HEY, HEY, IT'S M-O-N-D-A-Y!!!

Wow long time no see huh?! Ya I know. Life is crazy busy, but today I didn't have to go to work (YAY) so i get to write to you. I actually have something to say today, too! :)

It isn't exactly a feel good message, but hopefully it will be a message that makes you look at the topic differently and gets ya 'motivated' to make a change. It is something I have been dealing with personally with people in my life. I love going to my church because every time the Lord speaks through them to me and tells me exactly what I need to hear.

Do you consider yourself a Christian? If so, what does "Christian" mean to you?

Did you know that 84% of Americans claim to be Christian? WOW! In that case, we all must be doing our part as disciples by going out and making more disciples! Do you think that is the case? No...me either. If we were, then the world would definitely look a little different. I think what the statistics really mean is that 84% CLAIM to be Christians on their terms...not on Christ's terms.

Being a Christian is the same thing as being a Disciple. Our preacher said when he was younger he thought there was a difference. He thought that he was a Christian, but to be a Disciple you had to go through a training class! But that's not the case. As Christians we are supposed to be Disciples.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20
How many of us are doing this? This year I have recently started reconnecting with the Lord and I deal with a lot of the same things I write here about. I invite friends to church or encourage others to find a church, but when they give me an excuse as to why they can't....I let it go. In my head I think of all the things I should say...but I back off in order not to step on any toes. But let me tell you...whatever excuse you have will not be good enough when the Lord returns. That's what I should be saying because it's the truth. And I tell you this as someone who used to make excuses! But once I had that push and visited a church just once then I couldn't wait to get back the next Sunday! 

I can totally relate to "I'm exhausted from the week and I want to sleep in." or "We are going to go to the mall instead." I'm sure those were some of my excuses, too. I even hear "I'm a Christian...I pray to the Lord and I try not to sin." But that's not all there is to being a Christian (disciple). To be a disciple(christian) of Jesus, you must be committed to Him above EVERYTHING ELSE. This is where one of my favorite verses comes in. I've loved this verse since I was a teenager.

"He who finds his life shall lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake shall find it." Matthew 10:39

What does that verse mean to you? To me, it means giving up our own life, our wants, needs, etc, in order to live our lives for Christ and to live the lives He wants for us. This means giving up a few extra hours of sleep, the sale at the mall, the matinee at the theater, so on and so forth, in order to make time for Jesus. Taking up your cross means saying goodbye. You must be willing to give up everything! God gave you freedom, but He did not give you freedom so that you could do whatever you want. "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law fulfilled in one word, even in this : 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" Galatians 5:13-14

Jesus died on the cross for us. And if asked I'm sure many of the 84% of self-proclaimed Christians would say "I would die for him as well!" But...would you live for Him? It is easier to die for something than it is to live for it.

"People before things, people before projects, family before friends, husband before children, husband before parents, tithe before wants, Bible before opinions, Jesus before all." Jo Ann Leavell

I hope this gets your gears moving and thinking and I hope it motivates you to make a change. If I can ever be a listening ear for you in any case please let me know. I would love to grow as a Disciple (Christian) with you. Have a great week!

God bless

<3
Audrey

My fb page : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oh-no-she-didnt/212208255556419?ref=hl

Motivational Monday

Ok, bear with me please. Sorry for my absence but I am writing you from my iphone. My power cord is out for my computer & I'm not sure how much longer my 6 year old laptop will make it. This and life is what's been getting between me & my blog. :( I miss y'all dearly, but I was determined to share something with y'all regardless.

I have a Women's Friendship Devotional & I read tomorrows entry early (you know you skip ahead too)! July 10th is entitled "When the Dream is Broken." the entire entry is too long to type via iphone but I'll share the key points.

Have you ever wondered "what if...?" what if my life were different or if it was the life I wanted for myself? I sometimes catch myself wondering what if I had accepted that 20,000 dollar scholarship to Mobile...what if I didn't get pregnant at 19...what if i wasnt raped(sorry to throw that at ya, but its the truth)... what If I was living out my dream as a singer...? Well, the end of this entry told me how to handle it.

Lord, I keep asking you for the life i want. Now I'm asking you to help me live the life I have. Help me to see you even through the tears. Help me to live this life in your power.
"This is not the life I wanted, but it is the life I have." 2005 Indonesian tsunami survivor

I guess the sooner I quit wasting time with the "what if's..." the sooner I can live the life I have. Life is a blessing. It disappears in a vapor...don't waste it.

