The god of Slavery

Recently someone was sharing their view on religion and how those in charge have been using it for binding people and they shared a few books they had been told to read. One of them was something like my blog post title. This particular book, they explained, insinuates that God enslaves his people by forcing them to worship him. In the midst of me saying how ridiculous that notion was, I was challenged on why my faith in the Bible should stand over these other books and they had to say on the matter.

I didn't reply immediately. I reached into myself and searched my own faith foundation. I started out with this:

"Often I feel like I got to cheat my way to faith. As a child when I say I walked with God, I mean I walked with God.

My home life wasn't the greatest when I was little. One day I found myself in a heap of trouble. In a moment of great duress, it was suggested that God was my only hope and I should pray to God to help me. That day I said my first fervent prayer and being true to who He is, he saved me from my punishment. I was so amazed I began talking to God every day. He was my best friend. He taught me a lot of things that today when I read them in God's Word, I can't help but sit back a moment as tears of thanks well up in my heart. Its in these moments of recall that I am overwhelmed in ways I cannot even put into words. It was in the midst of my next truly fervent prayer that God once again spoke to me, calling me by my name. Since then, God has allowed me to be part of a healing that I had prayed for in a very direct way.

I can't tell you what it is like to witness tiny miracles that are 100% undeniable.. He has sent angels to sing to me as an answer to prayers. He has brought me back to life when I should have died in a house fire and then sent angels to guide me through it all.

I KNOW God is Who He says He is and He is far from the god of slavery. That so called god is Satan himself. He is the God of slavery. He binds you and does everything he can to keep you from freedom. He is great at the game and he is the master of all the false religions and how to enslave people."

From there I shared what I had learned about the manuscripts through school among others things I had discovered while reading the Bible. I'm not sure if I realized just how strong my faith was prior to that or not.

I am in awe of all the things I have read in the Bible and the mere fact that they have stuck in my head without trying to make them stick into my head. I love the promises that God has made. I have come to know how faithful He is. I am blessed to see His hand moving in my life. I am blessed to read the Bible and have it come to life before my eyes like a movie.

Many people read things in the bible and they don't get the true meaning. They truly are blind to the message just like the Pharisees were blind to the truth. Sadly many who actually take the time to pick up the Holy Bible read things like; 'read His law, walk in the path of righteousness, don't sin, etc', and they see it as a binding kind of thing. In other words, life without fun.

That too is a trick by the evil one. Think about it like this; sometimes when reading a text from someone, without hearing their voice, you could take one sentence in two completely different ways. In some situations, you could even find yourself from one end of the spectrum to the other; being offended when that was not the intention of the author.

Sometimes our own feelings portray things in written form in a completely different way than the author meant for you to take. When I read things like "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, But finds his delight in the law of the Lord" (Taken from Psalms 1) I honestly know that even the wicked are blessed by God. So this is not saying if you are a 'sinner' you won't be blessed by God. You will be. I know because when He had me write my story, he revealed blessings I never saw the first time around. I was at moments as wicked as wicked gets and yet He was honestly keeping me from absolute destruction. He is true to his Word.

Matthew 5:44-45 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous!

We are blessed beyond measure when our eyes are open to our  blessings and we find great joy in all the Lord does for us. It is hard to get down when you feel the Love of God full blast. When you recognize all the amazing things he does on your behalf! The Lord loves for you to recognize your blessings. He loves songs. David sang to the Lord. It is why he is one of my favorite people in the Holy Bible to read about. My children love it when I make up songs for them with their names in them. Girls often swoon when a boy sings to them, let alone when he makes up a song for them.

If things like that touch our heart, don't you think the Lord relishes those things as well? He is Love afterall!

What everyone in the world needs to know is God LOVES YOU! He KNOWS you by name. I promise you; He is always trying to give us advice, to point us on the right path. All the way back to Cain, the Lord has been trying to get us to recognize that sin is crouching at the door. The one thing the Lord won't do is take away your free will. With that truth, how could He ever be called the god of Slavery. He came so you could have life and live that life abundantly!

