OUR FAMILIES LENT PROJECT

OUR JOURNEY TO THE TREE...


Family Easter Tree

I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ Ann Voskamps POST ON LENT.SHE HAS INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE THIS TREE!  
WOW, SHE INSPIRED ME TO EMBARK ON NEXT 18 DEVOTIONS THAT WILL LEAD TO EASTER DAY!
ANN'S POST WILL INCLUDE EACH OF THE 18 DEVOTIONALS ALONG WITH A CUT OUT PICTURE FOR YOUR PERSONAL FAMILY EASTER TREE..

EACH PICTURE TAKES YOU ON A JOURNEY WITH JESUS TO THE TREE AND THEN THE FINAL VICTORY ON EASTER SUNDAY.

JESUS WANTS THIS JOURNEY TO BE ALIVE AND PERSONAL IN YOUR LIFE!

AS A FAMILY WE WILL TAKE EACH DEVOTION AND LISTEN TO HIS WORD AND LINGER OVER THAT WORD DURING DINNER. YES, OF COURSE WE HAVE A BUSY LIFE WITH EVERYONE'S SCHEDULE BUT WE WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN SOMETIME DURING THE WEEK!
MOM CREATES THAT MOMENT! LOL!  
WE THEN LIFT UP THAT SPECIFIC WORD IN PRAYER AND CHALLENGE EACH OTHER TO TAKE THE WORD AND THINK OF A WAY TO LIVE IT OUT THE NEXT DAY.

WE HAVE 18 DIFFERANT PICTURE SCENES THAT MATCH A VERSE OR PORTION OF SCRIPTURE FOR THE TITLE OF THAT DEVOTION. ONCE WE HAVE DISCUSSED THEM WE HANG THEM ON OUR EASTER TREE. LAST YEAR WE ONLY COVERED 9, SO THIS YEAR WE WILL FOCUS ON THE OTHER HALF!

I THEN WRITE THE VERSE AND THE TITLE ON OUR FAMILY CHALKBOARD IN THE KITCHEN SO WE CAN SEE THE "TRIAL TO THE TREE"

I WILL POST OUR LENT DEVOTIONS ON THIS BLOG DURING THIS SPECIAL SEASON WITH HOPES TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO SEE GODS AMAZING GRACE, EXPERIENCE HIS PRESENCE AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO LIVE OUT HIS WORD AND FEEL FULLY ALIVE THIS EASTER!

I PRAY GOD SPEAKS TO YOU AND REVOLUTIONIZES YOU IN AMAZING WAYS!

TODAY I MADE ANOTHER ENTIRE COPY OF THIS 18 DAY EASTER DEVOTIONAL AND PLACED THE COPY IN MY GIRLS TREASURE BOXES SO THEY MAY DO THIS WITH THEIR FAMILIES SOMEDAY.

THE DEVOTION AND BOOKLET

BEFORE GETTING STARTED ON TODAY'S DEVOTION I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THIS UNIQUE BLOG WHICH I WROTE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. THIS POST SHARES OUR FAMILIES VIEW AND IDEAS FOR A GREAT TIME OF FOCUS DURING LENT.


TODAY WE WILL READ: GENESIS 22:1-14

KEY POINT:"THE RAM IN THE THICKET"


TAKE MINUTE AND READ THE WORD ABOVE, A LINK HAS BEEN PROVIDED FOR YOUR CONVIENANCE
LISTEN TO THE WORD ABOUT THE "RAM IN THE THICKET" AND LINGER OVER WHAT GOD MAY WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU.

God's provision is always there.

The longer we live the Christian life, the more we tend to see His faithful answers in the midst of hard situations.

He will never fail the person who puts his whole trust in Him.
Romans 10:11 promises us, "Whoever believes on Him shall not be ashamed."Getting through difficult circumstances is almost always costly to our faith.
It often seems as though we are hanging on by our fingernails, and it is a very uncomfortable feeling!

Abraham must have felt like that.
Think about His fear and anxiety as he walked His son to the alter to sacrafice in obedience to God. God may call us to steep and difficult demands but He will always provide beyond our understanding!

But he chose to believe the promise God had spoken to him. Hebrews 11:17-19 says of him, "It was faith that made Abraham offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice when God put Abraham to the test. Abraham was the one to whom God had made the promise, yet he was ready to offer his only son as a sacrifice. God had said to him, 'It is through Isaac that you will have the descendants I promised.' Abraham reckoned that God was able to raise Isaac from death …."God came through for Abraham by providing a ram in the thicket.

What will He do for you?

