So, with the start of this New Year came a lot of new changes in the Sheneman household and with in me....
One of those things I wanted to do differently was to not focus on the 'what ifs' but to fully place my trust in the God who knew my path before I ever walked it.
Have you ever met people in your life who were so caught up in asking you questions like, "well, what if?" or "are you sure that's what you're suppose to do?" you know all the questions that really make you rethink what you are doing because someone else asked. My question to you would be, "where exactly does your trust lie..in God or man?" Man doesn't control or set your destiny God does...and if you are being obedient to what He has called you to do then He will provide! He's just GREAT like that. Don't give place to negativity; it is breeding ground for the enemy. Not trying to be overly spiritual but it's truth.
There are some really exciting things that are starting to unravel for my husband at work and as his wife I can either ask questions like, "well, are you sure... or what if?" but I believe that's not what God would have me do. I am called to be his helpmate and supporter so instead when he begins to doubt I shut down that mindset and 1) bring to remembrance the prophecies that were spoken over our household and his business & 2) remind him that in the natural it looks impossible but with God ALL things are possible. If it were possible to do in the natural then how much credit would we actually give God? Chances are none of it...and He knows it. That's why He operates in the SUPERNATURAL. Right? Make sense?
You may be a wife who needs to support your husband in the same manner or you may be a husband who needs to support your wife. Either way if God called you to do something and it seems impossible chances are it is but that's why you have God on your team! He is ABLE.
It's all about a changed mindset. When the world brings fear and doubt His word brings peace and hope!
Romans 12:2 "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." NLT
Just trust Him, be obedient and let Him show off BIG in your life!
By Grace Alone,
~Jenni~
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
New Season.
For the most part, the majority of us know when a new season is approaching & I don't mean because today is Wed., March 21st--the second day of Spring because the calendar says so or is it?
There is something that changes in the air...our environment. There's a shift that takes place allowing one season to end and another to begin. For me, the pollen and heat is a given that 'Spring has Sprung!' I didn't need to see it on a calendar or watch the news...I could feel it...There was a change that affected my body as a result of the shift that took place in the environment--the new season.
I won't go into a full blown Earth Science lesson here because that's not where I want our focus to stay and plus I am no longer a 6th grade teacher. However, there's a correlation between a physical and spiritual change.
When I was a teacher, Biblical integration was necessary. We were required to integrate Biblical principles/scripture(s) into "secular" curriculum. It was a must before our principal, who would pay a visit to "grade" us, as well as the accrediting team who put the stamp of approval on our school.
Anyways,so here is where the Biblical integration is going to take place: just like the change of seasons that take place here on Earth, we each experience seasonal changes in our own lives. You may be in a season of sewing and you are....waiting...waiting...and still waiting...while others of you may be in a season of reaping. God tells us in Genesis 8:22, "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."
If you know anything about planting or gardening then you know that the minute you plant that seed there's not going to be an INSTANT harvest. There's the watering, the sun light & the natural maturation that needs to take place for a healthy, well nourished plant to blossom. Are you with me? Great!
Just like in our own lives we go through different phases of maturation AKA growth spurts. God has each given us a purpose and destiny. With that being said, we all start off the same--a "seed" and from there is where our growth spurts vary.
Ecclesiates 3:8 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."
There is something that changes in the air...our environment. There's a shift that takes place allowing one season to end and another to begin. For me, the pollen and heat is a given that 'Spring has Sprung!' I didn't need to see it on a calendar or watch the news...I could feel it...There was a change that affected my body as a result of the shift that took place in the environment--the new season.
I won't go into a full blown Earth Science lesson here because that's not where I want our focus to stay and plus I am no longer a 6th grade teacher. However, there's a correlation between a physical and spiritual change.
When I was a teacher, Biblical integration was necessary. We were required to integrate Biblical principles/scripture(s) into "secular" curriculum. It was a must before our principal, who would pay a visit to "grade" us, as well as the accrediting team who put the stamp of approval on our school.
