It is a common temptation of Satan to make us give up the reading of the Word and prayer when our enjoyment is gone; as if it were of no use to read the Scriptures when we do not enjoy them, and as if it were no use to pray when we have no spirit of prayer.  The truth is that in order to enjoy the Word, we ought to continue to read it, and the way to obtain a spirit of prayer is to continue praying.  The less we read the Word of God, the less we desire to read it, and the less we pray, the less we desire to pray.

-George Mueller

I'M LISTENING!

Okay so I felt the need to get some stuff off of my chest.  I was  going to come on here and ramble about words that don't mean anything at all...prayed about it and God totally transformed it and made sense of it all. Awesome.

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your  servant is listening." (1 Samuel 3:10)

Sometimes a good friend doesn't have to say anything and you know exactly what they are thinking.  Have you ever seen friends who are hurting and you think, "I should have listened better and been more attuned to what they were going through?"
God wants to know us in this way.  Our friendships develop because we listen to each other.  Why can we not apply this same listening skill to God?  We can hurt our relationships  with our best friends simply by hearing, but not listening.  We can do the same to our relationship with God.  When he speaks, we need to do more than hear -- we need to listen.  By listening, we will begin to hear God, like a true friend, and do what he wants without having to be told over and over again.

What hinders me from hearing is that i am taken up with other things.  It is not that i will not hear God, but i am not devoted in the  right place at that time.  I am devoted to things, to service, to convictions, and God may say what he likes, but sometimes i do not hear him.

Find that deeper friendship you seek with God - that in-tune, don't-even-have-to-say-it friendship.  God has been waiting.  He's been talking all  this time.  Pray that you can find the right channel and let it all in.

GOD IS TALKING.
LISTEN.
GOD IS.
ARE YOU  STILL LISTENING?

How long could you hang onto a word?

I've heard it said that

"You should never pass up  a  chance to let someone know how much they mean to you"...

There are so many moments in our lives when a little reminder and a few  precious words would work wonders.  I hope this is one of  those times, because i want you to know how wonderful you are... to me.

There are days when i think of you -- and of how important you are to my life -- and i think to myself, "You know, i really should be sharing these precious feelings, and not keeping them all  inside."

Why don't i share my thoughts more often?  I guess that i keep waiting for the perfect time and place to tell you what i  wish i  could say...

Maybe it's just that i'd love to talk with you, face to smiling face, and be reassured by your acceptance and understanding before i venture out on a limb in the deepest part of my heart.

But i'd like to start today by just saying thanks... for everything.  Thank  you  for being such a steady and joyful light in my life.  Thank you for being a blessing i continue to count on   through the years.

Thank you for brightening  so many days and for doing it  so  beautifully.

A SMACK IN THE FACE...

I totally got body slammed tonight.

I had a very needed talk with a friend tonight.  I had something I'd been sort of hanging onto and not really speaking to many about it.  Or I would bring it up in conversation and see how it goes and usually, well always drop it if the topic got distracted by something else.  Sometimes the time just didn't feel right.
Well tonight was def a God one.

I just wanted to share that you need to appriciate the friends that will just tell you as it is, whether it hurts or even if you don't want to be confronted by it.  I pray everyone has a friend like this, also that you can too be a friend to someone else.

To tell a friend point blank what needs to happen and not what would 'make them feel better' or 'what they want to hear'... get this courage, this courage that comes from God.

I know people lightly talk about it and everyone shakes their head and knows what im talking about, but dang just understand it and realize how much of an effect it can have on someone.  Dude, it could change that person's life forever!

I know this has a huge, HUGE impact on me and the way i now think about it.

Do it...
...if you love them.