Good morning, Siestas! I just had a malfunction on the moderation page and, when I closed down and tried to reopen, I think it may have eaten about nine comments to the previous post. I’m so sorry if yours was one of them! I hate when that happens. All four Jones and Melissa, and I are packing up and heading to North Carolina to be part of a gathering near Asheville at Ridgecrest Conference Center. We are so excited to be together and to serve together. We also can’t wait to be with Travis who is family to all of us Moore/Jones/Fitzpatricks. We wish Angela, Jack, Lily Kate, and Levi were going, too! That would be the ultimate. We’ll also have so many other friends there – a reunion of sorts in a lot of ways. Anyway, you won’t waste a prayer on any of us. We never get this thing down. We pray not to get in the way of the Holy Spirit and that the pleasure of Christ will be upon us all. The group will be smaller than our LPL gatherings which means we’ll be able to see many faces and hug lots of necks. It will be water to our thirsty souls.
OK, so it’s TUESDAY! And that means it’s time for you to talk. Here is today’s topic:
Talk to me about a memorable time in your life when God broke through your hardheartedness, doubt, numbness or bitterness (or maybe even grief) with what almost seemed like a single stroke. In other words, has there ever been a time in your life when an event, a moment, or sudden revelation was used by God to crumble a wall that had long since been in place? I’ve been mulling over how a single God-ordained moment can change an entire season. If you’ve had one of those, describe it. After so many other things hadn’t “worked,” why do you think the breakthrough came like it did? (Keep in mind, some things just remain mysteries to us.) Take your time and think it through. Let it cause you some thanksgiving while you’re at it.
I will look so forward to your answers! You are dear to me, Sisters. May Christ be continually attracted to this community we call Siestaville.
For many years I harbored anger and resentment toward my mother for a number of things that happened while I was growing up. Some was probably warranted and some not; however, there was absolutely no way we were ever going to grow as a family until I let it go.
Except that I honestly didn’t want to.
Why? Well, because I thought I was “right” and wanted those feelings to be validated.
One Sunday morning, after my husband and I had begun attending a new church, our pastor began a series of sermons entitled “Do you wish to get well?” This particular morning he was preaching on forgiveness.
Specifically, he was talking about how God has forgiven us by grace. Y’all, He has forgiven me for A LOT. Like, a WHOLE lot. And if He could do that or us, then how in the world could we/I justify holding onto anger toward someone else?
It hit me like a bullet between the eyes, friends, and right then and there I forgave her. Completely. And have never looked back.
Our relationship didn’t completely mend immediately but it has over the past year and, in fact, we’ve never been closer because now we’re honest with each other. Even when it hurts.
That moment changed our lives forever. And I am eternally grateful.
Ok, so I am late on posting but I thought I would share anyway. My freshman year in college I was at a crossroads, my life could have gone either way. Soon into my college life I met a guy at my church unlike any other guy I had ever known, his name is Kurt. He loved the Lord more than anything else in the world. I began spending a lot of time with him. He began studying the bible with me, and in one of our studies asked “Laura, is Jesus even real to you, or is he just a character out of a story book?” Having nothing lose, I answered him honestly saying he just felt like a character in a story. He took my answer and directed our studies accordingly. This was around September of that year. With the holidays approaching I was getting nervous about going home, where I would have to face people of my past. On our way to my house I saw a church sign that read, “Make Jesus REAL for you this Christmas.” I looked at Kurt to ask if he had seen it. He did not, and just as I was explaining what it said the song “Me and God” by Josh Turner came on the radio. We just looked at each other and errupted in laughter! In that moment I knew that even though I was about to face my past the Lord was with me guiding my steps and guarding me. As Josh Turner says, “Ain’t nobody come in between me and God.”
I missed the last couple TTMT’s-I was in Israel.
I was watching your Paul study and you said so many people are focused on something in their life-mean while life is passing them by. At the same time my pastor talked about how people get so focused on their “dot” they miss the big picture (life). I thought-that’s me so I took it to God in prayer and said he could have my “dot”-I was tired of this misery and he could have that too because if this was his will I knew he didn’t want me depressed. Literally the next morning I woke with a new lightness and no depression! And what a sense of humor God has-all the things that made me miserable give me delight now! It was totally God’s will for me to be happy in my situation!
