Falling in Love With Jesus: Counting Your Blessings

My sister in law recently returned from a missions trip to a third world country. . .I keep begging her to stop going to these places. . .but God uses those who are willing. . .and she just happens to love it. . .

As I read this article listing 10 Basic Blessings You Should Be Thankful For, I thought of two stories she told us about her trip.

First, they were caught up in the crisis of a baby’s delivery with complications.  Talk about a God thing, one of the ladies in her group was a pediatrician, and the other was a critical care nurse of some sort.  My sis also happens to work in the medical field, so here you have three people who know how to stay calm in an emergency. . .who just happen to be in the right place at the right time.

Here they are delivering an in crisis baby in a tent. . .nothing sterile. . .nothing to tie off the cord, so they used a shoe string. . .nothing to deliver the placenta into. . .so they used a gallon ziploc bag. . .no gloves, no blankets to wrap the baby, who was blue, in. . .can you even imagine being in that situation?

Had that group not been in that exact place, with that exact interpreter, at that exact moment. . .that baby probably would not have survived. 

All I can say is. . .God must have something awesome planned for that child’s life. . .

And then. . .on their “off day,” they decided to go sightseeing to a specific tourist attraction. . .without going in to the details of that experience. . .what caught my attention was the fact that when they forded the river in their open air vehicles. . .she witnessed the women lining the river bed. . .washing their clothes. . .

We are so spoiled and so blessed. . .I cannot even fathom that in the 21st century. . .there are still places in the world that could be so destitute. . .so again, when I read the article, it required me to actually STOP. . .and to be thankful. . .to be really, really thankful. . .

I pray that you will take just one moment to read the article. . .and to just share briefly your thankfulness for God’s many blessings. . .what did we ever do to be this blessed?

God Don't Make No JUNK

When I was about twenty-five, a minister spoke directly to me during his sermon when he said, "God loves you, just the way you are."

I don't think I knew that. . .I had heard it, but until that moment, I don't think I believed it.

That one sermon, changed my life, my sense of self worth, and my relationship with God. . .

Don't ever let anyone tell you that you are not worthy, you are a precious jewel, God's treasure. . .I know the plans I have for you. . .God said this about you before you were even born. . .

So you get out there,

You feed your mind on what is pure, and good and holy, and the rest will take care of itself.

Take one moment to renew yourself. . .and your relationship with God. . .you are worth it.

Don't let the desire for perfection be an excuse for never finishing. . .

How is your love relationship?

I've discovered a new question.

How is my relationship with God today?

Did I spend any quality time thinking about God, or reading about God, or even just pondering the goodness of God, and the many blessings in my life today?

In my daily schedule, is there a place for God, or am I so busy that He just becomes an afterthought at the end of my day? How can I narrow my own interests, and broaden God's interests?

If what I say to myself is true, and if I understand that my entire purpose for being on this earth is to worship and to magnify my creator, what am I doing on a daily basis to make that happen?

My prayer today, is that, from this day forward, I may begin to intensely concentrate on God's point of view.

*Notes and thoughts taken from my favorite daily devotion: My Utmost For His Highest