Thursday, December 23, 2010

Saturday, August 14, 2010

A Girl's Guide to Life by Katie Meier

Are you parenting a teenage girl?  Before I begin by offering my condolences, I will remind myself that I am just a few years away from being in your shoes.  So I will offer something much more substantial that you will hopefully return in a few short years.

I just finished reviewing "A Girl's Guide to Life" by Katie Meier, and if your daughter is already "falling in love" routinely, this is a great book for her!  I found it a little advanced for my 12 year old, but know I'll be pulling it out again soon.


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The book is divided into three parts, Mind, Body and Soul and each chapter has a practical layout with places for your daughter to personalize her own experience in each area.  It also includes "Big Myths and the Real Deal", hitting many tough subjects head-on. 

Katie Meier addresses everything from prejudice and perceptions to sex and sexuality and everything in between.  She ends the book with "Who You'll Choose To Be".  I like the fact that she reinforces that who you are is a choice and that it isn't about what you like to do, but who you really are inside. 

As the sub-title says, this book is the truth on growing up, being true and making your teen years fabulous.  I can only hope that mom and dad benefit from the learning that a teen girl gets from the book and that it will minimize the need for condolences when my 12 year old is ready for this book!

Thursday, July 08, 2010

Don't Settle for the Ordinary

This song by Third Day is told from the perspective of Moses and talks about how he couldn't settle for less once he had seen God's glory.  I don't know about you, but I don't want to settle for ordinary things if I can see His presence and His face.  It seems that His presence is even more palpable when things are challenging in my life.  How about you?




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Friday, February 26, 2010

Faithfulness

2Thesselonians 3:3  The Lord is faithful and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

Faith is believing without seeing.  It is like the sun, that although absent from our vision at night, it always comes up each morning. God is as faithful and as powerful as the sun, penetrating the darkness in our lives.

Faithful is one who doesn't change.  Hebrews 13:5 says He will not leave you or forsake you, let you down or relax His hold on you.  He is faithful. He can't change, any more than the sun can stop shining and the earth can stop its rotation around the sun. 

Faithfulness is a description of the character of faith that truly equates to love.  "I will be faithful and true" is a promise that we make to our spouse when we marry - even on days when we don't like them very much.  Faithfulness is God's very nature.


Unconditional love is faithful.  It strengthens and protects, no matter what. 

Lord, help me to love unconditionally and to be faithful to those around me, strengthening and protecting through what I say and do.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Leadership: Integrity of the Heart

Psalm 78:72  And David shepherded them with integrity of the heart, with skillful hands he led them.

David was hand picked by the Creator Himself to lead God's chosen people.  For decades, God's people had been disobedient, not paying attention to the blessings and mercies of God.  In God's wisdom He gave them a shepherd - who guides errant sheep - and one with integrity of the heart.

Leadership is abut demonstrating integrity of the heart.  This means consistency of actions with intentions.

Lord help me to be consistent in serving you, serving others and serving my family.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

He causes the waters to flow - Welcome spring!

Psalm 147:18  He sends forth His word and melts them [ice].  He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow.

We have been in a financial season that seems like hard winter.  Our resources have been frozen, like ice, stolen, unavailable to us.

He sends for His word - prosperity, provision, goodness and melts the situations around us, as we pray for His will in our lives.  His warm winds blow because He causes it to be so and now the waters begin to flow.

Thank you Jehovah Jireh for your Word, the wind and your provision.  Than k you for spring and returning to us what was stolen.  You word [Zechariah 9:12] says that it will be restored two-fold to us.  Thank you Lord that your Word is true.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Find refuge

Psalm 91:4  He will cover you with feathers and under His wings you will find refuge.

LIke an eagle that spreads his wings to provide a covering for the eaglets, so will our Papa God spread His wings for us.  He will cover us and provide a place of peace and safety.

I will sit under the wings of the most High and rest in His covering.  It is not my job to stay dry and keep myself from harm, but it is His will and good pleasure to cover me.

Lord, may I rest in your covering and stop striving to remain dry and stay safe in the midst of the storm.

Chicke Fitzgerald - One who seeks His face

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

I'm back - Today's topic: It isn't ours

After a long time of not blogging about what is the single most important thing in my life - my faith, I am back. I've been very busy, but know that in order to get proper momentum, reduce friction and to get really focused, I have to come back to my core. That core is the "owner's manual" for my life - the love letters written by my Creator.  In short, I need to slow down before I speed up.

I was not created without a plan. Every step of my life has been ordered. Psalm 139 outlines that so clearly for me.

The text for today's topic is 1 Chronicles 29:12:12

11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,
The power and the glory,
The victory and the majesty;
For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;
Yours is the kingdom, O LORD,
And You are exalted as head over all.

12 Both riches and honor come from You,
And You reign over all.
In Your hand is power and might;
In Your hand it is to make great
And to give strength to all.

David made this final prayer public after amassing hundreds of tons of gold, silver and precious gems and stone for the temple. He acknowledged God as the source, HIS source when he clearly could have touted his own wisdom and strength.

Nothing that I have belongs to me. Not even the banks own our house, our cars or our boat. They all sit in the hands of God. It is in His hands that we are exalted and favored or are bankrupt.

Lord, I sit at your feet, astounded at your mercy and amazed by your grace. Thank you that Jesus died for me, so that I might escape the hands of justice where my sins bring down judgement on me.

You are exalted Lord. Thank you for the Kingdom of heaven that is not visible, but that is in control of my every move and my every venture.

There is power in understanding "whose" you are, even when you think that there is security in "who" you are. David knew that and gave honor where honor was due. He was known as a man after God's own heart.

I am after you Lord God. You are my Jehovah Jirah, my provider.

Chicke Fitzgerald, Tampa, FL