Are you FAT?

A reminder from Rick Warren about just what it takes to be used by God.....
"Abraham was old, Jacob was insecure, Leah was unattractive, Joseph was abused, Moses stuttered, Gideon was poor, Samson was co-dependent, Rahab was immoral, David had an affair and all kinds of family problems, Elijah was suicidal, Jeremiah was depressed, Jonah was reluctant, Naomi was a widow, John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least, Peter was impulsive, and hot-tempered, Martha worried a lot, the Samaritan woman had several failed marriage, Zaacchaeus was unpopular, Thomas had doubts, Paul had poor health, and Timothy was timid. That is quite a variety of misfits. But God used each of them in His service. He will use you, too, if you stop making excuses."
I remember being taught that God desires FAT people in His service.....
Faithful
Available
Teachable
Take a minute and consider: Where do you rate in those three today?

Friday Friends and Faves #4

Today's Friday Fs & Fs installment comes to you from 3 lovely ladies....Linda, Joyce and Taryn.

In the Friend's section you'll hear from L as she shares some good stuff she's been reading (from J) lately. If you've ever worried....and let's face it, that's all of us....you'll be encouraged by what both ladies have to say.

And in the Faves section, my sister T has sent thru a link to some things she has been listening to lately that have been a blessing to her. Perhaps they will be to you too.

FRIENDS:

Excerpt from an email and it's pink coz that's L's favourite colour!

I mentioned to you the other day about the Joyce Meyer book 'Power Thoughts' that I am reading.  I have just read a page that I thought was so awesome that if you are wanting an idea for a blog, you can use this.  I will type it verbatim from Joyce Meyer.

"In years past, soldiers often protected themselves with shields, and in Ephesians 6:16, the Bible speaks of the "shield of faith".  Since shields provided protection, faith must be a way to protect ourselves when the enemy attacks.  However, a shield is only effective when it is raised; it won't help a soldier while it is on the ground or at his side.  He must lift it up and use it to cover himself from attack.  When the devil attacks us with unpleasant circumstances or thoughts that cause us to worry and be afraid, we should immediately lift up the shield of faith.  The way we do that is by deciding right away that we will trust God instead of trying to worry our way to victory.  It is very helpful to say out loud, "I trust God in this situation!"  Say it firmly with conviction.  Jesus talked back to satan by saying, "It is written," and quoting scripture (see Luke 4), and we can do the same.  God's Word is powerful, and it is effective against everything the enemy tries to do in our lives."

(a paragraph later)

"If you're a Christian who goes around burdened or weighed down all the time, something is wrong.  You may have had faith in Christ for salvation, but that doesn't mean you are living by faith.  The most difficult burden we have to carry in life is self.  Managing self, our daily living, feelings, temptations, temperament and inward affairs all can become a heavy burden if we do not place ourselves entirely in God's hands by faith.
Next, we must lay aside the burden of health, reputations, work, home, children and everything else that concerns us.  The Bible tells us that God is faithful (see Thessalonians 5:24); that's one of His major characteristics.  We can count on Him to come through for us, so we should trust Him totally and completely.  When we do, we will be ready for anything that comes our way.
There will always be situations that cause you concern,  but with God's help, you can live above all of them and enjoy life.  Learn to say with your mouth and with sincerity in your heart, "God, I trust You completely; there is no need to worry!"

I particularly liked the first paragraph I typed here, cause that's hit me where I am at the moment (like I mentioned to you the other day - fighting off the devil's try to cause me to worry or doubt) but i enjoyed the rest too, as in the past I have been a worrier, and excused it saying that's just me - I'm just a worrier.  But I don't have to be - I can choose not to worry about circumstances, and cut off worrying thoughts before they get bigger and bigger in my mind.   

Yes Linda! That's great truth....you make the choice. God provides all you need. So choose Him!

FAVES

Another email:

Hey K,

Thought you might like to put this as my contribution to your Friday blogs..... I've been having these stories from some people I know and others I don't as my "sermons".  Easy to listen to on the computer.  

http://sermon.net/familylifeaustralia/sermonid/2470256

Thanks T. If you go to this page you'll see a long list of other sermons from FLA. I am sure you'll find something there worth listening to. And since women are such wonderful multi-taskers, how about listening to one as you surf the net or Facebook or cook dinner or ????

