Inspiration to keep on going when the going gets tough! Welcome to part 3 of my homeschooling series. Homeschooling is a hard job for sure, but it's worth all the work, prayers, and momma's tears. Know your why for homeschooling and keep at it! Don't quit! To connect with me and for more great resources and homeschooling support please visit my website and blog. Mae Renfroe
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There will be no video blog post this week. Sorry. Last night was my Bible study night, but since no one was able to come to that I had planned to do a blog video in that time slot instead. And then...... a lot happened, and it got crazy busy around here. And now I'm preparing to get ready to go to my sister's place for the weekend which is a few hours from our place. So sadly no video this week. But I got plans for the next one. So I will just give you some quick inspiration here and then got on to my busy day here. Is there something in your life that seems utterly impossible? Maybe it's even something you feel God called you to, but now you don't see how it can possibly work out. Things are holding you back, there is obstacles in the way.
Well I am here to tell you not to loose heart and not to give up! We serve a God who can do the impossible! It's time to start living like we believe that. And please know that if He has called you to it He will provide a way and make it possible. He has a plan. Hang in there and keep trusting and keep believing. With God the impossible becomes possible!! Until next time, Mae One night this summer when I was awake thinking and praying about things. This thought came to me, God can’t use what we don’t give Him. Now that may seem odd when we know God owns the Universe all that is in it. But He relies on us, His people, to give and offer up to Him ourselves and what we have for His use. At the moment I had that thought I also immediately thought of the story of the little boy with lunch of 5 loaves and 2 fishes. God owned everything in this world and anything could have been at His disposal to feed these 5 thousand men plus women and children, but instead, He depended upon a little boy and his little lunch. This required that the boy put himself out and to offer his lunch for Jesus to use. The boy must have wondered what Jesus would ever do with that meager amount of food for so many hungry people but he wanted to do what he could to help and gave it to Jesus just the same. Then Jesus gave thanks for the food, and the disciples began to pass out the fish and loaves to the crowd of 5 thousand. Not only was the whole crowd fed, but there were also 12 baskets of left overs! The story of the 5 loaves and 2 fish from the gospel of John. John 6:5-13 New Living Translation (NLT) 5 Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, "Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?" 6 He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.7 Philip replied, "Even if we worked for months, we wouldn't have enough money to feed them!"8 Then Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up. 9 "There's a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?"10 "Tell everyone to sit down," Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. 12 After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, "Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted." 13 So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves. What a beautiful miracle that only God does! But notice that miracle required the act and obedience of one boy to give his lunch. Are we offering what we have, no matter how small or meager it may appear, for God to use? I know this concept may seem strange when we know everything belongs to God already. But that is the way God does His work. He works through willing, obedient, and faithful people. People that are willing to lay themselves down for His service, who are willing to give of their time, talents, money, etc. But it requires our giving. If we don’t give it God can’t use it. And if He can’t use us He will use someone else because His work will be accomplished - with or with out us! He will use someone else who is more willing and they will receive the blessing that comes with doing God’s service, not us. I don’t mean just giving what comes easily to us, but also what comes hard. What takes us out of our little comfort zone. What stretches us beyond the limits we have set for ourselves. What takes us to places we would rather not go or do things we would rather not do.
Are we willing to do this? Are we saying, “Lord I am your willing vessel for your use in whatever or wherever you want me to go or do. I am all yours, you can use me Lord. And I know you will equip me for you will call me to do.” Or have we put up a wall and said, “I can do this and this Lord, but I won’t do this.” Or, “I will give this and this, but I won’t and just can't give that Lord.” We do that, and we are limiting what God can do through us. If we don’t give it God can’t use it! In Him, Mae (This message and post is from the notes from my first Ladies Bibles study held in our little library on our property. I am so thankful to God for the cozy little space for doing stuff like that.) I felt like what God wanted me to share with you all tonight is that He is sufficient for all our needs, and that we are not to feel inadequate or belittle ourselves. But we are to be bold, strong, confident, and courageous in God! In my attempt and effort to put together a great Bible study for my first one I was diligently praying about it, and practically begging God to clearly show me what it was I was to present and share with the ladies this first time. On one particular evening just 2 days before the Bible study I was out for my evening walk. I was thinking and praying about the Bible study. I said, " Lord I just don't feel ready, and I don't feel equipped for this. Yet I know Lord you have already equipped me with all I need through your Word and the Holy Spirit." I wondered why I felt this way when I knew well God already gave me what I needed. I got thinking who it was that wanted me to think and feel this way. Of course Satan. God does not want me to feel unequipped. He doesn't want me to have these negative thoughts. Then I started thinking of verses in Bible that we can claim and stand on. That we can know without a doubt that God is for us and not against us. That He gave us all we need and in Him we lack nothing! Here is the verses I came up with. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 2 Peter 1:3 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10 7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:5-9 God truly does provide 'everything we need' but we need to find it, reclaim it, and then commit to using it the best way we can.
