When it has been a bad day or maybe a bad week what are the things you turn to to find comfort and satisfaction? If I am stressed or having a bad day I go shopping. I literally could shop everyday. I love to scour the stores to find that perfect item that was meant just for me! I can buy a phone case or a wallet or earrings...really anything and instantly I feel better. I get home and pull my purchase out of the sack only to feel empty again. If you have ever tried to fill a void with any earthly thing then you know what I am talking about.
I have friends that have tried to fill this void with relationships. I have had friends that felt like if they met Mr. Right the void would then be full. They have spent countless time and heartache on relationships only to find that the guy is a loser or maybe he is fabulous but the void is still there.
I have had friends that have tried to fill the void with hobbies. Hunting, Running, or the beach these things all are great in the moment but at the end of the day when the hunt is complete, the runners high has deflated or the sun sets on the ocean the void begins to pour in.
Over the past few weeks I have been praying a prayer and I want to share it...
Lord, at the start of this day please fill me up to the brim with YOU. Fill me with YOUR ever satisfying love. Fill me with YOUR ever satisfying peace. Fill me with YOUR ever satisfying comfort. Lord, I want to be full of YOU so that I don't spend today chasing after everything else that will momentarily make me feel complete. I want to be complete in YOU because I know that YOU are the only thing that can make me whole. In Jesus name, amen.
It is so easy to crave the things of this earth. They all look so inticing. But if you spend a day full of the Lord you will find true comfort.
Babbling Brooke
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Girl Talk
Eph 4:29. Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
I cannot believe she wore that outfit last night! She has gained so much weight! Can you believe how she handles her kids?...All of these things and many more have came out of my mouth about people that I call sisters in Christ. I am ashamed, embarassed and sorry. I also will admit that it will probably happen a million more times during my life.
It has always been a question of mine but why is gossip and slander so popular amongst females? I am not saying that guys don't do it but it is much less frequent than girls. A group of girls get in a room and they immediately start in on another girl. Words cut deep, they stay in your heart and in your mind long after the I'm sorry's are exchanged.
Sunday morning our sermon focused on Ephesians 4:28-32. One verse imparticular jumped out at me. I made a pact with Brian on Sunday that this would be my focus for the week. I have only failed 10,000 times already this week but I have caught myself most of those times and gone back to the verse to reflect and refresh myself.
Eph 4:29. Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
Wow I have been stunned this week at how big of a struggle this is for me. I have been made aware that so many of us call each other friends and sisters in Christ and worship in the same room only to turn around and say a nasty remark about each other. I am thankful for this verse jumping out at me.
I am taking on a challenge and I encourage any of you reading this to take it with me...I am committing to build up people instead of tear them down. I am asking those that I know when they hear me say something that tears down to bring it to my attention so that I may go back to the verse and reflect.
Eph 4:29. Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
I cannot believe she wore that outfit last night! She has gained so much weight! Can you believe how she handles her kids?...All of these things and many more have came out of my mouth about people that I call sisters in Christ. I am ashamed, embarassed and sorry. I also will admit that it will probably happen a million more times during my life.
It has always been a question of mine but why is gossip and slander so popular amongst females? I am not saying that guys don't do it but it is much less frequent than girls. A group of girls get in a room and they immediately start in on another girl. Words cut deep, they stay in your heart and in your mind long after the I'm sorry's are exchanged.
Sunday morning our sermon focused on Ephesians 4:28-32. One verse imparticular jumped out at me. I made a pact with Brian on Sunday that this would be my focus for the week. I have only failed 10,000 times already this week but I have caught myself most of those times and gone back to the verse to reflect and refresh myself.
Eph 4:29. Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
Wow I have been stunned this week at how big of a struggle this is for me. I have been made aware that so many of us call each other friends and sisters in Christ and worship in the same room only to turn around and say a nasty remark about each other. I am thankful for this verse jumping out at me.
I am taking on a challenge and I encourage any of you reading this to take it with me...I am committing to build up people instead of tear them down. I am asking those that I know when they hear me say something that tears down to bring it to my attention so that I may go back to the verse and reflect.
