A fresh start

4:41 p.m. Today's project was to welcome this day with joy, anticipation and fresh belief in God's word to me regarding my business: "I am in this for you." That has not been very easy to believe, though the Holy Spirit brought that good word to remembrance as many times a day as necessary to help me stay on task, focused and eager to reach out to friends new and old, in a two-week period characterized by illness, cancellations, and relatively low sales!

Yet, each day, I have gotten out of bed at 6 a.m. (6:45 on Sundays), absorbed my uplifting Spurgeon morning devotional, read and pondered my Bible portions for the day, prayed three times a week with my prayer partner, written in two journals (one for my Mary Kay business and one for personal concerns) and posted scriptures on Facebook. If devotional consistency were all it takes to achieve fabulous success in all areas of a Christian's life, who knows what a visibly wealthy, healthy life I'd be living, along with my family!

But we don't get up to meet with God to enrich ourselves, although we pray for a successful day in whatever form God wants "success" to take. Christians need to eat and pay their obligations like anyone else; we also desire to give back to others in our community as well as make charitable donations. So money must be earned, pure and simple. Preferably, one's business is God's choice for us, and in keeping with the heart and personality He created for each of us as individuals. That's how I feel about my business, which provides such enjoyable fellowship with friends; encouragement for ladies who've never taken care of their skin, that they can learn; and offers a stellar business opportunity to any woman who wishes to take advantage of it. But after a weekend that saw last-minute cancellations, a large knife slice into my thumb, and hours of time spent with computer techs getting online backup going, I was just about to become a "doubting Thomas"-- so totally unlike me!

Sunday morning, I read the Purpose-Driven Connection devotional that I pull up for Steve because it's very brief and uplifting, (or convicting, depending on one's walk that day)! This selection was entitled, "Get Ready for the Impossible." I normally don't read his online devotional because I have my own, but of course this caught my eye--and was I ever ready to pay attention!

Rick Warren quotes James 1:18a (NIV):

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth... He then goes on to write,

  God wants to use His Word to give you a fresh start in life.
  Without God's Word,  we could never be saved. We wouldn't be headed for Heaven. We wouldn't know about Jesus' death on the cross. We wouldn't know about God's purpose for our lives.
  Without the Bible, we can't know God.
  God wants to give you all of that--but it starts with his Word. Through the Bible, God recreates our life. When I feel like I'm at the end of my rope, God uses the Bible to give me a fresh start, a do-over. The Bible calls it being "born again."  In James 1:18, the Bible says, "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth."
  The Bible is often compared to a seed. Once the Bible takes root in your heart, it begins to sprout and grow and bear fruit. As God's Word does that, God changes your life for the better.
  Jesus says this in John 6:63 about His Word: 'The words I have spoken to you--they are full of the Spirit and life'(NIV). God's Word isn't just words on a page. It's spirit and life. It's spiritual power. His Word can transform society and transform history.It can change your life.
  D. L. Moody, a famous Chicago pastor from 100 years ago, said, 'The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge; the Bible was given to change our lives."

Then Pastor Warren asks two compelling questions:

"How do you need your life changed?" ( A return to my normal uplifted, enthusiastic, contagious spirit) "What part of your life do you feel powerless to change?" (Steve's late-stage Alzheimer's)

He concludes:

"The Bible says the Word of God can change things that you cannot change on your own. Make God's Word a regular part of your life, and get ready for the impossible!"

And wouldn't you know it, the Word of God did change my heart, mind, and the trajectory of my day! I read Psalm 20:4-5 today:

May the LORD grant you according to
  your heart's desire, and fulfill all your purpose.

We will rejoice in your salvation,
And in the name of our God we
  will set up our banners!
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

I did indeed "set up my banner," posting that sentence in two places where I will constantly see it. The day went forward, with a very successful appointment with our tax advisor, a lovely afternoon meeting a friend's skincare needs, doing well by doing good; and am seeing gratifying results from my team; and have more appointments lined up and in progress!

Yesterday morning's selection from Spurgeon helped me make a turnaround for the day: It says,

No man can be illustrious before the Lord unless his conflicts be many. If then, yours be a much-tried path, rejoice in it, because you will the better show forth the all-sufficient grace of God. As for His failing you, never dream of it--hate the thought. The God who has been sufficient until now, should be trusted to the end.

I have decided to trust in the Lord my God!