This will be short and hopefully sweet.
Thank you so much my sweet friends for the prayers yesterday.
I will blog Monday about more of the battleground I referred to, the affects and the victories.
Your sweet words kept giving me the strength and courage to not give in to my "Ugly Pam" day.
I went back and read several of them over and over again.
Thanks for being a voice of truth...Your voice because it was also God's voice became stronger and drowned out that of my enemy!
May God heap blessings on you today!!!
Pamela R.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
I quess I'm It!
Hey Friends,
I got tagged! I am being tagged by Nicole at http://www.victoriousheart.blogspot.com
She has a beautiful blog with an amazing story of faith and restoration. Go see her you will be blessed.
Here are the rules:
1) Link to the person who tagged you (see above)
2) Post the rules on your blog (this is what you are now reading)
3) Write 6 random things about yourself (see below)
4) Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them (humm...whom shall I tag)
5) Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog. (quick go look)
6) Let the tagger know when your entry is up (Hi Nicole)
Six random things:
1) I love to Western style square dance.
2) I have a wonderful dog named KeeKee Bear. She looked like a bear cub as a puppy.
3) Despite my physical disability, I have been in class 4-6 white water rapids over 50 times, I can snow ski, and I have even rappelled off the side of a cliff.
4) My husband and I host an old fashion singing on Saturday's (about every two weeks) at a campground nearby during the summer.
5) I am an extreme priss-pot but my sister is more like Elli Mae Clampet. She is a beautiful women who can also take a horse to the ground...Her husband is a horse vet and she is his tech.
6) I love Jesus Christ and am amazed and awed that He loves me too. He adores His children!
The 6 people I am tagging:
1) Tara at http://tabletwenty.blogspot.com She has a praying heart and I love her gift of encouragement.
2) Nicole at http://livingmylifeonpurpose.blogspot.com I love her blog! She inspires and challenges me and is a cute and funny lady.
3) Angela at http://christianwaitress.blogspot.com A sold out young woman for Christ.
4) Lee at http://prayergifts.blogspot.com Lee is a soul sister. She is a great writer and loves to encourage others to the God she adores.
5) Kelly at http://chattykelly.blogspot.com She is a woman after God's heart. I love her blog and visit almost daily!
6) Kimberly at http://plantingofthelord.blogspot.com She is also an amazing young woman. She loves God and her family!
If I tagged you, know that it is out of respect and friendship. For those of you who I love but did not tag...please leave me six things anyway.
You my blog friends will never know this side of heaven just how much you have enriched my life, challenged me to grow, and pointed me to God. I love you.
Now, I am going to ask for your prayers today. I seem to be having one of the worst "Ugly Pam" days I had in a long time. This is where the enemy throws every dart he can about my looks, weight and person. I am holding to the truths of God today. I still would ask for your prayers because today the battle is hard and I am getting weary. Could I ask you to hold me up like Moses' two friends held up his arms during the battle? May God get the glory!
I love you all!
Pamela R.
I got tagged! I am being tagged by Nicole at http://www.victoriousheart.blogspot.com
She has a beautiful blog with an amazing story of faith and restoration. Go see her you will be blessed.
Here are the rules:
1) Link to the person who tagged you (see above)
2) Post the rules on your blog (this is what you are now reading)
3) Write 6 random things about yourself (see below)
4) Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them (humm...whom shall I tag)
5) Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog. (quick go look)
6) Let the tagger know when your entry is up (Hi Nicole)
Six random things:
1) I love to Western style square dance.
2) I have a wonderful dog named KeeKee Bear. She looked like a bear cub as a puppy.
3) Despite my physical disability, I have been in class 4-6 white water rapids over 50 times, I can snow ski, and I have even rappelled off the side of a cliff.
4) My husband and I host an old fashion singing on Saturday's (about every two weeks) at a campground nearby during the summer.
5) I am an extreme priss-pot but my sister is more like Elli Mae Clampet. She is a beautiful women who can also take a horse to the ground...Her husband is a horse vet and she is his tech.
6) I love Jesus Christ and am amazed and awed that He loves me too. He adores His children!
The 6 people I am tagging:
1) Tara at http://tabletwenty.blogspot.com She has a praying heart and I love her gift of encouragement.
2) Nicole at http://livingmylifeonpurpose.blogspot.com I love her blog! She inspires and challenges me and is a cute and funny lady.
3) Angela at http://christianwaitress.blogspot.com A sold out young woman for Christ.
4) Lee at http://prayergifts.blogspot.com Lee is a soul sister. She is a great writer and loves to encourage others to the God she adores.
