Lent, Easter, Then What?? Motive Check!

Dearest Friend,

  Did you go to church on Easter last weekend?  Did you participate in a Lenten tradition, like prayer and fasting?  Why?  Obviously I can't hear your answers, and they're not for me to know, I'm asking to get you to ask yourselves, then question your motives.  This is something I do a lot.  My husband Terry is the critical thinker.  The motive questioner, if you will.  When I say this or that, he often says, "why?"  I've adopted this into my own personal thinking now without him even asking.  So let's us try this personal motive check together, you and I.
   When you went to Easter Service last weekend, did the minister give an invitation for you to pray and accept Jesus as your personal Savior?  Or did he give an invitation for you to re-commit your life to Christ? Did you do it?  Did you walk forward and publicly pray at an alter, or raise your hand and admit to the confession of your sins and acceptance of Jesus?  Why?  Were you thinking about getting home and getting dinner on the table?  Mentally checking on the ham?  Were you apathetic about that whole part of the service, as if his question was intruding on your thoughts or ruining a perfectly "nice" church service?  What exactly were/are your motives for not accepting Christ as your personal Savior?  Could it be that you feel there is time closer to the end of your life for praying that prayer?  Or do you feel since the Lord is a loving God, He couldn't possible send you to hell?  Have you done some things in your past that couldn't possibly be forgiven?  Is that it?  You feel to tarnished, too unworthy?  Whatever, your reasons and motives are, please know this... it is a lie.  It is an excuse fabricated by the enemy who is the king of lies and excuses.
   Let's move back to you.  What if you did make that choice for Christ, and you need this encouraging word?  What is threatening your joy or your choice of salvation?   Do thoughts and decisions from your past whisper to you in regret?  The hopes of a baby dashed again and again like Sarah and Abraham in Hebrews?  Or the deep desire for a romantic relationship?  How about the fear that your children will never heal from your divorce?  The unspoken fear that abortion is unforgivable?  Is it drug use or pornography addiction? Or is it the angry word you spoke yesterday keeping you at arm's length from your husband or child or parent?  Really, my friend what is your reason for keeping Christ out of every part of your life?
   Know this, God was faithful in His promise to Abraham and Sarah in giving them a child of they're own. God was faithful to Jacob by keeping his offspring as numerous as the grains of sand.  In fact, God's promises are numerous and He kept them.  He will be faithful to forgive you, change you, give you the peace that only comes from Him, and He is faithful to give you eternal life.  He is true and ever faithful.  The enemy is the lie, and we mustn't fall for it one more minute.  DO NOT fall for the reasons and excuses he's throwing up to you to keep you from coming to the saving and forgiving power of Jesus Christ.  Pray forgiveness, repent and walk in your inheritance that is freedom in Christ Jesus!
  So you missed your opportunity to accept/re-commit/be encouraged in Christ on Easter.  SO WHAT! Today is a new day, and the resurrection is still true today.  Easter can and should be celebrated everyday! Don't wait another minute, pray today.  Not sure what to pray?  Not sure who to ask for help or what to read or do?  I will help you.  I want too!  E-mail me today Melissa@TheWrightsMinistries.com  When you're tempted to doubt or be fearful or listen to the lies that call you a failure or bring up your past remember this.  If you accept Jesus you belong to the Creator of the Universe and you are a child of the living God.  Accept your right to live in peace and joy that is Christ!