Anyways,so here is where the Biblical integration is going to take place: just like the change of seasons that take place here on Earth, we each experience seasonal changes in our own lives. You may be in a season of sewing and you are....waiting...waiting...and still waiting...while others of you may be in a season of reaping. God tells us in Genesis 8:22, "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."
If you know anything about planting or gardening then you know that the minute you plant that seed there's not going to be an INSTANT harvest. There's the watering, the sun light & the natural maturation that needs to take place for a healthy, well nourished plant to blossom. Are you with me? Great!
Just like in our own lives we go through different phases of maturation AKA growth spurts. God has each given us a purpose and destiny. With that being said, we all start off the same--a "seed" and from there is where our growth spurts vary.
Ecclesiates 3:8 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."
There's no doubt that we reap what we sow--Biblical principle; however, the principle that we have a hard time grasping is that our season of harvest doesn't always come in the same season that we sowed our seed. Got me? I know. It's a hard concept for me to grasp much less type. The good news...the harvest WILL come...Why? We sowed our seed! The problem with instant gratification is that it isn't Biblical...plain and simple. It seems as though that is the American way of life--see it...get it! But that concept is totally contradictory to The Word. There's a reason why we must wait. There are lessons to be learned & most importantly there's got to be an unwavering faith and trust in the One who is watching, helping, and enabling us to grow bigger and stronger. He can be trusted. I promise.
The biggest problem we face is when we are ready to 'throw in the towel' because it hasn't happened when we wanted it to. **NEWS FLASH** Prepare to keep waiting if that's your mindset. God knows best we don't.
This is coming from a girl who is a fighter but almost got to a point in her life that 'throwing in the towel' was a better option. Thankfully I didn't listen to the lies of the enemy but I trusted in the One who had my life, my destiny, my purpose in the palm of his hand. As a result, I'm a little bit stronger today and my faith and trust is greater in Him.
I will leave you with this verse in the hopes that whatever season of life you're in that you will cling to the One who knows your end from your beginning. Galatians 6:9, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
In His Timing,
~Jenni~
P.S. I now must tend to my motherly duties...it's 11:03pm I should be asleep but I'm not and it's probably not a bad thing seeing as though my son is screaming in his crib and I have a husband who is out of town for the next few days! Just a season...right?!?!? ;)
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Worship!
You may be like me when it comes to worship in that there are just a few of those songs out there that bring you to tears and maybe even your knees when you hear them.
Well, that was me this past Sunday. You may know it, 'Worthy is the Lamb!' It is a true worshipers song. It's a song that I know all the lyrics to and can have my eyes shut the entire time basking in the glory of the One who is SO worthy. It pretty much is my 'Thank You' song to my Heavenly Father.
I am a worshiper. I'm not a singer in the least bit, but I believe God doesn't care whether or not I can sing, heck if He wanted me to sing then he would have given me that ability but He didn't. He gave me the ability to worship! I'm so thankful that He has given me arms/hands to raise to Him and a mouth that can sing praises unto Him. I really believe He smiles down on his children who are unashamed to enter into his presence that way. There's so much freedom in being able to do so. I realize that for some it is uncomfortable at first (been there), but when you really understand what and who you are doing it for it doesn't matter who is looking at you. You aren't there to put on a show it's about glorifying the One who paid it all for me and you. The One who sacrificed his ONLY son (gulp) for us---undeserving...sinners. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about it. I have a son and right now he is my only son (child) and there is just NO WAY I could or would sacrifice him for anything or anyone. There is NO ONE deserving enough to me that I would send my son in your place. Did you get that? Did you think about your own child(ren) for a minute? If so, then you should have some serious conviction and gratitude to the One who DID do what we could never do.