5) Kelly at http://chattykelly.blogspot.com She is a woman after God's heart. I love her blog and visit almost daily!
6) Kimberly at http://plantingofthelord.blogspot.com She is also an amazing young woman. She loves God and her family!
If I tagged you, know that it is out of respect and friendship. For those of you who I love but did not tag...please leave me six things anyway.
You my blog friends will never know this side of heaven just how much you have enriched my life, challenged me to grow, and pointed me to God. I love you.
Now, I am going to ask for your prayers today. I seem to be having one of the worst "Ugly Pam" days I had in a long time. This is where the enemy throws every dart he can about my looks, weight and person. I am holding to the truths of God today. I still would ask for your prayers because today the battle is hard and I am getting weary. Could I ask you to hold me up like Moses' two friends held up his arms during the battle? May God get the glory!
I love you all!
Pamela R.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Faith Floaties
Today, I want to leave you with a few more thoughts or "Faith Floaties" concerning helplessness.
World Says--------------------------- Kingdom Truth
To be helpless is to be weak----------------You then have the power of God
Sampson was blind and an animal----------With God he collapsed a Colosseum.
Moses and the Israelites were trapped -----The Red Sea parted
Joseph, sold as a slave and imprisoned----- Told Pharaoh about his dream and saved Israel.
Paul and Silas imprisoned and chained----- Sang praises to God and a jailer was saved.
John banished to a barren island to die----- Wrote the Revelation of God
Jesus dead and sealed in a tomb----------- Rose from the dead and gave us eternal life.
In each of the above cases, the person there was not without their own strength. Sampson had pushed that millstone, his hair had grown back and he was strong...but he let go relied on God and brought down a Colosseum. Moses, Joseph, Paul and Silas, John and Jesus all had great power and strength but at the moment of truth they floated on God's power rather than their own.
Being helpless the way God sees it is not becoming a weakling, or being a limp reed in the wind. It is putting aside my own power for His ultimate power.
My daughter is taking swimming lesson and one thing she is learning to do, but has a hard time doing, is learning to float. I watch her work at lifting her chin, lifting her tummy, and keeping her arms like a starfish. It does take strength to float. It works better, once you learn to trust and use the power of the water to help you.
Pray for me as I relearn how to float in helpless faith. I know these have been long post. Thanks for hanging in there with me.
Let me know you own Faith Floaties.
Here is my last one:
2 Corinthians 12:10 "So because of Christ, I am pleased in weakness, in insults, in catastrophes, in persecutions, and in pressures. For when I am weak, then I am strong!"
Pamela
World Says--------------------------- Kingdom Truth
To be helpless is to be weak----------------You then have the power of God
Sampson was blind and an animal----------With God he collapsed a Colosseum.
Moses and the Israelites were trapped -----The Red Sea parted
Joseph, sold as a slave and imprisoned----- Told Pharaoh about his dream and saved Israel.
Paul and Silas imprisoned and chained----- Sang praises to God and a jailer was saved.
John banished to a barren island to die----- Wrote the Revelation of God
Jesus dead and sealed in a tomb----------- Rose from the dead and gave us eternal life.
In each of the above cases, the person there was not without their own strength. Sampson had pushed that millstone, his hair had grown back and he was strong...but he let go relied on God and brought down a Colosseum. Moses, Joseph, Paul and Silas, John and Jesus all had great power and strength but at the moment of truth they floated on God's power rather than their own.
Being helpless the way God sees it is not becoming a weakling, or being a limp reed in the wind. It is putting aside my own power for His ultimate power.
My daughter is taking swimming lesson and one thing she is learning to do, but has a hard time doing, is learning to float. I watch her work at lifting her chin, lifting her tummy, and keeping her arms like a starfish. It does take strength to float. It works better, once you learn to trust and use the power of the water to help you.
Pray for me as I relearn how to float in helpless faith. I know these have been long post. Thanks for hanging in there with me.
Let me know you own Faith Floaties.
Here is my last one:
2 Corinthians 12:10 "So because of Christ, I am pleased in weakness, in insults, in catastrophes, in persecutions, and in pressures. For when I am weak, then I am strong!"
Pamela
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Helpless Shoes Part-Two
Did you bring your swim suit?
Listen, the thought of Jesus being helpless in any shape or form is beyond my thinking. But I know His voice, and I know what He said to me as I was sitting at that alter. The reason I know is because once I agreed to embrace "Helplessness" the sweetest peace I have ever felt swept over me. I had never felt praise and adoration as I did that minute. I knew I was changed. A chain had been lifted. I was free. Free to dance in hot pink shoes!
