Jesus Is The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me!!!!

As I was going to church today on public transportation, the song "Jesus Is the Best Thing" came to my mind and I sang it to myself all the way to church.  As I walked to the church, I felt his power.  I walked taller and straighter.  I am the head and not the tail!  When I walked into the sanctuary, the first song the Praise and Worship team sang was this song.  Awesome!  All I could say was "Thank you, Jesus!"  The song turned out  to be the theme of the day.  Our pastor Rev. Robert L. Johnson preached (and I do mean he preached!!!) at the Ushers' Day at First Baptist Church in Glassboro, NJ, this evening.  Well, this was the song that was sung during the invitation to discipleship.  The spirit was moving in that church!

Jesus is the best thing that ever happened in my life.  Without Jesus, I don't know where I would be right now.  No, my life is not perfect.  I have concerns about my children, which includes my daughter-in-law, and the mother of my grandson, my grandson, and his sister.  I also have concerns about work and finances. But I have handed that to God.  I know God is working it all out and is guiding me.

I've made some mistakes.  There has been pain and grief along the way, but I'm still here!  It has been my faith that has brought me thus far.  God is sustaining me.  JESUS IS THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME!!!

Drive-by Prayer

Years ago, I read an article in a Christian magazine, and it has stayed with me. The author wrote about praying for others we come across or pass during the day. Over the years, I have been doing this, but mine's are walk-by prayers, because I do not have a vehicle.

I work in downtown Philadelphia, and I see the homeless and people just going about their business on a daily basis.  I rarely carry cash on me and when a homeless person asks for money, I usually really have nothing to give them.  There have also been times when all the money I had had to last me until my next paycheck.  I know some people do not like giving money to the homeless, because they are afraid of what they will do with it, but if I give, I don't worry about it once I give it.

I've seen people when they first begin living on the street and they are like anyone else, but as time goes by, they become dehumanized.  It is sad to see a fellow human being disintegrate.  The sad part is that others will stop looking at them as fellow human beings.  I remind myself that that person is someone's mother, sister, daughter, or aunt or someone's father, brother, son, or uncle.  Also, there but for the grace of God, go I.  Who am I to look down on someone else?

The homeless are not the only ones that may be lost.  Many people wear a mask. They look great on the outside, but they are drowning on the inside.

For these reasons, I often pray for people as I pass them.  As the spirit leads me, I will pray.  I do not know the results of those prayers, but I believe prayer works and will make a difference in that person's day.

The Starfish

There is an old story that tells of a man walking along a beach when up ahead in the distance, he catches sight of another man acting strangely. As he gets closer, he notices the man is picking things up from the sand and throwing them into the water. Upon reaching him, he sees the objects being tossed are starfish, stranded on shore by the retreating tide. 

Curious about his intentions, the first man asked, “What are you doing?” “I am saving these starfish,” he replied. “They won’t survive in the sun until the tide returns.” Totally taken aback by this statement, the first man said, rather indignantly, “Aren’t you being a little silly? Do you not realize how many hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of starfish there are in the sea and that by throwing a few back will make absolutely no difference at all?” The second man said nothing but was unfazed. He picked up yet another starfish and threw it out into the waves. He hesitated for a moment, then looked back the first man and said, “I just made a difference for that one.”

Let Go and Let God

I have certain gospel songs I listen to when I am in certain moods or when I just want to praise God.  When I am really struggling, particularly with matters with my children, I often listen to Let Go by Dwayne Woods.

So often, when I am going through something, I have found myself worrying about how "the story will end."  My mind can really do a job on me.  I can imagine the worst possible outcome, but I don't know how the story will end.  When I faced that fact and finally let go and let God have his way, I found peace and God has worked some things out.  There are still unresolved issues, but I am trusting and believing that GOD IS WORKING IT OUT.

But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. - Isaiah 40:31 (NRSV)

What songs encourage you when you are struggling?

Starting Afresh

Well, I am going to give this blog another chance.  First of all, the name of the blog has been changed from Finding Me to Bren's Musings.  I decided that the title Finding Me was wimpish.  I decided it was time to grow up and get over my insecurity, so now the title is Bren's Musings.  These are my thoughts.

God Is in the Small Things

God knows our needs! I know it is a small thing, but God is in the small things. This past Tuesday, I did not take the time to make lunch to take to work. I ran out of the house and went to work. I checked my checking account online at work and I had a 0 balance. Normally, I have an anxiety attack when I find that I have a 0 balance, but this time, I said to myself, "Oh well," and continued working. My co-worker came to my office door and told me she would buy me lunch. Thank you Jesus! We went to a nice restaurant and had a nice lunch.

God is Good!

Wants

These are things I want to have, want to be, or want to do:

To be out of debt
An emergency fund
Not to have to worry about money
Be a good steward of time and money
Good health
Children who are valuable members to society
Good relationship with my children
My grandson
Family dinners with my children
To do ministry
To volunteer
To be published (I actually have a poem that is published in a book called "Our Written Voices" (http://www.amazon.com/Our-Written-Voices-Voice/dp/1449901107/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I8MTA45PSU2HQ&colid=2BWL9DLMGIWWH)
Go to school full time
Get a Ph.D
A clean house
To maintain a clean house
New kitchen
New bathroom
Floors done in house
Interior of house painted
Railing for outside of house
A garage door or brick in the garage
Lawn landscaped
A laptop
A flat screen tv
A portable dvd player
To learn yoga
To do weight training
A good husband
A spa vacation
Drive across country touring the USA

Rhythms

Recently, I have been talked to and talked to about my habitual lateness at work. Why am I late so often? I have no real excuse. I do believe it is a passive-aggressive streak in me. I am not enjoying work and the politics, so I will get back at them by being late. It is childish and of course is only hurting me. So, I definitely have to create a new rhythm. For one week so far, I have been on time. This is the new rhythm I am creating.

Wake to alarm
Devotions
Exercise
Breakfast
Fix lunch
Get dressed
Take 7:19 AM bus

Bathe at night
Lay out clothes for next day
Get bag ready
Devotions
Go to bed