Freedom Fridays

Hi Friends ~ I received this picture and just had to post it! It's so funny, but yet, it so speaks of freedom. To be a kid again - not caring what anyone thinks, along with possibly wearing underpants on my head (LOL) - to being God's kid stepping out and doing what He's called me to do -
Yes! that is freedom!



Nothing screams WEEKEND better than underpants on your head...
Rock On!!! It is Friday!!!!

Happy Weekend...let your hair hang down, or, better yet, wear something fun! Blessings! Jodie

"Tell a Friend Tuesdays" - Week One

Hi my Friends ~
Being that today is "Tell a Friend Tuesday" have I got something to tell you. Lysa TerKeurst of Proverbs 31 Ministries has authored a book titled, "Made to Crave". It's not a 'diet' book. It's a book that shares her struggle of loosing and keeping lost weight off and how, by filling the cravings we were made with, with God more instead of food, her weight has stayed off. With the release of her book, she helped host 6 weeks of "Made to Crave" live web casts. They were filled with teaching, nutrition information, testimonies, and lots of encouragement. Those have ended, however, every Tuesday for the next 6 weeks - starting today - they will be re-run on demand. Go to Lysa's blog for more info. Go to www.MadetoCrave.org to watch the web cast.

Enjoy some good encouragement! Crave God Today!!
Blessings ~ Jodie

SSMT DAY

Hi Friends ~
February 15th is Siesta Scripture Memory Team, Verse 4 Day. Hosted over at Beth Moore's Living Proof blog. A whole lot of 'Siestas' are memorizing scriptures this year. So on the 1st and 15th of each month I choose a scripture to memorize. We have these 'fancy' little books with 3x5 cards where we write our scripture in and then comment on the LPM blog with our name, city, and scripture we're are memorizing. By writing them down in our 'fancy' book or 3x5 cards they can be easily accessible to pull out and memorize at any time and then we are 'armed' for any attacks the enemy might try to put on us. The blog is a good accountability tool and plus there's a "party" at the end - I love a good party! I started with the Jan 15th post - so I have 3 verses down.

Feb 15th Verse: Luke 1:37 For with God nothing will be impossible. (NKJ)

There are over 4,000 who signed in yesterday with a verse - wow! Here's the LPM blog link to check it out - click here. Here is a picture of Beth showcasing the '2011 Siesta' 3x5 booklet. Having a 'fancy' booklet helps make it fun to hide God's word in my heart.

Blessings on your day today! ~Jodie

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day Everyone! Today is one of my favorite days of the year. This picture of my man and I was taken last night at a 30th anniversary surprise celebration for our Pastor and his wife. Yes, that is an unbrella in my hair - you had to be there!

I wrote a Valentines Day poem a few years back and wanted to share that today as well. We are the apple of God's eye and Jesus is our valentine gift to us from God. Blessings! ~Jodie

Reflections From A Heart

What can we say about a day?
That sets apart celebrations from the heart?

As we watch and play,
People say, "I love you" this day.
Love notes, flowers, chocolates and gifts
Are people amiss?

For you see this thing called Love
Is sent to us from our Heavenly Father above.
Sent so we can truly know
A Fathers Love - not woe.

For a heart beats - not just because -
Created with a purpose that was
Fearfully and wonderfully formed from His glove,
It's a masterpiece of perfection - a masterpiece of His love.

Physical or spiritual - only God knows our heart,
Is it chained, lonely, sad - at the end of its' rope?
Is it unchained and free - singing songs of hope?

It's our spiritual heart that desires - longs to be filled,
As we search, seek and find - we are now stilled.
It's not the things of this world that quench our innermost thirst,
But trust, hope and faith work with putting Him first.

So trust in the Lord with all of your heart,
Lean not on your own understanding, will be a good start.
In all of your ways acknowledge Him,
and the light of the Lord will not be dim.

You see my friend God wants you to truly know,
You are God's valentine - a masterpiece from His heart
Love sent from God, never to depart.

So what can we say about Valentines Day?
It's a day of celebrations - hearts happy and gay.
Filled with red Roses and Violets of blue,
It's a day of the heart that says, "I love you".
~~Writted by Jodie McLagan

One light bulb short...