NOW, the king of deception, the father of lies, he my friends is the god of slavery. There is one person that walked this earth that Satan could not conquer and place in chains. That is why there is power in the name of Jesus to break all the chains! He conquered death! He did that for you!

There is a song that spreads this message. I am not sure if you can view videos on the device you are using so the title of this song is "Break Every Chain" by The Digital Age. This is a link to a video so you can search it out for yourself: http://youtu.be/EtyVdC7E6Wo

I love it when they sing, "There's an army rising up". I am a part of the army and I am humbled beyond words to be a servant in the Lord. Their is honor in this fight. I am fighting for you and all those in the world. I pray in Jesus name that the chains of slavery are broken for all my brothers and sisters in Christ. I know full when how those shakels feel. I was bound by them for much of my life. I also get what it feels like to be free and it is impossible to fully put in words for words are interpreted by the reader more than the writer. We try to paint the scene but it is your imagination that is the true artist. I can only say, "I once was blind, but now I see" Amazing Grace. It is just that. Amazing. We certainly are not deserving and trust me when I say the enemy will pound that point till the end of days. You need to arm yourself with the Word of God so that you can hear what HE has to say about YOU! I promise you will like it much more than what the god of slavery has to say.  I ask, "Do you think of your children as slaves?" Then how could your heavenly Father think of you in such a way?

Today's word of encouragement is this: Proverbs 17:22: A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.

It is true that negative people, negative media, negative thoughts can pull a person under and sap their energy leaving them depressed or angry. If God was a god that wanted to enslave his people, would he be an encourager? No, he would be an abuser. Wake up to the truth and be thankful we have the opportunity to worship a God of Love.

Father today I pray that you continue to shine your light on those who are lost. I pray they too find their way back to the truth as I did. I know too well what it feels like to not be close to you. Please use me Lord to be a light that others see. Allow me the opportunity to share my story with countless. I love to sing your praises for you saved me from the one who enslaves and I am so thankful for your grace and the true freedom you provide for all your children. Help me make your truth understood. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden, 2014

No Giggling Allowed!

Today is Totally Terrific Testimonial Tell All Tuesday. My tell all would be this:

I have an issue with the basket being passed at church. I do. I might not have ever found it as weird of an event today as I do had I not belonged to a church that did not pass the basket each Sunday or any Sunday for that matter. As a matter of fact I cannot find one reference to Jesus passing a basket when he taught the multitudes. I do believe in sharing the wealth as led by the Holy Spirit. I just have a problem with the pomp and circumstance of the basket ceremony during worship.

This past Sunday, I tried out another church here in Reno. I won't mention the name because I don't feel it is my place to badmouth a church by name, but I will say this; I will not be going back to this one nor will I personally recommend them. As Mike suggested after we left, I dusted off my sandals and that is that. I will however share my experience as that is what I do.

We arrived 30 minutes early and as we were sitting on a bench outside where others were mingling, we noticed a sign on one of the doors that said, "Sunday School" and there were children already in the room. We sent our children in and discovered that this particular room was for third graders only. The teacher's assistant was kind enough to point us in the right direction for our youngest and she personally offered to escort Delilah to her class.

When I knocked on the door of the preschoolers, I received a somewhat chilling welcome being slightly scolded for being so late. I explained to the woman that we did not realize that Sunday School took place prior to Sunday Service as a whole and she allowed Jeffrey to attend the last 20 minutes of class. He went in happily so I decided to ignore my own feelings at the moment.

When the students were let out, our doors were opened and the family as a whole was permitted to enter the church. It started out great. A prayer, a word of encouragement and a couple of songs. The first one was "Yes Lord, Yes Lord, Yes Yes Lord" and the children were up and grooving to the tune quite joyfully as was I. The next song was one I had not heard before. One of its lines said, "Holy Spirit please come." and me being me, I know that the Holy Spirit walked in with me because the Holy Spirit is in me so I changed the words to reflect that. I was enjoying myself and did not notice that the very lady that had informed me how late I was in delivering Jeffrey to her classroom was now glaring at me. I only discovered this when Mike shared it with me on our way back home.

