Month: November 2018

Blessed

Annette Coffey1 Comment

Recently I had trouble with my roommate watching tv all day very loudly. It was fine if I just went and sat outside where it was quiet. It finally got louder and louder and my blood pressure was going up. She was watching even at night now. I prayed for God to solve my dilemma. I approached my social worker with my problem just before Thanksgiving. She immediately went to work to solve the problem.

I have learned that worrying does not help. Once I put it in God’s hands he knows what is best so just let him work. I went about my day. A couple hours later they offered me my own private room all to myself. Thinking I couldn’t afford it I was hesitant.

They were offering it at the same cost I had been paying. I was so overwhelmed but all I could say was sure. I went to lunch and then went out back to relax in quiet. Moves can take time so when I came back in a couple hours later I went to my old room but it was stripped bare. They had moved everything.

They came in a little later and rearranged the furniture to my plans. Just how it would work best for me. I just sat there and felt so blessed. I even kept a small lamp on at night so I could see around my new room. I really did not feel that I deserved this. I would have been happy if she just stopped watching evenings so I could sleep. I hadn’t really asked to move.

The next few days I felt so thankful and it just seemed unreal but here I was enjoying the peace and quiet. It even has a private patio I sat out on in the sun one day.

It was great.

‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.   James 1:17

I did not do anything to earn God’s favor. I did just as he tells us I asked, and left it in his hands. Each and every day I see God working out things in my life and I feel so blessed. Who am I that I deserve such special treatment? I am just one of the millions

of his children.

That’s just it I am his.  I am special to him. Not something I did for him. He gave his son to die for everyone. Anyone can have this favor. It’s a free gift.

I was called and I accepted that gift. I did not have to do anything to earn it. I do want all he has for my life because it is good. Everyday I want to do all I can to let others know about this great gift. I am not preaching to people. It’s more like bragging about something I have that you can have too.

I find it so saddening when I hear someone talking about how there is no God. If they only knew.

Attitude of gratitude

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It’s that time of year again. Hard to believe but it is already time for thanksgiving this Thursday. Time to spend with family and friends enjoying what God designed from the very beginning when he said, “it is not good for man to be alone.” Fellowship and enjoying others is so important to a satisfied life.

Living every day with an attitude of gratitude and gratefulness can really make a great difference in our quality of life. People spend a lot of time and money trying to enjoy life. I heard it said that it really comes down to 10% of how life treats you and 90% of the attitude you have to that life. So true.

We all have trials and tough situations to face. They bring growth to our lives. We can dwell on the negative or we can look at the positive. I never wanted to be a recovering stroke victim. Unable to walk or even stand. One good hand, poor speech that is very hard to understand. Not much control over body functions.

I have to live in an old folks home away from my family. I don’t see my grandkids that much and my ex-husband has moved on. I have plenty to be bitter about. People tell me life has dealt me an unfair hand but I want my remaining years to be happy and fulfilled. I want my days joyful.

My life is what it is. God has given me a good life. A life that is designed just for me and what is truly best for me. All good and perfect gifts come from the father above. I truly believe that.  I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. He is right there beside me helping me.

Every day I want to do God’s perfect will for my life. To be able to further his kingdom and touch everyone I come in contact with for God. This is the cry of my heart every morning.

I may be totally helpless when I am flat on my back in bed but when I am up in my electric wheelchair I am very independent. It has taken years of work to get there. But I feel blessed. It could be so much worse. I am used to the life I live. Every minute of every day I see things I can be thankful for.

Quiet is one thing in my life right now that I cherish. It lets me spend time talking to God and also hearing him speak to me. I also have a roommate who watches television 24/7 and with poor hearing it is very loud so I spend all day outside enjoying God’s handiwork.

Living in Arizona we have nice weather most of the year and since I’ve lived here my whole life I enjoy even 100 degree days so only a few weeks am I indoors.

The home I live in is my family. I know everyone and care very much about their lives.

