Tag Archives: 100 days

The First 100 Days – Day 54 – an old poem

This is a poem that I wrote in October 1988.

Father,
Let me enter in
to the throne room again.
Touch the coal to my lips,
make me burn again.
Father, forgive me for
wallowing in my sin,
Pick me up, heal me,
bring me home again.

(c)1988 M. Christine Wildman, all rights reserved.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

  1. 100 days of moving challenge – day 54 – workout with Kirsten
  2. 100 days challenge- blog – check
  3. 25 verses in 52 weeks – Ps 15:3-5
  4. 90 days Bible Reading – Song of Solomon
  5. 50 days T-Tapp – starting a new one – day 4

The First 100 days – Day 53 – Reputation?

This morning, I opened my email to get this message from The Pocket Testament League:

God at Work.

Dear Christine,

Do you have a reputation for sharing the Gospel? Mallorie in Aurora, Colorado, does! Here’s the story she posted to our website recently:

“At my workplace, I have been giving out the Gospels of John to people. A couple days ago, I ran across a coworker at the shopping center. He is a Christian, but he is having difficult times, and he told me he wanted to get closer to God. I asked him how is his daily readings with the Bible, and he said it wasn’t good, but he was told that I had given someone the Gospel of John. So now he’s reading the Gospel of John booklet!”

Mallorie was right to ask her coworker about his daily Bible reading. When we read the Bible each day, we grow closer to God, because it’s through His Word that His Spirit draws us. It’s through His Word that we learn of and are reminded of God’s love for us in Jesus. The small, attractive Gospel booklets are great tools to use to bring people back into the habit of reading the Bible every day.

The League has designed daily devotions to help you read the Bible faithfully. Each weekday, we’ll send a short Bible-centered devotion, along with a word on how you can apply the reading to your life. To find out more and sign up, simply go to Daily Devotionals on our website.

In Christ,

Mike Brickley
President

P.S. Get a reputation for sharing the Gospel with others. Keep a supply of booklets with you so you can hand one to the person who has heard that you gave the Gospel to someone else! You can order on our website at Order Gospels.

This weekend, we met several people at the RV Park. I was an evangelist for three things:

The Story of Texas Museum

The Story of Texas Museum

The Story of Texas Museum

Story of Texas Star

From Inside the Museum

AND

Escapees RV Club

I also was an evangelist for putting scripture on the walls of your home.

Names of the Lord

The Names of the Lord

Jer 29:11

Jeremiah 29:11

But not once did I inquire about a person’s relationship with Jesus.  Oh, I wore witnessing T-Shirts…the chicken’s way of evangelizing.  Not once did I turn the discussion to Jesus.  AND – it used to be that EVERY conversation I had, I turned so that I knew what that person’s relationship with Jesus was, and how to pray for them.

What happened?  I wouldn’t have thought so, but I guess my fire went out.  When I talked about the museum, I was insistent that these Canadians go and check it out!  Now, they have left my life, and while they DID go and check out the story of Texas, and enjoyed it very much, I don’t know if they know the story of Jesus – which brings joy unspeakable.  I was excited to talk to someone about the Escapees RV club, and meet ups, and what to do with the RV, but not once did I inquire in any way about their spiritual well being.  I used to have the reputation that I always knew where people stood with the Lord.  I had the reputation that if someone spoke with me for any time, they knew where I stood, and knew that I would be praying for them.  I used to have the reputation of handing out salvation gifts…tracts, bracelets, my own cards.  But this weekend, and embarrassingly enough, for many weekends, I did NOT represent.

I don’t believe it’s wrong to share common interests, but I AM the representative of Jesus wherever I go.

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

1 Tim 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

1 Pet 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

There are so many ways to let someone know that you represent SOMEONE.

  • When giving a tip at a restaurant, leave a card with the MONEY tip.
  • Have a ‘business’ card letting people know who you stand for.
  • Having tracts to share that fit with common topics that come up in conversation
  • Plan of salvation bookmarks, cards, like the colors of salvation
  • Having pocket Bibles to give as gifts

There are SO MANY tools we can use here in the USA…where no one is allowed to harm us for our beliefs.  And yet, I tremble and fear.  And I am embarrassed that I fear man more than I fear God.  I am embarrassed that I fear what man can’t do to me more than I fear for the souls of the persons I meet.  This is NOT the heart of Jesus.

