When life hands you lemons, make lemonade!!!

You know that saying when life hands you lemons make lemonade. Well I'm trying to, but my heart is aching. There are some things in life you just don't understand. Why do people go and do what they say they never would? I know I am just in a battle to see how my faith will stand, but it hurts. Here is a poem from my daily devotional, it just so happened to be today's devotion. I prayed that it would give me peace before I read my devotion. I asked God to give me a word from Him of peace, He did!!

He sat by the fire of sevenfold heat,
As He looked at the precious ore,
And closer He bent with a searching gaze
As He heated it more and more,
He knew He had ore that could stand the test,
And He wanted the finest gold
To mold as a crown for the King to wear,
Set with gems with a price untold.
So He laid our gold in the burning fire,
Though we would have asked for delay,
And He watched the dross that we had not seen,
And it melted and passed away.
And the gold grew brighter and yet more bright,
But our eyes were so dim with tears,
We saw but the fire---not the Master's hand,
And questioned with anxious fears.
Yet our gold shone out with a richer glow,
As it mirrored a Form above,
That bent over the fire, though unseen by us,
With a look of unspeakable love.
Should we think that it pleases His loving heart
To cause us a moment's pain?
Not so! for He saw through the present cross
The joy of eternal gain.
(So He waited there with a watchful eye,
With a love that is strong and sure,
And His gold did not suffer a bit more heat,
Than was needed to make it pure.)

I pray that what ever may be testing you or trying you, you find peace through God above. He doesn't let anything happen in our lives for nothing. Everything is there to refine us and make us stronger. Count it all blessings to have the tests, He's using it to make your crown of pure gold.

I thank you Father God, for all that you have blessed me with and thank you for trusting me with all these tests.

Be Blessed, Uylonda

Prayer

I love the rain! I truly do, I have never minded if it rains. But, if we have plans to do something outside I don' want it to rain. But, I don't mind the rain. This should of went with last weeks blog, but I just found this picture the other day.

I wanted to write about prayer today. I am starting a bible study on Tuesday mornings called Becoming a woman of prayer. I have wanted to do it for a while, but for some reason never could get it together. Well, now we have the books and I am so excited to start. I can't wait until next Tuesday.

I wanted to do this study about three years ago, but to be honest I wasn't ready. I was afraid! I thought that I might have to pray all the time or something and I wasn't ready for that. Now I am, not to pray all the time, but to do the study. It just shows how much I've grown in my walk with God. I have grown to know that that's not what prayer is about. It is about having a relationship with God. The reason I want to do this study now on prayer is because like everything else, I want to grow more. I had a bible study at our old church for five years. We did other studies of this series. Becoming a woman of freedom, great study!! Also, Becoming a woman of faith, good one to. But, I wasn't willing to do Becoming a woman of prayer then. Prayer scares people. The reason is because we don't understand it. We have been made to think that prayer has to be done a certain way, or it's not right. We think we have to pray eloquently or it won't count. We think we can't pray as good as the next person or so on and so on. Well all of that is not true. There is no one way to pray. If your talking to God, then that's prayer. I believe we need to be taught on prayer in church. People honestly don't know how to pray so therefore; they don't pray. Or their prayers are predictable. The same prayer for dinner, for bed, for church, etc... It never changes. Have you ever heard people pray and it seems like they are saying the same thing over and over even though it's different words, or different people?!

I have told you in past blogs to spend time with God in prayer through alone time with Him. Turn on your music and pray, or get on your knees, or however you feel comfortable doing it. Just pray. Don't be afraid of prayer. The devil doesn't want you to pray because he knows God answers prayer. So spend some time with the Lord, and change your life.

Love you, Uylonda

My Music

Bring me joy, bring me peace, bring me anything that brings you glory, bring the chance to be free! That is what the pain is all about. Without pain we could never be set free, and we would never know the true love of Jesus.

We draw closer to the Lord in hard times, sad times, dark times. When life is going OK, we tend to not need Him as much. He blesses us in the hard times. If you can thank God in the rainy times of life, and come through the storm stronger; than you have been blessed by the Lord.

I know this is true because I have been through the storms, and I came through them blessed. I drew closer to God in the bad times, and He taught me lessons that I never would have known if not for the storm. I had nothing and no one else to lean on, but Jesus and He saved my life. We have to learn how to trust Him. He wants us to praise Him always. If you can't praise Him in the storm, then you most likely won't praise Him when things are going good.

Listen to the words of these songs, and praise Him. No matter what you are going through praise Him. He loves you and wants you free from any pain.

(May we be faithful to do our part, which is simply to suffer for Him, and to place Christ's part on Him and then Leave it there.)
From my devotional: Streams in the Desert.

I know that someone who is reading this is hurting, and needs to know this. Be blessed and trust in Jesus.

Love ya, Uylonda

What has you under control?

