of us a small sample of His love by granting our requests. But like I said, “It is a SMALL sample of what He has in store for your life.”

He gives you this gift to see how faithful you will be. Will you continue to seek Him daily and develop a closer relationship with Him? Will you turn everything over to Him and let Him guide and direct your life, or will you continue to act like a self centered child?

You can’t imagine the incredible plans and blessings God has in store for you. Don’t run away from him after you receive the sample...stay close, learn how to take on the nature of Christ, receive your true inheritance!

Matthew 6:19-21

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also.

Isaiah 54:4

Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.

Isaiah 56:1

Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.

Mothers Day Poem-I Am A Mother

Tomorrow is Mother's Day, be sure to make it extra special for your moms.

As children we don't realize all the sacrifices she makes for us. During this time, she also worries about doing a good job and making all the right decisions..she hopes to be the best mom she can be.

Somewhere along the way, we find things that she did wrong or should have done better, but then we grow up and realize...she wasn't given a rule book, she did the best she could, just as we now try to be the best that we can.

Be sure to make this day one of gratitude & thanks for all that she has done for you over the years.

I AM A MOTHER
Poem by Lisa Petrarca

We often ask, why me dear Lord?

Who am I to receive such a reward?

The child you've given is a blessing from above

Sent down from heaven to be showered with love

I am weak, sometimes scared, to make a mistake

I press on with the task...you chose for me to partake

Who am I to receive such a reward?

To raise a child of my own accord

Each step I take I hope is the right direction

As my child follows behind with pure innocent affection

I am a mother, who will offer her lifelong love and protection

Who am I to receive such a reward?

I am a mother...trusted with a life to mold

Until their gifts begin to unfold

Then I will take a step back and behold

My child has become the person I helped to shape

Who am I to receive such a reward?

I am a mother who was given a gift so rare...a life to raise, guide and share

I am a mother......

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ALL OF YOU MOMS!

James 1:5-6
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Eagle in a Storm

Author Unknown

Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks?

The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.

The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

When the storms of life come upon us - and all of us will experience them - we can rise above them by setting our minds and trust in the Lord. The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow God's power to lift us above them.

He enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above the storms of our life. He sent his only begotten son, Jesus Christ to show us the way.

Remember, it is not the burdens in life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them. Turn them over to the Lord, let Him be your wings. Do not doubt, have faith, and complete trust...He "will never leave you or forsake you"! Pray & then know that He has heard your cries and is faithful.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns: Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future nor any powers,, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:31-35 & 37-39

Allowed To Serve

God's Little Devotional Journal for Women-By David C. Cook

When British Prime Minister William E. Gladstone was facing one of the greatest crises of his political life, he sat down at two o'clock one morning to write a speech he hoped would help him win a great political victory in Parliament the following day.

At that hour, the mother of a poor, dying cripple saw the light on in his home and knocked at the door. She asked him to come and bring a message of hope to her son.

Without hesitation, Gladstone left the half finished speech on his desk and spent the remainder of the night with the child, leading him to Christ before he died. As morning light was breaking, he went back to his study and faced his own day with a smile of confidence and peace. Later that morning he said to a friend, "I am the happiest man in the world today." When asked why, he replied that the previous night he had been allowed to serve a child in the name of the Master.

Later in the day, Gladstone made the greatest speech of his life in the House of Commons and carried his cause to a triumphant success. Were the two events related? Gladstone could never be convinced that they weren't.

The world is full of two kinds of people: the givers and the takers. The takers eat well-but the givers sleep well.

What opportunities has God laid at my doorstep to serve others?

Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
Luke 14:33

Is That Me?

By: Lisa Petrarca

We recently moved to a home that has mirrored closet doors. I was in the bathroom getting ready the other morning when I heard my husky barking & running around. I peeked around the corner to see what was going on to get her so riled up. She was crouched, face & front paws down with her back end in the air. She was staring at her reflection, ready to attack the new dog in her home.

