Welllll, Holy Spirit is NOT letting me get off this "Giving" Theme so today, Holy Spirit is following up....CONFIRMING last week's Which One Are You? post, by speaking to US through one of my Fave Rabbi's.
Check out Rabbi Eckstein's message below as we get some more Fuel for Our Souls on Giving and Sharing......
A story is told about
a Jewish man who wrote a letter to his rabbi because he was unhappy and needed
guidance in getting his life on track. The letter read: “I need your help. I
wake up every day sad and anxious. I have difficulty concentrating. I find it
hard to pray. I feel that life has lost its joy and meaning. I need help.” The
rabbi delivered his reply without writing a single word. Instead the rabbi took
a red pen and circled the first word of every sentence: “I.”
The message was that
the solution to the person’s problem could be found in his focus exclusively on
himself. The rabbi was trying to gently, yet firmly, demonstrate that the
secret to a happy and fulfilling life is to take the focus off of ourselves and
place it instead on others. The happiest people in the world are the ones who
make other people happy.
In Proverbs we read
this powerful message: “Do not
let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them
on the tablet of your heart.” (Proverbs 3:3, NASB).King Solomon recognized the
importance of kindness, too. By telling us to bind it to our necks and inscribe
it on our hearts, he was teaching us that we ought to make kindness – as well
as truth – a major part of who we are both inside and out.
Most people go through
life asking themselves, “What is in it for me?” However, this ultimately leads
to a shallow existence and a feeling of emptiness. Life lived “all about me”
can be a very lonely experience. Instead of asking “What about me?”, we need to
start asking, “What about we?” In other words, how can I help us out? How can I
brighten someone else’s day? How can I make the world better for everyone?
In Hebrew, the word
for giving, natan, is a palindrome – it can be read the same
way forward or backward. This teaches us that no matter what end of giving you
are on, everyone benefits. But don’t just take my word for it. Go out and try
it!
The Talmud teaches
that kindness is even better than charity because it can be done for both poor
and rich, and with money or without any. Everyone can perform acts of kindness
today. Speak some encouraging words to someone who is down. Cook a hot meal for
someone alone or hungry. Help someone run an errand, or offer your seat on the
crowded bus to another person. Even something as simple as asking, “What can I
do for YOU today” can enrich your life as well as many others. Make kindness a
priority today!
With prayers for shalom,peace
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
Founder and President
Family, whenever Our Heavenly Father keeps knocking on my Heart with a message...with a To Do.....with a "Walk This Way Mona" nudge....I have learned from experience to LISTEN and TAKE HEED. And in the times I've done that.....been Obedient to His Guidance and Leading....I've come out the One Being BLESSED...and Being a BLESSING to others!! I've learned that in Giving and Sharing and replacing the I's with WE's, it's a Life lived of Freedom, Joy, Happiness and Peace!! And Who doesn't want that?!?
Mets Gushing Moments: 7 Line Army - WOW! What a Beautiful Gesture of Support last night in DC!
Oh Yeah! See the LIGHT Matt in those who've TRULY Got Your Back! Your Teammates and the Mets Powers to Be! ("Harvey will make his next start", says Collins) "For NOTHING is Impossible with God." (Luke 1:37).
Our Mighty Mets Men are MAKING H-I-S-T-O-R-Y EVERY TIME, **EVERY TIME** THEY TAKE THE FIELD!! Whewee!! I 'm continuing to Drink the Kool-Aid.......down to the Last Drop :)
Holy Spirit's been nudging me for awhile now about How WE Help (and I mean Genuinely HELP) Others..........How WE are **Representin** Our Lord Jesus when it comes to HELPING Others.
This may be either an "ouchy" or a "hi-five" message today but I ask that you take the time to REALLY search your heart for the answer to today's Post Title and to be Truly Honest with Yourself (nobody has to know but you).
I come from a Family of GIVERS......so it's in my DNA to ALWAYS reach out to HELP someone or someones (smile) in Need. When I was a little girl, I would come home from playing with friends and see my Mother sitting at the kitchen table with someone from our church, from the neighborhood, etc. who was in Need........whether financially, emotionally, mentally, physically or spiritually. As a child, I did not fully understand the Importance of what I continued to witness at my kitchen table but as I grew into an adult and Now, I see that my Mother and Father AUTHENTICALLY and GENUINELY cared for Others......they had Loving, Compassionate, Kind and Giving Hearts towards Others. Thank You Lord for Peggy and Adolph as my Parents!!
