Falling in Love With Jesus

• Posted on April 17, 2017 at 9:10 pm

When two people are in love, they want to spend every waking moment together. They talk to each other for hours, sometimes staying up late to do so. There is nothing they don’t share with each other. Everyone hears about this “wonderful” person in their lives. There just aren’t enough good things to say about him or her.

The last couple years, I have been thinking about how God desires this kind of relationship with us. If we love Him as much as we say we do, talking to Him and listening to Him would not be a chore. Talking about Him would be a natural flow because He would consume every part of our lives.

It is really sad when people only turn to God when they need something and, yet, the majority of people seem to do just that … if they talk to Him even then! It’s easy to sing, “Oh, How I Love Jesus,” but do we act like it? Does the world believe He’s our first love?

Love is more than words; it is an action. It is focusing on others instead of ourselves. It is going out of your way to please others. It is making an effort to have a close relationship.  All these are things that the Father desires from His greatest creation–people.

As I write this, I am examining my own heart as well. I’m sure I have flippantly said I love the Lord as well, but I don’t want it to be mere words. As God strengthens my body, I want it to be for His glory.  I want my love for Him to grow each day until I am more in love with Him than anyone else in the world. He has done so much for me. True gratitude would be to give Him my all. That includes my hopes, my dreams, my fears, my passions, my ambitions … everything that makes me “me” so that I can become more like Him. Once that happens, I will truly have succeeded in life.

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You Are Loved

• Posted on April 13, 2017 at 10:36 pm

A friend and I were talking recently about how easy it is for some people to feel unloved. I expect there are more who feel that way than there are those who will admit it, but the fact is that, no matter who you are, God loves you so much. And I expect He’s not the only One. I think the fact that I am single enhances this “unloved” feeling for me and yet I know that one can be married and still have these feelings. Marriage does not cure all loneliness.

I think the words “God loves you” has become overused so that people miss out on the magnitude of that concept. This week leading up to Easter is the perfect time to think about the love of God.

He left the splendor of Heaven
Knowing His destiny
Was the lonely hill called Golgotha
There to lay down His life for me

When I think about the love God has for me, I am amazed. Not only does He never leave me but He has blessed me with brothers and sisters, both physical and spiritual, who lift me up when I am weary. He sends the Comforter when I am down. But I think what amazes me the most is that He called me–a shy, sad, insecure teenager who would have been voted least likely to succeed–and He said, “Follow Me.” Then He placed me in a ministry, allowing me to work with my family, and He has given me a platform to be able to do something I love for His glory, and that is to write. I also get to travel and spread God’s love to others. I’ve been a bit “down” this week but, in reality, I am so blessed.

No matter how low you get, never believe the lie that you are unloved. I expect there are people in your life who may not say it for whatever reason but who really do care about you. And even if everyone around you really has given up on you, you have a Father who longs for you to run to Him. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He is there to hear your every joy, heartache, concern, victory, and anything else you’d like to share. That alone should be enough to put a smile on your face. Think about that these next few days. You are loved!

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Are You Ready?

• Posted on April 12, 2017 at 8:00 am

Death is one subject a lot of people don’t want to think about. I think about it a lot. How will God take me? A car accident? Plane crash? Cancer? Heart attack? Will I live to be old, or will I go in the next few years? Only God knows the answer to these questions but what I do know is that my day will come, and I pray to be ready.

Last week, another legend of southern gospel music went on to his heavenly Home.  I was not a huge fan of Ben Speer’s voice but I had to smile at his exuberance on stage. I still see him on one of the early Gaither Homecoming videos in his Hawaiian shirt, grabbing the microphone periodically to encore a song or say something. I’m sure his family is reminiscing about the things they loved about him or the quirks he may have had.

There are times when one wants to give up but, for a Christian, that is not an option. We have all been chosen to run this race called life. Many are reaching the finish line before me but I will reach it one day too if I keep running. If I will look straight ahead and not turn to the right or left, I know my Savior will pick me up when I grow weary, and He will carry me down that narrow path.

The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to have a close relationship with my Father. There is so much that wants to distract me but I desire to hear His voice. I long to walk in His ways. I don’t want to be the one who says on Judgment Day, “Lord, didn’t I do all these things in Your name?” only to hear Him say, “Depart from Me. I never knew you!”

Whether my time is near or far, I want to be ready. I pray that you are ready as well. Don’t think you have forever. The fact is, you don’t know.

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Random Thoughts 4-7-17

• Posted on April 7, 2017 at 2:16 pm

My dear readers, I am so sorry that it’s been a while since I’ve written. My site was down for about 6 weeks and then I was on the road for 2 1/2 weeks. This week, I’m home but have a lot of work to do in between catching up on rest.

It amazes me how easy it can be to “forget” the goodness of God. We get frustrated with the Israelites as they grumble and complain whenever things don’t go their way and yet we are often like that as well. I know, for myself, I often have to consciously remind myself of God’s goodness. Not that I ever really lose sight of that but I sometimes find myself focusing more on the negative instead of praising Him in all circumstances like I should. I have been blessed beyond measure and there is no excuse for self-pity and negativity.

I’m thankful for Brothers and Sisters who encourage me and bear with me when I am down, but I don’t want being “down” to define me. If I let discouragement define my life, then Satan begins to win and that discouragement will quickly become depression, which can be difficult to break out of. Therefore, I choose to say that God is good regardless of what is going on in my life. He is worthy of my praise. His plan is perfect whether I see it right now or not.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, life is short. Don’t waste it focused on yourself. Look up. Thank Him for sunshine. Thank Him for life. Praise Him for every bit of strength you have.

He didn’t promise my cross would not be heavy,

But He did say that He my load would bear,

He didn’t tell me He’d grant my hopes and wishes,

But He did say He’d hear my earnest prayer.    ~Dottie Rambo

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