Moment of your Time

7/29/2007 Estreitta 1 Comments

I have some thing I really need to get off my mind and put out there in the open.Basically when it is all said and done and we are face to face with the Almighty God we will be held accountable for the things we have done in this life.  The Next four blogs i write will address four areas of accountability .  the first one is Time.

 I have been thinking even struggling with the issue specifically the concept of time and what i am doing or not with it.  i heard a message that addressed this last Wednesday and it hit home with me.
What am i doing with my time?  Am I doing something with  my time that only benefits me or does it advance the kingdom of God?
I am a point in my life where feel like i am just living from day to day.  and i hate it! 

I Look back over the past 6 years, while I married the Man of My dreams and would never want to change that, i feel that i have not accomplished anything with that time, that has impacted the world or brought People to know him.  
I do talk to people about my faith all the time, but it has been like 3 1/2 years since i lead someone to Christ.  I have been so focused on my life, and developing my walk with the Lord more rather than ministering the Gospel to those i come in contact with .

I turned 32 in June and i feel like there is so much that I want to do with my life but i haven't found the time. and I am aware that God will hold me accountable for my time here on earth and what I did with it. 

I dreamed during college about the things i would be doing with my life, like going on Missions trips, ministering to urban youth and children, and writing and singing worship music full time.  The last Missions trip I went on was 10 years ago and i have just been so busy living my life that i haven't given my self the opportunity to do the things i want to help advance the kingdom of God.

for two years i have been trying to get this ministry based website up, i created a logo and a really rough website but i  haven't even touched it in like 3 months...  I alsowanted to start a podcast and Erik even bought me the equipment i need for Christmas and you know it is still in the box...

I totally suck with follow through and making best used of my time.  i feel like i am in the "get-up go-to-work come-home go-to-bed" mode and living from paycheck to paycheck.

I don't want to be that person that looks back at their life and says "what did i do with my life, i have nothing to show for it."
I want to be all that God wants me to be...
I want to fullfill His Plan His Path His Purpose not my own
Lord forgive me for not  making the best use of my time.  Give me strength and endurance and energy to do the things you have called me to!

My Soap Box

7/03/2007 Estreitta 1 Comments

ok i am really perturbed right now with several things that i have recently heard and seen in the church.  i am so disturbed about this junk penetrating churches across america that i have so many emotions going on in my mind that it has taken me a while to even put it into words.
recently, while talking with a friend i learned about the spiritual abuse that occured while she was participating in a ministry at a church. She heard many times that if she was unable to make a meeting that she "Was not a committed Christian, if she was she would put this ministry first!" She wrote several songs in which the church recorded to a CD and sold but never paid her royalties after saying to the entire church that they would! Oh my word, God Help us!
Seriously, this is just the tip of the iceburg people.
I also heard about another ministry pulling people off of ministry teams because they had stopped tithing to the church.The persons spouse, who is not a christian told them they couldn't afford to to tithe and the person submitted to it even though she knew that they "should" continue to tithe. They were unable to pay their bills and stopped temporarily because of  these financial difficulties. ....What the.....
Erik and I visited a "mega" church here in the DFW Area over the Christmas Holiday and the church had a goal to raise 1 million dollars for missions.. which I thought was awesome goal at first.  Then while looking through the church brochure it talked about their buliding expansion program which would be 64 million dollars.  Now 1 million for missions and 64 million for a building! hmmm...
I can describe countless other stories of how many in church leadership are so focused on making a name for themselves and becoming the next best thing that they are stepping over people who they are called to SERVE and ENCOURAGE and BUILD UP IN THE LORD! Instead they are leaving  in thier path to sucess many wounded and hurt believers (some who may even walk away from Christianity altogether).
This madness has to STOP.
Christians need to quit being selfish and become more selfless. We need to serve others and put them before ourselves.  Consider thier needs before our wants.

1 Corinthians 10:23-24 says:

Always Honor God

 23 Some of you say, "We can do whatever we want to!" But I tell you that not everything may be good or helpful. 24 We should think about others and not about ourselves.

Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society

Tonight Erik and I attended a Worship conference and Ross Parsley, interim Senior Pastor at New Life Church, spoke tonight on this very topic.
Specifically he mention several times about how so many people are so focused on being the it person that it really Disgusts God.  If we really want to see God move in this country and in our families lives and be used by God we must become selfless.
I started writing this blog last night.  I am so glad we went to that conference because it was confirmation to me that my writing this blog is so timely.
Please ask the Lord to show you how you can be come more selfless and consider others first. imagine what an impact we can make on the world if we show them the True Love of Christ!