2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

That is a wonderful heart.  But today, the beauty for me is the first part of this verse…

…but is longsuffering to us-ward,

God knows me…and He knows each of us.  I used to think that if I didn’t share the gospel with someone, they’d go to hell.  That’s another post…about how one plants a seed another waters.  But I would share the gospel out of a guilt that if I didn’t, who would?  I can’t entrust someone else’s salvation to someone else that may have a problem sharing just like me!  But the point is…we are all along a journey, and we are all in God’s hands, and HE is orchestrating this whole thing.  The purpose is NOT to condemn myself, but to quicken the Holy Spirit within, do a heart check, and plan ahead.

So – Where are you with Jesus?

Thanks for joining me in this journey,

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

Links for scripture on the walls of your home:


I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me!
Or follow me with the RSS feed.

  1. 100 days of moving challenge – day 53
  2. 100 days challenge- blog – check
  3. 25 verses in 52 weeks – Ps 15:3-5
  4. 90 days Bible Reading – Song of Solomon
  5. 50 days T-Tapp – starting a new one – day 3

The First 100 days – day 47 – This is the stuff that drives me crazy!


We don’t always get what we want…and one definition of God’s will is exactly what we would choose if we knew all the information.

our camper

Fifth Wheel and truck

We are moving into a 38 foot fifth wheel RV.  There is approximately 400 sq feet of space.

Part of that space was used up by a couch that wasn’t working for anyone…except the cats.

One of the requirements we had for a living space is a desk area.  I do a lot on the computer.  All of our photos are on the computer. My writings are on the computer. My digitized paintings are on the computer. I skype with our daughter, and most of my friends all across the country are ‘on’ my computer.  Jim just IS a computer guy, his work and his hobbies are on the computer.  So, a desk for computer work was a necessity!  The desk area options in this model of trailer we not what we wanted.  We chose this one because of all the windows.

We tore the couch out, gaining a 38×72 space, completely surrounded with windows.  The desk we would install couldn’t be taller than 28 inches.  And I wanted something that would look like it belonged in the trailer.  The cabinets are handcrafted cherry raised wood, with some etched glass inserts in corners.  I wanted something comparable.

One cherry option

This one, not the actual one I found, is similar to the one I wanted.  See, even when I want to find a photo of what I wanted, I don’t get what I want!

Anyway – this was $260.
It is from Sauder, The Heritage Hill Collection. It’s not long enough.  It’s too tall.  And it would take up the WHOLE DEPTH of the alcove.  This was my challenge in finding a nice desk.  When I found one, it was $800 – and still would take up the WHOLE alcove – and we realized that we really liked the openess of the alcove without the couch.  Therefore, if we put a desk in it, we would feel even more crowded than with the couch!  Plus, we didn’t have $800 to spend on ONE item for the trailer!

It was suggested that I put a door on top of two file cabinets.  Done that.  We’ve also put a door on top of two pedestals we took off a dresser.  But I really wanted something that would fit, and even a door was going to be too deep for the open feeling. I created a very intricate board for Jim’s desk top, and we talked about using it, but when it became obvious we did not want a very deep desk – that precious desk top was NOT going to work, because we were NOT going to cut it!

So, I gave up.  We went to Wal*Mart and purchased a cheap ($69) desk and shelf set – in plain black.  I was frustrated (which is just a pretty word for mad).  I WANTED something VERY nice, very furniture looking.  And I was SETTLING for some do it yourself Wal*Mart brand.  I am confessing that I was grumpy!  I was, as my best friend says, in a ‘whatever’ mood!

Here’s what we have:

Our Computer Desk

Our Office

To the right of the desk is a window just like on the right.  I have the shades down!  To my chagrin, this is perfect!  We bolted this down, and we are going to put a cherry shelf extension on top of that bookshelf, just to tie in the cherry, and to give a little more workspace. This size is perfect.  It looks great.  And, it’s everything I could have wanted…if I had known from the beginning what we really wanted!

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.

