Turning my boring life into an Adventure

Proverbs 3: 5-6 NIV “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

If you only knew what a boring life I am living right this very minute.  You would laugh at me.  I don’t risk anything, I am the person who always plays it safe.  Living on the spur of the moment isn’t something I ever do.  My life is sort of planned out exactly the way I feel it should be.  So, to be honest, I don’t take big risks, and I calculate every move I make. 

If you looked at my life from your point of view you would see that my life is very predictable.  I am always where said I would be and doing what I said I would be doing. 

So then how on earth am I going to get some adventure into my life?  You may ask.  I too am looking at that question and it is plain to see for my life to take a drastic turn on the “wild side of life” I really would have to take some kind of risk and make interesting choices.

Because I lack an adventures spirit I would have to turn to the Lord Jesus so that He can move me up a notch.  My soul needs the adventure and I need the Lord Jesus to bring me into a fuller life so that I can learn to live my life to the fullest.

Prayer

O Lord Jesus, You are the most wonderful and exciting person in my entire life, I believe that with You in my own life I will live my life to the fullest.  Today as I sit here in my study I pray guide me, teach me and help me to stay tuned in with You.  I need Your hand in my life, I am so predictable.  Help me Lord Jesus Amen.

Show me the purpose of my life.

Jeremiah 29: 11 KJV “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Truth be told I have been at loose ends lately, it is difficult to pinpoint but I am just going through so many emotions.  As a person, I like to feel that I am in control over my own life and destiny but truth be told I am not.  Why?  Well simply put, I am not God and no matter what I do, I just don’t have the ability to move things or circumstances.

Perhaps you are facing a similar situation, you have gone through the motions and done what was needed to be done.  Now the wait, it is in my impatience that I find I truly become irritated.  Again, learning to deal with an emotion that I dislike totally. 

Going forward is the only way.  God promised me that I would have an expected end.  I am sure life is full of interesting detours.  Now going forward I need the LORD to show me the way. 

Prayer

El Hayyay – God of my life today I come humbly into Your presence and LORD please may I ask You to show me what to do to expand my purpose and show me specifically the way I can contribute to renewing Your Kingdom in the same way You are renewing my life and purpose.  I declare the blood of Jesus Christ over my life as well as the person reading this today.  In the Holy Name of Jesus Christ, Amen

They say: “Time Heals”

Isaiah 43: 18 – 19 (NIV) “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

One thing I believe with all my heart and soul is that God’s word never comes back to Him void.  Whatever God said will return to Him fully.  You know that when I was a really young mother of three beautiful children we had to go through a really difficult time.  I look at my face in the mirror and wonder how did we ever get through those difficult times?  I let go of many of the hurt and pain that I endured, but I have also seen the disappointment and pain my own children still react to.

Now, here I am taking God at His word.  God said to me Yvette, forget the former things, stop dwelling on the past.  

Look, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.  On meditating and thinking on these powerful and encouraging words today.  I believe You Elohei Chasdi, the God of kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.  I am taking You at Your Word today.  You know what I am facing Lord, Elohei Chasdi, I am calling out to You today to please let me experience Your kindness, goodness, and faithfulness towards me.  Lord, here I am waiting on You.

As I wait patiently for all the good to come to pass help me with my attitude towards people around me.

As I strip off the old scabs that are dead dry skin, I see the light red skin sensitive and healing.  I place some ointment over the skin and I feel the refreshing healing power.  This is the Holy Spirit I am pouring the blood of Jesus Christ of Nazareth over my brokenness today, I am calling out to You Jehovah Elohim, please let me see Your Glory in the name of Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Elohei Chasdi, the Lord God of kindness, goodness, and faithfulness, today I am grateful that You are still in control over my life.  I accept the promise that You are doing a new thing in my life.  I can see streams of water flowing through the desert area and I feel the revival in my own life.  The stirring of the Holy Spirit moving over my life.  I accept and worship and praise Your Holy Name, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.  Amen

Healing old wounds

Romans 5: 10 (NIV) “For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

My old wounds are almost healed, I actually am dealing with past sins, and past hurts and I have spoken to the Lord God and I have repented from my sinful nature and I even have spoken to the people involved with some of the past transgressions in my life.  I am looking forward to a new life with the Lord Jesus Christ.  I have put these sins behind me and striving towards a better life with the Lord Jesus Christ.