Have a great weekend all....and remember, you're very welcome to make a contribution to future Friday posts.

Hey Readers...YOU can help

Yes that's right. I have 2 ways you can help me and this blog. Please consider....then act. Thanks heaps. And thanks to those who have passed on messages about how they are enjoying the blog and getting something from it. Fantastic....my mission is being accomplished!

Here's #1: I am soon to post #6 in the Surviving Singleness series. That's currently my last post in that series, unless you want more:) If so, you might have a suggestion for a topic or theme or perhaps you have a question I could help answer. Yes? Then please FB message or email me or leave a comment on the blog and I'll see what I can do.

And way to help #2 - don't forget Friday Friends & Faves is a place where you can tell your story...or a  part of it. Please email me with a few lines / pars / pages that I can use to fill Friday, but more than that, encourage others. It doesn't matter how old or young you are. Or how exciting or dull you feel your story is. Or if you can write well or you struggle. Go on...have a go!

D vs D

Flashback to the sermon on Sunday....Pastor J was talking about our identity and how if we have the wrong view of ourselves, it is damaging in so many ways.
Linked to that was the idea of our choices, which so often then form our identity...or what we think of ourselves. It was then he uttered these words...words that resonated with me then, and have been frequently on my mind since....

"Perhaps if we were more deliberate, we wouldn't need as much deliverance."

So in the context of Sunday's sermon, what I think he was talking about was making good, wise, Godly - DELIBERATE - choices in how we think and speak and act. When we do that, we are less likely to develop 'issues' that hinder our growth, or draw us away from God or damage our identity. 'Issues' we need DELIVERANCE from. So in the dating situation...a DELIBERATE choice to not push the boundaries sexually. In a friendship....a DELIBERATE choice not to gossip. In the workplace....a DELIBERATE choice to do an honest day's work and show due respect for those in authority. When faced with an offence....a DELIBERATE choice to forgive and not hold any form of bitterness or seek revenge.

And in the context of everyday life, I am reminded that I need to be DELIBERATE in my interactions with God, His Word and people. It is so easy to go through a busy day and apart from a glance at the Bible on the bedside table, a quick prayer for a good parking space and grace at dinner, I don't give God time or thought. Where is the 'DELIBERATENESS' in that?
Instead, it is to my benefit if I make and take the time to open that Bible and read it...filling my head with the things of God to meditate on and think about throughout the day. It is wisest for me to turn the TV off and for company, put the Christian radio station on. It's a much better choice when faced with a burnt dinner, crying baby and late-home husband (and don't we all know those 3 often steamroll us at the same time:) to lift my eyes and voice to God than to rant and rave and cry....even better if that happens to be the 6th or 13th or 27th time that day that I have spoken to my friend and creator. And when I hear about a friend in need, my immediate response of 'oh no...that's too bad' should be followed by a prayer and then a call or a meal or ......
Can I urge you to read this with ears to hear me whisper to you..."Be DELIBERATE my friend...be DELIBERATE."

Listen to the Lyrics #6

Chris Tomlin - I Will Rise

If you have never heard this song before, make sure you visit youtube and have a listen. It is awesome! Click here to listen now:)


There's a peace I've come to know 
Though my heart and flesh may fail 
There's an anchor for my soul 
I can say "It is well" 
Jesus has overcome 
And the grave is overwhelmed 
The victory is won 
He is risen from the dead 
And I will rise when He calls my name 
No more sorrow, no more pain 
I will rise on eagles' wings 
Before my God fall on my knees 
And rise 
I will rise 
There's a day that's drawing near 
When this darkness breaks to light 
And the shadows disappear 
And my faith shall be my eyes 
Jesus has overcome 
And the grave is overwhelmed 
The victory is won 
He is risen from the dead 
And I hear the voice of many angels sing, 
"Worthy is the Lamb" 
And I hear the cry of every longing heart, 
"Worthy is the Lamb" 
And I will rise when He calls my name 
No more sorrow, no more pain 
I will rise on eagles' wings 
Before my God fall on my knees 
And rise 
I will rise 