Trust Him to "see to it," and He most assuredly will provide your answer, too.

GOD HAS A PLAN, STAY FAITHFUL AND OBEDIENT MY FRIEND. GOD SEES YOUR FEAR AND ANXIETY. CHOOSE TO LAY IT DOWN AND KEEP POSITIVE BECAUSE GOD WILL PROVIDE A RAM IN THE THICKET FOR YOUR SITUATION,

BLESSINGS,

DO NOT GIVE UP

STAY FOCUSED AND DON'T FALL OFF THE HORSE!

C O M M I T M E N T moves past the mind and emotions and goes stright to the will.

Life gets challenging for me and I have a hard time staying committed, if you feel the same then I promise you will be given great tools today to stay focused!

in the book of Acts we see STEPHENS commitment in his words and attitudes.
Stephen had the presence of God in his life, based his commitment on biblical foundation, he saw error in past thinking, spotted resistance, kept his eye on Jesus, the truth and maintained perspective!

I want to be more like Stephen because he was determined to experience the WILL of God for his life and displays an unwavering commitment no matter what!

The "WILL" of man is like a cart pulled by two horses. Their names are MIND and EMOTIONS. You must get both horses moving in the same direction to move the cart forward. COMMITMENT results when your mind and emotions move forward, whatever the cost!

I have been examining my commitment in certain areas the past few weeks. Let me share a few

Examining my commitment to running and exercise goals
Examining my commitment to marriage and my spouse no matter what!
Examining my commitment to ministry dreams
Examining my commitment to Godly parenting
Examining my commitment to a Godly lifestyle

I truly desire to understand and stay on the path of Gods plans for my life...
But often my mind and emotions can begin to go in many other directions.

Am I the only one?


I have several friends come to ask me all kinds of questions like...

What is Gods plans for me? How do I even get moving forward in the plans?

I wonder who God has for me as a mate and when I will find him?

What will I be when I get older?

What is going to happen with our finances?

My husband was just diagnosed with cancer what will the outcome be?

I hope to find the perfect job?

Our marriage is struggling and not sure that I can continue on

I lost my job

C O M M I T M E N T IS THE ANSWER
I believe our answers will come together when we focus on the mind and emotions, our two horses!
We have to train these horses my friends!
Now as we all know horses are very strong animals, yet very trainable.
So in the same way is our minds.
1 peter 1:13 it tells us to gird up our minds. We have to discipline our minds by taking all loosely flowing thoughts, speculations and opinions and train them to be in the same MIND which was in Christ Jesus.




Many times a HORSE must be harnessed with bit and bridle controlling the horse to move forward. It is used to put pressure points on specific areas of the horse so the direction of the horse can be controlled. The horse then moves in a forward direction as the rider pulls on the reigns!


I am so in need of the bit and bridle to train my mind!
One pressure point is in the mouth and it helps the horse to stay moving with control in a forward motion. The word of God to me is a huge pressure point to keep me moving forward.
I feel the reigns tugging at my heart and adjusting me accordingly, so I stay moving forward with HIS thoughts and plans. The bridle on my head, another pressure point helps me stay focused.
I am often lead in different directions from family, friends, old habits, attitudes, emotions and more.
Just as a horse can get SPOOKED so can we!

Things come in our pathway daily that make us question life sometimes, we can have that fight and flight mentality too! BUT WITH GOD pulling on our reigns we regain control!
We need to trust the rider of our life.
A horse learns to gain trust in their rider . Just as we need to gain trust in the plans God has for us. Many just need to understand that God really has a great plan no matter how messed up life may be.


Stay COMMITTED and trust your rider! If we cannot begin to trust and grow in a relationship with Jesus our rider and owner, we will never move forward into the DREAMS God has for our lives!


Do you desire to move forward into Gods great purposes?

The questions on the pathway of life that we don't understand will SPOOK us but remember to train your minds to trust the owner!

Ephesians 4:23 "be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that you put on the NEW man which was created according to God."

Let me share 6 principles for developing commitment

1. Commitment starts in the heart
Look deep inside and examine where your heart is committed

2. Commitment is TESTED by action
Talk is cheap and action is expensive

3. Commitment opens the door for accomplishment
Once you commit yourself, all kinds of resources and help will come your way to help you succeed!

4. Commitment can be measured
Look over the day a see how you stayed committed

5. Commitment enables you to make decisions and SET BOUNDARIES
Gods word will help with decisions and boundaries.

6. Commitment flourishes with public accountability
Go public with your commitments, then you will have incentive to follow through.
Blessings