I received a card in the mail from my aunt and uncle for Thanksgiving. It is not unusual for me to receive a card from them at Thanksgiving as they are very close to my heart and very gracious people, but when I looked at this card there was something different. The card I received had the picture of a little girl kneeling down in prayer with fruit all around her. She was wearing an apron and had her hands folded and her gaze was focused in a direction off to the side. It was clear that her focus was not on anything in the picture, but something beyond her natural surroundings. As I pondered the front of this card, I thought to myself, "There is something familiar about this card. It seems like it is from someone other than my aunt and uncle."
This peaked my interest as I opened the card. Why had my aunt picked this particular card and why was it so different from the others I have received over the years? When I read the words of the card, tears flowed down my face. This card was purchased by my beloved grandmother! My aunt had found it in a box and blessed me so much by sending it to me this Thanksgiving. My grandmother is the woman who raised my sister and me for the first ten years of our lives as our mom worked long hours to support us. She is the one who introduced me to Jesus and modeled the life that I live to this day. Not only did she buy this card, but she blessed me with a reminder of the legacy of her life which beats in my heart and runs through my veins with each breath I take.
My grandmother was a woman of prayer. Each morning when I woke up, I would find her sitting at the kitchen table with her Bible open and her long prayer list in front of her. My grandmother had an 8th grade education so she kept a dictionary on the table with her Bible in case there was a word she needed to look up. I believe her day started much earlier than mine as she diligently sought the Lord and trusted Him with the many prayers she prayed. The circumstances of her life were not perfect and as I look back, many were painful, but her morning time with Jesus led to days filled with joy, generosity, service to others, and so much love.
Often as we were going about our day, my grandmother would spontaneously dance with joy as she kicked her feet and clapped her hands. She was the only grandma I knew who played baseball in her dress and ran the bases in record time as her hard hit ball sailed over the school yard fence. She made my sister and I hand-stirred milkshakes upon our request. And we ate dessert left-over from the previous night for breakfast! She played cards with us, she laughed with us, and she cooked and baked all of our favorite foods daily. She made sure we worked hard at school to gain the education she lacked. She gave her life to us on a daily basis and was a picture of the love of Jesus! It is through her prayers and faith and the way she lived that I was won over to the kingdom of Jesus!
She was not a Christian speaker, a ministry leader or an author. She was not the most popular woman in her church, but the friends she had were close. She was a lover of her neighbors, a generous giver, and a humble woman. She was a person who lacked nothing because of the gift of Jesus she carried in her heart. She gave and gave with a gracious heart and an unlimited supply of love and resources! She was a picture of the unlimited provision of God which exceeds our own needs and overflows to share with our neighbors, family, and friends! Her life was a legacy of prayer and Thanksgiving. And she lived this legacy everyday! Everyday with my grandmother was Thanksgiving.
On this day I received my card, many miles away, my sister was praying for an encouragement from the Lord as she was preparing to speak at a "Thanksgiving Tea." The topic of her discussion was the legacy of my grandmother. My grandmother has grandchildren and great-grandchildren who carry her name. She is often a discussion at our family gatherings. She has left much love, joy, prayer, faith and thanksgiving to the generations that have followed her. As my sister prepared to share these things, she received her own card in the mail. A card my grandmother had purchased more than 25 years ago. A card that might have seemed lost in a box, but was divinely set aside through prayer and faith! A card from my grandmother to be the encouragement my sister needed and asked for!
Thank you, Jesus, for my grandmother. Help me to live a life like hers! I pray Lord that long after I am gone, my life will be an encouragement to the generations to come. Let my life be remembered as one lived with thanksgiving, joy, love, prayer, and great faith! I love you, Lord! Thank you for the precious encouragement You sent through two simple cards in the mail this Thanksgiving! And please give my grandma a hug and kiss from me today in heaven! In Jesus' precious name, Amen.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Holding it all together?
In a conversation with my friend the other day, I noticed she kept putting herself down for being disorganized and forgetful. She was very upset with who she was in her weakness and she was speaking very badly about herself. I realized she was being attacked and felt the need to testify! So I shared with her my similar struggles in this area and a smile came to her face. She looked at me in disbelief and said, "You have it all together! I can't believe you struggle with disorganization or forgetfulness!" (Boy, did I wish I had a tape recorder to play back her words to my husband! We would laugh hysterically together!)
When she said this, I realized I needed to take this opportunity to give credit to God! She perceived me as being strong in the area of organization, when that is not the case! I am dependent on God to help me each day hold my life together and make things run smoothly! He has taught me how to use the calendar on my phone to remind myself where to be and what to do at what time. This gives me freedom to daydream, think, and pray in my spare moments! God is the rudder in my life and directs me as I go through my days! I prefer a spontaneous path and He knows that! After all, He made me this way for a purpose! I trust Him to be strong in my weak areas so I can thrive in the gifts He has given me!
I don't have it together, but He is holding my life together! Colossians 1:17 says, "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." My life and the details are part of what Jesus is holding together. I love resting in the knowledge of His amazing power holding my body as well as all of my situations together. Make no mistake, I know who is holding my life together and it is not me!
As my friend and I talked, I saw her burden lifting! I explained to her how we are all made differently for different reasons. I found out her boss at work was putting her down for some of her differences and this was leading to her self-loathing! I challenged her to believe the beautiful things God says about her in His Word rather than the ugly words of her boss! I encouraged her to be at peace with her weaknesses and to laugh at herself in moments of struggle. Although we are imperfect, we are useful and loved deeply by God and others! We are a masterpiece of God created to do great works on the earth! He is our maker and helper.
Often when I get annoyed with my disorganization and forgetfulness, I remind the Lord, "Lord, help me! You made me this way!" And I feel His gracious presence and power come in to save me! Thank God for my imperfections that lead to a closeness to Jesus! I am leaning on Him continually and I feel His arms around me holding it all together! I would not want it any other way!
When she said this, I realized I needed to take this opportunity to give credit to God! She perceived me as being strong in the area of organization, when that is not the case! I am dependent on God to help me each day hold my life together and make things run smoothly! He has taught me how to use the calendar on my phone to remind myself where to be and what to do at what time. This gives me freedom to daydream, think, and pray in my spare moments! God is the rudder in my life and directs me as I go through my days! I prefer a spontaneous path and He knows that! After all, He made me this way for a purpose! I trust Him to be strong in my weak areas so I can thrive in the gifts He has given me!
I don't have it together, but He is holding my life together! Colossians 1:17 says, "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." My life and the details are part of what Jesus is holding together. I love resting in the knowledge of His amazing power holding my body as well as all of my situations together. Make no mistake, I know who is holding my life together and it is not me!
