the rescued heart

This entry I wrote for a blog that I was intending to start, entitled "a rescued heart".  Decided to put all my longings for God into my "comforts and joys" blog - but still wanted to help explain the love of God in a different way.  Hope you enjoy. RJC


Why entitle this blog the rescued heart? The genesis of the idea came one Saturday when we were visiting the animal shelter where we adopted both our dogs, Wyatt & Dyson. I have an incredible soft spot for dogs, especially rescue dogs. I firmly believe that one of these days when we own our own home and have a lot more land, we will be adopting several more. (I could have a pack of 6 to 8 - I believe my husband would prefer fewer than that....) Anyway - I digress - back to the shelter.

I tend to get very emotional at the shelter, as I instantly fall in love with all of the dogs there, and want all of them to find good homes and love. Some dogs are irresistible, some not. some loud, some quiet. Some have personalities that instantly click with yours, some wouldn't be a good match for your home. Many are not "perfect" - strays, older dogs, malnourished, disabled - those, especially, have a special place in my heart. I'd love to take all of the hard to place dogs home - kind of like "the island of misfit toys" - only for misfit fur babies. The desire to care for them was so strong, it choked me up.

That's when it hit me - that's exactly how God and Jesus feel about the world. When people want to tell you that God "hates" certain people, don't believe it, it's a lie. God loves ALL of us, and wants all of us to be saved. We're like those dogs in the cages at the shelter - strays, given up on, desperate for a home and someone to love us. God the father and his son Jesus see us - imperfect, damaged, broken, in need of a lot of care and attention, perhaps even sitting in our own filth - and say "I want that one!" In fact, they want to adopt everyone. They want to rescue us all, take us home, smother us with love, care, provision, protection and shelter. That's what it means to be loved. That's what it means to be rescued. And that's what God is really like - the ultimate rescue parent. We just have to want to be rescued.

I have been rescued. Not only by God, but by the dogs that my husband and I rescued from the shelter. I gave their lives new meaning, and in return, they gave my life new meaning. God gave my life new meaning. I am eternally grateful - to my God AND my dogs!

Wyatt (on the right) and Dyson

Hey friend! Remember me?

I know, I know. I'VE been the stranger. I've definitely been gone a long time. Sorry, friends - I've been on a bit of a journey.  And often, ironically enough, even with the detours and side steps, if you are supposed to be somewhere, God often leads you back to the intended path.

I'm back!  I'm gonna be sharing some things with you - hopefully they will be of benefit to you! They will be a little more personal in nature - some funny, some serious, some dog-related - but ALWAYS God-related. 

Our Pastor this year has challenged us to live out the extraordinary lives that God has planned for us. It has so resonated with me that I have decided to step out and encourage all of us to live in an extraordinary way.  Maybe God has something big planned for your life, maybe something small, but God has plans for you. You matter! You are important! Most importantly, you are loved. :)

So stick around - I'll be seeing you a lot more.  Probably daily, or close to it. Feel free to share how God has touched your life, too! With all the negative mess you can hear every day, welcome to a place of laughter, safety, comfort and joy. 

It's a brand new day!  Enjoy it.  See you soon.

Unsubscribe

Like many of us, I have an email account.  Actually, I have several. I have a couple official email addresses for business, but one account I have had for years, and is my "default" email address.  More times than not, that address will be the one given if I have to sign up for anything, give an email address for contact, receive discounts, receive recipes, etc. Unfortunately, I don't spend a lot of time reading every single email immediately, and the amount of email there has grown immensely. Yesterday, to help alleviate some of the bulk, I began to clean it out.

As I began deleting email, I started paying attention to who was sending me information. Did I really want to continue to receive communication from this company or service?  If I did not, I should not be content to just delete that email - I needed to "unsubscribe" to receiving it. To do so stops all communication whatsoever.  No more junk mail. No more clutter. Much less stress and work for me to be able to weed out what I wanted to read from what was taking over my inbox.

I loved it.  The more I hit "unsubscribe", the more I felt a sense of empowerment and release.

Why mention this, you ask?  Because it occurred to me that my life is a lot like my email account. Many people want to speak into my life. People want to give me advice, counsel, ways to help me live my life, grow by businesses, or improve in some way.  Some want to sell me something. Inherently, none of these things are wrong - but they can distract me from what is really important, and from what I really want (or need) to hear.

I am sure it is the same way for you, as well. We are constantly bombarded with information. With sales pitches. With contact from someone who means well. With contact from people who don't mean well! Quickly our minds can become inundated - so full of stuff that we no longer can hear from the voice that not only wants the best for us, but knows how to provide it, as well.

We need to choose to "unsubscribe".  You don't have to allow just anyone to speak into your life!  In fact, you shouldn't.  If your "friends", business acquaintances or family try to tell you that you are worthless, incompetent or without value - you don't have to accept that! There is a sense of relief, empowerment and contentment when you simply say - "No. That input no longer has a place in my life." Instead, choose to fill your "inbox" with positivity. For example -  did you know that God thinks you are awesome? It's true, the Bible says that he "delights" in you!  Zephaniah 3:17 says "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Would you like more affirmation?  Trust me, there is much more where that came from! The Bible is full of messages of God's love for you. Feel free to email me if you need more proof!

I pray today that you will "unsubscribe" to the distractions and the negativity!  Allow the positive voice of the one who delights in you fill the inbox of your life.

Have a blessed day!
Robin

Is he serious??? Legalize marijuana?

Morning, friends!  Please let me preface this blog by saying that I usually don't want to use this blog to rant about things, but to use it as a source of encouragement.  But with that said, I read something yesterday that I simply cannot be silent about.

