I am in awe of Him. Seems every time I turn around I am viewing evidence of God at work, not only in my own life, but the lives of people around me. Not simply the "oh, isn't that a nice coincidence" sort of thing, but the "that couldn't be anything but God" sort of thing. It almost leaves me speechless...which is amazing in itself!
God is working all around us, but oftentimes we are too busy to recognize the hand of the Creator. Once you begin to see things for what the truly are, you find yourself looking even harder, not wanting to miss a single thing. Every moment could bring something amazing...one more reason to praise Him.
The thing I find even more amazing is that He chooses to use me in what He's doing. He certainly doesn't need me to get things done. I'm pretty confident the God of the Universe could accomplish His purposes without me. What an incredible privilege it is to be a part of the work He is doing in people's lives. Wow.
Lord, help me to have heaven eyes today. To look at the world around me with an eternal perspective, not missing out on the miracles you are doing. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of Your work here on earth.
God always keeps his promises. Always. Have you ever felt differently? Has there been a time in your life when you knew he had promised something and yet you found yourself waiting a long time to see the promise fulfilled? Have you ever been tempted to take matters into your own hands? We are by nature not patient creatures. We want to get on with things NOW. What we tend to forget is that with God's promise comes God's perfect timing. You can't have one without the other.
We see in the Old Testament, two opposite examples of the fulfillment of God's promises. Abraham and David were both promised something by the Lord. One chose to "help" God out when things seemed to be moving too slowly and the other chose to wait on God's timing, despite the fact that it took years to see any progress.
In an effort to see God's promise of an heir fulfilled, Abraham took Sarah's maidservant and had a child with her. The result brought about heartbreak and warring tribes that are still fighting for territory in the Middle East. How different would our world look today if Abraham had waited on God's timing?
David was anointed by Samuel to be king when he was still tending sheep in his father's field. He knew this was his role, despite the fact it took many years to come to fruition. Not only did he have to wait for the Lord to remove Saul from power, he then had to wait seven and a half more years because Ishbosheth assumed the role when his father died. David could easily have gone in and demanded to be king. He could have used his skills in battle to take what was rightfully his. Instead, he waited on the Lord's timing, all the while remaining faithful. He trusted God and put his faith into action.
I'll admit, patience is not one of my strong suites. Looking at these two OT heroes encourages me to wait on the Lord to fulfill his promises to our family. He will do what he says he will do, of that I have no doubt. The question is, do we have the self-control to live out our patience and see his promises fulfilled in our lives? David endured many things on his road to being king. He could have questioned God at any point. He may have wondered at times if God really was in control. Whatever his doubts, he did not allow them to control his actions. He chose instead to trust and wait.
Lord, help me to have the foresight and patience of David, to live my life knowing you will accomplish what you have promised, whether tomorrow, next week, or next year. I know you are faithful and will see your will accomplished.
Let me let you in on a little secret - people will offend you. At some point, someone will say or do something that will leave you saying, "Huh?" or "Well, I NEVER!" That little tidbit is probably no revelation to you.
How about this one - you will offend people. Yep. At some point you and I will say or do something that will leave others saying, "Huh?" or "Well, I NEVER!" It's easy to admit or fume when we're offended, but not so easy when we are on the offending end.
Why do I bring this up? All too often, I have seen people become hurt over something said or done within the church body. Most of the time it is not even a major doctrinal issue, but rather a slight offense to someone's ego or self-esteem. Rather than seek to reconcile the Biblical way, they merely stomp off in a huff to search for another church. The problem is there is no perfect church. Churches are entirely populated by HUMANS, who by their very nature are destined to mess up.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18
As far as it depends on YOU. Simply put, you can only control your response, not someone else's actions or words.
When we are offended, our fleshly reaction is to get angry, lash back, or high tail it out of the relationship. While these reactions may be common, they are not Biblical. Instead, we are to go out of our way to reconcile. If someone slaps you, turn the other cheek. If someone takes your robe, offer him your coat as well.
One of the enemy's favorite tools to use against Christians is an offense by a fellow believer. We fret and stew, running things over in our minds repeatedly until not only have we given him a foothold, we've essentially flung the door wide open and invited him to tea. Focusing on the offense takes our focus off where it should be - what God is doing both in us and in those around us. If we are so caught up licking our perceived wounds, we will be rendered ineffective to minister to anyone else.
So brace yourself. Decide before hand how you will respond when offended and be prepared to apologize if you find yourself on the offending end. So as far as it depends on YOU, there can be peace.
