Why Do I Have to Struggle?

To Keep Us Humble  

We all have something we struggle with.

Something that seems to hold us back.

The thing we wish could be different

so that life would be just what we want it to be.

It might be physical limitations, mental strife,

personality weakness (as we perceive it), bad experiences,

a painful past or struggles in the present,

nevertheless, we wonder why we have this in our lives.

Why doesn’t God change it?

Why did He allow it?

Is it possible that each person

 has something in his or her lives

that helps keep them humble?

Is it possible that if we had all those difficulties taken away,

we would be insufferably proud?

Would we forget God

thinking we can manage life just fine without Him?

This thought has given me a new perspective

about my own battles.

I thank Him for anything that keeps me humble.

I praise Him for keeping me

from getting lost in arrogance and pride.

If I had everything, the way I want it,

if I could do and be all I dream of,

could my human pride handle it?

I think I would become obnoxious and unbearable.

My weaknesses keep me dependent on Him.

My failures keep me humble and on my knees.

I praise Him for the countless blessings He has poured on my life.

However, I also praise Him for the struggles, the weaknesses,

and the failures that keep me depending on Him.

I am nothing apart from Him.

Let there be less of me and more of Him every day.

Susan Aken

3-22-2008

Why Celebrate Easter?

The resurrection.

Rising from the dead.

 New life.

 Death conquered.

Grace revealed.

Satan defeated.

Eternity secured.

Faith validated.

Hope confirmed.

Jesus lives.

Easter celebrates.

All invited.

Accept life.

Susan Aken

 Easter 2008

Have a blessed Easter!

Air Soft Gun danger/The Most Important Thing

First, I learned a big lesson the hard way this week. My son (15) has been playing a lot with his friends in recent months using air soft guns (they shoot little hard plastic pellets). They play it like paintball only you don’t have to be in a special place. I knew better (hindsight) but have not required that he wear any protection. Well, this week he took one in the eye. We had a trip to the ER and the next day to an eye doctor. The doctor called it a “significant injury.” Praise God he still has his eye and can see! But he must heal from Corneal abrasion, swelling from iriditus, damage to the retina in the back of his eye. This little pellet hit with a powerful force causing trauma. So, if your sons do this, please require eye protection! We will from now on.

     Next, there is a lady who does a weekly newspaper column in our metro paper. It is awesome because she is a Christian and always writes from a Christian prospective and shares the gospel. In yesterday’s column, it was about preparing for Easter but she wrote this, “What good does it do to be active in church, if our hearts are not filled with love?” Oh, how that pricked my heart! How often do I “do” spiritual things without loving people along the way. Please Lord, fill my heart with love.

Will I choose Life?

Every day in so many ways, I have the opportunity to choose life or death. From the time I wake up, by the thoughts I choose to think and indulge in, I choose life or death. If I choose to begin my day with God, I choose life. If I choose to begin my day by being self-indulgent, negative, hurtful to others, then I choose death. My first words to my family are a choice for life or death. Do I speak words of encouragement, love and peace or do I speak words that tear them down? What I choose to eat and drink can give me either life or death. In the activities I pursue, in the thoughts I indulge in, in the words I speak, I choose life or death. With each person I encounter in my day, I can give life or death. When I choose to ignore, be unfriendly, rude or negative to the people I meet, I am speaking death to them. When I look them in the eye and see their soul, when I smile and speak a positive word, then I speak life. When I pray throughout the day and let God’s Holy Spirit work through me, I choose life. When I ignore God and forget to pray, I choose death. (I am not talking about eternal destination but choosing to live the abundant life God wants me to have instead of living in the spirit of death the enemy wants me to have) When I allow my heart to be filled with critical, unforgiving, hateful thoughts and desires, then I choose death for others and myself. God wants His rivers of LIVING water to flow through me. I so often put up dams. I put up walls. The flow of that living water is stopped by my choices. I want the walls to come down. I want His “streams of living water” to flow from within me. (John 7:3 I want “the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart” to be pleasing to the LORD who is my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14) Help me Jesus to choose life, beginning with my thoughts. How wonderful, what a glorious thing, to be given a choice! To have the freedom to choose. I choose You. I choose life.

