Happy New Year’s!!!

Today, I pray there be peace within you. Know that you are exactly where your choices took you & to where you are meant to be in this season. Know every circumstance and season of life plants seeds within the heart and how those seeds mature and grow are based on our Choices. May you have ears to hear the Master Gardeners guidance and may it bring an abundant harvest to you this year.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in God, yourself, and in others & that all things have the potential to work together for the good.                     As I shared in my book, “Somewhere In Between “, I can testify to that truth )

May your hearts and minds be open to His promises and the development of the gifts  planted within you.  May you share the love given to you with all those in your presence. May you be content with yourself as who You were created to Be. Not a copy of the masses but, the unique individual you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and Love. It is through being true to ourselves we are Reborn and we become the new man/woman we were designed to Be. smile 

Now, as we step into the New Year, I pray we all focus on cultivating the seeds of Love & all it’s attributes in All we say and do.

Shalom!

2018 is headed out and Here We Go into 2019!  Are you Ready?

For most, this is a time of year people make resolutions based on the past years experiences and sometimes on things they have thought of but, haven’t taken any action. Or have you? A thought is the seed of action forming within. Now the question is:  What are your thoughts? What is your minds focus?  Do you realize that is what is being cultivated and will come to pass in 2019. Praise God, you can shift gears and re-route the heart and mind. Cause “as a man/woman thinketh in their heart, so are they”

What are your thoughts & plans to bring in the New Year? And for the New Year?         Are they uplifting and edifying for you and those you interact with? Are you stepping into the New Year in moderation and Love for God, yourself, and your neighbor ?(neighbor: everyone outside of God and you.) Each year God reveals a Word to me, 2018’s was Obedience. Boy did He show me a lot about what that really means. There were some bumps in the road, since some things I didn’t want to hear, but as always they were things I needed to hear. And I really get it now since He revealed my Words for 2019:  Trust & Believe.  Even showing me a few peek previews of where we are going with those!  But, that’s another post for another time. smile

Or are you cultivating a night of drinking, getting high, and ending up doing who know what. In truth we all know what will be produced out of that?  We also know 95% of the time it ain’t nothin’ good, not for you or anyone else. That said, ” Is that really how you want to kick off 2019?”  And don’t start thinking up excuses of how it’s an ok way to kick off the year just this one night. Cause you know in your heart, it’s Not. You can dance, be joyful, enjoy family and friends, and lots more without enhancements that have negative end results. Are you repeating the same ole’ habit just cause others are? (where’d that get you in 2018?) You know the saying, repeating the same thing over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. If this is your plan, consider Proverbs 4:23 says, ” Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Well, I think I have made my point to end this year and bring in the New one.  smile      As for me, I am going to enjoy Fireworks and Give Thanks for all my Blessings of 2018.     I will be giving Praise where it is due, to the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit for protecting and bringing me thru another year.  I will also be praying for all of you and that for 2019 you will remember, ” Life is All About Choices and those Choices are Yours! May you all choose to plant good seed and may those seeds bring you a harvest of Abundant Blessings all throughout your 2019!

Shalom!  & Hugs from Rev. Jones. Smile

To often in our world today, when man hears the word addiction they only think of drugs and alcohol. This is a sad misconception. Why Sad? Because there are so many other addictions holding mankind in bondage.  Addiction: the fact or condition of being addicted – dependent on a particular substance, thing, thought, or activity.

This is a truth in all cultures, religions, men, women, and even children more and more are becoming slaves to some form of addiction.  Texting, exercise, food, TV, laziness, gossiping, complaining, one another, vanity (seeking praise yourself ), gotta have what the Joneses have (even when you can’t afford it). Did you know 80% of people in America over 18 years old have Credit Card debt of over $2,500. (at least) And that is just America and does not include the debt of homes, cars, loans, etc. This is due to addictions.

