Just a Dreamin’

February 5th, 2014 dsisler

We are nearing the 2014 NASCAR season. Two weeks from Sunday, the Daytona 500 will kick off the official season. But until then, there will be a great deal of racing events in the Daytona area.

 

I’ve had several dreams related to NASCAR. One was to go to the Daytona 500. I can check that one off the list. My mom and I enjoyed the Daytona 500 and lots more in 2011. It was a dream come true.

 

1299890232033Another dream is to take a tour of a NASCAR shop. Most of the shops are in North Carolina, so a trip to that area would allow for multiple tours. On one of my visits to Ohio, I had a layover in Charlotte. Imagine my surprise to walk through the food court and to find a NASCAR Sprint Cup car there. Okay, so it shouldn’t have been, but it was! Jeff Gordon’s number 24 was right there. It was pretty cool.

 

There is one team whose headquarters and shop isn’t anywhere near North Carolina. The Furniture Row racing team is based in Denver, Colorado. Yes, in my neck of the woods. It would not take a lot of effort on my part to fulfill my dream of touring a race garage. However, I have yet to do so.

 

I read a quote a while back that went something like this. “Dreams remain dreams until you write them down. Then they become goals.” Why is it we allow our dreams to just remain dreams? What keeps us from realizing those dreams?

 

I don’t know that I can answer these questions for everyone, but I can answer them for myself. Fear holds me back. Disappointment lurks around every corner. Insecurities of past failures remind me of such failures. This list could go on and on.

 

And do you know who loves it when I am unable to achieve my dreams? The evil one. He just loves to mess up my plans. To throw his two cents worth into the picture. You see, fear, disappointment, and insecurity all come from him. They are not from God.

 

God’s plan is to rid my life of anything that will pull me into the pit of despair (Psalm 40:1-2). God wants me to succeed (Jeremiah 29:11-13). God wants me to have confidence (Philippians 1:4-6).

 

Oh my little dream of touring a race garage is miniscule in comparison to other life goals I have. Be a published author. Perhaps join the speaking tour. Lose weight. Share Jesus with others. Grow in my spiritual journey. Dreams? Perhaps, but now they must be goals.

 

So when I’m not sure of myself or my abilities, I can remind myself from whom I receive my confidence, strength, and talents. I can quote Scripture to keep fear and disappointment at bay. Perhaps you need something to help you as well. If so, maybe we can memorize these passages together.

 

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1 – NIV)

 

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:26 – NIV)

 

“But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” (Jeremiah 17:7 – NIV)

 

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37 – NIV)

 

“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31b – NIV)

 

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13 – NIV)

 

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7 – NIV)

 

I pray that you’ll find great comfort and encouragement from these words of God. He is on our side (Psalm 118:6). He wants us to succeed (Proverbs 16:3). He has great plans for us (Ephesians 2:10).

 

I don’t know about you, but I believe I’m ready to make my dreams come true. Would you like to join me?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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Manage Myself

February 4th, 2014 dsisler

As you know, I’m reading a book about wisdom and the importance of asking God continually for wisdom in my life.

 

I read a quote in that book that that struck a chord with me. “We so often hear, I wish I knew how to manage my time better. Rarely do we hear, I wish I knew how to manage myself better.”[i] Yes, I believe that really is the issue.

i1035 FW0.9

 

You see, when I allow myself to daydream, or chat a tad-bit extra with a friend, or spend a too much time watching television to name a few, I do run out of the time I have available to complete the tasks given to me. It may seem like I’ve mismanaged my time, but in fact I’ve mismanaged myself.

 

As you may know, God has quite a bit to say about managing ourselves, so let’s take a look at some of these principles.

 

First, we must realize that we are not our own. When we make Jesus our personal Savior and give Him our lives, He then becomes the Lord over every aspect of my life. In reality, I’m laying down my life over and over again for Him to use for His purpose.

 

We sang a song on Sunday morning called “Lay Me Down,” by Chris Tomlin. It really says what we must do. Allow God’s will and His way to rule our lives. Give up our pride, our rights, with hearts open wide and ask God to use us. That’s what it’s all about.

 

We must also realize that we cannot do this on our own. God’s Spirit is within us to help us on this journey. And what a journey it is when we fully allow God’s Spirit to join us.

 

Then it’s time to start the real work. Finding the areas of my life that aren’t up to God’s standards. If you need help with this, there are plenty of places in Scripture to find sinful acts. Let’s just look at one of them.

 

In Ephesians 4 and 5, Paul shares some unbeliever-like behaviors that should be removed from our lives so that God’s Spirit has more control over our lives. Here is what Paul has to say.