As my friend and I talked, I saw her burden lifting! I explained to her how we are all made differently for different reasons. I found out her boss at work was putting her down for some of her differences and this was leading to her self-loathing! I challenged her to believe the beautiful things God says about her in His Word rather than the ugly words of her boss! I encouraged her to be at peace with her weaknesses and to laugh at herself in moments of struggle. Although we are imperfect, we are useful and loved deeply by God and others! We are a masterpiece of God created to do great works on the earth! He is our maker and helper.
Often when I get annoyed with my disorganization and forgetfulness, I remind the Lord, "Lord, help me! You made me this way!" And I feel His gracious presence and power come in to save me! Thank God for my imperfections that lead to a closeness to Jesus! I am leaning on Him continually and I feel His arms around me holding it all together! I would not want it any other way!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
God Idea!
On Saturday evening, I received an email that inspired me. A friend of mine had encountered a woman who was two months behind on her rent. This woman was a single-mom of three children, a full-time teacher at a school with a 90-mile commute, and a master's degree student in the evening. WOW! It was clear to me this woman was not behind on her rent due to a lack of motivation or effort! She was working hard!
When my friend heard her situation, she boldly spoke up saying, "Twelve hundred dollars is not a problem for God! He created the whole universe. Let's ask Him for an idea to get the money for your rent." I can't tell you how this blessed my spirit! I agreed completely with my friend and immediately wanted to participate in the answer to this prayer! God is huge and we should boast in His power! He is the answer to all of our needs and situations! He can be trusted with our concerns and desperation. Whatever the idea, I was in!
Anyway, as my friend asked the Lord for this idea, she remembered a wall hanging she had been making that was stuffed in her closet at home. She had been working on it slowly for 10 years. The Lord suggested to her to have a raffle with the wall hanging as a prize and sell tickets to raise the money for the rent. This solved two problems. It would raise the rent money and it would get my friend motivated to finish her artwork. So, my friend wrote this idea in an email, sent the email out to everyone she knew, and began working to finish the wall hanging.
On Sunday morning at church, I found my friend to buy some raffle tickets! I was excited to hear the outcome of God's idea! I love when God gives us ideas because they are supernatural and work even better than we might expect! When I greeted her with the money to buy my raffle tickets, she said, "I have a problem. So many people have responded to this raffle! I have raised over two and a half times the money needed." This brought a smile to my face! I answered with, "You don't have a problem! You have a God who is in the habit of giving us "more than we can ask or imagine". You have a God who can't wait for us to trust in Him in faith and loves to "open the floodgates of heaven" in our lives! You have a God who gives us "a double-portion and even a triple portion"! Let's just enjoy His benefits and praise Him!"
I pray we will boldly ask God for ideas when faced with the struggles of life today! I pray we will not shrink away from any problem! After all, we have the supernatural power of heaven on our side. Jeremiah 32:27 says, "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?" Let's believe together and boldly act on knowing "nothing we encounter is ever too hard for our God!" Just ask Him and He will give you the "God idea" you need! And we will spend our lives praising Him together!
James 1:5-6. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
When my friend heard her situation, she boldly spoke up saying, "Twelve hundred dollars is not a problem for God! He created the whole universe. Let's ask Him for an idea to get the money for your rent." I can't tell you how this blessed my spirit! I agreed completely with my friend and immediately wanted to participate in the answer to this prayer! God is huge and we should boast in His power! He is the answer to all of our needs and situations! He can be trusted with our concerns and desperation. Whatever the idea, I was in!
Anyway, as my friend asked the Lord for this idea, she remembered a wall hanging she had been making that was stuffed in her closet at home. She had been working on it slowly for 10 years. The Lord suggested to her to have a raffle with the wall hanging as a prize and sell tickets to raise the money for the rent. This solved two problems. It would raise the rent money and it would get my friend motivated to finish her artwork. So, my friend wrote this idea in an email, sent the email out to everyone she knew, and began working to finish the wall hanging.
On Sunday morning at church, I found my friend to buy some raffle tickets! I was excited to hear the outcome of God's idea! I love when God gives us ideas because they are supernatural and work even better than we might expect! When I greeted her with the money to buy my raffle tickets, she said, "I have a problem. So many people have responded to this raffle! I have raised over two and a half times the money needed." This brought a smile to my face! I answered with, "You don't have a problem! You have a God who is in the habit of giving us "more than we can ask or imagine". You have a God who can't wait for us to trust in Him in faith and loves to "open the floodgates of heaven" in our lives! You have a God who gives us "a double-portion and even a triple portion"! Let's just enjoy His benefits and praise Him!"
I pray we will boldly ask God for ideas when faced with the struggles of life today! I pray we will not shrink away from any problem! After all, we have the supernatural power of heaven on our side. Jeremiah 32:27 says, "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?" Let's believe together and boldly act on knowing "nothing we encounter is ever too hard for our God!" Just ask Him and He will give you the "God idea" you need! And we will spend our lives praising Him together!
James 1:5-6. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Expectancy!
Recently, I was asked to come to a meeting and share the signs of transformation in our city. As I pondered about what to speak, I wrote a list of things by which God has been encouraging me. Then I sent the list to my host and he asked a question. "What if someone questions these changes? What are the sources for this information?" And I had a simple answer, "Our local newspaper, The Daily Sun." I regularly read the newspaper looking for answers to my prayers.
I started praying for transformation in our city over 15 years ago. As I prayed, I looked around for answers to my prayers. For the first 9 years, I saw lots of transformation in individuals (including myself). Starting in 2006, I began to see major changes in our city in general. What drove me to pray was a firm belief that the transformation of our city was an idea from God. It was His idea, not mine. The success of this transformation rests solely on His shoulders and my part was just to believe "Nothing is impossible with God." So, from that point forward, I had an expectancy! I have seen in significant ways how God is working toward transformation. My part is to watch with expectancy and pray! And also ACT on anything the Lord asks me to do!
This journey of learning to wait with expectancy has been a battle for me. If you know me very well, you know that patience is not one of my strong points naturally! I pace in front of the microwave! I drive different routes in my car to avoid waiting at lights! Just ask my husband! This lack of patience has often caused me to get caught up in a specific expectation when praying. I have learned that praying requires me to let go of control. My part is crying out to God for His answer not expecting Him to answer in the way I would. When I am stuck on planning HOW God should answer my prayers, I am trapped in pride and frustration. This takes away my expectancy, my joy, and my freedom. When I am locked into a one-way outcome, I am in danger of losing my faith! My faith needs to rest in the Almighty God and His incomprehensible wisdom, rather than in my faulty and limited human plans.
