Distracted By Distractions...

Hey everybody!!! How are you guys doing? Ok, so it has been awhile since we have blogged. I am so sorry for allowing distractions to keep me from dropping a note to you. Our hearts desire is to encourage each other to stay strong and to chase after the dreams that our Maker handcrafted into our hearts.

As women, we each have a beautiful purpose stitched into the tapestry designed for our lives. Within the tapestry of each life, we are called to serve and to be a direct representation of Christ. It is extremely easy to allow life’s distractions to overtake us at times. Distractions keep us from a close intimate walk with our Father. In my own personal journey, I have found that distractions steal my joy and emotional health. It’s funny how the enemy throws distractions our way that feed directly into our greatest insecurities and fears. The effects of not being focused on our purpose and the Promises He has made for each of us can even cause an emotional roller- coaster. So what can keep us from losing sight of the ultimate goal of our lives? Staying in God’s Word with our minds set on the Promises He has given us (Promises He even gave us during our time at Mercy) will keep us focused and ready for each day. I say let’s distract the enemy by speaking God’s Word and His Promises out loud!

Lauren previously challenged you and me with a Quest for the Truth. I decided to take the challenge. Each day that I read, I constantly find something new that I never saw before. His Word reveals the true plan of what He intended for you and me. This week I also challenge you to remind yourself of what God has promised you. He has no time restrictions on His Promises. No matter how long it takes to see His Promises fulfilled, keep going!! Keep praying and stay hopeful. You will make it to see His plan fulfilled, keep running the race for His Kingdom! Stay strong!! Please share with us what God is revealing to you as you take this Quest. We would LOVE to hear what He reveals to your heart. As Mercy sisters, we can encourage each other and walk with each other on this Quest! We love you guys!!!! …J

A Quest for TRUTH!!!

First of all I wanted to say I am sorry for letting the blog slip and not writing for so long. I'm going to be very honest...I've been on a long hard journey. I've been struggling to understand God and this world we live in. Raise your hand if you are there too! Anyways, I took a break to try a get right and quickly realized I will never be right. God doesn't use the "right". He uses the moldable, the plyable, the clay. So in the past year I've been broken down from stone to clay, now finally I am able to be worked in His hands. Yes, I am still a mess, but who isn't.

Anyways, recently I have stuggled with the fakeness of people and what they say they beleive but what they actually show that they beleive. I've also strugled with the different beleifs between Christian groups. I got very angry with Christians because of it and with God. But that anger was where God wanted me. He got me to thinking about all the truth I know...how did I come to know it? How did I hear of it? Had I ever really seen it in the Word? How do we know what is Truth in a world that is full of lies and feel good theology? It lead me to a challenge that I call "FIRST, there was the Word."

What is that? Well, it's a quest for Truth! Truth based on the Word and the Holy Spirit. How? Simple! Find a reading plan or make up your own and read.  But here's the best part! What I do is I purge my mind of everything I think I know of God and I read the Word with a mindset of this is the first time I have ever read it. It is amazing what things I see when I have a pure, unbiased mind and can see the Word for what it actually says instead of what we have interpretted it to be. I am only through Genesis 6 but WOW I have lerned things about God and His story that I had never known before! It takes time, mine is a year long plan but there may be days I read more and there may be days I do not read at all. It's not a race and it's not a performance challenge. It is a personal challenge to find out the Truth, for ourselves, for myself, for yourself! It is a quest to love God and to see God's love for us! Nothing cleanses and purifies like the Word.

I encourage you to read the Bible with an open mind. It is so much fun! I never have been one to sit and read the Bible, for years I have had to force it. But now it's so much different! God has given me a joy to find out the Truth. I feel like a detective, out to find the Truth. And already I have run into something I do not understand, and in those things I pray and ask the Lord what it is He is saying and I also seek councel from someone I trust, who I know has read and studied the Bible as well. Then I check those words with God and that way I find Truth! Trust the spirit inside of you, He will tell you when something is not right.

I'm excited to write more on what I have learned and the challenges through it all and I hope to hear that you can take on a search for Truth for yourself!

Email us with any questons you may have, or any thoughts you have! We love to hear them and we love to help!