The first time I heard this song was when a friend, who has been going through a really really tough time, told me to have a listen. She said she had been given this song when she was in her darkest place. It has been a phenomenal encouragement to her since. 
She is no longer in that darkest of places and even though a battle still rages, a victory has been won. How? Through the prayers of loving family and friends; through a heart and lips to praise Him - even when that has been the hardest thing to do; and through a faithful God honouring His promise to 'never leave or forsake us.'
So no matter what you are facing today, know that Jesus has been in the darkest of places too. Remember that He faced derision, betrayal, abuse, ignorance, rejection, frustration, misunderstanding, persecution and death. He spent hours alone....on a cross and in a tomb. He was forsaken by the One who He most loved and had spent His life serving and honouring. 
Is there a darker place than that? And yet the outcome?? He ROSE! 
So will you dear one.....obey, honour, pray, praise and keep on keeping on. 

50 words

10 weeks to go:)

As I head down the home straight of reading through the Bible in a year, I came across this little gem...again. Considering the gazillion words I have read throughout the year, it's clever that someone came up with these 50 as a summary of God's Word. Not bad I reckon. 

What was bad was when I presented this to the kids in my Biblical Studies class and only a handful could tell me the stories associated with these themes. And that's at a Christian school. 

So please...if you have kids....teach them His word. Remember Deuteronomy 6.

The Bible in 50 Words God made, Adam bit,  Noah arked, Abraham split,  Joseph ruled, Jacob fooled,  bush talked, Moses balked,  Pharaoh plagued, people walked,  sea divided, tablets guided,  promise landed, Saul freaked, David peeked, prophets warned, Jesus born, God walked, love talked,  hate crucified, hope died,  Love rose, Spirit flamed,  Word spread,  God remained. BTW...what's your favourite verse? story? in the Bible. Comment and let us know 'what' and 'why'...thanks. Mine????ummm....Love Psalm 121...and the fruit of the Spirit list in Galatians and Joseph's story is amazing.

3 things....

What do the Old Testament books Nahum, Deuteronomy and II Chronicles have in common?


Well, apart from the extremely high body count (anyone else struggle with that part of the OT?), at first glance it may not seem like they are similar in any way. Oh yeah, apart from mentioning God.


I have read passages from these 3 books in the past 3 days and I want to draw out 3 points...not all beginning with 'P'. I'll post the sections below so you can have a read and I am sure you'll see where I am headed with my thoughts before I even put them on the page.


Nahum 1:3-7
 ³ The LORD is slow to anger and great in power;
       the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished.
       His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
       and clouds are the dust of his feet.
 ⁴ He rebukes the sea and dries it up;
       he makes all the rivers run dry.
       Bashan and Carmel wither
       and the blossoms of Lebanon fade.
 ⁵ The mountains quake before him
       and the hills melt away.
       The earth trembles at his presence,
       the world and all who live in it.
 ⁶ Who can withstand his indignation?
       Who can endure his fierce anger?
       His wrath is poured out like fire;
       the rocks are shattered before him.
 ⁷ The LORD is good,
       a refuge in times of trouble.
       He cares for those who trust in him,


WOW! What a God we serve. One with incredible power.....emotion....plans and purposes. One who is in control as creator and sustainer of the earth. One who is generous and good and HUGE.


What is our response to this awesome God to be? Read the RED bits below and you'll see how important our response to Him is....for our sake, our children's and His. Choose well my friends.


Deuteronomy 6
¹ These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, ² so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. ³ Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.
 ⁴ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. ⁵ Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. ⁷Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
 ¹⁰ When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, ¹¹ houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, ¹² be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
 ¹³ Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. ¹⁴ Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; ¹⁵ for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. ¹⁶ Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah. ¹⁷ Be sure to keep the commands of the LORD your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. ¹⁸ Do what is right and good in the LORD's sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers, ¹⁹ thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the LORD said.
 ²⁰ In the future, when your son asks you, "What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?" ²¹ tell him: "We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. ²² Before our eyes the LORD sent miraculous signs and wonders—great and terrible—upon Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. ²³ But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that he promised on oath to our forefathers. ²⁴ The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. ²⁵ And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness."


