Kingdom of God III

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Starting up a conversation with the clerk who is watching the self check out area. My conversation most often goes to God and the Good things He is doing.

The clerk mentions she is learning thoughts that keep returning must be from God.  Her example is about calling her daughter.

My response to her statement, “As long as it is not condemnation.”

Her question, “What is that?”

Her asking about condemnation shocked me! How can her life be so different from mine?

The world’s treatment filled me with condemnation.

The thoughts floating through my head my whole life until around 50 were condemnation. If I had a a chance to talk with someone I would kick myself for the next few days with these thoughts:

“I messed up again! I said too much! They won’t want to talk with me ever again. How could I do that again? Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!”

But God’s Way changed my thinking! I know I am covered and filled with His Righteousness.

Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now No condemnation for those in Jesus Christ. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.

In Romans 14:17 The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

How to #1: Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you my prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

How to #2: Ephesians 4:22-24 In reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self which in the likeness of God has been created in the righteousness and holiness of the Truth.

The way to renew our mind is to meditate on the scriptures that we need to grow in.

I started confessing, “I am LOVED! I am the Beloved! I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! There is NO CONDEMNATION IN CHRIST JESUS!”

Hopefully no one reading this needs to transform your mind from condemnation but I will say that it works. When put in the situation of being bullied the words really do run off my back as water off a duck’s back.

All my life I had to have the tv or radio on to keep my mind busy! This keeps the bad thoughts from controlling my life and dragging my down into the pit! But God has washed me new and NOW I am able to sit in a quiet room and be at PEACE!

God is So Very Good!

Building Strength Again

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The struggle with the up and down of life.

Just when everything is going well I return from a good run and trip over a vacuum part  left on the floor!

Flying headlong I call out, “Thank You Jesus!”

Surprise and thankful to hear these words as I fall. I must have put enough Jesus in me to wash out the junk. Jesus helps me miss the brick fireplace land on the soft dog bed. The only damage found is a scratch on my leg from the coffee table.

Hours later I get ready for bed and do my nightly plank and push-ups. The plank exposes  soreness but the push-ups expose damage to my triceps, ouch! Obviously, my triceps caught the fall.

Missing church on Sunday, I sleep most of Father’s Day. My husband is thankful to have me wake up at 5:00 P.M. to spend some time with him.

Monday depression sets in. 

“Why does life have to stop when everything is going well?”

Laying on the couch watching tv and falling asleep, I am feeling sorry for myself. But God wakes me with a start and I think,

“I can put one flower into the flowerbed and that will be success!”

Can you see the little corner cleared of grass?  The flower will be seen when it grows up!

The miracle of working multiple hours returns!

Tuesday, I step into the vegetable garden for the first time in over a year. My husband has done work, but it is a continuous fight. I cleaned the outside corner last week, but today the inside is my project.

The chair is my companion out in the yard. It gives my back a chance to rest so I can keep working. This year I decided the pillow could have double uses, one to support my back while sitting and the other to make the ground softer.

Five hours of work makes progress! It’s about ready to plant peas for the first time in over a year.

A week ago, God gave me the ability to work about many hours in the house cleaning, doing laundry, and making soup!

Two weeks ago a few hours were spent in the flower bed making room for planting flowers. Can you see the tall grass I am pulling? It is wonderful to have the strength to tackle projects.

Living most of my life weak and in pain, I hide behind the tv and self protection. But in 2011 God steps in and takes my pain and replaced it with new bone and growing new nerves to make muscles!

Strength and muscles continue to grow until 2018 when Mom dies and the next five to six years family takes everything I have. I even loose weight from losing muscle. Then a medicine stole my gumption to even get up and dust the tv stand, so I stopped taking the medicine and started fighting to get my life back!

This last nine months has been a journey of getting back the strength I fought for so hard to gain in 2011-2017!

I am stringing hours together so soon day of 5 hours will connect to another day of 5 hours and life will be easier again.

The goal is to keep pushing forward and ask God for Help.

God Bless each of you on your journey to getting healthier and stronger!

GOD IS GOOD!

Kingdom Of God II

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How Many people attending church realize we have an assignment?

We are not here to think about escaping the mess but to transform the part of the world we live in.

We in the Kingdom of God are to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to our neighborhood.

What does this entail?

The Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. Romans 14:17-18

Learning to walk in the righteousness of God can be as simple as understanding we are accepted by God in Jesus. Realizing the God of all creation has chosen each of us to be in His family by adoption, transforms our everyday lives for the better.

