Real Vision

Just when you need to toughen up the most, you back down.

Just when you need to show what you've got, apparently you haven't.

Just when your courage needs to be at it's bravest, it's unsure.

If this is you, quit.  Not quit as in, give up.  Quit as in, quit with your insecurities, with your loss of hope, with your high horse, quit with thinking you're better than others, quit with thinking if only I was somewhere or someone else, quit taking a beating, for the beating comes not in what others are doing to you, but what you allow.  You have a problem with where you are?  You have a problem with your people, with your life?  Stand up and tell and work for what you want.  Don't look for it elsewhere.  It is IN you.  Not around you.  Stand up and tell and work for what you truly believe in your prayers what God wants.

Disbelief.  Disbelief is all it is.  Disbelief in Your Father.  The One who made every thing on earth work in harmony.

We are the species with the most intelligent free will.  And we are the most unfaithful of all God's creations.  And He still loves us more than the lilies.  And yet, they don't toil or spin.

Quit quitting.  Get up and make a difference.

Tara K

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Smacker Puppy

Somebody just kept licking her lips while she was half-awake.  Haha.  Don't know what that was all about.  But in still pics, she looks like she's either quite parched or is in need of a dentist.

Anyway, today I just wanted to encourage you to participate in your church activities.  Fall is starting back, so bring a friend with you to your next meeting, rehearsal, or fellowship.  You may just start a fun new fall trend.  Encourage others to get involved as well.  Challenge them.

If you're not involved anywhere now, now is the PERFECT time to join a new group!  Everything kicks back into full action at churches during the fall- ESPECIALLY these next couple of weeks.

I dare you!

Ooo, and you know what else I dare you to do?  If you've been there, done that, and are burnt out... Don't quit or stop!  Instead, start a NEW ministry- one that you're really passionate about!  Or start taking on a new role in the ministry you feel you're kinda done with.  It'll definitely re-spark the desire you had when you first started!

Also get involved in your community.  Go through your closet and kitchen, see what you could do without, and offer it to someone who has none!

You can even go to heartsofchrist.org and give kids shoes, pencils, paper, etc.  to those who have none!  That's right.  No shoes at all!  Our kids have got at least two pair, right?  Most of us.

Just a thought.  Love you much!  Have a great weekend!!!

By Grace, Tara K

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Buh-Right

Being careful isn't easy.  It takes time.  We could use a "slow down" sometimes, right, kids?

Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.  Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.  [Sounds scary... but exciting!]  It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.  [Makes me wanna change my DVR like, now!  I think I will when I get home!!!]  But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible.  This is why it is said,

"Awake, O sleeper,

rise up from the dead,

and Christ will give you light."

So be careful how you live.  Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise.  Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.  Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

Ephesians 6:10-17

You're responsible for you; no one else is.  And that's a great place to start.

Only by Grace, Tara K

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Fearless

You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.  Job 11:18

There is a lot to be fearful of.  I say, Be Fearless.  Why not?  Security can be found:

"If only you would prepare your heart

and lift up your hands to him in prayer!

Get rid of all your sins,

and leave all iniquity behind you.

Then your face will brighten with innocence.

You will be strong and free of fear.

You will forget your misery;

it will be like water flowing away.

Your life will be brighter than the noonday.

Even darkness will be as bright as morning.

Having hope will give you courage.

You will be protected and will rest in safety.

You will lie down unafraid,

and many will look to you for help.

But the wicked will be blinded.

They will have no escape.  Their only hope is death."

Job 11:13-20

Didn't mean to get all "deathy" on you.  It kinda comes out of nowhere, right?  But it is there, after all.  So enjoy the words before it, but keep the last two lines in the back of your mind.  Don't get to the point where you're blinded.  Because how will you know if you are?

God will hold you up, my friends!

By Grace, Tara K

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Strength Will Rise

Staring into the great unknown, your feet below hit the ground full speed ahead.  You run and you run, but you feel like you're not getting anywhere.  You're tired out.  But no worries because God doesn't get tired out.

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,

or whine, Israel, syaing,

"God has lost track of me.

He doesn't care what happens to me"?

Don't you know anything?  Haven't you been listening?

God doesn't come and go.  God lasts.

He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.

He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.

And he knows everything, inside and out.

He energizes those who get tired,

gives fresh strength to dropouts.

For even young people tire and drop out,

young folk in their prime stumble and fall.

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.

They spread their wings and soar like eagles,

They run and don't get tired,

they walk and don't lag behind.

Isaiah 40:27-31

"Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord."

Love ya much, Tara K

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Capable of Everything

God is capable of anything and everything.  He can destroy this entire earth with one thought, one breath.  But He chooses not to.  Jesus was capable of anything and everything that a normal human was capable of.  He could've committed the ugliest sins.  But He chose not to.

For us.

Simply saying, "thank you," and that we're grateful just doesn't seem like enough when you look at it that way.  We could be destroyed and unforgiven just because They say so.  But They don't.

Let's have love and grace like that.

So thank God for his marvelous love,

for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.

Psalm 107:21

In love and by grace, Tara K

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Fall Right Into Place

This song has been in my head all day, kids:  "Seek Ye First."  Remember that oldie?  But really.  If that's what we do...