At night, when I rock Bear in his nursery before putting him in his crib I typically will sing at least one song to him and it pretty much goes like this: 'Jesus loves Bear this I know...for the Bible tells me so...little ones to Him belong...they are weak...but Jesus is strong...Yes, Jesus loves Bear...Yes, Jesus loves Bear...etc...'
My prayer during that time with him is that God would instill in him a love for worshiping Him. Trey can sing & he has family members that do so as well...and there are plenty of singers on the Hartley side of my family so I can only hope he has that talent, but above all I want Him to be a worshiper. The one who at a very young age raises his hands before the Lord, eyes closed just fully engaged in the One who is worthy of it all.
When I was pregnant with Bear I would have visions of him standing in the front row at church with his hands stretched out as far as he could reach them. It was beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes. The irony in this is that when he was born we were told he couldn't hear. The devil is a liar. I laugh now because God is good and I believe that much more that those visions were from Him.
I write this blog to encourage you as a believer to really grab a hold of the fact that God enjoys when we worship and praise Him. Psalm 22:3 "Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel." (NLT) And I don't mean just standing there singing a song. Let your guard down and I promise you that the feeling that overcomes you when you "let loose" is one of the greatest feelings ever.
Most importantly, worship is our "repayment" to Him to show how appreciative we are for what He did for us.
This boy gets it even at a young age. He is anointed. He is a worshiper.
Well, that was me this past Sunday. You may know it, 'Worthy is the Lamb!' It is a true worshipers song. It's a song that I know all the lyrics to and can have my eyes shut the entire time basking in the glory of the One who is SO worthy. It pretty much is my 'Thank You' song to my Heavenly Father.
I am a worshiper. I'm not a singer in the least bit, but I believe God doesn't care whether or not I can sing, heck if He wanted me to sing then he would have given me that ability but He didn't. He gave me the ability to worship! I'm so thankful that He has given me arms/hands to raise to Him and a mouth that can sing praises unto Him. I really believe He smiles down on his children who are unashamed to enter into his presence that way. There's so much freedom in being able to do so. I realize that for some it is uncomfortable at first (been there), but when you really understand what and who you are doing it for it doesn't matter who is looking at you. You aren't there to put on a show it's about glorifying the One who paid it all for me and you. The One who sacrificed his ONLY son (gulp) for us---undeserving...sinners. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about it. I have a son and right now he is my only son (child) and there is just NO WAY I could or would sacrifice him for anything or anyone. There is NO ONE deserving enough to me that I would send my son in your place. Did you get that? Did you think about your own child(ren) for a minute? If so, then you should have some serious conviction and gratitude to the One who DID do what we could never do.
At night, when I rock Bear in his nursery before putting him in his crib I typically will sing at least one song to him and it pretty much goes like this: 'Jesus loves Bear this I know...for the Bible tells me so...little ones to Him belong...they are weak...but Jesus is strong...Yes, Jesus loves Bear...Yes, Jesus loves Bear...etc...'
My prayer during that time with him is that God would instill in him a love for worshiping Him. Trey can sing & he has family members that do so as well...and there are plenty of singers on the Hartley side of my family so I can only hope he has that talent, but above all I want Him to be a worshiper. The one who at a very young age raises his hands before the Lord, eyes closed just fully engaged in the One who is worthy of it all.
When I was pregnant with Bear I would have visions of him standing in the front row at church with his hands stretched out as far as he could reach them. It was beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes. The irony in this is that when he was born we were told he couldn't hear. The devil is a liar. I laugh now because God is good and I believe that much more that those visions were from Him.
I write this blog to encourage you as a believer to really grab a hold of the fact that God enjoys when we worship and praise Him. Psalm 22:3 "Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel." (NLT) And I don't mean just standing there singing a song. Let your guard down and I promise you that the feeling that overcomes you when you "let loose" is one of the greatest feelings ever.
Most importantly, worship is our "repayment" to Him to show how appreciative we are for what He did for us.
This boy gets it even at a young age. He is anointed. He is a worshiper.
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