Love,
Audrey

Motivational Monday #8

Let me start of by saying I am sorry the blog is progressing slower than when it started. I'm finding it hard to juggle both jobs, babysitting, and my own home life with my children and husband. I think about my blog and readers daily and always try to jot down any inspiration I find so that I can share with you. It has been a battle with emotions for me here lately because of an incident that happened in my home town. A little 3 year old lost her life to drowning and it really hits home for me because I almost lost my daughter that way as well when she was 3. I have been replaying all those emotions from that day, but this time because I know that they are being felt by this little girl's family. I know the blame that is going through their minds. I just want to hug this girl's mother and not let go. It is a tragic situation. The amazing thing from this is that hundreds of people at this water park held hands and prayed that day. Maybe some of them have never prayed before, but they say that beautiful girl struggling to be revived and kneeled in prayer. There is a prayer group for her and her family on facebook and there are over 5,000 people on there and growing. In her short, almost 4 years, she has touched more people than many of us. God used this beautiful angel in an amazing way. Please take the time to remember this little girl's family in your prayers. They need it tremendously right now and forever.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/425654634141085/

That is the link for little Sarah Golden's facebook page if you would like to join and help lift this family up. Thank you.

Now, where was I..oh yes...motivating you instead of saddening you.

*How to endure suffering*

- Be content to know WHO is in charge. Romans 8:28-30
-Acknowledge that He is with you. Hebrews 13:5
-Pray all the more. 1 Peter 5:6,7
-Know that God sets and knows your limits. 1 Cor 10:13
-Master the anger. James 1:19, 20
-Hope in the Lord. Job 13:15

"Without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. The gifts of grace increase as the struggles increase." St. Rose of Lima

"Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties." Helen Keller

Now, I am about to be "the pot calling the kettle black" because this is something I need to work on myself, BUT I figure we can work on it together...

"Worry is most often a prideful way of thinking that you have more control over life and it's circumstances than you actually do." June Hunt

"Worry is a choice that displeases God. When you worry, you reveal that you don't trust God to provide all that you need." June Hunt

Worrying takes so much life outta you. I know it is easier said than done to let go of worry....but really, what do we accomplish by worrying? It doesn't solve anything. It just causes us stress and anxiety and none of that is good for us. So try each day to leave yesterdays worries behind. God to sleep with a clear head. Hand it all over to the Lord and start each day fresh.

"God will never assign you an overload." Jo Ann Leavell

"While Christians are not spared suffering, they are promised deliverance from sin and the inner resources through the indwelling Holy Spirit to live a righteous life in Christ." Rhonda Kelley

"He who suffers most has the most to give." Jo Ann Leavell

"When you have clung to Jesus through pain and problems and experienced His amazing grace, you find joy in Him." Jo Ann Leavell

"Living by Faith is not easy, but it is essential. It is the only weapon for adversity that cannot fail." Dorothy Patterson

Well, that's all I got for today! :) I really hope you all are improving your outlook on Mondays. Shoot if I can bounce back from poking myself in the eye with a straight pin then you guys can bounce back too! ;)

God bless!

<3

Audrey

What mountain does the Lord have for you to climb? MM#7

"I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And by the grace of God, I will do." Edward Hale

I just love that picture. It gives me motivation. I am a Princess of the Lord and I do have a crown and will wear it everyday! :)

"Victory is won not in miles, but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later, win a little more." Louis L'Amour

Today's blog isn't going to be too terribly organized...it is basically a collection of quotes I have taken note of recently and a few things we have gone over in church.

Our speaker at church gave that opening line yesterday in church. Without struggle and without wrestling with the Lord, you can't grow closer to Him. Life is an adventure with the Lord, are you ready for your adventure? He has had your adventure planned before you were even born.

"Living by faith is not easy, but it's essential. It is the only weapon for adversity that cannot fail." Dorothy Kelley Patterson

"Miss no opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing it all for love." St. Therese Lisieux

Psychologists teach that the way people think affects their emotions, their ability to relate to others and their ability to cope in difficult circumstances. They maintain that positive thinking increases happiness and success in life.- side note from my Bible NKJV

"Is it enough to know I am only called to obedience to see with clear eyes of faith that the harvest will come later." Nancie Carmichael

"What a tragedy when big hopes are defeated with low efforts." Rhonda Kelley

"Worry is a choice that displeases God. When you worry, you reveal that you don't trust God to provide all that you need." June Hunt

I deal with worry myself. It's a bad habit that I need to lose. I know it is easier said than done, but it is food for thought.

