✝️ 'Leaning a Little Harder'🙏🏼

✝️🙏🏼💗 "Remember that your MOTIVES are NOT ALWAYS as ALTRUISTIC as they SEEM to yourself!" - Bertrand Russell (The Conquest of Happiness) (Thank you)❣️🖤🙏🏼🦃🍁...I'll be posting this for November,  'Thanksgiving' / "turkey" month, however, as, I begin writing it, it's 5:25 a.m., Wednesday, 10/2/19, and, I'm in a hotel room, in 'Pigeon Forge,' which, is an area that's part of 'The Great Smokey Mountains,' which, has been a favorite place of mine, to visit, since I was a young girl❣️🗻🏔⛰😃🖤 I have lots of fond memories of vacationing here, and, several other places, with my fantastic family, most of whom, have passed on to 'Glory,' since those memories were made❣️💔😔 I really, hope and pray that, I never lose these priceless memories...due to Alzheimer's, Dementia, or something else, of the, countless and tremendous, times, in which, we spent together, enjoying life's celebrations...with all of them❣️Whenever, I was younger, I, somehow, foolishly believed that, times spent with them would never cease❣️I was WRONG❣️The LOVE, in which, ALL of us, had and shared, for and with, each other, POSITIVELY AFFECTED me, forevermore, and, I'm certain, shall, always endure❣️You see, I realize now, that, those memorable times of doing things with my loved ones, were to be, enjoyed and cherished, and, they were transient (I naively "thought" that, they'd continue forever), and, ended entirely too soon (for me)❣️I am, nevertheless, SO VERY, GRATEFUL and THANKFUL, to have them❣️David and I, came down here for a few, days and nights, for a little "get away" / "mini vacation," from 'Scioto County,' as, we often do in the "Fall /Autumn" and/or 'Winter' / 'Christmas' seasons❣️We love it down here❣️While watching the local news on t.v., during our stay, we learned that, the four days we are here, are the hottest, recorded days, since recording the temperature began here - back in the 1800's‼️WHATTAYAKNOW⁉️‼️🔥😩😂👍🏼 On our way down here, the thought "came to me," that, my entire life, GOD has been amazingly benevolent to me, and, I am extremely, thankful and grateful, to HIM, for this❣️HE IS, has always been, and, shall always be, my wonderful provider❣️It is tremendously comforting to know that, HE, and, other LOVED ONES, are always watching out for me - from AFAR❣️😘😊💜 Presently, HIS source of provision for me, is mainly through the "channel" of David, my husband, of thirty six years❣️It is extremely, reassuring and comforting, to me, knowing and being confident, in the fact that, HE'LL always "take care of" me, and, also, ALL of my descendants (Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:33, etc.)❣️✝️💚 A very long time ago, seemingly, a "billion" years, after David announced his 'call' to preach 'The Gospel,' whenever, we began to serve the Lord in full time ministry, I was SO excited about being "in the ministry," for various reasons, motivations, expectations, etc. (good and bad - I retrospectively "see," now)❣️I thoroughly enjoyed, obeying and serving, JESUS, traveling, seeing "new to me" places, meeting people (most of them 😂😘), and, the, spontaneity, mystery, results, rewards, etc., of living "by FAITH"❣️I was hilariously naive❣️"Little did I know" about much of, life and ministry, realities (positive and negative)❣️I had no idea that, God was going to give satan (purposely not capitalized) permission to plague me with "soul-trying afflictions," such as, years of potentially debilitating DEPRESSION, a messed up back, which, would gradually cause a multitude of discouraging LIMITATIONS to become a part of my life/being, along with some other "hurts," etc., about which, I'll not elaborate, at this time❣️😳 PRESENT TENSE, I'm grateful that, HE did not LET me, "SEE" into my future, nor choose, whether or not, to accept ALL of it, because, I would NOT have chosen it, but, would have rather, tried to avoid the DIFFICULTY of these AFFLICTIONS, which, would have also, resulted in me missing out on a MULTITUDE of BLESSINGS, would have slowed down and/or slowed down my spiritual growth, ETC., and, only God knows what else would have been affected⁉️❣️So, four days later, we were "welcomed" home, from the 'Smokies," in our little mountain home, on Thursday evening, to a clogged up sink, with water, backed up in it, and "hanging out" on the floor❣️😩 Today, the plumber is dealing with it❣️Evidently, the leftover pork from the crockpot that, David had Caleb, put down the garbage disposal, "on top of" years of stuff building up in that pipe, after we left, has majorly CLOGGED UP the kitchen plumbing❣️😏 I've been "on him" lately about his eating too much, pork and red, meat❣️😂 He mentioned this earlier❣️😂😘 He also, said, "imagine what the meat is doing to me internally, if, it does THIS to a house's plumbing"⁉️⁉️...EXACTLY‼️❣️🤣.   