When God speaks, we had better be listening. A couple of months ago the Lord laid someone on my heart. I thought of them all week and wondered what was going on, but didn't take the time to follow up. Come to find out, this person had made a decision that took him down a different path...a path that makes me really sad. The Lord had called me to pray for him and I had dropped the ball. I realize God can and will still work in his life, but He was offering me the opportunity to be involved in what He was doing. I really missed the boat.
Fast forward to this past week. The Lord laid someone on my heart that I really don't even know. Having hopefully learned my lesson last time, I prayed for her and her family. I made time to call and leave her a message to let her know I was thinking of her. Seeing her in church this morning, I asked her how she was doing. Through her tears, she told me her husband was diagnosed with cancer this week. I didn't know, but God did. He wanted her to know He was thinking of her during her dark hour. I cried and prayed with her and walked away humbled and thankful. Humbled that the Lord would use me in someone's life. Thankful that this time I listened.
In the midst of our busy lives, it is so easy to not recognize or act on what the Lord is calling us to do. How often do we pray, "Lord, use me!" and then walk right past the open door He provides? I am so thankful He doesn't give up on me when I fail, but gives me a second (and a third and a fourth...) opportunity to serve Him.
Lord, thank you for using us to accomplish Your work here on earth. Help us to not be so busy that we fail to hear Your voice or act on what you are calling us to do. Give us Your eyes to see, Your ears to hear and Your heart to understand.
God's ways never cease to amaze me. More amazing still is the fact that He chooses to use me in bringing about His will. I received the following in an e-mail from Back to the Bible and couldn't resist sharing. What a beautiful picture of what God is doing in the world around us. Whether we recognize it or not, we are a thread in His amazing tapestry.
Have you ever thought of yourself as part of a tapestry? You are! God is weaving people and details together like a glorious tapestry of grace, and you are one of the threads. You and I are one little bit in God's great handiwork. By ourselves, we may not look like much. But when we get together, we make an absolutely impressive tapestry.
We scurry around getting everyone ready and presentable before heading out the door to church. Running late, we rush in breathlessly and deposit our children in their respective classrooms. Without a sideways glance, we plop down in our seat and wait for the service to begin. We have come, not to minister, but to be ministered to. Being solely consumed with the destination, we missed countless opportunities for ministry along the way.
The young mother visiting for the first time. How she longed for someone to take her by the hand and show her where her children should be and then invite her to sit with them. Instead, she slips quietly into the back row, alone.
The elderly couple who found out this week she has cancer. They are afraid. They need someone to encourage them, to pray with them, to be there as they walk this dark road. Instead they sit, holding onto one another, alone.
The businessman in the expensive suit who seems outwardly to have it all together. Inwardly he is utterly lost. He came today to see if maybe there is some hope left for him. He needs someone to befriend him and point him to the One who is our hope. Alone, he watches others and wonders why he came.
These scenarios could have been played out in any church, in any town across America this morning. Each Sunday, we sit surrounded by hurting people. They may be able to put on their "happy Sunday" face, but inside they are devastated by life's circumstances. What are we doing about it? How much of a difference would one hug make? A listening ear? A time of prayer? What impact would those things have on someone barely holding on? Are we willing to be someone's lifeline?
Frankly, it's easy to become apathetic. We go to church, shake a few hands, smile sweetly and inquire how someone is doing and then leave feeling we've done our duty. It's another story entirely to look someone in the eye and ask how they're really doing. As mature Christians, we need to read between the lines. What questions can we ask to dig deeper into the heart of what they're not saying? Proverbs says, "The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out." We must take the time to draw out those deep waters. Looking closer at the deep waters of a person's heart, we may find someone on the verge of drowning.
Lord, let us not be so consumed with our own lives that we fail to see the needs around us. Give us Your eyes to see, Your ears to hear and Your heart to understand so that we can minister to those we may otherwise overlook.
“I know the plans I have for you,” announces the LORD. “I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come.
If you like action movies, you may remember watching Harrison Ford poised on the edge of a cliff in his quest for the Ark of the Covenant. He knew that in order to reach his ultimate goal, he needed to take a step of faith, a step that could ultimately cause him to plummet thousands of feet. Closing his eyes, he lifts his foot and slowly takes the plunge, only to find a solid path before him. Suddenly there is a bridge, where before there was nothing.
