Every need...

Every need is provided for!

That's the one thing I can always be sure of. So much so, if I was a betting lady- I'd have to always put all the cash/chips on God! :))

You may be a bit confused as to what this picture is and how it has to do with betting...well these are what I received in the mail from a dear friend and well, it has nothing to do with betting but all to do with needs being met.

What you are looking at is +$500 worth of cloth diapers that I received for the lil missus who will be making her debut in a couple months. I'm not a very "green" person but I do believe in taking care of the space I occupy (not littering, using reusable water bottles, turning off lights...you get the picture). Well my interest in cloth diapering actually has less to do with that, as it does with exploring options and saving money.

If you've learned anything from me in my ramblings, I do not like being boxed in. I like knowing what's out there and exploring. Its okay if something works for you, but the older I get the more I feel the need to make conscious decisions about whether that "something" will work for me too! After my friend (the one who gifted these) mentioned she was doing this for her son 3 years ago- my interest was piqued. ***by the way, birthday shout out to her!!!!! :blows horns and whistles: Happy bday Ro***

Now that my time has come-I'm about 98.9% certain. I'm leaving the 1% because I realize that as much as I want this to work, there are some considerations that I will be faced with and who knows. At the end of the day though- I would have tried and to that, I'm proud of myself! :) Anyway enough of the sopa box rambling...

I know everyone thinks I'm crazy with wanting to cloth diaper (despite all the benefits) and I know even my husband still has his eyebrows raised because of the initial cost to get the amount of diapers that I need ($500-700) and the extra work...but then I get this email last week and as you can see, we probably won't have to buy not one diaper. I will however, get a couple of the inserts (flat white things in the upper left corner @ about $5 each).

Here's the kicker-  if this method works for baby, we literally would have spent no more than $100ish on diapering for our child. And that's from birth through potty training. woot woot. can I get a happy dance here?

The only thing I need to be aware of is that apparently just like pampers, some parents have better use with a particular brand. so I'm praying earnestly that this brand works like a charm with her, so I won't have to invest too much more in testing and adding other brands to the collection

I'm so excited. This was yet another example of how God is taking care of us...even in the small things.

Remember, God has no hands or feet but ours. I love to quote: Be the change you want to see in the world.  Along that vein: Be the blessing you want to receive.

Grace peace and love,
Gia

inner beauty continued...

Grace peace and love,

Gia

Inner Beauty

I've had another opportunity to speak, this time it was less formal but the topic was important nonetheless...."Inner beauty".

I was amazed at what came up when I searched the topic, as it seems this topic has been dubbed "the thing you say if you are ugly or to ugly people". (insert blank stare here). I was wow'ed.

In any event, I felt as Christians our definition of inner beauty is wrapped up in the characteristics that make the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It was really cool to take it from this perspective because truly, the average person would consider another as "beautiful" if they are loving, kind, patient, good, etc etc etc.

The ah-ha moment for me as I prepared was that LOVE (greek: agape) was listed first and when we look at what it means to agape...well, we see the other characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit.

(1 Corinthians 13:3-7 MSG)

"So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up. (faithfulness)

Love cares more for others than for self. (kindness)

Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. (peace)

Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, (gentleness)

Isn't always "me first," (self-control/kindness)

Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, (long-suffering)

Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, (goodness/kindness)

Puts up with anything, (peace)

Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, (joy)

But keeps going to the end. "

I should note that Biblical joy (greek-chara) differs from happiness and has to do with gladness, contentment, and trust. It is stable unlike happiness which is dependent on circumstances. Joy is deeply rooted in a belief and understanding that God is ___________(you fill in the blank with whatever attribute is applicable for your situation). 

So essentially, my summary was that to be beautiful (inside) means that we agape our  family members, friends, coworkers....i.e. our neighbours!

If one was to ask about you- would you be described as beautiful inside and out?

Grace peace and love,
Gia

seed to the sower

I challenged you a couple weeks ago to pay it forward, I want to challenge you this week, to consider small ways to extend your hand, share your world and give to those less fortunate.

At the very core, I'm a sapp. compassionate. I'm the giver. I really don't care about making money as much as I want to give out money. And I definitely don't think about making money as much as I want to help people. Its not anything I'm sharing to boast about...in fact most people (including some in my inner circle) would consider me (or this philosophy) dumb or stupid and I can understand that.  A decade + some years ago, this desire was fostered in naivety  but now I think I've gotten a better understanding of the world to understand that...well essentially you can't give what you don't have! ;)

However, even in this lesson...I've learned some more. Even though I may not have, or may not be focused on having, the Word of God (which I live by) tells me that:

"10. For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.

