Blog Archives - The Remarkable Blog

Happy Valentines Day-Learn to play with your mate, not just have a playmate.

2/14/2019

I recently purchased myself a coat. I saw it and I couldn't get it out of my mind. I thought about it almost daily. It was going to cost me, but it would last my lifetime. When I finally decided to purchase it and it arrived, I realized I was taking better care of my coat than many take care of their children and their marriages.

My husband and I have been married over forty years and we still take care of our marriage. We work on issues. We honor and prefer one another. We support one another. Yes, we argue and have difficulties some days but we don't quit. The "D" word is not in our vocabulary. We have learned to have fun.

Marriage is a blood covenant. Marriage is until death. It matters what you do with the covenant you have made, because with this covenant like all covenants, comes blessings for keeping your word, and curses if you don't. It would be bad, but not horrific if the curses stopped with you, but they don't. They visit the next generation. In other words they come upon your children.

My husband and I are reaching out to couples everywhere, and offering them tools to help make marriage fun. We want to help you stay married and not miserable. So, we are providing a seminar this Friday and Saturday. If you haven't gotten a gift for your spouse, purchase a place at this years event at the Marriott Hotel in Morgantown, WV. Social hour begins at 6 PM in the lobby. The event ends Saturday at noon. You can come spend the night, or if you have children, come for just the sessions and the meals. Pay a sitter. Invest and take care of what matters. Marriage can be fun and rewarding. Let us show you how.

Register today:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marriage-matters-2019-marriage-seminar-tickets-54552726674?aff=aff0eventful

ACTIONS STEP: Take care of your investment. Wedding are expensive but divorces are paid for for life, with your life. God is still in the Miracle Working business and He wants to work on you and your spouse. God wants your marriage to work, and it will if you will take care of it.

Getting you to do what you don't want to do.

2/13/2019

We all have that one friend or that one child, or that one sibling, that gets us to do what we don't want to do. They probably came to mind after reading the sentence above. Mom's you know where I am going with this, if you have more than one child. Kid comes in and says, "Mom can we go to the Mall?" You say, "The roads are bad and we were just there Saturday." Next kid come's in and say's, "Mom can you take us to the Mall?" Again, you say, "No. I am not taking you to the Mall, go find something else to do." Third kid comes in and says, "Mom, can you take us to the Mall?" Then, you say, "Get in the car." It is not because that kid is the favorite. It is because, that kid is relentless. It's easier to take the kid to the Mall than spend the next four hours trying to reason with the child about not going to the Mall.

I thought about this. We don't just have a child like this, but many have or have had a friend like this. Sometimes, that friend has gotten us in trouble because the things they have gotten us to do were not the greatest moments in our life. But, Jesus. Jesus is that friend that sticks closer than a brother and He is relentless. He is that friend that gets us to do things we don't want to do, but are good for us, and He is relentless.

ACTION STEP: If other people can get you to do things you don't want to do that are not eternity changing, then what is it that you are telling Jesus, "No" to? He is wanting what is good for us. Jesus gave it all for us. He wants it all from us. Before you close your phone or computer and say, "I hate this! This is not right! This is not fair!" I want you to think about something. Is what Jesus went through to save you right or fair?

Did you ever watch the flames of a fire dance and spread?

2/12/2019

In this hectic world in which we live we don't sit and watch a fire burn much. We live a hurried life. We don't depend on a fire for our livelihood. When I flew into Africa for the first time, it looked like the entire country was on fire. There were little fires in a patchwork quilt pattern across the ground. It reminded me of flying into Florida where the ground looked as though it was covered with mirrors. Why? Because everyone has a pool in Florida and everyone had a fire in Africa. Open fires are used to cook food outside in the area in which I visited. It was normal for water to be heated, meat and vegetables to be cooked and even for warmth in Eldoret Kenya.

We here in America rarely have the opportunity, or time, to sit in front of a fire. I recently took the time to sit and study in front of my fireplace. As I stared into the fire, I noticed the flames looked as though they are dancing. My mind raced back to the many Bible stories I have read, I remembered David danced. I remembered Miriam danced. I even had memories flood me, of dancing myself.

God is an all consuming fire. What does that mean? It means He is a jealous God in that He wants every part of us. He takes the good with the bad, just like a fire will burn up anything in its path. God wants to be the center of our lives and when He is, He consumes our thoughts, our actions, determines our decisions and dictates our actions--or should.

