Filling station

I grew up in an era when there were gas stations, usually called filling stations. These were full service gas stations that would fill your car with gas, wipe down all your windows and even check your tires in one visit.

These are almost non-existent now, although there’s some places in Oregon that still have guys and gals pumping your gas for you.

These filing stations equipped cars for the roads, ensuring that they wouldn’t run out of gas or blow a tire.

How about us? As Christians, we should be filling up on God’s word every day (not just on Sunday). This filling equips us for the day ahead. So we don’t run out of energy or words to share with others.

I spent many years running on empty, exhausting myself on useless activities and busying myself with pointless events.

Don’t think that showing up for church on Sunday morning is going to be enough to fuel you for the week.

Open up the Bible; read the words and let God breathe life into your days, and I promise you’ll be equipped for whatever comes your way.

Hebrews 13:21 - “equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Dianne PetreyComment
Keep hoping when it's hopeless.

Have you ever come to a point in your life when it seemed that everything you touch breaks? It feels like anything you seek to accomplish ends up failing.

I’ve been there many times, mostly during my 20’s and early 30’s, when I shut God out of my life and did things my way.

You’re probably wondering how that worked out for me. Honestly, I had lost all hope. Oh, on the outside, it looked like I had it all together. But, inside I was miserable.

I made myself lord of my life. I didn’t trust many people. Things that I had hoped would change, didn’t. Areas in my life that I knew could be better, stayed the same.

Until, one day, against my own dreams and hopes, my life started changing for the better. I still tried to resist, but something deep inside me said, “hold on, let’s see what God’s trying to do.”

Well, God not only started moving in my life, He moved me and my 8 year old daughter 1300 miles away. I was ready for a change, but didn’t realize what God had in mind.

I ended up meeting an amazing family in Oklahoma, who reminded me what a real family looks like. I hadn’t seen that during my early parenting years since then.

To this day, I hold the Free family near and dear to my heart. God used them to show Himself to me.

Don’t ever lose hope. There’s always hope in any situation if you have God in your life.

John 14:27 - “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Dianne PetreyComment
Trusting God, or tempted to compromise?

I’ve heard people say, “I’m worried about this or that and can’t even sleep at night.” If I know them well enough, I might say, “are you trusting God with this? Are you letting Him take control?”

The answer is usually met with a downcast look, or a short, “yes, but I still worry about it.”

That’s compromising the truth. If we truly trust God with our circumstances, even when they seem out of control and spiraling downward, then and only then can you replace worry with worship.

You can’t fake it either. God knows your heart. He knows when you’re just using the words, but your heart doesn’t change.

Don’t compromise with God. He already knows the outcome. He’s waiting to see if you let go of the reigns and trust Him with it.

There are people who make themselves physically sick with worry, depression and anger, when all of this could have been avoided with trusting God.

Put your faith and dependance on what God can do in the circumstance, because believe it or not, worry accomplishes nothing.

James 4:17 - “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.”

Dianne PetreyComment
DNA

DNA is technically described as deoxyribonucleic acid, a self-replicating material which is present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes. In other words, distinctive characteristics or qualities of someone or something.

Jeremiah 1:5 - “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

God made each of us. His DNA is in all of us.

This made me think of talents that we all possess. If I had a talent of singing (which I don’t), unless someone encouraged and supported me in singing, I would probably not pursue it.

Some of us have talents that we’re not even aware of. I didn’t even know I could hike long distances until my husband encouraged me to try.

I didn’t even know I could write.

My point is, we’re all born with God’s DNA. He fills us with His Holy Spirit (if we’re born again).

Once you become a child of God, He will bring out the hidden talents within you.

One of God’s greatest blessings to me is knowing that I have the talent of serving others, just like Jesus did.

Dianne PetreyComment
Life vest

I heard a pastor recently talk about a scenario of his congregation having life vests on. They were all in a giant swimming pool. He could see everyone had a life vest on, but he couldn’t know for sure if everyone knew how to swim without it.

He went on to describe some Christians, even though they came from a Christian home or went to a Christian school didn’t make them a Christian. Being a Christian is not an inherited lifestyle.

So, what’s keeping you afloat? Do you think that just because you went to Sunday School as a child that that’s your ticket to heaven. Or, because you haven’t killed anyone that God should let you into heaven.

There’s only one way to keep afloat; to be 100% sure you’re going to Heaven. And that’s to totally surrender your life now to God; to establish and maintain a lifelong relationship with our creator.

Have you done that? It’s not too late.

Stay safe out there. Don’t hide behind your life vest.

2 Timothy 2:15 - “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

Dianne PetreyComment
He won't deliver us from tragedy, but in tragedy.

I’ve heard people say, “if God is so good, then why did this happen to me?”

Hey, I’ve even said that before so I understand. But, honestly when I said that, I didn’t really know God. God wasn’t a priority in my life. My dependancy on Him was usually temporal at best.

If you’re thinking of the above observation, ponder this: If you met someone, started a meaningful relationship with them, but you only contacted them when you were in trouble or needed something. Sounds kind of one-sided, huh?

That’s the way some people try to treat God. Oh, they acknowledge that God exists and that He created the universe and everything in it, but that doesn’t mean they want Him to run their life.

It’s sad, because they’re missing out on the best of God. God already know us inside and out. Why not let Him into your daily life?

I can’t promise, nor does God promise that He will take tragedy away, but He does promise that He’ll be at our side, going through it with us.

Now, when tragedy comes, I know that God will be there, in it, with me. He promises to never leave me and I have found that to be true many many times.

Psalm 34:18 - “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Dianne PetreyComment
The choice is yours.

Romans 9:33 - “As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

I think you’ll agree that our climate is changing rapidly. The hurricanes have increased and the average temperatures are rising everywhere. Whether you believe it or not, the Bible says these are signs of the end of this age as we know it.

Most people ignore the signs, just as they did in the days of Noah and the ark. People mocked Noah for building this large boat, when they had never even seen rain before. They thought he was a crazy old man.

Did you know that God hates sin? Yes, He is a loving God and wants the best for us, but He is also a just God and must punish sin.

You see it on t.v. Those people who hear the coming of a hurricane, but refuse to leave their homes. They know the possible destruction and harm, but resolve to stay and think that their decision to face the storm outweighs the inconvenience of leaving.

Sadly, some of these people have not only lost their homes, but their lives.

Wake up. Don’t be like the people in the days of Noah.

Make the right choice to follow God today. Don’t ignore the signs.

Dianne PetreyComment
Emotional hoarders.

A hoarder is defined as “a person who has a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them.”

But, have you ever met someone who is an ‘emotional hoarder?’ Just like a hoarder, someone that hoards emotions has difficulty in parting with past hurts, anger, disappointment and distrust. They hang onto these emotions as if their life depended on it. They can’t part with these feelings. They actual find comfort in the bitterness that they hold onto. It’s their defense that they can use when they don’t want to give up the pain.

I’m no psychiatrist but I know from personal experience that holding onto the past will not allow you to go forward with your life. If you’re holding onto all these emotions, how in the world will God be able to come along side you and help you get through these times?

You’ll find yourself isolated from others. Let go and let God go to work on your behalf.

Jesus died a horrible death, was buried and rose from the grave for you. He can handle the emotional hoarder. But, you have to surrender it to Him.

Let go and let God do what He does best.

Philippians 4:6-7 - “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Dianne PetreyComment