Almighty Chicks: Blog & Devotional

Rest

I don’t even know where to start this one! My heart is so full and I want to say so much but the words just won’t come out. My brain is swimming with so many thoughts.

I have experienced such a change in my life. First of all I need to thank a good friend for inviting me to a different church than what I was use to going to. It has opened my eyes to the loveliness of Jesus. That has brought about the biggest change in my life in many years. In fact it has change my entire families thoughts of church and Jesus. But all of these changes are because of Jesus. For the first time in my life I’m seeing him in new light.

Matthew 11:28-29 (New International Version)

28″Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

I went to church this morning and one of the many verses that were used was the one above. That seemed to bring all of this together. For the first time in my life I have come to Jesus and he has given me to true rest. I am leaning on Jesus, not my self righteousness self. I have humbled myself before him and I have found rest.

I never thought the events of the last few months would lead up to this but as always Jesus was working in me. I never gave it much thought that I was sinning by being so self righteous. Let me explain what I’m talking about being self righteous. It’s not that I thought I was better than anyone else, it’s that I thought I could solve all the problems on my own. When I saw problems I thought “Jesus just opened my eyes to a problem, he must want me to fix it” , so basically I was working myself to death and I was thinking I was doing “God’s Will”. It wasn’t until someone pointed out to me that I was wrong by that. I was relying on myself, not on Jesus. I needed to rely, lean on Jesus and quit trying to take on the world problems myself.

Since then, that is what I’ve been trying to do. I’m sorry I haven’t been sending out many devotionals lately but I’ve been feeding my soul lately in Jesus. I had become a dry well. What good am I if my well is dry? I will continue to send out devotionals as I feel led but right now I’m taking a small break to refocus my eyes on JESUS. I appreciate all of the support you all have sent me and I still feel that God has much good in store for Almighty Chicks. So until the next time we meet, keep your head up, faith strong and make every minute count. Lots of Love, Amy J

Isaiah 53

1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

As I have shared, I recently changed to a different church. Wednesday night we had one of the most touching services that I have ever been to. I normally don’t get too emotional but I wanted to go cry afterwards for all that Jesus suffered for us (BTW, you can check out the service on Facebook- go to Paul White Ministries, well worth watching or listening). But I wanted share the above passage. It amazed me to see Jesus in Isaiah. Jesus died for my sins. God knew that we were sinners, not perfect, but his son was perfect and he shed that perfect lamb for us unworthy sinners. After Wednesday night I have new feelings of Jesus dying for me. I don’t have much to say, no words can describe my feelings. I’m just so unworthy. Let the will of the Lord prosper. Remember that Jesus died for us. He loved us enough to lay down his life and die for us. I know I’m not like Jesus but I can do all I can to see his beauty in all. I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. I hope that you all can stop a few moments this weekend and see the beauty of Jesus in all that surrounds you. Think before you act or speak. Spread the love that Jesus showed to us all. Be kind to everyone. Just some of my thoughts about Easter. Hope you all have a Very Happy Easter.

Keep your head up, faith strong and make every minute count! Love, Amy!

Silly Girl

As I’ve shared before I love the story of Mary & Martha.  I am such a Martha, but I want to be a Mary but I just can’t do it!  Why can’t I just be content and stop wasting all my time of things I think I should be doing. 

⁴¹“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴²but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

On Sunday nights late my husband always watch’s some movie on one of the Christian channels.  I normally won’t watch them with him.  But late this last Sunday night I was in the same room with him while he was watching one.  The story of Mary & Martha came on (BTW the movie was claymation, so little clay figures were moving around) and I swear God spoke to my heart – Silly Girl, what do you take on so much when all I want you to do is sit at my feet.   Ok, I will admit, at times I think I’m losing my mind J

I’ve spent the last several years running around like a chicken with my head cut off.  DO MORE, DO MORE, DO MORE, DO MORE!  I went to church and felt that I needed to DO MORE, more needed to be done.  In my business DO MORE,  I can do more than the competition to get business.  DO MORE, DO MORE, DO MORE!  Where has it gotten me??   No where!  I have discovered I can’t do it all myself.  I need to be fed.  I’m hungry for God’s word like Mary was but I’m acting like Martha.  But how do you just quit doing it all?  I don’t know if I can. 