After the songs, they gave a little word and called the ushers forward. Bear in mind, my children have never been present at the passing of the basket so this was new to them. When the usher arrived at our row, he promptly handed the basket to Michael whose face lit up at the sight of all the money. I could just see the wheels turning in his head and I quickly said one word out loud, "NO!" To which he looked at me and I motioned for him to give the plate like metal basket back to the usher. Sitting right behind Michael was a row that was void of any adults. Only six year old Delilah and her nine year old sister Marissa were occupying that row and yet the usher handed Delightful Delilah the plate full of money. In comparison to Michael's face, Delilah's lit up like the fourth of July. I quickly told her to give the plate back to the man to which Delilah began giggling nervously. As I was shaking my head at her mouthing for her to please stop, I was tapped on the shoulder by someone. When I turned to see who wanted me, I realized it was Jeffrey's teacher. She whispered, "Is this your first time in church?" to which I answered, "This is our first time here but not our first time to church."

She then looked at me and said, "Well, here we expect the children to sit still and be quiet."

Before I even knew I was going to do it, I stood up and said, "Everyone, it is time to go." She seemed genuinely surprised by my reaction and said in a rush, "Oh my God! You don't have to leave!" to which I replied, "Oh yes, yes I do!" and then I stated a little louder to my group, "Get up. We are leaving now!"

There is little question to when I am serious and when I mean move it and move it out of there my family did. I watched this busy body rush to another member in the church and begin gossiping. I felt sorry for her. How happy I am that I don't just 'show up' on Sunday. This lady showed no love in any interaction I had with her and this is the chilling thought; she is teaching the youngest children about God!

One day I pray that I can have my own church like the one that helped me grow spiritually by leaps and bounds without shoving a basket in my face week after week reminding me that it is my duty to donate to them for such teachings. I want my members to recognize the tug at their heart to give as they are directed to by the Holy Spirit. I don't ever want anyone to give out of guilt for that is not how we are meant to do things. I think many people are turned off by the basket and the guilt teachings that go along with the ceremony. Perhaps I am alone in this thinking but I somehow think I might not be. I am still searching for a home church and I will continue to search until I start my own!

This week I am beginning another college course. For the next five weeks I am taking a deep dive into understanding the Psalms and I am truly excited about it! This weeks discussion was on
Psalm 1: 1-3:

PSALM 1:1-3 (NASB)

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

We were asked to share our thoughts regarding what we thought the psalmist was trying to say, as well as to how we thought the psalm applied to today's time. We were urged to think about something that might need clarified as well as asked if there was anything that stood out to us. This was my response to the reading:

To me the psalmist is sharing how blessed one is when they meditate on the Law of the Lord day and night, constantly feeding their mind with God's truth and wisdom. God's word is a VITAL part of our armor. I believe when a person constantly renews their minds with God's Word, they are able to see through the 'unwise counsel of the wicked'. This is why he who delights in the Lord and his law is strengthened and able to stand firmly like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding fruit. 

The world is full of worldly things as well as worldly people. It is easy to get caught up in the glamour of it all and be pulled into the wake of sinners or to be lulled in by the scoffers of the world. This is why we are advised to put on the full armor of the Lord. Never once are we told it is going to be easy but we are reminded of the treasure we will gain in being devoted to giving God the best part of us each morning and going to Him throughout the day as well as never forgetting to close each day out with a final conversation. In doing so we will prosper because we will always know day by day and minute by minute who we are in Christ and our eyes will always be open to the schemes of the devil.

