When faced with discouragement

It's Thursday and I have awoken in a hoo hum mood today. I've GOT to go back to getting up earlier!! EVERYONE (except Kennyboo, she's not up yet!) in this house is on my nerves this morning!!! =) Hopefully this devotion will get my mind set on the things above and not on this world. There's just so much going on in my mind right now. So many things still unanswered. But, the thing is I see God working I'm just so darn impatient! This whole buying a house thing has really had me stressed out too, well I wouldn't say stressed out..........but maybe just a little more tense than usual. I'm so excited though, I just can't wait!

But for today, there are many things to get done, some not so fun, some lot's of fun. But, I guess sometimes I just get discouraged and then I have to kick myself and say STOP IT. You have SO much to be thankful for! God is working in BIG ways and I'd better stop because it's not right! Do you ever feel this way??? You see God working and yet you STILL get discouraged???!!! Ugh.......it MUST be a hormone thing! =)

Well, anyways, this morning I'm back in John. Today we are heading out to verse 10-13.

"He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husbands will, but born of God."

This verse is so powerful, so life-changing if you really allow it to sink in! "He", Jesus, was in the world and nobody knew it was him! The part where it says, "He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him", this is where I really have to stop and think about what exactly is going on.........I guess it would mean people who believed in God and knew of the coming of Christ. After all, it had been prophesied in the Old Testament about the coming of Christ.

I just read another translation that says this: "But to all who have received him – those who believe in his name 28 – he has given the right to become God’s children 1:13 – children not born 29 by human parents 30 or by human desire 31 or a husband’s 32 decision, 33 but by God."

I really love how this version says, "But to all who have received him......HE HAS GIVEN THE RIGHT TO BECOME GOD'S CHILDREN." That right there is the total basis of my faith. God has given me a free choice, to choose him or not. If I reject him, I know what my eternal consequences are. It is only through Jesus, God's son are we set free, are we offered this free gift! I LOVE how it goes on to say it's not by our parent's or anyone else's decision but only God's!!! God has chosen me and you! But it is ultimately our decision if we will receive him and the grace he has to offer or if we will reject him, once again. So I have to ask this question today, Are you receiving him or are you rejecting him???

My heart gets so sad as I think about other religions that teach us that Jesus was just a good man. I feel like the common factor with so many different beliefs is that it's just to easy......this "free gift" of eternal life. That they feel they must "work", "do good things", "you reap what you sow", kinda teachings. But in reality I feel like it's a heart issue, they don't think they are worthy of such a belief, so it must not be true, there MUST be another way to heaven, is what I feel many people think about this. But oh my friend, there is joy and there is grace found in Christ alone, it says it RIGHT here in HIS word, not mine words. But, it's simply a choice are you accepting him or rejecting him? That's some good thinking stuff right there!! =)

Yesterday was such a pretty day, and I think today is going to be the same. The girls and I took a long walk yesterday afternoon and I just can't get over how much Taylor is like her daddy. She can run and run and run. She chose to "jog" while Hope and I walked. Well, Hope started off "jogging" but grew very tired!! Taylor kept telling Hope in her "grown up" voice. "You'd better take it slow Hopie, you're going to wear yourself out!" Sure enough she was right!

Well, my laundry room looks like a Tornado came through it this morning so I'd better go so I can get it done! In our next house, we are going to have some serious organization with this laundry. It's OUTTA CONTROL. I think we need to have baskets all labeled and the girls need to learn how to separate everything by colors and put it all in the right place. Right now, they just throw everything on the floor until I pick it up, not a good system! BUT at least they are making it to the right place!! It just gets to be overwhelming because there is SO MUCH of it! I know.........you feel my pain! =)

Have a very blessed day!!!