MIRACLES in my MESS On Monday

{Just in case I do not finish reading to review by release date Tues., Nov. 7, 2017, I am sharing this so you don't miss out on Sheila Walsh's newest book}

"In the Middle of the Mess -

Strength for this Beautiful Broken Life"

a definite must read

especially for me

with a blog

named

"aMazing Grace - Mazes, Messes, Miracles"

FaithGateway

You can find out more over at Faith Gateway for a sample of this Study of Sheila's book also You Version reading plan and of course Sheila Walsh's website
I just happen to be blessed to receive  weekly devotional emails from Sheila Walsh
here's a personal note from her and this book
Sheila also appeared on Life Today for Wednesdays in the Word since Oct. 4th Part 1  Part 2  Part 3 Part 4 also one on  "Facing Depression"

Clearly, I am a bit biased and have found Sheila Walsh to be one of my favorite authors because I relate so much to her experience (not the same details) but close enough for the same "miracles in my mess" {which is probably why these words are part of this blog since its inception and before Sheila put her story together with this title - "In the Middle of the Mess"} and we all have Messes that God uses perhaps with Miracles that become our MESSAGE too! 

In this month of ThanksGiving, let's reflect on and with gratitude of how God turns our Messes into Messages to encourage and bring life changes in others, as Sheila Walsh speaks from her heart and life experience to help us find peace and strength in God, as we too struggle with hardships (or messes) throughout our lives, but we can encounter God by being authentic {like one of the other books I reviewed not too long ago: "No More Faking Fine" by Esther Fleece} letting us know God wants us to be real! ... with our brokenness, with life, with emotions.

I love the Group Discussions (which must be part of the study guide, because each chapter in the book ends with "reflections") that Faith Gateway shares after Session One video from Study Gateway on their site that I linked above, but have chosen this one for here: 

"Sheila noted the six sessions of this study. Which of the following holds the most promise for you? Which one makes you feel anxious the first time you read it? Brokenness is the beginning… the truth of our situation, as bleak as that truth may be, can set us free. Brokenness is hard… even on the darkest night, we never walk the path of grief alone. Brokenness is loud… even in our noisy world, we can learn to live in the stillness and quietness of God’s presence. Brokenness is to be shared . . . there is strength to be found in confessing our sins to one another. Brokenness is the path to healing . . . when we fix our eyes on God, we live a life of thanksgiving. Brokenness is temporary . . . what you are facing right now will pass."

"Brokenness is the path to HEALING!"
{fits both questions as the answer for me}
2017 God gave me HEALING as my One Word
although I am not completely healed I have seen "brokenness" as I've seen in years before so that I believe it will lead to my HEALING and hopefully HEALING for others

I don't think it's fair for me to review this until I complete reading the full book ... although my impression being half-way through the book, is as always ... a book meant for me (and you) to find "strength for this beautiful, broken life" and there is no one better qualified with compassion and experience than Sheila Walsh to lead us to God as our Source. My stumbling block in finishing this is so much of this is needed by me, applies to me, which causes me to go back and reread to be sure I got it and didn't miss it, but after seeing the Session One video, I am sure that Sheila Walsh has another best seller to add to her successes. Looks like I'll need to add the study guide, the saving grace is I cannot post my review at Amazon, etc. until the book is released. So my review is forthcoming and will be in time. Not only is this the "Bible Study of the Week" with Faith Gateway, but it is my Bible Study of 2017 and the competition has been really strong; lots of favorites this year aimed to help me heal and grow.

MESSES... this too is my story...

MESSES...

yep, the story of my life...

continual messes having to be picked up,

cleaned up, cleansed

straightened out Mazes...

This may look like a MESS, but the MESSES I'm talking about are wrongs; wrong choices & decisions... the 'Christianeeze' word is SIN. Many of us tend to shy away from that word: SIN.

People that aren't in church especially, but even many of us in churches. Many of us do not recognize our many faults as SIN. Our failings to make the right choice or healthy choice are SINS. Any wrong doing or poor choice in thought, word or deed.

Some believe that nothing is a SIN just a difference in perspective. But the Bible tells us and history does as well that WE ALL ARE SINNERS, WE ALL HAVE SINNED... yes, everyone of us. And there is no gradient of SIN. SIN is SIN. A MESS is a MESS. It will always be a MESS.

