Month / November 2017

by tracymauro

Truth & Freedom

When I “get” this at the beginning of my day and don’t forget it throughout the day – I am most definitely going to have a good day. I am learning to find my identity and worth in my Maker, the Unchanging One, rather than the ever-changing people and situations around me.

This important shift in mindset frees me to do all I am called to do today fearlessly.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” – James 1:17

Here is a great song to reinforce this truth:

I Am No Victim by Kristene DiMarco (Follow this link to enjoy the YouTube Video)

Written by Kristene DiMarco, Seth Mosley, and Tony Brown

I am no victim

I live with a vision

I’m covered by the force of love

Covered in my Savior’s blood

I am no orphan

I’m not a poor man

The Kingdom’s now become my own

And with the King I’ve found a home

(And with the King I have a home)

He’s not just reviving

Not simply restoring

Greater things have yet to come

Greater things have yet to come

He is my Father

I do not wonder

If His plans for me are good

If He’ll come through like He should

‘Cause He is provision

And enough wisdom

To usher in my brightest days

To turn my mourning into praise

I am who He says I am

He is who He says He is

I’m defined by all His promises

Shaped by every word He says

by tracymauro

Hello, I’m Lazarus. Who are you?

So, I’ve been going through a tough season lately and allowed myself to slip into a severely depressed state. So, when I could finally get out of bed – I sought the mental, physical, and spiritual help I needed.

For the spiritual help, I sought wise counsel from my home church, Amazing Church, and was instructed to find the person in the Bible that best matched my current state. To be honest, some days it could be a different persons every minute. (If you’re not a middle-aged woman who is naturally quite emotional anyway and is now dealing with wacked-out hormones – you may not understand this).

Anyway, I was having trouble picking one. But today I figured it out. And it wasn’t a deep exegetical examination of Biblical text that brought my revelation.  I finally was able to say “That’s me right now!” when the song, Lazarus, by Trip Lee dropped into my workout mix this morning!

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(Click here to listen to the whole song on YouTube).

Here are my favorite lyrics from the track:

He made the blind see and got the lame up

So it’s no surprise he can raise us
Wake them up now
Believers when your life is looking tough now
When you’re at your all time low
Don’t forget that power that he already showed

by tracymauro

Instagram of the 1500s

martin

Back in the 1500’s, they had to find creative ways to survive without posting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. Not sure  I would have done well. I might have been alright without some of the modern conveniences like TV and superfast transportation. But to try to survive without social media??  YIKES!!

But, they did have there ways around it. The Christian reformer, Martin Luther, was known for posting a list of 90-something things he thought were wrong with the church in his day on the door of the church. Apparently, for theologians, priests, professors, and seminary students of that time – the big wooden church doors were their version of twitter of blog sites where they posted questions, discussion, and opinion of things.

Came across a blog post about his list of ideas that changed the culture of religion in his day. It may be several centuries later, but some of his thoughts are still so relevant to the state the church finds herself in today. No, we’re not lining the pockets of priests and kings in order to pay for “get out of Hell” passes for loved ones who have died. But are some of us giving to get or trying to buy blessings for ourselves with our offerings or charitable acts? Just a little food for thought. Click here to check out the full article.

On Oct. 31, 1517, an outspoken university lecturer and Augustinian monk named Martin Luther posted a list of objections to the dominant Roman Catholic beliefs and practices of his time. Chief among his grievances was the church’s claim that Christians could buy their way out of punishment for sin — and thus shorten their time […]

via 500 years — some rain, some shine