 

Put off falsehood – Ephesians 4:25

Don’t sin in your anger – Ephesians 4:26

Steal no longer – Ephesians 4:28

Get rid of unwholesome talk – Ephesians 4:29

Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit – Ephesians 4:30

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander and every form of malice – Ephesians 4:31

No hint of sexual immorality – Ephesians 5:3

No obscenities, foolish talk or coarse joking – Ephesians 5:4

Idolatry – Ephesians 5:5

 

That’s quite a list! And that’s just the beginning. There are plenty of other sinful behaviors that we should consider removing from our lives.

 

Now once we’ve determined which behaviors to remove, what are we to do? Ask God’s Spirit to help in the process. We must be determined to have the self-control to do so. How blessed we are that self-control is a fruit of God’s Spirit. He is there to help us along this journey.

 

When there is a void in our lives, we must fill it. If we don’t fill these voids of removed behaviors with something positive, it will likely be filled with another undesirable behavior. So what else can we learn from Ephesians 4?

 

Speak words that are helpful and edifying – Ephesians 4:29

Be kind – Ephesians 4:32

Be compassionate – Ephesians 4:32

Forgive one another – Ephesians 4:32

Be imitators of God – Ephesians 5:1

Filled with thanksgiving – Ephesians 5:4

 

These are just a few areas where we need help managing ourselves. I’m so thankful for God’s Spirit to help along the way. To lead and guide. To spur and reign me in. To convict and encourage. However, it’s up to me to make the decision to follow His urgings. That’s where I get to manage myself.

 

I pray that your day is filled with opportunities for you. I pray that you too will be open to the Holy Spirit today to help you with managing yourself. I intend to listen intently!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

[i] Edward R. Dayton ad Ted W. Engstrom, Strategy for Living (Glendale, CA: G/L Publications, 1978), p. 175.

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“The Power of Your Love” – Monday Musical Musings

February 3rd, 2014 dsisler

I was able to attend a fun event at the church I used to attend several weeks ago. It was an event that used to “work,” so it was nice to be able to enjoy all of the festivities.

 

0005030206R-849x565There were massages, make-overs, crafts to make and purchase, give-a-ways, a service project to work on, delicious food, and so much more. Highlights included visiting with people I hadn’t seen in a while and catching up on their lives.

 

The theme of the evening was Hawaiian in nature, so there were hula-hoop contests and hula dancing lessons. The entertainment was a group of hula dancers. I had never been able to sit and enjoy this entertainment in the past, so I was delighted to watch this troop of dancers.

 

What made it even more special was the music they danced to. It was all uplifting music and when combined with their hand gestures, made the songs much more meaningful.

 

They closed with the song I share with you today. “The Power of Your Love” came to life with each movement. It was a beautiful experience and it made my evening.

 

This hasn’t been a popular song in my experience. But the words and melody of this song have such a beautiful message. Its message is, “I can’t do it on my own…I need You, God!”

 

And oh what will happen when we speak these words to God. A changed and renewed heart. Unveiled eyes. A renewed mind. A spirit that soars with God’s Spirit. Now that sounds like fun!

 

So today, take a look at “The Power of Your Love.” Imagine those graceful dancers before you. Drink in the message. Pour out your soul. Find all that you need in God’s presence. And then wait to see what happens.

 

“The Power of Your Love”

 

Lord I come to You
Let my heart be changed, renewed
Flowing from the grace
That I’ve found in You

 

And Lord I’ve come to know
The weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the power of Your love

 

Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side

 

And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love

 

Lord unveil my eyes
Let me see You face to face
The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me

 

And Lord renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life
In living every day
By the power of Your love

 

Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side

 

And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love[i]

 

Hillsong has done a fabulous version of this song. If you’d like to listen to it, click here.

 

Lokomaika’I A malu Nou (Grace and peace be yours in abundance),

 

Donna


[i] “The Power of Your Love,” Words and Music by Geoff Bullock, Maranatha Music, 1992.

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His Name is Wonderful!

February 2nd, 2014 dsisler

I’m a little obsessed with God’s Name. I have two books on my shelf that give reference to every Name of God in Scripture. Any verse that talks about God’s Name finds its way into my heart and cling to it.

 

JehovahThe blog post I share with you today is about God’s Name, but there’s a verse I overlooked in the blog. In Judges 13:18, God asks Manoah the question, “Why do you ask my name?” God then goes on to describe His Name.

 

In the NIV, we see it is “beyond understanding.” The NCV says it is “too amazing for you to understand.” The Names of God Bible (I need to look into getting a copy of this version) says it’s a name that “works miracles.” The NAS translates this portion of Scripture as “wonderful.” And the Message says God’s Name is “sheer wonder.”

 

Isn’t it wonderful that we have a God who is too amazing for us to understand? That He is always going to be able to surprise us and fill our hearts with sheer wonder of Him? Yes, I praise God’s Name for all that He has done and for all that He will accomplish in the future.

 

So enjoy today’s post and as you head off to worship His wonderful Name this morning, I pray that you have this same sense of awe.

 

The Name

 

A name. It is part of what defines you. Sometimes people hear a name and say, “it fits that person.” Sometimes, not so much. When children are born, we take great lengths to find the perfect name for the child. It might be given before birth or perhaps after, but still it is not given without great deliberation.