The thought of Jesus being helpless was too much for my brain to comprehend. I mean He was God! He calmed the wind and the waves, He raised Lazarus from the dead! He healed every kind of sickness and even legions of demons ran at the command of His voice. Helpless? How can God be helpless?
So for the past year and some odd months I have prayed, studied, and meditated on this concept. My definition of helpless is that of being weak, without control, powerless. God is none of those! So what does helplessness mean to Jesus that it is part of Him.
Recently, while telling this story I recalled another time I had felt that kind of peace. In that moment, an illustration came to mind. I know this is long but here comes the good part. Get ready to swim.
When I was 16 my family was camping at Myrtle Beach, SC. It was the first morning and we all got up and hurried to the ocean to play in the waves. The water was a little rough that day but we were use to it being that way. We were only in water about 3 feet deep jumping over the waves. We decided to get out. When I took my first step my feet left the ground and I couldn't put them down. I was caught in a riptide! My monster man of a cousin grabbed me and I felt safe...for 2 seconds because it pulled us both out from the shore fast. Soon we were over our heads and in trouble. (What I did not know at the time was He could not swim!) We went under several times before my dad reached us. Now my dad is my super hero! A policeman, great swimmer and extremely strong! So again I felt safe. Down we all three went under! What! What did I just hear? No way! Dad is yelling for help! Dad never needs help! Sheer panic of the worst kind! Under we went 3 more times each time we broke water dad and I yelled for help! These two men held me up the longest before fighting the current, would force us all under. I looked around no one was near us. Not behind us, not to either side, and we were to far from the closest person trying to swim out to us. Under we went. I had been praying from the moment I heard dad yell for help, and as we went under this time, more tired and going in deeper, I felt that peace. I thought, this is what it feels like to die. I wasn't scared. I was free. I felt dad pulling me to the top of the water. Once I broke free and grabbed a breath of air I noticed that I had been thrown onto a small float. A pool float. A man was sitting on it like a horse! It was unbelievable! Where did he come from? The float is too small to hold him like that? How is he sitting there? My dad said, "I can't hold them any longer." The man calmly said, "Give them to me." Now, I know my dad looked at him like he was crazy! Then the man leaned over and pulled my cousin straight out of the water and laid him across the float! Logic and physics say that he couldn't do it but he did! We made it back to shore and as we went to thank the man on the float he was gone. My dad asked several people who were helping us on shore what happened to the man? Their answer was the same..."What man? There was no one but you. Lucky you were able to get a hold of this float."
Was we helpless in that water? YES! But as life guards now warn you, if you get caught in a rip tide don't fight it....Float...relax and try to move perpendicular to the current to get out of it. The more we fought and used our own strength, even that of my dad who is a strong swimmer, the more we became helpless to the currents control. The man or angel (which ever you choose to believe...I'll take the later) on the float did not fight. He let go of His control to that of the water, and to God, then and only then was he able to rescue all three of us. From this memory I can now understand Jesus being helpless. He let go of His own God strength to trust us as a baby, to trust the earth to provide for Him and His commands, and to trust God even when He turned His back on Him at the cross the moment He died. "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me."
Helplessness means letting go of my inadequate control and floating upon God's ultimate riptide! Then and only then are we able to ride the wave of full power. Helpless is not powerless...it is ultimate power...not my own but Gods!
Let go my control freak sisters... lets go ride the waves!
Listen, the thought of Jesus being helpless in any shape or form is beyond my thinking. But I know His voice, and I know what He said to me as I was sitting at that alter. The reason I know is because once I agreed to embrace "Helplessness" the sweetest peace I have ever felt swept over me. I had never felt praise and adoration as I did that minute. I knew I was changed. A chain had been lifted. I was free. Free to dance in hot pink shoes!
The thought of Jesus being helpless was too much for my brain to comprehend. I mean He was God! He calmed the wind and the waves, He raised Lazarus from the dead! He healed every kind of sickness and even legions of demons ran at the command of His voice. Helpless? How can God be helpless?
So for the past year and some odd months I have prayed, studied, and meditated on this concept. My definition of helpless is that of being weak, without control, powerless. God is none of those! So what does helplessness mean to Jesus that it is part of Him.
Recently, while telling this story I recalled another time I had felt that kind of peace. In that moment, an illustration came to mind. I know this is long but here comes the good part. Get ready to swim.
