Patience and Persistence

(Someone else might need to read this too)

Nothing great is ever accomplished without persistence and patience because, in order to be successful, your dreams must translate into work.

The people who succeed in life are the people who are willing to do what they don't feel like doing. They are not mastered by their moods, they are mastered by the Master, and they establish their goals and plans according to God's will.

Eliezer was a great example of patience and persistence. We see his patience in choosing the right woman by making a detailed plan. He didn't make a snap judgment. He wasn't impulsive. The Bible says in Genesis 24:21 (NIV)

Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful.

If you are going to really reach your goals in life, sometimes you have to delay gratification. You have to do the tough thing instead of the fun thing, the right thing instead of the pleasurable thing.

Any goal that's worth achieving is going to have obstacles in the way. You need to have a long-term view so, when difficulties come, you can persevere knowing that you are going to get past it.

God's timing is perfect and ours is not. When you find yourself in God's waiting room, just be patient and persistent. A God-given vision will always be fulfilled 

Rick Warren's Daily Devotional: http://www.saddlebackresources.com/ from YOUVersion Bible

(All materials used in the digiscap are from the cottagearts.net)

Healing Choices: Authentic Friendships

(Someone Else Might Need to Read this too)
In Biblical fellowship, we should experience authenticity.

Authentic friendships are more than superficial, surface-level chit-chat. They involve genuine, heart-to-heart, sometimes gut-level, sharing.

These friendships develop when we get honest about who we are and what is happening in our lives. They develop when we share our hurts, reveal our feelings, confess our failures, disclose our doubts, admit our fears, acknowledge our weaknesses, and ask for help and prayer.

Unfortunately, this level of authenticity and intimacy is the exact opposite of what we find in many churches. Instead of an atmosphere of honesty and humility, we often become involved in pretending, role-playing, politicking, superficial politeness, and shallow conversation. We begin to wear masks, keep our guard up, and act as if everything is rosy in our lives. These attitudes are the death of real friendship.

It's only as we become open about our lives that we experience authentic fellowship. The world thinks intimacy occurs in the dark, but God says it happens in the light. We tend to use darkness to hide our hurts, faults, fears, failures, and flaws. But in God's light, we can bring them all out into the open and admit who we really are.

This is the way we grow spiritually and be emotionally healthy. The Bible says, "Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed." (James 5:16)

Rick Warren's Daily Devotional http://www.saddlebackresources.com/ from YOUVersion Bible

Sometimes God Says "Not Yet"

(Someone else might need to read this too)

If you're discouraged because of God's delay in answering your prayers, understand the delay is NOT a denial. Just because the answer hasn't come - YET - that doesn't mean God isn't going to answer or that he's forgotten you or that he doesn't care about you.

It simply means "not yet!"

Part of becoming spiritually mature is learning the difference between "no" and "not yet," between a denial and a delay. The Bible tells us, "He who is coming will come and will not delay." Hebrews 10:37 NIV

God's delay may be a test of your patience. Anybody can be patient once. And, most people can be patient twice. And, a lot of us can be patient three times. So God tests our patience over and over and over.

Why? So he can see how patient you are? No!

He does it so you can see how patient you are. So you'll know what's inside you, and you'll be able to know your level of commitment. God tests you so that you can know he is faithful, even if the answers you seek are delayed.

If you're discouraged, turn it around by remembering God teaches you patience during delay. Ask him to transform your discouragement into patience. 

Rick Warren's Daily Devotional http://www.saddlebackresources.com/ from YOUVersion Bible

(All materials used in the digiscrap above are from cottagearts.net . Photo was taken using Samasung Galaxy S3, (c) wifemomptrp

Let Love Motivate Your Work

(God instilled this in my heart. Someone else might need to read this too)
 

The Apostle Paul says, "Do all your work in love." He doesn't say some of your work, but all of your work. He also says no matter "what I do, I'm bankrupt without love." (1 Corinthians 13:3 MSG)

The point is, any job can be turned into worship when it is built on the model of Christ's love; that love is expressed to co-workers, clients and customers. Mother Teresa said, "It's not what you do so much that matters, but how much love you put into it." Think about it like this -- Two-thirds of the word "career' is C-A-R-E.

So, I want you to pray a prayer every day this week. When you get up to go work, whether it's at home or at school, in your backyard or at an office or wherever you work -- I want you to pray, "Father, today I want to worship you through my work. I want to express my gifts. I want to do it as if I'm doing it for You and I want to do it in love."

"So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer." (Romans 12:1 TEV)

From Rick Warren's Daily Devotional: www.saddlebackresources.com