How do you like your eggs?

Life and the circumstances around you form who you are. Then one day you wake up or wise up and say hey is this who I really wanted to be? Or better yet is this who God wanted me to be. Well for most of us this happens a little at a time, because that's how God gives it to us. In little bits as He thinks we are ready.

One day I was watching the movie "Runaway Bride" with Julia Roberts, and there was this scene where Richard Grere was trying to get her to say what kind of eggs she liked. She couldn't tell him. See she had always just gone along with her boyfriends and what they liked. Well of course she was in denial at first but then one day she made all kinds of different styles of eggs and tried them to see which one she really liked. This really spoke to me. See I used to be such a people pleaser that I always just liked what others liked. When confronted with what I wanted with out taking others into consideration, it would stress me out. I always wanted to make the ones around me happy.

I find that a lot of people look up to movie stars and rock stars and sport stars. That is fine to a point. But God has shown me that he created each of us to have a special talent and function in this life. If we change ourselves to be other people we are slacking on the job God designed us for.

I used to struggle with these very simple questions. Where do you want to eat? What do you want to eat and How do you like your eggs? My answer generally would be, I don't know what do you want? See I thought I was being kind, which I was to a certain degree, however I was losing ME.

We are made in God's image, but what was His Image for me. There are times in our life we work so hard to impress others, but what about impressing God? God was showing me something one day He said "remember when you were a little Girl and had imaginary friends?" I said yes. He told me that "all that time you felt the presence of love around you, I was with you". He said "You have an imagination because I imagined you first".

When we grow and conquer things in our life, it is hard to imagine that we were different, but I do remember those indecisive days. It's nice now to say what I like and don't. It gives people around me a chance to like or dislike me, because now I'm a somebody not an everybody.
Step out and choose your eggs or whatever. It's okay to be you. God needs you to be who He created you to be.
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Dare to be all God wants you to be!

Blessings,
Lynn
I will post the next chapter of Study with Me tomorrow or Wednesday.
I am doing a Give-Away on my other Blog. Please check it Out!

Study with Me Part 3

Hi Everyone

We are doing a study using Joyce Meyers book "Battlefield of the Mind". Each chapter is unique so you can pick up at any time or go back and start in the beginning by clicking the button on my side bar which will take you to the intro of the study.

Part 3 - Intro to Chapter 16 - Wilderness Mentalities

We all have them - those mindsets that hold us back, the strongholds, the roots of bitterness, grumbling complaining fault finding. We are where we are, because of our attitudes along the way of our journey. It is okay to visit some places, or let some things visit us, but where we abide (make our home, our abode) is where we root ourselves. Is this the garden you meant to live in?

After I read this book the first time, I was driving to work one day thinking about the children of Israel. I got on my high horse and was telling God how silly they were to take so long and not appreciate Him. All of the sudden God spoke to me and said "Lynn - How old are you"? Gulp 40!

"How long did it take you so really seek this intimate relationship with me"? Ooops! I climbed off my horse real quick. :)

See we all have something that we allow to hold us back. (Notice I said "We Allow") We have a choice to stay in our pity pool or get out. I am not saying by any means it is easy, I know! No really I know. I wanted to blame everyone and everything for the mess I was in, but ultimately I had to take responsibility for my part in the decisions I had made in my life that got me to that point. Things come at us and things happen to us, but how we react to them is where the battle is won or lost.

I was raped twice when I was 15. I allowed that to condition a lot of my thinking about myself and about men and about relationships, even my relationship with God. (How could he let this happen) But to truly heal, I had to go back and accept my responsibility in the situation. Not that it was my fault ("NO means NO!") or that it was right for them to do that too me, but being in the wrong places was my responsibility and my wrong thinking after the attack, was my responsibility. See attitudes unresolved, fester like a sliver. They cause the area around them to swell and become oversensitive. Pretty soon they create a substance that looks and smells foul. And until we poked or snip 0r squeeze that area to remove that sliver - attitude -mindset - stronghold, it will continue to handicap that area of our life. Take a few moments to look at the parallels of a foot that has a sliver and the stages it goes through including limping, with an attitude that is not corrected in a certain area. Ponder that a moment. See how and attitude can change the course of your life. Pretty amazing and scary huh?

The rest of the book will examine 10 different "Wilderness Mentalities". As we read through Gods word and this book. Seek to lay down the "stinking thinking" that holds you in bondage.

Father God, Thank you so much for your inspiration in our lives, thank you for the courage you give each of us as we dig to be honest with ourselves about our shortcomings. Help us to see areas that we need to change and attitudes that are wrong. Hug us and let us feel your love and mercy so we are not tempted to beat ourselves up from our mistakes.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Until next time,

Be Blessed!

Lynn

Study with Me - Chapter 15

Hi everyone,

We are doing a study using Joyce Meyers book "Battlefield of the Mind". Each chapter is unique so you can pick up at any time or go back and start in the beginning by clicking the button on my side bar which will take you to the intro of the study.

In reading this for the second time, I feel like it is fresh and new like I have never read it ever before. Then I realized - I haven't. I am right now who I have never been before. Each day as I continue in God's word, I am not the person I was yesterday let alone the person that read this book for the first time 4 years ago. There is so much fresh revelation and perspective because of where I am now in my life verses where I was 4 years ago, emotionally and spiritually. Which leads me into this chapter.