A friend of mine experimented with starting her day putting on the righteousness of God. She walked taller, treated people nicer and enjoyed her day more than normal.

Getting up each day and putting on the armor of God Prepares us to walk as Jesus walked through each day! Is this not our goal?

Being strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might!

Ephesians 6:14-15 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, AND HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE.

Ephesians 6 continues in verses 16-18 In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.   And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.

Walking in the Righteousness of God in Jesus has transformed my life from condemnation, walking in fear, and protecting myself from the world: to spending my days in PEACE, LOVE, and JOY!

GOD IS SO VERY GOOD!

The Kingdom of Heaven

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                                Kingdom of Heaven.

                                      What is it?

According to Romans 14:17b The Kingdom of God is Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in Holy Spirit!

The next verse 14:18 explains, for he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.

This is wonderful for God to make it so easy, righteousness is a gift we receive when we receive Jesus as our savior. Peace and Joy are gifts of Holy Spirit and Holy Spirit is given as a gift when we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

The next step is reigning in life.

Romans 5:17b explains those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

A thought to ponder!

This is not something I have thought about or even seen in the 40 years I have studied the Bible. Does anyone have ideas about this?

I will end with I Peter 2:24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you (we) were healed.

It has taken me many years to learn how to walk in the righteousness of God in Jesus!

It is a superpower.

As I learn to walk in the righteousness of God in my daily life, the bullying  that used to plague my life quit affecting me. All the words that made me cower all my life, start to slide off my back like water off a ducks back.

What are your stories of walking in the righteousness of God in Jesus?

Has anyone noticed standing taller and being nicer when walking in the righteousness of God?

God is so very Good!

 

Day Eighteen

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April 24 is a  productive day.

The temperatures have risen to 80 degrees. They draw me outside to work in my flower garden. Spending almost two hours cleaning up half of a small section. I do try for perfect.

Sitting on the knee pad, I lean this way and that cleaning up last years leftovers and my core muscles tell it’s been years since you have done this work!

Realizing the sun sets soon I change clothes and run. My body struggles as it tries to run but most of the three miles consists of a run/walk combo.

A thought about my first year of running invades my mind while I run. During my first week of running I was able to run 5 days a week! That lasted until planting season! I had to cut back running to have strength to weed and plant.

  I am planing to clean out the rest behind the tulips before running  tomorrow.

BUT TOMORROW HAS NOT YET COME

I realize THAT THOUGHT while running was from God! He was reminding me of the toll yard work takes on my body!

The next day, my core muscles struggle to allow me to sit up or even walk around the house.

Since I didn’t make 30 days running in a row I Believe the 30 days really means running daily taking into account recovery time, but not caring about the weather.

GOD IS GOOD AND HE DOES GOOD!

Day Thirteen

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An interesting day!

Today starts with an online doctor appointment. My doctor suggests reducing my migraine/blood pressure medicine to give me more energy for running and working in my yard. Hope starts rising that life will get easier. I have been on this medicine for most of two years.

My very worst day of running, corresponds with my first extended release dose of Propranolol. Lifting my legs becomes impossible! I can’t even get warm as I struggle to run.

The next day on this medicine I start a two mile run; the first mile is fun and easy, but mile two repeats the day before! I not able to lift my legs!

Learning how this extended release medicine shuts down my running, I decide to take this medicine after I run, and never before.

Thirteen days ago, God whispers in my spirit, “30” as I walk out my front door to run! He wants me to start running daily no matter the weather!

Today is day 13, after choir practice I prepare to run three miles. Sam has a sore foot so I leave him home and take Charlie for a run. He is not happy running on our April snowy wet roads. The melting snow is cold and leaking into my shoes! I have run in much colder weather without trouble, so strange.

It is a very slow run and I need another 1.5 miles to reach 3 miles.

After dropping Charlie off and changing shoes and socks I head back out! I’m expecting to run faster but to my dismay my whole run is run 10 steps and walk a few. It is painful and difficult but I keep trudging through to make 3 miles.

My brain thinks about cutting it back to 2 miles but I know disappointment would fill me, so I keep trudging on.

A good thing!

At about 2.5 miles in a policeman stops to ask if I am OK? He is wondering if it is my choice to be out in the cold snow? He hasn’t seen anyone else out and about.

I take the chance to tell him about concerns of people driving  weird.

