TOP 10 LIST - David Letterman Style! (ok...maybe not!)

 

 

    My version of David Letterman's Top 10 List!  Only these aren't  funny (although they can be fun!) because I'm not that witty....I wish I was....but in my humble opinion, they are vital to living a life of happiness!

 

TOP TEN LIST TO THE TRUE WAY TO FIND HAPPINESS!

 

#10 - As hard as it is.....FORGIVE people who have hurt you.  It's not for them...but for you!  Free the anger in your heart. 

     Matthew 5:43-44  ⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

       #9  SERVE OTHER'S - Don't just sit back and wait for people to help you, even in hard times.  Get out and help those in need.  It will bring you more joy than you can imagine and you will forget about your troubles for a while.

Mark 10:45  ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

     #8 TALK TO GOD, pray and ask Him to guide you in your life.....EVERY....SINGLE....DAY.

Matthew 7:7-8  ⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

 

     #7  STOP TRYING TO BUY HAPPINESS!  Be faithful with God has blessed you with and use it to bless others.  Give until it hurts.  That is when you draw closer to God.  When is the last time you said, "God....I need you!  I have everything I want!" ?  Just sayin!  :)

Matthew 6:19-20

19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.

 

 

     #6  Don't worry - Be happy!

Matthew 6:25-27

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
 

#5  Know you are worthy of God's love, no matter what you have done in your life.

Luke 5:31, 32 ³¹ Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

#4  HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND YOU WILL LIVE IN ETERNITY WITH HIM.

John 4:13, 14  ¹³ Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 3:16  ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

 

    #3  Give all you worries to God.  Then rest, and know He will take care of you.  It may look way differently than you had planned....but he is faithful.   Don't you dare take those worries back either!  (That's the hard part.)

Matthew 11:28-29 ²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

     #2  TRUST!  Make your plans according to God's Will.  His plans are greater than ANYTHING you would've come up with anyway!


Jeremiah 29:11
¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.


#1 I've got nothing to add except that I think this one is the most important!
 
Romans 12

Place Your Life Before God

 ^1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Answered prayers!

    If you haven't read my post previous to this one....stop now and read it first.  I want to share with you all how God answered me that very day.  It's so important to notice when He answers your prayers.  Sometimes we just think, "Well that worked out nice!"  because of the subtlety.  But there was no mistaking what took place this last Tuesday.

    Right after I got off my knees from praying and seriously begging like a toddler for God to move in big ways to bring us supporters.....I got a text.  It was my sweet friend from HS, who is one of our monthly supporters.  I told him I was having a rough morning.  He gave me so many encouraging words that were definitely God speaking through him.  He reminded me that we have to put ALL our trust in Him.  He said just that morning he noticed his finances were scarce and did what seems to be counter-intuitive.....he wrote a big tithe check.  He has seen God pull him through tight spots when He gives it to him.

   So encouraged I went about my day.  I picked up one of my sweet students and took her on a girl's day out.  We went horseback riding at our friends house.  It was hot and humid but refreshing and regenerating!  Right after I went through a drive through at my pharmacy all sweaty and not to fresh looking.  As I spoke to the Pharmacist, she asked if I still lived at the address that had on file.  I laughed because it was like 5 houses ago.  She wanted to update it and I politely told her there was no need because I was moving out of the country soon.  She was curious where and when I told her she said she had heard about our family  She told me her husband was just in Haiti on a mission trip.  She requested info and I gladly reached into my purse and pulled out several of our information brochures! 

    Later that evening I get a call from my sweet friend who is also a supporter and said that her mother (another supporter) has a voucher from Delta airlines she wants to give us!!!!  Ok....so for some reason we usually fly American but this time we are flying Delta because it was the ONLY airline I could find that has night flights.  The reason that is so important is because we can not take our pups with us if the temperature will be over 85 degrees where we depart or land!   So Delta it is!  Who would know this....except God!!!!!

   Wait.....there is more.  I woke up the next morning to an email that said that my friend from HS with all the encouraging words....his check had been sent to us!  $500!!!!!   Reminding you that he already supports us monthly.  He had sent it before we had spoken.  Chills right?  The email also said that the girl at the pharmacy had signed up to be a monthly supporter!  Seriously?  It couldn't have been because she was all impressed by me.  I was tired and hot and not my spunky self.  It was all God prompting her to do so.  When I looked at her last name so I could look her up on facebook I realized that she was a doctor's wife.  The same doctor that my former office manager had been trying to introduce me to because he had a heart for missions!  So God was like, if you can't meet him then I will arrange for you to meet her! 

