The Seek God Challenge Day 30

January 30, 2012 by Jules 2 Comments

MINISTERING TO THE LORD

READ

“25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.

“1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”

-Acts 12:25 -13:3

THINK

The church at Antioch understood the importance of passionately seeking God and His direction. Keep in mind that there are things in our life that we don’t need to seek God on, such as sharing the Gospel, because we have been clearly commanded through scripture to do them. What would be an example of things you should seek God’s direction for?

Some translations use the phrase “ministering to the Lord” in verse two which is a great picture of what it means to worship. He is our audience and we are giving honor and attributing praise to God. The picture here is that they were giving up food to worship God. They refused to just sit casually and attend church as normal. How might fasting change your relationship with God?

Knowing the end result of this meeting, (1.3 billion people coming to Christ, 13 books of the NT, etc.) what then can we conclude might be accomplished by diligently seeking God through prayer and fasting?

PRAY

These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.

Pray that you will begin to desire God even more than lunch or dinner.

Thank the Lord that He hears our prayers and draws close to us when we draw close to Him.

DO

Make a plan to set aside tomorrow night and the following breakfast and lunch to seek the Lord through prayer and fasting.

Download the guide here

Filed Under: Seek God Challenge Tagged With: Antioch, Barnabas, God, HolySpirit, Jerusalem, Lord, matt rothacher, Niger, prayer, Seek God Challenge

The Seek God Challenge Day 8

January 8, 2012 by Jules Leave a Comment

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SEEK AND FIND

READ

9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.11 What father among you, if his son asks fort a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" - Luke 11:9-13

THINK

This passage is directly after Jesus gives the model prayer. We see that given to disciples at their request. Likewise Jesus is asking us here to do what?

Verses 11-13 give us a picture of what? What is God telling us that He desires to give us (verse 13)?

Jesus is essentially telling us here that when we seek Him we will find Him, when we ask he gives and when we knock He will answer. What are you seeking, asking, and knocking for?

PRAY

These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.

Jesus rewards us for our boldness in our prayers. His children that desire to know Him are seeking Him greater and greater.

Ask God that your heart may desire more of Him, that you will never be satisfied with Him, and that you will always desire to know Him more.

Pray that you will be diligent to seek God boldly as you learn what it means to really ask, seek, and knock

DO

Take a few moments and sit down and think about what would you do for God if you could not fail, write that down and put it somewhere you won’t lose it.

Download the guide here

Filed Under: Seek God Challenge Tagged With: Challenge, Chase, Christ, Christianity, Father God, God, Holiness, HolySpirit, Jesus, Josiah, love, Luke, Passion, Passionate, prayer, purity, Pursuit, Seek

Practical Peace

November 7, 2011 by Jules 4 Comments

How peaceful does this woman looks as she calmly gazes over her coupons or whatever she hold in that thing?

How about this lady? Don't we all wish we could be the lady at the super market with an adorable bun, fitted sweater, wearing HEELS as we pace about the aisles gazing at the goods around us!

Bahahahahaheheheheh

That is sooo not how my Monday grocery shopping trips go down.

I planned last night (as I do most weeks) to rise early, shower, get myself ready, feed and dress all 3 the children (With my amazing hubby's help), load my van by 8 (8:30 at the latest) to head out for a fun-filled morning of grocery shopping with my quant list.

7:30 my middle child is awake knocking on her door asking for daddy which wakes her younger brother

I jump in the shower
Matt takes the youngest 2 down stairs to feed them

8:15 I am blowing drying my hair only to be startled by my eldest staring at me in my bedroom
We go maker her bed, potty, brush hair and teeth, pick out clothes for everyone (tossing them down stairs)

8:30 Everyone is helping someone get clothes and shoes on

Matt and I load all 3 children into the van (children toting their diaper bags that had been tossed to them as jackets were being
layered on)

8:45 I pull in the bank to get cash out for the week...ATM doesn't work

8:50 TOTALLY stressed already I run by Sonic and get a Vanilla Dr Pepper {THANK YOU double Happy Hour!!!}
9:05 I pull back into the bank now that the drive through is open and get cash

9:25 I circle the Wal-Mart parking lot looking for a spot close enough to the door so maybe I can make it inside without any major
injury

9:30 I load all 3 of my children into 1 regular cart (meaning no really cool blue, double seater thingy)

9:32 I realize I left my list in the van and take my entire load back out to get it (so glad our parking spot wasn't too far from the
building)

9:35 Group potty break: Preschooler uses potty, Toddler gets a diaper change, Baby is awakened by all the noiseless of the store

9:45 We start our shopping adventure

I won't play-by-play the rest of the trip but lets just say there were missing shoes, 2 laundry baskets taking up the entire cart, an exhausted walking preschooler, a toddler past her a.m. nap fussy because she had to sit on top of the bottled water, 1 bottle made and drank, trading of the rider/walker (who ended up being held >1/2 the time), lot of "are those all your kids?" and "we saw YOU here last time" comments, forgotten items, back tracking, bad selections made, and one sweaty mamma at the check out handing over bananas the moment they were weighed.