Perhaps it is easier for us to relate to it this way: there are or have been times in our lives when we have really MESSED up. Some MESSES involve other people. Some MESSES are just our own MESS that needs fixing. Many MESSES affect more people than you may be aware of at the time of the MESS. And some of those MESSES disappear at the time but lo and behold, they show up again later because we never really took care of cleaning them up correctly or completely just haphazardly for the time being or maybe we had no idea how MESSed up we were, maybe we were in a BLAME game or running away from facing the truth. Maybe we were believing lies and buried in deception.

Whatever the reason for the MESS, God is ready and always waiting to clean us up, wash us...

If you're even a little bit like me, you don't want to live the kind of life where you are barely hanging on, merely finding ways to cope with your MESS, your misery, your circumstance just to get by. Many of you have had this feeling like me that you absolutely would like to START your life over, or at least before this MESS overtook your life... 'I have been there, done that'... and I just don't want to continue THAT WAY.

I, for one, do not enjoy going around in circles, those MAZES that I showed you but still have not given any specific MAZES, but the ones where you head out in one direction and find either a dead end or you end up right back where you started. Especially if this WAY leads you into the same MESS that you were either trying to get away from, make right or move beyond. Especially the same territory or valley that you already thought you'd passed through.

And then you find yourself coming back to the same problems, the same habits, the same hurts, the same hang-ups and patterns from before, the same frustrations, same limitations, same mistakes... same MESSES. We need to steer clear of ending up calloused, hard-hearted, bitter, unforgiving, anxious, impatient, hopeless, unteachable with a negative attitude that will creep into ALL of our ways, sometimes without our awareness because we have not stopped the MESS

"We need to put our expectations in the Lord, He is the only One who should have power over our souls. We will never be happy until we make God the complete source of our fulfillment and answer to our longings and we need to stop putting those expectations & longings in other things & people." (from Stormie Omartian's book that we will be starting in September)

I decided, after far too many years wandering through the wildernesses and the deserts in my life, that I wanted (no, it was more than wanted) I needed to break free and break out of any self defeating cycles of repeated patterns and habits... NO MORE MESSES without a complete CLEAN-UP: HIS CLEANSING! Life was demanding that I become an OVERCOMER not just a SURVIVOR!

So you may be thinking (if you've been following my posts)..."ohh so that's when she gave her life to Jesus and accepted Him as Lord, and Savior. When she was MESSed UP the most. This is when she finally gets down to sharing her testimony ... and what no details of these MESSES?...the nitty gritty." No, not yet (sorry) I'm just not sure that sharing my MESSES really frees anyone. 

[Yes, confession is good for the soul, but ALL of theses MESSES were confessed back then & dealt with... and because much of my life involves other people's lives, I'm at this hard point of not sharing their story or messes and bringing any shame, condemnation or judgement on them. Yes, bringing issues into the light, does free me & hopefully them but not in a public place of infinite eyes forever.]

No, I have to admit this was not the beginning of my life knowing Jesus Christ, as my Savior... sad to say... this had to happen over and over again throughout my journey with Christ... until I finally GOT IT... awakened to all the knowledge I had in my head, learned but not totally submitted, and it sunk right down to where I thought it had been all the time... my heart. I knew the words, I had said the words, I even had meant the words the many times I found myself repenting for the same MESSES, but I had known Jesus & read His Word for many years, until I found out that I had not truly made Him LORD over my life or allowed Him to change me, transform me & mold me into ALL He desired me to be in Him. I had been working on doing it my way. I just had to make the wrong right. I made the MESS and I will do whatever it takes to FIX it, CLEAN it up and I'll keep trying until I get it right.

Perhaps, now I'm closer to sharing a personal life testimony...

THERE ISN'T A MESS

that

JESUS

cannot

CLEAN

UP

COMPLETELY

and
then

HE NAILED IT

ON

CALVARY

FOR

YOU

&

ME

Other parts of this MESS:

• WHERE DO I BEGIN..
• THIS IS MY STORY... Part I.

MAZES... this too is my story...

* went back and removed images or things that might make this a problem 

MAZE, MESS & MIRACLE MONDAY

IN THE OLAS ALTAS which means "HIGH WAVES" here in Mexico~


Footprints In The Sand sung by Leona Lewis

You walked with me
Footprints in the sand
And helped me understand
Where I'm going

You walked with me
When I was all alone
With so much unknown
Along the way

And just when I
I thought I'd lost my way
You gave me strength to carry on
That's when I heard you say


I promise you
I'm always there
When your heart is filled with sorrow
And despair

And I'll carry you
When you need a friend
You'll find my footprints in the sand
When I'm weary
Well I know you'll be there
Cause I can feel you
When you say

I promise you
I'm always there
When your heart is filled with sadness and despair
Oh, I'll carry you
When you need a friend
You'll find my footprints in the sand
(choir)
When your heart is full of sadness and despair
I'll carry you
When you need a friend

I promise you
I'm always there
When you need a friend
You'll find my footprints
In the sand

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is what the Lord has been speaking to me.

