Browsing Tag:

God

Spiritual

Personalizing, Paraphrasing & Journaling Scripture To Bring About Life Change

JOURNAL-SCRIPTURE-PSALM18

A Beautiful Way To Pray Scripture

Personalizing, paraphrasing & journaling Scripture is changing my quiet times & making my prayer life full and meaningful. I feel it changing me as I pray from His Word. I have loved looking at passage or chapter of Scripture in the Bible, reading it in a version that most appeals to me,  paraphrasing it, and making it personal by choosing words to journal.  I write the words in my journal,  then pray the words back to God.  It ends up being a beautiful way to pray scripture, and I find so often it is exactly the encouragement my heart needs.

Hebrews4-12

Praying Scripture Exposes What We Need

I have been asking God to help me in my prayer life & this is one way He has shown me that has enriched it and has given me words to pray.  What better words to pray than ones that are given to us in His Word?  Scripture is so full of rich & powerful words, and they expose just what God wants us to see and think, and also exposes that which needs to be challenged and changed in us.

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4:12

Praying Scripture Helps Us Apply What We Read, To Ourselves & To Others

Too often in my life, Scripture is read, but then forgotten and not applied. Journaling and praying Scripture is a way to use its power not just for my life, but also in the lives of those I love.  I will often substitute their names in place of mine.  I have especially found it a great way to pray for my kids.

How I Personalize, Paraphrase & Journal Scripture

The easiest way I have found to personalize, paraphrase and journal Scripture is to use the YouVersion Bible app, choose a version of Scripture that appeals to me (usually the New Living translation or The Message translation) journal it, read it, and then pray it.

I have my YouVersion Bible app set up to a plan that sends me one Psalm and one Proverb each day.  I have LOVED doing this process with the Psalms especially, as they so often express what my heart desires to express, but often can’t.

I usually do this process in the quiet morning with a cup of coffee and a breakfast of oatmeal & toast. I bring the app up on my phone, scroll down as I journal, choosing words that most jump out at me and paraphrase & personalize them.

Below is an example of a prayer response journal that I did recently on Psalm 18, using The Message version of Scripture:

Psalm 18–Paraphrased, Personalized & Journaled:

I love you God, you make me strong.

I live in your castle and you are my rescuing knight. I run for dear life to you, I hide in you. I am safe in your hideout. I sing to you and find myself safe & saved.

I cry to God to help me, he hears my call.  My cry brings me right into His presence, a private audience of just me and God!

You catch me, reaching all the way from sky to sea, pulling me out of enemy chaos where I was drowning, the enemy who hit me when I was down…but YOU God, stuck by me.

You take me to wide open spaces, I stand safe & saved, surprised to be so loved.

God completes my life when I place all my life pieces before Him.

I bring my act to Him and He gives me a fresh start.

Keep me alert to your ways & help me not to take you for granted.

Keep me in You everyday reviewing your ways & watching my step.

Piece by piece you put me back together.  I open my heart to you and You see me.

I taste your goodness, I am good.

I taste your health, I am whole

I taste your truth, I am true.

When I am down and out you are on my side.  Take me down a notch when I am stuck up or stuck on myself.

Floodlight my life, in the light room you reveal & show me your glory–You are blazing with glory!

Your road stretches straight and smooth.  I run in God direction, a road tested, and I make it as you promised.

You prepare me & pointed me in the right direction.

You show me how to fight.

You protect me and hold me with a firm hand.

You caress me with your gentle ways and clear the ruble so I will not stumble.

You have surrounded me well.

Rescue me from squabbling people, Oh Lord, rescue us. Be with our family, Lord, bring your revival.

I thank you God.

I praise your name with songs.

You rule and win over all and you chose me as your beloved–always.

……………..

Isn’t that beautiful? His words and my words entwined.  His words written down in my journal, an act that makes me submit with each stroke of the pen, for it changes me. My thoughts exchanged for higher thoughts, my faith restored as I pray them aloud.