I DO want to yield to God’s will for me…because there is this passage that really sounds badly about demanding my OWN way:

Rom 1:21- 22Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts,
1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;


 This passage generally is used to point out the sinful nature of homosexuality. But, that is not the only sin that turns a heart away from God. The fact that the persons mentioned here turned their hearts away from God’s will starts a downward spiral:

Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Rom 1:32 is to all that participate in any of these activities:

Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

And, it ties in with Rev 21:8

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

James 1: 14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

I believe that God has a plan for my life. (Jer 29:11)
I believe that God is interested in every detail of my life.
I believe that God is sovereign, and therefore I should yield to Him in every area of my life.
I believe that when I put my desires above God’s, and that is usually indicated by my lack of patience, my anxiety levels, and my shortness with others, I am putting MY way above HIS way, and that is idolatry.

Saul learned that the hard way – by making decisions about how to fight a battle:

1 Sam 15:23 For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king.

I do NOT want to be guilty of rejecting God’s word for me.  The most important thing in my life is my salvation. The second most important thing is the salvation of my friends and family. And there are times that I get impatient with the lack of God’s hand. It always turns out, it’s not HIS hand that is slack or slow…it’s my eyes that are closed!

2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

I want my life to glorify God.  Therefore, I have to LISTEN and TRUST and OBEY!  In my heart and mind, everything in life is an act of worship – every breath that I take……every move or  step I take…every song I sing…My life is IN the LORD! So, even when it comes to a silly desk, God didn’t think it was silly! He prevented me from getting what I thought I wanted, and led me to what really fills my heart with Joy!

Here is my prayer, that my life would be worship!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

  1. 100 days of moving challenge – day 47 -Able to do a workout!
  2. 100 days challenge- blog – check
  3. 25 verses in 52 weeks – Ps 15:1-2
  4. 90 days Bible Reading – Song of Solomon
  5. 50 days T-Tapp – check – T-Tapp Workout with Kirsten!
  6. 30 days – T-Tapp January Jumpstart- the last week

The First 100 Days- Day 46 – Boiling Point

Boiling Temperatures and Idle words:

written by Christi Wildman, 10/10/98

Each person has a boiling point, like silver and gold. As they are purified, that temperature gets higher…they become
more purely meek. Until that time, they can be stirred up to anger by others adding ingredients into the mix.

When someone throws idle words around, they add ‘salt’ to the water, lowering the boiling point. If the person was
walking purely, and had their boiling point at the highest point, the added salt may just be an irritation. If the person
had had other things added to his situation, and had already had his boiling point lowered, then he may just blow up.
Judge if your words are good or bad.

Matt 12:33 (KJS) Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for
the tree is known by [his] fruit.

34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth
speaketh.

35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure
bringeth forth evil things.

36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of
judgment.

So, the one who throws idle words around, will be judged…and it shows what type of heart he has. The following also
illustrated the purpose of our words and the power:

Prov 10:11 (KJS) The mouth of a righteous [man is] a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. 12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Stirring up strife: This can easily be done by words, and without words, this is next to impossible.

Prov 10:13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod [is] for the back of him that is void of
understanding.

14 Wise [men] lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish [is] near destruction.
19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips [is] wise.
20 The tongue of the just [is as] choice silver: the heart of the wicked [is] little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
23 [It is] as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.

Idle words, combined with a sport to do mischief…what does this say about joking, teasing, or any other foolish
jesting?

Ephe 5:4 (KJS) Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of
thanks.

Does this add to the victims heart and cause their boiling point to be lowered? Who bears this responsibility? Who is
responsible for causing this destruction in another’s heart?

Prov 15:1 (KJS) A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Grievous words DO stir up anger!

Prov 10: 30 The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
31 The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked [speaketh] frowardness.

The mouth of the wicked will not go unpunished…but are idle words, joking, teasing, baiting, or any other type of
activity considered sin? What does the word say?

Ephe 5:4 (KJS) Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of
thanks.

Prov 18:21 (KJS) Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Prov 15:4 (KJS) A wholesome tongue [is] a tree of life: but perverseness therein [is] a breach in the spirit.

The person that is receiving is responsible for their actions also. They are in the fire of refining. And with each
purification, the fire must be turned hotter to purify.

It is their responsibility NOT to boil…to give up their rights…to cease from anger and forsake wrath

Psal 37:8 (KJS) Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

1Pet 3:10 (KJS) For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they
speak no guile:

But when tested to the boiling point……one must call out for grace from God, and He will deliver us, and we will be
purified…….before boiling over. We are to do preparation before the time comes, but we do have some help from God.