I have always loved this poem:

"FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND"
Without going into specifics so as not to lay blame or shame,

back when I came to Mazatlan in 1996,

-which was my second trip-

this POEM became a reality and a cry to the Lord

in a deep and depressed prayer to God from me.

My heart was indeed overwhelmed

and though I wasn't lost- I knew the Lord,

I could not overcome the "rut" I felt my life was in

...and had little hope for living any longer.

It was during Easter week, the week preceding Easter known in Mexico as

"Semana Santa" Holy Week.

I had been to Mazatlan in 1995 as a tourist with my adopted son, and his friend. And felt I had heard the Lord speak to me and call me there. But in 1996 when I returned, I was very burned out, exhausted and hopeless after a very serious medical crisis with our adopted daughter, which I dealt with alone, like a single parent for 6 months of life-making decisions, except for the fact that my church family gathered around me

and that they did much beyond the call of duty.

So when I came to Mazatlan, I was really searching "alone" about what was my purpose for living.

It looked to me like I had failed at everything:my marriage, my job(s), "motherhood"...

I so longed to be with the Lord yet I knew that would not happen if I took it into my own hands again...

I walked along the beach, along the Mazatlan coast many times, but on Good Friday, when I walked, I cried out to God:

"Give me a reason to go on living..."

And I watched as I walked how the waves rescinded and there were no footprints in the sand.

And so I cried out again...

"Look, Lord...not even now, when I'm at my lowest do I see you walking with me. I don't even see my own steps-they are just as washed out as I am, the waves come crashing in against the rocks, rippling along the sand, not leaving a trace of my steps, not even like my favorite poem, so even You have given up on me...

I could walk out into those waves and never be missed, the current will pull me under and someday I'll wash up on the shore somewhere."

Please, Lord, just show me You care! Give me Your Purpose, for me to go on living".  I was very much without HOPE and saw very little purpose left in my life. I saw no resolution for my problem(s), in fact, I was told that I was the problem.

YET

Our Lord was ALWAYS THERE

HE IS ALWAYS THERE!

He doesn't give up on us

He's just waiting for you

to notice how much He cares.

I don't know WHY I decided to share this

except

to let you know

THERE IS HOPE

in Christ JESUS!

HIS PROMISES & HIS WORD

ARE TRUE!

I walked through many MAZES like this one above throughout my life,

I caused many MESSES and many MESSES caused me undue stress,

heartache and desperation,

but I am alive and living for Jesus,

a PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE,

a MIRACLE of

HIS aMAZING GRACE!

FOR
"I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

What's in a NAME?

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet." Shakespeare ~ Romeo and Juliet

I'm
NEW TO BLOGGING
on

April 3rd, 2008
so

Why MazMagi.blogspot.com?

... and Mazes, Messes & Miracles?...

... aMazing Grace

[added later]

but has become my main name

because of God's Grace &

 how I am more aMazed every day by how

aMazing

Grace

is

Today is my first day of entering the BLOGGING world officially! Up until now, I have just been enjoying reading inspirational blogs of others, mostly Christian women. 

Today, I launch mine:

Mazes, Messes, Miracles ... aMazing Grace
now
aMazing Grace... Mazes, Messes, Miracles

But instead of giving a purpose for my blog,
or rationale of what I hope to accomplish or post,

I will explain the NAME.

First MazMagi and then aMazing Grace ... Mazes, Messes, Miracles!

MazMagi comes from
Maz for Mazatlan
the place I call home in Mexico
away from home in Minnesota
and
Magi a nickname for my real name.

In Spanish, my real name is a drink or a flower: margarita. I never used my real name in English, except for legal matters or when my father was upset with me, then I heard the whole name!!! Margaret Mary Teresa Anderson... but especially "Margaret Mary" from my dad. It was not a name of endearment but it came to be somewhat more precious when I studied the life of the saint, for which I was named

Margaret Mary

Alacoque

(a French nun devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus)

As long as I can remember (age 3-4), I have gone by "Peggy". Most people don't even understand how it derives from my real name, but it does. My dad would say that there is no "saint" Peggy, so I pray that I'm the first. (Although I believe when I was young, I read a pamphlet on Saint Peggy.) Anyways, my real name Margaret means "pearl" and from there, and other derivatives, comes Peggy.