ACTION STEP: Do 2 Timothy 1:6. Stir your gift up. Do what sets you on fire again for God. Find your passion. What makes you dance like those flames of a fire? When you find your passion, that thing you were created for, you will come to life. You will be consumed by God and His desire for your life.

Quit pretending and be an original.

2/11/2019

My husband recently shared a message with our congregation about, "Truth the Foundation of Love". You can check it out in our archives. In his message he was sharing about Jacob and all the deception that was in his family. I will share with you a few of the things he shared that just keep coming up in my spirit. Firstly, it was spoken by God to the mother of Jacob and his Essau, (while they were still in the womb), that the younger would serve the older. Yet, Rebecca never spoke about it. No one ever mentioned it to the boys, as they were growing up. She pretended it wasn't said. Then, she tried to pretend it wasn't so, and even tried to change God's plan by pretending one son was the other one, to trick their father into switching the blessing. When you read on in the story, we find God decides that if Jacob whose name even means "trickery or trickster", likes pretending so well, then let's pretend the woman he lies with is his wife. And you guessed it, it was her older sister. When we lie, we usually have to lie again to cover up the lie. It also is a lot of work.

I found these scriptures about pretending and all of the people who lied about their identity or circumstances had ulterior motives. The people pretended, so that they could manipulate others. They did it so they could please their flesh and get their own needs met.

2 Samuel 13:5 "Jonadab then said to him, "Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill; when your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me some food to eat, and let her prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat from her hand.'"

2 Samuel 13:6 "So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, "Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand."

2 Samuel 14:2 "So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there and said to her, "Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days;

The stories never ended well in the Bible for anyone who pretended.

ACTION STEP: Be yourself. If you have been living a lie, come to terms with it today. Reach out to God. He is stronger than the father of lies, the devil; and He can help you. God created you to be an original. No one else can be you. If you need counseling reach out to someone who can help. There is hope. Pain can be a thing if the past. You may not be able to forget the reasons you began to pretend, but you can heal from it. Jacob and his brother finally came to terms with their destinies. In other stories of the Bible, people who continued in their lies often times reaped the consequences. God is merciful. God loves you. God is waiting to help you.

Don't be assuming ~ Share what you are doing with others.

2/8/2019

Confession time. I always think people know more than they do. I assume because I know something, everybody knows it. Now, I know in reality this isn't true and I should probably get some counseling on why I do what I do? I throughly believe counselors can help us greatly, just like pastors, or doctors or teachers. So, as I was thinking about what to share with you today, I felt the Lord ask me a question. Now, when He asks me a question, I never think I have the answer. I freeze. Then, I calm down and either answer Him, or ask Him to tell me. Today, I knew the answer. He ask me if I'd ever shared WOW (Women of Witness) with you? I knew I hadn't. I tend to categorize my life into boxes. I figure everyone knows about the boxes. My mistake entirely. So, here's the skinny over twenty years ago I founded a women's group because there was a need. The women in my church were wanting to bring their friends, family and loved ones to the meetings; I was having just for them in my church. I knew that if I brought other women into my church, that their pastors may assume that I was wanting to take them out of their churches. The exact opposite was true. I wanted to train them to go into their own churches and be more helpful, to submit their gifts, and callings, to their pastors and leaders. It's worked. I have over 50 women that have engaged in their churches and are doing things they never dreamed of doing. There are now pastors, teachers, evangelist, prophets, authors, children church ministers, bible study leaders, and intercessors in churches all around the Tri-State area. I also wanted to teach mothering, so that children could have the best mom's and resources to help their children. I wanted to teach on marriages and make marriage work, and fun, and lasting. Again, success after success, after success in the women's lives. So, that's just a few things Women of Witness meetings are for.

ACTION STEP: Meet me tomorrow at our monthly meeting at 10 AM, at 2169 Blue Horizon Drive Morgantown, WV 26501. In case you can't make it, here is an article we will cover at our meeting this month. The book we are finishing up is He-Motions by T.D. Jakes. We have free babysitting and refreshments. Hope to meet you here.

