Enemy, BACK OFF!!

I have to remind myself that I need to be very careful within the confines of this post, for several reasons:

1)  I would never want to hurt a member of my family, whether it be intentional or unintentional;

and

2)  I do NOT want to give the enemy any credit for any thing--he is undeserving, underhanded, and. . .well, you get the picture.

I made my pledge to myself and to God that this year I was going to focus on being more

to Him, and recognizing how faithful he is, has been, and always will be to me.

I have been able to accomplish that feat in a couple of ways:

   1)  keeping up with my blog--it helps me to think more of Him and to count my blessings

   2)  memorizing scripture--something I've never really done intentionally before

   3)  prayer time--going up rather than being forgotten

Yet, with everything good, there is an equal and vicious not-so-good.

He strikes our good intentions, thrives on making us look like a failure, and uses the areas where our faithfulness should be obvious to make us look as if we haven't accomplished a thing.

I haven't been to church in what seems like forever. 

It isn't because I haven't wanted to be there--I love hearing my pastors speak. . .the singing is always a blessing. . .and there are several people there that just having them in my presence gives me JOY because I know they are cheering me on (love you, Piper!).

Call it coincidence or call it enemy attacks. . .

Children have gotten sick.

I've been sick.

Family situations have come up that had to be dealt with--not simple issues, mind you, but conversations that could not be avoided and that much prayer over led us to sit as a family to work things out. . .and by the time everyone had dried their tears and were ready to move on, church had started.

It just seems as if it has been something all the time. . .

Some people would argue that you can love Him and follow Him without ever setting foot in a church.

Maybe.

Other folks would argue that if you really did love Him as you proclaim then nothing would keep you from His house.

Maybe.

I want to be there.  I need to be there.  I want to be intentionally

to Him.

And I know that others may (or may not) be whispering. . .or wondering. . .or questioning. . .

Where I've been.

What my loyalty really is.

Why I have backslidden so.

But I have come to learn that what really matters most in my life is what GOD knows, what GOD thinks, how my relationship with GOD is affected.

Not what everyone else thinks.  Or says.  Or even cares for that matter.

And with that, I am going to start my day with my head held high, my eyes on Him, and a

heart.