She ran towards it & swatted at the mirror.

Bam!

As it shook, she ran back towards the bed, running in circles, barking and howling. This continued until it was time for me to leave for work.

I was cracking up...

This became a ritual every morning. I began to wonder, “Is she ever going to realize that it’s her?”

Do you look at yourself in the mirror every morning and then when you leave, forget who you are in Christ? When you head out the door to start the day, do you immediately get irritated at drivers, store clerks, your boss, co-workers, etc?

We are able to rise above our current circumstances. We have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. We can be filled with complete peace in the midst of our daily storms. Pray everyday and ask for the Lord to lift the stress and burdens off of you.

Don’t forget who you are!

You are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Colossians 3:12-15, 17

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Finding the Faith

by: Lisa Petrarca

I've spent so much time in prayer and feel that the Lord always answers. When we received our new house without a single bit of effort on our part...we were then left with another lesson. He showed us His faithfulness and then continued to stretch our faith.

We were left without a single dollar to live on.

Now here is where my human nature began to kick in. I started to worry and doubt. I felt the stress overwhelming me.

Even after the Lord opened every single door...I still doubted that He would continue to provide.

Why?

I know that He has continuously answered my prayers, according to His will. But that doubt can be so powerful, so all consuming.

I stopped myself and began to earnestly pray for more faith and trust. To be free from the worry. As the day progressed, I found myself stopping whenever a negative thought entered my mind and I would pray.

What power in the knowledge that the Lord is with me ALL DAY, just at the call of His name. He is only waiting to hear from me.

As I let go and trusted, He once again provided for us.

The people we had borrowed some money from, told us that they prayed about it and they didn't want us to pay them back. This was the exact amount of money that we needed to live for the next month.

The Lord worked through amazing, faithful, caring, trusting, loving people.

So I ask myself and you...when the Lord sends you answers to your prayers, do you thank Him and then continue to worry about the next problem?

Pray for more faith in the coming weeks, so that you will know that Jesus gave us an example to live by, so that through Him we will be able to have complete trust and faith in our Father in Heaven.

The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
Psalm 145:13-20

Are You My Friend?

By: Lisa Petrarca

Imagine you had someone you thought was your friend and often listened to their advice. As the years went by, a pattern began to develop. Your life started falling apart. The friend was leading you down a destructive path.

You started making bad choices (drinking heavily, stealing, taking drugs, lying, cheating, pornography...fill in your issues). You started feeling depressed, unhappy and/or anxious. The things that were supposed to be so much fun and seemed cool in the beginning, now make you feel terrible. The more you went along with the friend the worse life became. You began to spiral out of control.

Once you finally realized the source, do you think you would continue to listen to anything the friend told you?

Would you eventually start to distance yourself from the friend?

..............................................................................................................................................................

This is exactly how the enemy works. He makes us think that something is fun, it doesn't matter if we don't feel right about it, it's no big deal.

He whispers over and over again, "Come this way. Just take that drug or take another drink, look at that pornography, it's only a small lie, if you take it they wont even miss it, it's no big deal."

Little by little you have allowed the enemy to guide you down a self destructive path. One small, wrong choice at a time, until you no longer recognize who you are.

This is why you need to distance yourself from him. Your prayer life and daily scripture reading will force the enemy away, he will flee, he is not your friend, do not allow him into your life.

Jesus has given you the ultimate gift. He has sacrificed his life and was risen on the third day, so that you will be forgiven, saved and have eternal life with Him.

This Easter, take time to reflect on His love for you. Stop and take a few minutes to look at not only your life, but your choices. Are there some areas that you need to make some adjustments?

Don't waste the gift that Jesus has given you. He is your TRUE FRIEND...He gave His life for you. Take this opportunity to start over...Jesus Christ has made it possible. HE IS RISEN!

Take His offering!

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. for if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for youare not under law but under grace.
Romans 6:4-8, 12, 14

Happy Easter.