Internet Cafe Devotions

Internet Cafe Devotion asks a great question for this week....

Name what you think should be your first 5 priorities in life? Then order those priorities the way they actually are at present in your own life. Do they match up? Why or why not? If needed, what is one thing that you can do today that will help your two lists match up?

So...I have started my list twice...smugly started and then prayerfully started and then humbly written.

My smugly started list...
1. God
2. Husband
3. Children and Other Family
4.Business
5.Church Family

Then I prayed...haven't I been consumed by our business and the desperate feelings of worry about our economy? My simple time spent in endless worry... Doesn't my list look something like this?...

1. Business
2.Husband
3.Children and other Family
4.Church Family
5.God

I humbly realized that I have taken my eyes off of Jesus, as Peter did when he saw the wind, and I m sinking just as Peter did...
If my priorities looked like this...all would fall into place or rather...Walk on Water!

1. God
1. God
1. God
1. God
1. God

I can remember this scripture when my priorities get jumbled...

But Jesus immediatly said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
"Lord, if it's you, Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
"Come," he said.
The Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediatly Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," "why did you doubt?"
And when they climbed in the boat, the wind died down.

Matthew 14: 27-31
Prayer
Dear God, we all have storms in our lives that distract us from you and our hearts become troubled and we lose sight of you and begin to sink. Help us to remember that you have calmed the storms of long- ago with a word and these storms of today are no different. Storms will come and go but you remain as constant as ever.
Amen

The Internet Cafe Question

Do you have a godly (woman) mentor in your life? If so, describe your relationship with her… If you don’t have a mentor, would you like one and what would you hope to gain from the relationship?

I have been fortunate all my life to have wonderful godly women mentors in my life and I have taken them for granted. I hadn't any idea how lucky and fortunate I was growing up with my great-grandmother, two grandmothers, two aunts and a mother who all had strong Christian faith and values. Honestly, I can't remember a time not knowing the Lord...I feel I was born into God's family as I have been aware of His love my whole life because of these amazing women. Not just by word was I shown His love but by their deeds and acts of love, service and mercy.

It hasn't stopped there though...it seems I learn a new lesson from women who touch my life everyday...and it doesn't have to be an older women, as my daughter, daughter-in-law and future daughter-in -law have taught me real truths in the way they handle their joys, obstacles and disappointments. God is in our midst, if we would only see and listen.

And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

2 John 5-6

What breaks my heart...

There is a time for everything,and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance...
Ecclesiastes 3

What breaks my heart is when people treat the poor with contempt or utter disdain. When they judge them as responsible for their situation when this question should be asked of themselves..." How am I going to respond?" It makes me so sad to see so-called Christians with so much, and then be so critical of those with so little. We are all being made perfect by his love and I do know that our God uses every tear and every heartache for his plans and purpose and ultimate good.

"He will reply, ' I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for me.'

Matthew 25:45