Dare to Get Real Conference

In the early months of 2012 I was asked if I would be available to join seven other speakers at a Women's Conference to be held in November 16-17, 2012.  I was asked to write a "bio" about myself.  As I was writing in my journal that night, I was reminded of all that God has done, not only in my life, but in the lives of all the women that I have been privileged to have been able to share this magnificent walk with.  My "bio" is God's story in, and reflected through, me ... and so I wrote in my journal that night, what was in my heart...

"So often we are encouraged to study our Bible, but have never really be shown how.  I have had the pure joy of watching women, of all ages, develop an intimacy with God that comes through the study and knowing of His Word.  Know His Word and you come to know Him.  A woman who knows her God will not fall for a lie, because she has risen with the Truth.  A woman who knows her God stands firm, no matter the circumstance or trial, she displays great strength and takes action.  Instead of looking outside ourselves for these kind of women, let's purpose in our hearts before God that we, ourselves, will go and be that woman amid this generation, knowing our God and living accordingly!  One by one, together, we will be a beautiful "planting of the LORD that He may be glorified."  (Isaiah 61:3)

It's not about me... it's all about Him.
The above "bio" was submitted.

The Women's Conference is on.  

I'm looking forward to seeing you there!

The Dare To Get Real Conference Website link... http://www.getrealconference2012.com/ 

Everything you need to know can be found there, 
Sessions, Speakers, Video, Facebook Page, Registration... 

Fabulous Friday!

It's another FABULOUS FRIDAY!

fab·u·lous

 [fab-yuh-luhs]

adjective

1. almost impossible to believe; 

Did you catch that?

 "...almost impossible..."

But certainly,
by no means,
 impossible!

ALL THINGS are POSSIBLE with God!
Matthew 19:26

May this FABULOUS FRIDAY,
leave you shaking your head at the wonder of it all.
The fabulous wonder of believing...

"...that Jesus is the Christ, 

the Son of God; 

and that believing
you may have LIFE
 in His Name."
John 20:31

FABULOUS! 

Thrilling Thursday!

It's another THRILLING THURSDAY!

THRILL

1. to affect with a sudden wave of keen emotion or excitement

She... was crying. 

She... saw Him. 

She... heard Him. 

She... did not recognize Him. 

Grief can do that. 

Then, He called her by name....

Jesus said to her, "Mary!"

She turned and said to Him, "Teacher!" John 20:16

So, perhaps it wasn't a Thursday...

but if thrilling means a sudden wave of keen emotion or excitement... 

then, 

right in the middle of her overwhelming grief, 

this girl TURNED ... 

her amazingly THRILLING DAY had begun!

He's calling your name today.

Hear Him, turn to Him... 

and know the JOY of the THRILL!

Wonderful Wednesday!

It's another WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY!

Perhaps today will just be another Wednesday you can tick off as 'done'.

Perhaps today will decide to tick you off and declare you, 'done'!

Either way,

what's so wonderful about Wednesday?

No matter what this day brings.

No matter what this day holds.

Remember,

There is One Who is intent on holding YOU!

His Name is Wonderful...

                                             (Isaiah 9:6)

Tremendous Tuesday!

It's another TREMENDOUS TUESDAY!

 If you are feeling a little fragmented today, 

frayed around the edges 

and seemingly ready to fall apart, 

remember that "IN HIM all things hold together" 

(Colossians 1: 17) 

It's a Good Word!

Magnificent Monday!

Today I posted this on Facebook...

It's another MAGNIFICENT MONDAY!

“But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can’t afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don’t loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!” –Romans 13:11-14, The Message 

After more than a few conversations this past week with women, 
who are weary in well doing,
 it made me think of how we frame our days in thought.  
Monday's seem to be dreaded DAYS before they even arrive!  

This week, I'm eagerly anticipating each morning, 
being clothed in Christ and JOYFULLY RECEIVING...

 MAGNIFICANT Monday, 
TREMENDOUS Tuesday, 
WONDERFUL Wednesday, 
THRILLING Thursday and 
FABULOUS Friday!  

Each is a day the LORD has made... 
wouldn't I be a silly girl not to choose to REJOICE and be GLAD in it!

May this week be a blessing to you as you joyfully anticipate each new day,
clothing yourself IN HIM!

with love,

Heart Matters...

A young woman from church recently texted me this verse.

I loved it as soon as I saw it.

My text response back?

"Thank you!  

No wonder I pray for God to give me 
a pure heart and right spirit... 

nothing worse than a woman 
who speaks from her heart 

and others in the room have to duck 
just so as not to get smucked!"