Eph 4:29. Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
Monday, July 30, 2012
An Encouraging Friend
It was Hot! The heat index was 100 plus degrees. The humidity was thick, really thick. I wanted to tell the girls I wouldn't be able to make it. I thought of a million excuses of why I couldn't run. But when it came down to it they were all just excuses and I knew if I ran I would have no regrets after. I knew if I didn't run I would have a million regrets the rest of the night...
We started later than usual and we all talked about how it was too hot and we didn't really feel like running. We laced up our shoes, suppressed those negative thoughts and we hit the pavement. A few minutes into the run and I was feeling like a million bucks. Yes, I was hot but the stress of my day was escaping my mind with each step that I took. I ran past cute little kids on their bicycles and happy families that were playing in their yards. My side started hurting but I ignored it and continued pushing through.
I had 3/4 of mile left when I started wanting to walk. I fought the urge and continued on. Then my side was really hurting I was in pain! I slowed to a jog and with about a half mile left I started to walk. I really hadn't been walking long at all when I heard a voice behind me. It was one of my girlfriends, she was yelling "keep going Brooke! you got this!" as much as I wanted to walk I picked up my feet and finished my run strong.
I was so thankful for the encouragement because without it I most likely would've finished the last half mile walking. The encouragement reminded me of the blessings that our friends are. God blesses us with friendships with the intention that we encourage each other in our walk with Him. I am thankful for friendship and I pray that I am a source of encouragement to those around me. May we all build each other up in our walk with Christ and be there when we see a friend who is weary :)
We started later than usual and we all talked about how it was too hot and we didn't really feel like running. We laced up our shoes, suppressed those negative thoughts and we hit the pavement. A few minutes into the run and I was feeling like a million bucks. Yes, I was hot but the stress of my day was escaping my mind with each step that I took. I ran past cute little kids on their bicycles and happy families that were playing in their yards. My side started hurting but I ignored it and continued pushing through.
I had 3/4 of mile left when I started wanting to walk. I fought the urge and continued on. Then my side was really hurting I was in pain! I slowed to a jog and with about a half mile left I started to walk. I really hadn't been walking long at all when I heard a voice behind me. It was one of my girlfriends, she was yelling "keep going Brooke! you got this!" as much as I wanted to walk I picked up my feet and finished my run strong.
I was so thankful for the encouragement because without it I most likely would've finished the last half mile walking. The encouragement reminded me of the blessings that our friends are. God blesses us with friendships with the intention that we encourage each other in our walk with Him. I am thankful for friendship and I pray that I am a source of encouragement to those around me. May we all build each other up in our walk with Christ and be there when we see a friend who is weary :)
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Bath time Stories
It's a new trick she's picked up the last couple of weeks. She now knows how to open the drain in the bath tub. She loves to open the drain and then listen to the water as it leaves the bathtub at a rapid speed and flows down the drain. Then everytime like it's the first time, she looks up and realizes all at once that her beloved bath water is leaving her tub. She looks at the water, looks up at me. Looks back down at the water, back up at me and then the tears begin to flow. I close the drain and all is better in her little bathtub world (until tomorrow's bath when she opens the drain).
This scene is redundant, hillarious and pitiful all rolled into one. Yesterday was a messy day. We played outside and Meritt got sweaty and dirty so before lunch we headed in for a bath. The scenario that I described above played out and I got her out of the bath all the while trying my best not to cry at how funny and cute it was. Yesterday afternoon I spray painted a piece of furniture and Meritt played in a huge pile of dirt. Her hands, feet, and seersucker bubble all covered in dry dirt. So for the second time we headed in for a bath.
It was during the second bath while Meritt was looking at her water and wondering why she couldn't enjoy the water in the tub and the sound of the drain all at the same time without having to sacrifice either that I was struck. Over these last couple of weeks I've thought how funny this little bath time scenario is. Yesterday I became reflective of my own life. How many times have I ate whatever I wanted, only to look down at the scale to find that the numbers were growing? Much like Meritt I've looked up and thought why can't I have both? Whatever I want to eat and still weigh 120? I have focused on things and people more than I have focused on God only to stop and wonder why I feel like God is so far away? Again I look up and wonder why can't I put all the things that bring me pleasure before God but still have God stay right beside me?
