On The Right Foot

A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9

Tomorrow will be New Year's Eve. What are you looking forward to in the year to come? As much as new beginnings are exciting, starting off right is important. So how do you get off on the right foot to a new beginning?

Get Vision.

Whatever your goal will be, make this your vision and pray that God will lead you to see clearly what the real purpose of your goal is. Some soul searching may be required and that may require for you to surrender some deep things in your soul and let go of things or emotions that you hold on to.

Get Practical.

Carve out some time in your schedule and sit down with the necessary tools. You'll need any number of tools, such as a calendar, calculator, computer, “project work book”, pen and pencil, to mention a few. Sit down and begin to make a wish list and then consider what is the first priority on your list. Start with the top one. Consider the steps that it will take to reach your top priority and then right down the steps that you think will help accomplish your goal.

Make a Plan.

Whether your plan is to lose weight, get in shape, stop smoking, curb a bad habit or just to spend more time with family or even to promise yourself a special vacation, you must make a plan. Set reasonable target dates for your progress and a list of things that might be a distraction or prevent you from reaching your goal.

Do The Research

Although it's tempting, this is a step that you should never skip. Always consider your spiritual condition and your relationship with God as you decide what is right for you. Ask yourself, “Would God be pleased if I do it this way?” While something may look like the right application to reach your goal, it may be rooted in something that God would not be pleased with. Doing research will help you uncover the truth and will solidify the steps that you will take to achieve your goal. These steps will also help to eliminate or at least decrease any road blocks that you may face along the way. Anticipating these steps will also help prevent you from getting side tracked and distracted. That's not to say that there won't be surprises or detours that you have to make a long the way, but they will be less if you plan your steps. Most importantly, because you did the research, you know that you have customized a plan that works for you.

Pray Along The Way

None of this comes without careful prayer and leading by the Holy Spirit. He will give you vision as you're waiting for that peace that God gives in the midst of your plans. The steps that you plan will be like “steps of faith”.  He will honour each step of faith and will help you reach your goal. He is with you and he would love nothing more than for you to bounce ideas off of him. He loves that you take time to check in with him and have great conversation as you take each step of faith. He will hold your hand, just trust in him and he'll keep you strong and focused. He will cheer you on until you reach your goal.  

The God Habit

Every new year we start by contemplating what we hope to look forward to in the coming 365 days. Some of us decide to make changes and set goals. Some of us will continue on with the same goals and grow in the changes that we've already started. Yes, there will be some who decide that they will not make any changes or resolutions at all. Of all the resolutions that is most popular, it is the one when we promise to lose some weight and get in shape. That resolution has never worked out for me. I still keep working on that one. In any case, we hope that whatever goals and resolutions that we decide, we will eventually develop the necessary habits to achieve the final results.

Above all other resolutions, the one that is of utmost importance is a spiritual practice. It holds eternal and the most highest value. This is because it determines your final destination and gives the best results over your life-long journey. It is also because everything flows out of your spirit (or spirit man) and impacts your world.

Proverbs 4:23 states this wonderfully. In each translation, you can see that the heart is center and determines the outcome of our lives.

The NIV
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

New Living Translation
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

English Standard Version
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

It is clear that our heart holds whatever reflects from our spiritual life, and flows into our world around us.  It can affect everything from money to relationships.

"Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers." John 3:1-2

These scriptures are just a few examples of how important matters of the heart are.

One story that Jesus told in Matthew 25 :1-13 is about the 10 virgins. Jesus begins the story by saying “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom”. The 10 virgins represents the church, untouched and pure. They have been washed by the blood of Christ that is shed for sins that makes them clean. They represent the children of God who are the bride of Jesus Christ. However, five of the virgins were wise and five of them were foolish.   The parable begins by indicating that this is about a certain time on the earth with the phrase "At that time". No one knew when he would arrive, but they were waiting. Each of the foolish and wise virgins had lamps, but while they were waiting, they fell asleep. A shout was heard “Look the bridegroom is coming!” When they awoke, they realized that the bridegroom was coming but the five foolish virgins did not have extra oil for their lamps. They asked to borrow some from the five wise virgins, but the wise virgins said no. They knew the importance of having enough oil to stay until the bridegroom had finally arrived. The foolish five virgins left to get oil and while they were gone, the bridegroom did arrive. The five who had kept their lamps burning went with the bridegroom and the door was shut so that no one else would enter. When the five foolish virgins returned, they had missed the bridegroom and could not enter the wedding. They knocked on the door “Lord Lord, let us in”. He said, “I tell you the truth, I do not know you.”

The value of this parable just overwhelms me to think that we could be in that very time. The oil, which represents his presence and anointing, the fire of the Holy Spirit, must remain burning in our lives. We must be careful that when we rest, that our hearts are right with God. We must even be prepared with our oil, while we are sleeping! I do not want to hear the bridgegroom Jesus say, "I do not know you" when he returns for his bride. 

This is the one habit that is of utmost importance. Let this be our resolution this year; to develop our spiritual lives, to grow in our walk with God. So that all that flows from it, is simply an abundance of the oil, His Holy Spirit, who overflows within us and out through us. This will bring about wholeness and the change in us that we so desire, as well as our world around us.

Gifts Galore!

FREE CHRISTMAS DOWNLOAD

This is your last chance to get access to the free MP3 of "Silent Night Midnight Clear." for Christmas! Sample and Download from NoiseTrade. Your link to download is emailed to you once you submit your request. 