12 Simple Habits That Set Ultra-Successful People Apart
By Travis Bradberry

Ultra-successful people delight themselves by blowing their personal goals out of the water. They succeed along many different dimensions of life: their friendships, their physical and mental health, their families, and their jobs (which they are not only good at, but also enjoy).
TalentSmart has conducted research with more than a million people and found that ultra-successful people have a lot in common. In particular, 90 percent of them are skilled at managing their emotions in order to stay focused, calm and productive. These ultra-successful folks have high emotional intelligence (EQ), a critical quality to achieving your dreams.
Although I’ve run across numerous effective strategies that ultra-successful people employ to reach their goals, what follows are 12 of the best. Some of these might seem obvious, but the real challenge lies in recognizing when you need to use them and having the wherewithal to actually do so.
1. They’re composed. Ultra-successful people are composed because they constantly monitor their emotions; they understand them, and they use this knowledge in the moment to react to challenging situations with self-control. When things go downhill, they are persistently calm and frustratingly content (frustrating to those who aren’t, at least). They know that no matter how good or bad things get, everything changes with time. All they can do is adapt and adjust to stay happy and in control.
2. They’re knowledgeable.Super-successful people know more than others do because they’re constantly working to increase their self-awareness. They vow constant growth. Whenever they have a spare moment, they fill it with self-education. They don’t do this because it’s “the right thing to do”; they do it because it’s their passion. They’re always looking for opportunities to improve and new things to learn about themselves and the world around them. Instead of succumbing to their fear of looking stupid, truly exceptional people just ask the questions on their mind, because they would rather learn something new than appear smart.
3. They’re deliberate. Ultra-successful people reach decisions by thinking things out, seeking advice from others and sleeping on it. They know that (as studies show) impulsively relying too much on gut instinct is ineffective and misleading. Being able to slow down and logically think things through makes all the difference.
4. They speak with certainty. It’s rare to hear super-successful people utter things, such as “um,” “I’m not sure,” and “I think.” Successful people speak assertively because they know it’s difficult to get people to listen to you if you can’t deliver your ideas with conviction.
5. They use positive body language. Becoming cognizant of your gestures, expressions and tone of voice (and making certain they’re positive) draws people to you like ants to a picnic. Using an enthusiastic tone, uncrossing your arms, maintaining eye contact and leaning toward the person who’s speaking are all forms of positive body language that super-successful people use to draw others in. Positive body language makes all the difference in a conversation because how you say something can be more important than what you say.
6. They leave a strong first impression. Research shows that most people decide whether they like you within the first seven seconds of meeting you. Then they spend the rest of the conversation internally justifying their initial reaction. This might sound terrifying, but by knowing this, you can take advantage of it to make huge gains in how people respond to you. First impressions are tied intimately to positive body language. A strong posture, a firm handshake, a smile and open shoulders help ensure your first impression is a good one.
7. They seek out small victories. Successful people like to challenge themselves and compete, even when their efforts yield only small victories. Small victories build new androgen receptors in the areas of the brain responsible for reward and motivation. The increase in androgen receptors increases the influence of testosterone, which further increases the confidence and eagerness to tackle future challenges. When you achieve a series of small victories, the boost in your confidence can last for months.
8. They’re fearless. Fear is nothing more than a lingering emotion fueled by your imagination. Danger is real. It’s the uncomfortable rush of adrenaline you get when you almost step in front of a bus. Fear is a choice. Exceptional people know this better than anyone, so they flip fear on its head. Instead of letting fear take over, successful people are addicted to the euphoric feeling of conquering fears.
9. They’re graceful. Graceful people are the perfect combination of strong and gentle. They don’t resort to intimidation, anger or manipulation to get a point across because their gentle, self-assured nature gets the job done. The word gentle often carries a negative connotation (especially in the workplace), but in reality, it’s the gentleness of being graceful that gives ultra-successful people their power. They’re approachable, likeable and easy to get along with—all qualities that make people highly amenable to their ideas.
10. They’re honest. Super-successful people trust that honesty and integrity, though painful at times, always work out for the best in the long run. They know that honesty enables genuine connections with people in a way that dishonesty can’t, and that lying always comes back to bite you in the end. In fact, a Notre Dame study showed that people who often lied experienced more mental health problems than their more honest counterparts.
11. They’re grateful.Ultra-successful people know it takes a lot of ambition, passion and hard work to get where they are in life. They also know their mentors, colleagues, families and friends all play a huge role in their success. Instead of basking in the glory of achievement, super-successful people recognize others for the wonderful things they’ve done for them.
12. They’re appreciative. Truly exceptional people are able to achieve so much because they know the importance of slowing down and appreciating everything they already have. They know a huge amount of their positivity, grit and motivation comes from their ability to stay grounded, and appreciate the opportunities that life has given them thus far.
These habits can make any of us more successful if we use them every day. Give them a try and see where they take you. https://www.success.com/12-simple-habits-that-set-ultra-successful-people-apart/