……………..

How about you? Do you journal? Do you struggle with remembering Scripture or allowing it to seep into your heart and soul? What are ways you enrich your prayer life?  Does this way make sense and would you ever try it?

If so, get the Bible app, pick a passage, get your journal, write it out then pray it for yourself, your friends, your spouse or your kids.

……………

For more about journaling at New Nostalgia:

7 Ways To Journal & Why I Write Versus Type 

A New Way To Count The Gifts–A Thankful Journal

5 Minute Fridays/ Spiritual

Trust & A Health Update

PROVERBS-3-5-TRUST

Participating in  5 Minute Fridays. 5 minutes to write about one word. Unedited.
This week’s word: TRUST
………………..
GO:

My last health update was last May, and I was in searching for answers for an extreme nausea that I had been experiencing for weeks.

20 pounds lost, watching the scale go down brought on such fear and anxiety.

A summer full of tests & more tests, still no answers.

No sign of cancer brought some relief to my fear, but unknowns still abound–yet I will trust.

I went off cancer meds, thinking they were the culprit, but they were not.  Adjusting to going off of them & then back on was — an adjustment. Chemical menopause, then not paused, then chemical menopause once again brought more than pause, it stopped me in my tracks.  There were many days of crying out to God in despair.  I wanted answers. I wanted normal. I wanted to be able to feel well again & write well again, instead of forcing yet another recipe post.

I am feeling better and finding my normal.  Anti-anxiety medication seems to be the answer I needed to bring back normal, for cancer meds don’t just steal my hormones but what seemed to be the whole of who I am.

The nausea still lingers in the mornings, but yet another medication has taken the severity of it away and I am able to eat again and my weight has stabilized. I am so. very. thankful.  A bit of weight has been gained, & so has my trust.

God was near this past year. I have been running hard to Him in the hard moments, for hard moments turn to precious in His presence. It is in these hard life moments when desperation gives no choice but search His words for help and hope, & He is always there, saying “Trust.”

STOP.

…………….

FAMILY/ Kids/Family/ Love/ Marriage

24 Ways To Be A Helper To Your Husband

25-Ways-Helper-Husband

Helper: One who gives assistance or support to another, making life more pleasant or bearable.

“It is not good (sufficient, satisfactory) that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper meet (suitable, adapted, complementary) for him. I will make him a helper.”– God Genesis 2:18 (emphasis added)

So, how do you feel about being a helper?  I’ve always been okay with the term, as on of my gifts is acts of service, so helping people is something I love to do, but I know many women who struggle with feeling like this title is ‘less than’ or inferior.  My struggle is different.  My struggle is remembering who I am called to be and putting the energy into it.

If you do struggle with this word, it might help to remember that the word Helper, is actually a precious word that God uses to describe himself!

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you. Isaiah 41:10

In this verse God is assuring His people, telling them not to worry, because He will be their helper.  He considers it a worthy calling, so I do to.

I’ve recently had a reawakening when it comes to wanting to be the wife God has called me to be.  This has come along my heart for a couple of reasons.

I am just coming out of a season where I was quite sick for a long period of time.  It has taken months to get back to myself, of which I really will write about soon, (let me reassure you that I am still in remission, much of the sickness has come from ongoing hormone treatment and side effects from that treatment) but I was so sick that I went inward, and really could only focus on getting through everyday.  It was quite a selfish period…not really… but kind of.  I did my best to give as much as I could each day, but physical and emotional illness caused me to not be able to give like I was used to.

The second reason is an amazing couple I know and who I wrote about, that recently went to Heaven.  They had the marriage I think we all long to have.  They were best friends and just did marriage so well!  Here is a quote from Terri…I must share as it just hit me so hard how beautiful her thinking and way of living was.