Think about it.

Everything will, without a doubt...

F

A

L

L

.

.

.

right into place.

Seek ye first the Kingdom of God

and His Righteousness.

And all these things

shall be added unto you.

Allelu, alleluia.

-Karen Lafferty

But seeking isn't enough.  It's the "first" and "righteousness" parts that count.  Eh?

Love ya much, Tara K

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To My Ladies

Ladies, whether you're married or not, you're a good woman down deep.  This is a "Hymn to a Good Wife:"

 A good woman is hard to find,

and worth far more than diamonds.

Her husband trusts her without reserve,

and never has reason to regret it.

Never spiteful, she treats him generously

all her life long...

Charm can mislead and beauty soon faes.

The woman to be admired and praised

is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.

Give her everything she deserves!

Festoon her life with praises!

Proverbs 31:10-12, 31-30

Kinda motivated me, anyway...

Have a great weekend, chicks!  And don't forget- email anytime to contact@2911theplan.com for prayer!  We LOVE to pray for you!

By Grace, Tara K

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Staying at our Post

God is so cool.  I mean, it's the tiny little things that He does that I think I usually enjoy the most because they're so unexpected.  Like this morning, as I was going to read about who knows what, and I turned right at this message in THE MESSAGE//REMIX, which is pretty cool in itself.  But anyhoo, it's so well laid out that I don't even need to elaborate on it.  It speaks just as we do:

Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped.  Don't put it off; don't frustrate God's work by showing up late, throwing a question mark over everything we're doing.  Our work as God's servants gets validated -or not- in the details.  People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly . . . in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we're beaten up, jailed, and mobbed, working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love; when we're telling the truth, and when God's showing his power; when we're doing our best setting things right; when we're praised, and when we're blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead [!!! I love that one!!!]; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.

Dear, dear Corinthians, I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life.  We didn't fence you in.  The smallness you feel comes from within you.  Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way.  I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection.  Open up your lives.  Live openly and expansively!

2 Corinthians 6:3-13

Wow!  What a word!  I have nothing to say.  What an encouragement.

Do you feel it?!

Have a blessed one.  THE MESSAGE//REMIX also says:

READ. THINK. PRAY. LIVE.

Sometimes we forget the "think."  Sometimes we forget to even "read."  But when we do the first three, WE LIVE!!!

By Grace, Tara K

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Easy Button in a Hard Day

Ever had those days (or even, weeks!) when you're so busy that you can't even find time to take a trip to the restroom?  Yeah.  Been one of those weeks for me too.  But it's all in blessing, so I'm definitely not complaining.  However, you have your routine, right?  We all do.  I like to have my quiet time with God in the morning.  But when I got woken up earlier than normal, and had to get out of the house pronto, and not able to return until that night...  Well, you've all been there, I'm sure.  The day ends up leaving you somewhat frustrated, but you don't even have time to think about being frustrated...  Then when you finally get home, you realize... Hello!  It's because I didn't have my alone time with my God, who is your Best Bud.  Mmm-hmm.  What is it about Him that puts us at ease?  Why is He able to calm us in a storm, make us giggle when there's nothing funny, give us a driven desire to have purpose in our day when it seems so ordinarily unimportant?

Could it be, that when we pray, especially as Jesus instructed, we allow God to fill us instead of trying to fill and do everything ourselves?  He says it all in the well-known prayer from Matt. 6.

Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God.  Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage.  The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.

The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant.  They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God.  Don't fall for that nonsense.  This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need.

So when we leave it up to us, and leave God behind or set Him aside, that's when it falls apart.

So, even if we're gonna have to leave something out of our routine... even if it's coffee  (oh no!), then let it be.  Make time with God your priority.

Even when life gets tough.

Sometimes, it's a simple message like this that can make the most difficult situations and the most spiritual people, even, take a step back and just breathe Him in.

He's all you need.

He's your easy button on a hard day, Tara K

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Weeds

I think I had the longest conversation of my life yesterday.  It lasted from about 10:50 am until about 6 pm.  No joke.  I barely had time to pee.  ;)  Thankfully, it was with one of the coolest folks I've met in my entire life.  So all in all, a pretty good day.  Quite mentally exhausting, as you would guess, but swell nevertheless.

Let's say, I learned a lot.

You know, being smart is not the same as having wisdom.  Having a lot of information does not make you wise.

Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.  Proverbs 2:2.  So apparently, we can hear a lot of stuff, even have it written down, and even read stuff... but that doesn't mean that we know what we're reading.  He tells us to concentrate on it.

A lot of what God wants us to do has to do with patience, doesn't it?  Concentration takes time.  Waiting on the Lord takes time.  Being slow to speak, and slow to anger, takes a little cool-down time.  Growing... obviously...  It takes time.

The only thing that grows a mile overnight is nothing but a weed.

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

To learn, you must love discipline;

it is stupid to hate correction.

Proverbs 1:7, 12:1

The book of Proverbs tells you a lot of do's and do not's that you might have not even considered before.  It always convicts me when I read it.  Especially today.  But God gives us grace.  ...When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.  1 Corinthians 10:13

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.  Hebrews 4:16

By grace, Tara K

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