Food is definitely an addiction issue. The obesity rate proves that. One way I can prove that:  Tell me it isn’t true that one of the 1st things out of people’s mouths when they say, ” let’s get together and do something”.  That something is go eat somewhere and 8 x out of 10,  it is not a healthy place. Will you eat in moderation in the holidays or eat till you are so ill you can hardly get up?   Did you know you will enjoy the Holidays even more if you use some restraint and do some fun activities with those you love instead of eat, drink, eat, and sit down. (or in some cases fall down)  hmmmmm

Many of us are addicted to work, working 50-60 hrs a week and barely spending time with family and friends. Not sleeping well, too often stressing to the point of health issues..all behind work.  Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying we shouldn’t enjoy a meal together, or love your job and work hard. A friend and I were talking the other day and she said ” I traded my addiction to drugs/alcohol for work – at least now I am getting paid” And I agreed with her, as I did that replacement in my life too. And Yes, it is Great to replace drugs/alcohol with a productive work life and to get paid so you can Live and be responsible in this life. However, we must have balance in this too or this too will take us down. Mentally, spiritually, and physically. As it says in 1 Corinthians 6:12: “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything.  Same with exercise, quote healthy foods, and the internet/texting/TV and so on, and so on.  I am by no means saying you must avoid these things, no not at all. But, I am saying, it is not loving yourself or others to be enslaved in bondage to one or all of these things. Too much of anything is not a good thing.  “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.” – 1 Corinthians 9:2  The mastery being to walk in Love toward yourself and others. Better said from the Word: ” But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23   Being good to yourself and others is not being full of anxiety due to a thing, consumed where you can’t enjoy life, bound up to point you become obsessive and ill. Instead, Moderation avoids extremes, exercises restraint, and is related to self-control.  Philippians 4:5  “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord [is] at hand…”  unfortunately, living a life of moderation is an uphill battle in today’s world. Especially, since in today’s world so many are living in the delusions of obsession and are Ok with it until, they collapse that is.   I felt like I was at that point just last month. I did a review of my daily life and God showed me I was way out of balance. (again – augh!) I had allowed work to put me in what felt like chains. In the overload the stress lead me to grumbling and complaining (which is not my true nature) then those feelings led to tears and I found myself trying escape from constantly living and breathing work by watching mindless TV programs. All this only resulted in raising my blood pressure, headaches (which I seldom have) and just wanting to go to bed.  Then the Holy Spirit tapped me while reading His Word giving me eyes to see and ears to hear myself.  You see I was seeking Jesus and had even allowed my obsession to blind me to the point I couldn’t see or hear. Praise God, once again He did not give up on knocking at the door of my heart.  It was then I realized addiction is addiction and is NOT in any form a good thing.  Praise God he led me to the verses in Ecclesiastes 3: To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven….read on thru verse 8.   And Hallelujah, off we go into 2019 breaking Free and moving on into the Season He planned for me.

What’s my point in all this?  Well, what else God showed me is too many in the world are in the same place I was so, I wanted to share this in hopes you will Dig deep, see what you may be a slave to & that you might seek Him and be set free too.  Smile

May the New Year bring you Love within and may you share that Love.

As it is in Love we can all find the keys to be set Free!   Shalom!

Boy time flies, Spring 2021

I had this list of winter “to do’s” and only accomplished about half. Hallelujah some of my list I can do anytime or move to next winter because now nice weather is on it’s way in and I’m ready for the Change of Seasons.

It’s a time to “let go” & clear out dead stuff. Both in your outer garden & inner garden. This spring my spirit is saying,   ” I hope you’ve paid attention because you have more dead stuff to clear out in your inner garden than your outer garden”  I have been paying attention and Praise God for showing me what what is dead (or dying) that I need to clear out. I also want to give thanks for sending some very caring friends to tap me up too.  Interesting thing, I am not alone. He is revealing some dead things in my family & friends lives too. I pray we all take heed and follow Him as he calls us to so the good fruit within can come forth in abundance. I know there will be some hard work and digging in all of it but, I also know ultimately “all things will work to the good & in our best interest”  just as He promises. I also know from past experiences, the clearing and releasing and can be tough and scary at times. So I highly recommend seeking His Word and guidance daily to help you over and through.

Personally, my outdoor adventures and gardening always helps me with my inside clearing. So, I am moving forth in this change of season with my own version of “letting go of the Old and bringing forth the New in me.” Daily I will rise and go out to sit under my tree and read Psalms 119 to kick off my day. At lunchbreak, back out under the tree I go to read Matthew Chapter 5. (this chapter reminds me of how to behave during the day, which by the way, most days I really need many of the reminders. Especially the B attitudes. smile) Then to end the day I will go to my prayer room pray and read the Proverb chapter of the day.  Yep, submerging myself and digging in is my plan.