And finally, you want further proof of what God does in response to our response to Him? Check out Amaziah, Uzziah and Ahaz's stories.


II Chronicles Ch 25 and 26 - more stories of the kings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chronicles+25&version=NIV


As I read these 3 passages over the past 3 days, I was once again reminded of my total INSIGNIFICANCE (I should be writing that word in the tiniest font I can find) before an INCREDIBLE (imagine this in the largest font you can) God.


And yet, I have great SIGNIFICANCE because of God's plan and purpose for me as a treasured creation of His.


The trick? Getting that balance right in my thinking and my doing.

Friday Friends and Faves #3

Hope you have had a great week! Mine has been. Little j's doing well, Big J is fine and I have had quite a bit of sleep. So I can't complain.

Friends:
My wonderful friend E has made a contribution to the blog today. She certainly presents some food for thought and in keeping with the theme of this blog, she is very real. So, read on...

It is ironic really that I am sitting here struggling to get a moment to

write down my thoughts....  Who would have thought that my ten year journey

of unexplained infertility would eventuate in three children (the last of

which was a 'suprise') who now run me ragged with little time to contemplate

the spiritual 'breaking' which led me to this place.

I think that as Christian women we are united through our struggles

(singleness, infertility, marriage failure - to name a few) and our inability

at times to see the 'goodness' of the God we worship.  

Sure, we know in our hearts and minds that salvation alone should be enough,

but deep down the struggle of our life which continues to be raw and bleeding

leads us to question the fairness of God.  So let's be honest!  

I call the pathology "Good Girl Syndrome".  That is, the 'I have done

everything right and why am I not seeing Your blessing' syndrome....  

I swore for many of my broken years that I would never question God's

goodness or faithfulness.  However, despite this staunch stance and my

ongoing work in the church, the Holy Spirit and I both knew that I was dead

inside. In short, I had lost my belief in the fairytale ending and the

goodness of God in my life.  I was indeed afflicted with 'Good Girl Syndrome'.

My healing was an emotional one, well before the Lord answered my prayer for

children.  Slowly and surely the Holy Spirit softened and healed my soul, to

the point where my 'need' was lost in my love for my Creator.  I used to

compare myself with Paul and Silas, who, while in prison chains were still

able to praise God.  While the chains were around me, they no longer held me,

though I was in that prison for ten years.

However, the bible deals with those of us suffering from 'Good Girl Syndrome'

with many examples.  These are found in the persona of the older brother to

the prodigal son.  You may remember that once the younger brother returned

home from sqaundering his Father's wealth, a celebration was held and the

older brother questioned his Father's fairness - stating that no such party

had ever been thrown for him despite his faithfulness.

Another example is found in the parable pertaining to the workers in the

vineyard, where those who were recruited at the end of the day were paid the

same amount as those who had worked from early morning.  Again, they

questioned the fairness of this decision.  And finally, good old Mary and

Martha!  Poor old Martha - I so feel for her!

However, these illustrations all highlight the sin at the root of 'Good Girl

Syndrome' - hardness of heart.  The quiet attitude which is unspoken yet

filters through our beings.  The insipid comparison of those who have been

'blessed' with what we are begging for.  The haughtiness which knocks at the

doors of our souls and eliminates the voice of God whispering 'Peace. Be

Still' to the wind and the waves of our hearts.

Jesus wants us to be children who look to His face - to be ones who love Him

regardless of what we have.  Instead, the 'Good Girl Syndrome' has us looking

to His hands for the healing or the fulfillment of our desires. In short, if

we can repent and seek a relationship with the Lover of our souls, then the

healing comes.  Just as the bible says   "... Seek first the kingdom of God

and then all these things shall be added unto you..."

WOW E! I honestly couldn't have said it better myself. And from one who suffers from this 'pathology', thanks for challenging me to get at the heart of the issue...my heart. Thanks for reminding me that repentance and love and obedience are intertwined in my healing. Thanks for directing my focus back to the One. I pray we all live today with Him as our focus and our strength, our hope and our peace, our healer and our lover.

