Prone to Wander Phone Cases

"Prone to wander far from thee," the song says, and if we are honest with ourselves, we would admit that our hearts are prone to wander far from God at times. When the cares of life overcome us, we can take comfort in knowing that God understands and He is ready and willing to bring us back to Him. To remind us of His love and steadfast presence, Prone to Wander LA has created the beautiful phone cases you see in the pictures above. The company Prone to Wander takes its name from the hymn "Come Thou Fount," and it exists to bring God's word to us "in the little things we carry, wear or see everyday." These phone cases fit nicely on my iPhone 5 or any phone around that size.

You can win one of these cases by entering the giveaway here: https://www.blessedfreebies.com/p2wgiveaway.html or you can use the entry form below:

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What To Do When You Can't Sleep - II

I'm finally able to get back to this post I promised you on what you can do to improve your sleep. If you are one of those people who sometimes have to take a sleep aid to fall asleep - and I think we all do occasionally - I hope you will try my remedy. It costs you nothing, it works and benefits you in more ways than one. Prayer is one of the best things you can do for yourself physically as well as spiritually.

Okay, so what's the other thing? It is meditation. Now when I speak of meditation I'm not referring to the Eastern practice where you sit cross-legged and chant. The meditation I'm referring to is the type spoken of in the Bible.

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1: 8

Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.  Psalm 119: 97

 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. v 148

God's word instructs us to meditate on it "day and night." With our busy lifestyle, we may not be able to  meditate during the day, but what's to stop us from meditating on God's word during a few sleepless hours? Just reflecting on God's love and greatness is enough to erase our worrying thoughts and help us get back to sleep.

I have taken meditation to a different level. I have learned to say my ABC. Not the kind your child learns in pre-K, but the kind that focuses on the attributes of God. So A is for amazing, B is for bountiful, C is for compassionate and so on. I usually fall asleep before I've got half-way through. This works for me. You may come up with your own form of meditation that you will find effective.

Unless you have a medical condition that is robbing you of sleep, I  think you would find these suggestions helpful. Sleep deprivation is not something God wants us to struggle with. He wants us to be well rested so we can impact the world for Him. But in addition to getting a good night's sleep, your spiritual life will improve and you will find yourself having a deeper and more satisfying relationship with God.

This is by no means to be taken as medical advice. Please follow your  physician's advice in addition to consulting the Great Physician.
See my other post on this topic here

Who Are You Listening To?

Have you ever taken someone's advice only to say later on, "I never should have listened to so and so." Or, "Why didn't I follow my gut feeling?"

 Many times we take the advice of an authority figure - a parent, teacher, pastor, employer, and sometimes even a friend. Listening to advice is not always a bad thing, but be careful who you listen to and judge what they are saying in the light of God's word.

One of the saddest stories I read in the Bible is recorded in 1 Kings 13 about a man of God who prophesied to King Jeroboam, a wicked king, and did great signs and wonders in his presence. So impressed was Jeroboam he invited the man of God to his home for a meal and promised him a gift. But the man declined saying, “Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here. For I was commanded by the word of the LORD: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came’ ”(v 8 -9).

The man went away taking a different route as God had instructed him. But an old prophet, hearing what the man of God had done that day, went in search of him and invited him to his home for dinner. The man gave the old prophet the same answer he'd given the king. But the old prophet lied to him and said, "And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water’ ” (v 18). The man of God believed the old prophet, went home with him and had dinner. On his way home, a lion met him and killed him.

I read this story a few times trying to figure out the old prophet's motive for lying to the man of God. Was he jealous of him? Was he really a prophet? One commentator said he was a bad man who tried to curry favor with the king by making the king believe that the man of God was an impostor because he had done the opposite of what he said he would do (or not do.) 

Be that as it may, the message behind this story is clear: be careful who you listen to. If someone comes up to you and says, "Thus saith the Lord," and what he/she says is in opposition to God's word, do not listen to them. 

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves (Matthew 7: 15).
 

Don't Worry!

This heading is part of a popular song title of yesteryear, Don't Worry, Be Happy. In light of recent happenings in America and around the world we can't be happy, but we can certainly not worry if our eyes are fixed on God.  
                                                                                                          
Psalm 42: 5, 11 and 43: 5 say, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance." KJV

The AMP version says,  Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become restless and disturbed within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence.

The ERV version:  Why am I so sad? Why am I so upset? I tell myself, “Wait for God’s help! You will again be able to praise him, your God, the one who will save you.” 

The NIV version: Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Jesus Himself said,  "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21: 28).

The only way we can survive this terrible period we are going through is to trust in the Lord, stay close to Him, study His Word, and don't worry.

My thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones and those who were injured in this latest tragedy. God has not forgotten you.

5 Love Lessons From The Book Of Ruth

With Valentine's Day just a few days away, many hearts are turning to love. For those of us who already have a mate, we may be thinking of ways to make the day a special one. For those women who have not yet found your  Mr. Right, you may be hoping that this Valentine's Day will bring you the man of your dreams. Whatever your situation, or season of life, why not look to the greatest love manual, God's Word, and see what tips you can pick up?

I love the book of Ruth, because here we meet a woman who has spanned a few seasons of life and returns to one she has already passed. She has been married, widowed and marries again in this book. We don't know what her first marriage was like, but it lasted ten years until her husband died.

So what lessons can we learn from the book of Ruth to help us snag (or keep) Mr. Right?

1. Faithfulness - After her husband's death, Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law suggests to Ruth and Orpah, her other daughter-in-law to return to their families and try to build a life for themselves. Orpah follows her advice, but Ruth decides to follow Naomi to Bethlehem, even though she is not Jewish as Naomi is. Listen to what Ruth says:

  Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest , I will go ; and where thou lodgest , I will lodge : thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: (Ruth 1 : 16).

That's the stuff of which faithfulness is made - something every man looks for in a woman, and something which should come easily to you as a woman of God. Even if you are single, but are serious about the man you are dating, you should demonstrate faithfulness in your relationship with him.

2. Selflessness - This is one of the qualities that attracted Ruth to Boaz. And he let her know. 

 It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: (2: 11).

Your husband or future husband is watching the way you treat other people. Are you helpful? Kind? Caring? Do you put the needs of others before your own? The way you treat others will determine how you will treat him.

3. Hard working - No sooner had she and Naomi settled in Bethlehem, Ruth went out and found work gleaning in the corn fields. It just happened that she ended up in the field belonging to Boaz, who immediately noticed her. When he inquired who she was, one of the servants said, 

And she said , I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came , and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house ( v 7).  

Let's face it, girls, unless you marry a millionaire, you will be expected to contribute to the upkeep of the home - either through your job, or by staying home and cooking, cleaning and taking care of the kids. No man wants a woman who just wants to sit around polishing her nails and watching television all day. Be prepared to carry your share.

4. Obedience - I know, most people don't like this word. They think it means subservience, performing beneath your standard. But it doesn't. Ruth's obedience to Naomi helped her earn food for them both and put her in the path of Boaz, who later became her husband. 

 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field. 23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law ( v 22).

5. Good grooming - Naomi instructed Ruth: Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: 

Naomi knew what every woman should know, that  if you are trying to impress a man, or keep him interested, you need to put your best face forward. No matter how busy you are with the house, kids or your job, you must make time every now and then for yourself - a tub soak, mani, pedi, a little make up would do wonders to help you catch and keep that man. 

Happy Valentine's Day! 

For the month of February I'm offering free shipping for my book Women For All Seasons, where you can learn more about Ruth. Drop me a line in the comment box and I'll tell you how you can obtain your copy.