Beware of Persimone: (no, not a root vegetable that grows from the ground): GUEST BLOGGER: Allison

Haggai 1:9-11
"You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands."


Freedom’s teaching last night about the different spirits of Mammon
(money) really struck a chord with me, especially the spirit of
stinginess (parsimony). I’d never considered myself to be stingy, but I am extremely sentimental about pretty much everything. Combine that with the phase I went through in my early to mid twenties where I bought everything I wanted when I wanted it regardless of need (spirit of greed), and you will find that I have a LOT of stuff. And most of the stuff I now own I rarely or never use or even look at!

I started my purging a couple months ago because I wanted to get more
organized. When you have too much stuff that you rarely or never use
and you really don't need, you kind of get lost in the clutter. For
example, I have a huge walk-in closet and it is completely packed with
clothes. If it weren't for needing clean underwear, I would probably
only do laundry once every two months. Sounds like a good thing
having so many clothes, right? Wrong. It takes me longer to get
ready in the morning because I can't decide what to wear; I have too
many choices.

God revealed to me last night the underlying reason why I need to “clean house.” Yes, being more organized will be a side effect of
ridding myself of the excess. But the real reason he is telling me to
purge so many of my possessions is to flush out the spirit of
stinginess that has lived in me for so long. God wants me to have abundance, but abundance does not mean having more possessions than I need. He is teaching me how to trust him, that he will provide for my
needs as they arise. I don’t need hang on to clothes that don’t fit
just in case one day they do fit again. He is also teaching me that
none of my material possessions have any real value in his kingdom.
There may come a day when God’s abundance for me means nicer, newer,
more material things, but I first need to become a better owner of the
things he has granted me custody of now.
Wow! I have definitely been humbled.

Stop Tryin' and Start Dyin'- GUEST BLOGGER: JEN

Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

God spoke to me this morning telling me to die, and I questioned it.
Hey wouldn't you, if God spoke very clearly to you telling you to die?
I have been very frustrated with everything lately and the enemy found
a way to get in: I have been trying to get things done with my own strength and not letting God do his work.

So what God spoke to me this
morning was "Stop trying and Start Dying (to yourself)"
Ah, thank you for confirming you're not telling me I'm going to die God!

Sunday I was
convicted, I realized after church I really
wasn't being thankful for some things in my life. So, I started doing it.
Girls guess what?
I have started to change and now everything is changing around me!
(When I change, everything changes)
PRAISE GOD!!!
My son Isaac has done a 180!!!!! I started again praying for my
finances (which I stopped doing, and boy was that a mistake!),
and was able to book some work last night!!!
I just have to remember God is my provider and I need to put all my faith into him and not let it go.

I will continue to die to myself today, and let God work in me like he
has been trying to!!