Prov 15:1 (KJS) A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Ephe 4:23 (KJS) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.

Ephe 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may
minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Colo 3:8 (KJS) But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your
mouth.

The person with the idle words is guilty of stirring up strife and IF the other stumbles, they are guilty of causing one of Christ’s little ones to stumble.

Luke 17:2 (KJS) It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that
he should offend one of these little ones.

The person being tested can cry out to God for a way of escape:

1Cor 10:13 (KJS) There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].

If we fail:

1Joh 1:9 (KJS) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.

The Commandments of Christ are to Love God and our neighbor:

Matt 22:37 (KJS) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Love each other, as God would have you love….and help each other to grow into the fullness of Christ, by watching what our words say and do….and our actions….

Ephe 4:32 (KJS) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Ephe 5:1 (KJS) Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

  1. 100 days of moving challenge – day 46 -Sick
  2. 100 days challenge- blog – check
  3. 25 verses in 52 weeks – Ps 15:1-2
  4. 90 days Bible Reading – Ecclesiastes
  5. 50 days T-Tapp – check – SICK
  6. 30 days – T-Tapp January Jumpstart- SICK

The First 100 days – Day 40 – the number 40

Have you ever noticed how often the number 40 comes up in the Bible?

February 9th is the 40th day of OUR year…and a good time to look back and see if I have started the year right.

  • 365 divided by 40 = 9.125(of course, we do have that leap year issue).
  • 9 is 3 three’s.
  • Three is the number of the Triune God.

An article about Biblical Numerology explains the way the Bible languages  also have numerical meanings.  Christian Resources discusses this unique layout of the Bible, WITH warnings of the occult nature of numerology.  A better term is numerics.

We once had an article that discussed this in more depth, and the wonderful thing about this is how intricately God wrote His word. Within the scriptures in the original languages, there is a type of numeric grid that threads through out the Bible, through out the writers, and shows God’s Amazing Authorship. And that is my point. God has set in motion NUMBERS!

  • Evening and Morning, the first(second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh) day.
  • Sabbaths are set on a schedule.
  • Seasons are set on a schedule.
  • Even the land has a sabbath.
  • The Bible kept track of ages and children(numbers!).
  • And then, there is the year of Jubilee – the 50th year!

So many things that are part of our spiritual walk have been high-jacked by the enemy, and we are so afraid to touch the evil, that we forget that the originator of ALL things, called them ALL good.

So, FORTY DAYS into the New Year.

A good time to look back.
Also, a good time to look forward.
What if we made a resolution for FORTY days…even 2 sets of 20, 4 sets of 10…could we make a difference?

Can I do anything for 10 days? Or break it down, 5 days? I can do ANYTHING for 5 days. Then start over…and do that 7 more times…and I’ve done 40 days. Then, start over, and do that 8 more times, and I have done something for 1 year.

  • I can eat right for breakfast.
  • I can choose the right snack mid morning.
  • I can eat right for lunch.
  • I can choose the right snack for afternoon.
  • I can eat right for supper.
  • I can choose the right snack before bed.
  • I can choose to go to bed at a reasonable time.
  • I can wake up the next day and start all over again.

I wake up every day – anyway – and make choices.
I know the last 40 days have been full of choices, some good and some bad. But I know that my redeemer lives…and that HE holds tomorrow in His hand. I just have to choose for this minute.

Another thing about 40. If you do something for 40 minutes, then take a 20 minute movement break…in an 8 hour day…you will have added up 2.66 hours of movement!  Hmmmmm, that’s cool!

I’m recommitting to my goals for this year…and I’m going to take the next 40 days one day at a time, adding up 5 days, then 10 days, then 20 days, then FORTY DAYS of doing something different than last year.

That’s growth…moving forward. So, happy 40th day!!!



Thanks for joining me in this journey,

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

  1. 100 days of moving challenge – day 40 -Sick
  2. 100 days challenge- blog – check
  3. 25 verses in 52 weeks – Ps 15:1-2
  4. 90 days Bible Reading – Ecclesiastes
  5. 50 days T-Tapp – check – SICK
  6. 30 days – T-Tapp January Jumpstart- SICK

The First 100 days – day 38 – Love?