He has another explanation for why vehicles could be driving slowly and stopping and crawling along my route. He suggests there are people out looking for Pokemon online game to find prizes. .

I am hopeful lowering the dose of medicine will improve my running and all of Life!

GOD IS GOOD

I started this April 9, 2025

A Hint of Summer

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The first 80 degree day calls me out into the flowerbed!

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We are thankful to have the yellow tulips show up. The red color seems to be dominate and take over.

I did actually clean up a section of the front flowerbed.

Getting out and sitting in the middle of the foliage looking for weeds and picking up the leftovers from last year stretches my core muscles. I might feel it in the morning.

About one 1/3 of this bed of flowers is weeded and ready for the year to start. Hopefully I will  get busy and take control over the weeds again.

Timing it well I stop weeding and change into running clothes and run 3 miles. I did enjoy catching some of the sunset, it has been a while.

God is Good!

Power Outage

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Storm coming through Sunday evening about 6:00 P.M..

First I speak to the storm,

“Peace to the storm! God send Your angles to protect us here keep us safe and our daughter wherever she is.”

I am taken by surprise with the power shutting off. Something in my spirit knows it isn’t coming on anytime soon. I ask Bart,

“Can you get the frozen milk out of the downstairs freezer and put it in the fridge?”

I have one request for God,

“God, please save our food.”

We get a call from our daughter saying she is safe but was almost hit by the marathon awning.

Bart and I go for a walk in the dark noticing the places with generators and some with emergency lights. We can see street lights down the road and the McDonald’s restaurant has power.

Not seeing any danger I put on running clothes and head out the door. It is a little freaky how dark some places are while others are lit up as normal. We know since it is spotty power outages here that we won’t be the first place receiving power.

We find candles to help us walk from room to room and I am wishing my computer had been charged to give me something to do. Reading by flashlight or candle is not easy. Thankfully my iPad is charged and I have Joyce Meyer’s podcast downloaded for days like this.

In the morning we find out we might have power about midnight so I start thinking of places to charge batteries. Driving home from an appointment I am planing to buy ice to keep the fridge cold enough but I receive a phone call from Bart saying,

“The power is back on, we don’t need ice!”

Returning home I quickly check the temperature in the fridge and freezer, everything looks good and even the ice cream is still ice cream.

“Thank You Jesus!”

I started this story on April 1 and the storm was March 30, today is April 16. The people in Northern Michigan who had the ice storm still don’t have power.

I am thankful we have power and pray for those without.

Words have Power, Prayer is Powerful so Speak Life, ask God’s Angels for Protection, and most of all PRAY TO GOD OUR FATHER WHO LOVES US! AMEN!

 

 

Day Eight

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Today is day eight of 3 mile runs!

What is different than the last 50 times I trying to get back into running?

God drops 30 days in my heart!

In 2012, God puts the picture of the gas station in my mind about a half mile in my run,  challenging me to run 2 miles!

It becomes 30 days in a row even if I need to walk a bit. What counts is the distance, not the speed or form. This stretching my run expands to between 5 to 10 miles a run with a plan of running every day.

This time around I seem to run 3 miles, some days have been like pulling teeth but the next day will be easy and fun.

I am noticing a change in my perspective!

Getting out of bed I see what is ahead of me instead of the floor. This means I am standing straight and tall, not bent over! Muscles are growing!

GOD IS SO GOOD!

What is God trying to help you improve in your life?

Return to Running

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Today is day 2 of my first 30 days of running!

I know running has been one of my things for 15 years but the last 5 years especially have gone from infrequent to almost nonexistent.

My body weakened so much so that going to church for a few hours and sitting up in their chairs would take me out for a day.

HOPE FOR A NEW FUTURE

Sometime in December God gave me the Wisdom to not wait to be successful at running to exercise building muscle. His challenge began with exercise every night before bed; starting with a 1 minute plank and 12 push-ups.

The hard work of moving a ladder around to get Christmas lights down strengthened my body noticeably! My plank grew to 2 minutes  and my push-ups increased to 25! This totally shocked me!

The difference is showing up in places like going to watch a movie in the theater! Last Year I went to watch, “The Chosen” in the theater lasting 2 and 3 hours. My body could hardly make it through the movie and it took me out for many days. This year “The Chosen” has returned to the theater with out any problems!

God is so good!

I Believe the return of DAILY RUNNING starts today!

GOD IS SO VERY GOOD!