In service to Him and Sincere love to you,
Pudgy Girl

Request Granted

Good Day Pudgy Girl Followers,

   First order of business today, physical fitness accountability. I've notice how hard losing weight has become since having my third baby.  Nearly two years after having her, I'm still staring down my last 40 lbs to lose.  I'm also older, maybe that is a contributing factor.  I've messed with my calorie intake and I think I'll carefully cut an extra 300 calories out of each day for a couple weeks to see how that goes.  I'll keep you informed on my progress.  Training has become a little bit slower with the return of the high temperatures and humidity.  However, we're still getting it done.  It's been wonderful having my sweet Terry running with me.  He is such an encouragement. Now, on to the spiritual fitness accountability.
   Have you ever really considered if you were granted any request of your choosing, what would you choose?  Of course you've thought about it, we all have.  I have often felt and said, if I could have anything, I'd want to have my house paid off, be completely debt free, take an exotic family vacation, have a new Prevost bus to travel in.  How about you?  In 2 Chronicles 1:1-3  King Solomon pleased the Lord in his obedience and offerings and the Lord said to him, 7..."Ask for whatever you want me to give you."  Do you know what that king asked for?  He asked for wisdom and knowledge to lead his great people.  Wow! How very unselfish and kind.  The Lord of all the universe was impressed, in fact He was so please with Solomon that he granted his request. Because Solomon was so unselfish in his request, the Lord chose to grant him wealth, riches and fame as well as wisdom and knowledge.  I read that chapter today and I felt conviction of selfishness.  I want to be like Solomon, eager to be a good leader and steward over what God has entrusted me.  The job He's called me to do.  I pray the Lord helps me be the best servant that I can be, and not a selfish wish maker.  Now, after hearing about Solomon, what request would you ask God to grant you today?  

Serving til Jesus Comes,
Pudgy Girl

A New Bible

   I'm so bad a blogging regularly.  I haven't posted since September 2013.  Sheeps! Da's a long time ago. Well, as I strive to mature and grow spiritually, and attain physical fitness, I may need to share more regularly.  I have mentioned before that I find a great motivation in public accountability.  In fact the Bible calls us, as Christians to be accountable to one another see Proverbs 27:17, Galatians 6:1-2, James 5:16.

   Since September '13, I have ran in two 5K events and my sweet Terry ran the most recent event with me.  It was the most enjoyable race I've ever participated in simply because my best friend ran beside me, encouraging and pushing me the whole way. My times have not been personal bests, but they have not been my worst time either.  I'll keep striving to move, walk, run, & pedal my way to physical fitness.  The next 5K I've chosen to train for is going to be the 5K of a lifetime!  It is combining my two favorite things, Southern Gospel music and running.  That's right, this year at National Quartet Convention, they are hosting the first ever Southern Gospel Music 5K!  I'm so looking forward to September 27, 2014 and running this event.  This is serious motivation for my training! 

   On my 10th birthday, my Grandpa and Grandma Oathout gave me the single most important gift a child can receive, my own Bible.  As of the time of this blog post, I am 38 years old, and I have used that red leather NIV for 28 years.  A few months ago, the cover of that precious Bible tore almost completely off after much use and too many years of stuffing thick papers in the cover.  I have since been using my online Bible on both my phone and tablet.  I decided that my devotions would benefit from going back to using a physical book Bible, so I went in search of a different Bible in our bookshelves.  Having chosen a nice NIV couples devotional Bible, I turned through the pages to see that I hadn't used this particular Bible in at least 5-10 years.  There was a special surprise I found in the pages of this book.  I found a homemade Mother's Day bookmark given to me by my oldest child Taylor Jewel, when she was 3 years old.  It made my day!  It really did. I felt like it was a gem for my day, sent to me by my Heavenly Father saying to me, "It's fine to use a different Bible other than your favorite, the point is, just be in My word everyday, Melissa."  

   In Acts 21:10-14, the Bible speaks of a man with the gift of prophecy, correctly foretelling the future imprisonment in Jerusalem, of Paul for the sake of the Gospel.  The other believers begged him not to go ahead and journey to Jerusalem, for they feared for his life and freedom.  However, Paul rebuked his friends, saying he was ready to be jailed or even die for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He said "The Lord's will be done."   After reading this, I immediately thought, is my faith even half this strong?  Or have the strongholds in my life come to bind me so that I can't say and mean, God's will be done in all things in my life??  Oh my prayer today be the prayer of Paul, Thy will be done in me oh Lord, let me not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but to go into all the world proclaiming the good news of salvation in Jesus!

   This pudgy girl will keep working to train for my ultimate SGM 5K, lose these last 40 lbs, draw closer to the Lord, and live in His will for my life!  Wanna go for a walk, run or bike ride??  Do you need prayer or an accountability partner??  Call me, I want to help you however I can.   Improving oneself is a lifetime journey we walk hand in hand with Christ Jesus our Lord.

-Prayerfully Yours,

Pudgy Girl

Psalms 104:33