What is love?

1 Cor 13 says love is

  • patient
  • kind
  • does not envy
  • does not boast]
  • is not proud
  • is not rude
  • is not self seeking
  • is not easily angered
  • keeps no record of wrongs
  • does not delight in evil
  • rejoices in the truth
  • always protects
  • always trusts
  • always hopes
  • always perseveres
  • never fails

The fruit of the Spirit are:

  • love
  • joy
  • peace
  • patience
  • kindness
  • goodness
  • faithfulness
  • gentleness
  • self-control

I’ve been thinking about ‘love’ for a while, and in a conversation on a thread I wrote these thoughts:

“The thing is, the love is no better than the sinner that professes it. I know I don’t love 1 Cor 13…shoot, I’m still working on ‘love is kind’….and to expect that my partner is less human, as in more divine than I am is  to have WAY too high of expectations. I don’t know about ya’ll, but my husband married a sinner, and I married one too. We’re still workin’ our way out of the past things that have got to be taken care of so we can move forward to more wonderful…we had divorce papers on the table 5 months before our 25th anniversary. It AINT easy…but my commitment wasn’t to Jim…my commitment was to God – and as long as HE says stay…my faith is held in the balance. KWIM?”
“It is so much easier to love when you are ‘in love’….those feelings make things easier…but also blind us sometimes! It’s the long haul work that deepens the relationship. Just this weekend, Jim decided to be less than divine…and you know what? I responded in a very less than divine manner! But after 32 years, we KNOW we are going to work through it…so it is safe to have hurt feelings, angry feelings, disappointed feelings…because LOVE is no longer a feeling..it’s a state of being that governs everything else.”

There is that ‘love’ that one feels when one is attracted to the other person, and doesn’t see any faults, because all they can see is the positive.  It could be the beginning of love, it could also be the fruit of lust.  My point is, it’s a FEELING.

The day one get’s saved, there is this feeling of exultation, deliverance from death and resurrected into life!  It’s a wonderful feeling! Walking and talking with God all along life’s narrow way!

Then a trial comes along.  And God doesn’t feel so close by. And it hurts.  Life just happened.  And now, this is the work of working out your own salvation with fear and trembling!  This is the exercise program of our faith – when we don’t ‘feel’ it, when we want to quit because it’s too hard – when everything around us is dark and stormy, and obviously God is busy on the other side of the planet!

THAT IS WHEN FAITH AND COMMITMENT ADD UP TO LOVE.

We love because HE FIRST LOVED US.  When did He first love us? while we were yet sinners.  Job didn’t ‘feel’ God was near.  And Job was not happy that God would not hear his prayer for death!  And in the middle of that dark valley of the shadow of death – God spoke.  His rod and His staff straightened Job out, and then comforted him.

Job loved God before this trial.  And the trial had to be tough enough to refine Job.  And afterward, Job loved God more.  Job never denied God, nor cursed God, but Job struggled with the trial.

In marriage, there are trials.  And it’s in these trials that you work out your OWN marriage with fear and trembling.  You may feel that the other person has abandoned you.  You may want to abandon the other person.  You may even want to kill the marriage with divorce at times.  This is that dark valley of the shadow of death, where REAL marriages are made.  When feelings have NOTHING to do with REALITY.  This is where you practice 1 Cor 13, and this is where fruit is proven.

I don’t always feel saved – but I KNOW that I am.

I don’t always feel loved – but I know I am by God, and I know that my human counterpart tries to love me, as much as I try to love him.  I KNOW that we have chosen love.

We don’t have a choice.  Not if we intend to stay on God’s good side!

We are commanded to love.

WE ARE COMMANDED TO LOVE.

love one another…..

we love because he first loved

freely recieved freely give

love the church

love your neighbor

love your enemies

greater love hath no man but that he lay down his life for his friends

LOVE  is NOT  a feeling.  LOVE IS A STATE OF BEING. LOVE IS A WAY OF LIFE. GOD IS LOVE – and God is NOT a feeling.

And when the first reaction to anything is love, then 1 Cor 13 and Gal 5 will follow in kind.