My poor babes are always done by the time we get to the register. Usually before then. That's when it never fails something doesn't ring up right, the checker doesn't like my coupon, and I can't juggle breaking up a fight in the crowed cart and paying for my items fast enough.

There have been lots of rough trips to the store. As I stand at that register I breath deeply, focus on hierarchy of needs, and smile with consistent apologies if necessary to those waiting eagerly behind us.

To my surprise most people when you thank them for their patience respond with patience!

I had several encouraging women ask me, "Are you always this calm?" to which I always seem to respond, "If you could only see my insides... {churning}"

Why? Why do I respond that way? Yes, I want to be honest with people but I also want to be a witness in all I do. I am challenged to make this reoccurring situation one to seize!

My prayer is that I will be able to communicate this {Not in these exact words} next time: I am in charge of my actions

The Weymouth New Testament says in Acts 19:36 that "These facts, then, being unquestioned, it becomes you to maintain you...r self-control and not act recklessly."

and because God is in charge of my changing heart, I will rest in what the New Living Translation says

Zeph. 3:17, "For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."

So next time you see me sweating like a sumo wrestler at the Wal-Mart check out line with 3 fussy babies, too many groceries for one cart, and a smile on my face, just know I'm attempting to practice practical calmness in hopes of resting in supernatural peace: practical peace!

~~~

What do your shopping trips look like?

Any helpful hints? {I've tried all kinds of things: different times, days, with the hubs, by myself, etc}

What reoccurring situation will you use to testify what God's doing in your life? How will you look different that the rest of the world when under stress?

Filed Under: The Ones about Jules Life {Randomness} Tagged With: Biblical living, calm, God, peace, practical, prayer, rest, wal-mart

(In)courage

June 19, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

"“Where two or more get together in My name I’m there too,” promised Jesus.

And I don’t think cyberspace is excluded." - incourage.me

One of the blog sites I love to ready almost daily is incourage. Today, their post was How can we pray for you? Amazing! As Christian's in blogging communities, shouldn't we be offering this opportunity more often?!? Thank you women of incourage for challenging me today as well as giving me the chance to seek partnership in praying for my thorns!

~~~

Many of you already know how you can be praying for me and my family this week but just incase you don't, this is our request at the moment:

This week my husband and I are struggling through making 2 out of what God has made one. No, we are not getting divorce! My hubby is a youth pastor and is away at summer camp for a little over a week leaving me in my failed attempt at being a single parent. I do have great loving support and help but it’s just not the same as having your literal other half there for that steady routine and irreplaceable hugs at the end of the day.
My 3 babes are all under 3, the oldest will be 3 Wednesday during camp, the next is almost 1.5 year old, and the youngest is 5 month old. At this age they almost all require, desire 1 on 1 time (at least at some point during the day). We made an hour and 1/2 trip today to see him for Father's Day and will again for Maggie's birthday. TOUGH all the way around!
I’m assuming most of you reading this totally understand what kinds of stresses come with this situation and know how to pray for me (probably better than I do myself).
Thanks for this opportunity to share this request and in advance for lifting me and my family up to The Father on Father’s Day!

~~~

Leave your prayer request as a comment. Before you do, please take a moment to read, pray for, and respond to the prayer request before yours. Let’s love on each other, friends.

Filed Under: Being a Help-Meet, Parenting, The Ones about Jules Life {Randomness}, The ones about the Rothacher Home Tagged With: 3 under 3, blogging communities, christians, Father's Day, incourage.me, prayer, routine, summer camp, super summer, The Father, youth pastor

“I got Seberal fings to do today!”

May 19, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

"Maggie, you are supposed to be at the table for breakfast," I remind my (almost) 3-year-old this morning as I came downstairs with her little sister.

She boldly announces to me from her playroom, "Mamma, I got Seberal things to do today!" She continues with her "list" as she reluctantly follows me into the dinning room, "I got to Play wit my rug; get dressed, take a nap, get a pencil, get up, eat breakfast, go back to nap, go to Izzie's house (her sister). I got seberal fings to do in my kitchen."

Crack'n me UP!
"Be careful little eyes what you see (read). Be careful little ears what you hear. Be careful little feet where you go." My prayer that I will breathe life into children daily, not tearing them down. They not only repeat, verbatim, words and phrases we use or read to them but also quickly pick up on and reproduce attitudes, moods, and concepts being display before them. This "concept" has not only come from, I'm sure, me and my crazy "to-dos" but also from a simple silly book in our home (from my hub's childhood), "Frog and Toad Together" by Arnold Lobel.

Even better than this...she's got a shadow who is watching my every move AND her big sis!