I have my meals prepared, my room and home cleaned, my laundry done and most every need met. My time is free to spend as I want. If I want to sleep all day I can or get up early.

I so love to spend quality time with my children and grandkids. They all live out of town but like to visit. My oldest lives in Ohio but married an airline pilot so I see her a lot. With Facebook I can check in on them anytime.

I have a friend that always reacts to everything coming his way and always negatively. “Oh, I’m not very good today.”  It really worries me how he can be so miserable so much of the time. That is not a good way to live.

I have some really great friends and I love my church and church family. God also has given me favor with people. He has shown me that I am good at encouraging others. It is my calling. I love to write and God has helped me to be good at it. I never would have envisioned my life as it is now but he knows me better than I do.

I am a better person than I thought I could be but then he knows what I’m capable of.

I can’t wait for what is next.

Managing our mindsh

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“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish in the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”   Genesis 1: 26 NIV

God made us like him with the ability to think and reason. To be in control of our environment. We have been given free will to think however we want. And because we are made in his image we are able to accomplish great things. With his help who knows what we can do.

We have one problem though. We tend to live by our feelings. They are not always true. Satan has come to steal, kill, and destroy us. His best and easiest weapon is telling us how to feel to get us to act how he wants. “Oh you feel lousy and no one likes you. It is going to be a bad day.”

We believe him, but that is not the truth. God loves us and wants us to have a good day. We need to take control of our mind. If it is not something God would say then it probably isn’t true. But how do you get control. It’s so easy to feel from one moment to the next.

Someone says something you don’t like. You dwell on it and anger and bitterness ensues. You start becoming short with others. It just keeps growing. You are having a bad day.

I have learned that speaking life and positive things that are in God’s word to myself throughout the day keeps me positive. I have read the Bible every morning for many years now. It has helped me learn many verses. Promises God has given me. Keys for having a full and abundant life.

These are things he has told me to dwell on. And by dwelling on them I keep my mind positive. Satan doesn’t have a chance deceiving me. When he tries, and he will, I can respond with God’s words. Satan does not stand a chance.

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness he overcame every temptation by speaking His father’s words. When he was tempted to turn stones into bread. He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

Even when Satan tried to trick Jesus by telling him to do something because God’s Words said, “…”. Jesus said, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God. He did not do or think what Satan wanted him to do or think. He knew better.

We need to have that kind of control over our minds.

Midterm Elections

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“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God,  and the authorities that exist are ordained by God.” Romans’ 13:1 NIV

As this week approaches and voting for midterm elections is here God wants us to know that he is in control.  He needs each and everyone of us to get involved. Voting is a right we need to exercise. The fate of our country is in our hands.

I will admit that I haven’t felt a need to vote since I had my stroke. Since 2005 I felt that I was out of touch and was not qualified to be voting. I was living in a nursing home and didn’t really watch news, so I didn’t know who to vote for. But God convicted me. I can get enough information to make educated decisions on voting.

My roommate likes to watch MSNBC every day. I have learned so much in the last few weeks. Our country and the world we live in is out of control. God has shown me that it is so important to vote for those people that we feel would do a good job.

President Trump is not one of my favorite people. He is our President and we need to support him, respect and pray for him.  We also need to pray for other leaders. Senators, congressmen, mayors, governors, and all those in authority over us. They deserve respect for what they do.

I know that even King David did things that I don’t agree with. He was though, a man after God’s own heart. No one is perfect, we are all imperfect. God uses us to get things done in this world. Trump has tried to remind the American people how important God and his word are to its people.

At one time we were One Nation under God and our founding fathers based our laws and amendments on Godly principles. We were a very blessed country for many years. We have taken God out of our schools and our courthouses and we wonder why we are going downhill fast.

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

These people we vote for are working for all of us and need wisdom and guidance to do their jobs well. Even if we didn’t vote for them we need to support them when they are elected. We need to pray for them. We need to pray for our country and it’s people.

No one can do much alone. But with support and working as a team we are stronger. We can be unstoppable.