☆♪♫.•*¨*•.¸¸♥¸¸.•*¨*•.♫♪☆

Why is it that no one knows what I really want for Christmas? No one in my family just knows me so that when they go shopping, that they would recognize gifts that make them think of me? So when the time comes for them to buy Christmas gifts, they want you to drop hints WITH pictures and they also want the name of the store too! 

Often as Moms and wives (and Dad's too) we are busy "giving" and nurturing. We're the one who is always asking them questions and they do the talking. As we listen, we learn about the little things that interest them. We understand them. There are times when any one of us can find disappointment by the gifts under the tree in spite of the fact that we want to be grateful for them. 

There is one gift will never disappoint us. It is the one gift that has enabled every other gift in our lives. During this Christmas season, remember to make the gift of God's love, Jesus, your strongest focus. While you're gathered with family and friends, remember that they are also an eternal gift. They need Jesus' love as well. The gifts under the tree are simply thoughtful attempts in the form of mere tokens, that will one day fade away. Family and friends are treasured gifts that have eternal value. God's love and the gift of his son Jesus is the greatest gift that you could give them and yourself this Christmas!

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. -- James 1:17

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 Enjoy a short video of some of the music from the Christmas Cafe along with an original Christmas Story . . .

"The Angel's Window" 

Christmas Cafe Success

The Christmas Cafe "The Glory of Heaven" took place on Wednesday Dec 11th in London Ontario.  The evening was festive and full of music as well as an inspirational dramatized Christmas story that I shared as well.  The evening was Hosted by Marion, the host of the afternoon radio show on Faith FM London, she kept things on the ball and in time.  The evening opened up with some fun with Judy Carscadden who sang the audience through the 12 days of Christmas, adding silly and humorous effects to each verse.  The audience thoroughly enjoyed it.

Opening with some festive music.

The music that I did was a mix of favourite Christmas carols done with new fresh arrangements, and included some favourite hymns. Ken Quarrie joined me, playing his guitar and Mat Monoogian on the Cajon (Percussion instrument), for a cafe style segment of original Christmas music and a story.

The evening had 16 volunteers and nearly 30 sponsors between sponsors, door prizes and raffle items and the proceeds raised funds for the families in crisis and crisis pregnancy project through the Benevolent Fund  with Second Chance Ministries. The admission was only $5.00 for such an eventful night, lavishly decorated in Christmas style, music, a full array of refreshments and music and festive fun.

Marion from Faith FM in the red sweater  &
Laurie helping her with the door prizes on stage

The only disappointing thing was that our video camera quit and we didn't get the whole thing. We're also limited on the number of pictures available. We did get a segment from the evening and that will be available the next edition of the blog. It was definitely a vision and an evening that I could not have accomplished on my own and I am so thankful to God for each one who volunteered, sponsored the event and for those who attended as well.

What you see hear is less than half of the room!  It was a packed out house with just room at one table and a few seats on the side, when the crowd had settled in to start the show.

Marion from Faith FM with Laurie (middle) and Judy Carscadden at the
Radio Station doing an interview the Monday before Dec 11th.

Check out the latest goodies below

FREE CHRISTMAS DOWNLOAD

An MP3 of "Silent Night Midnight Clear."   

Sample and Download from NoiseTrade. Your link to download is emailed to you once you submit your request. You have an option to tip the artist for their free download or just simply skip this step.

Learning from Sandi!

Sandi Patty released a brand new CD in Sept 2013 that has revealed a simpler, less complex musical styling for her. She says "These songs have been, for my life, the lyrics and the message that I have needed, reflecting the simpler, gentler, laid-back side of life."   Listening to it, unravels your day and wraps you into God's peace because it expresses personal intimacy with God. The new CD is entitled "everlasting" and is exclusively available through Target stores.

Along with this new CD, a new website design followed. A recent visit to her website shows that Sandi Patty is leaning towards simplifying life.   Life is busy for Sandi and I'm sure that this makes more time in life for the things that matter most. The new blog format of Sandi's website enables her to do daily devotionals and post them easily to keep in direct contact with her website visitors and those who follow her music and ministry. This is key and very important, and shows you where her priority is.  There is also definitely no need for bells and whistles with an artist like Sandi, whose voice shines and stands out above the busy-ness of life.

As a teenager, I remember when I would spend hours singing along to every Sandi Patty song. I would challenge myself with whatever the next big note was on every song.  It had to sound just like her with ease and perfection. I'd pray and ask God for help and I practiced and practiced until I got it right.  Then the day came when I started to sound like Sandi. That would be great, except I'm not Sandi, and I never will be. Even Sandi herself would agree, you need to be yourself. You need to be unique with all the quirks, personality and style that God has given you.  Sooo ... I put away the high notes when I became ill and never looked back. However, being me was better than being Sandi, because I walk my own journey. While there are similar things in life that we can relate to and share the same faith, we also walk different roads to the same destiny -- eternity.  We have different lessons to learn in life and different experiences, yet we can both learn from one another too.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us  --- Hebrews 12:1

I'm thankful for the long distance music mentoring that Sandi has unknowingly been for me. It has shaped a part of me. The message and music, just like many other Christian artists that I've listened to, have always pointed me in the right direction, where I can find my Lord and Saviour as a refuge and resting place. The music has been an inspiration in my life and an encouragement to strive for excellence in my own calling and gift.

Thanks for stopping by for the latest reflection on music and ministry.

Check out the latest goodies below

FREE CHRISTMAS DOWNLOAD

An MP3 of "Silent Night Midnight Clear."   

Sample and Download from NoiseTrade. Your link to download is emailed to you once you submit your request. You have an option to tip the artist for their free download or just simply skip this step.