... holy spirit of truth ...

" I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever - the spirit of truth."

John 14 : 16 - 17

... thanks for surprising me ...

Dear God, 

... you are hilarious sometimes ... the entry in my journal a week ago was ... " I think my word for 2011 is going to be surrender ... let go and let God ... thanks for the reminder that God must get the Glory " ... a funny thing happened this Sunday ... the message was "saved - called - surrender" ... it was about stepping up to surrender ... so I guess what your saying is ... that the I think now becomes I know ...  Thanks mate

Love ya always 

Teena

... a time for everything ...

" There is a time for everything, and everything on earth has it's special season."

Ecclesiastes 3 : 1

... Countdown ...

Hey God,

Today is countdown ... one month until Christmas ... so I am reminded that I need to think about what to make for Christmas cards ... Thanks for a great 11 months so far this year ... I am a little anxious about the deadline for my business coming up ... only 2 months until I open ... wondering what Christmas will mean for my family this year ... the words that come to mind for me are expectation and surrender ... 

... also God I have been thinking about living to excess ... how I have an apartment full of things ... I heard someone talking the other day about living sustainably ... this is a concept I need to work towards ... I will admit that the most used item in my house is my mini kettle and cuppa ... Thanks for simple pleasures ...

Love ya always

Teena

... the first ...

" that the Christ would die, and as the first to rise from the dead, he would bring light to all people."

Acts 26 : 23

... radical moments ...

Dear God, 

... I was reading Acts last night ... about Paul's radical encounter with You ... and wondering what it must feel like to have been part of history at such a pivotal time ... I wonder if his family knew the impact he was having ... and if his family were supportive if him ... if I could time travel I would love to meet him and listen to how he speaks ... feel his passion ... see some of his personality ... this person chosen by God ... to good great works ...

... the verse that stood out to me was ... " as the first to rise from the dead " ...  so You didn't just conquer death but You created a way for us to be with You ... eternity ... thanks for thinking of me ... thanks for including me ...

Love ya always 

Teena

... heart felt ...

... choose your words carefully ...

Dear God, 

... what makes us truly great ... is it the way we rise to meet the challenges or is it the humble heart that sacrifices for others ... over my life I can remember times where despite the circumstances I behaved in a way that was Grace Given ... that God spoke through me ... and my actions were inspired ... but then there are also times when I spoken words that caused harm ...  I wish I could have taken back those soul destroying moments  ... but it took time to forgive myself and come to that place of acceptance ...  and there are still things that I am not willing to let go of yet ... 

... maybe a defining moment of greatness for me would be ... to not feel the need to belittle another, to make myself feel better ... to speak only words that build up and encourage ... Help me God ...

Love ya always 

Teena

... encouragement that lasts for eternity ...

" ... do not give up.  Our physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new everyday.  We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us gain an eternal glory that is much greater than the troubles.  We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see.  What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever."

2 Corinthians 4 : 16 - 18

... A God perspective ...

Dear God, 

... was just reading my bible and thinking back over the past week ... you are so good to me ... thanks for holding me fast to you ... I have had such a big change in attitude this week ... but also need to keep my perspective on things that are not seen ... eternity last forever ... 

Love ya always 

Teena

... growth in God ...

" Be humble under God's powerful hand so he will lift you up when the right time comes.  Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you."

1 Peter 5 : 6 - 7

... uplevel time ...

Hey God, 

 ... it's time to move out of my comfort zone ... so far my business plan has been on paper and net research ... but now I have to start contacting people for quotes and start to actually order the nuts and bolts ... I need to speak to a computer person this week and find myself a letterpress printer ... This feels a little nerve wrecking ... letting down my walls ... life is changing everyday ... thanks God for this experience ... thanks for opening my eyes to possibility ...

Love ya always

Teena

... who will you fight for ...

" Suppose a woman has ten silver coins , but  loses one.  She will light a lamp, sweep the house, and look carefully for the coin until she finds it.  And when she finds it, she will call her friends and neighbors and say, 'Be happy with me because I have found the coin that I lost."

Luke 15 : 8-9

... my choice ...

Dear God, 

... my choice is to pray ... pray for my friends and family ... sometimes I feel a little wearisome ... like time is short and little is happening ... sometime I feel like fear and materialism have such a strong pull ... I feel like I need something ... what do I need God to shift this ... 

Love ya always 

Teena

... of God ...

" How great is the love the father has lavished on us, that we should be called of God!  And that is what we are! "

1 John 3 : 1

... God JUST IS ...

Dear God,

 ... I have been doing a lot of research about my new venture ... all the business plans say to research properly .. so I have been using the internet as my tool ... and it has been very productive ... but it has got me thinking about my relationship with you ...

... there are some things in life that just are ... and you JUST ARE ... it is a very strange thing to explain ... but I just know You to be You ... I did not research to find you ... you were just living in me ... Thanks for just being my God ...