There was a time in my life where I completely discard all sense of propriety and just didn’t care anymore.  I must have lost my mind on the way but the truth be told that is exactly what I did.

The whole fiasco was bringing me down and even making me feel less of a Christian than I may be able to confess. 

Then on some strange and miraculous way, the Lord God still holds me in His hands.  He reminds me everytime I feel down that He loves me and that He cares about me.  That He called me by my name and that I belong to Him.  That He sent His only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth to died on a cross for me, a sinful woman. 

I am drawing closer to the Lord each day and it is my heart's desire to ask for His forgiveness in my life and I ask that the blood of Jesus Christ will heal my broken heart, heal my sorrowful soul and heal my mind.  Drawing me closer and closer and that I will not fall by the wayside and be left behind.

Prayer

Humbly Jehovah Elohim I come before You praying for forgiveness of sin.  Asking that You will draw me closer to You showing me the way forward.  I bring my brokenness before You and ask to heal me and guide me in Jesus Name.  Amen

Dealing with the Issue today.

Luke 6: 45 (NIV) “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For out of the overflow of his heart, his mouth speaks.”

You and I both know people are fickle and we all seem to carry around something that we just won't let go of.  The sad part in the story is that the longer you hold onto the destructive thought the more ingrained it becomes in your being. 

You will be talking about all kind of interesting things and something will trigger off a feeling or hurt and before you know it, you will be poured over the pain and disappointment you felt and still feel. 

Because your mind has a hard drive like your PC and you store up all the information and emotions in the hard drive.  Then on a day someone will click on the pause button and bam the hard drive is released and the information is running again.  You will be talking about the hardship you had to endure and the pain you feel and you will be reminding yourself and the other person of all the unfairness you are going through.  It’s time to clean that hard drive.  You need an antivirus to come and clean up the mess you are struggling to let go of.  The antivirus that you need is at your fingertips.  The Lord Jesus Christ.

The minute you pray and ask the Lord Jesus Christ for help, He will help you.  The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ will clean you and help you with the reformatting of your hard drive.  Your heart.

You will then be able to speak to people openly and freely about the Lord Jesus and you will let go of past hurts and pains.  It will be pouring out of your mouth how great and awesome is the Lord Jesus.

Prayer

Please Lord Jesus, I still am struggling to let go of past hurts and pain in my own life.  I am asking You humbly please help me reformat my heart and clean it up so that I am able to have a pure and clean heart before You.  I declare that You blood is cleaning my life this very minute, I accept that You are my Lord and my Saviour.  Amen

Struggling to let go of angry thoughts?

Ephesians 4: 26 – 27 NIV “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”

I believe every one of us has to deal with “anger” in our own lives.  When watching the television it is clear we are living in an angry world.  There are violence and abuse against woman and children.  You see people are constantly angry about all kinds of things.  People want free education, they want everything handed to them, they believe that it is their right.  We are living in a time where people are constantly wanting more and more and are not willing to put anything towards whatever they want.  People take offense and are easily hurt and angry when you make a comment on something you have noticed.  Anger flares up and the person is holding on to it and you said something unbeknown to hurt or offend this person. 

So who are you blaming for the angry feelings you are harboring right now?  I am sure you probably have a couple of people in mind.  By not taking responsibility we then turn around and blame that person and this person and before long we are angry at the world.  When I feel angry and cannot get my way, do I know how to wheeled my words, these words come out as a weapon and I am able to cut people down to size. The wrong move, because now I am so in control and will not budge.  This is not working to spread the good news of God.  I am breaking people down.  Read Proverbs chapter 18 verse 14 “a man’s spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?” (NIV)  Is it your desire to break the person's, heart?  Look what Proverbs chapter 15 verse 4 says “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”  We are reminded through Solomon in Proverbs chapter 26 verse 22 “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts.”  Is it your goal to destroy the person with your words, making sure that when they die they will still hold onto your words?