Just like the outer garden takes a lot of digging in and preparation to bear fruit in it’s season, I do too.

Since I love sardines I thought I would share these videos showing the benefits to both the inner and outer garden.

Bury A Can Of Sardines In Your Garden And This Amazing Thing Happens!! – YouTube

Sardines: 9 Amazing Benefits | Health And Nutrition – YouTube

Shalom!

Morning.. this will be a quick post cause soon off to work I must go. Praise God. And yes, I mean that. I have been doing some review of my own daily living and my outlook and attitude toward things (like work when it is a bit overwhelming) And as the name of my ministry says, Life is “all about choices”. I realized I had let emotions get in my drivers seat to much lately and that is just plain not healthy for me or anyone else. Emotional responses only create more stress honking their horn loudly every time things aren’t going their way. This is not the way of the people of God. In this bad choice I was loosing my Peace within to the father of all lies which only gives the gift of “Stress More and Live Less”  Cause stress not only can literally take your life, it does and will take away your having eyes to see and ears to hear how to change lanes to a smoother daily commute.

When I saw this within myself, not only have I changed lanes but, I changed seats and asked Jesus to take the wheel and drive me back to His Kingdom of ” Peace Within”. And Praise God, quickly He has done just that. Boy what a nice smooth road. So smooth yesterday when some bumps came on the horizon it was too cool how the emotions trying to rise within were laid to rest and we just went right around them. I found myself at the end of the day thinking, Thank You Jesus I had almost forgotten what “calm” felt like. And the funniest part is: When I started seeking Him for answers in the beginning of my woes the Holy Spirit said, ” You have the answers, Practice what you Preach!”

Well, that said Just volumes!  Have a Great Day and as you go thru your day may you think before you speak, don’t allow the deceivers whispers to drive you off a cliff, and in the theme of the season may Peace, Love, and Joy be your guide today and all throughout the New Year.

Selah!

Greetings!  Thanksgiving had me making a list of things I was thankful for & then I found myself doing a review of my life. The most important thing I realized in that review was how many times God has patiently Waited on me. What do I mean by that? He waits for me to see my way often isn’t working. To hear and see Him calling, “come to me”. I realized how loving and compassionate He is in that waiting for me. Sometimes rather long periods of time He’s waited. ( I am bit hard headed at times, ya feel me? smile )

One of the biggest areas He has been patiently waiting is for me, is to totally commit and Trust Him so I can move forward in the things He has been pressing me to do with my ministry. My review showed me how I have been very committed to my job, my duties at my job, & my team on the job. To the point of exhaustion sometimes, even when the job wasn’t as concerned with what stress of overload was doing to me. Now that is Not a bash on my job. Overall I like my job. It is my responsibility to say, ” enough” and insist on a meeting to set a few reasonable boundaries. And most of the time I really don’t do that. I try instead to find a way to fit it in and all too often grumbling along the way. Another error, the grumbling I mean. And instead of fully turning to Him and seeking His guidance on how to handle the situations that are stressing me, all to often I turned to friends or just sat in my room and cried because I felt so overwhelmed. A few weeks before Thanksgiving, the Holy Spirit called to me saying, ” so when are you going to come to me and let me guide you in the way to find a solution to wipe away your tears?  I AM waiting. ” Even then, I didn’t immediately turn and go. I waited till the stress drove up my blood pressure and I got a migraine that caused spots in front of my eyes… I have Never had high blood pressure & only one other time the migraine with blurred vision and spots. See what I mean about a hard head?  But, that got my attention. I am 63 yrs old and will have to work (at least P/T) until I drop dead at my desk most likely, with the way the cost of living is going. My Mom in her wisdom told me just before she passed, Don’t stop working..it helps keep your mind healthy. I must say I agree and don’t have an issue with that really, I am not a sit around retired anyway. However, to succeed, I need to stay healthy. And PRAISE GOD overall I am very healthy.  Since my Thanksgiving review, I have turned to Him Now. I have thanked Him repeatedly for so patiently waiting. And I have to tell ya, He has Quickly been showing me some ways to proceed, sent me some other committed believers to share some insight, given me the right words, and some good options if the receivers choose not to receive my solutions. Smile