God revealed to me in an instant – I still clearly remember that I was reaching for the door at the time – that I was absorbed with my own “rights”. Specifically, He said, “I want you to lay down your rights.” What?? I had only been walking with Him a couple of years, was recently re-married after a divorce, and coming out of the semi-feminism I had absorbed in the 80s. So I was very focused on making sure in my relationship with God that He knew when I had a right to something. (I both laugh and shudder to write those words.) So here I am, complaining to Him about who knows what that I can’t remember anymore, and He said, “I want you to lay down your rights.” Literally my hand froze over the door handle. And then wherever I was driving, I drove in tears. That was the first time I heard the song Alabaster Box on the radio. God used it to imprint in me the cost of discipleship. As I was crying about laying down my rights, I hear Cece’s beautiful voice singing, “You don’t know the cost of the oil in my alabaster box” and those words found a place in my heart.
If only working it out had been as instantaneous as realizing it. But I go back to that moment a LOT.
Great question, Beth.
I am over a whole week late in posting this but My God is never late so I am posting this anyway!
My “moment” came during a Living Proof Simulcast that I attended at the home church of a dear friend of mine.
I had been coasting in my relationship with the Lord for well over six months. I was literally going through the motions and doing the “right” things simply out of habit. During praise and worship we were singing about God’s love and Travis was talking about how many people were involved in the same sumulcast right then but how our God loves us individually. I could feel God speak to my heart (not in an audible voice but real just the same) He said “Tanya with all these people I have done this for you, give up doing life by yourself. I want to be with you. I care about you enough to bring you here for this moment.”
It was incredible and life changing, right there at the altar of a little church in Pittsburgh. Praise the Lord!
It was actually yesterday. I was working with my Christian counselor on forgiveness and as I was walking through the steps I got all warm and peaceful and the hate I had towards the person just evaporated. I’ve been trying to forgive them for about 5 years now, but yesterday it went away.
Beth, it’s been a long time since i have posted…
my younger sister suddenly went to be with Jesus when i was 10yrs old. from that point on our (hurting) family dynamics were always surrounded by the fact that she was no longer with us.
in 1999 my husband and i were surprisingly expecting our 5th child. the Lord had our baby’s life plan and purpose to begin then end at 4 months in my womb when He called him to Himself. we were naturally heart broken. we buried our sweet tiny babe (in another state) beside my sister’s grave. the following summer our eldest daughter had been selected to play softball on an all-star team. however,we had planned on taking our family trip to be at our baby’s grave side on the anniversary of his death. so it was obvious our daughter was not going to be able to play all-stars that summer.
on our road trip the Lord checked me loud and clear… what are you doing? ugh…He was right. we had chosen to do the same my parents did. it appears wonderful with all great intentions to be at our babies grave side on that specific date. however, our daughter is alive and well and still in our care! we could have stayed home a couple extra weeks to cheer her on through all-stars! at that moment i apologized to my daughter (who was not at all bitter). but it was for me to see how enslaved i nearly became to death. how i nearly enslaved my family. He wants to give us life and life more abundantly.
in the morning before we found out about our son’s death the Lord gave my husband Romans 8:28. our son’s name is roman. and his short little life has had tremendous purpose in each of our lives. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” there are many natural healthy steps in mourning and grieving the loss of a loved one…yet we are called to live an abundant life in Christ.
in His Amazing love- lisa
wind gusts and rain at the beach
I’ve served the Lord for a long time. A lot of that “long” time was spent under the assumption that there were these standards that increased the longer you are saved. (i.e. Long-term Christians better be reading more than a chapter a day in the word!)
A breaking point in my life was when I was at an all time low emotionally. It was revolutionary. I knew I needed Jesus to break me more than anything in this world, and that “got it together look” wasn’t going to work one more second.
This moment was in my bedroom. Bible in hand. I told the Lord that if I was going to really surrender, then He was going to have to help me. BOOM. He did. Like that’s a surprise or anything. I realized at that moment that His word was more than a book that Christians read. It is more than what I carried to church and highlighted all of the insights He had showed me. IT is what sustains me every day. He sustains me. Through every moment of my life. Breaking moment. Revolutionary. So heart-warming thankful.
I had made a huge mess of my life by make sinful choices and to make a long story short, found myself in a mental hospital in the fall of 2000. The morning I woke up on October 2, I had an “ah-hah” moment from the Lord. It was like He took the scales off my eyes. After being broken and receiving His forgiveness, I knew I had to turn my life around (by His strength). I made 2 very huge life-changing decisions that morning, one of which was to move from MI to TX to go to seminary–which was an “out of nowhere” decision that I knew was from the Lord. Living out that change of selling most of my belongings and moving 1400 miles away to a place where I knew not a soul was not easy, but boy was it worth it. While things didn’t turn out the way I thought or hoped (I wasn’t able to finish my seminary degree), starting over here in TX was an enormous blessing and “second chance” from the Lord. 10 years later, He continues to lead me and while the choice to obey doesn’t involve such drastic changes as 10 years ago, choosing to obey is equally hard. I hope I never stop thanking the Lord for opening my eyes on October 2–as part of Psalm 118 says, “He rescued me because He delighted in me.” All praise to Him!