When I was 16 my family was camping at Myrtle Beach, SC. It was the first morning and we all got up and hurried to the ocean to play in the waves. The water was a little rough that day but we were use to it being that way. We were only in water about 3 feet deep jumping over the waves. We decided to get out. When I took my first step my feet left the ground and I couldn't put them down. I was caught in a riptide! My monster man of a cousin grabbed me and I felt safe...for 2 seconds because it pulled us both out from the shore fast. Soon we were over our heads and in trouble. (What I did not know at the time was He could not swim!) We went under several times before my dad reached us. Now my dad is my super hero! A policeman, great swimmer and extremely strong! So again I felt safe. Down we all three went under! What! What did I just hear? No way! Dad is yelling for help! Dad never needs help! Sheer panic of the worst kind! Under we went 3 more times each time we broke water dad and I yelled for help! These two men held me up the longest before fighting the current, would force us all under. I looked around no one was near us. Not behind us, not to either side, and we were to far from the closest person trying to swim out to us. Under we went. I had been praying from the moment I heard dad yell for help, and as we went under this time, more tired and going in deeper, I felt that peace. I thought, this is what it feels like to die. I wasn't scared. I was free. I felt dad pulling me to the top of the water. Once I broke free and grabbed a breath of air I noticed that I had been thrown onto a small float. A pool float. A man was sitting on it like a horse! It was unbelievable! Where did he come from? The float is too small to hold him like that? How is he sitting there? My dad said, "I can't hold them any longer." The man calmly said, "Give them to me." Now, I know my dad looked at him like he was crazy! Then the man leaned over and pulled my cousin straight out of the water and laid him across the float! Logic and physics say that he couldn't do it but he did! We made it back to shore and as we went to thank the man on the float he was gone. My dad asked several people who were helping us on shore what happened to the man? Their answer was the same..."What man? There was no one but you. Lucky you were able to get a hold of this float."
Was we helpless in that water? YES! But as life guards now warn you, if you get caught in a rip tide don't fight it....Float...relax and try to move perpendicular to the current to get out of it. The more we fought and used our own strength, even that of my dad who is a strong swimmer, the more we became helpless to the currents control. The man or angel (which ever you choose to believe...I'll take the later) on the float did not fight. He let go of His control to that of the water, and to God, then and only then was he able to rescue all three of us. From this memory I can now understand Jesus being helpless. He let go of His own God strength to trust us as a baby, to trust the earth to provide for Him and His commands, and to trust God even when He turned His back on Him at the cross the moment He died. "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me."
Helplessness means letting go of my inadequate control and floating upon God's ultimate riptide! Then and only then are we able to ride the wave of full power. Helpless is not powerless...it is ultimate power...not my own but Gods!
Let go my control freak sisters... lets go ride the waves!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Helpless Shoes
Since putting on Zoe Elmore's hot pink pumps at She Speaks 2007, God has taken me on an amazing "learning journey." (See previous post for story) Something unexpected happened when I put on those pink shoes. I got MAD!!!! I did not like it. Now, picture this...Here I am wearing the shoes of my dreams, with 2 of my favorite Proverbs 31 speakers holding me up and my precious instructor/evaluator Wendy taking my picture. All were praising God for this gift He is giving me. All but me! I wanted to yank off those shoes, throw them across the room and whoop the fire out of all of 'em! (pardon my hillbilly!) At that moment, I was also confused at my own reaction. This should be a wonderful moment, it was an amazing gift of God! Being able to put on and stand in the shoes I thought was only reserved for heaven!
It was later that night at Lysa's alter call that I learned why I had felt that way. On my commitment card I wrote, "I want to trust." This was something that God had shown me I don't do very well. Instantly, a gentle voice my heart recognizes said, "Further Pamela." OK. I wrote down, "I want to surrender." That is further and a deeper kind of trust. Again the gentle but firmer voice said, "Further Pamela!" What is further than surrender?" Then I knew. I knew why I had been mad, when I had those shoes on, and I knew that I could not do it! The Jacob in me rebelled and I inwardly stomped my foot and said, "NO! I WON"T WRITE THAT!!!"
I knew at that moment it was a do or die moment. I so loved my Lord! But what He was asking of me I had no concept of doing. I cried. I don't mean sweet tears running down you face, I mean a sobbing-snotty cry. (Oh, don't act offended you've done it too.) I begin to write the words on the card, barely able to even see what I was writing..."I am willing to be helpless."
As I'm crying my guts out and feeling as if a part of the fighter I am was being wrenched from my soul, I again heard that gentle voice, "Pamela, I was helpless in the manger, I was helpless at the cross, and I the creator of everything was helpless every time I walked the earth and thirst. I don't want you just to be willing to be helpless, I want you to embrace it. If you don't know helplessness you can not fully know a part of Me."
I have tried to embrace helplessness. It has been only through His divine help and grace. I have had to retrain my brain and learn a new definition of "helplessness."
A pair of hot pink pumps sits in my office, to remind me to be helpless.