Praying is not about giving an order to God. It is about surrendering a need to God and then waiting for His response. It is about reading my Bible to find revelation from God's Word. It is about understanding how mighty and great He is! It is about knowing He is better suited to decide how to meet my prayer requests. And often when the answer comes, I would not have done things the way He did. This is because my perspective is too small compared to His vantage point. He sees the whole picture and I only see the part. But as I pray and accept His answers, I am awestruck and humbled! The Almighty God of this universe cares for and communicates with me. He listens to and answers my prayers! He invites me into the great things He is doing in the world today! I can expect Him to listen, answer, and sometimes even invite me into the answers!
So as I watch and pray, I will wait with expectancy! I will live with joy, freedom, and great faith! I will believe God for the answers to my prayers! I will keep my ears and eyes wide open as I expect the answer to my prayers in whatever dynamic way my Lord chooses to answer them. And I will watch in awe and praise as He continues to transform our city! And sometimes His answers will be written as headlines in the newspaper.
Ephesians 3:20-21:"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
I started praying for transformation in our city over 15 years ago. As I prayed, I looked around for answers to my prayers. For the first 9 years, I saw lots of transformation in individuals (including myself). Starting in 2006, I began to see major changes in our city in general. What drove me to pray was a firm belief that the transformation of our city was an idea from God. It was His idea, not mine. The success of this transformation rests solely on His shoulders and my part was just to believe "Nothing is impossible with God." So, from that point forward, I had an expectancy! I have seen in significant ways how God is working toward transformation. My part is to watch with expectancy and pray! And also ACT on anything the Lord asks me to do!
This journey of learning to wait with expectancy has been a battle for me. If you know me very well, you know that patience is not one of my strong points naturally! I pace in front of the microwave! I drive different routes in my car to avoid waiting at lights! Just ask my husband! This lack of patience has often caused me to get caught up in a specific expectation when praying. I have learned that praying requires me to let go of control. My part is crying out to God for His answer not expecting Him to answer in the way I would. When I am stuck on planning HOW God should answer my prayers, I am trapped in pride and frustration. This takes away my expectancy, my joy, and my freedom. When I am locked into a one-way outcome, I am in danger of losing my faith! My faith needs to rest in the Almighty God and His incomprehensible wisdom, rather than in my faulty and limited human plans.
Praying is not about giving an order to God. It is about surrendering a need to God and then waiting for His response. It is about reading my Bible to find revelation from God's Word. It is about understanding how mighty and great He is! It is about knowing He is better suited to decide how to meet my prayer requests. And often when the answer comes, I would not have done things the way He did. This is because my perspective is too small compared to His vantage point. He sees the whole picture and I only see the part. But as I pray and accept His answers, I am awestruck and humbled! The Almighty God of this universe cares for and communicates with me. He listens to and answers my prayers! He invites me into the great things He is doing in the world today! I can expect Him to listen, answer, and sometimes even invite me into the answers!
So as I watch and pray, I will wait with expectancy! I will live with joy, freedom, and great faith! I will believe God for the answers to my prayers! I will keep my ears and eyes wide open as I expect the answer to my prayers in whatever dynamic way my Lord chooses to answer them. And I will watch in awe and praise as He continues to transform our city! And sometimes His answers will be written as headlines in the newspaper.
Ephesians 3:20-21:"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
Friday, September 28, 2012
Fear Struggle!
The other day I was sitting on a plane with my husband when I began to have some chest pains. I have a fear of flying but usually the Lord helps me overcome this when I am on planes. So the chest pains surprised me since I was feeling peaceful at the moment. As I sat in my seat wondering what the best thing to do was, I began to pray.
In my moment of prayer, God reminded me to depend on my husband in these moments of fear. He is a levelheaded man and makes good decisions. Despite my feelings of desperation, I calmly told my husband, "I am having chest pains. They are about to close the door to the plane. Do you think we should get off?" He reached over to rub my head and said, "Honey, you are going to be fine. Lay your head back and rest for a while." I did not agree with him! I was sure I was going to die in the air! But it was the Lord's idea to ask my husband in the first place. As I realized I have been in this position before, I did what I was told even though everything in me said to get up and get out quickly! I have learned that sometimes things are not as they seem. Feelings of fear can be very deceptive! I trusted my prayer and my husband and my Father in heaven! So I closed my eyes, laid my head back, and surrendered!
Before take-off, I began working on a project I had brought in my bag. As I became distracted by this, my chest pains eased and I realized a few minutes later, I was actually enjoying the flight. The Lord had helped me to overcome the fear and I had become productive and filled with joy once again.
The thing about overcoming fear is the feelings are still there. The fear still lives in my feelings, but I do not let these feelings control my actions. I don't live in fear although sometimes I feel it. My actions are based on faith in a God who loves me and has done everything to save me from my fear! He has given it all so I can have faith in my weakest moments.
I write this today, because I have encountered several people with life-altering fear this week. I say life-altering because I know they are being inhibited from reaching their dreams because of fear! I am writing this to stand with them as a person with many fears, but a person who has not let fear stand in the way of my dreams! I have overcome these feelings and have walked through them. I am no longer ruled by fear! Yes, I do feel it, but when I feel it I do not let it stop me!
Revelation 12:11 says,"They overcame him (the enemy) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." I believe if I had not realized earlier in life that Jesus shed his blood to give me freedom, I would have essentially lived a life dead to my dreams and gifts. I would have been a person waiting for death instead of living in the fullness of life Jesus provided for me.
So today I am testifying. I have gone to the top of the Empire State building although I felt fear. I have confronted people I love although I felt fear. I have flown to China on a thirteen-hour flight although I felt fear. I have spoken in front of groups of 300 or more people although I have felt fear.
I have exchanged my fear for faith! I live today in victory over fear! And my life makes a difference even in all of my weaknesses and fears! Your life is important and your dreams can be realized! Please join me in trusting God to walk with you through your fears! When you feel fear, pray, and walk straight at it until you get to the other side! Your life is worth living! And living is a state that exists in faith not fear!
1 John 4:18- "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear..."
In my moment of prayer, God reminded me to depend on my husband in these moments of fear. He is a levelheaded man and makes good decisions. Despite my feelings of desperation, I calmly told my husband, "I am having chest pains. They are about to close the door to the plane. Do you think we should get off?" He reached over to rub my head and said, "Honey, you are going to be fine. Lay your head back and rest for a while." I did not agree with him! I was sure I was going to die in the air! But it was the Lord's idea to ask my husband in the first place. As I realized I have been in this position before, I did what I was told even though everything in me said to get up and get out quickly! I have learned that sometimes things are not as they seem. Feelings of fear can be very deceptive! I trusted my prayer and my husband and my Father in heaven! So I closed my eyes, laid my head back, and surrendered!
Before take-off, I began working on a project I had brought in my bag. As I became distracted by this, my chest pains eased and I realized a few minutes later, I was actually enjoying the flight. The Lord had helped me to overcome the fear and I had become productive and filled with joy once again.
