Confessions of this Gal's Sinful Heart

As I was putting makeup on the other morning, I noticed the lines of time beginning to form on my once soft and smooth skin.  In the past I'd always been able to excuse these as a lack of sleep but nowadays I have to come to terms with the reality that I'm getting older.  Actually, today happens to be my birthday, my 44th and with it I am reminded that fifty isn't too far away.  I didn't think I'd be freaking out about my age this year, after-all it's not a milestone birthday or anything, but to be perfectly honest, I confess that I'm am kind of freaking out a little. I've just taken this huge leap of faith and left my job at the church because God has led myself and my family to a new church home.  I know that God has plans for my future and I know that I will be a speaker and writer working in women's ministry.  But this is still but a dream for my future, and not, as of yet, a concrete reality.  Thinking about the fact that I still have a long

OBEDIENCE .  This is not a very fun topic.  As parents we demand and expect obedience from our children. It comes at a cost of not doing things their own way for their own good.  Sometimes that's the cost we pay to obey God, and sometimes it seems like the cost is much more.... For months and months God had been instructing me to clear my plate.  I fought it and fought it, exhausting myself, and allowing family problems to increase.  So I partially obeyed.  See, I figured I could compromise and do only some of what God told me to do.  I even convinced myself that God couldn't be asking me to give up certain things because it's what He had called me to do in the first place.  It just didn't make any sense.  But the truth is God told me to CLEAR my plate, not to lessen my involvement, or get help, or hold onto things "just because", He said CLEAR it.  I did not obey completely...that is right away. It's kind of interesting when you think about it.   In