Thursday, March 22, 2012

New Home

"Full Her Life" now has its own .com! You should be redirected momentarily - or you can click www.fullherlife.com (remember to update your bookmarks).

You can also keep up with Full Her Life updates on facebook at www.facebook.com/fullherlife

Stepping

I was talking with a friend the other evening.  We met in the warm Spring air and mutual sharing, as I relaxed patting her kitty.  I observed how it was warm and 70º while just last week at our meeting it was 30º and snowing!  We had chosen to get together and share from the depths of our hearts for that time, in this place.  It was a choice.  LIFE.  It was talk over past sin, repentance and finding wholeness again.  And that other word, healing.  It was two friends, drinking joy from a full cup of support.


She made a comment to me that made me wonder, "that was just a little step for me".   I can't help but ask, isn't every step a big step"?  Are we minimizing God's glory?  Isn't every single step towards God life altering?  Each one has importance because it is taking us in the right direction.  Each step builds on the last one.  Like a set of stairs leading you upward each one stacks on top of the other.  Your steps are taking you somewhere.  Somewhere out of where you are.


Each step proves we are changing.  He is changing us!  Isn't that what we all really want, to be changed?  We want mercies new every morning!  We pray for Him to get into our heads, renew our minds, and fill our hearts.  So, what is a step really?  

A step is motion in movement while passing over space.  It's a choice.  Sometimes, it even has voice.  If you pay attention you can hear it in a surrendered crawl, a sprint, a stride, a gait, even at a leisurely pace.  It's movement, it's growth, and it's glorious change!  Even the season is taking steps of changing.

Do we understand now that every step is God's glory showing up in our lives, and inviting us to take a walk with Him? 

Life is constant choice, change and movement.  Keep stepping...
Today, watch for movement and ask God to show you a step in the right direction!
Feel free to share back in the comments below about a specific step you would like to take.  Thanks for sharing!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Psalm 111


Psalm 111 The Message
  "Hallelujah! I give thanks to God with everything I've got-
   Wherever good people gather, and in the congregation.
   God's works are so great, worth
   A lifetime of study—endless enjoyment!
   Splendor and beauty mark his craft;
   His generosity never gives out.
   His miracles are his memorial—
   This God of Grace, this God of Love.
   He gave food to those who fear him,
   He remembered to keep his ancient promise.
   He proved to his people that he could do what he said:
   Hand them the nations on a platter—a gift!
   He manufactures truth and justice;
   All his products are guaranteed to last—
   Never out-of-date, never obsolete, rust-proof.
   All that he makes and does is honest and true:
   He paid the ransom for his people,
   He ordered his Covenant kept forever.
   He's so personal and holy, worthy of our respect.
   The good life begins in the fear of God
   Do that and you'll know the blessing of God.
   His Hallelujah lasts forever"!


I'm realizing more and more that life, is all about Him!  Don't hold any part of yourself back today.  Give it to Him, get to know Him.  Give Him everything you've got!  What He wants to give you today has eternal value, He guarantees it!  He is a good God.  Just like the pretty flowers above, go now and pick just as many gratitudes as you can find.  Today, is your garden.  This moment is your life.  Don't miss one flower.  Pick them up and hand them right back up to Him in praise!  To Him be the glory!  Have a great day!  

What is one way you can thank God today? 

Monday, March 19, 2012

Bread Of Life

  "Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty".  John 6:35 NIV


Today, I am going to make my kids their sandwiches and use the heels from my loaf of bread.  No need to waste because there is need.  

There is so much need.  Need to be perfect.  Need to just breathe. 

 I'm discovering things don't have to be perfect to live. 

Life is here for the taking and the giving.  

Why do I usually skip the heels and toss them away as if they're not really food?  

Everything I eat doesn't have to be perfect, because He is.  What I really need is to taste more of Him!

To dip down and soak in His communion, just like the bread and the cup.

It is something that no one else knows how to fill up.

To find communion with the One who created community.

 The true filler of life.  My everlasting God!

If you come looking for Him today, you will find Him, simply because He wants to be found.
He wants to love you forever and fill the cup that only He can fill.