As adorable as the story of Meritt in the bath is, it was also a reminder to me that I can't have everything. I can't have all the pleasures of this world without consequences. Every choice we make has a consequence. Whether we lose bath water or we get a speeding ticket. Every choice has a consequence. May we all be aware of our choices and stop and think before making decisions.
This scene is redundant, hillarious and pitiful all rolled into one. Yesterday was a messy day. We played outside and Meritt got sweaty and dirty so before lunch we headed in for a bath. The scenario that I described above played out and I got her out of the bath all the while trying my best not to cry at how funny and cute it was. Yesterday afternoon I spray painted a piece of furniture and Meritt played in a huge pile of dirt. Her hands, feet, and seersucker bubble all covered in dry dirt. So for the second time we headed in for a bath.
It was during the second bath while Meritt was looking at her water and wondering why she couldn't enjoy the water in the tub and the sound of the drain all at the same time without having to sacrifice either that I was struck. Over these last couple of weeks I've thought how funny this little bath time scenario is. Yesterday I became reflective of my own life. How many times have I ate whatever I wanted, only to look down at the scale to find that the numbers were growing? Much like Meritt I've looked up and thought why can't I have both? Whatever I want to eat and still weigh 120? I have focused on things and people more than I have focused on God only to stop and wonder why I feel like God is so far away? Again I look up and wonder why can't I put all the things that bring me pleasure before God but still have God stay right beside me?
As adorable as the story of Meritt in the bath is, it was also a reminder to me that I can't have everything. I can't have all the pleasures of this world without consequences. Every choice we make has a consequence. Whether we lose bath water or we get a speeding ticket. Every choice has a consequence. May we all be aware of our choices and stop and think before making decisions.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Hot! Hot! Hot!
This past Sunday we got to church only to find that the air condition was not working in our sanctuary. As it got closer to time for church to begin the sanctuary filled up with hundreds of people sitting side by side and immediately beginning to sweat. Brian and I had a little baby crawling all over us with rosy red cheeks from the heat. When she started to get fussy I took her to the staffed nursery where it was much cooler. I contemplated staying in the nursery myself and enjoying the cool air but I decided to go ahead and go back to the sanctuary.
I went back to my seat and immediately began to regret my decision. I found some paper and like most everyone in the sanctuary I began to fan myself. It felt like we sang a million songs. It felt like peoples prayers went on and on and on. During a song while I was fanning myself something behind me caught my eye...I turned around to see a couple of rows behind me an entire row of inner city kids who were all participating in worship and not one of them was fanning themselves. I know several of these kids living situations and I know that they do not live in homes or apartments with air condition. I found myself putting my paper down and I stopped fanning myself. I started praying to God thanking Him for the little things that I take for granted. I thanked Him for kids like the ones sitting behind me that weren't complaining but instead were just thrilled to be at church and willing and ready to worship under any circumstance.
The songs seemed to go a little faster and the sermon was over in a jiffy. May we all stop and look around and say a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings that we take for granted all too often.
I went back to my seat and immediately began to regret my decision. I found some paper and like most everyone in the sanctuary I began to fan myself. It felt like we sang a million songs. It felt like peoples prayers went on and on and on. During a song while I was fanning myself something behind me caught my eye...I turned around to see a couple of rows behind me an entire row of inner city kids who were all participating in worship and not one of them was fanning themselves. I know several of these kids living situations and I know that they do not live in homes or apartments with air condition. I found myself putting my paper down and I stopped fanning myself. I started praying to God thanking Him for the little things that I take for granted. I thanked Him for kids like the ones sitting behind me that weren't complaining but instead were just thrilled to be at church and willing and ready to worship under any circumstance.