“‘You become what the most important person in your life thinks that you are. “At the end of Ty’s life, I want him to be able to say, ‘Terri was the greatest earthly blessing in my life – the best thing that ever happened to me – and that I’m a better man because of how she loved me. And that’s the goal that I live with every day. That’s how I want to love this man.‘”

Now that I am able to focus more on others, and I have a very tangible example of what a great marriage looks like, I am very excited to start by focusing on my own and the one that is most important to me…my Todd.

In doing that, I have been reading a book and the beginning chapter talks about being a helper.

It is not really doing something, but being someone.  An identity that I want to keep in the forefront of my mind. It is a worthy calling.

I ask myself: Do I make my husband’s life more pleasant and bearable? Does he depend on me? Can he now that I am feeling better? Have I communicated this to him?  Does he feel my support? How do I react when he asks me to do things for him? What are things I do or can do to accomplish this?

Lately I have been able to practice the answers to these questions as it is my Todd’s most busy time of year.  He works for a non-profit organization as a programs director and also as an after school reading center director.  This week and next he is just swamped and has needed me to step up and take care of things he normally would take care of.  This plays out practically in lots more time in the car for me…rides for our 3 girls in the evenings that he would usually give.  It also looks like me going to teachers meetings alone and being quite proactive in being the main parenting figure right now, at least during the week. I hope he is starting to feel the unconditional support as my attitude in doing this purposefully and cheerfully is still pretty new. It’s not that I was unwilling before, it is just that now I want to do it in a way that makes him feel confident that the house can be run well even when he is working extra hours; and that he has a wife who is capable of picking up where he needs to let go.

Honestly, the past 2 months this would have been really, really hard to do as my health was so precarious, but thank our sweet Lord I am stronger now and able to really be proactive in my new convictions.  I am so thankful for better health!

I must admit, not only did it take a change of health, but also a change of heart. It is so easy to become apathetic and not want to change.  My motivation came from seeing the beauty of a marriage done God’s way, and I will forever be grateful for such a beautiful example.

My new attitude will not always come easy.  I know there is an enemy of our souls that wants to bring fear, disobedience, scorekeeping, contentiousness and cause me stumble over pride. I will not let him win.

So what does being a supportive, pleasant, bearable, dependable helpmate look like for me?  How am I going to live this out practically?

Well, I plan on asking Todd specifically what is most helpful for him.  But in the meantime, I know him well enough to know where to start.

IMG_4613

………………

A few steps I’m taking in being a supportive, pleasant, & dependable “Helper”:

I will soften my face when I look at my husband.

I will smile at him, even if only with my eyes.

I will be attentive, acknowledging when he walks in the room.

I will be attentive, without putting pressure or expectation on him to be attentive back.

I will hug/kiss him hello and goodbye.

I will give him time to decompress and do ‘Todd’ things when he gets home.

I will do my best to make him feel special to me, like I’m his biggest fan.

I will exude warmth.

I will not share with him all that has gone wrong with my day the minute he walks in the door.

I will pray “Lord, please help me be willing to be willing.”

I will have my closest friends ask me about how I am doing in being “helper”

I will continue give my heart only to him and no other, with protective barriers up against all others.

I will not compare him unfavorably with others

I will work on making our marriage bed the warmest place known to the both of us.

I will use words like “good morning” “have a good day” “I love you” “how are you?” “need anything?”

I will look for ways to make him feel special in my presence

I will find ways to let him know he is of great worth to me

I will figure out how to best communicate how much I respect what he does and who he is

I will be committed to all of this even when I don’t feel like he might deserve it at times.

I will love and treat him as the man I know he can be even if he is having an off day.

I will choose to see the good.

I will make “deposits” into our marriage, more than “withdraws.”

I will pick myself up and try again, even if I ‘drop the ball’ in these goals.

I will do all of this through Christ, who is the only one who can fully and perfectly love me in the way I long to be loved.  As I grasp how very head over heals in love God is with me, I can then love others in the same way.

…………….

What about you?  Does this list resonate with you?  Does it make you fearful or nervous? Are you already doing most of these things? What are your experiences? What are your thoughts?