The first fruit of the Spirit mentioned is LOVE.  And love has a huge definition.  If we just work on being love – all the fruit will flow and life will be a little more like heaven in our hearts.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

  1. 100 days of moving challenge – day 39 – fighting cats and dog
  2. 100 days challenge- blog – check
  3. 25 verses in 52 weeks – Ps 15:1-2
  4. 90 days Bible Reading – Job
  5. 50 days T-Tapp – check – OIP/HF, AL
  6. 30 days – T-Tapp January Jumpstart- day 12

The First 100 days – day 37 – ADHD Bible Reading

Hi.
My name is Christi.
I have ADHD.
(Hi Christi!)

I get distracted. Even when I read my Bible.
I don’t get distracted when I read a fiction book.
I think this is the work of the devil.
Nevertheless, it is what it is, and I need tools to help me ‘read’ my Bible.

Are ‘tools’ acceptable to God, or do I need to be puritanically religious about sitting down and reading and studying and notating MY Bible? Well, when Timothy was having some issues, Paul wrote this: Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities. (1Tim 5:23)
If that isn’t enough, God thought it was good enough to be put into the Bible!!! Now, I’m NOT talking about drinking wine instead of water!

I have been doing Bible in 90 days, and I have had some difficulties. I am committed, therefore, I have looked for some tools.

First, Speed! the Bible in 90 days website has some tools. Of course, these are for reading through the Bible in 90 days.  As for benefiting someone with ADHD…it is a faster way to get through all the begats and such. It moves faster, more at the speed of an ADHD brain!

Second, for ADHD persons, there is a need for multiple sensory experiences for things to hold our attention, and to stick in our brains. Here are some multi sensory tools that I have used, or have just found:

VISUAL – obviously the Bible reading is visual, but black letters on white paper is not very stimulating.

  • Christian Cinema has Matthew, Acts, and John on DVD.
  • For children(young and old) there are picture Bibles – such as The Beginners Bible, The Picture Bible, The Comic Book Bible, The Children’s Illustrated Bible.
  • For adults, there is this really neat Bible – The Archeological Study Bible. It adds details that keep this ADHD person from mentally straying!

AUDITORY – Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God…

KINETIC OR TACTILE – Touch it…..

  • Write out the Bible Verses.  Have a journal, or a flip chart, such as the one Beth Moore offers.
  • Coloring charts – yes, even for adults. PapaJan has free ones. Another site, Coloring.ws, has some pages with scriptures.
  • Kay Arthur’s Inductive Study Method, which my husband calls me coloring my Bible.

And here’s two more that I have just started to incorporate:

SCENT – a candle burning that stimulates memory.

  • Ps 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee [as] incense; [and] the lifting up of my hands [as] the evening sacrifice.

TASTE – I have a personal communion time – with a small piece of bread, and a small amount of grape juice.

  • 1 Cor 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

Taste and Scent are strong memory encoders.

For me, the key is to have various opportunities and tools that will flood me with the Word of God.  I hope this helps anyone with a tendency to be distracted as they read the Word of God!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

  1. 100 days of moving challenge – day 38 -Sick
  2. 100 days challenge- blog – check
  3. 25 verses in 52 weeks – Ps 15:1-2
  4. 90 days Bible Reading – Ecclesiastes
  5. 50 days T-Tapp – check – SICK
  6. 30 days – T-Tapp January Jumpstart- SICK

The First 100 Days – day 36 – Empty

Abandoned
like a newborn baby thrown in the dumpster

Attacked
like ravenous sharks at the smell of my blood

Broken
like a window with a rock thrown through it

Crushed
Like garbage gathered in a disposal

Deceived
like a black widow’s mate

Drowned
like helpless in a 20 foot hurricane surge

Empty
Like a clear night sky without any stars.

Forsaken
Like Jesus the night before the cross

Ground
like a pill into a powder

hungered
like a child that has to search a trash heap for some food.

Ignored
like the elephant in the tiny room

Pressed down
like apple scraps pressed for cider

Splintered
like boards at a karate studio

Struck
like a baseball heading out of the park

Stung
like being blanketed in a bee hive

Shattered
Like a thin crystal vase thrown against a brick wall

Pain, in every cell of your body crying out for emotional understanding and safety, and getting the opposite.
Parts that cannot take much more pain crying out for explanation, but only getting blamed.
Why are the sick blamed for their illnesses?
Why are the disabled blamed for their weakness?
Why are the protectors protecting those that need no protecting?
When does love come?
Hosea knows.
Job knows.
Someday, the child will know, too.
But who will stand up for the child?
Who can see past the lies, and set themselves aside and love the child?

