Internet Cafe Chat

It's time to begin another new year with the Internet Cafe Chat. And here is Kim's question to start 2009:

What is the most important truth/lesson you feel God taught you in 2008? How will that truth change your life in 2009?

I read this question earlier this morning, and then spent some time in prayer and thought before answering. God has taught me a lot of truths regarding Himself this year, a lot of lessons--some of them through some rather painful pruning.

As I prayed, the answer that God gave me is that I am worthy, valuable, unconditionally loved by Him, and that my identity is in Jesus.

The enemy knows my weaknesses all too well. I have been feeling tired, drained, worn out and just plain exhausted for well over 2 months. What a better time to plan an attack--when your defenses are down and you are vulnerable?

Those old tapes began playing in my head because satan always begins in my thought processes. The tapes that said, "You are nothing, you will never do anything right, you will never succeed enough to please me, you must do _________(fill in the blank of the many things I was expected to do in my life) in order for me to love you" and the list could go on and on.

I have replaced those old tapes with video images of God--through His Word. I know that I am a true daughter of the King, and He loves me, cares for me, I am valuable to Him. Why? Just because I am HIS CHILD, a child that HE created out of love. He loved me first without me even knowing Him. How can I not return that love?

With a friend's help, we have personalized many verses to help me through these times of self-doubt, and I would like to share some of them with you:

John 1:12 BETH is God's daughter.

But Beth received Him, and to Beth He gave the right to become God's daughter, because Beth believes in His name.

John 15:5 BETH is a part of the true vine, and a channel of Christ's life.

I am the vine. Beth is a branch. If Beth remains in Me, and I in her, she will bear much fruit, for apart from Me, Beth can do nothing.

Rom. 8:17 BETH is a joint heir with Christ, she shares Christ's inheritance with Him.

And if a daughter, then an heir; an heir of God, and a joint-heir with Christ; if indeed Beth suffers with Him, that Beth may also be glorified with Him.

Col. 2:6-7 BETH is firmly rooted in Christ and she is being built up and established in Him.

As Beth received Christ Jesus, her Lord, she must walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, even as Beth was taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.

Col. 2:10 BETH has been made complete in Christ.

And in Him, Beth is made complete, who is the head of all principality and power

John 15:16 BETH has been chosen and appointed by Christ to bear His fruit.

Beth didn't choose Me, but I chose Beth, and appointed her, that she should go and bear fruit, and that her fruit should remain; that whatever Beth will ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to her.

Titus 3:5 BETH is washed and renewed by the Holy Spirit.

Not by works of righteousness, which Beth did herself, but according to His mercy, He saved Beth, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.

Eph. 1:7-8 BETH has been redeemed and forgiven and BETH is a recipient of His rich grace.

In Him Beth has her redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of Beth's trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He made to abound toward Beth in all wisdom and prudence.

Eph. 4:32 BETH has been forgiven in Christ.

And Beth is to be kind to others, tenderhearted, forgiving others, just as God also in Christ forgave Beth.

There are many more--these are just some of the verses that we have personalized to help me through these times of old tape playing.

This year I have learned through the study of God's Word, applying His Word directly to myself, that I am indeed worthy, valuable, loved, chosen by God and forgiven by Him.

In this coming year, I intend to review these and many more verses, immersing myself in God's word and completely erase those old tapes--never to hear them again.

Stop by the Internet Cafe Chat and see others' responses for what is their most valuable lesson this year. In fact, why don't you join in and share? I'd love to read your response.

Beth

Internet Cafe Chat

Romans 8:28: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

This week’s question gets its inspiration from the verse in Romans 8.What is one thing that happened in your life that initially may have been a bad or painful situation that you saw God

work for good?
Please give details...

I love this verse. It continually reminds me that no matter what occurs in my life, God will eventually use this for HIS good!!

I have many things in my life that I could recall for this chat, but this is the first one that came to my mind:

Those of you who know me are already aware that my own father passed away when I was 8 years old from polycystic kidney disease. I don't have many memories of him--he was in and out of the hospital for most of this time.