This morning I was in the bathroom getting ready for work. Just lately this has become an issue as we are 3 bulbs short of a full light fixture...we have no light above our sink as the fixture needs some desperate repair. So, I'm standing in front of the mirror trying to look pretty with just a light from the hallway - not working that great for me, so, I decide to also use the light that's attached to the fan above the shower/bath. Well, more light brought my eyes to a size bigger than they are...what I seen before me was not my pretty face, but, how dirty the bathroom had become. The light opened my eyes to see the dirt...not only the dust 'elephants' but even the little bits of dust that, in the dark, you just don't see.

Well, in my pondering of this, there is a lesson.

Isn't that what happens when the light of Christ shines in our life - the 'dirt' of sin is exposed. Things that we didn't know as sin are now exposed to us as sin. 'Stuff' hidden in the dark corners of our heart is now under the light of Christ.

Psalm 119:130 "The entrance of your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple."
Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

So what do we do now that the 'dirt' of sin is exposed?

We get clean.

Just as I let the soap & water wash away the dirt in my bathroom, we are to let the water of the Word of Christ fill our hearts and wash us clean. As we sit under the Light of Christ, confessing & receiving, we become clean.

Take a bath -- let the water of the Word wash over you. Enjoy all He has for you today!
~Jodie

Only You, Lord...

...can understand the pain others are going through
...can know how to help when I can't
...can be the Rock to lean on
...can be the lap I climb up into
...can be the one who 'hears' my cry
...can know the answer when I'm all out of answers


Psalm 34: 7-8 The angel of the Lord encamps 'round about them that fear Him and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

I am a receptionist and answer phone calls coming into our main switchboard. I work at a company within the mortgage industry. At times I get overwhelmed by the 'cry' I hear within people's voices for help with their mortgage - they need someone to listen to them, to hear what their need is so they do not loose their homes. It seems they are at the end of their rope.

What is a little 'o receptionist to do?

A little 'o receptionist who knows - only You, Lord have the answers!

All I can do is offer them my ears to hear, my voice to soothe, point them in the direction that should help, and pray. Pray that the Lord, who answers all calls for help, would help get them to where they need to go. And as I release their phone call, I release them to You...

...only You, Lord.

I trust...

Psalm 119:45 I trust in your word.

Lord, do I really believe what you say is truth?

Until the other day, I thought I really believed His word as truth. Then something happened to cause my faith to falter. Circumstances brought questions of "why" and "how" to my God. Worry and unbelief started to come - it brought me to a place of almost being comatose. I tried to seek words of encouragement. Nothing seemed to satisfy. Then God intervened. It was a God moment. Nothing circumstantial. Because I open mail at my job and because we get a lot of junk mail that's thrown away and because a piece of junk mail came from a ministry I opened it before I was going to throw it. There it was - a CD titled, "He'll Lift You Up". I listened. My spirit soaked in God's word that says He will deliver me, He will rescue me, I will be lifted up.

His word is truth -- as if Jesus himself is right here in person speaking to you. He led me to these words...

Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (NASB)

Psalm 113:7-9 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, the princes of His people. He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord! (NASB)

...I was being lifted up from the pit I had been in. That evening our women's bible study group met. More words of truth came as they each shared scriptures on His rest, His peace, His patience, and His compassion. It was as if He had orchestrated each woman's specific word study for me. I was in awe of His love - for me.

My spirit was encouraged. My faith was built up. Yes, His word is true. His promises are for me. I am His daughter, whom He delights in!

The next morning I open my devotional, Streams in the Desert (L.B. Cowman), and God had this to share...

Streams in the Desert by L.B.Cowman
The strength of our faith is in direct proportion to our level of belief that God will do exactly what He has promised. Faith has nothing to do with feelings, impressions, outward appearances, nor the probability of improbability of an event. If we try to couple these things with faith, we are no longer resting on the Word of God, because faith is not dependent on them. Faith rests on the pure Word of God alone. And when we take Him at His Word, our hearts are at peace.

Trust brings us to a place of rest, peace, patience and freedom.

Today I choose to rest in the arms of my Heavenly Daddy, to trust. My heart is at peace and my spirit free!

Do you trust, really trust God's word? If you struggle, picture Jesus himself standing/sitting right there with you as you read His word - that adds a whole new dimension to devotional time. Ask the Holy Spirit to breath life into God's word as you're reading - He will. He wants us to trust, really trust.

Be blessed - be free today!
Jodie