Jeremiah 29:11 is our bridge. It gives us the hope we need to step off the cliff. If we truly trust God will do what He says in His Word, then we can step boldly and trust Him to place our feet on a solid path.
Here's the tricky part. Take a look again at how the verse begins. I know the plans...it doesn't say we know the plans. God, in His infinite wisdom, knows our future. Many times He doesn't see fit to tell us what His plans are. He says "Go" and expects us to follow. That can be a scary thing to say the least. How often I have wished He would give me even a glimpse into the future. I wonder though if I could handle it? If I knew what was coming down the road, would I turn and run the other way? Would I be willing to walk forward in faith if I knew I would be forced to step out over a cliff?
We moved to Texas because God said "Go!". We don't know why He moved us here. We may never know. I can see some doors He has opened and opportunities He has given us that give me a small glimpse, but we may never see the whole picture. The exciting part comes from the rest of Jeremiah 29. We are trusting in a God who wants only the best for us. Who's plans are for our good and not to our detriment. Now that's not to say stepping out to follow His command has been a piece of cake. Far from it. But we know there is blessing in obedience. He may not see fit to show us His plan, but we trust Him just the same.
What are you trusting God for today? What has He asked you to do that has left you uncomfortable or even down right scared? Maybe your standing on the precipice, toes curled over the edge, terrified to let go. Let me encourage you to take that leap today and follow where He leads. He'll be there to catch you and to set your feet on firm ground.
Check out this adorable little girl! My kids wanted to watch it over and over again. Proof our little ones are never too young to hide God's Word in their hearts.
We've been in our house for four months now. Despite what should be enough time to get use to things, it seems the old habits still hold sway. Case in point - the location of our trashcan. In our old home, the trashcan was under the kitchen sink. Of course, as soon as we moved in I attempted to put the trashcan under our new kitchen sink. Nope...wouldn't fit. So now, the trashcan sits under the stove on the island. Not a big deal. Same general location. Shouldn't be a problem.
If I had a penny for every time I have tried to throw something away under my new kitchen sink I could...well, I don't know...but it would be a lot of money! WHY is it so difficult for me to remember where to put the garbage?
This afternoon, as I reached yet again for the elusive can, I realized how much like life this analogy is. Why are some habits so difficult to break in our lives? Seems just when I think I may have finally conquered something, it rears its ugly head to look me in the eye again.
I know I'm not alone in my struggle. Paul tells us in Romans chapter seven that the very things he doesn't want to do, he finds himself doing and the good things he desires to do, he can't seem to attain. It seems we can't win the battle over our sinful nature. We can't, but the Holy Spirit working in us will allow us a fighting chance.
Paul himself is lamenting the fact that he is a terrible sinner. Good grief! How much more am I? Despite what could seem to be a hopeless situation, he goes on to find hope in his Savior.
What a terrible failure I am! Who will save me from this sin that brings death to my body? I give thanks to God. He will do it through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 7:24-25
Only God can save us from our own awful, sinful selves. Yes, old habits may die hard, but with the Lord's help they will certainly die.
Thank you all for your encouragement about the new door the Lord has opened. I am trying my best to skip and not stumble. One bit of clarification...the luncheon is not associated with THE Women of Faith. Oh my! I can't imagine speaking to that many people. This is a monthly luncheon designed to encourage women in their faith...hence the name.
I am very excited about what the Lord has laid on my heart to share. It is not what I originally had in mind, but so obviously what He had in mind. I spent this morning writing feverishly. The nervousness is being replaced with anticipation and excitement. Thank you for your prayers. Once I've fine tuned things a bit, I'm sure I'll try it out on you guys first. Hopefully you won't mind being my guinea pigs!
A couple of weeks ago I blogged about some new doors the Lord was opening in my life, ones I would never have imagined or anticipated. One of those doors is taking me completely out of my comfort zone. I'm not talking about just stepping a toe out of the boat to test the waters a bit. It is so far out I can't even see what that cozy place use to look like!
On Friday, I received an invitation to speak at the East Texas Women of Faith luncheon at the end of August. My first reaction was, "Why would anyone want to listen to me?" The precious lady who organizes the monthly event asked me a simple question. "Do you love Jesus? Then you have something to share." Well, when you put it that way, I guess I do have a few things to say! Hey, I have a whole lot to say!