Most importantly though, is in my turning to the family of God, I am being shown once again the best way is His Way and that IS found in His Word. Thing is: Once again I am reminded, you must seek His Way Daily, TRUST what is revealed, and Believe even when you don’t physically see it what He says is True & the best for Me. All the while having Faith Knowing His Promises will come to pass in right timing. Which yes means  some patience is involved too. Then the last part is:  Me Doing my part when what He shows me to do is clearly stated and not push it to the side saying, ” Hold on, Can you wait on Me?”   I learned this last few weeks, making God wait only hurts me.

Have a Great week!  Renee’

Today I come sharing my fav teaching Pastor. A young man taught well by his earthly father and his heavenly Father.  In the event you google him, is he perfect? No, and none of us are. You also need to keep in mind how media distorts and embellishes the truth. Have you ever been less than perfect and when your discretion went from one mouth to another those mouths added their 2 cents?  All that said, This is actually a 3 part series found on You Tube and is very insightful. Yes, it is founded in the Bible. However, the truths within it are just that, truths about coping with stress, worry, anxiety, basically mental health and the bondage it can play on your spirit. And of course there are spiritual solutions and suggestions that do work when you work them, no matter your beliefs. As we all have some form of belief that incorporates good vs bad.

It is truth; Stress weighs you down and interferes with your daily living. It is a truth all of us have or currently are experiencing some form of stress/worry/mindset that is not uplifting. There are truths all thru His Word that provide relief and solutions that lift those burdens and break the chains that bind. This series by young Fred K Jr. enlightens us with many of these truths. So today, I am not posting more words as there is no need, Fred has said it all so well. Well, I will post these words: I suggest if you are feeling the burdens or bondage of the mind…you take a bit of time and listen, it’s worth it.

Shalom.. Renee’

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!  This day is a big deal to me. I just love focusing on all the things I am thankful for. I try to do think of things I am thankful for everyday but, as most people I get all caught up in work, taking care of daily things, and my focus is all over. I love the winter warm foods and visiting with friends and neighbors.

So in this post I wanted to share some of the things I am thankful for and would love it if you comment back with things you are thankful for. Smile

I am thankful for the Love God shares with me on a regular basis. I am thankful He has Blessed me and my daughters families with nice comfy homes, jobs to support those homes, and good neighbors. I am thankful for so many good friends, all the love they share, and that they thought of me today sending Happy Thanksgiving wishes. I am thankful for my overall good health and my gym membership to aid in keeping up that good health. I am thankful for all the beauty of nature where I live. I am thankful for my new Warm and Cozy coat and boots!  I am thankful for heat, hot water, good food to eat, and clothes to wear. I am thankful for my perfect size yard so I can grow my own veggies in the warm months. My list of thankfulness can go on and on but, these are the ones I will share today.

May you all enjoy your day, be Blessed, and be a Blessing as you go about your day!

Shalom!

It is the season many in the world are putting Salt on the Earth… Winter has Arrived!       I was having big fun out shoveling snow this morning and putting down a bit of salt on my porch steps. My service for my wonderful mailman who is a kind and considerate man. Lord knows I don’t want him to slip and fall.

This being my first year in my home in New York, I had to google it on how to apply the salt and thought you know others may have inquiring minds on the right way to do that too. So here is the website that has some Great winter preps for your home: https://www.redfin.com/blog/2013/10/6-tips-to-prepare-your-home-for-winter-ice-storms.html

And like our homes our cars and we the people must prepare for winter too. So don’t forget to get your car winterized…winter wind shield wipers, if you don’t have garage or carport buy a summer floater, ya know one of those long mats you blow up and lay on, put it across your windshield & close it in the car doors when it is parked then when you come out you can pop it off and not have so much to get off your windshield. And definitely don’t forget to winterize yourself ! This is great time to spend in His Word..reading by the fireplace wrapped in a snuggle. Or watching your fav programs on the word. Get with a group and have online Bible Study…I have a group going. Send a comment with your email if you would like the number to dial in and join us. Now is the time for layers to include a warm hat, gloves and scarf to protect you from the cold.  Lotion up! your skin can get very dry. Doterra Oils has some great Winter oils.. Check out my website and here are a few I find are great to keep on hand: On Guard to aid in keeping back the germ bugs. Breathe or Peppermint to open your sinus passages, & Ginger to open up your lungs. These are but a few helpful oils.

