...for His eye is on the sparrow...

Today while sitting watching nature, I kept hearing this small rustle in the leaves. I noticed this small sparrow chasing a bug in the leaves.  The bug was trying its best to get away, but the small sparrow was so deligent in capturing it for a meal. It never knew I was watching due to I was in my deer stand so high up. I noticed how hard it chased it to just get that one bug that it got me to thinking about myself. How hard have I chased the "bug" in my life?

This morning someone sang this song in church. I have never really listened to the words, just always sang along. I listened close, then did a little research on where the author got her influence.

Matt. 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[b] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

Wow! It made me feel good to read this. To know that He sits and loves me no matter what. That as long as I follow His will in my life, and proclaim Him as my God, that He will always call me His. The same goes for all. No matter where we are in life. May we be wrapped up in a bad situation, call out His name and make Him the hope in your life. Let others know how happy you are because of Him. Tell the world of His goodness. Sing because you are happy...Sing because you are free from sin!

...and I know He watches me!

The hunt

I love deer hunting. It has been a passion of mine for years. My dad would take me as a little boy, and I loved sitting in the woods watching nature. Tonight as I sat there listening to the wind blow watching nothing but birds, coons, and squirrels play, I wondered if I would ever see any deer. The sun was setting behind the trees and the cool air was setting in. Out of the corner of my eye, a huge buck appeared and my heart was pounding. He was about 100 yards out. Too far to shoot with my bow. I prepared myself just incase he got closer. He came a little closer then walked out and away. The whole time I don't think I was breathing. My palms were sweaty and so anxious to kill the big buck for the year. As I sat there patiently he came back. WOW! I was ready. This time about 60 yards out. Any closer out of the thick trees and I was gonna take the shot. The thick brush was blocking my shot and if I would have chanced it, the arrow could have bounced off a limb and scared him away, not wanting to ever return. He walked away and I left dissappointed.

As I drove home, I thought about it the whole time. Then God began to speak. He had reminded me of all the times I was within shooting distance for Him to penatrate my heart with His will. Several times I got close, but not close enough. I had never looked at it that way. He reminded me of how close I would get, but something would distract me away from Him. So true.

Psalm 17:6-8

6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
7 Show me the wonders of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings

This has become my prayer for today. Let the arrows fly and penatrate my heart with Your will! Let me show the world Your great love! Mold me and use me to complete the hunt!

Why me?

Throughout this whole process of a new journey, I've asked God why me? The answer is just like what Jesus saw in Peter at the Sea of Galilee:

Matt. 4 : 18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

Peter was a crude, fowl mouth man who had a true heart. His heart was so moldable that Jesus saw that in him and needed that kind of servant. I am a true living "Peter". I don't live the most perfect life, but my heart for the children of this world is so strong, that God see's that in me, and well, needs me to spread His love. I am very excited to spread His love, but I do have lots of questions for Him. I'm full of excitement, stress, nervous, love, and all other emotions that come with following God on faith alone.

We use that word faith so easily, that we forget its meaning a lot of times. My prayer for this week is that my faith becomes stronger. I pray that He molds me to become a modern day "Simon Peter". I also pray that what ever He puts before me, I always say yes and no longer ask "why me?".

Psalms 119 Challenge Including Days 6-9

^{Even though I was not able to post while away this weekend, I still read the following and added todays verses. I challenge you that you read them and be inspired by what God's will is for you!}

³³Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.

³⁴Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

³⁵Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

³⁶Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

³⁷Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

³⁸Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.

³⁹Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.

⁴⁰Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

⁴¹Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word.

⁴²So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.

⁴³And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.

⁴⁴So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.

⁴⁵And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.

⁴⁶I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.

⁴⁷And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

⁴⁸My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

⁴⁹Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

⁵⁰This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

⁵¹The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law.

⁵²I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.

⁵³Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.

⁵⁴Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

⁵⁵I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law.

⁵⁶This I had, because I kept thy precepts.

⁵⁷Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words.

⁵⁸I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.

⁵⁹I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

⁶⁰I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

⁶¹The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.

⁶²At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.

⁶³I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

Psalms 119 Challenge Day 5

³⁰ I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I have set my heart on your laws.
³¹ I hold fast to your statutes, LORD;
do not let me be put to shame.
³² I run in the path of your commands,
for you have broadened my understanding.

Psalms 119 Challenge Day 4

I pray for strength in todays challenge!

²⁵My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

²⁶I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.

²⁷Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

²⁸My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

²⁹Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.

Psalms 119 Challenge Day 3

^{Sometimes, well lets just go ahead and say just about all the time, I have to make notes on things I am to do for the day. And when I forget to do something, there is usually someone there to remind me of what I didn't do that day. This is the same with God. He gave us some notes for life to live by and the Psalmist was praying that they never forget and keep His word with them always. That is my prayer today as well.}

¹⁷Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.

¹⁸Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

¹⁹I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

²⁰My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.

²¹Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.

²²Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.

²³Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.

²⁴Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.