I started a new church (which I really like).  He preaches the bible like I’ve never heard before.  He says we are saved by grace and not by our works.  Well, I’m a good person, I’m a Christian but I think I was trying to work my way to heaven.  I was scared if I didn’t give my 10% that Sunday at church when I didn’t have it, I was scared that God would punish me.  I was scared to say no when I was ask to do more at church or for other things.  God gave me this opportunity and I can’t say no.  He wouldn’t offer it if he didn’t think I could handle it.  All of this kept building up until I realized I was a dry well.  What good am I for God if I’ve lost my way? 

God never meant for us to live in this fog.  He has much more in store for us that you can ever imagine.  So I have discovered, it’s ok to say no.  It’s ok for me to sit in church and be fed by the word of God.  It’s ok for me to take a little time for me to get alone with God.  Jesus took our heavy load for us that we wouldn’t have to but what are we doing to ourselves? 

If you feel the same way know you are not alone.  Pray to Jesus for him to lighten your burdens, lift the fog and help you find your way to sit at his feet to be fed.  I’m praying for all of you.  Until next time, keep your head up, faith strong and make every minute count!  Love Amy!

Fog

In Poplar Bluff Missouri this morning it was foggy as I drove to work.  Normally I wouldn’t think much of fog other than it is a nuisance.  As I was driving this morning I related this fog to my Christian walk.  I have put myself in a self inflicted fog.  As I stated last week I hadn’t felt right in my Christian walk. For months I prayed “God show me your will, what do you want me to do with my life”.  Then just recently I listened to someone that said, quit praying for God’s will and start living, he will take care of it.  For all the time I’ve been wasting asking for God to show me his will, me being all consumed with me, I could have been doing much good for HIM.  But I just can’t give up the fog.

It’s so easy to get distracted.  Our daily life is so crazy and it’s easy to get to the end of the day and realized, oh I didn’t do _______ or _________, or pray like I should.  When I do that I beat myself up for it.  I’m doing it myself, not God beating me up.  God is always by our side so why am I so hard on myself?   So instead of focusing on the fog of life (distractions and worries), trust that God will help us see. 

Matthew 6:27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? (ESV)  Good question!  Does this self inflicted fog that we tend to put ourselves in add to our life?  NO, that is why this fog is playing havoc on our bodies and minds.  To be honest, I’m a train wreck, my health is a mess and it is all due to this self inflicted Fog I have put myself in.  I could make it much easier on myself but I think I’m super woman and take on way more than I should and that leads us to  . . . . . . . . . . . Part two- Silly Girl – Posting later girls!

I do want to thank you all for being with me this first year.  I’m so excited about what the next year has in store for us.  God has great things in store for all of us. Please share us with all your friends and family! So until next time, keep your head up, faith strong and make every minute count!  Lots of Love, Amy!

Yuck it all I can say. My head hurts, I’ve stressed myself out for reasons I shouldn’t. Last year I stated that I was having problems feeling at home in my church. I felt God told me the change starts in me. So I got involved and gave myself one year for it to get better. I got active, found some great friends and turned my heart over to my church. I prayed that God would make us a beacon to Poplar Bluff. I prayed for unity and God to work through us. I did feel that God was directing me to do his work which felt wonderful but there was one little problem. I wasn’t getting fed and it really effected me. I wasn’t even motivated to write Almighty Chicks devotions. I really lost my light as I wrote about the other day. I’m always reading my bible, Christians books, listening to Christian music, watching online services to try to get what I wasn’t getting in Church.

Well, it’s been a year, and although my involvement has helped I feel that conditions in my church have gotten worse. We have lost more and more people and now there just isn’t many under the age of 40 left. I addressed some concerns which was the wrong thing to do and basically let to me being misunderstood and through a chain of events I feel I no longer have a church home. That is so hard because I’ve worked so hard and given my all for the betterment of the church. I’m truly broken hearted. I have lost “His Class” and my small group now. I truly felt God had me where he wanted me. Why would this happen?

Well, I tried a different church tonight. I just didn’t want the enemy to keep me down so I went with friend. WOW, it was great. I felt so moved but I’m so mourning my loss of my church home. I guess I should have kept my mouth closed and just sit by and let things happen but I have too much heart to not try to help. It is sad to see family after family leave our church.