 ... so I suppose the research part of our relationship began when I wanted to find out more about you ... thanks for the help ... and thanks for the gift of inner strength to stay strong for you ... you are so good to me ...

Love ya always 

Teena

... Revelations ...

" Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.  On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing 12 crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.  And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations."

Revelation 22 : 1 - 2

 

... nations to be healed ...

Dear God, 

... I was reading Revelations last night ... what really struck me was ' and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations' ... oh how I wish this was now ... with so many innocent victims caught in the horrors of wars and unrest ...  healing please ...

Love ya always 

Teena

... laughter is ...

Hey God,

... In all my seriousness this week I have a put aside my funny bone ... where has the laughter gone ... I have been so consumed by my business to organize that I have forgotten the fun ... Life is supposed to be fun ... laughter is coming back ... Thanks for the little reminder .. you are so good to me ... Thanks for having my back ..

Love ya always

Teena

... planting seed ...

" A farmer went out to plant his seed.  While he was planting, some seed fell on the road.  

People walked on the seed, and the birds ate it up.  Some seed fell on rock, and when it began to grow, it died because it had no water ... And some seed fell on good ground and grew and made a hundred times more."

Luke 8 : 5 - 8

... investing my energies ...

Dear God, 

... where am I investing my energies ... am I spending all my energy working for God things and eternal treasures ... and am I expending my energies at a realistic rate ... a rate that is sustainable ... more questions ... some I know the answers to and some I need you to fill me in on ... 

... one thing I do know, is that I want to make my Life matter ... build a life that reflects You ... and shines your light ... so that at the end it is not about how flashy my grave looks but what I did with the gifts you gave me ...

... now to answer my second question ... I need help with working at a consistent rate and not sitting on my computer to midnight ... Thanks for the insight about my limitations ... please help me to balance my excitement about creating my new venture ... 

Love ya always 

Teena

... treasures in heaven ...

" Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6 : 19 - 21

... What are my treasues ...

Dear God,

 ... my gut tells me to strive for the fruit of the spirit ... to value Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self control ... they are such beautiful words ... but words that are empty without your strength working within me to make my intention true ... because maybe that's the secret ... intention ... unselfish, free hearted  ... clear intention for my eyes not to be on me but entirely on someone else ...

... God I am constantly thinking how self focused I am ... how much is all about what I can gain ... when do I become more like you ... concerned for your people ... looking out  ... God move me ... move the me out ...

... and as I write these words I see that it is not about moving me out ...  but helping me embrace the me time and then making room for everyone else time ... God open the room of my understanding to believe your truths and act  ...

... beyond everything I know  ... I know you to be My Living God ... You asked me to LISTEN last New Year ... now finally I am making room to listen ...

... Thanks a million Trillion ...

Love ya always

Teena

... wisdom ...

" By wisdom a house is built,
   and through understanding it is established;
 through knowledge its rooms are filled
   with rare and beautiful treasures."

Proverbs 24 : 3 - 4

... do I care about understanding ...

Dear God, 

...  I want to build a strong community ... but am I willing to spend time understanding? ... I want my soul filled with the treasures of heaven ... but am I prepared to put down my agenda? ... 

... I am filled with the neediness of  ME  ... have I really spent the time saying to you 'break the me and mine'?... are my prayers filled with 'mold me to be more like You Jesus'? ...

... The answer to all of this is no ... Help me to know it is all about you ... Help me to always ask your opinion first ... Help align my heart with your heart ... I think I am very hardened to what breaks your heart ... Help to soften my heart to feel your tears ... then I will be a lot closer to spending time understanding your people ...    

Love ya always 

Teena

... looking up and looking out ...

" Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others.  Be good servants of God's various gifts of grace.  Anyone who speaks should speak words from God.  Anyone who serves should serve with the strength God gives so that in everything God will be praised "

1 Peter 4 : 10 - 11

... perspective ...

Dear God,

 ... Your Word is like an energy drink ... every time I read something I feel revived and energized ... well maybe that is an exaggeration ... sometimes I go through dry patches where I read and read ... it's okay but nothing jumps out or my spirit doesn't go aha ... at the moment though ... Your Word seems alive ... as though it reads my thoughts and is leading me along ... the message of Your Word is ' the time is now to serve you and your people ' ... step up  ... 

... not only is Your Word speaking to me ... and the book that I am reading magnifying Your Word ... but my church also speaking the same message ...  

... the world seems to be catching on too ... microcredit is an idea that really interests me ... small loans to help families in poverty start self employment projects to earn income ... 

... I know you are leading me and I will follow ... help me to keep me eye on the prize ...  I don't want to get distracted ... I feel like I am in the zone ... please help me keep this perspective ...  Thanks God ...

Love ya always

Teena