Well now I am thoroughly craving good food. Our Thanksgiving meal is really pretty straightforward-turkey, potatoes, cranberries, plain beans, etc. I do make two things for the festivities though.
Cranberry Orange Cheeseball
8 oz cream cheese (if you don’t mind a spread you can use low fat, but otherwise you need the real thing)
2T frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2t cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped nuts if desired
zest of 1 orange
Soften cream cheese and mix together. Form into a ball and refridgerate. We will serve with Teddy Grahams
Pumpkin Pudding (sometimes I’m tempted to make it simply for the aroma)
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup bisquick
2 eggs, beaten
2T butter or margarine, melted
21/2t pumpkin pie spice (sometimes I increase this)
2t vanilla extract
In large bowl,combine all ingredients. Trasfer to a slow cooker coated with nontsick cooking spray. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Serve in bowls with whipped topping.
My kids are voting for the Derby Pie recipe. The chocolate creme pie sounds great too-I’ve always used pudding mix. I might have to try the leftover Turkey pot pie also. This has been fun.
Sorry I am late, but I wanted to be part of this fun blog.
Granny Smith Apple Dumplins
2 Granny Smith Apples
1 Can Crescent Rolls
1 Stick of Butter
1 Cup of Orange Juice
1 Cup of Sugar
Ground Cinnamon
Tub Margarine
Melt stick butter in saucepan on med-low heat. Add orange juice and sugar. Stir until mixture is dissolved. Peel, core and quarter 2 apples into 8 pieces. In baking dish roll out 8 crescents, place piece of apple on crescent, pat with tub butter, sprinkle with cinnamon, wrap up like an old style 3 corner diaper. Crescent will not completely cover apple piece. Pour liquid over apples and sprinkle tops with cinnamon. Place in 350 degree preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and spoon liquid mixture over dumplins. Yields 8 Dumplins.
Happy Thanksgiving to all you Dumplins in Siestaville!
Janice from Springville, AL
Oh, boy – I know I’m pretty late on this one, but I have to chime in. My moment actually came during a Beth Moore Bible Study! I had been a believer for a dozen years or so, when I signed up for “Jesus The One and Only.” One day near the end of the study, Beth started to talk about the love of God. Of course I knew God loved me, but in a generic, He-loves-the-whole-world kind of way. During those years insecurity was a giant force in my small life. I couldn’t imagine Him loving me as an individual. I was just one of billions. That day as I sat listening to Beth, she quoted a scripture – John 17:23, which says “…Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” The suddenness of that revelation brought tears to my eyes – He meant ME! Not as one of the crowd, but as a daughter whom He knows personally and values highly. That truth has never left me – I still have struggles, but through them all I know without a doubt that every day of my life, my Father really loves me.
beth, so great to see you there! i was one of the 80+! 🙂 still excited about what God taught me/told me and what i learned from you precious ladies! here’s a little story: i came with 4 girlfriends, but my church brought a group as well (new to this church i bought the tickets with my friends well before i had even attended the church or known that they had planned to come). when priscilla stood up at the end and talked about the girl allison going on the 11 month mission trip i looked at my friend and said ‘oh there is a girl at my church who is also doing that’. anyway, yesterday our preacher talked about how great it was that priscilla had mentioned that and that it was all God to allow allison to meet priscilla and then for priscilla to share that with the whole crowd. i thought to myself: ‘it was really neat now lets take up an offering and you all can mail it to her.’ but he didn’t. then he said she has already had several people contact her through her email. i thought ‘how does he know that?’. anyway, didn’t think much more about it and until my husband, stephen, was talking to this man and he was talking about his daughter — that’s right _ ALLISON! i said that’s your daughter — i mean DUH!!!!! i’m usually not that ditzy! it couldn’t have been more obvious if i had been slapped in the face!!! oh, well it was really cool! God is so good and so awesome and so loving and so dear! oh how i love Jesus! Have a great day! (p.s. i like melissa’s new do! she would look beautiful with any color though! :))
how in the world did i just comment on the november 9th post? maybe i’m a little more ditzy than i realized! lol!
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. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
I read the book “Heaven is real” which is an account of a little 4 yer old boys trip to heaven. Not sure if you have heard of it, or even read it, but honestly it has been life changing! Its given me a radically different perspective on Christ/God, how he hears and answers our prayers. I have often times felt as though I know with all my heart that God is real- but when I pray that he just isnt listening. WOW that could not be further from the truth! God is so real, so alive, and Im more in love with him then ever!