   I LOVE when God shows off like this!!!  So when people doubt and when I have glimpses of doubt that we WILL be fully funded in 17 days and ready to go!  I say.....ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD! 

    If you have been prompted by God by reading this to sign up with us....please click the big yellow Go MAD box on the right side of this page.  Click on Make A Donation.  Under 'Program Designation' click Brian and Jenny!  Walk this walk of faith with us!  Help us share with the families that desperately need us in the DR, what AMAZING things God did to help us get to them.  We all need HOPE and walking in COMPLETE FAITH is the only way to have it!!!!

Deny myself? But I have never heard a commerical for that!!!

      I'm probably not going to sound like I've got it all together in this post....because I don't!  My emotions are all over the place.  I am the kind of person that NEEDS to learn something from every situation.  I have always said if you don't learn something or use your struggles to help someone else then they were all in vain.

   Here is what God is showing me this morning.  As I was having a conversation with my Mom about what the plans are for the next few weeks. When are we leaving?  Where are you going to live if you don't get all your funding?  What's going to happen if in 6 months you don't have your funding?  My answer was, "I don't know."  (I love you Mom and understand your worrying.)  But this is a journey of FAITH which doesn't come easily or I wouldn't have to fall onto my knees daily and talk to God.   Do you know how hard it is to be moving out of your house in 3 weeks and not knowing if you are leaving yet as planned or staying and waiting for God to move in people's hearts to partner with us?  But as I am sitting here pleading with God this morning.  "God....please send our sponsors NOW.   Move in a mighty way to prove to me that this is your WILL.  I can't sit back and not know when I should buy my plane tickets or will we have enough to live on while we serve."  And do you want to know what "popped" into my head?  Yes Jenny....now you understand what the families all around the world are saying while they watch their child die of starvation or disease.  "How can I survive?  Where will I get food or medicine?  Why isn't anybody helping me?  How many times did I sit back and say, "Somebody needs to help them!!! Then I went and made MY family a huge meal and threw away leftovers."  I didn't think my little bit could help do anything....so I did NOTHING.

     So all the nervousness I have been fighting, the doubts and fears I have pushed back and handle on most days...they are still there.  But I am choosing to not dwell on them and focus only on God.  I have to stay in the word and talk to Him.  It's the only way I can keep my sanity through this journey and it's STRENGTHENING my faith like NEVER before.  Do I wish it would come easier?  Ah YES!  Is it fun to suffer?  NO!  Is it easy to wait?  Nope!  Do people think I'm crazy?  Yes!  But I think if we always are in "control" of our resources, bank accounts, 401k's and have everything all tidy and "secure".....when do we ever have to rely on God?  When do we have to put our TRUST fully .....I mean every single bit of it...... into the Maker of Heaven and Earth??? 
    
     So what about those families that I was just mentioning before...the one's watching their children suffer and die before their eyes?   What if they had never been introduced to God?  What if they don't own a Bible?  How do they handle their fears, their struggles, their desperation?   Who do they turn to?  Where do they find HOPE?

     We need to all pray and listen and ACT!  We need to give until we suffer. Because it's in that suffering that we grow closer to Jesus.
  
    I'm probably not getting this whole story right but Brian was telling me about a man that Francis Chan had interviewed who was thrown in a prison because he lived in a country where you were persecuted for being a Christian.  He had managed to keep a tiny piece of a Bible verse he had torn out and hidden.  He was locked up for a long time with only the verse to read and give him hope.  When he was finally released and had everything at his disposal again he BUT he wished he was back in the prison facing death daily.  He explained that when all he had was those words from Jesus and no other distractions or resources or help....it was then that he felt the closest to God. 
 
   Don't let the distractions from this world get in the way of what God has called us all to do.  That new outfit, cappuccino, another meal out or the latest electronic toys are all just immediate gratifications.  They will fade.....trust me I know...but knowing you Made A Difference in someone's relationship with God will also strengthen yours.

What the world teaches us.

What the Bible teaches us.


Mark 8: 34-36
34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

Look What I Found!!!!