Deuteronomy 27:19 – Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow.

Psalm 41:1 – Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the Lord delivers him in times of trouble.

Proverbs 31:8-9 – Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Matthew 25:35-36.40 – For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. . . I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.

Is asking for help when stumbling narcissistic?
Is asking for water when thirsty narcissistic?
Is asking for safety when threatened narcissistic?
Is asking for help for healing narcissistic?

Narcissism –noun

  1. inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity.  an exceptional interest in or admiration for oneself, esp one’s physical appearance.
  2. Psychoanalysis . erotic gratification derived from admiration of one’s own physical or mental attributes, being a normal condition at the infantile level of personality development.  sexual satisfaction derived from contemplation of one’s own physical or mental endowments

The First 100 days – day 35 – Hurry Up!

I’m almost to the 2 month count down for going to Germany.
Before I go to Germany, I have to have this apartment packed up to move into our RV.
Before we move into our RV,

Anna's Paintings 1

Triptich for Anna

I have to finish the painting I’m working on for Anna.

There is so much to be done to finish these paintings….there is so much to be done to pack for Germany….there is so much to be done to pack up(or rather, pack down) and move into an RV.

I feel like I am hearing this song over and over and over and over…hurry up,

Anna's Painting 2

The Triptich Separated

can’t waste time, hurry up, can’t waste time….racing with the clock!

I’ve written about racing, being in a race, how I’d love to do a triathlon race again(sprint….not iron man)…and how I’d love to be in better shape than I am.

But a new racing is hitting the fan…my heart.  Tachycardia is a BAD thing.  But anxiety is even worse.

Phil 4:6 NLT Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Matt 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

I am excited about going to Germany.  Me And Gabe

I am excited about moving into the RV full time.

I am excited to see Anna’s face when she gets these paintings.

I’m nervous, a bit, about flying for 10 hours with a service dog…I’m a bit nervous about downsizing for the RV….I’m a bit nervous about completing Anna’s paintings so that I can stand to see them hanging in her house.

Why should I take no thought, not worry, not be anxious?  Because I have a promise:

Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Is 41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee: FEAR NOT, I WILL HELP THEE!

And there is this basic promise:

Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us?

So, with all my excitement, and with the short time, and with all that I have to do….my focus needs to be on this:

Matt 6:33-34 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof.

What can I do more than what I am able to do?  If I do all that I am able to do, then that is good enough.  Getting caught up in the hurry up mentality will only make me too sick to enjoy ANY of the new things that are coming down our path.

And just in case those three things aren’t enough in the next two months, I also have to plan our three week vacation, starting one week after I get home(and that week is our move out/into week!).

“If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.” ~ Martin Luther
“Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees.” ~Corrie ten Boom
There are more quotes about prayer at Christian Prayer Quotations

Prayer, a prayer time, prayer focus.  My dear daughter reminded me today that the way I taught them to pray was to wake up saying “Good Morning Lord, thank you for this day…..” and to go to bed saying, “……good night, Lord, thank you for this day.” The point being, never stop in between.

Prayer combats the sin of worry…because faith displaces fear.

May we each be blessed today with what God puts before us to do…and to do that as unto the Lord.

Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Thanks for joining me in this journey,

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.



  1. 100 days of moving challenge – day 35 – walk on treadmill
  2. 100 days challenge- blog – check
  3. 25 verses in 52 weeks – Ps 15:1-2
  4. 90 days Bible Reading – 2 Chronicles 11-
  5. 50 days T-Tapp – check – SATI, OIP/HF, AL
  6. 30 days – T-Tapp January Jumpstart- day 9

The First 100 days – day 34 – ADHD Praying part three

Hi.
My name is Christi.
I am ADHD. ( Hi Christi!)

I sat down to do this blog at 8AM. It is now 11AM. I got distracted with

gmail(there could be prayer requests that I need to know about),

facebook( I need to stay aware of my friends),

chat(I have a really good friend to chat to, and I miss her when I don’t),

school alumni site(there’s a reunion coming and I have to get the news out).