I wrote all of that to get to this. When I was praying on what I should do Ephesians 4 popped into my mind. I went and read it and it was about Living as Children in light and the Unity of the Body of Christ. Great chapter to read. I felt I was following Christ and now I’m mourning my sad loss of my church home. Please pray for me that God will direct me in the way he wants me to go. Maybe there is a church that needs my gifts or maybe I need to just sit back and take for a while. Lot’s of Love, Amy!

Slow Fade

I just haven’t felt real connected lately.  When I’ve read the Bible I haven’t felt anything.  Same with my bible studies, no connection, praying, no connection.  I feel like my line of communication with God must have a kink in it.  This hasn’t been something that has happened overnight though.  Looking back over the last month, it’s been a slow fade. 

I love that song by Casting Crown “Slow Fade”.  I’ll be honest at first I didn’t care much for it.  But right now it does mean something to me.  “People never crumble in a day”  “It’s a slow fade”.  We have decisions to make daily and it’s so easy to make the wrong one.  It starts with a change in attitude, circumstances and that line starts to kink and before you know it, it’s broken and needs fixing.  The light grows darker and darker like a candle being smothered out. 

1 John 1:5 (New International Version)

Walking in the light

 ⁵This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

I don’t feel that I’ve been walking in the light lately.  I can’t concentrate.  I don’t want to do the stuff I should be doing.  I know it is the devil trying to throw obstacles in my way to detour me.  I’ve let some things and some people cloud my judgment. I haven’t done anything wrong, I’ve just been negative and I have to get back on track.  That is my prayer that God can light me up again, unkink that line of communication.   That is the glory of God though, even when we do mess up, he is there for us.   Trust in him!  Don’t let others bring you down; don’t let them slowly fade out your light.  Show that light to them and maybe they will find that light for themselves.

I pray you all have a wonderful week!  Until next time, keep your head up, faith strong and make every minute count!

Enjoy Life

John 10:10 (NIV) ¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Have you just had one of those days where you are just in a bad mood or someone else puts you in a bad mood, just nothing feels right?  Sometimes it is for no reason at all.  If you look at your life, you have many blessings but still your BLAAAHHHH!  Have you ever thought that was Satan interfering in your life?  The thief (Satan) comes to steal, kill and destroy.  He wants to steal your good spirits.  He knows that if he can make you doubt yourself, then he can get is foot in the door.  DON’T LET HIM!  You are so blessed.  GOD loves you, Jesus died on the cross for you, he died so we can have something better, and we have the Holy Spirit.  Let the Holy Spirit live inside you.  Show others your joy through Jesus.  We all know someone that when you see then, you see something different, a happiness or peace that can only come from Jesus Christ. 

So next time you have one of the BLAHHH days, just remember, it is the devil wanting to mess you up.  Pray to Jesus to help you fight it off.  You can win the battle; you have the best fighting machine on your side, Jesus!  As I tell myself many times a day Philippians 4:13 (KJV) I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me.

Many blessings and love to you.  Keep your head up faith strong and make every minute count!  Love, Amy!

Little did I know a year ago I would have all of you in my life now. God is so GOOD! About 1.5 years ago I starting on a little journey. I had no idea where it would end up but I followed. God had put me on a mission. He saw something in me that I did not. In total faith I jumped out of the boat, put my eyes on the LORD and followed. He led me down some paths that I never would have seen if I would have stay in my little, comfortable boat. I’m so thankful that he loves me enough to trust me with this great gift. That gift is Almighty Chicks.

It’s been about a year now that we have been “live on the net”. I had no idea that we would grow to be almost 1000 strong in just a year between our website and face book fans. None of this would be possible without the LORD and you! I’m just following GOD. This doesn’t pay anything, I don’t solicit donations (which drives me crazy when I see that type of stuff). This is all God’s will. He opened the door for me and I’m following him.

I’ve shared much of my life with you. My ups and downs (which this last year has been a wild roller coaster). All of us experience the craziness of life and isn’t it great to know that we aren’t alone. Not only do we have God but we also have each other. I have prayed, laughed, cried and even some disagreed with. But isn’t that the great thing, we might be totally different, go to different churches or none at all, live in totally different parts of the country, have kids or don’t, work outside the home or inside, it doesn’t matter, we all LOVE THE LORD and have come together as one, to help one another through this crazy life we have.

