Prepare!

For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Psalm 8:5

Declare God's Favor. I love Chapter 5. We don't do this enough and it is because we lack the faith. Rozan, I am so glad you brought up the movie, Facing the Giants. I absolutely loved it and besides being an awesome football movie it is a great movie about life. My favorite quote from the movie is when the coach is mired in self-doubt and the somewhat fanatical supporter gives him this piece of advice:

Coach: I prayed so hard, but I still can’t seem to win.
Mr. Bridges: I heard of a story of two farmers praying to God for rain to come. Both prayed but only one prepared the land. Who do you think trusted God more to send the rain?

Have you prepared your land for the harvest? If you haven't prepared it then don't blame God when the rain doesn't come.

You do your part and God will do His!

Blessings

I am here! I just haven't found my book since I left on vacation! I was reminded of a book my son called about however, as I read Jeanne's blog tonight and the quote of MLK reminded me.... I got him the book by Stormie O'Martian "Just Enough Light for the Step I'm on." He called and said that we need to read it, that he had just finished it, and really found it to be of help to him. We also watched "Facing the Giants" this weekend, and I am raving about it, as others have before me. It is incredible. I cannot say enough about it. Now I am going to go look for Joel's book! God is moving in incredible ways in our family right now, and I am just hanging on for the ride, watching the wind fill the sails!

Increasing in Favor

Happy Thanksgiving! This is a picture of our family from last Thanksgiving. We were missing Chad and Carissa, but everyone else made it last year. Chad is coming this year. I feel so blessed and in God's favor when our family comes home. This is an awesome chapter to study for Thanksgiving! Joel points out in this chapter that as God's children we can live with boldness and confidence. I declared God's favor today. I had a technology project due after school today so I just used my faith to call up just the right circumstances to be able to complete my project. It was amazing how everything fell into place! First of all, the technology teacher happened to be at the very school in which I was teaching today. Her office is at the administration building, but she happened to be at Central Jr. High today. I don't think that was a coincidence! Second of all, I had 2nd period plan, but there was a notation that I might have to take another teacher's class. I prayed that wouldn't happen so that I would have time to finish my project. Well, I didn't have to take another teacher's class. Praise God! Lastly, I had wonderful classes today so while they were doing their work, I did mine. Awesome! I am indeed grateful. I really feel that gratitude plays a huge part in increasing our favor with God. Joel says, "If you love God, He's working in your life to your advantage, and it will all work out for your good." Let's start out the week by being thankful. 'Tis the season. I think we will see the favor of God in our lives is proportionate with the amount of gratitude we have.

If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right.
Henry Ford

The mind is a very powerful tool but you have to use it right. Roger Bannister didn't let people tell him what he couldn't do - he did it. After breaking the four minute mile 336 people did it again within 10 years - why? Because they knew it could be done and they went out and didn't believe all of the negative input and they did it.

Proverbs 13:20 says, He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Surround yourself with people that tell you not what you can do but with people who believe in you and support you in what you want to accomplish in your life.

We need to address our own four minute miles and breakthrough just like Roger Bannister did over 50 years ago. Enlarging vision involves not only visioning what you want for yourself but also being gratified in what we have and giving thanks. We all have plenty to be thankful for but we sometimes dwell on what we don't have.

God Has More in Store!

We blogged a lot about chapter two. Hopefully, we've had time to read chapter three as well b/c we'll want to start discussing chapter four on Monday or whenever we get around to it. I liked what Joel said in chapter three about God being our source, and "His creativity and resources are unlimited!....One idea from God can forever change the course of your life.....God can do anything, if you believe." I think that I recognize life-altering ideas from God. One of them is that I have a choice about my attitude and my feelings. I had always thought that whatever happened in my life was the reason for my feelings, but I now realize that circumstances cannot dictate how I feel. No matter what happens, I really try to stay in the present moment and not let outer events rob my peace. I try to stay grateful for the blessings in my life, making them bigger than the negative things that happen. For a little over a year now, I have tried living this way, and I must say I'm a lot happier b/c of it. I'm a lot more excited and enthusiastic about life.
Love and Light,
Patty

Jeanie

I made it on the blog!!! I overcame my little problem, and I'm proud. Frank, I like Dr. Martin Luther King's quote also "Take the first step in faith.. You don't have to see the whole staircase..." We don't know they why's and maybe we won't know until we get to heaven. But we have to have faith and believe He knows what is best for us.
I'm trying to have a better focus and more positive outlook, I have been verbally put down for a number of years, that I can't do anything right or it wasn't ever good enough. I've tried to reverse the way of conversation by doing more praising, and seeing the good side, hoping it will rub off. I can't say enough how I love this book, and I've only gone through chapter 2, which I loved so much, I'm re reading tonight.

Raising Your Expectations