 "Taste and see that the Lord is good.  
Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him"! 
Psalm 34:8 NLT
  
So, the question is... are you hungry for more of Him?
Share your comments below as you surrender and invite God and community in... be blessed!


Friday, March 16, 2012

Waters Flow

" Anyone who believes in me may come and drink!  For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart'."  John 7:38 NLT

 Have you ever stood and watched water?  It's one of my favorite things about this world.  Whether you are looking at a stream or turning your faucet on, one thing is always the same, water always goes down.  It flows down stream, continually looking for even lower places to go.  It cleanses as it streams through.  It washes over everything it touches.  It becomes a part of everything it flows into.


 It makes me wonder, should I be like water? 

Can I get lower, can I kneel down?  Surrender in waters flow.

Sometimes it washes over aggressively, quickly as it falls down a breathtaking waterfall.  Sometimes it moves slow, like a low flowing stream.  

Water is all over the world and yet everyone is still looking for it.  

Life giving water.  The flow of water that goes on eternally and flows in to change lives. 

What would it be like to let God's living water flow through, into every crevice of my life

 "Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." John 4:10 NLT 

  If you believe in Jesus, you have the gift of an invitation.  You have the opportunity to flow into step  with Him.  You get to drink the life that His Holy Spirit pours! 

Are you thirsty?

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

At the baggage claim

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

 Have you ever watched someone at the airport try to wheel, juggle, and carry all of their baggage in to be weighed, tagged, and put away for a trip?  

I have.  It amazes me at how much a person can carry.  How much they can have strapped to their backs like it was always there.  I have to wonder, is it always there?  

They hand it over, into someone else's hands, so they can sit and rest on the plane.  Their rest will end.  They will have to pick everything up again.  


It's such a burden to carry, when we continue to try to carry all of our baggage through life.  It's a hard pressure on our back, it weighs down our shoulders and our countenance.  Some of our baggage has been with us all our lives, it's becoming tattered and torn, and so are we.  

Truthfully, we all are born into baggage.  The question is, how long will we choose to keep carrying it?

God wants us to hand Him our baggage today.  Will you?

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you". 
1 Peter 5:7 NIV

  

Monday, March 12, 2012

Attitude Equals Gratitude part 2

" Create in me a clean heart, O God.
   Renew a loyal spirit within me".  Psalm 51:10 NLT


 In my past, I have spent a lot of time and energy de-cluttering my house.  I personally, have been known to get a small adrenaline rush from introducing "stuff" to my best friend, the trash can!  While that was all fun and good, I am starting to see my greater need.  Confession, I Amy Alves need to be de-cluttered!  Not my stuff, but me.

To be a passionate God seeker, I have to continually throw out all my grumblings and mental complaints!

Tip #1 The sin of unthankfulness runs through me every day.  I have to see it for what it is and throw it away!

  Tip #2  Don't let your complaints get stuck in your brain because you want to be a "good girl", because you don't want people to see your sins.  Let it out and throw it out!  "Good girls" aren't fulfilled girls.  Honest girls are.

This week I am continuing my Joy Dare, by confessing my ingratitudes so they can get replaced with gratitudes!

Tip #3  Get ready because when we take something out of our minds, we need to be prepared to ask God to replace it with something good (or the old thing may walk right back in)!  For example, if you struggle with complaining about your job every day, you can begin by asking God to open up your mind by making a list of each reason why you are thankful for your job.  p.s. God also would love to use you there to minister to and encourage others!  So, get ready for exciting things to happen!

I understand that this way of living might get messy at times, but I'm thankful for His endless abundance of trash cans!  I know that as I get ingratitudes out of me, I will be cleaner for it.  I will be different.


I am choosing to have faith in the One who knows how to clean up messes.... clean up me!   So, this week I'm de-cluttering me!  I am asking God, the best cleaner, to replace all of my "trash" with thankfulness and a whole long list of gratitudes!

What do you want to throw into God's trash can today?
Leave your answer in the comments below.  Lets see how many sins we can throw out today!