👍🏼...SELAH❣️🙄🤔🙏🏼😂 Please, "feel free" to APPLY whatever "spiritual application," to your, self and life, in which, you believe to be appropriate, here (for me, there are several - hehehe!!)❣️😘😘😘 My LIFE LESSON for this post is this:  BE VERY, CAUTIOUS AND CAREFUL, concerning, WHAT and WHOM, you LET in your being, because, you (subconsciously for    the,goodand/or bad) are definitely affected by people❣️Also, it's EASIER to LET, SOMETHING and/or SOMEONE, INTO, your, LIFE and/or BEING, than it is to get "whatever" OUT (possibly having put you in a LONG, DEEP "RUT")❣️However true this is, JESUS tells us in IS WORD, in Matthew 15:11 + 18, Mark 7:15, and, other times that, what COMES OUT of one's HEART, is that which, DEFILES A person‼️ Luke 6:45 reiterates this TRUTH‼️SO, I suppose the LIFE LESSON here, then, actually IS:  PRAYERFULLY, LET JESUS, make and keep, your "HEART" RIGHT,  and, HE'LL, through HIS, HOLY SPIRIT, WORD, etc., assist you in, knowing and applying, WHAT and WHOM, to allow to, GIVE and/or TAKE - for HIS, HONOR and GLORY❣️In this "CRAZY" world, in which, we live, as BELIEVERS, WE'D better DO this, for, ours and other's, PROTECTION, etc., also❣️🙏🏼 I would like to write here, that, one of my main desires, as a, Believer and woman, is to NOT be "RELIGIOUS," nor, to be perceived by anyone as being so❣️I DO desire to be Christ-like, real, genuine, authentic, sincere, gracious, and the such❣️💗😘 A "RELIGIOUS SPIRIT" has always been repugnant to me‼️Please, forgive me, and, I'm sincerely sorry, if, I've ever "come across," as having a "holier than thou" way, or, behaved in a piously "religious" way, etc., to you❣️As I write this, it is the month of October, which, is 'National Breast Cancer Awareness Month ' therefore, I, acknowledge, honor, and celebrate, my, mother and sister (survivors), whom, fought their battles with breast cancer (PRAISE JESUS❣️), and, the multitudes of other people, whom, have, are, or shall, FIGHT this dreaded "EVIL DEMON"❣️💗✝️ Earlier, I was thinking about how there's "internal" things about myself (personality, soul, mind, will, emotions, etc....ME), which, I dislike (such as - reacting defensively, whenever, someone insults, etc., me and/or my loved ones), and, in some cases, even HATE about myself, and, as much as I would like to be able to CHANGE...CANNOT‼️And, oftentimes, these "UGLY" "traits," come out of me - before I, have and/or take, the opportunity to "check" and/or stop them from "spewing out"‼️ These are characteristics about ME, most of which, I've TRIED to, change and/or get victory over (by myself and/or tried to let Jesus), to "NO  AVAIL"‼️ These types of problems, and, unresolved, sinfulness, issues, weaknesses, vices and the such, is the "JUNK," that, comes out of people, which, reveals people's defilement, and, has the potential to contaminate other people, in various ways‼️Then, everyone is "out and about" in the world, mostly ATTEMPTING to DO good, but, "boiling over," with the "STUFF" (good, bad, and neutral) , that's "brewing" inside of us, and then, "woolah" ...we have "WHAT" we have‼️😳 Anyway, the "BAD" things, that, are inside of me, and sometimes, come out of me, in which, I, and/or, God, dislikes, and, we, have not been able to change (the fault somehow lies with me), and, may never get changed, until I "pass away," must be covered by HIS MERCY, GRACE, BLOOD, LOVE, etc., through CHRIST'S FINISHED WORK (The Cross), because, if not, I would be in serious TROUBLE❣️I must remember, and, often remind myself that, other people deal with the same situation, and, to CHOOSE to extend GRACE, LOVE, ETC., to them❣️However, I also, for, my and other people's, "good," need to be selective, with whom, I, socialize and fellowship, as to not, be, nor, be hurt by, a "STUMBLING BLOCK," or, in various ways, going back to the, subject / purpose, of this post❣️The way I see it is that, the only person, who I can "control," or rather, submit to, and LET The Lord control, is ME❣️And, IF, I, CHOOSE to "walk in the spirit," then, hopefully and prayerfully, LESS "bad" will be inside me, and thus, LESS "bad" will come out of me, and, my affect in the world will be positive (overall)❣️While doing this, I'll also, continue choosing to be selective with, whom and what, I allow into "my world," which, helps one of my overall objectives, of aiming to be more Christ-like❣️Sometimes, I forget that, ALL of "THIS" is about HIM/GOD❣️Do you forget this sometimes, too⁉️It really does "boil down" to this - for Believers❣️1 Corinthians 10:31 tells Believers that, ALL we DO - should