FAMILY/ Leaving A Legacy/ Spiritual

Remembering The Schenzels – I Can’t Find My Words So I Will Share Theirs

schenzel-8226{photo via Hope Jewell}

Love.

It is something I have begged God to help me understand just how deep and wide and BIG His love for me is.  You see, if I can just grasp, it will rescue me from fear, show me who really am and what true self worth is, and connect me to my sweet Maker in the deepest of ways.  I long to know and feel His love in deeper and deeper ways.

God is granting my request, but in His mysterious way, is doing it in a way I never dreamed He would. He has done it through tragedy.

I don’t understand His ways. But I do know that He is pure love and only good, so I trust His way.

I have experienced His promise of working all things for the good of those who love Him, even the most tragic of things.  I’m seeing it right before my eyes, as I read story after story on a Facebook Memorial page dedicated to 2 of the most influential people I have ever met.

Ty & Terri Schenzel went to Heaven 2 weeks ago today. They died in a horrendous, fiery car accident, while on their way to a vacation with a younger couple they mentored.

Ty & Terri both had a huge impact on my life, in person when I was young and vulnerable. I just soaked up their love and words of wisdom.   I recent years, I’ve soaked their love in via social media, especially Ty, who was such a cheerleader to me with all his “likes” and “hearts” and comments when I would post.  I’ve wanted to share them with you all week, but have not been able to find my words,  and still don’t have adequate words to do justice to the amazing people that they were.

Instead, I’m going to share photos, videos, links & quotes to give you a glimpse of what God’s love looks like when fully lived by His people.  This post really is as much for me as it is for you, a place to come back to for words and resources from my sweet friends.  It is a privilege to share them with you.

schenzel-8136{photo via Hope Jewell}

{Ty & Terri in their own words}

{Their 4 Children Speak At The Funeral-so raw, beautiful.}

Ty & Terri were:

Hilariously Holy
Optimistically Open
Prayerful Pioneers
Exalted Everyone

{Pastor Murdoch’s Words From The Funeral}

………………..

MARRIAGE

Ty & Terri had the most beautiful marriage, and were more in love the day they died than they were the day they met.  They left behind so much priceless marriage advice, and I am ingesting it all and finding myself so influenced by their words.

The following podcasts are so very good and capture the love they had for each other.  I’ve listened to them twice and took notes the second time.  Be sure to make time to listen to them, you won’t regret it.

{How they met, in their own words, and amazing marriage advice}

“‘You become what the most important person in your life thinks that you are. “At the end of Ty’s life, I want him to be able to say, ‘Terri was the greatest earthly blessing in my life – the best thing that ever happened to me – and that I’m a better man because of how she loved me. And that’s the goal that I live with every day. That’s how I want to love this man.‘”

-Loveumentary podcast episode 36.

 

{more marriage advice, part 2}

Hope Filled Marriage — This was Ty & Terri’s new venture.  Encouraging other couples in their marriages through videos, a website, and workshops.  Oh, how I wish I would have attended one! The videos alone are so great.

 “Love is like a bank account. Every interaction you create is either a deposit or a withdrawal. If you keep making deposits, your love always overflows. You never go bankrupt.”

Videos on Marriage From Ty & Terri

“I think “BFF” means “Best Friends Forever”. When it comes to my marriage to the former Terri Alexander, she is for sure my best friend…forever.

How great is that?! My wife is my best friend. Like, I can’t get enough of hanging out with her. I’m pretty sure she feels the same way about me…at least I hope so.

When we’re together, which is a lot, we: laugh, eat, process our thoughts, feelings and emotions…go to movies, get a cone at McDonald’s, walk around at the mall, drive through neighborhoods looking at homes, eat, laugh, call our kids, work at the Hope Center, carpool as much as possible…to name a few.

With each passing year, our love, joy and friendship continues to grow and go deeper. I love my best friend the former Terri Alexander. I’ll love her forever…till the day I die…and when I get to Heaven and see her there, we’ll have forever to continue our friendship…because our friendship is forever.” –February 14, 2012 Ty Schnezel

……………….