Anyway, You know as a child, you tend to pattern your life after your parents......so I (and I include my Brother Mark here because He's A GIVER Too ) are definitely products of our Parents...products of Parents who were Always Giving to Others.
Giving when we did not have it, Giving when it was not convenient, Giving when they did not feel like it....And Most ImportantlyGiving NOT to be recognized, Giving NOT to be applauded, Giving NOT to be in the lime light, Giving NOT to out do other folks who were giving, Giving NOT to boost their own egos and puff themselves up....Giving NOT so they could tell other folks how wonderful they were......but GIVING out of Pure, Compassionate LOVE for Others!!
Oh Yeah. Talk about "hands on training"!! Mark and I grew up in a home where we learned GIVING could be anything from your Time, Money, a Listening Ear, Clothes, Furniture, School Supplies, Household Needs, Golf Equipment (My Father was a HUGE Golfer)....to whateva the Lord put on your Heart to HELP and DO! No Matter what the Need, if God puts it on your Heart, YOU are to be His Hands and Feet. YOU are to be His Vessel to HELP Others. Holy Spirit FYI......**Sometimes Our Heavenly Father is TESTING Us to see our True Heart for Others**.
And, Most Importantly, we learned that Giving & Helping Others, Does Not Have An Expiration Date. Oh Yeah! Gotta say that again........GIVING & HELPING OTHERS DOES NOT HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE! That means you don't get tired and turn your back on folks, that means you don't start talking about those you are Helping, that means you continue to Help Others no matter how foolish you may look, that means you continue to be Obedient to God when He places someone or someones in your path who need Help, that means you don't STOP until the Lord gives you the STOP SIGN.
Real Talk/Covers Off Time: Loves, over the last couple years, Our Lord's had Mona in His PhD Class on GIVING!! He's been Teaching and Training Me on what it TRULY means to be His Genuine & Authentic GIVER....the one HE's chosen to use/work thru to GIVE His Love and Compassion to those who are hurting, to those who are unhappy, to those who live their lives with masks on, to those who are suffering, to those who are empty inside, to those who need God's Healing Touch and Love, to those who are angry and bitter, to those who are being victimized.
And Whewee!! As a result, He's placed me.....had me in situations where Giving has been inconvenient, Giving has been difficult, Giving has been humbling, Giving has been embarrassing, Giving has required Me to lean on Him 24/7 for Every Single Ounce of Energy and Sanity, Giving has been a Mighty Sacrifice, Giving has not been on Mona's Life Plan Timeline (smile).....where being His chosen Vessel to GIVE and HELP Others has Not Been Fun.....and Only by the Grace and Love of God have I made it! Have I graduated, with **HONORS**, from Our Lord's PhD Class on GIVING!! And looking back over the last two years........WOW! Has Mona Changed for the Better and learned, not only how to be a Better Giver, but how to be a Better Receiver when I'm in Need! Hallelujah!
Family, as I noted up top when we began our time together today, Holy Spirit's been nudging me on How WE Genuinely HELP Others..........How WE are Authentically **Representin** Jesus when it comes to HELPING Others.....How WE are Truly GIVING of Ourselves to Others (without Expiration Dates or Expectations of Return). Pure GIVING makes You Humble......God-orchestrated GIVING MAKES YOU HUMBLE (not arrogant or self-righteous)!!
And this morning, He plops this Scripture into my lap as Confirmation for Us, on what we should be doing as we walk out this thing called life as His GIVERS.........as His HELPERS.....
In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attached by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he tr aveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers"? The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:30-37, NIV)
Family, to bring this Bible Scripture into Real Time, into 2016, we can see that We as a People (and sadly some church folks y'all) are still operating in the same kind of selfish foolishness when it comes to being His Genuine GIVERS.....His Authentic HELPERS. But Thank God for the Good Samaritan who stepped up to the plate (not to boost his own ego, not to belittle the one in need, not for the accolades of others) but who Obediently and Unselfishly stepped up to the plate to HELP!!
