Browsing Tag

Purpose

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

What DID you mean to do?

“I didn’t mean to do it.”…The words I’ve said so often

When picking up broken pieces. Harsh words I tried to soften. 

But when I’m introspective and with my heart I’m true. 

The question begs an answer, “What DID I mean to do?” 

 

I have to mean to live for him. “On purpose” in every detail;

For if I fail to plan my walk, I really plan to fail.

Purposeful living is life with a map, instead of a wandering trail

It’s a definite destination, and a place to avoid, as well.

 

If I’m to keep away from sin; impulsive times of weakness; 

I have to keep close to the Book—prepare, instead, for meekness. 

If I’m to guard the worst of me, to practice self-control, 

I have to feed the best of me, the manna of the soul.

 

If I’m to stop the talk that harms and spreads a dark despair

I have to start the talk that heals; the talk of fervent prayer.

If I can bear a burden instead of causing grief.

If I can offer words that heal and offer sweet relief…

 

That will not be an accident; a careless happenstance.

Heroic deeds are purposeful, and always start with plans. 

Plans to set aside the time to get into the Word.

Lists of those who need the truth and maybe haven’t heard. 

 

Jotted lists of those in need of comfort, meals or prayers.

And circled on my calendar the dates I plan to share—

A meal, a card, a visit, or a luncheon for the grieving

A Bible study session with a heart not yet believing. 

 

A facebook group where sisters pray; a house with an open door;

A meal on the table for someone who’s tired, a trip to the grocery store…

A text to encourage an elder, who can hardly stand under the strain…

Coffee with a mom who’s single again; the victim of betrayal and pain.

 

What did you mean to do today? Exactly what was the plan? 

Was the day you just spent purposeful? Did you firmly take your stand?

Did you cross off something on a list that’s focused for his glory?

Did you tell someone off or did you, as planned, tell someone the old, old story?

 

Did you wonder today at His greatness or wander in purpose-less “fun”?

Did you bask in pursuits of the world or bask in the warmth of His Son? 

Did you handle aright the word today? Did you marvel at some truth anew? 

Are you planning to fail by failing to plan? Or is God’s purpose living in you? 

 

c. colley

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Living On Purpose

“I didn’t mean to do it.”…The words I’ve said so often

When picking up broken pieces. Harsh words I tried to soften. 

But when I’m introspective and with my heart I’m true. 

The question begs an answer, “What DID I mean to do?” 

 

I have to mean to live for him. “On purpose” in every detail;

For if I fail to plan my walk, I really plan to fail.

Purposeful living is life with a map, instead of a wandering trail

It’s a definite destination, and a place to avoid, as well.

 

If I’m to keep away from sin; impulsive times of weakness; 

I have to keep close to the Book—prepare, instead, for meekness. 

If I’m to guard the worst of me, to practice self-control, 

I have to feed the best of me, the manna of the soul.

 

If I’m to stop the talk that harms and spreads a dark despair

I have to start the talk that heals; the talk of fervent prayer.

If I can bear a burden instead of causing grief.

If I can offer words that heal and offer sweet relief…

 

That will not be an accident; a careless happenstance.

Heroic deeds are purposeful, and always start with plans. 

Plans to set aside the time to get into the Word.

Lists of those who need the truth and maybe haven’t heard. 

 

Jotted lists of those in need of comfort, meals or prayers.

And circled on my calendar the dates I plan to share—

A meal, a card, a visit, or a luncheon for the grieving

A Bible study session with a heart not yet believing. 

 

A facebook group where sisters pray; a house with an open door;

A meal on the table for someone who’s tired, a trip to the grocery store…

A text to encourage an elder, who can hardly stand under the strain…

Coffee with a mom who’s single again; the victim of betrayal and pain.

 

What did you mean to do today? Exactly what was the plan? 

Was the day you just spent purposeful? Did you firmly take your stand?

Did you cross off something on a list that’s focused for his glory?

Did you tell someone off or did you, as planned, tell someone the old, old story?

 

Did you wonder today at His greatness or wander in purpose-less “fun”?

Did you bask in pursuits of the world or bask in the warmth of His Son? 

Did you handle aright the word today? Did you marvel at some truth anew? 

Are you planning to fail by failing to plan? Or is God’s purpose living in you? 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ccolley

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Living…On Purpose!

 

“I didn’t mean to do it.”…The words I’ve said so often

When picking up broken pieces. Harsh words I tried to soften. 

But when I’m introspective and with my heart I’m true. 

The question begs an answer, “What DID I mean to do?” 

 

I have to mean to live for him. “On purpose” in every detail;

For if I fail to plan my walk, I really plan to fail.

Purposeful living is life with a map, instead of a wandering trail

It’s a definite destination, and a place to avoid, as well.

 

If I’m to keep away from sin; impulsive times of weakness; 

I have to keep close to the Book—prepare, instead, for meekness. 

If I’m to guard the worst of me, to practice self-control, 

I have to feed the best of me, the manna of the soul. 

 

If I’m to stop the talk that harms and spreads a dark despair

I have to start the talk that heals; the talk of fervent prayer.

If I can bear a burden instead of causing grief.

If I can offer words that heal and offer sweet relief…

 

That will not be an accident; a careless happenstance.

Heroic deeds are purposeful, and always start with plans. 

Plans to set aside the time to get into the Word.

Lists of those who need the truth and maybe haven’t heard. 

 

Jotted lists of those in need of comfort, meals or prayers.

And circled on my calendar the dates I plan to share—

A meal, a card, a visit, or a luncheon for the grieving

A Bible study session with a heart not yet believing. 

 

A facebook group where sisters pray; a house with an open door;

A meal on the table for someone who’s tired, a trip to the grocery store…

A text to encourage an elder, who can hardly stand under the strain…

Coffee with a mom who’s single again; the victim of betrayal and pain.