How does this apply to today? Today is no different than any day since the beginning. Satan is in this world. He wants to keep you out of a relationship with the Lord and he certainly does not want you to discover who you are in Christ. I walked with the Lord as a child but I knew nothing about reading His word. You could easily say I was without a vital part of my armor and I was easily swayed. We all need to study the Word of God; those of us in days gone by, those of us in the world today and those of us yet to come. 

Does something need clarified or refined? Maybe if the Psalmist had switched up the order of His Psalm beginning with He who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on His Word morning and night, will find himself strengthened and He will be able to stand firmly yielding the fruit of the Spirit despite being surrounded by the doubters and lost of the world. Through it all, he will prosper no matter what the world throws in his direction. 

The phrase that stands out to me is "But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law he meditates day and night." This is due to a couple of reasons:

(1) We read in God's Word that the Lord delights in us so it only makes sense that we should delight in Him.

(2) Without beginning and ending your day with God's Word (The Law) one is left open to the fiery arrows that the evil one constantly launches.

Wendy

Today I am thankful that I know who I am in Christ. I am thankful I know that the Holy Spirit is in me and I am thankful that my children think it is okay to giggle in God's house. Had they been laughing during prayer or when someone was talking, I could have understood this woman's reaction. However, they were giggling at each other and the fact that they had thought that they were being given money when that was not the case. I am thankful that I am confident in God's love and don't have to rely on 'playing church'. 

Father today I pray that you continue to teach me your truth. I pray I am successful enough in my studies to one day be an ordained minister. I pray that I always teach the truth and share the Love of God in all I do. In Jesus name I pray! Amen!

Wendy, walks with God, Mom of Many.

© Wendy Glidden 2014

Do You Know That the Devil is Scheming Against You Daily?

Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Ephesians 6:13 (NLT) This was the first thing I read this morning. One thing I have learned while reading the Bible is that the battle is real. Satan has been trying to keep God's people in bondage all throughout history. You read about his first spiritual attack in Genesis right in the beginning when He convinced Eve to take a bite of the forbidden fruit. You read about his next attack as you discover what happened to Abel, Adam and Eve's son. You see it unfolding as you read the history of King Saul and King David and it is well written about during the days that Jesus walked the earth. Do not fool yourself into believing the battle is still not going on. It is. Do not believe that Satan doesn't know the likes of you. He does. He has been roaming this earth for thousands of years. He has way more practice at this type of war than any human being could dream of having. We have one major event on our side, the resurrection of Christ. He conquered death. It is through Him that we can also win the battle. Another thing I have learned when reading snippets of scripture is that anytime you see the word 'therefore' at the beginning, it is important to see what was shared prior to the 'therefore'! With that being said, let us dive a little deeper into God's word this morning. 6:11: Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the word forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. This was the first thing I read this morning. One thing I have learned while reading the Bible is that the battle is real. Satan has been trying to keep God's people in bondage all throughout history. You read about his first spiritual attack in Genesis right in the beginning when He convinced Eve to take a bite of the forbidden fruit. You read about his next attack as you discover what happened to Abel, Adam and Eve's son. You see it unfolding as you read the history of King Saul and King David and it is well written about during the days that Jesus walked the earth. Do not fool yourself into believing the battle is still not going on. It is. Do not believe that Satan doesn't know the likes of you. He does. He has been roaming this earth for thousands of years. He has way more practice at this type of war than any human being could dream of having. We have one major event on our side, the resurrection of Christ. He conquered death. It is through Him that we can also win the battle.  Another thing I have learned when reading snippets of scripture is that anytime you see the word 'therefore' at the beginning, it is important to see what was shared prior to the 'therefore'! With that being said, let us dive a little deeper into God's word this morning. 6:11: Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the word forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
The battle is brought on by the devil. He schemes and plots and plans to deceive you in any way possible. He speaks to you and at you through others as well as straight to you. It is vital to your well being that you wear all your armor because without it, you are vulnerable. KNOW this as well, Satan never rests. He has attacked me in my dreams before and I have used scripture to defeat him. When you read the gospels you are shown that Jesus also used scripture to defeat Satan but here is a truly chilling thought, Satan quoted scripture to Jesus. One of Satan's greatest accomplishments has been to infiltrate the church. He is not afraid of the Word of God. He uses it himself. He has punishers use it to control people. I get why so many people want nothing to do with religion. For that matter, I want nothing to do with religion! It was the religious ones that plotted to kill Jesus so that they would not lose their power in the world. That my friends is another chilling thought. A church truly has no need to pass a basket at its service. They do that so that more people will be guilted into donating. In all honesty, God doesn't care much for flash. When a basket goes around everyone sees who is giving and often how much. I have always felt extremely uncomfortable when the basket part of the service begins. I imagine I am not alone in that feeling. I attended a church that never passes a basket. It took me a year before I finally learned how to give money to them. They had service to teach about the Word of God only. Sadly, many churches have service to use the Word of God to make a point that often even isn't the true message that God intended you to hear. This particular church that I attended for close to three years, had service and truly taught its members about the Lord. They drove home the point that it was important for you to build a relationship with Him and then share His Love and Truth with others. They also educated you about spiritual warfare. This fellowship had more than enough money to go on mission trips and to help those that needed help and they didn't do it by reciting verses in the Bible that suggest that you are to give money to God. People sought them out to donate money. This is what happens when you are a part of a true church family. Today I would encourage you to seek the Lord for yourself. While it is important to also find a church family, it is even more important that you spend time with the Lord by yourself. Begin by reading His Word. Ephesians is the first book that I studied and within its few chapters, you are taught a lot. If you have never picked up the bible, this would be a great place to start. After you read that book, it would be wise to learn who Jesus is. The four gospels share many of the similar stories but only the Gospel of John fully reveals the Lords love for His people in a way that none of the other Gospels do. Every day read a chapter and reflect on it. Every day seek the Lord and His will. They are both activities that will help you keep focused on the truth and not get pulled under by one of Satan's never ending schemes. Another thing that help is sharing the Lord with others. By encouraging someone else you will be strengthened yourself. Father today I pray that more and more of your children learn about the armor you have so graciously provided us all with. May they learn it exists and then begin using it daily. May the hands and feet of Jesus be as active as they can be, encouraging others to discover God's love for them as well as discovering who they are in Christ. In Jesus name I pray. Amen! Wendy, walks with God, Mom of Many © Wendy Glidden 2014

Lost OR On a Mission?

Today I am truly thankful that God always keeps His word! There was a point in my life that I honestly believed that all the wrong I had done over the years prevented me from being useful to the Lord. I wholeheartedly believed what Satan whispered to me repeatedly. Today I know better! Satan is the BIGGEST liar to ever walk the earth!!

God, however, has countless promises, little treasures in Scripture, for us to discover and place our faith in. One of my favorites is that he will take what I thought was worthless and use it for good. It is one of the reasons why for my birthday I have wanted a "coat of many colors" the last several years.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. — Genesis 50:20 NASB

Those that have read my story, know full well that I have worn a ton of various shoes; many of which I wanted to hide from public view and pretend I had never taken a single step in them. This was not God's plan for me at all! A few years back, I was blessed to have a glimpse of what my coming forth and sharing could do for another person.

Back in 2014, I was on my way home from work, I thought I'd bypass a detour and save myself a few minutes. I was still relatively new to Reno and was honestly used to the streets and the way they work in Indiana. This is why when I turned on 6th Street, I didn't realize it would curve around before I was able to get to the cross street I needed to take.