Looking to the true light

Keeping our eyes on Jesus Christ - that is the only way to stay on the right road.Keeping our eyes on Jesus is like an athlete keeping their eyes on the goal. When our eyes shift, all of a sudden we start heading a different direction, away from the goal, away from our Savior. Sometimes what takes our eyes is a spiritual leader and he or she may be a very Godly person, they may speak great truths and have a deep understanding of God’s Word. But, they are just as human as I am and each of us is. Which means that on any given day, they can fall into pride, selfishness, greed or other sin that momentarily leads them astray. The problem is if we are looking to them for guidance, we suddenly find ourselves feeling abandoned. We are disillusioned. The problem isn’t with them. The problem is where we are looking for guidance. The only true guide is Jesus Christ. If we keep our eyes on Him, we will never find ourselves abandoned. He will never fail. He will use various spiritual leaders who come and go but He is he one who gives the guidance. We are only as strong as our connection to Him. There is no human being we must have to be strong. Jesus Christ is the way, and the truth and the life.

Another Great Movie

We missed this movie in the theaters but rented it this week. “The Martian Child” with John Cusack. Watching this movie made me realize how many inane movies we have seen recently. This movie has such heart and is so meaningful. Our 15 year old son loved it also. It is about a widower who decides to follow through on adopting a child (which he and his wife planned to do.) He adopts a troubled young boy and it is such a beautiful story of how they help each other. I recommend it.

Goodbye Sam

My mother-in-law had to say goodbye to her pet of nineteen years this week. Her cat, Sam, had to be put to sleep. She was old and in bad shape. She was a good pet and companion to her all these years. She will be missed. My mother-in-law was so blessed by a poem the Vet sent her afterwards. It as been hard for her. 

Did you know that research says people who have a cat as a pet are less likely to have a heart attack?

The Way to Life

God’s grace astounds me.

No matter how often I fail, He forgives me.

He never turns His back on me.

His love never fails.

Jesus made it possible.

Thank you Jesus for taking my sin and giving me your righteousness.

I could never make it without You.

You are my strength to face each day.

Without You, I can do nothing.

Live through me today, Lord Jesus.

   There are so many false prophets in the world today. Just as Jesus said there would be. So many who are leading people astray and lying to them. Jesus Christ said, “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6  Anyone who denies Jesus Christ, is not telling the truth and will lead people to death. Follow Jesus - “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13

One Step Closer To Jesus

Father, I pray for all those close to me.    Those in our family.    Our friends.    All You have brought into my life and across my path.    Please bring each one, one step closer to Jesus.    We are all in different places on our journey down here.    Some are caught up in doubt that You even exist.    Bring them one more step towards faith.    Some have believed the lie that all roads lead to heaven.    Bring them one more step towards the truth.    Some believe You are real but You couldn’t possibly love them or forgive their sins.   Bring them one step closer to Your love.    Others have trusted in You and know they will live with You in heaven but they take your grace for granted and You are not a part of their daily lives.    Please bring them one step closer to following You.    Some believe You and follow You but they are confused and hurting because of trials in their lives.    Take their hands and lead them closer to Your heart.     There are those who love and follow You as close as they know how.    Take them even closer LORD.    Help them to know You better each day.    Please, Father, bring each one of us one step closer to Jesus today.    Wherever we are in our walk, may we be closer to You today then we were yesterday.

Schools out for cold!

You could hear the screaming down the street! (Jake not me) Last night we discovered school had been canceled for today! Right now it is -7 degree temp with a wind chill of -28. So at least a benefit came from the cold.

Maybe I will go the the Y and work-out today. I have loved it since we joined.

Word for today:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5