 

What did you mean to do today? Exactly what was the plan? 

Was the day you just spent purposeful? Did you firmly take your stand?

Did you cross off something on a list that’s focused for his glory?

Did you tell someone off or did you, as planned, tell someone the old, old story?

 

Did you wonder today at His greatness or wander in purpose-less “fun”?

Did you bask in pursuits of the world or bask in the warmth of His Son? 

Did you handle aright the word today? Did you marvel at some truth anew? 

Are you planning to fail by failing to plan? Or is God’s purpose living in you? 

c colley

                                               

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang… and Flying

Eliza Jane Giselbach, born a week-and-a-half ago is the best thing that’s happened to this Mammy during the pandemic, for sure. She’s also the catalyst for lots of lost sleep, more than a few episodes of over-excitement in her siblings, and searches for pandemic-safe outlets for kids who are making way too much racket for a mom (and mammy) who are over their heads in unpacking from a move, laundry, cooking and just adjusting to life with a newborn, once again. 

While watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with them, Ezra asked if we could ever really get a car that could fly. After hearing various speculations around the room about the unlikelihood of that happening during our lifetimes, Ezra said this: “…But we are going to fly—just by ourselves—when Jesus comes to get us. We will fly and we will not even need a car or a plane or anything.”

I Corinthians 15 explains to us the very serious nature of his little five-year-old statement. Everything we are and do and every hope that anchors us is founded in the fact that the resurrection from the dead happened in that garden outside Jerusalem 2000 years ago, facilitating His own flight back to the Father; and that the resurrection and ascension will happen again for you and me. That all-encompassing thesis for the lives of all Christians, in fact, is the driving force for all the things we’ve done in the craziness of welcoming Eliza Jane into that household. Papa and I held those wee hands several times during the day of her birth and prayed for her safety and her life in the Lord. We held them again after her safe delivery and thanked Him for their new little sister. We prayed that she would grow up to be a strong and faithful force for good in the Kingdom. Every night before they climb into their beds in that little nursery, we say our books of the Bible, spend time in a Bible account with them and listen to them talk to God. They pray about Baxter, the cat, with the same ardor that they pray for Eliza, at this point, But our whole purpose in these times around the Word is their emergence in, at last and for all time, knowing the difference between things that are temporal and things that are eternal—people who will be raised and things that will not. Every mealtime prayer, every Bible time, every worship assembly, every invitation to neighbors to visit our services, every card of encouragement, every prayer for a lost one, every blog-post, every speaking appointment, every spanking, every ethical discussion and decision, every meal prepared or instance of hospitality offered—every one— is woven into the fiber of life that comes from being certain that He walked away from the tomb. 

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead (I Cor. 15:13-20).

IN FACT.  Those two words about the resurrection are the crux of most of what I will do today. I’m so thankful for the resurrection and for the purpose, hope and certainty it brings to every day of my life. What appears to be chaotic in the moments of a Christian’s life is not really chaotic at all. Even the stressful and sleepless times are purposeful. Even the inevitable moments when we fall to temptation are of value when we right the wrongs and learn from the failures. It’s profound to ponder that something empty in Jerusalem 2000 years ago is making my life full and purposeful still today. Something that shook the earth, then, has given me something unshakeable. Praise God today for the resurrection!

And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it (Matthew 28:2).

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe… (Heb. 12:28).

And praise Him that, leaving our own tombs, we will fly…without a car or a plane or anything!

 

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

First-time Huntsville Youth Event: Moonlight Madness!

I know every mom reading this wants, more than anything, to be able to sit around the throne in eternity singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. And your next heart’s desire is to realize that throne experience with your children and your husband. That’s just the essence of Christian motherhood. 

It’s the small decisions throughout life that, day upon day and year upon year, make a collection of decisions that form a defense against the devil’s arsenal of temptation for your kids. Every single lie has to be addressed with firm discipline and every single temper tantrum with immediate negative results. Every worship service of your local church has to be prioritized and every decision about entertainment has to be made as the heart asks “What if Jesus were right beside me?”…because He is. Small compromises are the stuff of defeat. Little lapses are stolen opportunities which, when collected, result in eternal victories for Satan.

So intentional, purposeful righteous living is the recipe for triumph around the throne. That’s what this overnight youth event in Huntsville, Alabama in February is all about. It’s been put together by a 17-year old high school senior. His goals have not wavered. He wanted this event, Moonlight Madness, to motivate teens to be purposeful about decisions, bold in their determination to execute God’s will, and ambitious enough to see their plans for pleasing Him all the way through to the end of lives wholly given to Him. 

Jerry Elder and Abel Nicholas are speaking. Their hearts are in all souls, but especially the souls of teens. (And if anyone can keep kids awake all night for a rewarding reason, it’s these two.) There will be food, games and classes, too. And it just may be that some decision, some connection made or some influence garnered during this 11-hour event will have eternal ramifications. Remember, it’s the collection of good things that make great things for Him. Among other important things, it’s finding and attending events that can be catalysts for growth that can determine the nature of THE eternal event.

I recommend this event without reservation. So make one, now…a reservation, that is! You can find all the info here: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=326297284623006&id=312744079311660.  This is the official facebook page for Moonlight Madness Youth Event. The link for registration is: https://form.jotform.com/83184383763162.

 Your kids will love losing this night’s sleep! (They have a whole day out of school the following day to catch up. It’s a national holiday!) You, on the other hand, might be able to sleep a lot better on many nights if your collection is for eternity with Him. Whether it’s this event or others like it (sound and motivating), be intentional about your collection. The devil doesn’t lose his sinister battles for young souls while we take it easy.

Oh yeah…there are  t-shirts, too (that I love!).