Chapter 15 - The Mind of Christ

First of all I want to ask, Do we want the mind of Christ? Why would we want the mind of Christ? When I thought about that, these are the first couple things that popped into my mind.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Okay so I think it is safe to say there might be some benefits to having the mind of Christ. So the next thing is how do we get it? You get to know God, by lining yourself up with his word.

Getting to know God is as simple as spending time with Him. Read the word, talk to Him, include Him in everything you do. He's there already, He sees you, but you need to interact with Him. Have you ever gone somewhere a meeting or social event and had to sit by someone that wouldn't talk to you. You can talk all night and they learn a great deal about you, but you know very little about them. That's how we are with God when we don't interact with Him. Now I know he has a head start on knowing us because he created us, but if we make time for Him, He will reveal Himself to us.

Take your spouse or a close friend for example, you have invested a lot of time and effort getting to know them. You didn't just meet one day exchange a list of likes and dislikes and poof you knew all about each other. Your relationship grew by spending time together. Sharing experiences good and bad together. You do all sorts of different things with each other to the point that you know what the other likes or doesn't. You learn their mannerisms, the way the talk what they think, what their responses are about things before they respond.

To me that is what it is like to have the Mind of Christ - in operation.

What we spend time doing and focusing on is what we will be proficient in. The more we spend time in God's word and fellowship with Him, the more we will begin to think and act like Him. Our focus is where we will eventually go to. Have you ever been driving and start gazing out the window? All the sudden you jerk the wheel to get yourself back in your lane. What happens is you will drift on the road and in life where you focus your attention and time. That's why it is important to meditate on God's word day and night.

Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

I also think to have and operate with the mind of Christ you need to have vision - a goal.

Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]--blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he.

See if we have a goal in mind, or a vision of what God has in store for us, it helps us to stay on the path to obtain that prize. When we loose focus of our vision, we give up and give in. Think about Jesus. He had a vision of what he had to do. He knew what the Fathers plan was. When Satan was trying to get him to bow down, he offered Jesus all kinds of enticing things. If Jesus hadn't had a vision of a much bigger picture He might have given in. What about Jesus going to the cross. His flesh didn't want to do it - he asked "Father if there is any other way" but he had a vision of the Fathers plan. What if Jesus had just given up and said, it's too hard I don't even know all these people you're trying to help. Let them hang on the cross for themselves. No he had a vision and focus of a much bigger picture.

We can never overcome the storms of this world, if all we think of and focus on is ourselves and our problems, and our circumstances. Again, what we focus on is what we will drift towards and become.

Spend time with God, include Him in your life, get to know what he would say and do and then say and do it yourself.

Father God, Thank you so much for being with each of us as we grow with new revelations each day. Help us to seek you in all we do. Give us a vision of our life and what you have in store for us and help us to stay focused on the right path. In Jesus name, Amen

I would like to post a couple of chapters a week to finish the study up by the end of the year. God has given me a couple of nudges for something new He would like me to do. But in being honest with myself I can't take on any more until I finish what I have. ( I am currently doing 3 studies not including when Rachel O. posts something) So My posts might be a little shorter, but not less heartfelt. I hope you are enjoying the insight that I am getting from the book and I hope God is doing a work in you as well.

Blessings,

Lynn

Study with Me - Chapter 14

Hi Everyone,

To anyone new we are doing a study using the book "Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyers, join in anytime or go back and see the posts and comments from the start.

Chapter 14 - A Passive Mind

I went through this book for the first time when I had purposed in my life to actively walk daily with the Lord. So this chapter points out some turning points in my life as well. I started getting up earlier than normal to get in Gods word every day.

I can look back on so many times in my life that I was too passive, and unfortunately it cause destruction in my life for many years. See passivity can take on many forms and due to my previous personality of insecurity and people pleasing I used to have a real hard time saying no or speaking my real feelings. So I would take the stand of I'll pray about it and maybe it will go away. I'm sorry to say that doesn't really work. God gave us dominion over every thing that creeps on this earth and we have to speak to the mountain for it to move. He didn't tell us to hope and pray and everything will go alright. My prayers have changed from take it away to give me the courage to face it and over come it. Then I step out and face whatever, even if I have to do it afraid. (at first)

I liked the example of the lady that thought about being a princess and having her prince. She spent so much time thinking of it that the reality of her own husband repulsed her. Ladies, I have always thought that is why romance novels are not good. You create an image of a mate that can't be fulfilled. Just as much as it is not good for men to be looking at the magazines with the out of proportion models and comparing them to us women, we will always fall short because that is not reality.

By passively entertaining those thoughts, we are giving the devil entrance for more evil thoughts.

And as we see more and more through out this study, where our mind goes our body will soon follow.

You are the one that has to take your thoughts captive. You need to purpose in your heart to take action and fill your mind with the word of God. Remember, by not doing anything, you are still doing something.

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

Make the decision to actively think (on the word) and not let the devil have reign over your thought life. Ask God to point out the area's that you need to change and the strength to change them.

Blessings my friends,

Lynn