Trust in the Lord

Well, this week has been a very good week for me, and I know it's because of the Lord. God has been teaching me a lot this past week, but the one main thing that had seem to keep coming up, is thought of trusting. Trusting what? This week He has reminded me, of how important it is to trust in Him, the Lord, and how important it is to trust His Word.

Last Friday, Saturday and Sunday at my church, we had Prayer School (which is learning great tips and lessons, on how to pray and have a better prayer life.) Wow...it was so good! I was reminded of how important it is, to have that special time with MY LORD!! Each day, is so sweet! The song My Quiet Time Alone (by Ron Hamilton), starts off like this: ""Before I start each day, there is a special place I love to go alone and seek my Savior's face: I find wisdom in His Word to instruct me in His will, And I hear His gentle voice say, "My child be still." My quiet time alone gives me power to obey, My quiet time alone with God each day. I talk to Him in prayer; ev'ry day He meets me there, My quiet time alone with God." How true! I enjoy getting on my knees, bowing before Him and just talking to Him, and hearing what He has to say!


 Ha, this is kind of personal, but when I am about to start my devotions, I ask the Lord, "Are you ready for our date?" You've heard of people having "Date Nights" right? Some people have it on just one day of the week, and some people have it maybe more than just one day of the week. BUT...I love having "Date Nights", every day with my Lord. There is no dressing up fancy or anything like that. He simply tells me, to come just as I am. The spiritual food this week, the fellowship this week...oh has been amazing. Why do we eat? So we can get nourishment for the day, and the Lord has been really been giving me the spiritual nourishment I need each day. I'm not going to lie, each day, I can't wait to spend that special time with my Lord. Now I am not saying that this week has been 100% perfect, because it hasn't. I have definitely had some down times. But being able to apply what I have been learning in my devotions, and taking time to pray to the Lord, has been a huge blessing.
 
So, let me ask you? How has your walk with God been, and how has your prayer life been this past week? Have you been spending time with the Lord? If not, I would encourage you!
 
"O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry, Everything to God in prayer."

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

We all know the song, "I Have decided to Follow Jesus". It goes:

"I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back."

As I was on my way home from Soul Winning, I was listening to some of my favorite hymns, when this song came on. After the first time listening to it, I replayed it back, and started listening to the words, and applying it to my life. I started thinking back to a conversation I had tonight with a friend, and how I was talking about my life and the different things that were going on. She said to me, "Cassie, you've got a lot going on right now." I kinda laughed inside, and I said to her, "I'm not a busy person..." In reality, I am. GOD, yes God has blessed me, and has allowed me to do so much. In my church...man oh man...He has allowed me to be part of the Music Ministry, and Nursing Home Ministry and many other things. Yes, these are only a few that are listed, but man, there is a lot involved. Now, I'm not complaining. Yes, sometimes it is overwhelming, but..."I have decided to follow Jesus... no turning back....." Yes, there is a lot going on in my life and in my family, but..."I have decided to follow  Jesus....no turning back..."

I thought to myself on my way home, "man the day that I accepted Jesus into my life, is the day I said, "Lord, here's my life, do what you will." Or in other words, "Lord, I will follow you." Like the last part of the song says, "no turning back." I thought about the things that are going on in my life, and I asked the Lord to help me keep my eyes forward and on Him. I asked Christ to help me to do my best, in what He has for me now, and what He is allowing me to. In Patch the Pirate Club, in nursery, in choir, teaching my piano students, play offertory's, helping out with my Sunday school class, while playing prelude for church, at my job, and at home...I want God to be magnified and lifted up. Sometimes...I do fail. But God...Hes right there and Hes telling me not to let "failure" get me down, but to keep on going.
 
In my devotions today, I was reading in Matthew 11:28-30 and it says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Man, how reassuring was, and is that verse to me. No matter what I go through, I can turn to Him and lean on Him! I want to be so much closer to the Lord. I want Him to continue to use, and I want all the praise to go to Him. So how about you? What does the phrase, "I have decided to follow Jesus...no turning back...." mean to you?

"...And He Holds My Hand."

This weekend has been really good. I have definitely been enjoying my four day weekend :0) On Saturday, (September 3), some of my sunday school class (Connections Adult Bible Class) and I, went class/prospect visiting. Man, that was one of the most amazing times I have had. God used some of the people we met, to be a hug blessing to me. While we were out visiting, and as we were talking to certain people, I was reminded of how we all go through hard times, trials, and even struggles in our lives. I know that in my own personal life, when trials do come down my path, I sometimes let it have "control" over my life, instead of letting the Lord have control.

I know in my life when things get crazy, I start to question God. "God what in the world is going on? Why is this or that happening? Do you even know what you are doing?" I was reminded on Saturday morning of what God says in Psalm 139. Psalm 139:1-4 says, "O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it." This verse was a great reminder that He, Jesus Christ knows me, and He knows everything that is and is going to happen in my life. All He wants me to do is trust Him. (Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.")

Now I am not saying that when trials and tribulation happen in my life I handle it the right way, because I don't. I don't handle things like that too well, but I want to and I try. I can't make it on my own, relying on my own strenght. Why? Bcause my own strength fails me. Like Ive been learning, and still will be learning, I can only make it through the valleys and trials, with the Lord. In Hebrews I am reminded that He never leaves me, nor forsakes me. He is always there for me. I just...just have to call upon His name. Its amazing to feel Gods presence!

Well, I just wanted to share that with you all! Have a great day!

"Fake It, Till You Make It"

This week, the phrase "fake it till you make it" has come up repeatedly in my mind. "Fake it till you make it"...I kept asking myself, "what does that mean to me?" This week has had its ups and down. One day I'm feeling great...and the next day, not so great. You all know what I am talking about. I'm sure we have all had one of these days, if not many. But, how do we handle the "not so great days." How do I handle those days? In my life, its so easy to become stressed out, about a bad day. Its so easy for me to get frustrated and upset about things that aren't going my way.  But that's where the phrase "fake it till you make it" comes in.

Isaiah 40:31 says, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint." Constantly this week, I was reminded of this verse. It was, and still is, a great reminder to me, that when I am having a "not so great day", that I can turn to my Heavenly Father, and ask Him to help me get through the day. Let me tell you, He is and was there! Those days that started out rough? Didn't get rougher, but better! The days were I might have felt weak tired? He gave me the strength to get through the day.

Ive been saved for almost 11yrs now, and I'm just now understanding, and I'm just still learning, that when things come down my path that I never saw coming, I have a choice on how I can handle it. I can either let the trial and circumstances overwhelm me (which is what I normally do, because I'm human), or I can take that situation, and let God have control. Oh how I was reminded of that this Wednesday. I am a pianist for my church (Bailey's Grove Baptist Church), and this Wednesday, I felt like I had a lot going on with the music. I had to prepare for Patch the Pirate Club, Offertory, Congregational, and Prelude. I'm not going to lie, my mind was overwhelmed. Many times during the day at work, I found myself reviewing my music. I just wanted everything to be ok...As the time got closer to start, I just asked God to take control of the music. I told God I wanted Him to be glorified! What great peace He gave me. As I played for each thing, I knew and I felt Gods presence! Praise the Lord.

So, I guess I want to ask you this question. How do you handle circumstances and trials that may not be seen coming down the road? Do you. (I), stress, freak, let it take control? Or do you, (I), "fake it till you make it" and trust the Lord do get you through. Ha, I am not perfect by any means, and I do struggle with this. But I am learning, and it's amazing! So I challenge you, the next time something comes down your path, "fake it till you make it", and lean on Christ.