Verse of the Day

Acts 3:26 NIV

"When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” (Peter addressing his fellow Israelites after healing a lame beggar)

Sometimes insecurity seems like a perpetual cycle.

Author and Allowing

God allows evil, but doesn't author it. (From Beth Moore)

Being a Mom

It feels easier to be a mom when there's a dad.

For the record, Liam's spit up has gotten better! Not gone, but much better.

Liam slept through the night for the first time! Eight hours. :) Hopefully he'll keep it up, but even if this is not the norm yet, we are grateful.

Take a Stand Against RHA

http://www.capwiz.com/nycf/issues/?style=D

Cleaning

I appreciate being able to clean/organize things.  I genuinely enjoy being a housewife.  Now I'm a mommy too, which means my housewife tasks change.  However, slowly but surely, God has allowed me to do some cleaning.  It's not as planned as I would like it to be (I had daily goals pre-Liam), but I have been trying to have weekly goals instead and so far so good.  It'll be interesting once the basement has to be added to the rotation, but I should just enjoy the now.  Thanks God for helping me do something I enjoy that also serves my family.

I've been enjoying Isaiah.  There's a lot to learn.

Matt has klout, so we get a Gieco gecko.

"Accountability is fighting sin together."

"If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." Isaiah 8:9

Things I'm Learning...

God-reliance and seeking Him.

Acceptable Sins of Christians: Bitterness

Acceptable Sins of Christians: Bitterness (http://www.northridgerochester.com/Sermons/Details/237)

Bitterness

• Hebrews 12:15: See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
• "Bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die."
• Bitterness bears sinful fruit.
• The bitter person often ends up looking like the person they are bitter against.
• When you are keeping bitterness in your heart you are keeping yourself from the grace God wants to give us.
• Ephesians 4:22-24, 31-32
• Put off an old sinful habit, think differently about the issue/solution, and put on a new righteous habit
• Put off bitterness and put on kindness and compassion, forgiving each other like Christ forgave you.
• Our feelings always follow our actions
• Kindness ends up drawing repentance from the one who hurt you
• "Hurt people hurt people." - Don't be a hurt person who hurts people
• Forgiveness
• Is not: endorsement of behavior, exemption of consequences, restoration of trust
• You're only commanded to trust God.  Trust is earned from anyone else.
• Bitterness = unforgiveness
• Judicial Forgiveness
• We give to everyone
• An issue of my heart
• Entrusting it to God's justice
• Let it go to God and not hold it in our heart and life
• It's not our job to make them pay for what they've done
• Relational Forgiveness
• Given to anyone who asks for it
• An issue of relationship
• Is making promises to the offender
• I won't bring the matter up to you, others or myself
• The best way to overcome bitterness is to be others centered
• 1 John 1:9

The High Cost of Forgiveness

The High Cost of Forgiveness: http://www.northridgerochester.com/Sermons/Details/54

• What you promise when you forgive:
• You will not bring it up to the person
• You will not bring it up to others
• You will not bring it up to yourself
• Judicial vs Relational
• judicial - you give to everyone (Mark)
• relational - you only give when asked for (Luke)
•  You've forgiven them, but you keep thinking about/feel the hurt.  What to do?
• Remind yourself you've forgiven them
• Their debt is indeed cancelled because you've already decided that before and declared it.
• Get busy, so you don't just sit and dwell on it
• A good way is doing good for others
• Ask God for help
• "It is for that very sin Christ died."
• Live like you've forgiven them.  Declare and live out the gospel.
• Forgiveness is an event and a process (the declaration of forgiveness and living out the forgiveness)

"Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty." 2 Chronicles 14:11

"I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity."  1 Chronicles 29:17

"[God] cannot change for the better for He is already perfect; and being perfect, He cannot change for the worse." ~A. W. Pink