TY SCHENZEL

The Hope Center -Ty was founding executive director, and a pastor in Omaha, NE

“Comma before the exclamation point” Ty Last Sermon at Waypoint Church

The graveside burial is a comma and not a period. For the believer, the lover of Jesus, this is not the end. This is not the ultimate, this is not the goodbye, this is the “we’ll see you” — eternally speaking — soon. The graveside, for the believer, is a comma before the exclamation point. / Pastor Ty #‎commanotaperiod

Ty’s Last Tweet

Ty’s Book “A Thousand Screaming Mules: The Story of Stubborn Hope and One Dad’s Dream To Transform Kids’ Lives

Wordz From The Hood —  A weekly podcast hosted by Pastor Ty Schenzel and former Hope Center for Kids youth Frank Lucas, Wordz from the Hood hopes to provide a window into the heart of life in the inner city.

 Ty’s Tumblr Blog

Step Up To Life Booklet – The Little Booklet That Led Ty To God

Ty Sermon Please Be Seated   on 1 Thessalonians 1. His teaching was unbelievably moving!  Watch it here…..He starts his teaching at 14:24.

“God loves me more than everyone else, not really, but kind of.” –Ty Schenzel

…………………

TERRI SCHENZEL

{Terri’s Favorite Song}

Top 10 Impacts Terri Had On My Life – a great post full of Terri’s words of wisdom

Terri’s Famous Spaghetti Sauce Recipe – just made this yesterday.  Oh. My.  It makes a ton and is simply delicious.  I will be blogging about my experience soon!

Terri’s Blog

………………..

{A song played at the funeral, my new favorite. It is a beautiful reminder of how loved we are.

‘We Dance’ by Steffany Frizzell Gretzinger}

Ty & Terri’s Memorial –attended by 3,000 people in person, and at 7,000-8,000 more by satellite.

Ty & Terri’s Memorial Youtube Channel

Ty & Terri’s Memorial Facebook Page – thousands of stories and tributes made here. It’s been such a place of comfort reading about them!

Take The Baton T-Shirts – to benefit the Schenzel Family Legacy Fund – I’m ordering mine today!

Acts 20:24, “My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus.” May the mantle Ty & Terri carried be passed down to many. With the mantle on our shoulders and their baton in hand, may this scripture describe us all.
– Pastor Lincoln Murdoch

………………

Thank you for taking the time to read about and learn about these super special people in my life.

I will see you again, Ty & Terri.  Until them, thank you for living loved and sharing the love.  Thank you for faithfully holding the baton. I will grasp it, hold on to it and always remember your example.

Oh…and Ty?  God loves ME most, not really… but kind of.

5 Minute Fridays/ Cancer Journey/ HEALTH/ Spiritual

Health Is A Gift – 5 Minute Friday and A Health Update

photo.PNG-6

Participating in  5 Minute Fridays. 5 minutes to write about one word. Unedited.
This week’s word: GIFT
………………..
GO:

Health is a gift.

On Tuesday I had a CT scan and a bone scan, as it had been 2 years and I have been having health problems.

On Wednesday I get the call that they saw no evidence of disease. Such a gift!  I rejoice.

On June 17 I will meet with a Gastroenterologist and there will be more looking on the insides for answers. Oncologist tells me they have tests that can show what scans can miss, and maybe answer questions. Why weight loss? Why the daily nausea and digestive issues? I hope to get some answers.

Appetite is a gift.

Stomach growling is a gift.

Even weight gain is a gift when one sees the scale sliding down, down, down and has no idea why.

But here is where I really want to be.

I want to be in the place where all is a gift, embracing all that God has allowed to go through His hands and onto me, His child.

Even the hard stuff.

I’m not there yet…not even close.

When cancer treatment caused the symptoms, I was closer, as symptoms were expected and let up in time.

In this unexpected and unknown, it has been harder.