    I know Christ Followers can freak people out sometimes with our enthusiasm...haha....so I argued with myself before I decided to go ahead and write this post.  The reason I struggled was because I didn't want anybody to think I was specifically speaking at them....because I'm not.  I placed God on the back burner for so long in my life before I realized He has to be the front and center.  I just so badly want everyone to "get it" so I'm sharing what my journey has been.  So if you read this and feel anything but encouragement maybe you need to pray about why. 
 
     When we first started out fundraising.....silly me...I truly thought, "No problem!  We have so many friends....this will be a breeze!"  Well.....what I quickly learned was this is SOOOOO not about us and all about God!  If I had put our first request out for monthly supporters and BOOM....300 people stepped up I would've been like...."See!  Aren't we popular!"  Okay....I may not have said exactly that ....but I would've so been giving myself the glory for being recognized as a good person that wants to go do good things and people trust ME!  Don't get me wrong....I want you all to trust me and KNOW that I will be doing the BEST that I can do glorify God's kingdom!   But God wanted to grow me.....He wanted me to see this whole journey is about HIM and what HE will bless me with.  He wants me to give HIM all the control.  He wants to be the one that steps into your heart and make you trust HIM with the gifts that He has given you. 
 
     Brian and I have not chosen the easy roads through out our marriage.  In the beginning we did not put God first in our lives and because we didn't we made some pretty crappy choices.  We lived wayyyy past our means and struggled like so many people do.  Luckily when we went through the struggles we didn't just blame the world and get mad and feel sorry for ourselves.  We took accountability and we turned to Jesus to help us get on the right track with all of our priorities.  We sold our huge house with the huge payment and bought our adorable little country home with a 1/4 of the payment.  It took a while to catch up on the mess we had gotten ourselves into BUT we listened to God.  We tithed, we supported 2 missionaries we continued to support Rubelsi, our little boy with Compassion International that we have supported for about 10 years now.  We had foster children, we prayed, we listened, we went on mission trips.  We never, ever, EVER...not even ONCE regretted any of those decisions.  We never said, "Oh man....I really wish I had that $200 (or whatever amount) back that I gave to other's so I could have a new outfit or toy or whatever we thought we be cool to have.
    
     The totally awesome part is....because we listened to God....we are so much happier, less anxiety, less stress, happier marriage.  Our kids know WHAT to VALUE now. 

    So this IS NOT another post on why you should become a monthly partner with us.  That truly is between you and God.  This is my post about that I truly hope and pray that if you are living the way that I used to......seek God.  Trust God.  Ask Him....what plans do you have for my life?  I guarantee His plans are WAY better than the one's you are trying to achieve without His approval. 

     What prompted me writing this post was when my friend MarLo wrote these words on her facebook status.  It was my message from God through her.  Brian and I had just sat down and looked at our sponsors.  We have 4 weeks and a longggggg way to go.  I keep saying God will do it in a way that we know it was ALL HIM!  But those little waves of nausea creep in when you look at the actual numbers and time frame.....So these words brought me the PEACE I needed right when I needed it.  I pray they will bring you as much peace too! 

"Never be overcharged with anxiety. I am your burden-bearer. Never be anxious for the morrow, for on the morrow I will be your sure supply. Praise Me now, and let your confidence in Me be manifest. So will the faith of others be encouraged, for your life is a witness to many." (Come Away My Beloved)
     

Hope vs No hope

  

"Where do I start?"  I find myself asking myself this question almost daily.  Sell everything, learn about home schooling, fundraising.....it's completely overwhelming to get ready to change everything about your life and move out of the country.

  The closer we get to moving the more the question has changed it's meaning...."Where do I start when I get there?"  God has placed on my heart the desire to go and serve....but what difference can I truly make?  I'm not a Bible scholar!  I'm actually still a work in progress!  How can I help?  But then I remember all the people in my life that truly made an impact....they were the people that "just showed up".  They listened, empathized, showed me grace and unconditional love.....hmmmm.....sounds a lot like Jesus.  

  In church today we heard about what our role is in this life as Christ followers.  Spread the good news.  So I consider my role in the Dominican one that all I have to do is be willing and God will equip me with what I need. 

• I will show grace,,,, the way He shows me grace. 

• I will hurt for those hurting... just as He does. 

• I will tell other's He forgives them.... like He does me. 

• I will share with them how much He loves them. 

• I will give them hope by knowing that Jesus walked on this Earth and suffered and died so that we can be forgiven because He could fully understand what it was like to live in our flesh.... with Him we don't have to suffer but will live the most beautiful life in eternity.

