Say Cheese

I don't like cheese.  I'm not fundamentally against it as a food category, mind you, but I mostly don't care for it.  I do love mozzarella, and lots of it!  I want my pizza to be ooey and gooey and dripping with that beautiful white cheese!

But I don't like smelly cheese.  I don't like hard cheese.  I don't like sharp cheese.  I don't like cheese that talks back to me.  lol

Recently, something new has entered my life that has made me rethink cheese.  It's fondue.  I've had it several times, but with the recent gift of a fondue pot, we have it often.  We had it tonight, in fact, and I've learned something about myself.

I. MAKE. AWESOME. CHEESE. FONDUE!!  I'm seriously like the queen of cheese!  I should move to Wisconsin and become some kind of ultimate Dairy Queen.

And now, you are wondering about my point.  My point is, that if I can go from a cheese hater to a cheese lover, then there are probably all sorts of other changes I can make. 

Isaiah 42:8-9 says this:  “I am the LORD; that is my name!
   I will not yield my glory to another
   or my praise to idols.
  See, the former things have taken place,
   and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
   I announce them to you.”  

The Amplified version of verse 9 says "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."

In other words, God has new stuff for us all the time.  Not that He changes - no way!  But He reveals more and more of Himself to us as we grow and mature.

What's He revealing to you today?  What changes are in store for you?  Can you see some things on the horizon?  Trust that He will prepare you for what's upcoming!   

Renewal Begins With Acceptance

In this first month of the year, we often focus on changing our lives.  Usually by the end of the month, we're exhausted by our failure, discouraged by our lack of initiative, and hopeless that we will ever change!

Did you ever think that you might not really need to change?  Did you ever think that if you DO need to change, you can sit back and let the One who made you do the changing for you?

Here's what I want you to do this week.  Make a list of 5 things about yourself that you'd like to change.  Dig deep!  It's easy to say, lose 20 pounds, work out 4 times a week, find a hot guy.  ;0)  But those are just outward things.  Think about the inward things that have created the outward circumstances.

Once you have your 5 things - for example, instead of losing 20 pounds, maybe you're list would say, figure out why I am putting food in my mouth when I am not hungry - then I just want you to leave it alone.  Don't beat yourself up about it.  Take a day or so and just let this list circulate in your brain.

Then I'd like to see you turn to your Creator and say, "Your turn."  Talk to God, really talk to Him about the five things.  He made you.  He made your impulses and desires, He knows why you eat when you're not hungry, and He can help you figure out if there's really something you need to change.  Maybe you don't need to change it at all!

There are lots of ways to talk to God.  You can have an audible conversation.  You can have an internal conversation.  You can write a letter, you can journal, you can write a song or a poem.  It doesn't have to be - PRAYER!!!!!!  A - Oh Merciful God, Thou Hast Created Me - diatribe.  No one hears this but you - This isn't Sunday School.  This is your life!  So just talk to Him, however you're comfortable.

If you feel like commenting, let me know how this exercise is going for you.  It'll be tough!!  But you can do it!  More info about renewal next week.

Welcome

Welcome to the first post at Roaring into Renewal.  We hope you'll find useful information that you can apply to your walk with God - your quest to find Him, meet Him, and know Him.

We have groups that meet every Sunday night in Muncie, Indiana.  So if you are here - join in!  Just leave a comment if you want more information.

This week, my (Jennifer) group talked about renewal, and I wanted to follow up with some more information.  Our goal in talking about renewal at this time of year was not in the typical sense - make resolutions, set goals, try to be different.

In fact, my goal was to show you that you don't have to be different - strive to be the you that He created you to be. 

Each week, I'll post information from our monthly Bible study, and communicate practical steps that you can use to apply the lesson to your life.  For our introductory post, however, I simply want to leave you with the lyrics from an old Amy Grant song, called "All I Ever Have to Be."

When the weight of all my dreams
Is resting heavy on my head,
And the thoughtful words of health and hope
Have all been nicely said.

But I'm still hurting,
Wondering if I'll ever be
The one I think I am.

I think I am.

Then you gently re-remind me
That you've made me from the first,
And the more I try to be the best
The more I get the worst.

And I realize the good in me,
Is only there because of who you are.

Who you are...

And all I ever have to be
Is what you've made me.
Any more or less would be a step
Out of your plan.

As you daily recreate me,
Help me always keep in mind
That I only have to do
What I can find.

And all I ever have to be
All I have to be
All I ever have to be
Is what you've made me.

All YOU have to be is exactly who He made you to be.  No more, no less.  Just be you - and celebrate!

Hope to see more and more of you joining our blog!