The thing about overcoming fear is the feelings are still there. The fear still lives in my feelings, but I do not let these feelings control my actions. I don't live in fear although sometimes I feel it. My actions are based on faith in a God who loves me and has done everything to save me from my fear! He has given it all so I can have faith in my weakest moments.
I write this today, because I have encountered several people with life-altering fear this week. I say life-altering because I know they are being inhibited from reaching their dreams because of fear! I am writing this to stand with them as a person with many fears, but a person who has not let fear stand in the way of my dreams! I have overcome these feelings and have walked through them. I am no longer ruled by fear! Yes, I do feel it, but when I feel it I do not let it stop me!
Revelation 12:11 says,"They overcame him (the enemy) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." I believe if I had not realized earlier in life that Jesus shed his blood to give me freedom, I would have essentially lived a life dead to my dreams and gifts. I would have been a person waiting for death instead of living in the fullness of life Jesus provided for me.
So today I am testifying. I have gone to the top of the Empire State building although I felt fear. I have confronted people I love although I felt fear. I have flown to China on a thirteen-hour flight although I felt fear. I have spoken in front of groups of 300 or more people although I have felt fear.
I have exchanged my fear for faith! I live today in victory over fear! And my life makes a difference even in all of my weaknesses and fears! Your life is important and your dreams can be realized! Please join me in trusting God to walk with you through your fears! When you feel fear, pray, and walk straight at it until you get to the other side! Your life is worth living! And living is a state that exists in faith not fear!
1 John 4:18- "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear..."
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Using Weakness to Gain Strength!
Lately, I have been feeling like my life is just a great big prayer list! As I go through life, I pray for many miracles! I ask God for help, and I trust Him to answer as I cry out to Him! My prayer list is added to as things are answered and it seems to stay in a balance of about 7 things in 8 categories. So I pray for about 56 things on a regular basis. My idle minutes are transformed into effective prayer time as I share my days in conversations with Jesus! I wonder if the last day of my life will be directly related to the list I have been praying. When the list is done and my time to pray is over I will go to my home in heaven and enjoy God's presence for all eternity!
As I was thinking about prayer and its huge part in my life, I began to ask the Lord to remind me of how He taught me to pray. It amazed me when I noticed the foundation of my prayer life is rooted in my two greatest weaknesses! When I first surrendered to the Lord, my life was filled with fear and anger! I was scared to death of even the most routine parts of life. I worried so much about everything and I thought that the worst things would happen to me and the people I loved! I also carried a deep well of anger from the things that happened in my life. I had anxiety and physical symptoms related to my anger and fear. And this is where the supernatural strength of my Abba, Father (Daddy) in heaven came to transform these weaknesses into powerful gifts and blessings to the world around me.
As I surrendered to God, He met me where I was! He worked with me in my weakness. He showed me a new way to live. He gave me "...a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair...!" (Isaiah 61:3) He "perfected His strength in my weaknesses!" God did things in my heart I did not think were possible! Now instead of worrying...I pray! When fear rises in my heart, I pray! I still have these weaknesses in my flesh but the result of them is for the kingdom purposes of God. Instead of being paralyzed by these weaknesses, I respond with prayer! Jesus has taught me to depend on Him in everything! I pray often because of my weakness and as I pray, I am convinced it is the most powerful thing I can do on earth! It changes everything! And so I spend my days watching with awestruck eyes, as the Almighty God who created everything we see answers my prayers! This is amazing! This has built a faith in me which has caused me to really believe, "NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!"
Jesus is the God of transformation! I have watched Him transform me and I believe Him to transform the situations and people around me! There is no limit to His power! There is no limit to His love! He is available to turn our weaknesses into strength! Thank you Lord for teaching me to pray!
As I was thinking about prayer and its huge part in my life, I began to ask the Lord to remind me of how He taught me to pray. It amazed me when I noticed the foundation of my prayer life is rooted in my two greatest weaknesses! When I first surrendered to the Lord, my life was filled with fear and anger! I was scared to death of even the most routine parts of life. I worried so much about everything and I thought that the worst things would happen to me and the people I loved! I also carried a deep well of anger from the things that happened in my life. I had anxiety and physical symptoms related to my anger and fear. And this is where the supernatural strength of my Abba, Father (Daddy) in heaven came to transform these weaknesses into powerful gifts and blessings to the world around me.
As I surrendered to God, He met me where I was! He worked with me in my weakness. He showed me a new way to live. He gave me "...a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair...!" (Isaiah 61:3) He "perfected His strength in my weaknesses!" God did things in my heart I did not think were possible! Now instead of worrying...I pray! When fear rises in my heart, I pray! I still have these weaknesses in my flesh but the result of them is for the kingdom purposes of God. Instead of being paralyzed by these weaknesses, I respond with prayer! Jesus has taught me to depend on Him in everything! I pray often because of my weakness and as I pray, I am convinced it is the most powerful thing I can do on earth! It changes everything! And so I spend my days watching with awestruck eyes, as the Almighty God who created everything we see answers my prayers! This is amazing! This has built a faith in me which has caused me to really believe, "NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!"
Jesus is the God of transformation! I have watched Him transform me and I believe Him to transform the situations and people around me! There is no limit to His power! There is no limit to His love! He is available to turn our weaknesses into strength! Thank you Lord for teaching me to pray!
Friday, August 24, 2012
"Delizioso!"
My four year old grandson and I went on an adventure the other morning. When we came back into the house, he was hungry. It was mid-morning so he started searching the kitchen for a snack. First he went into the pantry. Then, he proceeded to the snack drawer and then looked into the refrigerator. When nothing was to his liking, I saw him swing open the door to the freezer. I thought he was going for the ice cream but to my surprise, he announced, "Grandma, I want lasagna!" So I looked into the freezer and saw enough lasagna to feed at least 15 people. And it was frozen like a rock.
I made several other suggestions to him including ice cream, but he was set on the lasagna. Although this did not seem reasonable to me as I looked into his precious face, I could not deny him this request. So I proceeded to thaw the entire lasagna! He stood below the microwave asking every few seconds if it was ready yet. It took several minutes before I could cut and pry a frozen piece out and then defrost and heat it. As I watched him wiggle and sigh with anticipation, I could not help chuckling. Eventually, he sat down and began to eat his lasagna.
From the first bite to the last, he enthusiastically declared over and over, "Delizioso!" He did it with passion and an amazing Italian accent. He even emphasized the word by lifting his fork free hand in the air. It was hilarious! (Where he learned this, I have no clue.) I was laughing out loud and he was laughing with me. He was so grateful for the lasagna! I thanked the Lord I did not miss this joyful and memorable moment by being sensible. And also I thank the Lord that my grandson asked for the lasagna! I would have thawed 100 lasagnas to reach this priceless moment. And for the two days following, this little guy has asked for lasagna for breakfast! And with each bite he declares, "Delizioso!" Heaven on earth!