In Mexico, many with my real name go by "Maggie" which in Spanish is pronounced and spelled Magui. (mah-gee) I chose to go by that at first, but I wrote it "Magi" on purpose (yet that is incorrect spelling of it). The reason was I wrote it like "Magi" was because of Jesus and The Magi at Christmas! The Three Kings, who brought gifts to the baby Jesus were known as The Magi. I added the background from "The Cutest Blog on the Block" for Christmas in honor of this.

2010 and 2011

When I come to Mexico, each trip, I usually try to bring gifts, because the needs of the people are so many! I don't have enough financially, as I found out on my first trip here, to meet so many needs, but my heart just broke with wanting to leave something, whatever I had to those who had less. I quickly decided that the reason I would come back every year was because I had a gift to give: me. Whatever I am, I would give, in the name of Jesus. Be it teacher or friend, I must stir up whatever gift or gifts lie within me to serve the people here in Mexico.

Of course, having a teaching degree, I thought it would be with CHILDREN, because children have held such an important place in my heart and God's, but I was soon to learn that God would use me, mold me, and minister through me with whomever He chooses.

The spiritual gifts that He has enabled me with, He will stir up, exactly what I need in the moment He needs it. If we are open to His Holy Spirit and willing to be used, He will speak to you and through you. His Word will be made real in your daily living!

So I am Magi...His gift...and my gift to Him is wherever He calls me to serve. That is the reason I live! That is the reason for MazMagi ... (mazmagi)

I really wanted to have my Blog have an inspirational name that reflects God's work in me and my life. I have found such beautiful and meaningful names that others have chosen. Than there are others that are comical and creative! So I wanted one, that one day I would be able to use as a ministry with what I post. I don't know if and when that will happen, so I chose:

... aMazing Grace

Mazes, Messes and Miracles 

because I guess that pretty much capsulizes
MazMagi's life.

I have MESSED up many times. I have gone through many trials, tribulations and temptations that have led me through this MAZE, called life or journey and I am aMAZED how God has seen me through the good and the bad.

But, I must admit I want to see many MIRACLES still in my life! I feel that the greatest miracle is the one God does each day in my life...because JESUS, His Son, not only did miracles in His 3 years of ministry, He still CAN do miracles today, through you and me by the power of His Holy Spirit. He is the greatest MIRACLE that came into my life and has had His hand upon me daily still, even when I may not have acknowledged Him or have strayed, HE was THERE & HE IS HERE reaching out, forgiving me, holding me, carrying me, filling me, leading me, completing my journey through this life by and through His Holy Spirit alive in me. The greatest miracle is how Jesus gave His life in exchange for mine, and Rose from the dead, conquered death and sin for me, or YOU-or anyone & everyone who puts their faith in HIM.

"For God so loved YOU and me, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believes in Him, shall not perish but have LIFE EVERLASTING! "John 3:16

The additional phrase aMazing Grace was added soon after I began, because I am saved by

HIS AMAZING GRACE!
...but for the grace of God, go I...

I am who I am

because

HE is who HE IS!

and by

HIS GRACE

I am being changed

to reflect JESUS!

I added this as my THEME SONG: Amazing Grace: My Chains are Gone by Chris Tomlin and now His aMazing Grace is my main focus, not the mazes, messes or miracles. It is through His Grace that I am free.

I love the original *Amazing Grace but this one by Chris Tomlin tells more of the Freedom I have found in Christ Jesus, which is available through HIS GRACE! Not because I earned it, not because I fought the battle alone to gain this freedom, but because Jesus fights the battle along side me daily, as I put on the FULL ARMOR of CHRIST, HE goes before me and HE already won the victory so that I may have it: aMazing Grace! How sweet the sound!

Isaiah 61 is the one from which I have chosen parts as my Mission verse on top of my page

"...to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor!"

You need to click on Isaiah 61 to read the full 11 verses & have a context to understand better to whom I pray that I will minister or touch with some of God's Grace as He pours through me and my words on each post. I pray that they will be anointed!

..."I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. 
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, 
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, 
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations."
(verse 10-11)

* this version of Amazing Grace is beautifully sung by this 8 yr. old phenomena Rhema Marvanne