During the last year the verse: Philippians 4:13 (NIV) “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” has really been my verse of hope. I CAN DO ALLTHINGS THROUGH CHRIST, and so can you. Another one has been Proverbs 16:3 (NIV) Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. I have committed all of this to the Lord and look how he has taken care of us. That is not talking about financial success. That is success with him in our lives.

I just want to thank you for making this first year with Almighty Chicks be possible. You have shared Almighty Chicks with your friends and family. We have spread God’s love all over this country and many others. Please continue in “sharing the love” with your friends and family. I know God has much more in store for us than we could ever imagine. He has given me some great ideas that I hope to help bring to life through him. I know if I follow he will lead me to things I never could have imagined before. And the same goes for you. FOLLOW HIM!

I love and pray for you all. I’m so thankful to be on this journey with you. Remember, if you ever have anything you want to share with all of us Almighty Chicks, send it to me, I’ll post it or you can post it too. This is for you to express your love for the LORD, experiences you are having, a praise, a prayer concern, whatever. We are all sisters in Christ. So until next time, keep your head up, faith strong and make every minute count. Love Amy!

Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety weights down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.

Have you ever just had one of those days, your stressed, you don’t know where to turn, you just want to go back to bed and start that day over.  But out of the blue, someone calls you, text you, or runs into you and says the nicest thing to you, something you really needed at that moment.  How does that make you feel?  Doesn’t it just change your whole day?

I went to a real estate seminar one time and they told us if you are ever thinking about one of you clients, you need to contact them.  I implemented that into my business and it was so strange, I would contact them and they would tell me I was thinking about calling you.  I guess that theory works.  Well I’ve starting applying it to my Christian walk.  If someone pops in my head, I might email, text, call or even stop by and see them, send them an uplifting word.  It’s funny when they tell me I got that at just the moment I needed it most.  So I encourage you, place kind words on those around you or if you are thinking of them.  It just takes a minute to do.  Be a blessing to someone else.  By you being a blessing, you are encouraging others to be a blessing. 

I wish you the best today!  God loves you; you can do all things through Christ that strengthens you! Until next time, keep your head up faith strong and make every minute count! Love, Amy!

It’s amazing what a beautiful day will do for you after all you have had is dreary, ugly weather. I’ve had a skip in my step, singing the song “How sweet it is to be loved by you”. LOL!

We are loved by God, we are his children.

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

I’ve really been doubting myself. As I stated in another devotional, I know it is the devil making me doubt what I’m doing with my life but here lately God has been letting me know I’m on the right track. It’s coming from fear. My fear of failure. The devil is using it against me. But God has been sending me thoughts and through scripture that I’m not to fear. It’s been pretty funny, some of the stuff I’ve been struggling with has been answered to me in odd ways. Like the same verse showing up three different times during the day from things I am reading.

I can tell you right now. I am where God want’s me. He is using me in my business. I thought the business was a big distraction to what God wanting me to do but over the last month he has shown me that I can work for him through my business. I started that business by my thoughts of being led by God and to be able to do his will more easily. That is exactly where I am. I love that I have a Christian business and I can say I’m a Christian and not one person tell me I can’t! Yes, I do feel bad for my wonderful husband because he does long for security but we’ve lived on this roller coaster for 15 years like this. But he knows I’m following God and he’s very supportive of it.

Don’t fear the unknown. That is what I’ve been doing the last several months and it has made me very sick, taken my eyes off God. The devil will throw distractions at you, instill fear in you but remember, Perfect love (the love we get from God) drives out fear. Let him do the same for you.

I’m so excited about finally feeling mentally better. We are still working on the physical. Please pray for me over the next 3 weeks. I’m going on a very strict diet to quit the food that is making me sick. So basically it is a very low calorie, protein, veggies and fruit. I’m a carb and sugar girl. But they are making me very sick so I’m starting this detox to get rid of them. So please pray that God gives me the strength to complete it and that I’m not hungry. Also pray for those around me because I might be one grumpy person a few days. After that I’m starting the preparation for a women’s conference. I’ll post more about it later. Thank you so much for being an Almighty Chick. We can make this world a better place!

Lots of Love, Amy

(NIV)