Psalms 119 Challenge Day 2

Prayer today is that I not forget what His word teaches me every day. I pray that I keep His will close to my heart so that I am focused for where He is leading me.

⁹Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

¹⁰With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

¹¹Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

¹²Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

¹³With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

¹⁴I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

¹⁵I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

¹⁶I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

Psalms 119 Challenge

As I drive down streets I laugh to myself at the way the wording is on some caution signs. Like...SLOW KIDS AT PLAY....or....DIP IN ROAD. I know its dumb, but it makes me laugh...lol. God gave us some caution signs in life and they were very clear. The Commandments have been forgotten by the today christian due to we live the New Testament life yet forget how we got there to begin with. I pray today that the guidelines God has given me is something I don't take lightly and continue to set as a strict guideline on how to live a New Testament life. I pray that when God gives me a will, that I will do it with great joy and no complaints.

¹Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

²Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

³They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

⁴Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

⁵O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

⁶Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

⁷I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

⁸I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

KJV

My old boots

My favorite pair of shoes is my old work boots. They are broke in and so comfortable to wear. But they are not a perfect sight. They have been through the mud, snow, rain puddles, sweat, and just good ol' hard work everyday. But no matter what they go through they are dependable to always protect me from those elements. There was a time though when I first bought them they took a little time to break in and get used to. Marriage is the same way. When you first get married you just like the looks, but there is some breaking in to do. Of course if you talk to one person or the other, the other is always gonna say they did the breaking in, but thats not whats important. You both have to go through the same elements of the "mud and muck" to get where you are. Its not comfortable at first but with time it gets "broke in". God has chosen that perfect woman or man for you. Sometimes it takes a little shopping, but with time you find that one that is just right. I encourage to always take time and make sure thats the person you wanna marry. It could end up like those pair of loafers in the back of my closet with all the dust on them. Don't let your marriage get dusty. Make sure to always keep God first, spouse second, you third. Let God lead and guide you in all that you do. That way when you do go through the "mud and muck" its a comfortable ride. Today I think and live by verse Isaiah 62:5

Shackles of Love

As I get older, I think back on the "what if's". What if I had done something different in life, where would I be today. Did I make the right career chioce? Did I do everything I was supposed to do up to this point. But you know what. It doesn't really matter. If we focus on God and never take our eyes of Him He will guide us and make sure we follow the correct paths. Do I stray? Just about everyday, but the good thing about being close to Him is He has that "father" whistle. When I was young dad had this whistle that when it was time to come home you better be headed home. We could be 25 miles away and it seems you could still hear it from the house. Well God works the same way. He grabs our attention to remind us its time to come home and stay away from the trouble we are headed to. Its easy to get in trouble for me. I usually have that syndrome of where I try to fit my foot in my mouth, but there are times when God gives the whistle to remind me to come home and not try that path. Gotta love that part of Him. Protecting us even during the simple things in life to make sure we make the right decisions. Funny thing is I have to hear the whistle just about everyday. Today I live and think of verse Job 33:11

Never Let Me Go

As I write this, I'm listening to the song "Never Let Go" by David Crowder Band. And listening to the words makes me think of this life of ours. Today a young 30 year old girl lost her battle to cancer. To many, they think that is God taking life, but to me I see Him give. He came to save us from this sinful world so we may have eternal life with Him. To be able to dance, sing, enjoy life without any kind of struggle. To live free and not have a worry in the world. Its like when we were little and all we had to worry about was who do we have to share our toys with. Christ came and shared His whole life. Gave all that He could. Yet I still struggle to share my earthly gifts. To be able to release all fears, habits, addictions, and struggles. That is what I pray for myself and others. That we live an Acts 1:8 life. Share to this whole world and let them know that God Loves YOU! Today I think and live Proverbs 1:7.

Why didn't I think of that?

I see simple things that are invented and I think.."Why didn't I think of that?" We all have some kind of purpose in this world. What it is..is that for you to figure out? Nope. God planned your whole life before you were born. He handed you a set of blueprints and if you are like me, if you give me something and I don't do anything about it then...it gets lost. Lost sheep that is. We loose our way and God has that way of faxing, emailing, or tweeting that plan to you. He has been a continual connection in the past few years. Some days I loose connection or get a slow read out, but I do my best to stay connected in some form of fashion. Its easy with all the simple inventions around us...its best to stay connected with Him in prayer....now...Why didn't I think of that?! Today I live and think of verse Psalms 66:20

Faith

As I read the whole chapter of Hebrews 11, something occured to me. I don't rely on faith enough. Now thats an odd statement. Not being able to rely on something that isn't there physically but having faith that it is there. That whole chapter is about men of the Bible who depended on faith alone. What has happen to mine? Why can't I live that way? Is it because I have lost sight of my burning bush? Questions that make me question my faith. That is a tough struggle today. I usually have a lot to say and rant about, but tonight I just ponder on that. May I have faith to do that. Today I think and live by the whole chapter of Hebrews 11.