Loves, as we close out our time together today, just want to take a moment to Thank YOU for ALWAYS stopping by on Wednesday to read and digest what "thus saith the Lord". I sooo Treasure our Time together and Love you ALL much much!
As we come full-circle with today's Message.......leaving You with the question that serves as today's Post Title (and, again, be Truly Honest with Yourself!)......Which One Are You?
Oh YEAH!!!!!! Here's what the Good Samaritan in the Bible looks like **TODAY**........ Thank You Jesus!! BLESS them Both Lord!!
"I'm sure that won't happen to you, friends. I have better things in mind for you - salvation things! God doesn't miss anything. He knows perfectly well all the love you've shown him by helping needy Christians, and that you keep at it. And now I want each of you to extend that same intensity toward a full-bodied hope, and keep at it till the finish. Don't drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them." (Hebrews 6:10, MSG).Shout Out Beautiful Monica!!!! This is YOU!
Happy Blessed Wednesday Family, Whewee! Does Mona have some corny, gonna make you laugh....or at least Smile...Funny Stories for your Wednesday! Enjoy the reads....... :)
The day finally arrived: Forrest Gump dies and goes to Heaven. He is met at the Pearly Gates by Saint Peter himself. The gates are closed, however, and Forest approaches the gatekeeper.
Saint Peter says, "Well, Forrest, it’s certainly good to see you. We have heard a lot about you. I must inform you that the place is filling up fast, and we’ve been administering an entrance examination for everyone. The tests are fairly short, but you need to pass before you can get into Heaven."
Forrest responds, "It shore is good to be here Saint Peter. I was looking forward to this. Nobody ever told me about any entrance exams. Shore hope the test ain’t too hard; life was a big enough test as it was."
Saint Peter goes on, "Yes, I know Forrest. But, the test I have for you is only three questions. Here is the first: What days of the week begin with the letter ‘T’? Second, how many seconds are there in a year? Third, what is God’s first name?"
Forrest goes away to think the questions over. He returns the next day and goes up to Saint Peter to try to answer the exam questions.
Saint Peter waves him up and asks, "Now that you have had a chance to think the questions over, tell me your answers."
Forrest says, "Well, the first one, how many days of the week begin with the letter ‘T’?" "Shucks, that one’s easy; that’d be Today and Tomorrow!"
The saint’s eyes open wide and he exclaims, "Forrest! That’s not what I was thinking, but ... you do have a point though, and I guess I didn’t specify, so I give you credit for that answer."
"How about the next one" says Saint Peter, "how many seconds in a year?"
"Now that one’s harder," says Forrest. "But, I thunk and thunk about that, and I guess the only answer can be twelve."
Astounded, Saint Peter says, "Twelve! Twelve! Forrest, how in Heaven’s name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?"
Forrest says, "Shucks, there gotta be twelve: January second, February second, March second...."
"Hold it," interrupts Saint Peter. "I see where you’re going with it. And I guess I see your point, though that wasn’t quite what I had in mind. I’ll give you credit for that one too."
"Let’s go on with the next and final question," says Saint Peter, "Can you tell me God’s first name?"
Forest says, "Well shore, I know God’s first name. Everybody probly knows It’s Howard."
"Howard?" asks Saint Peter. "What makes you think it’s ‘Howard’?"
Forest answers, "It’s in the prayer."
"The prayer?" asks Saint Peter, "Which prayer?"
"The Lord’s Prayer," responds Forest: "Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Howard be thy name..."
Reginald was terribly overweight, so his doctor placed him on a strict diet.
"I want you to eat regularly for two days, then skip a day, and repeat this procedure for two weeks. The next time I see you, you'll have lost at least five pounds," his doctor assured him.
When Reginald returned he shocked his doctor by having lost almost twenty pounds.
"Why, that's amazing," the doctor said, greatly impressed, "You certainly must have followed my instructions."
Reginald nodded, "I'll tell you what though, I thought I was going to drop dead on the third day."
Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson went on a camping trip. After a good meal and a bottle of wine they lay down for the night, and went to sleep.
Some hours later, Holmes awoke and nudged his faithful friend. "Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see." Watson replied, "I see millions and millions of stars."
"What does that tell you?" said Holmes.
