Will they know? - CARLETON

 “They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes, they will know we are Christians by our love"

That phrase has been going through my head a lot lately. What does that phrase mean? First of all, who is "they"? It could be referring to non-Christians or as some would like to call them "pre-Christians". Or maybe "they" are anyone we come into contact with on a daily basis. So that makes we wonder, do people I come into contact with know that I am a Christian? Did the very patient lady at Superstore today know that I am a Christian? Should I have preached to her, so that she would know? Of course not! What does that lyric say again, by our love? How did I show Christ's love to her today? Good question.

As I ran around town today doing errands with both girls in tow, how did I share/show God's love for the people I came into contact with? I don't think I did very well today. Actually, to say I blew it would probably be good way to describe my behaviour today. Which I am thankful that I am now recognizing and I can try to do better tomorrow.

I am the role model of this for my girls. Well, my husband is as well, but since we have two daughters, it will be more from me. So what did I teach my daughters today about showing Christ's love to people? Not very much! Thank God, I have tomorrow. We have to make a conscious effort of how we are going to choose to behave and what we choose to represent, or who we want to represent.

When I was in the modelling industry we were told that before we ever left the house to look in the mirror and evaluate if we were representing ourselves and our agency appropriately as models. Now when I wake up in the morning and I am looking at my reflection in the mirror I think I need to be asking a better question. “Am I going to choose to represent Christ today?” When I come into contact with “they” will “they” know that I am a Christian by my love? I hope and pray that tomorrow will be a better day!

 

Cj Carleton is the 2008 Canadian Christian Writing Award winner for her first book “What Makes You Unique? Discover the Truth or Believe the lie”.  Learn more about Cj by visiting www.cjcarleton.com You can also connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

Marked or Marketing?- CARLETON

The other day I noticed a tweet from Christine Caine that read “It is far better to be MARKED by God than to try & MARKET yourself...marketing makes you known...being marked makes you anointed & effective.”

That tweet has been going through my thoughts repeatedly.  Since my book came out I have felt the pressure to play the marketing game.  I must admit that I have dabbled in this game, even though I felt extremely uncomfortable.  I admit that I did receive some degree of publicity and a sense of being “known” while playing the game.

As I look back over the time since my book was published I would have to conclude that the time I spent developing and growing my relationship with Christ rather than my marketing campaign I have seen God sized works.  I have witnessed things much greater than I could ever dare to ask or hope for.

I am going to hang that tweet right beside my computer screen and when I am tempted to the play the marketing game I will do an about-face and invest in what holds lasting value-- my relationship with my Lord and Saviour.  His marketing plan is always better.

Cj Carleton is the 2008 Canadian Christian Writing Award winner for her first book “What Makes You Unique? Discover the Truth or Believe the lie”.  Learn more about Cj by visiting www.cjcarleton.com You can also connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

God Knows Everything- Carleton

I have been studying for the online Bible Study that I am leading in the fall.  Psalm 139 is an important chapter that we study.  So I thought I would start there.  I didn’t get very far when Psalm 139:3 stopped me in my tracks.

“You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am.”

I always knew about the “path” that I am continually trying to locate and stay on.  But telling me where to stop and rest was something I don’t ever remember reading or learning before. 

If I had to pin point my location on the path I would say that I am at a resting place.  I have tried fighting against this rest stop.  I can see the road ahead of me and I want to keep moving and reach for the goals that God has me striving for.

The more I fought the harder God tried to hold me in the resting place.  Why would I want to fight rest?  Looking back on the last two years I am asking myself a lot of questions.  Currently I am enjoying the rest.  I now know that this is a time of “being still” and taking time to study and prepare for what God has next.  I am enjoying it and treasuring this time that I get to spend with my Lord.  I am learning and growing tremendously; I have learned to be thankful for this time. 

The question arises again.  Why did I fight this?  Why did it have to come to the point of health issues and job loss for me to give in and give myself over to a period of rest.

As a society we are driven to succeed.  A period of rest could look like laziness and lack of dedication to the calling that God has placed on your life.  I was enjoying what I was doing for God, why would I want to stop?  I was helping people-- encouraging people to live their lives with and on purpose.  I won a National award for my book-- why would I want to stop when everyone was asking when my next book is coming out?

Now that I have chosen to stop and rest I have a clearer vision of what God has in store.  It is bigger and greater than anything that I was striving for when I was fighting the rest, and something I would have never seen if I didn’t have this time of rest.

Every moment you know where I am and why I am there.  May I continue to be obedient and trust that you know the path better than I may think I do.

 

Cj Carleton is the 2008 Canadian Christian Writing Award winner for her first book “What Makes You Unique? Discover the Truth or Believe the lie”.  Learn more about Cj and her upcoming Online Girls Bible Study by visiting www.cjcarleton.com You can also connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

The Two-Minute Miracle- Carleton

I gave myself a challenge for the month of March.  The challenge is to study a chapter of Proverbs per each day of the month; I called it the 31 Day Challenge.  I decided that I needed something to hold myself to it, so I have been blogging about it each day as well.  I advertised what I was doing to my Sunday School class, to my friends on Facebook and my “followers” via my blog.  To my surprise and excitement several others were up for the challenge as well; we are all becoming wiser by the day.

It has been great to start my day in the Word, too often I find myself only reaching for my Bible because I am not sure what else to do and I am procrastinating on my housework.  Now that I am accountable to post on my blog each day I get excited to see what I am going to learn and share with my readers.

I do have to admit that on occasion I have found it rather difficult to do my daily studying of scripture; my daughters had three days off of school and trying to find “me” time in the morning wasn’t happening.  One night I did my post at 11:45pm, that was cutting it pretty close.

On Saturday I thought I would pull out a book to read with my morning coffee.  Since my time seemed frazzled lately my eye caught a book that had been sitting on my shelf for a while.  It is called, “Sacred Chaos” by Tricia McCary Rhodes.  I saw her interview on 100 Huntley Street and I ordered the book but had yet to read it.  It is organized in short chapters and it is about connecting with God in the midst of our crazy chaotic lives.  It seemed a perfect fit!

In Chapter One you read about the Two-Minute Miracle.  I love this!  The premise of the Two-Minute Miracle is--- if you are having a hard time trying to dedicate or make time for something, such as studying your Bible.  Make a promise to yourself that you will do it for two minutes.  Most of the time it is the getting started that keeps us from doing things.  So if you can get to the two minute mark mostly likely you will be engaged and continue on a little while longer.

This has been good for me on the days when I can find several others things that I think I should be doing rather than studying another chapter of Proverbs.  But I make myself sit down with my Bible, commentaries and IPOD (we are listening to a Proverbs Podcast as well) and as soon as I have everything set up and my Bible is open I can’t think of another place that I would rather be.

If you are finding yourself struggling to find time to include things such as prayer and studying scripture in your daily life give the two-minute miracle a try; it works! (I’m starting to sound like a infomercial J)

Cj Carleton is the 2008 Canadian Christian Writing Award winner for her first book “What Makes You Unique? Discover the Truth or Believe the lie”.  Learn more about Cj and her upcoming Online Girls Bible Study by visiting www.cjcarleton.com  You can also connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.