God instructs us to "Above all else, guard our hearts...".
It's important what we let into our hearts.
What we allow to fill our hearts.
Because it's our hearts that ultimately move our tongues to speak!
This is what God calls, 
the fruit of our lips. 
The fruit of our lips is the harvest that is reaped 
from the seeds that we have allowed to be sown 
into our hearts and minds.

Here are a few seeds that are worth sowing into your heart and mind today.
Seeds that will bring forth a beautiful harvest.
The fruit of your lips...

"...whatever is true, 
whatever is honorable, 
whatever is right, 
whatever is pure, 
whatever is lovely,
whatever is of good repute, 
if there is any excellence 
and if anything worth of praise, 
dwell (ponder, think) on these things."
Philippians 4:8

Lost and ... Found!

Yesterday morning I awoke to the drumming of pouring rain.

I love the sound.

 I had planned on doing some gardening and I wasn't about to change my plans.

So, in the still early hours of morning I headed outside.

The Lavender needed trimming back.

So with cutters in hand I began to take away the spent blooms.

As the old was cut away to make way for the New I saw something sparkling.

As I bent even farther down to take a closer look I was delighted to see that hidden amid all the foliage were my long lost reading glasses.
I usually hang them off the front of my top.
They must have fallen off when I leaned over to smell the gorgeous fragrance of the blooms!

And so began my meditation for the day.

One of my favourite things to do is to take moments like this,

 and to see them with a Biblical perspective.

God's perspective,
 on the subject of lost and found.

Finding my reading glasses had me meditating upon Luke 15 most of the day.

In this passage Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep,
the lost coin,
 the lost son.

We know him as the prodigal.

Lost sheep need a shepherd.

Lost coins have value.

Lost sons are in need of fellowship with their Father.

You cannot read through these parables without noticing how many times the words "joy", "rejoice" and "celebrate" are mentioned.

And always by the One Who has found,

that which is lost.

v6. "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!"

v. "Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!"

v.32 ..."we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found."

Finding my reading glasses amid the spent blooms,

put a song in my heart.

One of thanksgiving.

One of pure wonder.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me... 

I once was lost, but now am found, 

was blind, but now I see!

                                                                     John Newton (1725-1807)

Fighting the Good Fight!

There is a vast difference between fighting over something and fighting for something.  The good fight, fights for the good thing... not over it.  To walk in freedom is worth fighting for.  To forgive and love without constraint is worth fighting for.  To take action in the purposes and will of God, without thought for any person's reaction or responses, only set on pleasing God, and glorifying Him... this is walking in true freedom... true Peace!  It's worth fighting for!

Let Your Light Shine!

The society that you and I live in, has the definite propensity to bring about a lack of restraint in God's people.  The culture that we find ourselves in, by and large, are "unfaithful to the LORD" yet I noticed in my reading today that it was not unfaithful Ahaz whom the LORD chose to humble, it was the people of Judah BECAUSE of Ahaz, king of Israel.

For the LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel,

for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was very unfaithful

to the LORD."

                                                                2 Chronicles 28:19

This verse reminded me of Proverbs 25:28.  A lack of restraint quickly manifests in having no control over our own spirit, which is likened to a city that is "broken into" and  "without walls"... the implication being that the enemy now has access to come in and "kill, steal and destroy."

"Like a city that is broken into and without walls,

is a man (or woman!) who has no control over his spirit."

                                                          

God fully intends that we have control over our own spirit!  Blaming the culture in which we live in, or another person in particular just doesn't hold much water!  What brings about a lack of restraint in God's people and begins the downward spiral is our own unfaithfulness.  Our own desire to run off in all directions, chasing after the next delightful thrill!  Our only barometer being that if it looks good, feels good, smells good and tastes good... it must be good!

The unfaithfulness that brings about the lack of restraint in God's people is shown in our disobedience to God's Word.  Of course the flip side of that old, well worn record is that faith is shown in our obedience to God's Word.  Hhmmm.... how about the question 'where does unfaithfulness even begin?'  I'm thinking that unfaithfulness actually begins with an apathetic view towards God's Word.  How can someone actually be faithful to His Word when they don't actually know His Word?  Yep!  I'm bangin' that old drum again!  I like the beat and it rings true....