Watson pondered for a minute.
"Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.
Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo.
Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three.
Theologically, I can see that God is all powerful and that we are small and insignificant.
Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you?"
Holmes was silent for a minute, then spoke. "Watson, you jerk. Someone has stolen our tent."
LOL Loves! I told you they were corny (I'm still laughing at the Sherlock Holmes' Camping Trip).......but I hope they made you chuckle....made you Smile. There's NOTHING like a Good Laugh........Fuel for the Soul......And from what I've heard....Laughing Keeps You Young :) "And so, he will make you happy and give you something to smile about." (Job 8:21, CEV)
Mets Gushing Moment:
OK!! Just Two Words........DONE! FORK!!
Hmmmmm OK! Few more words......BIG SEXXXXXY - #HitBallFar! Pitchers of PERFECTION - All God Stuff! Yo Goodness!! #KeepOnBreakingThoseRecords! Bull Pen....BULL DOZING!
Well today's Mona Girl Blog comes courtesy of Holy Spirit through Pastor Jeff Chandler from The Village in Atlanta, GA.
For the last few Sunday's I've been BLESSED to be in God's House, The Village, and I've been BLESSED by the Mighty Men of God, Pastor Ray and Pastor Jeff, who continue to bring a Relevant...Right On Time......Gettin Mona Ready for God's Next.....RIGHT NOW Word!
And LAST Sunday, Pastor Jeff preached about DREAMS!!! Oh YEAH!!! And how We are ALL DREAM CARRIERS and how We should ALL be DREAM ENCOURAGERS........NOT Dream Takers!!
Family, over the last couple years, I've been in environments where folks (who claim, btw, to be Believers/Christians...smh) are straight up DREAM TAKERS. They put down, sabotage, speak against, make fun of Your DREAMS. They try to dim the Light that shines so Brightly towards Your DREAMS! Whewee! What a horrible, unhappy, sad, unproductive and ungodly way to live. PRAYERS UP for them!!
And as Pastor Jeff explained, folks who do this....folks who walk out their lives this way.....folks who poo poo on Your DREAMS......Don't Have or Have Not Claimed their **Own** Dreams.......and that's why they're so eager to Crush, Take, Speak Negatively Against, Cause You to Second Guess....Your DREAMS!!
God has planted, downloaded into ALL of Us, DREAMS & DESIRES for our lives. And He's equipped us, Blessed us with the special gifts and talents to fulfill Our Dreams. That's why we are here on Earth.......that's why He wakes us up every morning....that's why we continue to hear His still small voice whispering (and sometimes Yelling - LOL!) to Our Hearts, Minds and Souls. Our Heavenly Father wants us to walk out in Real Time living as His DREAM CARRIERS! And that's why He brings folks into our lives who are Our DREAM ENCOURAGERS!! We are to help, encourage, "cheer on", build up each other and to Live Out Our DREAMS.....NOT to be Dream Takers!!
Following are some Scriptures Pastor Jeff shared to CONFIRM his Message and God's Promises to US which are now Riding Shotgun with Me.....and I hope You too :)
"We must also consider how to encourage each other to show love and to do good things." (Hebrews 10:24, GW) "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV) "Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God." (Romans 15:7, NKJV)
So Loves, I Hope and Pray you take this TIMELY Word to Heart. If You don't know what Your DREAMS are, Seek God in Prayer and I promise, He will speak to Your Mind and Soul. He will guide and direct You to Your DREAMS. He will connect you with DREAM ENCOURAGERS who are Also DREAM CARRIERS who You can Encourage! It's ALL One Big, God-Ordained, Circle of Positivity!
And Family, just like Pastor Jeff did, I leave you with the PERFECT Pic Word and Song to Walk Out...Run Towards Your DREAMS.........because You are a DREAM CARRIER who is Also a DREAM ENCOURAGER!! #DreamOn!! #GetYourDreamOn!!
Mets Gushing Moment:
If My Mighty Mets Men KEEP on Playing Like They're Playing.......KEEP on Showing Up and Showing Out.....KEEP on Drinking the Winning Kool-Aid (Big Gulp Size Pleez)!!! Oh Yeah!! Mona's **DREAMS** are definitely Coming TRUE!! #DreamOn!!#BackToWinItALL!!