Making friends and initiating relationships

2/7/2019

Everyone starts out as someone you never knew. That spouse, that child, that pastor, that employer, yes, they all started out as someone you didn't know. Now, you can't imagine your life without them. Perhaps then, you couldn't imagine your life with them.

What I want to share with you today is a dying art. Making friends and initiating relationships is something few if any do today. Many have their immediate circle of friends and that's it. New faces may walk in, and out of the room but they are not permitted into the circle. Loneliness is a hug problem in the world. People everywhere want to belong. Someone has to take them in. I am not suggesting that anyone take on more friends and family members than they can handle, but a simple, "Hello, I'm (insert your name here)," isn't going to hut anyone. Let me give you an example. I started a Cycling class. It meets the same times every week. So, I started introducing myself, just my "Hello I'm Rena." Then, if they smiled and seemed open to it I would say if they didn't, which many times they did, "I didn't catch your name?" Then, I would make it a point to say their name during, or after class or when they left. Something simple like, "Nice meeting you Chris. Great class. Will I see you Tuesday?" They may say something like, "No, but I will be back on Friday." I simply say, "Okay have a great week." The next time I see them I say, "Hi Chris." Eventually, we might grab a towel for one another, or a Clorox wipe to clean down the bike. We may just keep it right there, a "Hi" and a "See you next class." The fact of the matter is someone noticed them. Someone cared enough to say, "Hey, glad to see you."

People are people regardless of age. People do not have to look like you or be your age to say, "Hello." As a matter of fact, if we are old then we need to model for the younger generations being friendly and kind. Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit that stems from love. We are to love everyone. One way we show love is by being kind to those that are lonely.

Many of us shop online, bank online, order up our food, pick-up our shopping order at the grocery store, watch Netflix or Hulu and never talk to anyone we don't already know. Heaven may be a shock, to even the best of Christians when they realize they will have to share the streets of gold. (smile)

ACTION STEP: Today, step out of your circle to touch someone else's life, if only for a moment. Just say, "Hello" to the neighbor you have lived beside for years and still don't know their name. Actually smile at someone and say "Hi" for starters. I'm not telling you to be weird. Yes, I know it's a dangerous world we live in, but isolating ourselves and others is exactly what the devil wants--and he is getting it, and he is using us.

Breaking all or nothing mentality.

2/6/2019

Unfulfilled expectations are not all bad. In fact, not all things in life are all good or all bad. Looking at things as all good, or all bad can set us up for highs and lows. We live a roller-coaster life. When you have a roller coaster life you seemingly have no control, however you can get off the ride. We have choices in life.

Proverbs 15:16 "Better is a little with the fear of the LORD Than great treasure and turmoil with it"

ACTION STEP: Think through your expectations of yourself and others. Talk to people who are managing life successfully be that your pastor, your parents, a counselor, or someone who manages life ups and downs in a healthy manner. Praying strengthens our inner man. God desires to intervene in the lives of His children. Once we make Jesus our Lord and Savior then, He becomes just that--our master, the Boss. We still have free choices. We are willingly submissive servants. The choice is ours. Ups and downs, or a journey with Jesus where He holds on to us and we hold on to Him, and ride together. God knows what we can handle.

Trying to be a Super Bowl Christian today.

2/5/2019

Rough day yesterday and a long one. I pushed through to the end zone but woke up exhausted. Today, training started early and yet again. Thoughts of sitting on the sidelines entered my head. Then I remembered the sermon I shared with our congregation on Sunday and thought again.

What do you do on days when you feel as if you can't make a pass? You can't run the necessary yardage needed for a first down? Like Paul, of the New Testament or Bart Starr, you run anyway. You get in the game anyway. We all have days when we think we can't--but God says we can.

