Things that i read lately that made a little impact on me...

Some of these are just things I still need to chew on a little more but just highlighted in what I read in the past week...

no1 - A misunderstanding of God's Character
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Sheila Walsh- All that really matters, pg 32 to 33

Perhaps, like me, you have harboured a misunderstanding about God's charater and ways. There have been times in my life when I thought if I surrendered and area to God's control, he would take it away just to see if I loved him "enough".When i was sixteen years old, my mother becme sick... As I walked along the sand, a battle raged inside of me. I wanted to release Mom into God's hands and live in his peace, but I was terrified that if I did, he would take her.
I am convinced today that God is not like that. He is a jealous God, but he is also good and kind and loving. He is a parent too.

(This has been the way I too have handled many situations but God has been teaching me to trust him. Wrt to healing he said Dont I want that for you too? Of course he doesnt give us everything we want, but I know he walks with us and we are able to share our concerns burdens and get answers, burdens lifted, peace inside and even healing if he so desires)

no.2 Love in the shadows...
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See
http://chandre.blogspot.com/2007/06/thought-id-add-some-more-explaining.html
http://chandre.blogspot.com/2007/06/thankyou-lord-for-your-love.html

God has been to me a God who loves me in the shadows of my life and loved me out of the shadows into his Marvelous light


no.3 Little by little i am changing.
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- Introduction to Battlefield of the mind - Joyce Meyer

(Great reminder when all the circumstances were scaring me to give up!)

no.4 Doing Good

tecigurl.blogspot.com

"i liked doing good, even back then in the dark ages of my soul :) , but "good" according to my own definitions, and what i want. Way far from Absolute Good, Right and True. But i was sure of what i wanted.

Now, i love doing good, but accdg to God's standards. That means way far from what's convenient or good enough or advantageous for me. And many times i'm not sure where i'm going; i'm following Someone who's ever faithful but the details might not be too clear at present...
i love doing good. i always have. And even if technically, i'm supposed to do good anyway, i actually do it because i choose to, because i want to. Not simply in and of itself, but also and more importantly, because i follow God who is good, because i obey God who commanded us to be good, because i love God who does good."

(doing good means doing the right thing for the right reasons, not what I feel like doing for myself)

no. 5 wrt to Stress/procrastination

http://www.joycemeyer.org/OurMinistries/EverydayAnswers/Articles/art13.htm

"Stop Thinking and Talking About Your Problems
The state of upset or arousal sets off an alarm in the body to defend itself from threatening, hostile events. Even thinking of an upsetting event or imagining danger can also trigger the alarm. A chain of responses are set into motion inside us to fight or run from the circumstance. "

(I realised thats the reason I procrastinate, its the fright, flight or freeze. I freeze when I stress, and Its really been great now taking those thoughts captive before i freeze again)

procastination at its best or worst

3:45AM

And I still have not begun my project due for 9AM, and struggling to get myself to do it...Strategic Information Systems!

I know that I need to do it, but to do it is difficult. Well here goes!

Scriptures regarding Stress and thoughts...

This is taken from the Joyce Meyer website...

Articles on Stress is really great as well as scriptures for inner man

John 14:27 (Amplified) says, "Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled."

Colossians 1:11-12
That I may be strengthened with all power, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks.

Grace, More Grace and Grace Intensified....

I was at a meeting the other night and I found out the no. 5 means Grace... this was a much needed sentence/statement in a the midst of a week of challenges but also a 180 degree turn in my relationship with God or I hope it was that :) Anyway, the word spoke to me, I also got a little vision during praying of a White gloved hand in a dark room, reaching towards me, I couldnt see the arm or antyhing just the white glove.

So whats this about grace, more grace, and Grace intensified about...

Well my first name Chandré means womanly - feminine grace.
My second name Jo-Anne means God is Gracious
My favourite number is 5 which means grace
(oh yes my dearest deceased Grandmothers name was Ann - Grace)

And then I decided to check it out on the net and it turns out 25 my birthdate is Grace Intensified...

So Grace, More Grace and Grace intensified...

Undeserved Favour, Amazing Grace, the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ

Saved BY GRACE Not by works, so that I can't boast, but this grace is the gift of God to me...

Ephesians 2:4

4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

2 Thessalonians 2:15-17
15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings[a] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

Philippians 4:23
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.