God wants us to seek Him diligently. Put all else aside and depend wholly upon Him and Him alone. Jesus said Seek and you shall find, knock and it will be opened unto you. The problem is we often forget to knock. So let's start seeking and knocking! ~ Remember you have all you need because you are His masterpiece! In Him, Mae Your world is not falling apart, it's falling into place!
It truly is! I know this may be hard to see or believe at the time if you are going through something really hard in your life and in all appearances your world and life is completely falling apart. As we felt after the death of our son in April 2017. But we humans can only see the small picture. If we could only see what God can see! This is only a stepping-stone to what great things He has in store for you and I. We all know the story of Joseph in the Bible. He was sold into slavery by his very own brothers. If this wasn't bad enough, he later was thrown into prison and under false accusations no less. Talk about his world falling apart! But that is not the end of the story! Turns out this was part of God's great plan for his life, so that he could do something mighty for many nations including his very own brothers. Because of him being at that place at that time he saved many from starving in the seven years of famine. This verse in Genesis 50: 19-20 sums it all beautifully! "And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." Wow! That which was meant for evil, God turned it into something beautiful for His glory! ( There is many for such similar stories in the Bible as well.) Don't you just love how God does that! Joseph certainly had all the right in the world to believe his world was falling apart. But we know how the story ends! His world was not falling apart, it was just falling into place! Glory be to God! And that is the same for you and I too! These hard things in life that we can not understand why, are getting us to where God wants us. He has a plan we can not see. And that plan is greater than anything we could ever hope for or imagine. I am getting excited just thinking about it! God is going to do great things through you and I! Please believe that! He is going to turn our pain into purpose! Our tragedies into triumphs! Our tears into joy! Our setbacks into a break through! Our wounds into beauty marks! Our sorrows into serving! All for His glory and to save many! Halleluiah, Jesus wins! So when you think your world is falling apart, trust God that it's really not, but that it is just falling into place. In Him, Mae P.S. If you have not made God the Lord of your life yet. If He is not the very center of your life or your personal saviour. May this be your moment. Today is your day! He is waiting for you. And if you need someone to talk to besides our all knowing and all loving God please contact me, I would love to hear from you. I would love to help you to make this big step, or just be there for you in your difficult time. Lovingly, Mae Every time when I use to hear someone say you need to believe in your self, I would say under my breath, "You aren't suppose to believe in yourself, you are suppose to believe in God."
But recently when I really pondered that phrase, I realized there really is some truth in it after-all and it is really not that far off. Because when we truly believe in God, then we believe who he said He is. And we believe He does what He says He can do. We believe we are who He says we are. And we believe we can do what He says we can do! Wow, isn't that so powerful and amazing! So If we believe God is who He said He is, does what He said He can do, and we know who we are in Christ, and what He says we can do then we can believe in our selves. We can believe that we can do all things through Him who strengthens us.( Philippines 4:13) We can believe that we can be overcomers. We can believe that we can be victors. We can overcome addictions, fears, strongholds of bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness. Because greater is He in us than he that is in the world. ( 1 John 4:4 ) And true love cast out all fear! ( 1 John 4:18 ) He has equipped us with what we need. We only need believe that He is for us and not against us. He is our strength. Our refuge. Our strong tower. ~ It's time that we believe that we are who He said we are and that we can do what He said we can do! In Him, Mae One day last week while I was driving back home from being in town I was deep in thought. As I came up to a curve in the road I was taken off guard by a car coming form the opposite direction, that seemingly came from out of no where and was right there at the same time I was. With heart racing I quickly cranked the steering wheel toward the side of the road, as the car went on past me. And breathed a prayer of thanks that I did not hit that car while I was lost in thought with my eyes momentarily off the road ahead. If my eyes had been fixed on the road ahead as they should of been, I would have easily seen the car approaching since it was a wide open bend with a clear view, and I would have been well prepared for it. There would have been no last minute grabbing of the wheel nor my racing heart due to the close call that occurred. Keeping our eyes on the road while driving is very similar to keeping our eyes securely fasten upon Jesus. If our eyes our fixed on Him as they should be then when things come up unexpected and seemingly out of no where we are ready and prepared. If we build our lives on the solid Rock when the storms of life come up suddenly we will stand! We will be firmly rooted in Him, and will with the strength that we gives us, stay strong and come through victoriously come what may. Remember the time in the Bible when Jesus walked on the water and called Peter out to Him. Peter walked out towards him on the water. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus He stayed up and walked on, but when he took His eyes off Jesus and looked instead at the water and the waves surrounding him he immediately began to sink. And just like Peter we will sink if we take our eyes off Jesus, and instead look at the storm raging around us and start believing the lies of Satan. Doubt, worry, and fear will creep in and we will fall fast and hard. We may not be walking on water, but we are walking on this difficult road called life. And the only way to stay strong, up-right, walking is to keep our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus and our lives deeply rooted and grounded in Him. Then nothing will take us off guard or throw us for loop no matter how unexpected or seemingly out of no where that it came! So keep your eyes on the road and on Jesus and you will be set for life! In Him, Mae You will want to read this blog post too. Being rooted in Christ We all know how important it is to speak life to others, such as our husbands and children, but is equally important to speak life to ourselves too. How easy it is too beat our selves up over stuff we shouldn't of did or said. Instead of focusing on things we can't do, or we are just not that good at, affirm ourselves with things we can do, and the things we are good at. Praise your self for the things you do right! Celebrate what you are, not fretting over what you are not! Focus on who you are instead of who you are not. For me since I have felt God putting on my heart to be a speaker, I quite often have thoughts of how unequipped I feel. And I can't help but look at other speakers I admire and say to my self, "I am not a Beth Moore or Priscilla Shirer. I can not write or lead powerful Bible studies, or unpack a Bible passage in such an amazing way as they do. Why does anyone need me when they already have them?" That is when I have to speak life to my self. No I am not a Beth Moore Or Priscilla Shirer and never will be. And that is okay. I am who God made me to be. I am a unique child of God, and I will speak in my own unique way! And if my speaking is inspired by God, for God, and God honoring, then it will be blessed by God! I can rest on that one! One thing that is really important is that we focus on and embrace who we are in Christ. Not who we are as fleshly beings in this world, but who we are as children of the King! That is really speaking life to our selves! We are who God says we are, and we can do what He says we can do! Amen! Speak life! And you will be encouraged and inspired to be all that God has and wants for you to be!!
There is nothing impossible with God! He is going to do great things through you! Dream big! God got amazing plans for your life! In Him, Mae We are now completed with our homeschooling for this year! So happy about that!!
I should have more free time! YEA!! But life doesn't slow down much for a mommy with a house full of busy and children like mine! As time allows though I will pour into completing Volume 2 of my book As For Me and My House. As well as writing here on my blog and working on my website. I am so happy and blessed to have this website/blog to encourage and empowering fellow women in the Lord. It is my passion in life besides being a wife and a mother. As God puts things on my heart I share it here with you all. Most of you here know that I am an avid reader and I share most of my latest reads from time to time here on my blog. And I got 2 going right now. I am going through a devotional of Priscilla Shirer, called Awaken, and then The Power of Praying Together by Stormie Omartian. Both are super good! Recently though I have been listening to different of Beth Moore's Bible studies on CDs instead of reading so much. These CDs have been a real blessing to me. I just pop them in and go about my work in the kitchen! Some I have listened to are Believing God, Breaking Free, the Bible study on Esther, and the Bible study on Daniel. I love her way of unpacking Bible passages and the way she teaches. So powerful, and so passionate! And she so easy to listen too, and has a great humor! Only a couple months ago though I only knew of Beth Moore by name and that's it. I had never read any of her books or Bible studies or anything. Then my neighbor offered me some of her CDs, and I was hooked! When I finish one set, I bring it back and she supplies me with another set!! And what is so amazing about it is that this is just what I have been needing to hear at this sage and time in my life. If I would have listened to these CDs years ago they would not have spoke to me the same and when I really needed to hear them. Praising the Lord for that! ONLY GOD! I just love the way God works! And over these past couple of months I have felt God's calling more and more about me speaking. So not not knowing how all that will play out that way, and when where and how. But I am trusting the Lord on this and stepping out in faith. And I know my God is strong when I am weak, and he will equip me for what He has called me to! Amen! Keep believing and trusting in God. No matter what you have gone through or where life has taken you so far. Give your life to God and He will redeem you to Himself, and set you free from whatever has been keeping you captive. You are His beautiful daughter, and He has an amazing plan and propose for your life! In Him, Mae
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Meet Mae
I am a wife to my wonderful husband, Paul, of over 25 years. Mommy to 10 blessings, ages 24 to 2 years. Our 2nd oldest son, at age 14, has gone on to be with the Lord on April 19th, 2017. I share about that new road we are on here on my blog. Categories
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![]() My first 7 years of blogging.
Great inspirational reading! "I believe a greater intimacy with God leads us to an inner peace, unquenchable joy, & an ever-lasting hope regardless of what we go through in life." Mae Archives
June 2024
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