This got me to thinking about all the extravagant ways my Father in Heaven blesses me! When I turn to the right, He is pouring out blessings! When I turn to the left, there He is blessing me! And these blessings are not reasonable or sensible! They are given from my Father who has the endless resources of His universe! The generosity of God is incomprehensible! He blesses me beyond anything I could ask for! He blesses me to the point of awe on a daily basis!
Since the day of my grandson's "snack" of lasagna, I have been focusing on my response to these blessings! I have tried to be descriptive in my words of praise! Some words are coming to my mind even as I write! "Molto Belle, Lord, for the 5 fawns in my yard yesterday morning!" "Fantastico, God, for the great teacher my oldest grandson has this year in 4th grade!" "You amaze me, Lord, for bringing my Great- Grandmother's pizza recipe to a shop two miles from my house!" I want to respond to my Father in Heaven with the same enthusiasm and passion as my grandson responded to his blessing of lasagna! I want to shout to the Lord about His extravagant generosity in my life! I want to make my grateful moments memorable to my Father! Just as I will never forget...."Delizioso!"
Psalm 86:12- "I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever."
I made several other suggestions to him including ice cream, but he was set on the lasagna. Although this did not seem reasonable to me as I looked into his precious face, I could not deny him this request. So I proceeded to thaw the entire lasagna! He stood below the microwave asking every few seconds if it was ready yet. It took several minutes before I could cut and pry a frozen piece out and then defrost and heat it. As I watched him wiggle and sigh with anticipation, I could not help chuckling. Eventually, he sat down and began to eat his lasagna.
From the first bite to the last, he enthusiastically declared over and over, "Delizioso!" He did it with passion and an amazing Italian accent. He even emphasized the word by lifting his fork free hand in the air. It was hilarious! (Where he learned this, I have no clue.) I was laughing out loud and he was laughing with me. He was so grateful for the lasagna! I thanked the Lord I did not miss this joyful and memorable moment by being sensible. And also I thank the Lord that my grandson asked for the lasagna! I would have thawed 100 lasagnas to reach this priceless moment. And for the two days following, this little guy has asked for lasagna for breakfast! And with each bite he declares, "Delizioso!" Heaven on earth!
This got me to thinking about all the extravagant ways my Father in Heaven blesses me! When I turn to the right, He is pouring out blessings! When I turn to the left, there He is blessing me! And these blessings are not reasonable or sensible! They are given from my Father who has the endless resources of His universe! The generosity of God is incomprehensible! He blesses me beyond anything I could ask for! He blesses me to the point of awe on a daily basis!
Since the day of my grandson's "snack" of lasagna, I have been focusing on my response to these blessings! I have tried to be descriptive in my words of praise! Some words are coming to my mind even as I write! "Molto Belle, Lord, for the 5 fawns in my yard yesterday morning!" "Fantastico, God, for the great teacher my oldest grandson has this year in 4th grade!" "You amaze me, Lord, for bringing my Great- Grandmother's pizza recipe to a shop two miles from my house!" I want to respond to my Father in Heaven with the same enthusiasm and passion as my grandson responded to his blessing of lasagna! I want to shout to the Lord about His extravagant generosity in my life! I want to make my grateful moments memorable to my Father! Just as I will never forget...."Delizioso!"
Psalm 86:12- "I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever."
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Other Good Qualities!
Yesterday, I took my grandsons to the park. They rode their bikes as I walked. My younger 4 year old grandson still has training wheels on his bike. My nine year old grandson was totally independent on his ride. He rode up ahead and back to me just like I have taught him. He was riding steadily as he kept his bike on the side of the road to stay out of the little traffic that passed by. During this trip, he was absolutely perfect! I was very impressed.
The same thing could not be said for my younger grandson. He has not made as many bike trips to the park with me. He was unaware of the rules of biking to the park. He was testing the limits and I was being patient as I instructed him over and over. At one point, he began to go really fast. I told him to put on his brakes and he did so with his usual vigor. He pressed so hard, he caused a skid mark on the sidewalk behind him. The problem is I love skid marks and I found out he does too!
When I saw the skid mark, something happened inside and I was so proud. So I proceeded to have him turn around and look. When he saw it he was just as impressed as I was. And for the rest of the mile to the park and the two miles back, he made skid marks. He would ride so fast I had to run next to him and then he would stop abruptly making "really sick" skid marks. Needless to say, this racing and stopping got old!
At some point in our trip which was designed to bless my grandsons, I was annoyed. So I had to remind myself, "He has other good qualities!" I even thought to myself how much he was like me. My grandmother had to endure all of my skid marks when I was growing up! So I began to think of all of the good qualities about my grandson whom I adore. I even thought maybe this excitement over skid marks could be used by the Lord for great things some day. Maybe this was not a bad quality although it was annoying to me at the time. This helped to ease my annoyance and I enjoyed the rest of our adventure.
I developed the saying, "I have other good qualities!" years ago when I had someone in my life who was very critical. This person criticized me all the time. The truth is some of the criticism about me was wrong but others were right on. I can tend to lean toward perfectionism so the criticism bothered me a lot at first. But as I prayed about it with the Lord, He reminded me of my good qualities. He also reminded me of the verse in Romans 3:23 which says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Jesus is the only perfect person who ever lived.
This little phrase the Lord revealed to me has changed my life. And I love that I can use it both ways. If someone is upset with me for being imperfect, I remind them, "I have other good qualities." And if I find myself annoyed by what I deem as imperfect in someone else, I remind myself, "He/she has other good qualities." Life is much more peaceful for me and for those around me if I am not expecting perfection from them or myself.
I am not suggesting we accept our bad qualities without taking responsibility. Each day, we need to present ourselves before the Lord to deal with our sinful nature. We need to read our Bible, pray, and ask for grace and mercy. When things are not right in our lives, we need to cooperate with Jesus to change them. But even with this practice, we are not going to be perfect in the eyes of those around us and they are not going to be perfect in our eyes. One thing is for sure though, we are loved. Jesus was willing to die for us! We are loved deeply by our Father in heaven even with all of our imperfections!
So I don't know who is making skid marks right now in your life, but I know they are created in the image of God. I know you can love them if you are willing to pray for them. And I know you can recognize their good qualities as you forgive their not so good qualities. Take the pressure off of yourself! Realize no one is perfect other than Jesus! And if you are ready when you see imperfection in anyone else or when they see it in you, you will respond by remembering, "Other Good Qualities!"
Genesis 1:27- So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.
The same thing could not be said for my younger grandson. He has not made as many bike trips to the park with me. He was unaware of the rules of biking to the park. He was testing the limits and I was being patient as I instructed him over and over. At one point, he began to go really fast. I told him to put on his brakes and he did so with his usual vigor. He pressed so hard, he caused a skid mark on the sidewalk behind him. The problem is I love skid marks and I found out he does too!
