Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Revitalizing a Stale Spiritual Relationship

Photo by Pam Williams
Thirty-six years ago, when I asked Jesus to come into my life, what I really asked was to have a real, living relationship with Him. And He gave me that. He and I have spent a lot of time together since then and weathered a lot of ups and a few downs.

However, the last few years I have been feeling like that relationship has become stale and “put on”—not on Jesus’ part, but on my part. So, after reading a Proverbs 31 devotional suggesting we be really honest with God, I told Him how I was feeling. I was tired of putting on faith, tired of wondering deep inside if He really intervened in our lives, yet blithely telling others that He did. Yes, I still believed Jesus died on the cross for me, but I wondered if He was still working in my life (or anyone else’s) or if lately He had taken a hands-off approach?

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Becoming a Star for Jesus

Image from Bing Images
NINE STEPS TO BECOMING A STAR

"Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens,
and those who lead many to righteousness,
like the stars forever and ever."
Daniel 12:3

I want to be a star. Oh, not the TV or movie kind of Hollywood star. I want to be a shining star for Jesus, like Daniel described—one who leads many to righteousness.  In order to lead others to righteousness, we need to be living a righteous life ourselves.  What does a righteous life look like?

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Tips for Downsizing


TEN NINE TIPS FOR DOWNSIZING

As we have been preparing for our move, several people have asked me for tips on downsizing. Here is my quick list. As you can see, I have downsized it from ten to nine. (LOL!) These are the downsizing “rules of thumb” that have worked for us in our many moves.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Rest, Relax, Reconnect!

Morguefile.com
Vacation! What wonderful images that word evokes for me—laughing hilariously while playing games with family, walking along the shoreline with Dick, the sun warming our backs and the water lapping our toes, hiking and climbing through forests, trying to keep up with the grandkids. Good times, for sure!

Perhaps the even greater appeal of vacations is time to rest.

As a respite before we move, Dick and I are venturing to Pawleys Island, South Carolina this week. After the last few weeks of sorting, hauling, wrapping, and lugging, the house is pretty much packed up. So we are really looking forward to relaxing and recharging. We both need it. Moving creates stress, (no matter how happy we both are about it) and stress is exhausting (so if hefting loaded boxes around!).

Hebrews 4 talks about rest. Not the kind that restores us physically; the kind that restores us spiritually. Trying to please God with our good works and flimsy goodness is exhausting. (Been there; done that!) 

Thankfully, God has provided a way for us to rest from all those labors. When we place our trust in Jesus as the sacrifice that takes away all our sinfulness, we will truly find spiritual rest. We can rest in the knowledge that the “work” that was needed has been done—not by us, but by Jesus.

Have you found that needed spiritual rest? It’s available to all of us. Just tell God you are tired of lugging around your sins and shortcomings. You are exhausted from trying to be good enough. And simply trust in the finished work of Jesus. God will give you that rest we all need.

For we have heard the Good News, just as they did.
They heard the message, but it did them no good,
because when they heard it, they did not accept it with faith. 
We who believe, then, do receive that rest which God promised.
Hebrews 4:2-3

[My next post will be from the Southeastern U.S. We’ve heard winters can be a bit snowier and colder in Trucksville, PA, so we want to store up some sunshine and all that healthy vitamin D beforehand. I look forward to sharing some stories and pictures with you along the way.]

Blessings!
Pam

©2013 Pamela D. Williams

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

How Do You De-Stress?

Photo by Lewis Ronald on Wikimedia Commons
Both the good and the bad in our lives create stress. Graduations, weddings, and births fill our hearts to overflowing with joy and our lives with laughter, but they also drain us emotionally. Disagreements, conflicts, and grief not only sap our strength, they wear us down and leave us equally drained and vulnerable.

Where can we turn to recharge and renew our spirits?