This is a hereditary disease, and my brother was born with this also. He had approximately 3/4 of his left kidney removed when he was 2 years old.

When I lost my father, I was in pain. I didn't understand how ill he was. I was afraid of losing my mother also.

Four years after my father's death, my mother remarried--a wonderful man who had lost his wife--and I "acquired" a new sister and a new brother! This was a very exciting time, and we worked together and became a "new" family.

As the years progressed, my brother's kidney disease also progressed, and his condition deteriorated to the point where he was going to have to start dialysis and eventually a kidney transplant.

I volunteered to be tested as a donor. In fact, I was hoping to be his donor. I wanted to do this for him. Unfortunately, I was not a match at all, not even one of the 8 criteria used for matching.

"How could this be", I asked myself. We have the same mother and father--surely I must match at least some of the criteria.

But, hope was not lost. My sister, who was actually my step-sister, no blood relation at all, matched 7 of the 8 matching criteria. So, she donated one of her kidneys for my brother.

The memories of their surgeries is still very fresh in my mind--my sister-in-law, my brother-in-law and I waiting at the hospital as their surgeries progressed. There were reports from both operating rooms as to the status of both my sister and brother.

And then came the final report from my brother's operating room--my brother's non-working kidney had been replaced with my sister's, and this kidney started functioning immediately!!

We were all so happy and relieved!!

My brother still has to take anti-rejection drugs, but these have been reduced over time, and he is in good health. My sister, however, was diagnosed with cancer the following year and has since gone to live with Jesus. Her death has been very difficult for my brother to understand--how she gave a portion of her life for him only for her to be taken from us.

At the time all of this was happening--my father's death, my brother's health condition and subsequent deterioration--I was not close to God, and I felt it was all just coincidence.

As I look back on these events in my life, I realize that God had His hand in this from the beginning--my father's death, my mother's remarriage to a man who had lost his wife and mother to his children who had a daughter that could give my brother new life when I could not--God bringing us all together for His good purpose.

For more inspiring stories as to how God is working in others' lives, please visit Internet Cafe. You'll be blessed that you did!

Internet Cafe Chat

Colossians 3:23-24 states, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

This verse is the inspiration for today’s question:

How would your life look differently if you embraced and believed fully what the verse in Colossians states? If the truth above is something you already believe and actively live out, how does this truth make a difference in your life?

If you have been following along with me this week, you know that I have had a very discouraging few weeks at my job. Events have occurred which have led to us being understaffed, overburdened and just a general sense of being overwhelmed. My job is generally stressful anyway--but the added stress has led this place to the boiling point.

Tempers are flaring, words are spoken to others that probably wouldn't have been spoken at other times--words that are hurtful. sometimes demeaning. Gossiping about others is at an all time high. Unfortunately, a new employee has been brought into this just when things are at their worst. And, I wonder to myself what she must think of all of this

So, as I read and contemplated on this verse, my own job situation came first into my mind. I have been praying about this--whether this is where I am to stay or if I am go into another work situation.

I do actively live out this verse--whatever I am doing--my job, my home, my volunteer activities, my time spent with my children, my crafting. I do feel that I am working for the Lord wherever I am, whatever I am doing. I try to do everything that I do with a servant's heart because truly the Lord has placed me in these situations to serve Him.

Pondering on this verse has helped me view my job situation from a different perspective. I have been almost dreading going into this place every day. However, if I look at this at serving the Lord, I realize that my being there and bringing His presence into this mess helps to maintain a sense of calmness, a sense of peace--not my calmness and peace--but His calmness and peace.

Although the stress level is extremely high and the burdens are almost overwhelming, I know that when I enter into that place with Christ's light shining through me that things can and will be changed.

So, I will continue to pray for God to lead me through my day, to know the words I am to say to others who come to me with their burdens, and to do my job to my utmost because I am working for Christ.

I'm going to print this verse and take it to work with me. Unfortunately, I cannot put this in a prominent place (against the rules!). But, I will keep this in my pocket, and whenever things get stressful or overwhelming, I can remember--"I'm working for God!"