When I saw the skid mark, something happened inside and I was so proud. So I proceeded to have him turn around and look. When he saw it he was just as impressed as I was. And for the rest of the mile to the park and the two miles back, he made skid marks. He would ride so fast I had to run next to him and then he would stop abruptly making "really sick" skid marks. Needless to say, this racing and stopping got old!
At some point in our trip which was designed to bless my grandsons, I was annoyed. So I had to remind myself, "He has other good qualities!" I even thought to myself how much he was like me. My grandmother had to endure all of my skid marks when I was growing up! So I began to think of all of the good qualities about my grandson whom I adore. I even thought maybe this excitement over skid marks could be used by the Lord for great things some day. Maybe this was not a bad quality although it was annoying to me at the time. This helped to ease my annoyance and I enjoyed the rest of our adventure.
I developed the saying, "I have other good qualities!" years ago when I had someone in my life who was very critical. This person criticized me all the time. The truth is some of the criticism about me was wrong but others were right on. I can tend to lean toward perfectionism so the criticism bothered me a lot at first. But as I prayed about it with the Lord, He reminded me of my good qualities. He also reminded me of the verse in Romans 3:23 which says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Jesus is the only perfect person who ever lived.
This little phrase the Lord revealed to me has changed my life. And I love that I can use it both ways. If someone is upset with me for being imperfect, I remind them, "I have other good qualities." And if I find myself annoyed by what I deem as imperfect in someone else, I remind myself, "He/she has other good qualities." Life is much more peaceful for me and for those around me if I am not expecting perfection from them or myself.
I am not suggesting we accept our bad qualities without taking responsibility. Each day, we need to present ourselves before the Lord to deal with our sinful nature. We need to read our Bible, pray, and ask for grace and mercy. When things are not right in our lives, we need to cooperate with Jesus to change them. But even with this practice, we are not going to be perfect in the eyes of those around us and they are not going to be perfect in our eyes. One thing is for sure though, we are loved. Jesus was willing to die for us! We are loved deeply by our Father in heaven even with all of our imperfections!
So I don't know who is making skid marks right now in your life, but I know they are created in the image of God. I know you can love them if you are willing to pray for them. And I know you can recognize their good qualities as you forgive their not so good qualities. Take the pressure off of yourself! Realize no one is perfect other than Jesus! And if you are ready when you see imperfection in anyone else or when they see it in you, you will respond by remembering, "Other Good Qualities!"
Genesis 1:27- So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Have You Ever Chased A Train?
I recently had the pleasure of visiting Disneyland with my two grandsons and my oldest daughter. What a joy it is to watch the excitement and wonder in the eyes of my grandsons as they experience "the happiest place on earth." One example is when my four-year-old grandson turned to my husband while watching the fireworks and said, "Grandpa, this is one of my dreams and it is coming true!" Days like this are beautiful memories we will cherish forever! And sometimes after a high, God allows us to go to the valley for a while to build our faith.
The day after our beautiful Disney experience, we had a few valleys to say the least. But even in the valleys, our God can do a miracle. Sometimes we make plans and things don't turn out the way we want them to. But in the middle of chaos, we need to "keep our eyes on Jesus who is the Author and Perfecter of our faith." Here's what happened:
We had a plan to drop our oldest daughter and grandsons at the Amtrak station in Los Angeles to catch a train back to Flagstaff! My husband and I had reservations to go up the coast of California to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. So at promptly 5:15pm, as we were arriving at LAX, I called Amtrak to get specific directions. Well to my surprise, I was told that the "LAX" on the train ticket did not mean LAX the airport. I assumed they were the same and boy was I wrong! The LAX on my ticket meant Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. The train was leaving at Union Station at 6:15pm and was rarely late according to the woman on the phone. Our plans were changing quickly.
So with hope in our hearts, we began to make our way to Union Station in downtown LA. Well, guess what was happening at 5:15pm in Los Angeles. We were experiencing a major traffic jam. And we were 20 miles away in stop and go traffic. In heavy traffic it is said to take 4 minutes per mile. This puts us at 80 minutes when we have only 60 minutes! Everyone in the car was praying. I was praying out loud, "Lord, you are our only hope!" and He was! So we prayed and drove and when we were about 5 miles away at 6pm a car came from nowhere and hit us. It was just a fender bender, thank God, but it still required us to stop. Since no one was hurt, we exchanged information and continued our journey. We arrived at Union Station at 6:20pm and found out the train had left.
I talked to the lady at the counter and she informed me the next available train for three people was in 2 days. By then we would be in the hills of Santa Barbara and our daughter needed to work the next morning. That is when I got the idea to chase the train. I expressed this idea to the woman, and... if looks could talk! I calmly asked her to print out directions to the San Bernadino station. She let me know I had 60 miles to go. This would take at least 1 1/2 hours in traffic. The train was scheduled to leave at 7:59pm and it was 6:38pm. So, again, our only hope was Jesus.
He opened space before our eyes and lead us on paths we did not know existed (like a carpool lane right put of Grand Central with no traffic on it for 20 miles!). And we made the station right at 7:59pm. And to add to our miracle, the train that was never late, was late. When we got to the station we had a few minutes to get our things together and say good-bye! Our train chase ended in victory! And all the glory goes to Jesus! He was our only HOPE!! Amen.
The day after our beautiful Disney experience, we had a few valleys to say the least. But even in the valleys, our God can do a miracle. Sometimes we make plans and things don't turn out the way we want them to. But in the middle of chaos, we need to "keep our eyes on Jesus who is the Author and Perfecter of our faith." Here's what happened:
We had a plan to drop our oldest daughter and grandsons at the Amtrak station in Los Angeles to catch a train back to Flagstaff! My husband and I had reservations to go up the coast of California to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. So at promptly 5:15pm, as we were arriving at LAX, I called Amtrak to get specific directions. Well to my surprise, I was told that the "LAX" on the train ticket did not mean LAX the airport. I assumed they were the same and boy was I wrong! The LAX on my ticket meant Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. The train was leaving at Union Station at 6:15pm and was rarely late according to the woman on the phone. Our plans were changing quickly.
So with hope in our hearts, we began to make our way to Union Station in downtown LA. Well, guess what was happening at 5:15pm in Los Angeles. We were experiencing a major traffic jam. And we were 20 miles away in stop and go traffic. In heavy traffic it is said to take 4 minutes per mile. This puts us at 80 minutes when we have only 60 minutes! Everyone in the car was praying. I was praying out loud, "Lord, you are our only hope!" and He was! So we prayed and drove and when we were about 5 miles away at 6pm a car came from nowhere and hit us. It was just a fender bender, thank God, but it still required us to stop. Since no one was hurt, we exchanged information and continued our journey. We arrived at Union Station at 6:20pm and found out the train had left.