I would appreciate your prayers. First, please pray for the ladies who will attend the luncheon, that their hearts will be open to receive what the Lord is saying and that they will be blessed and encouraged. Secondly, please pray for speaking direction for me. I have an idea I'm mulling over in my head, but I want to make sure it's what the Lord wants to say to this group of ladies.
What new direction is the Lord taking you? Whatever it is, don't be afraid to step out of the boat. No matter how scary the water looks, He'll be there every step of the way.
A few weeks ago I was tagged by Karen at Surviving Motherhood. I don't usually participate in tags, but I couldn't pass up the chance to talk about how awesome Jesus is to me! The original meme came from John Smulo at Smulo Space. For a complete list of participant's check out John's blog.
Five Things I Dig About Jesus!
1.He loves me totally, completely and unconditionally.That is honestly a hard concept to wrap my brain around.I don’t have to try and impress or do certain things to please Him.He loves me because He created me!
2.He will never, ever leave or forsake me.If I go to the highest peak, He is there.If I travel to the lowest valley, He is there. Let’s face it, life is full of peaks and valleys, as well as a whole lot in between.He’s there for it all. That's a promise I can count on.
3.He continues to use me, despite my brokenness. Not sure about you, but I've got baggage. Regardless of what I might bring with me, I don't have to be complete or perfect to be used in His plan. I can lay my bags at the foot of the cross. He will use a less than perfect vessel and in the process bring about a transformation that brings glory and honor to him. That is very humbling.
4.He is the perfect example of how to live my life.End of story.
5.He sees the big picture of my life.I however, tend to observe only small segments at any given time.I once heard it described as viewing your life through a knot hole in a fence.Our view through the hole is limited to basically what is directly in front of us.God on the other hand is above the fence looking down.From his vantage point He can see in every direction. He sees what’s coming and is not surprised, so I can trust Him for whatever happens.
I won't tag anyone, but if you'd like to join in, leave me a comment so I can see why you dig Jesus!
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your
ways my ways," declares the LORD.
Isaiah 55:8
Have you ever noticed God doesn't typcially work in the ways you think He's going to? I know this and yet, there must be some egotistical part of me that assumes I have Him all figured out. All the more reason for Him to keep me guessing.
Over the last several months, I have been praying for the Lord to open new doors in our lives. Yes, I pray He leads where He wants to take us, but then I find myself sitting smugly by thinking I already know what He's going to do. I know where we've been before. I know what gifts and talents He can use. I can put two and two together and come up with something closely resembling four. Apparently I have it all figured out...thanks God...got it covered.
Then He begins to lead in different directions. Um, excuse me, I think you meant to open this door over here, but it seems to be shut tightly. If you could just go ahead and unlock it, we'll be happy to go skipping through.
Sorry. Doesn't work that way. Apparently, we don't get to choose the doors. The choice before us is whether we will walk through the ones He presents us with. He seems to open doors that, frankly, I find down right uncomfortable. I don't want to go stumbling out into the unknown. I'd much rather amble along into the familiar. Is that asking too much? Yep, it is.
God is more interested in our character than our comfort. He will purposely move us into uncomfortable situations and new areas of service to bring about the changes He wants to see take place in our lives. Just when you think you have your life figured out, He'll go and shake things up. Who says serving God is boring?
The only thing I can say for sure is I'm not sure what He is doing right now. Guess I really don't have Him figured out afterall. I choose today to trust that whatever doors He opens He has a good reason for doing so. I guess the question is will I skip, or will I stumble? Help me Lord to skip.
We closed on our home here in Texas three months ago today. Wow. That hardly seems possible. It's been an interesting journey to say the least. I've been forced to slow w-a-y down. Not my natural way of doing things, but it's been good. Yes, I can honestly say it's been good. I still have difficult days, but trusting a God who loves me so deeply and wants the best for our family pulls me through. Could this be one of the many lessons God wanted to teach me? Ya think?
One of my oldest and dearest friends sent me an e-mail recently. I love Tami because she tells it like it is. I had mentioned to her that Texas just didn't feel quite like home yet. Her response was one of those 2X4 moments. "Your home is where God is and since he is with you now, you are home." Seems so simple...why didn't I think of that? You're right Tami! God called us to move 2,000 miles away for a reason...maybe for many reasons. Maybe someday He will see fit to reveal those reasons...maybe not. My job is to "bloom where I'm planted". He's planted our family in the rich Texas soil. It's time to put down roots.