I didn't really worry too much as I still believed I could jog over a street or two and get back on track. WRONG! Just when I was beginning to think I was really lost, I found myself at an intersection where a young lady with bright pink hair quickly crossed in front of me. I was admiring her hair in my rear view mirror as the light turned green and just happened to catch a man who was jay running across the intersection behind me. Needless to say, I was compelled to turn around and make sure this girl was okay. As I whipped my car into an empty parking lot and turned around, I rolled down my window and clearly heard him yelling profanities in her face as he held onto her. She jerked her arm out of his grasp and took off running toward a business she was close to. I actually witnessed a man step out the door and told her to take it down the road. I helplessly watched her take off as fast as she could out the other side of that business' parking lot and back onto the sidewalk with her pursuer close behind. As soon as the light changed I gunned my car and raced down to her. I was driving our jeep and it's got a glass-pack muffler so when you gun it, it's quite noticeable lol. The man halted as I raced right up to the girl and called out to her, "You need a ride ~ Get in!"

She hesitated for only a moment and then she jumped in. As soon as she closed her door, I locked all of them and put my car back in motion. I went around the corner and then quickly around another corner to ensure that he had no idea which direction we were going in and then I asked her, "What's your name?"

She instantly busted into tears telling me her name and finishing with the belief that her life was over and then admitted she just wanted to die. My heart broke for her and I asked her, "How old are you?" to which she answered that she was only 25 years old.

I gently asked her why she thought her life was over and she began telling me her story and all that had taken place in the last year. I listened. She had been abused by this man and had been successfully in hiding until he had found her again that day. When she finished talking, I asked her how she felt about God. She told me she believed in God but didn't understand why He was out to get her. I smiled at her and began sharing my own story. Several times she looked totally in awe and in the end she gave me the biggest hug I've ever gotten from a total stranger.

I reminded her that often when we are not seeking God, we miss the signs and blessings He presents to us during our lifetimes. I told her that I had thought I was lost but realized that I was simply a foot for Christ and that it was a blessing that I was there to be used by Him to deliver her from the hands of this abusive man to which she wholeheartedly agreed.

I shared some of Job with her and assured her she could go safely to God with all that was on her heart even if it was anger but that daily she should go to him. I reminded her that all relationships take work and that if she didn't talk to God she would have a darn hard time hearing what He had to say to her. I also told her that she was a daughter of the Most High God, beautifully and fearfully made. I ended with saying that her story was a lot like mine was 25 years ago and that most likely it was Satan who was attempting to keep her in bondage due to the great purpose that God had created her for.

After she hugged me and was getting out of the car, I said, "You really are stunning. You know that right?"

She bent down looking at me through the window and said, "All I've heard lately is how atrocious I am, I can't tell you how much I needed to hear that. Thank you." To which I replied, "You are down right beautiful, don't ever believe that you are anything but beautiful."

I drove away and bawled my eyes out and thanked God for using me in such a powerful way.

Sometimes when you think you are lost, you are actually on a mission for God. Today I am thankful that He uses me for such blessings. She may think she was blessed by meeting me, but the way I see it, I was blessed by meeting her!

Today I come to you Father with thanks. I still get choked up sharing this story. I pray that you continue to use me in such ways. I can't think of a better blessing! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen!

Wendy, walks with God, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2014 / slight rewrite in 2020

Roll With the Punches!

Today is Marvelously Magnificent Miraculous Monday. My miracle today would be that I know who I am in Christ and my faith is so great due to the miracles God allowed me to be a part of. For decades I doubted who He was and whether or not He loved me or anyone else who wasn’t perfect. This is why I am so adamant about sharing the message of grace. It’s a game changer and once you get it and then totally understand that Jesus is who He said He was when He walked on this earth in His own flesh, you simply cannot help but long to share that with all who are longing for something but not sure what that something might be.

