How many times has someone promised to do something for you but they haven’t done so?

We shouldn’t make promises we’re not going to keep, as failure to keep them can often hurt or upset the person we made the promise to. God didn’t make promises He didn’t intend to keep, so why should we?!

We can always be confident that God will fulfill His promises to us, so make sure others can be confident that you will keep every promise you make.

• an undertaking or assurance given by one person to another agreeing or guaranteeing to do or give something, or not to do or give something, in the future
• indication of forthcoming excellence or goodness a writer showing considerable promise
• the thing of which an assurance is given

When you hear someone promising somthing, do you automatically believe they will fullfill that promise, or does it depend who that person is?

Well for me there’s one person whose promise I will always believe in…God‘s! Do you believe God’s promises?

Romans 4:20-21 (NIV)

Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

God didn’t promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

Isn’t that wonderful! Every time I hear that statement it brings tears to my eyes – Not because it upsets me, but simply because I find it overwhelming that no matter what difficulties I may be facing, I can be sure that God is with me every step of the way!

The Promise by The Martins reinforces what I’ve said, I hope you enjoy the music and find blessing in the words:

Here goes…

1. Chocolate

2. Bible

3. Interview

4. Diet

5. Scotland

6. Sunday school

7. Tennis

8. Baby

9. Water

10. Hairdresser

11. Cinema

12. Car

So how did you get on with those words? Did you find it easy? Did your answers surprise you or were they just as you suspected?

Well here’s my responses to my Word Association questions:

1. Mmmmmmm

2. Study

3. Nightmare

4. Weight-loss

5. The independence debate

6. Childhood

7. Rafael Nadal

8. Blessings

9. Thirsty

10. Appointment

11. It’s been a while

12. Garage

Were any of your answers the same as mine? Did any of my answers confuse you? Did any of your own answers confuse you?

Do you like these Word Association games? As I’ve said in my previous word association posts, I find I get a bit stressed when I’m doing them as I put a lot of pressure on myself not to over think my answer!

I still think when we truly do respond with the first words that come into our mind, our answers tell us a lot about our emotional state, and what’s important to us at that particular point in time.

Bearing all this in mind, review your answers, does my theory hold true?

As I said before, I sometimes just pick some really random words and just try this myself just to see what my answers are – I know that sounds really sad, but I often find it illuminating to discover what is occupying my subconscious…I’d urge you to try it out for yourself.

Sometimes without really noticing, we can find our life suddenly has no direction; that we’ve lost our desire to serve God.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help when your feel lost, as God will help you life get back on track. Likewise when you see someone else who seems to have lost direction in their life, reach out and find them, and help them find God again.

Even when our desire for God has diminished, God’s love for us remains constant. God is waiting for us to ask Him for direction, to “find” us again.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

James 1:5 (The Message)

I guess we can all relate to many of the sentiments mentioned in the above passage from James:

• don’t know what we’re doing
• pray only when we’re desperate
• pray only as a last resort

But as we’re also told in this passage, God is there for us every time we pray, whether it be when we know exactly what we’re doing, or when we’re lost. Either way though, God is always willing to help us. All He asks is that when we ask Him, we are sincere in our pray, and we pray believing that God is listening and will help us

So don’t ever be lost again, turn to God and He will guide you through today and through the rest of your life..

Well just last night I found myself considering that question. So what were my conclusions?

My conclusion was that we can never thank God too much for all He has done for us, and all He continues to do for us! Whether we thank God once a week, once a day, or a hundred times a day, it will never be enough to truly thank God for everything.

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks for ever (Psalm 30:11-12 NIV).

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. (Ephesians 1:15-16 NIV).

So if we can never say thank you enough to God, how do we thank Him?

We serve Him and do His will…that’s all He asks of us!

When people look at you, do they see a loving Christian, or something else?

As the song above says, people expect Christians to be loving and understanding towards others. So if we do not show love to others, how will other know we Christians.

Show some love to other today and every day!

He’s still waiting…for you to give your life to Him

He’s still waiting…for you to knee down before Him

He’s still waiting…for you to say you love Him

He’s still waiting…for you to say “Yes” to Him

In my blog posts last week I spoke about how we need patience in many situations and how many of us find it difficult to be patient. But what about God, do you think He finds it easy to be patient when we turn away from Him or do things which as Christians we shouldn’t do?

God is patient. God is good. God believes in us no matter what we do.

Therefore, no matter what we do, or how long it takes us, God will still be waiting for us to turn to Him and ask Him to be our saviour and our friend.

Go on, don’t keep God waiting anymore, say “Yes” to God today!

They were all about patience…

Patience is something some of us have and many of us strive to obtain. It’s something we all need at times, but many of us fail to use when we need it.

Personally patience has always been something I’ve never had much of. However over the last 10-15 years I know I have become a more patient person – That definitely does not mean I am always patient, far from it. I have made a conscious attempt over the last while to become a more patient person, as I was well aware of the negative affects my impatience was having on both myself and those around me.

There are many around me who also find it difficult to be patient…but I would like to mention one in particular to you today, my Mum.

If you’ve been reading my blog posts for a while, you’ll be aware that my Dad suffers from vascular dementia and has deteriorated very quickly over the last year or two. My Mum is currently still caring for Dad at home, although she is finding it increasingly difficult cope with Dad, despite social work helping with some things these days. Mum often says to me and others, that she prays constantly for patience…

Because of Dad’s dementia, it is very waring for Mum caring for Dad, both physically and emotionally as constantly having to explain and repeat thing must be exhausting for Mum, nevermind coping with some of the strange things Dad does!

Patience…

Patience…something we all wish we possessed.

Patience…rewarding when we possess it.

Patience…something God can help us find.

Patience…pray for it!