What am I learning?  Being angry is all good and yes, I can get angry but the question is what am I doing with this angriness?  I have come to a point in my life where I need to assess what is the common denominator?  I need to identify why I feel angry.  Who or what is making me angry?  How do I deal with this emotion?  Then my answer is going to the Lord God in humble prayer, asking the Lord to help me deal with these feelings of anger.  Getting rid of it before it changes into something are worse, and that is bitterness.

Prayer

Abba Father, O Lord God I believe that You know and understand my heart.  You know what I am facing each and every day.  You see how I act and see what I think.  Because I am drawing near to You today this is what I need.  Lord show me how to deal with the anger I have built up within my heart.  Help me to understand what is making me angry and help me to let go of it.  I love You Lord and I bring these destroying emotions into Your presence asking You Lord help me.  In the Holy Name of Jesus Christ Amen

Book Review: A Talent for Trouble - Jen Turano

Book Review:         A Talent for Trouble

Author:                 Jen Turano

Personal Quality Rating:         4

Reviewed by:         Yvette van Niekerk

Summary:

After reading a Most Peculiar Circumstance I now have the privilege of continuing the read.  Keeping in mind the story is still in the 1800’s and this is a Historical Romance Novel.  Miss Felicia Murdock is so upset and feels that her life has come to a still stand because of the love of her life.  Reverend Michael Frazer has taken another bride.  She believes at the age of 25 she is doomed to becoming a spinster. Then the lives of Miss Felicia Murdock and Mr. Grayson Sumner become intertwined and what an explosion.

This story is hilarious and once you start reading you actually don’t want to stop.  The quips in the book are fantastic and I laughed so much at all the funny circumstances Felicia gets involved in.  Her horse is named Thor but don’t be fooled by this strong name. 

The story takes on an interesting twist and the plot thickens.  Loads of dangerous circumstances come into play.  Felicia has a tendency to attract all kinds of trouble, she helps elderly gentlemen and then finds herself in a pub.  With so much going on she attracts, even more, attention and Grayston comes to her rescue.  A fight erupts and her beautiful dress and hair are covered in alcohol.

After all of this Agatha is looking for a story and she gets Felicia to dress like a man while Zane is being dressed as a lady.  Their aim is to investigate the opium den and see what the Chinese men are up to.  Mr. Blackheart is Felicia’s bodyguard and she evades him.  While they are at the opium den Grayston also arrives, the plot thickens and to make matters worse the police arrive and arrests are being made.  Luckily Theodore is on the scenes and helps his friends.

Social / Historical

When reading the story you are moving into a love story with a lot of drama, but as I think about the story I think that the author wanted to convey her concern around the opium den.  The drugs that have made its way into the America’s.  The drama around the lives that were destroyed and the guilt that the person felt because of the drugs. 

The constant worry for protection and safety.  How the this impacted a specific person's life and how they wanted to stay out of the limelight to prevent being exposed.  But the love and affection that came through the story were awesome and it reminded me once again that good will always prevail.

Writing Style

The author wrote this book both evocation as well as common place.  The narrative is based on a number of peoples lives and how they intertwine.  Allowing the author the opportunity to continue a next story telling.  The story is really well thought out and there is a lot of intrigues as well as adventure and loads of laughter. 

The ending is truly beautiful and you actually sit in awe as to the playing out of events.  Some big surprises also in the last couple of chapters which brings the twist into the tail, so to speak. 

My Thoughts

A must read, I really enjoyed this story as I did the previous one and looking forward to the next one.  There is a lot of drama around friends, the fashion in those days are truly interesting but the thing I enjoyed most it the chivalry and the good manners that were displayed.  I would have loved to live in those days. 

The way the author expresses herself goes beyond and above and I truly feel like I am one of the characters in the book.

I enjoyed the book from the first page to the last page, I would say it was an excellent read, it is definitely a book that I would read again.  I think you cannot get bored with these books.

 Great job!