Faves:

Can't go past a link to the ultimate example of the 'good girl'

Proverbs 31 Ministries is headed by one of my fave authors (Lysa TerKeurst) and contains all sorts of 'stuff' to help achieve their mission...Bringing God's Peace, Perspective and Purpose to Today's Busy Woman. That 'busy woman' might just be you! The 'Everyday Life' section takes you to thoughtful articles on all things to do with...every day life (balance, marriage, spiritual life, health and well-being, etc..) and you can subscribe to their 'Daily Devotion'...just gotta find the time to read it busy woman!

A final thought....if you feel like you have something to say to encourage others, even a few sentences worth, please email it through to me so I can post it in future Friday blogs. Thanks heaps.

Baby Post

Just a little something for today and it's not an original 'Kirsty' idea or post....although I did comment on this post.

Please take a moment (that's really all it will take) to check out my friend B's article on her blog....especially if you didn't see my link to this on facebook yesterday.

It certainly puts some things into perspective.

Have a great day you wealthy, rich, prosperous...truly blessed reader:)

Link to Walking with B:
How rich are you?
(Thanks B:)

Surviving Singleness #5

Exercise the Love Muscle 

I remember tearing up in a discussion with a good friend about love, back in my late 20s. It wasn’t because I thought love had passed me by. And it wasn’t because I was not currently the object of anyone’s love, or a boyfriend or husband wasn’t the object of my love.

I was actually upset because I was thinking about my inability to love. I had become quite selfish by that stage in my life. Long hours alone, living by yourself, fixating on your own life will do that to a girl. And I was genuinely concerned that if God did bring a special man into my life, perhaps I wouldn’t know how to love him.

Well my friend soon put me straight, reminding me that since I know God – who IS love – if I stay close to Him, I would be able to love and love well. And besides, why was I waiting for loving to be a future action? Why not spend time developing my love muscle now…while I had ample time and resources as a single girl. Ouch! Sometimes friends can be so blunt……….and so right!

So one way I set about developing my ability to love was to become an encourager. Think about those in your life who have encouraged you. Aren’t they someone you admire, appreciate and want to emulate? I have been extremely blessed over my lifetime to have had many and varied people – from teachers to students to aunts to friends to bosses to sisters  - speak words of gratitude and encouragement into my life. They are words that have changed me, challenged me and comforted me. In fact, one of my sentimental keepsakes is my ‘Joy Box’….a box full of wonderful words of encouragement written by these people on beautiful cards and pieces of scrap paper. These are still treasures that I read once in a while, and even though many were written years ago, they still have the ability to refresh me, lighten my spirit and make me smile and get excited about life.

Imagine if my words – spoken and written - did the same for others? So that’s one thing over the years I have tried to do…bless and encourage others through words. I am one of those people who don’t like talking on the phone, but I have lists of people I pencil into my diary to call at different intervals throughout the month or year. I pray that a call from me and words I am trusting God to give me, will tell those people that they are loved.

I like to write cards and notes to people….workmates, friends, my family, students. And again, I hope that I might be offering a word in season to encourage them and give them that little nudge to keep going. Recently, I wrote 3 little notes to 3 teenaged boys I teach. To the Yr 10 boy who said ‘thank-you’ after a lesson, I said ‘thanks’ in return and urged him to never lose that gift of encouragement because it makes a difference. To the Yr 9 boy who used encouraging words on the sports’ field, I urged him to keep speaking kind, ‘build-em-up’ words with his classmates because he’ll never know how much they might mean to someone who is struggling. And to the Yr 8 boy who came last in every event, but still had a go, I encouraged him to always keep that ‘have-a-go’ attitude because with it, he will go far in this life. Simple things. 50 word notes, that took no time at all, but that I pray God will use to encourage those young men.

So who is in your life that you can encourage today? Family members, friends, workmates, your pastor, church family, teenagers, children, random people you see once a week…your postie??? Even if you are not the most proficient writer, it honestly doesn’t take much time or talent to pen a few lines of appreciation. A Bible verse can add extra encouragement. Or even Google ideas for quotes or verses that you might be able to use. And don’t forget, every May holds National Thanksgiving Day, perhaps you can use that month as motivation but even before then, how about you to write 5 cards of encouragement by Christmas. That's only 1 every fortnight!