Evidently, Pat Robertson thinks marijuana should be legal and treated like alcohol, since we are not winning the war on drugs. He believes that the taxpayers are losing billions of dollars due to the war on drugs and that people should not be sent to prison for possessing marijuana.  I've actually read a couple of articles that were published from Fox News and the Associated Press: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/03/08/pat-robertson-pot-should-be-treated-like-alcohol/  and http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hyoNbKwM04w8JIu44H9zyxA_DNEQ?docId=83eee7c134b04068964d5aa50ebfff48.  There are many more articles that are on the internet and in the papers that you can reference for yourself.

Now here is my problem, friends (and those of you who are going to make some argument for legalized marijuana and the evils of it versus alcohol may save your breath) - just because we may be "losing" a war against drugs does not mean that we need to join the other side.  What in the world is he thinking? Where does it end if we start capitulating to the enemy? If Satan continues to gain ground with the hearts and minds of the people of this world, do we just roll over and let him take over? "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em?"

If we, as Christians, don't stand up for what is right, who will?

" For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1 :18

Do not be deceived, friends. Stand up for what is right. And don't just take the word of anyone, search the scriptures for yourself to see what the truth is!

"For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.  It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness.  Their end will be what their actions deserve." 2 Corinthians 11: 13-15

Who do you turn to?

There is a woman I know that I went to high school with (many, many moons ago), and I am "friends" with her on facebook, which is to say that I see her posts, and comment and/or say hello on occasion.  Unfortunately, she is rather ill, and in the hospital undergoing a litany of tests.  She feels sick, tired, discouraged and concerned for her well being. She posted today (with, it seems, a tone of disapproval) that in her hospital, scriptures were read over the public address system. ALL of her friends that responded to that post did so in a disapproving and negative manner.  Now don't get me wrong, God gave us free will, and we may agree or disagree with hearing scriptures while ill, but my question is this - "Who, then, do you turn to?"

If hearing the word of God, who loves and cares for you and wants you to be well and whole is displeasing, then who do you turn to when you are sick? When tired? When ill? When discouraged? When afraid? When you feel alone? When you feel you have nowhere to go? Who is there to help you? Where are you supposed to get your comfort? From food? From stuff? From things or people that are material and/or perishable? Those things may provide a temporary balm to your wound, but they won't last.

Trust in God, turn to him when you are in need. HE is the one with the power to heal you, HE is the one with the power to sustain you, HE is the one with the power to comfort you and cast pain from your life. HE is hope.
I Peter 5:7 says "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." All means ALL - he doesn't say to cast some of your anxiety on him or part of your anxiety, he says he wants to take care of everything that concerns you.
You don't have to be strong enough to take care of everything, he is strong enough to save you. Strong enough to heal you. Strong enough to deliver you. You just have to turn yourself over to him and allow him to take over.

What are you waiting for?  Trust God today.  Honestly, who do you turn to?

I pray God's blessings on you today!
Robin

True Beauty Challenge - How's your fruit growing?

When someone says that a person has "inner beauty" what does that mean to you?  Is it a compliment?  Would you rather be known for having inner beauty, or external/outer beauty?  If you really stop and think and are honest with yourself - which is truly more important to you?  If you're not sure, here's a hint - what do you spend the most time cultivating?  Your inner beauty? Or your external self?

I'll tell you what God looks at - your inner self.  Not the organs, muscles, etc - but your heart and your head - how you think, feel and act.  In 1 Samuel 16:7, he says ".... The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  While your outward appearance is special and important - after all, he created you and thinks you are beautiful, just as you are - we shouldn't spend all our time perfecting something that will deteriorate and neglect the spirit, which is eternal.

When you become a Christ follower, the Holy Spirit dwells in you - you have the Spirit of God with you at all times!  When you cultivate that relationship with God that comes with spiritual growth, you will also produce "fruit" of that same Spirit, which is really a way of saying the way you appear on the outside (the way you walk, talk, act, react, etc - things people can see or witness) reflects the beauty of who you are on the inside (because you are becoming more like Christ!)  To put it another way - you know that a tree is an apple tree because you can see the apples.  Without the fruit it may look similar to any other tree, but the apples show its true nature.

What, specifically, does the "fruit of the Spirit" look like? In Galatians 5:22-23 the Bible says: "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. " Quite the list!  But here's the awesome thing - unlike our physical bodies, which will decay even with our best efforts and attention - the investment in our spiritual self will only increase!  So the more time you spend cultivating the fruits of the Spirit, the more you will have! It's a harvest that is always bountiful.  So don't be discouraged if you feel you don't have a lot of fruit right now - the more time you spend working on being patient - the more patient you will become! Taking the time to show a kindness, however small, will make you a kinder person. Want peace in your life?  You can have it! Make a conscious effort to develop peace in your own life.

How to do all these things?  Well, we can't do them completely on our own - it's a Spirit thing, remember?  First you must accept Christ as your personal Savior, but once you do, ask the Spirit to help you! Be intentional about your thoughts and actions.  Try growing some fruit!  Before you know it, people will be saying that you are a truly beautiful person.....

Next week - our final true beauty challenge - Are you really showing love to others?

May God bless you and keep you!
Robin

You matter to God!

Just wanted to write a quick note (back to our true beauty challenge tomorrow) to remind you that you matter to God. That's right - you matter to God! The God who created the heavens and the earth and everything in it thinks you are an important person.  Even better than that - he loves the person you are!  In Psalm 139:13-14 it says that "... you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." 

God doesn't make junk!

You are a masterpiece.  God looked at you and thought "he/she is good!" Don't let anyone tell you differently.  You make a difference.  You are of value.   You are important.  You matter.

Rest assured that the living God cares about you!
Be blessed!
Robin