Hey God, You Have A Plan, Right?

HEY GOD, YOU'RE NOT FINISHED WITH ME YET, RIGHT?
Posted by Karen on Friday, January 20, 2012 at 2:46pm
I have a lot to learn. The older I get I find out just how much I still have left to learn. Smartphones, iPhones, iPads, Blackberries (still think they grow on vines!), internet marketing, search engines, html, and all the other high tech things I can’t even pronounce really intimidate me. Do you feel the same way? Of course, there may be a generation gap in here somewhere if you said no! I thought I would know how to handle those things more confidently. Thank goodness, God doesn’t leave me that way! I may not know if all, but I have learned it’s okay not to know it all. It’s okay for me to admit that “I don’t know”, or that I might have made a mistake. I don’t want to act like I have it altogether, because I certainly don’t. I’m learning on a daily basis. No matter how old we are, we can still be growing, bettering ourselves, rethinking things, and changing our minds about what we like. It’s okay! I change my mind a lot. Each time, I get a little closer to what I want for my life. God isn’t finished with me yet. He’s not finished with you either. There’s a lot in our lives to whittle away, mold, scrape off, throw out, and sift. Sometimes it is painful, but sometimes it is welcome. He’s not out to harm us. He doesn’t neglect us. He encourages, guides, and sometimes disciplines. He has in mind for us a fulfilling life. That’s what I want, don’t you? We need to gain wisdom, discernment from our past mistakes and failures. We must swallow our pride and be humble, as we follow His leading and direction. Trust in Him, for He is not finished with you (or me) you! Total visits to this site to date: 37,116 (over 1,000 hits since the last post!) www.karenjessing.com Check out the updates! karenjessing@aol.com New book coming out in 2012: "Hey God, You Do Makeovers, Right?"
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MY SECOND BOOK WILL BE A REALITY IN A FEW MONTHS!
Posted by Karen on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 10:57am
Cover of my second book!
My second book, "HEY GOD, YOU DO MAKEOVERS, RIGHT?" is well on its way to becoming a reality. The goal is summer 2012! Michael, my son, designed the front cover. Thanks, Mike! I love it!! From the back cover of the book: (If you have never experienced life-altering events or been in hopeless situations, this book is not for you.) When life tumbles in, what then? You may be in the midst of an emotional hurricane, asking “How can anything good come out my situation?” Or you may be reeling through the after-effects from: a debilitating disease, a divorce, the death of a loved one, financial loss, domestic violence, etc. Want rainbows? Then you gotta have rain. • Why do I have to give thanks for this? • You mean, trials are really valuable? • How do I accept the “unchangeables and uncontrolables”? • How can closures and rejections in my life lead to new directions? • Are there really treasures in my trials? • How can I ever dream a new dream? Whatever problems oppress you, however hopeless your future appears, God can do a “makeover” in your life. Isaiah 43:19 says, “Behold, I will do a new thing; now shall it spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Karen is a Christian inspirational speaker who brings encouragement through her presentations to audiences. 36,027 visits to this site to date! Thanks for stopping by! God bless you!! Visit www.karenjessing.com
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NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS---AGAIN?
Posted by Karen on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 7:16pm
New Year resolutions. Yes, it is that time of year again! Why bother, I ask myself? I often don’t follow through with them. But on January 1, I will take out my pad of paper and pen and start making personal goals. Do I ever achieve them? Well, sometimes yes, and sometimes no, and sometimes the same ones just keep showing up year after year. Is it because they are not achievable, or not reasonable, or not realistic for me? This year, as I am in my senior years of life, I decided to look more deeply into setting New Year resolutions and what I need to do to make them a reality! What is a New Year resolution anyway? A New Year resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to one or more lasting personal goals, projects, or the reforming of a habit. “You hit a goal, you achieve a goal. You keep a resolution". This lifestyle change is generally interpreted as advantageous. A New Year resolution is generally a goal someone sets out to accomplish in the coming year. Some examples include resolutions to donate to the poor more often, to become more assertive, or to become more environmentally responsible. A key element to a New Year resolution that sets it apart from other resolutions is that it is made in anticipation of the New Year, and new beginnings. Popular goals include resolutions to: Improve health: lose weight, exercise more, eat better, drink less, quit smoking, stop biting nails Improve finances: get out of debt, save money Improve career: get a better job Improve education: improve grades, get a better education, learn something new (such as a foreign language or music) Improve self: become more organized, reduce stress, be less grumpy, manage time, be more independent, perhaps watch less television, play less sitting-down video games Take a trip Volunteer to help others, practice life skills, give to charity For the year 2012, the top 5 resolutions, as identified by a SlideShare survey are: •Be financially-savvy •Read at least one book per month •Eat properly •Get enough sleep •Keep a journal of awesome moments The desire of improving is somehow inherent to the human being. However, most of these resolutions fail. Making a resolution is not enough, you need to structure a work plan to be successful and define the resolutions with a well thought methodology. Avoid generalities/vagueness. This roadmap of 6 steps may be helpful: •1. Have the right mindset •2. Select the resolution •3. Quantify the resolution •4. Set intermediate milestones •5. Set the tracking tool •6. The tough decision: Abandon or persevere Well, I am going to busy myself by doing it again this year! Perhaps I can make some significant changes! How about you? May you have a HAPPY, HEALTHY NEW YEAR IN 2012!! God bless you! Total visits to this site: 35,193 www.karenjessing.com
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I HATED THE HOLIDAYS!