Encouraging others does make a difference, and not just to the person who is the recipient of your kind words. As you exercise your love muscle, God shines through you and changes your heart. Perhaps He’ll even use your willingness to love now, in the single years, to develop your ability to love when you get married and start a family. That’s what He did for me.

Simple Pleasures

We had a lovely weekend away for my Dad's 60th birthday. Drove all the way south to the Sunny Coast for a family get-together on Saturday. What a special day! In thinking about it afterwards, I was reminded how much I have to be thankful for...
there's both BIG things and little things.
And more often than not, it is the little ones that just make life that bit sweeter.

We listened to a podcast on the way home where the author of Pure Pleasure....a new book about Christians and pleasure was interviewed. (Apparently you can download this one for free...see: this website) I was reminded by the author, Gary Thomas, that God has made His creation as a gift for me and when I embrace that and enjoy it, the benefits are two-fold. He is pleased AND I experience greater joy and contentment in life. Mr T said that an understanding and appreciation of pleasure can do 3 things for us:

• lead to more and deeper and spontaneous worship of God
• help us appreciate relationships much more
• protect us from temptation

My weekend certainly prompted the first 2 in me. Below is a list of some of the simple pleasures of the past 62 hours. Once you've read my list, would you add a comment to the post with a few of your simple pleasures of late...and would you take a moment to thank God for them, if you haven't already?

• calm clear waters of the lake
• brilliant sunshine 
• warm days and cool mornings
• pelicans
• caring family
• laughter
• my sisters
• Mum making me proud
• Dad's gratitude
• cheesecake
• generous people giving gifts to Jacob
• Jacob traveling so well
• casting a fishing rod
• sitting by a fire
• posing for family photos
• a wonderful husband
• safe travel
• green grass and brom flowers
• time to relax on the deck
• waffles and freezer jam
• quick wits
• sparklers
• family devotions and prayer
• planning Christmas
• hugs
• a 3 year old's version of 'Kirsty'
• imaginations 
• kindnesses
• being able to take the time and have the eyes to see and enjoy these pleasures

Your turn now....

Listen to the Lyrics #5

A Fair Bit More  - Claire Hazzard

Well I’m not asking for any big revelation

And I’m not asking for a formula

To work this whole thing through

But what I’m asking for Lord Jesus

Is to be a fair bit more like you

Just this afternoon things are very clear

That I’ll never get it right no matter what I do

So what I’m asking for Lord Jesus

Is to be a fair bit more like you

And yes I wanna die to the way I seem to be

And yes I wanna live through your Spirit in me

But once again I’ve let you down

By the bad things that I do

And I guess that’s why I need to be

A fair bit more like you

I wonder if you could pray these lyrics?

I read them and I am challenged to reassess my prayers. So much of the time I pray the opposite to verse 1.....I pray asking God for answers and help, in the hope that He will make my life easier...more comfortable....less stressful. I pray prayers for my own convenience with regular monotony. 

And I am sure God shakes His head. He wants me to pray the prayer that asks Him for transformation. To be made 'a fair bit more like' His amazing Son. He wants me to grow, to change, to be refined and to better reflect the character of Jesus. To be more patient, obedient, faithful, loving, joyful, peace-making, meek, generous, kind.....and the rest. He wants me to pray the dangerous prayer, not the convenient, easy-way-out prayer.

I call it a dangerous prayer because it is likely that He will answer it in a way that will stretch and confront me. In order to develop more patience, I might be faced with situations that unfold frustratingly slowly or people who won't do exactly what I want, when I want, the way I want. To become more loving, perhaps I am faced with 'unloveliness' and like Jesus, I need to make the decision to show love...make it a choice and an action. And to learn generosity, perhaps He'll put before me needs that I find challenging to meet, but what He is asking, is for me to rely on His generosity and resources in order to give.

And for as many times as I get it wrong, how wonderful that He is there to forgive and help. To move me on today from where I was yesterday...if I let Him. And the key to letting Him? The Holy Spirit. Empowered, led, guided, counseled by Him, I can become 'a fair bit more like' Jesus.

The question is....am I willing to pray that prayer?