I talked to the lady at the counter and she informed me the next available train for three people was in 2 days. By then we would be in the hills of Santa Barbara and our daughter needed to work the next morning. That is when I got the idea to chase the train. I expressed this idea to the woman, and... if looks could talk! I calmly asked her to print out directions to the San Bernadino station. She let me know I had 60 miles to go. This would take at least 1 1/2 hours in traffic. The train was scheduled to leave at 7:59pm and it was 6:38pm. So, again, our only hope was Jesus.
He opened space before our eyes and lead us on paths we did not know existed (like a carpool lane right put of Grand Central with no traffic on it for 20 miles!). And we made the station right at 7:59pm. And to add to our miracle, the train that was never late, was late. When we got to the station we had a few minutes to get our things together and say good-bye! Our train chase ended in victory! And all the glory goes to Jesus! He was our only HOPE!! Amen.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
The Supernatural Abundant Life!
One of the things I love about Jesus is how He shows up in my life with miracles and wonders! It is profound and especially fun to have a Father who created everything and loves to give me amazing gifts. Something Jesus said in John 10:10; ...I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." Jesus is constantly giving me this abundant life! The word "abundant" means "superabundant, excessive, overflowing, surplus, over and above, more than enough, profuse, extraordinary, above the ordinary, more than sufficient!" This is what I expect as a child of the LIVING, ALMIGHTY, LOVING, GRACIOUS GOD! As I walk through life, I am looking for this abundant life and expecting to see God do miracles. One such miracle happened last week.
For the last 6 months, my daughter has been focusing on finding an internship for college credit. It is part of the requirement for graduation for her degree and a great opportunity to get some real work experience. When I heard about this, I started praying. I knew this internship was going to take her away from our city this summer, but I trusted God to lead her to the perfect place. So I started praying daily for His internship for my baby! As I was praying one day, the Lord impressed upon my heart that Laura should look into a possible internship in Nashville. Her close friend, whom she has known from birth, was going to be doing her own internship there and I felt the Lord might be leading Laura in the same direction. So I expressed this to my daughter and she made some connections.
Well, in March, she received an offer from Nashville. My heart began beating because it is hard for me to think about my baby being so far away. As I prayed, I had; "the peace of God which surpasses all understanding." Philippians 4:7. Laura got several opportunities closer to home, but in my heart as she made her decision, I knew she was going to Nashville. Jesus says in John 15:15 that we are His friends. He has revealed to us all that the Father has told Him. When I hear the Lord in my heart, He gives me insight into His future plans. I love this quality of my friendship with Jesus! I am in touch with the Master Planner and I can walk in confidence as He brings forth His plan.
Last week, we dropped our daughter off in Nashville. And as we got there, we could see the city preparing for something big. Stages were going up and people were buzzing all around. Laura's close friend and roommate let us know Nashville was preparing to host the CMT Awards. The best country music singers were preparing to come to the city to receive awards and perform in downtown Nashville. Laura and her roommate had a wild hope that somehow they could get tickets to the show. It was sold out except for a few hundred standing room tickets which were being raffled and handed out throughout the city. Laura's roommate had done her homework and had already been entering raffles and finding places to get tickets. This would be a dream come true, for they are both huge country music fans.
I told them I would pray, and as I prayed I knew in my spirit they would be going. It was just like God to blow their minds and show Himself big just to satisfy the girlish desires of their hearts. He is so sweet and so interested in all the details. So I encouraged them as many times as the topic came up and they kept trying without losing hope. By the morning of the event, all of their attempts to get tickets had failed. But they got up early to stand in one more line. Tickets were handed out and then they were told there were no more tickets available. Right at that moment, when their last hope was crushed, a small batch of tickets were produced after the announcement. Our girls received literally the last remaining tickets! Wow! God was BIG and He came through at the last minute.
When they arrived in the building after standing for hours to get in, they heard a disheartening announcement that standing room space was at capacity. But the lack of space turned into a blessing when they were given instructions to find a seat. They could stay in their "found" seat as long as no one with a ticket showed up to claim the spot. So they ran through the Red Carpet event determined to find an open seat. Instead, they found a small space located some distance from the stage. But they were happy to be in the building. Well, God knew this spot would blow them away. It was within arms reach of Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, and many other stars. I even got a glimpse of them on TV when Carrie Underwood received an award. They were in the perfect spot!
I am always seeking the perfect spot as I walk through life. I define this spot as the center of God's will for me. My life is filled with the supernatural presence of God because that is His will for me! He wants me to live the abundant life of Jesus and I want that too! So it happens! And life over-flows around me! And now that I have lived this way, I will never go back! I will live the abundant life and keep my heart and life wide open to His blessings! He is pouring them out from the flood gates of heaven and I am a willing receiver of His grace and mercy! I am living in the supernatural! After all, it is His will for me!
For the last 6 months, my daughter has been focusing on finding an internship for college credit. It is part of the requirement for graduation for her degree and a great opportunity to get some real work experience. When I heard about this, I started praying. I knew this internship was going to take her away from our city this summer, but I trusted God to lead her to the perfect place. So I started praying daily for His internship for my baby! As I was praying one day, the Lord impressed upon my heart that Laura should look into a possible internship in Nashville. Her close friend, whom she has known from birth, was going to be doing her own internship there and I felt the Lord might be leading Laura in the same direction. So I expressed this to my daughter and she made some connections.
Well, in March, she received an offer from Nashville. My heart began beating because it is hard for me to think about my baby being so far away. As I prayed, I had; "the peace of God which surpasses all understanding." Philippians 4:7. Laura got several opportunities closer to home, but in my heart as she made her decision, I knew she was going to Nashville. Jesus says in John 15:15 that we are His friends. He has revealed to us all that the Father has told Him. When I hear the Lord in my heart, He gives me insight into His future plans. I love this quality of my friendship with Jesus! I am in touch with the Master Planner and I can walk in confidence as He brings forth His plan.
Last week, we dropped our daughter off in Nashville. And as we got there, we could see the city preparing for something big. Stages were going up and people were buzzing all around. Laura's close friend and roommate let us know Nashville was preparing to host the CMT Awards. The best country music singers were preparing to come to the city to receive awards and perform in downtown Nashville. Laura and her roommate had a wild hope that somehow they could get tickets to the show. It was sold out except for a few hundred standing room tickets which were being raffled and handed out throughout the city. Laura's roommate had done her homework and had already been entering raffles and finding places to get tickets. This would be a dream come true, for they are both huge country music fans.
