4 Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Ps 25:4-5 NIV

Show me your ways Oh Lord.  Teach me your paths. Guide me in your truths.  How I need to remember that on a minute by minute, hour by hour basis.  Have you noticed that when you step out in faith to do something that you will be tested?   If you haven't noticed that, then you haven't stepped out in faith.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV) That is what we are studying about in our Bible Study at the church.  "Living Beyond Yourself" by Beth Moore.  We  have just started the foundation really.  This past week has been on love.  The foundational fruit of the Spirit.

My pastor has been teaching on righteousness and holiness.  One of the things he said has really stuck with me.  "It is possible to have holiness and not have love, but is impossible to love and not have holiness."   If you have love, you won't hurt your friend.   Love fulfills the law.  1) Love God, and 2)  Love your neighbor as you love yourself. (Romans 13:8-10)  

This week I really needed to be at the Bible Study to hear what Beth Moore had to say to start out the week of the teaching.  We do five lessons on our own throughout the week.  I had to be at a staff meeting at work and missed the meeting.  (Unfortunately, I will be missing it once a month because these are mandatory.)  The Holy Spirit lives in me, and the fruit of the Spirit is already growing in me.  So, if I walk by the Spirit then I won't fulfill the deeds of the flesh, right?  Ha, it's so easy to write that!

There are times my sense of humor gets me in trouble.  The source of my biggest problem is normally my mouth.  That is what I have to put a watch guard upon.  Being in a new situation meeting people that don't know me and I don't know them.  We will get to know each other as time goes on so all is well.

I feel really blessed to work for my church and know that the Holy Spirit led me there. I was headed for a different place to put in my application.  The words I had said to my son came back to me, "Keep an open heart to a different direction,"   Well, now doesn't the Holy Spirit have a sense of humor? (This was after he was talking to someone at VLC about a job.) So, I called VLA thinking "Substitute Teacher" maybe. (I had done that when the kids were in school.) But Frieda told me they have in-house subs now.  However, they need help at the day care center and gave me the telephone number.  I thought to myself I can't lift babies!   Again, "Keep an open heart".  I called the number and was told they were hiring and went in immediately. Huh, must of had favor because I got hired.

I believe the Holy Spirit sent me there for more than one reason.  One of those reasons is prayer.  Prayer for the children and prayer for the employees/staff.  We all need prayer.  I hope someone is praying for me! The children are a blessing and so are the teachers and staff.  My pastors' (have two-Brother Jeff &  Brother Duane) daughters work there. There are young ladies working there that have gone or are going to VLA that know my son and my niece.   The director's son graduated with mine.  I've known her for years.  Her mother worked with my husband, Larry.  He has gone on to heaven, but he loved working with her.

Saying all of that to say this:  You may think you know someone, but you don't know them until you have walked with them awhile on a daily basis.  This is what God is saying to me.  I need to work as unto Him, and submit to those in authority over me.  Pray for those that are teachers of those little children. Pray for those who are in authority over you. The parents send their children to VLCDC for various reasons. One of them may be because it is part of Victory Life Church.  Another reason may be because it is the largest childcare in town. Whatever the reason, I pray that we, the staff of VLCDC, represent VLC and God with integrity as a Christian childcare facility.  That we walk in the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  The foundation being LOVE.  I am going to be repetitive and end this post with Galations 5:22-23 NIV.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control against such things there is no law."

God bless you and keep you.