What to write about. I guess I should say something about what I've been experiencing with people lately. That would be; being set free of that which controls you. By that, I mean controls your emotions, your attitude and how things affect you, how you handle things. You know-you! How many people have things they need delivered from, or set free from? Some people it's smoking, or drugs, or alcohol. Some people need delivered from demons, and spirits that have free reign in their lives. Some people just need delivered or set free from themselves. They are comfortable being miserable, right where they are. It's become such a way of life for them that the thought of not being bound by something, is scary. They don't know who they would be if they didn't have the junk in their lives. I know, I have been there. Praise the Lord, I don't have that junk anymore. I got sick and tired of being sick and tired, and I was finally set free from it. Now I still have issues from life that pop up, but they are just that, issues. Nothing more. They don't get me depressed and down on life anymore. I just deal with them with God, and go on. I don't always like what it is I'm going through, but I go through it and go on. It no longer has control over me to get me out of control. I gave God control of my life, and it is easier to live because of Him.

The only true way to be set free from that which has control over you is to let God take it. He will, and can if you let Him. I know people who want others to take it away for them. It doesn't work that way. If you want a life that is not out of control, then let God help you. People can't do it for you. You have to be willing to do all you can do to take control of your life, with God's help. And, as I've said before you have to spend time with the Lord. That is the key.

You can go to church, listen to tapes, go to church conferences, talk to counselors or friends, and still never be set free. All of that can be good for you, but it's not the answer. Get together with God to get set free. Why is it that we don't want to take the time to do what is good for us? Is it because it takes effort? The saying that I have heard says (If it's worth having, it's going to take effort to get it.) How much effort have you honestly and truly put into the things that are weighing you down? Have you truly given God the chance to help you? Spend that time with Him, and find out just how much easier it is to find the effort to change.

I know this isn't for everyone, but it's for some. I honestly am asking you to give God a chance and see how your life changes for the better. The truth is, it is that simple. Give it to God. He wants it, and He wants to help you. He is just waiting for you to stand up and say OK God, here I am. Listen to the song I have on here called "Stand" It will bless you, it did me. If I can help any of you please contact me, I would love to talk with you. Just leave me a message, or email me or call me.

Love you, and Bless you, Uylonda

Spending time with the Lord

It's been 5 days since I wrote, so I figured it was time to write again. I enjoy getting your comments. It helps me know that I am helping others, and this is why I am supposed to be writing this blog. What a word-blog! I hope to get comments in the future from someone I don't even know and have them tell me how it's helping them. Won't that be cool? Remember to let your friends and family know about this to, pass it on.

I have been reading and talking to people, men and women both. It seems like everyone is searching for an easy way to solve their problems. Well, I know and easy way!! Spend time with the Lord. That's it... I used to say back in the day when I was a MESS, Lord how do I get through this? He always whispered (spend time with me) So, finally one day I said OK God, there's nothing else to do, so I am going to spend quality time with you. I did, I do, and it transforms your life. God is not asking us to not have a life outside of Him. He is asking us to have a life with Him in it. It hurts Him when we hurt, and He knows that if we would only give in and spend time with Him, our lives would be transformed. Like it says in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. How do you renew your mind? Spend time with God, your father, your creator, your friend. You know how it feels when your family and friends here on earth seem to be busy and forget you at times. Well; that's how God feels. He hurts and feels left out when you don't spend time with Him.

How do you spend time with God to change your life? You get alone with Him, and read the bible and pray. It's that simple! It will transform your life. When things happen in your life and your putting God first in your life, you don't get overwhelmed. You have a peace in the midst of the storm. You will not be able to understand how you feel peaceful, but you will be peaceful. And, it does not happen overnight. It takes time for you to get to that point. The more you spend time with Him, the more you grow and learn to not get anxious, and worry. The bible says in Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing just pray. You also can just turn on worship music, close your office or bedroom door and sit quietly and listen to the music. Your spirit will pray for you this way. Sometimes I'm at a loss for words and don't know exactly what to pray so I do this. It is so rewarding. God, just wants us to spend time with Him in prayer, praise or worship. You don't have to spend all day either. If all you can give at first is five minutes, then give five minutes. Over time you will spend more time with Him. But, don't let it overwhelm you to think that you have to spend hours everyday in prayer. God looks on the heart. If He knows your heart is doing it in the right way, He is going to bless you. OH my goodness, how it changes your life. My life would not be where it is today if I had not of spent time with God. I will write my testimony down soon, but not now to much noise in the house. I have to have quite time to write, and not be disturbed.

My husband and I are starting a fellowship this Sunday, October 5th at our house. It is the beginning of a ministry that God has birthed in both of us. We are excited and know that God has something great in store. If you live close by and want to come, email me, call me or whatever and let me know.

I hope this helped someone, Bless you all Uylonda