I want easy and let’s get real honest, I want perfect. I fight perfectionism, a battle that has crept back up.

I am being stripped of perceived perfect and that is a gift.

I feel like I’m flailing and falling through this life of nausea, just wanting stillness.

And the I get a glimpse, on Wednesday, when girlfriends surround and make a cross on my forehead with anointing oil and pray to our great God for answers and healing and ultimately, His will– whatever that might be.

With hands laid, prayers lifted, a breeze coming through the open window and robins chirping, I find not what I want, which is health, but what I need.

The gift of stillness.

STOP.

…………….

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

5 Minute Fridays/ Spiritual

Simple Steps To Meeting With God

MEET-WITH-GOD

 

Participating in  5 Minute Fridays. 5 minutes to write about one word. Unedited.

This week’s word: MEET

………………..

GO:

Come, meet with me, meditate on my truths

Meet with me in the morning for there you will find my mercies are new

Visualize what I can do in you, visualize how you see your future

Speak with me, pray my name

Speak to me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things

Quiet your thoughts, turn down thoughts spinning, turn up my truth and use it as meditation.

Skip the morning? Then find me in the night.

Just come

Come quiet, let’s meet.

 

Simple Steps Of Meeting with God:

~Grab pen, journal, Bible

~Find a quiet space

~Light a candle

~Come quiet

~Meet Mercies

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  Lamentations 3:22,23

~Pray my name

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,  Matthew 6:9

~Meditate on my Truth

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:2

~Visualize my promises

~Ask and receive

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. John 16:24

~Seek and find

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. Proverbs 8:17

~Be anxious for nothing

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

~In everything give thanks

~Turn on songs

~Listen & receive

~Meet.

STOP.

………………..

Want to see more 5 Minute Fridays?

1 Staying Open When You Want To Grip Closed

2. To Write The Mind Alive

3. So Long Last Year, Welcome This Year

4. The Whispers I Hear

5. Finish Strong

6. Oh She Glows

7. Friend

8. Wait

Spiritual

Relieved. Redeemed. Renewed.

In Christ Alone{sign for sale via Dear Lilly}

Inspired by Pastor Clark Sunday Sermon on Ephesians 1, & the hymn “In Christ Alone.”

Happy to be sharing this with ‘Hear It On Sunday,  Use It On Monday” with Michelle DeRusha.

————–

When all else fails, it is You who remains.

My Cornerstone, firm through the fiercest drought and storm

 

Your opinion of me never changes.

Your grace is lavished.

 

You have given me every spiritual blessing needed.

You have given and will give all I need to be all you have said I am.

 

Precious. Princess. Bought. Chosen. Grafted. Adopted.

 

I chew on this truth, sitting in this place–Your house.

 

The elements are passed, bread broken.

I hesitate to chew, for when I do, I’m reminded of how you broke.

 

You know what it is to break.

You know rejection, a broken heart.

 

Your body splintered

Blood poured out, God’s wrath satisfied

 

I drink, a communion

Remembering what it took to establish this union.

 

Father, we are one.

Father, make us one

I cry out …make us one.

 

Lord! Lord! Hear my cry.

 

Let me feel the release

A precious blood transaction

 

I reject the lies

Sins grip is loose, an easy slipping through fingers

I am free to let go, grip released

 

Darkness goes, light comes

I enter the Light room

 

Yes, I am free, released but held

In Your Hand, never to be plucked out

 

A God-hand hammock for my heart,

Heart healed with your words, “It is Finished.”

 

Here I rest, help me find rest

Relieved, Redeemed. Renewed.

 

You wrap me up

Cacooned in light

I hear your whispers of truth

 

I am yours, you are mine. We are one.

 

I remain until released– that day you call me home.

You command my destiny, from my first cry to my last breath.

 

I will remain.

Lord, help me to remain.

—————

Christina Grimmie is amazing.  Here she is singing my favorite hymn, ‘In Christ Alone’ –her voice blew me away.

Top