This is a sad but true statement: those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it.

We are all in an unprecedented situation, around the world. Most of us have never lived in a world where something has affected every individual alive today.

There have been pandemics, plagues, wars, but nothing like this, in our lifetime.

The problem most have is that we haven’t learned what our parents or grandparents learned and went through. I can remember how my mom would save things, so that she could reuse them. Or, how she would grow vegetables and can them so we could have them in the winter months.

This preparedness in some cases saved lives. This history helped me understand that unless we’re prepared for the inevitable, we’re doomed.

We learn often from the mistakes of others, or from our own experiences. Let’s take a different approach to the world around us. Let’s trust God in this. How would that look to you? Trust His word; it’s a literal history book. It’s a guide to our next destination.

God has a plan for all of us, each of us, individually. Trust Him today and don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 - There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

A heritage is something you give to someone, usually money.  A legacy is something you build in someone.

If God blesses me monetarily in my later years, then I hope to leave money for my grandkids, missions and my church.  But it’s my legacy that I want to leave more than money.  I want my kids and grandkids to know that I walked with God, every day.  I want them to know that I trusted and relied on God for every season of my life.

Take time to let your kids and grandkids, or those around you, know that your greatest joy in life is your relationship with Jesus.  Tell stories of how He brought you out of tough situations and blessed you with so many great things.  And also, tell them of how, even in the strongest of storms in your life, God was there, right there and how you never felt alone.

Leave a legacy that will be passed on through generations of God’s love and mercy that He so freely gives.

Psalm 78:4 – “We will not hide them from their descendants;  we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,  his power, and the wonders he has done.

People around the world have one thing in common: we produce a lot of garbage, every day.  We consume and produce a mountain of waste that people in trucks come by our house weekly to take away and supposedly dispose of.

I would hate to live near these garbage dumps and be reminded daily of the stench coming from it.

As Christians, we come to Christ with a lot of garbage in our lives.  We have past hurts, broken relationships, anger, and most times bitter hatred.  We carry this with us through our lives, until we can’t take it anymore, and then give it over to Jesus.

This is what Jesus wants us to do.  He’s not expecting us to get cleaned up, straighten up our lives and make presentable to Him.  On the contrary.  He wants us to come to Him broken, with no where else to turn, or no one else to turn to, He’s there waiting.

Jesus can take years of garbage from your life and scatter it into oblivion, never to be reminded of again.

Don’t you want that?  What’s stopping you from giving your life to Christ today?  Aren’t you sick and tired of dragging around your garbage?

Collection day is coming for everyone.  You basically have two choices.  You can continue carrying around your garbage, until Jesus comes back for His saints, and miss out on eternity.  Or, you can set your garbage on the curve, ask Jesus to take it, and live a garbage free life!

2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!”

I read the above statement and it struck me that we sometimes have that reversed.  We think that we’ll pray for something and assume that we’re the one to bring the answer to fruition.  Then we go about our business, as if we’ve accomplished the task.

Praying to God is our lifeline.  It’s the open relationship with God that gives us purpose; an assignment each day.

We shouldn’t be giving God a list of requests and then sit back and wait for something to happen.

Asking God in prayer with an open heart and mind is essential.

Thanking Him in advance for what He’s doing in our lives is key.  This lets God know that we trust His will, not our own, for our path in life.

The next time you pray, imagine God taking notes and being ready to take action on your behalf.

Then, show confidence in your walk and talk, about the God of miracles, who’s directing your steps and caring for you.

Pray His Will for your life, and believe it!

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.

It seems like young women are arriving to womanhood a little earlier in life, than when I was growing up.  Their bodies seem to be developing sooner than later.

Physically, I was definitely a late bloomer in my early teens.  Emotionally, I was far advanced in age.  Sensibly, I was a wreck at the age of 15.

I was ten years old when my dad had a heart attack and died.  This devastated me and changed my course in life.

By the grace of God, I was saved at the age of 16; this choice literally saved my life.

I like to say I’m a late ‘Christian’ bloomer.  I grew up in the church, followed God until I didn’t get my way, and had strayed for several years.

By God’s mercy, He pursued me until I came back to Him.

Now, I’m sold out to Him.  He is my every breath.

Even though I lost my earthly father at an early age, God took over and has looked after me all these years.

It’s never too late to step out of your world and live for God.  God loves a bloomer, whether it’s Springtime or Fall. He has a purpose for the seed that lives in you to do great things.

Revelation 2:5 - Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

George Carlin, the comedian, had a skit where he talked about why people move.  It was hilarious, as he talked about why people take all their junk and move it to another house, and just keep moving their junk around.

Moving day is coming for me personally.  I’ll be moving across town to another house.  Although I’m excited about being at this new location, the thoughts of moving keep me up at night.

There is a future moving day that I am looking forward to.  It’s when I move from my earthly home to heaven.  

People act like this will be their home forever, but it’s not.  Whether you’re a Christian or not, one day your body will give out and you’ll leave this earth and go to an eternal home.  Hopefully, you’ll be joining me in heaven.

Are you prepared for your moving day?  I hope so.  If not, give your life to Christ today and rest easy, knowing your home in heaven is already prepared and waiting for you.

Acts 7:49 – “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.  What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord or where will my resting place be?

Bloated is defined as “excessive in size or amount.”  When you’re physically bloated, it feels miserable.  It can be brought on by many things, but it usually happens when you do something in excess, like eating too much, drinking too much, or even eating the wrong things.  I’ve had issues with bloating and it’s not anything I’d wish on my worst enemy.

You can also be bloated emotionally and spiritually.  You can be so full of yourself that you become arrogant.  My goal is to be spiritually bloated; filled with God’s love and Holy spirit, so much that it exudes from me.

What is happening in our society lately is that people are becoming bloated with all the bad news, the doom and gloom of the economy and the feeling of isolation.  We’re being consumed with worry, loss and emotional instability.

There’s a point where you have to walk away from the news and turn your thoughts on something good.

 Try it for one week.  Turn off the news, listen to worship music and read your Bible.

 Before you know it, you’ll be filled with goodness, so much that it will automatically show in your walk and talk. Become bloated on God’s word.

 Proverbs 17:22 – “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

When you become a Christian, you have a new character. The old temptations you used to have are not as desirable as they once were. When you embrace where you are and what God has done for you, it makes God more desirable than any temptation the world has to offer. This is what it means to love God.

It’s not just the verbal agreement that Jesus is the Son of God that shows others our faith. It’s embracing the significance of that truth. When you come to a point in your life where you can grasp and understand who God is and what He stands for, it’s then that you know without a shadow of a doubt that God is real. He sent His Son to come down to earth to be born, to live as a man, and to die on a cross, for our sins. And to be raised on the third day. This is the power of God.

Embrace where you are today. Life may not be as you want it to be, but know this: God is good and He wants nothing more than to give you the best life. 

You are where you need to be. God planned it. Engage in the life God wants you to have today.

James 1:2-4 – “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”