Well you can see in the picture one of the books that I've been reading; "Confessions of a Raging Perfectionist" by Amanda Jenkins. It is great! I hope you all are picking up some of these awesome books I'm mentioning, because they are truly great books and God gave each of them a powerful message to share!
I've told you that the book is awesome. I knew it sounded great. Frankie and I were headed to Colorado in May when I first heard about it and I ordered it immediately. Now it's all with God's timing I believe when we finally read something. I've often times had a book that will lay around my house for a year or more and I don't pick it up until I feel prompted to pick it up and most of the time it's got a serious message for me. Actually when they mentioned it on the radio as being something a lady read on the entire out of town retreat to all the ladies and they didn't want to do anything else...well that must be a good book!
Now I want to share she got in my business! I read the cover and found she loves Diet Cokes well I knew the way she talked about them that we must be sisters of different parents and well we are, but she truly got in my business throughout the book, but I mean real business in chapter 10. How? She ask what were my "holy crutches"? Imagine it! Who wants to think about things that we might not be doing right ourselves like eating too much, drinking too many diet cokes, shopping all the time, going to the spa, trips, movies, partying, the list could go on and on...She really got personal when she mentioned when we go through a tough time, do you reach for the crutch or Jesus? Do you think you have to have that Diet Coke first and then Jesus? After all, the diet coke will be gone in just a second (especially if you drink them like I do) and Jesus stays with us always! Why not call on Him first? He definitely supplies all we need and when we need it, but we reach for that satisfaction in the moment. Think about it and maybe you are a whole lot better than me. If so, good for you! If not, read the book!
Are you enjoying your moments as much as you should? Well, perhaps we are being filled with this stuff that just doesn't last like Jesus! Who are you depending on? She talked about Jesus going to the wilderness for forty days early in His ministry and how He was tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4) Her thought was so that Jesus would learn dependence in a big way on His Father, so that He would get through the desert, his ministry, and the cross! Jesus knew all He needed was His Father to depend on and He was teaching us to depend totally on Him too! Imagine, we think these little things will help us and they do in the moment....moments pass and we still have that hunger that only Jesus will fill!
Over the past few weeks dealing with a few stressful situations I realized I was downing too many diet cokes! I had actually gotten a little better in the spring and well bring on a little stress and I was popping the top a lot on the diet cokes. I didn't start reading this book until I was in the middle of the stressful stuff when I was popping the Diet Cokes like they were my lifeline. Yes, I know it was wrong and wow did He show me! Even when He shows me my weaknesses I love it, because I realize how much HE loves me!!!! A lot more than I am able to comprehend and I love it that He shows up right in the middle of these moments in the absolute coolest ways!
You know part of the coolest ways is sharing them, even when it shows your own weakness! So, I'm sharing God's cool way of disciplining me and teaching me once again to look to HIM for my strength. He is so awesome and He did not tell me to give them up yet,(diet cokes) but I'll keep you posted if He does. Oh, I probably will not have to tell you if He tells me that because He will definitely have to help me with the bad attitude in the process! So ...check out this neat book and it really is good for women of all ages!
Also, remember to share even the tough moments when God shows up and then praise Him that He alone is the Great I Am. Share, Share, Share!
Remember is Psalm 23 ~ Who does it tell us is all we need?
The LORD is my shepherd; I have all I need...
Sweet blessings,
Debbie