I even have skype on, just in case my daughter, and grandson decide to jump in and say HI!

And my phone is it’s own computer!

Here’s the rushing of an ADHD mind:

  1. I chatted with a friend about doing some art for her,
  2. and I sent her some of my art photos –
  3. and my art photo files are so messed up…
  4. I need to organize them.
  5. So, I’m in my photo files, and my reunion/alumni site,
  6. so I decide to upload my Sr photo for my profile pic on the alumni site…
  7. and all the photos are really mixed up.
  8. I gotta organize this photo file system!
  9. While I’m at it, I’ll send these OLD photos of my graduation to the web guy for the reunion site…
  10. but I should try to improve them with some editing.
  11. Pull up the editing program, and I try to figure out what the best way to do this would be.
  12. Then, I give up on the editing, and just send him the pile raw…let him deal with it…
  13. Oh yeah, the reunion website guy just might help me with my word press issues…but how much does he cost?
  14. The other guy I was going to use just upped his fees from $1,000 to $2500 for what I wanted done…and, well, I don’t have $2500 for a web blog that is just my thoughts about the Bible…not selling anything yet!
  15. Oh, wait…here’s my friend on chat…and she has sent me a special gift…but it hasn’t come in the mail,
  16. so I check my gmail,
  17. my fb message and
  18. started to check my phone message to see if I sent her the right address…yep, she has the right address….

I need to write this blog!

And I have been everywhere but ‘here’.  I’m thankful that I got my musical praying done earlier…and now, I need to share my additional praying techniques. Maybe I need to pray for some blog focus techniques!
ADHD is a gift, but it’s a gift that one must control.  Self Control.

And sometimes we need tools to help us learn Self Control.

Prayer Tools

Various Prayer Tools

In addition to being ADHD, distracted at prayer time, I am also fat…I tend to fail at self control with food.  Self Control bleeds into every area of our lives.  So, just like tools to help with better eating…self control for praying  can include some extra aids to enhance focus.  It’s obvious that I need a lot of help in this area, and I have collected a lot of tools! And this isn’t even all of them!

Stormie Omartian has put out many many good books about prayer. She even has a blog with prayers that you can pray – just read a loud…and there you have it…a focused prayer!  I have several of her books, one being ‘The Prayer that Changes Everything – the hidden power of praising God”. The pages are prayer cards, they come out, and you can carry them around!

Beth Moore has written a book about Praying God’s Word. “Learn to tear down the strongholds in your life with the power of God’s word.”  That is the cards that go with that Bible Study, in the photo.

Sylvia Gunter, of The Father’s Business has made it her calling to teach people to pray God’s word.  Her Prayer Portions and Prayer Essentials Guides are HUGE compilations of praying God’s word.  The smaller For the Family is an excellent guide to focus your prayer life.

Psalms was the prayer book and the Praise book for the Jews.  It’s still a great tool to focus prayer…but I’m never quite sure what to do when David has me praying for God to kill all my enemies.  So, I get distracted!

The Catholic church and the Anglican/Episcopalian church has had a prayer book almost from the beginning.  In this prayer book there are wondrous prayers, such as the Nicene Creed, and the Apostle’s Creed.

Of course, we do have the greatest example of having a planned prayer given to us by Christ, Himself.

Luke 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

Luke 11:2-4 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread.  And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

There are many tools available to help someone focus in their prayer life.  I have only mentioned the ones that I have used.  Whatever path an ADHD person uses to focus on God, it is good, and will be blessed because God honors those that seek Him.

Here is a blessing that I put together, to remember what I want to pray over my friends and family. And here, I will pray it over those that read this blog…

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. …The Prince of Peace… Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Numb6:24-26; Phil 4:7; Is 9:6; Phil 1:6; Rom 8:38-39

Thanks for joining me in this journey,

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or ‘like’ me! Or follow me with the RSS feed.

  1. 100 days of moving challenge – day 34 – walk on treadmill
  2. 100 days challenge- blog – check
  3. 25 verses in 52 weeks – Ps 15:1-2
  4. 90 days Bible Reading – 2 Chronicles 11-
  5. 50 days T-Tapp – check – MORE, OIP/HF, AL
  6. 30 days – T-Tapp January Jumpstart- day 6