 

My children were no different. Philip Daniel, Candace Lee, and Bethany Joy were all given with great care and thought. Each named after a person or simply because we liked a name. And each of their names can be found in the Bible…Philip and Candace in the same chapter of the book of Acts. I would assume that my parents spent time in deciding upon my name and the names of my siblings.

 

Names are important. They have been since the beginning of time. Adam took the time to name each animal God had created. The final name he gave was to Eve, his perfect mate.

 

God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah in Genesis 17. He gave the name of Israel to Jacob in Genesis 32. And in the New Testament, we see Jesus changing the name of Simon to Peter in Matthew 16, after Peter’s confession of Christ.

 

With these new names, their lives were changed. Changed to be committed people of God. Their new names would reflect who they belonged to. The Lord.

 

Also in Scripture, we see many names for God. But I don’t want to look at the list of names; I want to discuss The Name.

 

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10 NKJV)

 

Wow! This verse tells us that His Name is amazing and powerful. Yet sometimes we dismiss it, forget it, or ignore its power. There are other verses that lead us to this conclusion as well.

 

Psalm 8:1 – “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.”

Isaiah 12:4 – “Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.”

Micah 5:4 – “He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.”

Deuteronomy 28:58 – “…revere this glorious and awesome name—the Lord your God.”

 

His Name. That’s it. The Proverbs passage tells us His Name is a strong tower. That in His Name there is great strength and protection. Simply in His Name.

 

And what are we to do? We are to run to it for safety. Run. Directly to him. We see from the following passages how we are to run.

 

Psalm 119:32 – “I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.”

1 Corinthians 9:26 – “Do not run like someone running aimlessly.”

Hebrews 23:1a-2b – “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”

 

The Amplified Version adds some insight into the Proverbs passage. Take a look.

 

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the [consistently] righteous man [upright and in right standing with God] runs into it and is safe, high [above evil] and strong.” (Proverbs 18:10)

 

The consistently righteous man knows where the power is. It is in the Name of God. He knows outside the safety of the strong tower, evil will be there to lure him into its clutches.

 

I didn’t care for my name for years and I really don’t like the song “Donna,” even though I hear it quite often from people. But through the years I’ve come to enjoy hearing my name. Especially from those who love me. I look forward to the day when Jesus calls me by name, and then writes my new name on a white stone. I wonder what that name will be?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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Green Light

February 1st, 2014 dsisler

Have you ever heard the phrase “green light on the tipple?” I hadn’t until yesterday. I was reading through some history of the area I live in and this phrase the title of the piece.

 

I live in an area that is called tri-towns or the carbon valley. It is made up of three smaller communities that built up about the same time. And these communities were built around coal mines.

 

tippleFor each mine, there was a tipple. This is the structure that is used to move the extracted product from the mine to the railroad cars. On top of the tipple were two lights. One red. One green. If there was work to be done in the mine, the green light was lit. If there was no work, the red light was lit.

 

I know very little about coal mining except what I’ve seen in movies and documentaries. But from what I’ve read about the area I reside, these were pretty typical coal mines. Difficult work with little pay.

 

This particular area of Colorado was rich in coal and below our communities are mine shafts a plenty. Above, the coal mine tipple has been replaced by oil wells. They are plentiful in this area. You can read my insight into the “grasshopper” invasion here.

 

Through the years, coal is created when certain elements exist together. Vegetation, animals, moisture, heat, and pressure make up these elements. When they are allowed to work together, they form the perfect combination for coal.

 

While we find it difficult, we understand what produces maturity in our spiritual lives. In the Book of James, James tells us to consider trials with joy. And he gives a reason for doing so. “Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:3-4 – NIV)

And just a few verses later, James states, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12 – NIV)

 

We know from Jesus’ words that we will face trials. We will be put under pressure. And when we are in the midst of these trials, it’s good to have some backup to relieve some of the pressure. God’s Word can provide that encouragement. I’ve listed some passages (there are many more) below to consider memorizing or write on note cards so they are readily available for your use.

 

Proverbs 18:10

Romans 5:3

Romans 8:37-39

2 Corinthians 4:16

2 Corinthians 12:9

1 Peter 1:6, 9

1 Peter 4:12, 16, 19

1 John 4:4

 

If you are under pressure today, know it is part of the process. God is with you. He will provide backup when you need it because His Name is a strong tower. And just remember, His light is always green!

 

I enjoyed reading about my community and the history that came along with it. I wasn’t as thrilled to see the geological map of the mines below our communities. But I can’t worry about it. I won’t fret over it. I’ll just trust that God will protect all who have chosen to live in the carbon valley.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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    "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19


    I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in southwest Ohio.

    I am passionate about helping women find their way to Jesus through Bible study, teaching, speaking, inspirational writing and creative Bible journaling.

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