Simple Repentance

Repent. It’s a word I hear quite often. Every time I do, I think about all the times that I have “repented” of sins, only to keep on doing the same sins. Ouch! I hated when I did that. 

Repentance means that you completely turn around and go in opposite direction. Most of the time I just feel sorry for what I have done, but it doesn’t change anything in my heart. I have found that true repentance happens when God loves me out of sinful habit or when He untangles me from a sin through suffering. When I feel safe in God’s arms, sin has no appeal. When true suffering comes, all my sins and bad attitudes are shown for what they are and I beg God to help me to change them. Slowly He helps me to get free. 

So the next time that someone tells you that you need to repent, ask God to help you to truly repent and change for real. 

Love Made Simple

What is love really? Is it a feeling that comes over you? Is it a thing that makes you act weird? Is love a word that we use to tell someone we care deeply for them? Is it a passion that doesn’t burn out?

The word love is overused today. But I have seen it in a very different context than the one above. If you will I would like to show you some real examples of true and abiding love that I have seen.

Love is waking up every morning and going to work with a job that you don’t love, but it feeds your family. Love is staying true to the person you married, no matter how much they change or circumstances are out of whack. Love is taking care of a dementia patient who will never remember what you do. Love is taking care of a sick person and not caring if you get sick or not. Love is signing over all the money in your bank account so someone can pay their electric bill. Love is being willing to lay down everything you have for someone else. 

I’ve seen this kind of real, deep, and abiding love in action. Once this kind of unselfish love touches you, you are never the same. You never get tired showing this kind of love. You can’t hold it in. It just flows out of you.

And when I think of the love that my Savior has shown to me, my breath is taken away. I can’t put into words all the comfort, encouragement, faithfulness, faith, and love that He has shown me.

So this is love made simple. This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us. 

Simple Fruit

Most of what we do in this life is planting or watering spiritual seeds. Someone else gets to reap the harvest from our work. 

While we look for fruit and try to see how everything is going to work out this side of heaven. Maybe we are meant to see the whole picture. Maybe we are only meant to see little bits from this side. 

Simply do what God tells you to do and let Him take care of the results. Yet there will be times you will see Him at work. Times when you’ll see fruit. In those times give praise to God and continue to work. He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.

Photo credit Mikayla H. 

Simple Forgiveness

Forgive yourself. If you hate yourself for the things you have done, you won’t have forgiveness in your heart for others. 

All is forgiven! Let the love and mercy of God be enough to cover whatever sin that you have committed.

This is a process and yes it does take time. God has to untangle all the roots of self-hatred.  And for most of us that takes a while. But as God sets us free from the self-hate and hurt, our life becomes richer. Let this process begin.

Simple Fulfillment

Things won’t fill the hole in your soul. They might bring you brief happiness, but they can never satisfy you completely. 

One of the biggest lies of our society (even our Christian society) is that you have to have the new, biggest, and best car, Iphone, jewelry, clothes, make-up, cologne, movies, or furniture to be content.

 But fulfillment comes from God. The more satisfied we are in Him the less we need things to fill that hole. 

If you find that you are tied down to the things of this world, ask God to help you see what is really important. Pray that God will satisfy you with Himself and wean you off things. Be forewarned however, this prayer may lead to radical heart changes and loss of things. Yet the end result is always worth it.

Simple Stress

Stress is easy to slip into. We worry about deadlines, what might happen, money, family, and if we are doing the right thing. 

Part of living simply is letting go of our need to worry and to let God take care of the future. When we are stressed, we aren’t trusting that God is in control. 

If you are struggling with stress today, ask God to give you His peace. Living in peace is to live in incredible freedom.   

Simple Plans

Only plan what you can do in a day. 

You only have so much physical, spiritual, and emotional energy to give in a day. 

Know your limitations and plan accordingly. 

Overworking won’t help anyone, namely you.  

Just do what you can and leave the rest to take care of itself.

Photo credit Mikayla H. 

Simple Ministry

Ministry is one thing that is so easy to overdo. When we think that we are doing something for God it is so easy to justify neglecting God or family for the sake of doing things for God and family. 
Take a good look at everything that you are doing for God. Ask yourself this, “Is this something that I feel called to, or am I simply doing this because I feel I should?” If you are willing to be honest, this can change how you look at so many things. 
Not everything that we think of as God’s work is really God’s work. God has different callings on all of our lives. The question is: what is He calling you to do? Ministry will result from simply loving the people that God places in your path. 

Simply Happy

Yesterday I was out in our woods, listing to music and dancing. One song I came to was Happy by Ayiesha Woods.

No record deal, no dream fulfilled, no three minute video
No catchy jingle, no big hit single playing on the radio

Can make me happy enough
Can make me feel the way you do
You make me happy
I wanna make You happy too
You make me happy
You make me happy

No flashy cars, no movie stars, no man, woman, boy or girl
No fancy things, no diamond rings, nothing in the whole wide world

Chorus

No I cannot count the ways You have made my life so blessed
All I know is that You came and made beauty of my mess
Said I cannot count the ways You have made my life so blessed
All I know is that You came and made beauty of my mess

This simple and fun song, sums up my life. Okay so I haven’t hit it big or rocked the world, but God makes me happy. He gives me reason to smile and enjoy life. So what if my life isn’t perfect? God gives me reason to be happy anyway. And that makes me smile.  

Simple Sin and Simple Praise

The other day I was struggling with my sin. I felt horrible that I had had this sin festering in my heart. I prayed for God’s forgiveness. Then from deep down in my soul I heard a prayer rising. Before I knew what was happening I was praying out loud to God. “Thank you God that I can’t boast. Thank you that Your love is real even in the midst of my sin. Thank you that I can’t be proud of myself.” As soon as these words left my mouth, I was confused. God was helping me to praise Him for my pain and sin. It sounds so weird and yet it’s true. 

I thank God to this day that sin reminds me that I am nothing without Him. As painful as fire is, I am thankful that it presses me closer to God. I don’t seek trouble or hardship. But I do see how God can use for good and I am grateful for it.

Simple Seasons

Enjoy the change of life’s seasons. 

The mystery of God’s plan working out in our lives is something to be relished. 

Some things we may not be able to see why they happen, but let God show you the new adventures and joys that He has planned for you. 

Simple Update

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you all what is going on. We had a very nice funeral and my cousin said some very nice words. They were very encouraging.
I am doing better. Still a little tired, but doing better.
This month I have scheduled out blog posts so that I can do Script Frenzy. I'm going to try to write out 100 pages in play/plays by the end of this month. I think I can make it.
I hope you are having a good day. Thank you for all your love and comments. They are such an encouragement . Love, Rose

Simple Hindrances

Some things and convinces, like the internet and my house, give me the freedom follow God even more closely. They also can become substitutes, but only of I over-indulge myself on these things. 

If I only take enough and then let the rest go, these things can be helpful tools. Otherwise they become distractions. Use them as helpful gifts, but don’t let them control you.