11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem[f] will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God." -2 Corinthians 9:10-12

Can you imagine how this made me smile?? Yes, I will still find practical ways to earn money, but at the end of the day...I know, if I am doing God's work, that He will make provision. He will provide me (the sower), with the seeds I need to plant. Of course, I can't just hold the seeds in my hand, because anyone, even us city folk, know that seeds do not grow in the palm of your hand. You need, at the very least...soil, water, and sunlight. At least I think that's the least of what we need...but you get the point.

This point was brought to life yesterday in Church as the minister sharing the Word talked about our dreams and gifts and our responsibility to not only dream, but to follow up with the dream (confronting our fears, mistrust, etc) and then finally to make the dream a reality...which of course requires practical funding. Without going into more details, she made a profound statement:

If you can hold it in your hand, it's not your harvest- it's your seed!!!

That shook me and reminded me, that what I have, what I earn, what I get excited about....is still merely just seed. I can plant it by blessing others, investing...sharing because when its harvest time, I will know. The barns will be overflowing. Literally.

For those of you who have followed this blog for a while, this is another example of Living on the Third River. woooot wooot. I thank God for reminding me and it is my prayer that I remain humble, pliable, and with an open hand that I may never covet the blessings I receive but share, knowing that I will help others and even through this act, will never be in lack.

What practical ways can you share, give, sow seed? food drive? packing old clothes and giving to homeless shelter? volunteering your time (which is money) to someone?

Grace peace and love,
Gia

Praise the GREAT God

"God has a first name—"Yahweh" or "Jehovah"—a Hebrew word that means, "I am." "Lord" should be translated "Jehovah," which means that Jehovah Almighty is His name. Jehovah is a personal name that reveals the very core of God's being, sufficiency, and holiness. God wants to be on a first name basis with us and wants us to come to Him just as we are, in our weakness and incompleteness. When we come before Him, sharing our deepest needs, with honesty and transparency, God then shares His last name, which is based on our current need in life."- Mary Sutherland, Girlfriends in God

Yesterday I had the humbling privilege of speaking in church for our Sunday morning service. Talk about nerve wracking. I've spoken on numerous occasions but in my head, there is something "different" about Sunday morning. Anyway...I talked about finding freedom. My message was entitled "Prison to Freedom, through Praise".



I wanted to share a short snippet of it on praise...and the quote from my GIG devotion this morning fit in so nicely.

Two things happen when we praise:

1. There is a shifting of our gaze (focus) to God: we become like Peter on the water...we can have the mental/emotional/spiritual and even physical strength to move out of the bondages [situations] that have already been unlocked and to move through the gates that have already been opened.
Also, praise helps us to re-align with God and to see a bit how God sees, that is...we get some insight into our situation AFTER we take our eyes off ourselves and look at God.

2. Through praise we establish, reiterate, remind ourselves of who God is, what He has done and what He is doing.

To praise means that we give commendation, accolades, honour to someone or something. We are highlighting a particular characteristic that we admire or like.  The act of praising means that there is a focus off of ourselves and onto the object receiving the praise.

When we praise God, I feel its easy to "get caught up". That is, to begin giving accolades about one characteristic and then easily be reminded that there is something else to give commendation to Him about.

For example, I can't help but to praise God for provision. He is Jehovah Nisse to me. There are so many situations where I know that it was Him who made the way...and in those situations, I can't help but think how He protected me and to be ever grateful that He is omniscient and loves me so much. So I praise Him for being Almighty God (El Shaddai), for being my protector and for being all-knowing (omniscient).  This then reminds me, that He sees everything...and particularly He sees me (El Roi) and my situation and He's working on my behalf. He is my Shepherd (Jehovah Rohi) and being the Good Shepherd, He will always lead me into truth and safety once I trust Him and I can always trust Him because He is faithful and GOOD!!!

Yes, its very easy to change our perspective from doom and gloom and despondency  to one where God becomes bigger and hope can rise and faith can be built!

Whatever your circumstance today, especially if its particularly heavy, sad, discouraging...shift your focus and begin to PRAISE. Recognize what God has already done, what He is doing and what He is about to do!

We were born to praise!

Grace peace and love,
Gia