Tomorrow, I would like to share my new definition and share some "Helpless" insights. And for those other control freaks out there (I know I'm not the only one) it is not what you think either! In fact the world's definition is wrong! I feel stronger today than I have ever been because I am helpless!
Drop by tomorrow. Oh, you might want to bring your swim suit.
It was later that night at Lysa's alter call that I learned why I had felt that way. On my commitment card I wrote, "I want to trust." This was something that God had shown me I don't do very well. Instantly, a gentle voice my heart recognizes said, "Further Pamela." OK. I wrote down, "I want to surrender." That is further and a deeper kind of trust. Again the gentle but firmer voice said, "Further Pamela!" What is further than surrender?" Then I knew. I knew why I had been mad, when I had those shoes on, and I knew that I could not do it! The Jacob in me rebelled and I inwardly stomped my foot and said, "NO! I WON"T WRITE THAT!!!"
I knew at that moment it was a do or die moment. I so loved my Lord! But what He was asking of me I had no concept of doing. I cried. I don't mean sweet tears running down you face, I mean a sobbing-snotty cry. (Oh, don't act offended you've done it too.) I begin to write the words on the card, barely able to even see what I was writing..."I am willing to be helpless."
As I'm crying my guts out and feeling as if a part of the fighter I am was being wrenched from my soul, I again heard that gentle voice, "Pamela, I was helpless in the manger, I was helpless at the cross, and I the creator of everything was helpless every time I walked the earth and thirst. I don't want you just to be willing to be helpless, I want you to embrace it. If you don't know helplessness you can not fully know a part of Me."
I have tried to embrace helplessness. It has been only through His divine help and grace. I have had to retrain my brain and learn a new definition of "helplessness."
A pair of hot pink pumps sits in my office, to remind me to be helpless.
Tomorrow, I would like to share my new definition and share some "Helpless" insights. And for those other control freaks out there (I know I'm not the only one) it is not what you think either! In fact the world's definition is wrong! I feel stronger today than I have ever been because I am helpless!
Drop by tomorrow. Oh, you might want to bring your swim suit.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
God is Good
Thank you Dear Friends,
Thank you for praying for my friend. She was moved from the trauma unit but still has a long recovery ahead of her.
Today, both my husband and I are going to spend some time with her and her family. So pray for us we minister to them.
We are also going on a day-date today! It is just us until late this afternoon. Thank God for grandparents! So we are going to have FUN!
See ya soon!
Pamela
Thank you for praying for my friend. She was moved from the trauma unit but still has a long recovery ahead of her.
Today, both my husband and I are going to spend some time with her and her family. So pray for us we minister to them.
We are also going on a day-date today! It is just us until late this afternoon. Thank God for grandparents! So we are going to have FUN!
See ya soon!
Pamela
Friday, July 18, 2008
Simple Request
Hi Bloggy Friends,
Today's post is a simple request of prayer.
My husband and I interviewed with a new church start committee this past Tuesday night. This is a brand new church that is just getting established and are looking for their first part-time Pastor.
My husband currently works for Billy Graham but feels called to return to church ministry through missions. A new church plant is an exciting opportunity for this to happen.
This morning we received a call from the chairman of the committee. One of the ladies who interviewed us was in a terrible car accident last night. Her sister was killed. She is in a trauma unit at a nearby hospital. Her grand-daughter (16) was also in the car and has several broken bones. My husband went to be with the family this morning, even though he has not been offered the job they need someone to minister to them.
Pray for him that he will be able to offer comfort and hope. Pray for "Judy" to recover and come home whole physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Pray for the teenage grand-daughter as she recovers from this trauma both to her body and her spirit.
May God hold them all and give them the comfort they so need right now.
Thank you for praying!
Pamela
Today's post is a simple request of prayer.
My husband and I interviewed with a new church start committee this past Tuesday night. This is a brand new church that is just getting established and are looking for their first part-time Pastor.
My husband currently works for Billy Graham but feels called to return to church ministry through missions. A new church plant is an exciting opportunity for this to happen.
This morning we received a call from the chairman of the committee. One of the ladies who interviewed us was in a terrible car accident last night. Her sister was killed. She is in a trauma unit at a nearby hospital. Her grand-daughter (16) was also in the car and has several broken bones. My husband went to be with the family this morning, even though he has not been offered the job they need someone to minister to them.
Pray for him that he will be able to offer comfort and hope. Pray for "Judy" to recover and come home whole physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Pray for the teenage grand-daughter as she recovers from this trauma both to her body and her spirit.
May God hold them all and give them the comfort they so need right now.
Thank you for praying!
Pamela
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