Posted by Karen on Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 10:44am
I hated the holidays! The stress in my abusive marriage always escalated, starting around Thanksgiving through New Years. I just wanted to go to sleep and not wake up til after New Years. Christmas is a time of joy, peace, love, giving----Really? For whom? It sure wasn’t for me. Trying to reach beyond my personal pain to the real reason for Christmas was difficult. Each year, I would read the Christmas story in Luke and ask God, “Please make this Christmas better for me.” But it never changed for me for twelve years---til I was able to leave the painful relationship. (To those of you who are in difficult relationships, I understand where you are. I pray that you will be safe and perhaps find some peace, God loves you and cares about you!) The holidays are still stressful in some ways for me, even though I am in a wonderful marriage. Some of our family relationships are complicated throughout the entire year, but all of this heaviness is even more difficult as the year draws to a close. I have learned there are some situations we don’t like, can’t change, and have to accept regardless. Going home for the holidays naturally makes people remember old times, as the memories may be more bitter than sweet. The holidays can highlight everything that’s changed in your lives -- a divorce or a death in the family. Either of these can really unsettle a gathering and add holiday stress. Holidays can make people feel out of control. We feel at the mercy of our relatives or steamrolled by the sheer force of family tradition. The key is to take some control over the holidays, instead of letting them control you. The key is to be conscious about what you’re doing. This holiday season, don’t unthinkingly do things the same way just because that’s how you always do them. If the old holiday traditions aren’t working, if they’re not making you happy and causing holiday stress, it’s time to do something different. It’s supposed to be a season of forgiveness and good will. But in the midst of a hectic holiday season, you can’t pin your hopes on leading family members to big emotional breakthroughs. You may be better off focusing on your own state of mind and confronting difficult issues during a less volatile time of year. The older I get, the more I realize that holiday stress does not have to be miserable. I am learning to gain control of that time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, and not let that time control me. Time is precious, and we must make sure we take time for ourselves to meditate and reflect the reason for the season. It is so easy to be caught up in the hustle and bustle of activities, overextending ourselves and left with exhaustion. Finally, remember that while your family has given you your greatest joy, it can also be the source of your deepest pain. This profound statement reminds us of the vulnerabilities as well as the triumphs that we experience in our families. Knowing your limitations and setting healthy boundaries can help ensure a successful, happy holiday season for you and for your family. *I wish you a very Merry, Blessed Christmas! God bless you.* Total visits to this site: 34,452 www.karenjessing.com
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NO CHRISTMAS?
Posted by Karen on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 11:32am
In the late 17th century, the English Parliament banned the celebration of Christmas. For almost twenty years, shops and markets were required to be open on that day, penalties were imposed on anyone holding or attending a special Christmas service, and public Christmas celebrations were abolished. No one could legally celebrate Christmas. No Christmas! What a dismal thought. (Hmmmm. Could this happen here in America? ) I love the Christmas season. The special time with family, the Christmas carols, the abundance of food, and even the “holiday spirit” all bring me joy. But as Christians, we know that the central, all-important element of Christmas is the celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ. Have we ever stopped to think: What if there were no Christmas because Jesus Christ had not been born? What if God who is fully divine never chose to become fully man? What if Christ had not humbled Himself and left His heavenly throne to be born in a lowly manger? Without Christ’s birth, there would be • no redemption, • no reconciliation with a just God, • no righteousness of Christ imputed to us, • no propitiation of God’s wrath, • no restoration after repentance, • no salvation unto eternal life, • no sanctification unto Christ likeness, • no indwelling Holy Spirit, • and no living hope, just to name a few. Let us remember the “Reason for the Season” as we celebrate Christmas. Be sure to read the Christmas story in Luke 2:1-20. Make this Christmas the most meaningful one you have ever had! Happy Birthday, Jesus! www.karenjessing.com karenjessing@aol.com
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