January 3, 2014

Good morning all-

I only have about 10 minutes today so we'll see how far I get.  I started work again yesterday and realized how important my time off really was.  I have a new perspective, better energy and the goal of helping my company be number one in the market place.  Lofty goals I know but with Christ I can do all things.  Of course, that doesn't mean He will let me be successful but I do all things for Him so that I can contribute and fortunately He has blessed me much.

Yesterday, one of the girls that worked with me told me that her mother let her know that to have a relationship with her and her children was a detriment to her marriage.  I almost choked up right there.  I have known this young woman for some time and if you met her you would not think any mother would be able to say that.  Part of me just wants to adopt her so that she will know how much she truly means and the other part of me wants to help her be strong in this life through Jesus.

Through our discussions yesterday, I was able to share the story of Peter.  I had read in a devotional by Beth Moore, that Jesus knew before Peter got into the boat that a great storm was to occur.  In all the times I read that story I hadn't even thought of that.  I guess I really just thought that the lesson came because of the storm, not really that God had started the storm to teach the lesson.  See Jesus knew what His disciples would face and He was preparing them for the storms of life.  He knew before Peter stepped into that boat all the things that would happen.  And in the end, Jesus did teach the disciples a great lesson on trusting in the midst of your storm.

That's how I began my time with her yesterday.  Encouraging her to look at the many blessings around her.  Family doesn't have to be blood, it needs to be those that surround you that know Jesus.  Jesus will take care of fulfilling your needs when people just can't or choose not to.  She is a beautiful young woman with tons of potential and I am asking Jesus to help me mentor her as a mother and an employee.  I praise Jesus for the opportunity I have to share the gospel in my work place and to teach others what Christ has taught me through all my storms.  I now know that each storm I have been faced with has been just another time of teaching me to trust.

I hope your encouraged by these words.  They are really not mine but the words of our Holy Father.  He is calling us to help all generations see the future through His eyes.  Of course, we must be present, willing and able to find Him too and to be willing to share His words and not just ours.  Be well today and know that I am blessed because I had just enough time today to make this blog come true.

Matthew 14:22-28 NIV

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.  After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.  Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.  Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.  When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said and cried out in fear.  But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage!  It is I.  Don't be afraid."