The songs seemed to go a little faster and the sermon was over in a jiffy. May we all stop and look around and say a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings that we take for granted all too often.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Seek Him/Find Him
The birth of your child, the death of a loved one, a major sickness, the loss of your job it is circumstances like this that make this crazy fast world stop and shake much like an earthquake. Everything around you shutters, the people that interact with you stop for a moment check on you, pray with you and in a matter of almost minutes those people resume their lives. Much like cars on an interstate they zoom past you heading for their destination while you sit on the side of the road.
Have you ever felt this way? Felt like you were the only person in the world whose world was standing still? At that moment when you are having self pity you look up to see a friend holding out their arm to help you pick up the pieces of your broken world. Or maybe there are no friends. Maybe there is no one who is stopping to help. Maybe they are too busy or maybe they have deserted you. It is in these times that if you seek God you stumble upon just the right verse or just the right gesture from a complete stranger. It is in those words or that gesture that God is leaning down from heaven reaching out His hands and helping you pick up the pieces or showing you just what steps to take to get to your destination.
Thanks be to God who promises that if we seek Him we will no doubt find Him. May we all make the most of this life but all the while seek after God in all that we do!
Have you ever felt this way? Felt like you were the only person in the world whose world was standing still? At that moment when you are having self pity you look up to see a friend holding out their arm to help you pick up the pieces of your broken world. Or maybe there are no friends. Maybe there is no one who is stopping to help. Maybe they are too busy or maybe they have deserted you. It is in these times that if you seek God you stumble upon just the right verse or just the right gesture from a complete stranger. It is in those words or that gesture that God is leaning down from heaven reaching out His hands and helping you pick up the pieces or showing you just what steps to take to get to your destination.
Thanks be to God who promises that if we seek Him we will no doubt find Him. May we all make the most of this life but all the while seek after God in all that we do!
Monday, April 23, 2012
It's Right in Front of You
The other day I was opening a granola bar and it went flying. I'm not really sure how it happened but the wrapper flew out of my hands and so did the bar. They landed a couple of feet apart and as usual my dog, Jackson, was at my feet. He ran straight to the wrapper and sniffed it and you could just see the look in his eyes he was longing for the bar. I stood for a couple of seconds astonished that he was sniffing the wrapper and not devouring the bar. Then I bent down picked up the bar and the wrapper and it wasn't until then that Jackson realized that the bar had been there beside him the whole time.
My goodness, how similar are we to my dog? We get so caught up wishing and thinking of the things or relationships that we wish we had that we don't take time to look up and see the blessings that are right before our face. And sometimes, sadly the only time we notice the blessings that God has given us are when they are being taken away.
It is so easy to look around at the people in our lives and see all the good that they have be it jobs, relationships, health or materials. It is so easy to then examine our own lives and see the things we don't have or think about what we wish we had. We then are much like my dog sniffing the empty wrapper wishing that that it contained all the things we don't have all the while the blessings that God has bestowed upon us are 2 feet away being ignored.
We serve a generous God oh how it pleases Him to see us using our blessings, being grateful for our blessings and expanding His Kingdom with our blessings. May we all take a couple steps back and savor all that God has given us. I promise you no matter the hardships you are experiencing the blessings you will see in your life are bountiful!
My goodness, how similar are we to my dog? We get so caught up wishing and thinking of the things or relationships that we wish we had that we don't take time to look up and see the blessings that are right before our face. And sometimes, sadly the only time we notice the blessings that God has given us are when they are being taken away.
It is so easy to look around at the people in our lives and see all the good that they have be it jobs, relationships, health or materials. It is so easy to then examine our own lives and see the things we don't have or think about what we wish we had. We then are much like my dog sniffing the empty wrapper wishing that that it contained all the things we don't have all the while the blessings that God has bestowed upon us are 2 feet away being ignored.
We serve a generous God oh how it pleases Him to see us using our blessings, being grateful for our blessings and expanding His Kingdom with our blessings. May we all take a couple steps back and savor all that God has given us. I promise you no matter the hardships you are experiencing the blessings you will see in your life are bountiful!
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