When we can't--God says we can. This is when we exercise the word. This is when we do what the word of God tells us we are to do. This is when a champion is made. Champions are made on the field of life, after they have fallen down, after they have been hit hard, after they have reached their limit, because then, and only then can they find God's unlimitedness.

ACTION STEP: Go to my web site and watch Sunday's sermon. Here is the link the message starts 2 minutes into the message. https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL5UO_HEMoNlTk56GekHsbLKKVQg1YefJ6&time_continue=1&v=rUlaJeutl5M

Super Bowl Christian

2/4/2019

It's not called the Vince Lombardi Trophy for nothing. I can read about Vince Lombardi and never get bored. I love champions. I love the training and desire, determination, discipline and distinction that champions possess. Paul the Apostle possessed these traits. We can develop these traits by reading God's Word and being in His presence until we become one with Him.

Vince Lombardi, former coach of the Green Bay Packers, and the winning coach of Super Bowl I, stated in a speech called "What it takes to be number 1": "Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all the time thing. You don’t win once in a while; you don’t do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing. Every time a football player goes to play his trade he’s got to play from the ground up-from the soles of his feet right up to his head. Every inch of him has to play."

As Christians, we get it. We read all about it in Ephesians 6. We gird ourselves up from our feet to our head. We realize their is another battle that takes place on the field of life, day in and day out until we cross the end zone. and make it safely home.

Hebrews 12:1
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"

To sacrifice is to give up something for a specific purpose.
To sacrifice you pay a price. No one else, you.

Lombardi said, "Success is like anything worthwhile. It has a price. You have to pay the price to win and you have to pay the price to get to the point where success is possible. Most importantly, you must pay the price to stay there." "Football is a great deal like life in that it teaches that work, sacrifice, perseverance, competitive drive, selflessness and respect for authority is the price that each and every one of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile."

A Super Bowl Christian will sacrifice.
There are things that they will give up, and things that they will take up.
They will give up pet sins, They will take up burdensome crosses.
They will give up freedoms, They will take up submission
In doing so their time, their thinking, and their actions will be radically changed.

The beauty of sacrifice and the burden of sacrifice, is that it’s not just a one time event. The Super Bowl Christian, like the Super Bowl athlete, continually trains and sacrifices. There is no off season, and no retirement. Paul did not rest on the bench, not even when he was old. He continued to press on. He knew that the goal line was still a few yards ahead. He wouldn’t reach the end zone when he closed his eyes in death.

ACTION STEP: Take a look at your life. Do you have what it takes to be a Super Bowl Champion Christian? Do you desire what God desires for you? Do you have determination to fuel your desire and the discipline to make it happen while denying your self daily and taking up your cross? Pray today for God to give you the grace to become all you are to become.

New Start Challenge #5

2/1/2019

This is the last challenge for the week. Each week God has dug a little deeper into the things that challenge us, the things we quit on, the things we stuff and don't share. God loves to clean house and we are God's temple. We house His presence and He operates through us to the degree that we allow him. Sometimes, we have to be brought down to be built up. Walls we have built to protect ourselves, are often unstable, wobbly, unsafe and keep people out rather than let God and His word in. All that changes starting today. God gives us everything we need.

We often see Father God the way Kelly Clarkson saw her natural father. A father that walks away and doesn't care for us when we fail to be perfect, and have nothing to offer Him. We blame ourselves when we are far from God or can't sense His presence. But, He is wanting to restore us, as He restored Kelly. God wants to take care of us, even more than Kelly promises to take care of her daughter.

Piece by Piece (Brick by Brick), every word of God, that we get down on the inside of us builds us into a strong foundation and a house that God inhabits. Forgiveness is a cement that holds.

ACTION STEP: It's a snowy day. Most things are cancelled. Take some time to stand before God as a child and talk to Him about your true identity. Listen to the song below and get the truth of God's word down on the inside of you. Believe what God says. Lay yourself down at His feet--every failure and every victory. You have taken the challenge this week. Finish strong. Forgive and move on. I see someone right now broken in tears, trembling as all the past is flowing out of them through their tears. God is washing your heart. Get ready this is your year. This wasn't just a challenge, this is the Potter's way of making you all He has called you to be. This is your year! Keep going now! God will give you everything you need. I will be praying for you.