Personally I know a few people who believe they are all they really need. They say they believe there is a God but mistakenly believe they don’t need a Savior. They view that thought as a sign of weakness. This morning I was thinking about a conversation I had with someone who was talking about how Christian music seemed to always be admitting to a weakness and the need for a savior and how they thought that was pitiful. My heart ached for them. So much so that their complaint stopped me in my tracks and I couldn’t get their attitude out of my mind. I so badly wanted to help them see what they were missing. It was while being in that mindset that this came to me. Thank goodness I travel with pen and paper or I might not have gotten this down:

People say the Christian lyrics they hear
Often express that we are weak
But the outsiders just don’t understand
How much blindness they reveal when they speak

They claim they don’t get weary
Or fall short on their own
They hear phrases like “I was broken”
And instantly they groan

At one time I guess I was the same
A large ego and full of pride
It was in realizing my burden was too big to carry
That I set myself and my own will aside

I found myself down on my knees
Praying to God, “Your will not mine.”
That is when He spoke to me
It’s when my purpose and I began to align

I am and will continue to be
Both a Saint and a sinner
It’s why I love the concept of grace
Satan says that I’m nothing but God says I’m a winner!

There is not one person who has ever walked this earth that hasn’t had problems or tough times. Not one. Even Jesus battled with Satan. In the end he was crucified. The only difference between Him and us is that He never fell from righteousness. We all have. It is only by Grace through Faith that we are saved.

I often pray for others to have their eyes opened. I know God wants all of our eyes open. Many wonder why he doesn’t answer such prayers and simply open the eyes of all who are blind. That is a simple one for me, in order for Him to do that, He’d have to strip us all of our Free Will. Now our government wants nothing more than to take away our Free will; to mandate what is safe for us and what is not and they do this all the while claiming it is in our best interest and certainly it is for the children and they lead you to believe it is out of love but it is not.

True love is letting go and allowing a person to walk on their own. Sure you can show them the way. You can lead them to the water per say. You can counsel, advise, write a book with all they need to not just survive but to actually thrive. This is what God did for us. He put together 40 authors who all wrote various books over a spance of 1500 years and presented us with it. If you truly want to know the truth. If you wonder who you are, what your purpose is and why you are here, you will find all those answers in the same place. All you have to do is seek the truth and as promised, “The truth shall set you free.”

It is in this place of freedom that you discover peace, rest and joy. If you are lacking those in your life, I encourage you to knock on the door, seek God with all your heart. Hold nothing back from Him, He knows it all anyway. He is your creator. You want to know what your talents are, ask Him.

All relationships take effort. Even friendships. How can you expect to know God if you don’t spend time with Him everyday. You should always devote your first waking moments to talking to God or seeking His wisdom. The reason it is so important to do this first thing is because life will deal you blows daily. If you want to roll with the punches without losing your cool, you truly need to seek Him in the morning and design a way to keep your focus on Him throughout the day. It is easy to get dragged down. It takes effort to walk in the Spirit. It is in our weakness that we fall prey to the flesh. Those who say we are weak because we admit we need and have a Savior are blind to the truth about themselves. I say let’s pray for all of them. Weren’t we there once ourselves? Perhaps it is due to the prayers of others that we discovered the path to Grace. Let’s pay it forward today!

Father today I come to you with great thanks. I know how blessed I am to have witnessed so many amazing miracles. I was blessed to have sought you as a child and to have built such a solid friendship with you when I was young. I just wish I could give to others what I know as truth. I wish I could help them see the truth, help them find their way back home. Please Lord instantly answer all who seek you. Let them feel your presence. Let their doubts be washed away. Open their eyes to the truth Father. As soon as they question, make it known. I ask also that anyone who is in the midst of a crucial battle be strengthened. Put their minds at rest Father. Break their chains and free them once more. Bring a hand or foot of Christ into their daily path until they begin to put on their daily armor themselves and strengthen them Father as only you can. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Wendy, walks with God, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2014

Renaming the Days of the Week

Totally Terrific Testimonial Tell All Tuesday! Renaming the days of the week was one of the wisest things I ever did for myself. I did it because I wanted to have something that would remind me every day where to put my focus. I believed that if I just renamed each day of the week from what the world called them to something that reminded me how blessed I was I would have a better shot at walking in the spirit and not getting sucked into the flesh. It’s truly worked like a gem. For those that have not seen my complete list of the renamed days of the week, this post is for you. Before the end of the year I will have calendars available for all who want them. For now, each day set your mind to renaming your days to this:

Simple Sincere Seeking Sunday

Marvelously Magnificent Miraculous Monday

Totally Terrific Testimonial Tell-All Tuesday

Wild Wonderful Wacky Wednesday

Tremendously Thankful Thoughtful Thursday

Fantastically Fun Filled Friends and Family Friday

Super Silly Sing Song Saturday

I promise there is truly something about getting your mindset going in the right direction. I would compare it to when you wake up in the greatest of moods and you say to yourself, “Nothing is going to ruin my day today!” Because you just know something wonderful is going to take place. When you rename the days, it’s as if you get up every day with joy both on your mind and in your heart. When your day is named ‘Marvelous, Terrific, Wonderful, Thoughtful, Fun Filled, Silly and Sincere’, your mind is filled with thoughts that are all on the good side of things. By renaming the days, you are training your brain to do exactly what Paul suggests we do in Philippians 4:8:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable ~ if anything is excellent or praiseworthy ~ think about such things.

I sincerely promise you that you can indeed change the way you look at things simply by making the decision to. It is your choice. Here is the crazy thing, as you dwell on these things, you truly begin to become more and more thankful for everything in your life. It’s worth the effort. Print out my list, put it where you will see it EVERY morning. Take a moment to think about each word individually.

On top of renaming the days of the week, I make sure to fill my mind with no less than one encouraging word each day. I subscribe to K-loves encouraging word so every morning I grab my phone and check to see what the verse of the day is and then I reflect on it. I also start out my morning by checking in with my heavenly Father. I seek His will and His input. I go to Him with all that is on my mind and in my heart. I say I do that today, but I did not always do that. For a long time I barely talked to God at all. Today’s encouraging word was this:

And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you. – Psalm 39:7 (NLT)

I was distant from God for decades. I often chuckle when I think of the scene where Jim Carey tells God, “Oh smite me you mighty smiter!” in the movie ‘Bruce Almighty.’ I so did not understand grace until I fully understood it. Somehow I thought I was excluded because of how close I was to God as a child. Satan is a son of a gun when it comes to getting us to believe his biggest lies, “God doesn’t love you.” and “You aren’t good enough.”

Today when I read a verse like the one above, my heart leaps with joy for my hope is in the Lord. Today I KNOW that He is faithful and I KNOW that one day I will be used to do all the things that the Lord and I discussed when I was a child. I am excited daily always wondering what wonders I will witness each day. I am amazed at my life and what all I have done in a short time. Really my life completely changed the day I got on my knees and surrendered my will. I have never been a weak willed person. It took a lot for me to finally go to God, pride in hand and admit to Him that I was done fighting on my own. In the midst of praying, God called me by name. Having God speak to you will change your life in every single way!

I truly hope you check out my story. I have so much to share with you and I just can’t deliver it all in a single blog post. If you are curious what God might have for you, but you also doubt that you are truly worthy, I encourage you to read the story He called me forth to share. To say I am proud of all I have done would be a lie. To say that I am humbled to be one who reveals it all and clearly show you just what kind of God we truly serve is the truth.

My books are priced VERY low so that anyone can afford them. All of them, in both print and e-book, allow you to read quite a few pages for free. I only ask that you begin with my first book and read them in order. They paint a much bigger picture that way. While you can read them all separate of each other, it’s like putting a puzzle together only to discover that you are missing some pieces. All three books cost $13 in e-book / kindle and they are only $25 in print! By visiting my author page on Amazon, you can check them all out! Just click on this link and decide which way you want them delivered to you: www.amazon.com/author/wendyglidden

Father today I pray that you continue to use me to share the good news. Please put me in the path of those that need light. Allow me to be a hand or foot of Jesus every single day of my life. Put me to work Father and keep my heart always focused on your love. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God, mom of many

© Wendy Glidden 2012 – 2014