Well, that’s all for now. Have a Blessed Day, Fun in the Snow if it has come your way and Stay Warm!   Hugs!  Renee’

Lately in many of my conversations I hear, ” I really want to change this or that but, it’s so hard”.  I get it! I have made that comment as well. Then I really look within and have to admit when I ” Really” want to change something, I do. And it isn’t hard. Which brings me to my Title, How Bad do you Want It?

One of my fav speakers is Wayne Dyer and he has a CD series called ” Excuses Be Gone! ” The title says it all. When we say, I really want to change this or that but, it’s so hard what we are really saying is ” I am not really ready to make that change”.  If we are honest about it, our statement is an Excuse to keep on keepin’ on in whatever that thing is. And we ALL make excuses for all sorts of things. Here are but a few:

1.) I would love to read His Word everyday but, I just don’t have time. 2.) Oh, a Bible Study where I can speak freely would be wonderful but, I don’t really feel like I know enough to participate. (hello, that is the point of a Bible Study..it is a place to learn- LOL) 3.) I am so sick of being over weight but, I just can’t give up bread… I love it. 4.) I know I need to exercise and just 20 mins a day would keep me healthier but, I just can’t seem to work it in or I don’t like gyms/walking/ect. – I’ll just take a pill & feel better? 4.) I want to stop gripping/gossiping/backbiting/and so on but, it is so hard. Everyone does it. And we all need to vent sometimes. Really do we? At least in that way. This is one for me that is easy to get caught up in and not realize it until you catch yourself half way thru saying, I am so tired of so and so not doing their part. They act like they are to good to dig in and carry their load.  WaWaWa   These types of comments don’t do any good and in fact instigate and can create even bigger issues. That person you are venting to maybe never even thought of whatever it is your moaning about and now you have them thinking about what you said. 5.) I want to eat healthier but, I’m not giving up my beer/wine/chocolates etc. that is how I unwind at night. (yes for many that is daily)

These are just a few of the ones I could think of.. Feel free to comment back with some of your own.  Why? Because often confession is good. Not complaining but, confessing. Or Testify how you did make that change and it wasn’t as hard as you thought.. You could be changing the life of another with the sharing of your “words”. Think about, how does it sound to your Spirit to say you don’t care enough about yourself to exercise 20 mins a day. To give up a few things you eat so you can “enjoy life” with your family/friends a little longer. And I mean enjoy…many diseases are due to bad eating and lifestyle choices and when you change them you DO heal.  Do you Really feel better and good about yourself when you are bagging on others and “venting”. I know I don’t.

And most of all: Do you hear yourself saying, You don’t have time to spend in The Word. Or more simply put seeking the Way of walking in Love. And more than all the things I mentioned above it is LOVE that we want changed the most in our lives. We want the caring, compassionate, forgiving, merciful Love and we really want to give that too. Yet, in that too, we make excuses of why we “can’t” seem to do that.

This year began with me hearing the Spirit say to me, ” Be Obedient to My Word. It is here you will find all your hearts desires” .  Did I jump right in being perfect at that.. NO.  But, as each month goes by and daily I spend a little more time in The Word I learn what changes I need to allow God to make in me and how The Word does work when you work it. Each week in my Sunday conference call Bible Study I am touched not only by His Word but, by those on the call with me. Each day I find myself Loving myself and others more and becoming more obedient to His Ways.

And each day, I now hear myself saying, ” Excuses be Gone” .  I find myself looking at how I spend my time and how if I “really want to” I can find the time, make the changes, and Be Obedient to His Word. In doing these things My Life sure flows better. I can’t change the things or people outside of me – I can pray for them but, can’t change them…that is Theirs/Your choice..but, I can with God, change Me & My Life.

If you are tired of feeling down, miserable, whatever…How bad do you want to change?

Shalom