A friend and I are delving into a Bible study called Conversations on Purpose for Women. I say delving because this is not one of those "read a scripture, give your interpretation" type studies. We are digging deeply into our own hearts, examining our motives, fears and life experiences searching for the passions the Lord has placed within us.
The enemy uses fear almost more than any other weapon in his arsenal to cripple Christians. We are afraid of things in the natural, as well as our own weaknesses. These fears, whether real or perceived, leave us feeling inadequate to do what the Lord has called us to do. Bingo! That is exactly the response the enemy was looking for!
Fear is nothing new. Many Bible heroes dealt with their own insecurities. Moses was afraid to face the Israelites and Pharaoh. Because he stuttered, he feared public speaking. Gideon used his lower social status to make excuses when called on by God. The list is endless because people are people. Modern or ancient, our fears can overwhelm us. The reason these people can stand today as heroes of faith is because they were willing to set their fears aside and step out in what God was calling them to do. How would history have looked had Moses simply said, "Sorry God. You're going to have to find someone else. I'm afraid and I'm not going to do it!"?
How are we allowing our fears to affect our history? More often than not, our fears are false. They are merely our skewed perceptions of God's reality. What fears are you facing today that are keeping you from doing what God has called you to do? Only when we break through the barrier of fear can we access God's best for our lives.
A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. Proverbs 15:30
Mike and I have discussed on different occasions how nice it would be to live like the Jetsons. Remember the cosmic cartoon? They stood on a conveyor belt in their futuristic jammies and within seconds appeared on the other end dressed and ready to start their day. Now that would be cool.
Examining the newest addition to my collection of wrinkles recently, it occurred to me they look much better when I add a smile. Every morning I shower (OK, maybe that doesn't happen every day), dress, add the make-up, do the hair and head out to face the day. The last thing I need to "put on" each morning is a smile. Not feeling too cheerful? Proverbs promises us that a cheerful look brings joy to the heart. One of my mottos is "Fake it 'til you make it." I may not be feeling too cheerful, but as I add the last ingredient to my morning routine, I will begin to feel the smile seeping into my spirit. Imagine the impact the cheerful look will have on your hubby and children.
"For I know that as you pray for me and as the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will all turn out for my deliverance." Philippians 1:19
Probably my favorite hero of the faith would be Paul. As the writer of so many New Testament books, he was constantly encouraging Believers worldwide in their new found Christian faith. I wonder if he had any idea what an encouragement his words would be to Christians two centuries later?
As was the case with many of his letters, Paul wrote to the Philippian church from prison. He was once again awaiting a trial that would either set him free to preach again, or see him executed for his faith. During this time, others began preaching the gospel with ulterior motives. Some wanted to gain the fame Paul had, while others preached simply because they knew in doing so, Paul's case would be less well received. They were trying to make his life harder.
Philippians 1:18 shows us how Paul's reaction differs from mine. "But whether or not their motives are pure, the fact remains that the message about Christ is being preached, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice."
Paul had an incredible heavenly perspective. He trusted God so completely, that no matter what happened to him, or what other's were saying and doing, he knew without a doubt that it would "all turn out for his deliverance". He was able to rejoice, even in prison. Paul was so completely sold out for the Lord that he was able to keep his eyes heavenward no matter what was happening around him.
I honestly can't say rejoicing would have been my first reaction...or my second for that matter. Mine may have gone something like this. "I can't believe their doing that! They are so selfish! They don't really love Christ. Their only doing it to make my life even harder that it already is! Poor me. Grump...grump... grumble... grumble... whine...whine." Case in point - This morning my kids all got up before me. The Texas sunshine was streaming in their windows at 6:45 and they were up and at 'em. Mom however was still fumbling her way to the coffee maker, while listening to pleas for breakfast.
My first reaction was not to rejoice folks. I need time to wake up. I am NOT an up and at 'em sort of momma. Then as I sat with my much coveted cup of joe, reading Paul's account from a Roman prison, I began to see things differently. Paul wasn't necessarily rejoicing because He enjoyed being in prison, but because He trusted the Lord to work on his behalf. Hmmm...There really is joy in everything. Sometimes we just have to adjust our perspective.
Lord, help me to be a Paul. To be so completely focused on you and what you are doing, that what happens to me is immaterial. May I find something to rejoice about in every situation today and in doing so, continually point others toward You.
The daily, sometimes hourly, musings of a homeschooling mom of four surviving on prayer, friendship and lots of Starbucks. Some days my cup runs over and some days it all spills out the cracks...and I wouldn't have it any other way.
