Quotation

'May today there be peace with in. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.'

Happy Thursday! = )

Tina Smith

Can We Trust Our Conscience?

Can We Trust Our Conscience? 
2 Corinthians 1:12

The conscience looks at thoughts and actions to determine if they are in line with one's principles and standards. It is important to keep our internal alarm system well maintained so it will be trustworthy.
For our moral compass to sound at the right time and for the right reason, we must:
• Accept Scripture as our standard for behavior. Second Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness." If we choose to adopt our culture's values, which are often at odds with the Lord's, our conscience will be unreliable. Instead, we want our radar to alert us to the possibility of going off course.
• Align our thinking with the Lord's. Romans 12:2 says to renew our minds. It is necessary and ongoing work to combat what this unbelieving world accepts as  true and right. Our alarm system should help us identify ungodly ideas.
• Apply God's Word to daily living. When our habits reflect godly values, our conscience will become more sensitive to what is right and wrong.
In addition, it is essential that we rely on the Holy Spirit for understanding. Our conscience by itself is of some value, but it becomes indispensable when accompanied by the Spirit's guidance (John 16:13).
The Scriptures teach us how to live—in our thought life, conduct, and emotions (Gal. 5:16-23). As we make our standards align more closely with the Lord's, our conscience will become increasingly trustworthy because it is based on what is important to our heavenly Father

Motto Monday - Stay Connected

Monday Motto : Stay Connected


Proverbs 18:1 He who willfully separates himself and estranges himself (from God and man) seeks his own desire and pretext to break out against all wise and sound judgment.

I read this verse and it just caught my eye.

Considering the fact that I am the type of person who is melancholy and a bit on the introverted side, I am one who willfully separates when I am hurt, angry, or upset in anyway. I have a habit of auto-isolation. I don’t want to be that way, But I am. I struggle with it. Pray for me!

It takes me great effort to reach out. I naturally want others to believe that I am GOOD! Well guess what I am learning....they can see that I AM NOT FINE!!! They can feel my vibe when I walk into church that I AM NOT GOOD! But nonetheless I keep up this idea for myself and my own so called sanity ... that I am good!!!

so lets bite into this and see what it is made of....

willfully separates --that means purposely disconnect myself from other people

and estranges -- that means to turn away from, keep at a distance and treat others like strangers

seeks his own desire -- wanting what I want when I want it ( example --I'm mad and I will only become happy when so and so does what makes me happy)

and pretext --that means to conceal the true purpose, to put up a misleading appearance ( example --Im fine!! *smile* when inside I am angry, hurt and need prayer but I am being willful and seeking my own way)

and all that is just NOT WISE

On the surface this may not seem like that big of a deal --besides we don’t want the whole world to know our business right??

The problem is that doing this is actually a prideful  my way or the highway kind of attitude.

I am sooooooo busted!!!! The WORD tends to do that !! huh??

A few years ago ...heck a couple of months ago I would not have written such a lay me open kind of blog post...but I believe that Friendships of Love is about KNOW, SHARE, SERVE. It is getting to KNOW others, to SHARE who I truly am, and finding a way to SERVE each other through that knowledge.

This past week I was able to SEE myself in the moment and say I am ALRIGHT with a shrug of NO IM NOT to my Pastor. ( I know! - not the best but I mustered a little reality there ..come on gimme some credit ..lol)  He had a great sentence to share at that moment that caused changes for me that week that I needed...if I would have pasted my smile on and went the --I'M GOOD *smile* way --I would still be in this same spot not dealing with any of it and continuing my willful way. Now I am a few more inches further than I was last week and seeking answers and being honest about where I am.

How many times have I not done that and missed out on having people lift me up in prayer...LORD knows I need it!! Stay Connected because we need truth and we need people.

Hmmmmmm seems that I sort of did a continuation of last weeks post Be Present ...

Thanks for listening

F & L'er

Starla

Are you satisfied???

Do have friends? Do they know you warts and all?? Not just that you have issues and they are all like really nice about it but that they know what those issues are, they love you anyway, they help you dig into the wart and find out what it is made of. Or do you even go there?

What is friendship to you? Is it just a nice cup of coffee together, is it a negative complaint dump site, is it a safe landing strip, is it an oasis from the harsh cruel world, is it a tormented show down of wits?? Or do you even think about that?

What do you really need in a friend? Do you have it or are you settling for a one sided listen to all their blah blah blahs? Is your friend truly interested in you? how do you know? can you tell? have you really thought about that? and are you that way to someone else? do you really care or are they just something to check of your list of weekly stuff to do?

It is real? Are you satisfied? or are you just dying to be known and to know TRULY?? Waiting .....hurting...in need of a companion. Are you one?

Prov 28:24a - A man that has friends must show himself friendly..

I am curious!

F and L'er

Starla

Steps To Friendship

This week its all about friendship in my daily devotionals. Had to share. God Bless! = )  

Tina Smith


July 15  - Every Day Light by Selwyn Hughes

Steps to friendship

For reading & meditation - Proverbs 18:1-24

"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (v.24)

Everyone needs a small circle of friends - even those who are married. I feel deeply sorry for anyone who does not have a friend. If friendship is so important, how do we go about making friends? The first step is - be friendly. The King James Version of our text for today says: "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly." You should not, however, become friendly just in order to gain a friend. This is a wrong motive because you are more interested in gaining a friend than being a friend. Self-centeredness will get you nowhere. Friendliness is the art of going out of yourself and appreciating others more than you appreciate yourself. It is really an attitude. Dale Carnegie in his book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, a secular approach to the subject but full of good sense nevertheless, said, "You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you." The main reason why people have no friends is because they demonstrate an unfriendly attitude. To have a friend - be one. The second step is - allow time for friendships to develop. Force no doors open in friendship but, like Christ in the book of Revelation, stand reverently at the door - and knock. Only if the door is opened from within should you go through. Some relationships you have with people may never develop into close friendships. Don't be upset about that. If you are open and friendly, then God will guide you and show you where deep friendships are to be developed.

Prayer:
Father, help me be a friend who does the knocking before I enter instead of knocking down after I have left. And show me not only how to sympathize with my friends' weaknesses, but summon up their strength. In Jesus' Name. Amen.