be for the glory of God (whether it is, coming into or going out, of us❣️)❣️It ALL matters (in a myriad of ways)❣️MATTHEW 15:19 tells us that, EVIL comes out of people's hearts❣️In conclusion, BELIEVERS, LET'S determine to LET our Lord Jesus, keep our souls cleaned - continually - first of all - for HIS, honor and glory, and, be VERY careful, as to what, goes out and enters, our lives, also, for, our good, and, secondly, for the good of other people❣️Okay, so if, all of this "OVERWHELMS" you, as it does me sometimes, you might want to do what I do, and, remind yourself that, GOD loves you, and, the most important matter to HIM is to get the "LOVE THING" "down" (receive HIS love, love HIM, love yourself, love other people, and, receive other people's love) (Deuteronomy 6:4-7, Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:30)❣️❣️✝️💚 The "bottom line" of what I am unsuccessfully trying to write in this post, is expressed in the following quote by Arthur Gordon:  "If one's MOTIVES are wrong...NOTHING can be RIGHT"❣️✝️ Personally, I, immediately upon detection, find anything that "REEKS" of "RELIGION" (not authentic Christ-like spirituality), REPULSIVE and DISGUSTING‼️🤢 It seriously upsets me to think that, possibly, I've ever "come across" as to having a "RELIGIOUS SPIRIT," at anytime to anyone‼️❣️😰 I'd rather know that, people "SEE" that, I am a BELIEVER, who, struggles to habitually LIVE a "SANCTIFIED" LIFESTYLE, than for them to PERCEIVE me as being PIOUS, "RELIGIOUS," hypocritical,  judgmental, and the such‼️❣️😘🙏🏼✝️🖤 There is a HUGE difference (in my opinion), between, someone, who, loves The Lord, and, doesn't realize that, they seem "religious," and, someone, who, CHOOSES to be this way, which, is usually driven by PRIDE❣️GOD HATES PRIDE (the bad kind) (PROVERBS 6:16-19)‼️❣️Although, I Oftentimes FAIL, I Try to BE the way the Bible tells me that, a child of God SHOULD BE (MARK 12:29+30, 1 JOHN 4:7), including attempting to apply "The Golden Rule" (treating other people the way, in which, I desire that, they treat me) to my life❣️I don't care HOW MUCH GOOD I observe a BELIEVER doing "for JESUS," IF, he/she, seems habitually, mean or "religious," etc. (consistent FRUIT on his/her "tree"), then, he/she, is fooling himself/herself, and, needs a "HOLY ADJUSTMENT" from "The Ultimate Chiropractor of Life," The Lord,  JesusChrist❣️😘😂✝️🙏🏼 As, I was driving home from town, this gorgeous, Fall afternoon, I caught myself, looking for the vibrant colored trees, which, are scarcely scattered amongst the dull, Autumn colored ones (due to the amount rain fall this year, I suppose), surrounding them, this year❣️ Anyway, that "train of thought," caused me to correlate it to a real life application, being that, IF, I would, consistently walk in the spirit, and, continuously, pray that God would help me, and, remind myself to CHOOSE to "LOOK" for the "GOOD" around me, instead of the "bad," ,in people,situations,circumstances, or whatever, it would, NO doubt, make the overall quality of my  life " SWEETER," and, also, assist me in DOING good (bearing fruit), from the love of God withinmy"heart,"which,would bring, honor and glory, to God❣️😌🙏🏼✝️ The last statement, in which, I'm going to write, is that, I ABSOLUTELY KNOW that, THE ONLY WAY I am going to  actually LIVE a habitual VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE, is through THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS (HIS - sinless life,death, burial and resurrection), being born again (being a new creation), leaning and dependingon HIM, walking in the spirit, growing through spiritual nutrition from HIS WORD, praying. ETC.❣️ Only HE can, make and keep, me right within, so that, GOOD things, which, please HIM, will come out of me, from the depths of my heart (the new one in which HE gave me)and, I'll also be selective, as to what I allow to enter my life (as much as possible, anyway)❣️✝️📖🕊🙏🏼 The Holy Spirit, my "helper," whispers to my spirit, that, I can DO better (with HIS help), on both accounts❣️😔 Therefore, once again, I'll eat my "HUMBLE PIE," CHOOSE to yield to HIM, and "start from scratch," in my TRYING (submitting) to be the person, WHOM, JESUS died for me to be (for HIS, honor and glory)❣️✝️ Lately, I've really been "leaning on" the Scripture, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, have memorized it, quote and/or pray, it, frequently❣️The TRUTH of it encourages me tremendously, it matters not, on which, area of life, I apply it❣️✝️🎶..."leaning on the everlasting arms..."❣️🎶...I 🙏🏼 that you are also, "LEANING"ON HIM, my friend❣️...Starting here and now, I'm going to be "LEANING" a little harder ...👋🏼...until next post...