Sick of hearing about God?

After having, what I thought was, a meaningful conversation about God with several of our kids a couple nights ago - our 5 year old said to us very seriously - "Mom . . . can you stop talking about God all the time? It is making me sick!"

I have to admit - my husband and I laughed. My daughter didn't find it funny. She also didn't see our point of view - to put herself in God's shoes . . . what if we said the same thing about her? . . . "Honey - can you please stop talking about our daughter. It's making me sick!" How would that make her feel? (To her defense - she was quite tired and cranky and needed to go to bed. She has always been our prayer warrior - the first one to always want to pray - and to pray awesome prayers for everyone she can think of!).

But it got me thinking . . .

Are you sick of hearing about God? Let me ask you again . . . are you sick of hearing "about" God?

Does your spiritual life resemble a relationship with God, or just a bunch of knowledge "about" God?

Do you wish your spiritual life was different? Do you feel like something is missing? Are you tired of hearing about God, but not really seeing, knowing or feeling God in your life?

Let me ask you this. . . . How much do you know about your dad (or mom, or husband, etc . . .someone you love and are close to)? How do you know all this information about them? Did you read some books or letters on them - what they are like - look like, feel like, smell like . . . what their hobbies are, what makes them laugh or cry, their favorite foods, music, etc. How did you attain all this information? Did someone who knows them tell you all about them? Maybe in the beginning. But to really get to know them - what did you have to do?

Yes . . . you're right . . . you had to have a relationship with them! You walked and talked with them - laughed and cried with them - ate, drank and worked alongside them. It was in all this time spent with them that you gained so much information about them. But more than that - you also gained love - a loving relationship! You knew they loved you - and you loved them. You would do anything for them out of that love - because you knew they loved you too.

God is no different. He's not a big, mean ruler off in a distant land or spiritual realm. He is here. Right beside you now. He watches all you do. He hears and knows all your thoughts. He knows every hair on your head, legs, arms and yes - even your back! He knows everything about you - even things YOU don't know about you! And best of all . . . He loves you unconditionally despite (because) of it all! :) All He really wants - is a relationship with you. That's it! And I can guarantee - when you start to enjoy that relationship, and fully accept His love for you - it will stir up a love in you that will bring about desires to please Him (through obedience, praise and worship and more) - not just because you "have" to!

So - if you are "sick of hearing 'about' God" . . . Good for you! Stop hearing about Him - and starting spending time with Him! Talk to Him - and especially, listen to Him! He's got so much to say to you . . . the most important thing is . . . . "I love YOU!"

Dive deep(er) into a relationship today!

L :)

Shame - Read my lips. . . .NO Condemnation!

Ok - here's my first attempt at putting an audio file on my blog! You will probably want to go down and hit "pause" on the music player so that you can listen to this. I will also see if I am able to post it so you can download the file - and then put it on your ipod or mp3 player to listen to on the go! Here I go - diving a bit deeper into the world of technology! :)

This teaching was one that the Lord recently allowed me to do at our church's Women's Immersion Weekend - all about our Identity in Christ. I was one of 4 speakers. In preparing for this topic, the Lord showed and taught me alot - and has really opened my eyes to why so many of us struggle with our identity in Christ . . . our identity in general!

I hope you are able to take the time and listen to what God wants to say to each and every one of you! He loves you sooooo much! :) Don't doubt it! If you do . . . please listen to this teaching!! Listen to it with an open heart and mind to what God would want to say to YOU. If you do - I know you will feel the love of God . . . for you!



To download the file and put it on your ipod or mp3 player - go here.

Drink a little deeper today!

L :)

Tough times? Need a Sure Foundation - A Fortress?

<sup>I felt like the Lord wanted me to pass on some of His words to you today. Let Him reveal the deeper things to you - the deeper love to your heart - the deeper revelations to your mind. Sit with Him and ask Him about these words today. He has alot to say - and He loves sharing it with you!

Isaiah 33
2</sup> O LORD, be gracious to us;
we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
our salvation in time of distress.

⁶ He will be the sure foundation for your times,
a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.


¹⁵ He who walks righteously
and speaks what is right,
who rejects gain from extortion
and keeps his hand from accepting bribes,
who stops his ears against plots of murder
and shuts his eyes against contemplating evil-

¹⁶ this is the man who will dwell on the heights,
whose refuge will be the mountain fortress.
His bread will be supplied,
and water will not fail him.

¹⁷ Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar.

Be encouraged in these challenging times (financially, relationally, spiritually, etc) - whether you are a mom with young kids struggling to just get through each day; a working man with mouths to feed at home and demands on you at work; a person who just lost their job and doesn't know how they are going to "make it"; etc. God wants to be your "sure foundation" in these times - and wants to take you to the heights - to live in the fortress He has designed just for you!

Be encouraged! Walk righteously. Fear the Lord. He will show you the way!

Dive deeper today!

Lori :)

Feel under attack?

Just a sip from the deep today.

Had to post this quote from a friend's Facebook page -

"The enemy wouldn't be attacking you if something very valuable wasn't inside of you. Thieves don't break in to empty houses."

YAY!!

So "consider it PURE JOY my brothers when you face trials of many kinds . . . " Obviously - the enemy and God think YOU are WORTH fighting over!!

Stick with GOD . . . He ALWAYS WINS! :)

Tell the enemy to TAKE A HIKE!

YOU are VALUABLE . . . because you are God's!

Believe it!

Lori :)