Sorry that it is kind of short and sweet, but I really wanted to get a blog up this week and share the motivation I have been finding myself. I pray you are all well. Remember, wake up each day with a positive outlook. You control your thinking and your attitude.

love,

Audrey

Motivational Monday #6 (Memorial Day)

Happy Memorial Day! Today is the day we honor the men and women & their families who have served and are currently serving! "All gave some...some gave all." We salute you! I especially want to thank my husband for the 11 years of service he gave before he was medically retired. I'll never forget when we were pregnant with our second child and he came to the doctor's visit from work in his uniform and as we were leaving a lady walked up to him and shook his hand and thanked him. I broke down and cried. That moment touched me and my husband more than I can express.

Today's Motivational Monday is going to be a continuation of my blog on Friday night. I visited a church Saturday night and you won't believe what the Lord did for me!

We read from James 2:1-13. I was brought to tears when the sermon began and it was exactly what I have been dealing with and blogged about Friday night. That moment told me I was right where I was meant to be. Do we treat others the way God wants them treated? It has been breaking my heart lately to see how people treat one another. I've felt it first hand from people who are "close" to me. "There is no place so lonely as when you're in a crowd." Be Bold! Be part of the solution! The ground is truly level at the foot of the cross. It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, black or white...at the foot of the cross we are all on the same level. Favoritism is a sin. They say don't judge a book by its cover, but by looking at someone can't you tell if they are lonely, sad, hurting? Learn to welcome people, spend time with people...your actions and how you treat others speaks volumes.

 

As Christians we should never single anyone out and always welcome them. Sometimes all it takes is being there for someone that turns their life around. He told us about a skinny boy named Brian Warner who was never really welcomed in his church and one day they went to a theme park and were told to pair up and no one paired up with him, he spent the whole day alone at the park. This boy is who we know as Marilyn Manson. If only people wouldn't have pushed him aside and made him feel welcome and loved he could have been different.

 

He also told about a church who was built in front of a college and they hoped to attract the college kids but they weren't very successful. One day a young student in tattered clothes, long hair and a beard came in and sat on the floor in the sanctuary for the service. No one welcomed him. They just stared at him during the service. At one point an 80 year old deacon who has been with the church forever, in his suit, stood up and walked towards the student. Everyone thought " oh he is mad at this kid, who can blame him, that isn't how u "do church". But they were all shocked to see that 80 year old man struggle to get to the floor to sit with the student so he didn't have to worship alone. The preacher then said "None of you will remember my sermon, but you will remember what you just saw." We should all be that kind of person.

 

How can I become what God wants me to be?

1. Become Intentional

2. Become Prayerful

3. Become Observant

4. Become Bold

 

You never know how much a kind word means to someone. Be the kind of friend Jesus would be. Be the kind of friend you would want. Think of how you would feel if the roles were reversed.

 

<3

Audrey

 

"The Masses are Asses." Unknown

Where to begin....? This has really been weighing on me lately. I can't just push it aside anymore. This post's title is a quote I found while looking for my own inspiration to what I have been feeling. It truly describes the 'masses' of people in general. The majority of people are 'asses.' There are few genuine and real people out there and it really makes me sad. It sometimes even hits close to home. What happened to people caring about other people?

I battled being bullied in high school because I was a good kid,who was in the band, National Honors Society, etc, and I was from a lower class family. But to me, I didn't care who picked on me...I was still happy with just being me. Today, bullying means something else than when I was in school, and that was only 7 years ago. Kids are committing suicide today because the bullying is so intense. Why do other kids feel the need to make another child feel so bad about themselves that they would rather die than endure it any longer? So what if someone doesn't come from money like you...so what if they wear glasses...so what, so what , so what! I worry now because my son is only 2 and he already needs glasses because he is far sighted and has a lazy eye. What if he is picked on because of something no one can control? As his mother I would be infuriated if someone made him feel like he is nothing because of that. I am already infuriated as it is that someone is bullying my cousin. She is a child of God and full of faith. She is beautiful inside and out and she doesn't see that because other kids make her feel like she is not "good enough." She is just like I was in school. A great student, quiet, nice to everyone, and from a lower income family. I get so angry that I want to whip on some little high school kids! I try to give her inspiration and advice to encourage her and keep her from falling into the trap other children fall into when bullied. But she still is struggling.

“No matter how big a nation is, it is no stronger than its weakest people, and as

long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold
him down, so it means you cannot soar as you might otherwise.”- Marian Anderson (U.S. contralto, 1897-1993)

"People who look down on other people don't end up being looked up to." Robert Half

"People in general are cruel to one another. The only way to have fun to them is to make fun of someone. I hate that. Why cant someone be different? Why can't someone be themselves without being made fun of? I hate society because of how they judge people." Unknown

That last quote definitely shares my sentiments. I couldn't have said it better. If you are a victim of bullying...don't be a victim anymore!! Nothing those bullies say about you is true and you know yourself better than them for you to believe them! They speak out of jealousy, envy, anger...you name it! They don't make you feel less about yourself with any truth to what they are saying...they do it because making you feel less than you are dulls the light within you and allows them to shine brighter and steal the attention. Take what they say with a grain of salt and know childhood is only temporary. If you can be strong and trust in what the Lord feels about you then you will make it to adulthood and be thankful you never let the bullies bring you down. "This too shall pass..."

"Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you- not because they are nice, but because you are." Unknown

Kill them with kindness....that's what I do! :)

To this day I still get left out of things because I am different. I am proud I am different! I have made my mistakes in life...but I am not a corrupt person...I don't intentionally hurt others...I genuinely care about people and put an effort into having a relationship with those I love. But I will not be an option any longer. I can love you from a distance. I have stressed myself to the max trying to prove myself to people and I can't do it any longer. I have people in my life that actually enjoy spending time with me and love having me in their lives. They know me...my personality, my hobbies..etc. I don't have to prove myself to them in order to feel their love. I have distanced myself from a lot of people so I could come to this conclusion and see who really cared to have me a part of their lives. I am glad I did because it has shown me so much.

"Some people have active imaginations, but they don't know me and they're wrong if they think they do." Yamilla Diaz.

I can also guarantee you, if you didn't hear it from my mouth, then it isn't true.

These days people are only concerned with who or what can benefit them. They use people to their advantage. They drain the life out of others and discard them afterwards. I can't even begin to explain how disappointed I am in the human race. I have found a few quotes that seem to suit the situation.

"A different world cannot be built by indifferent people." Unknown
"All charming people have something to conceal, usually their total dependence on the appreciation of others." Cyril Connolly
Frost
"People seem to enjoy things more when they know a lot of other people have been left out of the pleasure." Russell Baker
"There are two kinds of people in the world- those who divide everything and those who don't." Robert B.
"People have become inappropriate. People have pushed too far. People have climbed too many fences. I'm just tired of it." Gwenyth Paltrow
"I believe we shall come to care about people less and less. The more people one knows, the easier it becomes to replace them." Ambrose Bierce

I just don't get why people think life is a game. We are not guaranteed a tomorrow and if you were to die today would you be proud of your life? I don't care how successful you are in your career or how rich you are. Would you be proud of of your life if the only flashbacks you got to see were those of how you treated others?

Think about it.

<3

Audrey

Motivational Monday #5

Yes...I made it!! Better late than never right?? ;) So I survived my first day at my second job!! I have taken on a part time waitressing job. I have been in customer service all my life, but this is a first. It is definitly a challenge, but once I get the hang of things I think I will enjoy it. I am working with great people! Any tips for a first time waitress? Mull it over and in the mean time here is some motivation for your week!

"Courage and cheerfulness will not only carry you over the rough places in life, but will enable you to bring comfort and help to the weakhearted and will console you in the sad hours." William Oster

"What we say does not matter-only what God says to souls through us." Mother Theresa of Calcutta

"But there is suffering in life, and there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it's better to lose some of the battles in the struggles for your dreams than to be defeated without ever knowing what you're fighting for." Paulo Coelho

"Everyday in every way I create my own reality. So what is it that I choose to create today?" Gabriella Goddard

"Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless." Jamie Paolinetti

"The only real failure in life is the failure to try." Unknown

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." Oscar Wilde

"You are not broken and you do not need to be fixed." Joshua Estrin

"Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain, but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving." Dale Carnegie

"All my life I have wanted to be somebody. I see now I should have been more specific." Lily Tomlin

"Always remember to slow down in life; live breathe, and learn; take a look around you whenever you have time and neve forget everything and every person that has the least place within your heart." Unknown

"And above all things, never think that you're not good enough yourself. A man should never think that. My belief is that in life people will take you at your own reckoning." Isaac Asimov

So as you can see, I have no specific topic for today. There is a lot of change going on around me and I know I am not the only one dealing with it. It's hard when so much is going on in our lives to remember that we are not alone and that we are good enough. And you may be having a rough day, but others around you may be as well and if you can just flash that smile it can brighten anyone's day and remind them of these little things as well.  I am going from working 2 days a week to 5, I am adjusting so bear with me. I plan to be more prepared next week. So although this blog is short and sweet, I hope the quotes were some what inspiring.

I got today's quotes from an app on my Iphone titled 55,000 Amazing Quotes. So if you have access to that app snatch it up! :) I do not represent Iphone or the app. Its just the phone I happen to have. ;)

<3

Audrey