Faith KNOWS God's Word and then takes God at His Word and lives accordingly... no matter what any one person, or society as a whole may say or do.  This is truly Living!  And all the time we are to keep in mind and encourage ourselves and one another in the truth that "we are protected by the Power of God through faith."! (1 Peter 1:5)  You want the mighty protection of the Power of God?  It comes through faith!  And faith comes by hearing... and hearing by the Word of God! (Romans 10:17)  Girls... on your mark, get set, GO!... open those Bibles and start you some serious hearing!

Look, there is a wide road that by and large the culture we live in walks upon. I'm beginning to see a little more clearly, this "wide road" that God has warned us about.  I've walked a few miles on it myself and it causes a disquieting, dis-ease within my soul.  I crave, desire, the "Narrow Way" which imparts peace and clarity within my soul.  I find this Way full of joy and rest.

By way of encouragement, let's not be a city that has been broken into and taken over by the culture of this world.  Let's purpose in our hearts to have control of our spirit, by His Spirit, showing restraint and knowing and adhering to the Word of God by faith.  After all... we were created to be a magnificent city, set upon a hill, letting our light shine...

It's Knowing Where to Look...

At my age, excessive blinking can reek havoc on my equilibrium,

it also has the potential of causing my contacts to fall out.

And,  I'm thinking,

  excessive blinking might also be a little disconcerting 

to those who happen to be around me at the time!

This well meaning assurance on the elevator panel, just tickled my funny bone.

(And yes, I know it was referring to the little red light!)

But I like to look at things from different angles,

and so, to think of some unsuspecting stranded person, 

stuck on a malfunctioning elevator, 

just standing there,

taking the message to heart,

and blinking excessively, 

just made me giggle.

It also made me think about what we actually do with our eyes during times of trouble.

There is such a vast array of distractions that we have to choose from,

in which to turn our gaze upon...

doctors, money, people, places, things...

yet there is really only ONE thing that is needful,

and for a girl who loves simplicity,

nothing could be more simple than this...

I lift up my eyes to the mountains -

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

                                            Psalm 121:1-2

The LORD also has a place for His eyes.

This Psalm goes on to tell us that He watches over us,

that He never slumbers or sleeps.  

In other words, He never closes His eyes.

He watches over us,

and watches over our life;

in all things concerning us.

He watches over our coming and going,

both now...

and forevermore.

Yes, Help is on the way,

His eyes are upon us,

and we are to look up!

It's All in How you See it...

My husband loves my mind.

Don't know what that says about the rest of me,

but apparently, he thinks I have a fabulous mind.

Quick, smart, funny...

However,

some things just seem to go right over my head.

Some things.

For instance,

while on the Indiana Jones ride in California,

we were taken into a very damp, dark and creepy underground tunnel.

Looking up,

 I saw something scampering across the dripping, slimy roots that were dangling across the tunnel roof. 

"Oh! Look!", I exclaimed, "squirrels!"

Amanda's reply?  

"They're RATS, Cathie."

I also don't clue in to written messages on T-Shirts,

or on baseball hats either... just ask my kids.

Goes right over my head.

So, in keeping with this train of thought,

(or lack of it)

while out shopping the other day I saw an animal-print scarf that I liked.

It was just what I was looking for.

Plus,

the little chrysanthemums 

(or were they roses?) 

that were scattered throughout the pattern was a bonus.

Sale made.

That evening,

as I showed Amanda my purchase,

she became quiet, took a bit of a deeper breath and said,

"Cathie, you realize those are SKULLS, don't you?"

Busted.

I've thought long and hard about this.

Well, 

maybe not so-o long, 

and maybe not so-o hard.

However, I've decided that I am going to wear that scarf.

I mean, what's so bad about a skull anyway?

We've all got one,

and don't pretend you don't,

you do.

Skulls are usually associated with death.

Death makes most people uncomfortable.

I get it.

Ecclesiastes 7:2 tells us that it is "better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting" because death is the end of every man, 

and the living are to take it to heart.

Being confronted with death makes a person think.

Good Friday is almost upon us.

There are some that are wondering, "what's so good about it?"

There are some that would answer, "A day off work!"

Then there are those who know.

Those who are to be ready with The Answer.

Those who, through the cross of Christ, can face death and declare...

"O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" 

1 Corinthians 15:55

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes Him Who sent me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgement, but has passed out of death into life.  

John 5:24


I was just thinking,
I wouldn't put it past me to be humming a chorus or two of "Dem Bones",
whenever I wear this scarf...

Ezekiel cried, "Dem dry bones!"
Ezekiel cried, "Dem dry bones!"
Ezekiel cried, "Dem dry bones!"
"Oh, hear the Word of the Lord!"