     When you dedicate your life to helping others....to fight "Satan's ideal world" of people suffering, starving, spiritually lost, and living with no hope, you will most likely find yourself under a spiritual attack.  Proof of this was just yesterday after church when my children went to Walmart while their father and I attended a meeting at church.  My 18 year old daughter Raegan, was wearing a long skirt that went to the floor, my 13 year old daughter Maddie, noticed a man standing behind them.  Soon out of the corner of her eye she saw him lean down and set his cellphone between Raegan's feet.  Maddie quickly realize the camera was on.  She kicked the phone, kneed the man in the chest which knocked him down.  She began yelling, "Don't do that!  Get out of here!  I'm going to call the cops!"  He scrambled to get his phone and took off running. 

   Now knowing we are going to the Dominican Republic to take a stand against Human Exploitation....doesn't it just figure that a spiritual attack like this would happen?  BUT look what happened because God lives in my babies heart!  Maddie did what she had to with no fear.  That my friends is how we all should live!  If we didn't stand for what is right .....then we would live in a world with no hope.

   I'm sure you have heard the term being Jesus hands and feet, but do you truly think about what that means?  Adam and Eve's actions caused us to live in an imperfect world.   But it is our privilege as Christ followers to do everything possible to help, teach, and serve those who don't know Him.

   So when you question yourself like I do.  Remind yourself that all it takes is the first step.  Trust God to equip you....grow you.....and push you to speak of a life of hope to whomever you come across.  Don't miss out on the opportunities because "your life" got in the way.  Because you will miss out on the biggest blessings you will ever witness.
   

1 Corinthians 10:23-24 (NIV)

23 "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive. 24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.   

 

Give Away!!!!

Go MAD with the Bland's Give Away! From now until June 18th if you sign up to monthly partner with us, we will put your name in a drawing to win this BEAUTIFUL Family Rules sign! As missionaries we have to raise 100% of our funds. Please share this status to help us get closer to our goal. Go to www.gomadministries.org. Click on Make a Donation. At 'Program Designation' click arrow and choose Brian and Jenny Bland.

Shhhhhh......don't tell....but I don't believe in Magic!

     If you asked any student at my Elementary School where I worked the last 5 years, "What did Nurse Jenny always give you to feel better?"  The majority would say, "Magic Crackers"!    (I will reveal what the secret ingredient that made them "magic" was here in a minute.)  What I learned very quickly when I first became school nurse was that each and every child needed someone to listen and take them seriously.   So my goal for each of my little patients was to give them validation.  I listened, I assess, I ask questions then I would give them my prescription.....which could be anywhere from a hug, band aid, ice pack, Tylenol or a Magic Cracker!  Sometimes the complaint would be legitimate....sometimes it would be a reason to get out of class.  Either way....there was a reason behind it.  They sometimes didn't get enough sleep, got in a fight with a friend, had a rough morning getting out the door (like we do at my home on many days) or forgot to do their homework..... so I treated them with respect.  Because after all...no matter what our age....isn't that what we want?  Someone to listen to us.  Someone to understand.  Someone to care.  Someone to make us feel safe.  Someone to make us feel loved. 

     So after 5 years of having the tremendous pleasure of loving and helping the students at my school I have stepped down so I can go serve in the same way to the families in the Dominican Republic.  I will have a whole new kind of challenges to help with but I plan on using the same prescriptions on them.....I will validate their complaints....assess how I can help....I will listen....I will understand....I will care and help to make them feel safe.  I will definitely make them feel loved. 

     Now to reveal for the first time in public my "secret ingredient" I added to my "Magic Crackers" ..............was PRAYER.  I would pray that they would fill the students with God's love....God's mercy.....God's healing. 

     One of my favorite quotes I had taped next to my desk was... "Live in such a way that those who know you but don't know God will come to know God because they know you." 

     So now unlike doing this quietly and to myself in a public school system.....I can tell the families in the DR how much God loves them.  I can help HEAL them by the power of HIS REDEMPTION, MERCY and GRACE. 

     And for both my kiddos here at my school and for my future families I will continue to PRAY that they will know that they ALWAYS have someone that listens, understands, loves and wants them to feel safe.......  that is their HEAVENLY FATHER waiting for them to TRUST IN HIM for all their needs.