I told them I would pray, and as I prayed I knew in my spirit they would be going. It was just like God to blow their minds and show Himself big just to satisfy the girlish desires of their hearts. He is so sweet and so interested in all the details. So I encouraged them as many times as the topic came up and they kept trying without losing hope. By the morning of the event, all of their attempts to get tickets had failed. But they got up early to stand in one more line. Tickets were handed out and then they were told there were no more tickets available. Right at that moment, when their last hope was crushed, a small batch of tickets were produced after the announcement. Our girls received literally the last remaining tickets! Wow! God was BIG and He came through at the last minute.
When they arrived in the building after standing for hours to get in, they heard a disheartening announcement that standing room space was at capacity. But the lack of space turned into a blessing when they were given instructions to find a seat. They could stay in their "found" seat as long as no one with a ticket showed up to claim the spot. So they ran through the Red Carpet event determined to find an open seat. Instead, they found a small space located some distance from the stage. But they were happy to be in the building. Well, God knew this spot would blow them away. It was within arms reach of Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, and many other stars. I even got a glimpse of them on TV when Carrie Underwood received an award. They were in the perfect spot!
I am always seeking the perfect spot as I walk through life. I define this spot as the center of God's will for me. My life is filled with the supernatural presence of God because that is His will for me! He wants me to live the abundant life of Jesus and I want that too! So it happens! And life over-flows around me! And now that I have lived this way, I will never go back! I will live the abundant life and keep my heart and life wide open to His blessings! He is pouring them out from the flood gates of heaven and I am a willing receiver of His grace and mercy! I am living in the supernatural! After all, it is His will for me!
100 Shades of Purple
As I have been walking, hiking, biking, running, and driving around my town this spring, I have been completely fascinated with all of the shades of purple in my view. I love the color purple! It is my favorite! And I love it in every shade. For some reason, we have extra purple flowers this spring and I see them everywhere I go. How many purple colored flowers are there in the world? I am sure I can not even begin to count.
It is endless to think about shades of purple when even one flower can be in different shades. For example, there are lots of Irises blooming in my neighborhood right now. The shades of purple of the Irises vary in different gardens. This lead me to think about how hard it is for me as a human to define the wonder of God. All I can say about the Irises is that they are purple. I can say, some are lighter purple or some are deeper purple. I can describe some of the other purple flowers as lavender, others as magenta, and some are periwinkle, but I run out of words and descriptions for the shades in between!
This mind-provoking dilemma with purple got me thinking about how HUGE God really is. Through the more than 100 shades of purple I have been noticing, He is speaking to me of Himself. Something simple like the color purple can be infinite in shades. God is infinite. He is incomprehensible! He is beyond my understanding and bigger than the universe. I can not describe Him with words. I can't understand Him with my finite mind! Just like I am unable to define completely all of the shades of purple!
The thing I love about the incomprehensible nature of God is the wonder of Him. I feel like He is putting the wonder of Himself all around me in His creation! He is causing me to stand in awe of Him with every turn of the corner. The creation around me is speaking to me of the glory of my Father in heaven. The creation is crying out to me! The creation is saying to me wherever I go, "He is worthy of your worship." God is the only being worthy of my worship. And as I look around I have no problem worshiping Him. When I see the sunlight every morning, I thank Him for another day! When I see the laughter on the faces of my children, I am so grateful and express thanks to Him! When I see the colors of the sunset, I share with Him my joy! "Thank you Lord for making yourself so visible even in your invisible state! I see you! I know you are with me! I know you are there! Thank you, Jesus!"
So let the shades of purple surrounding you, speak to you of your God! He is with you! There are probably flowers popping up in your life everywhere. Sometimes He even gives the flowers the strength to break through the concrete! He is with us! Take notice of Him all around you! He is worthy! Worship Him!
Romans 1:20- For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
It is endless to think about shades of purple when even one flower can be in different shades. For example, there are lots of Irises blooming in my neighborhood right now. The shades of purple of the Irises vary in different gardens. This lead me to think about how hard it is for me as a human to define the wonder of God. All I can say about the Irises is that they are purple. I can say, some are lighter purple or some are deeper purple. I can describe some of the other purple flowers as lavender, others as magenta, and some are periwinkle, but I run out of words and descriptions for the shades in between!
This mind-provoking dilemma with purple got me thinking about how HUGE God really is. Through the more than 100 shades of purple I have been noticing, He is speaking to me of Himself. Something simple like the color purple can be infinite in shades. God is infinite. He is incomprehensible! He is beyond my understanding and bigger than the universe. I can not describe Him with words. I can't understand Him with my finite mind! Just like I am unable to define completely all of the shades of purple!
The thing I love about the incomprehensible nature of God is the wonder of Him. I feel like He is putting the wonder of Himself all around me in His creation! He is causing me to stand in awe of Him with every turn of the corner. The creation around me is speaking to me of the glory of my Father in heaven. The creation is crying out to me! The creation is saying to me wherever I go, "He is worthy of your worship." God is the only being worthy of my worship. And as I look around I have no problem worshiping Him. When I see the sunlight every morning, I thank Him for another day! When I see the laughter on the faces of my children, I am so grateful and express thanks to Him! When I see the colors of the sunset, I share with Him my joy! "Thank you Lord for making yourself so visible even in your invisible state! I see you! I know you are with me! I know you are there! Thank you, Jesus!"
So let the shades of purple surrounding you, speak to you of your God! He is with you! There are probably flowers popping up in your life everywhere. Sometimes He even gives the flowers the strength to break through the concrete! He is with us! Take notice of Him all around you! He is worthy! Worship Him!
Romans 1:20- For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Living In Wander Or Wonder?
I was talking with a friend the other day and in our discussion I began to tell her about a miracle I am praying for. She proceeded to tell me why it will never occur. She is a smart woman so she tried to reason with me. She gave much evidence to explain why the miracle I was praying for will not happen. When she was done she paused and waited for my reply. I looked deep into her soul and said, "Nothing you can say will ever convince me that my God will not perform this miracle! My God is faithful and always performs the miracles He promises to me. I understand your lack of faith based on the facts, but nothing will ever take away my faith because my faith is in Almighty God!" Then, I proceeded to remind her of the miracles God had performed in her life. This friend has not trusted Jesus as her Savior yet. I say, "Yet!" because I am praying for the miracle of her salvation too.
This situation reminded me of the story in Numbers 13-14 of the twelve spies from the twelve tribes of Israel who Moses sent into the land of Canaan. God had delivered Israel from Egypt and the Lord had lead them to Canaan which was the land the Lord had promised them. The twelve spies went into the land and spied for 40days. Although the land was good, ten of spies came back and gave a bad report to the people of Israel. They gave this bad report because they saw fortified cities they did not believe they could defeat. They also saw "men of great stature." They were afraid of the obstacles and did not trust God to take care of things for them. Therefore, they believed the physical circumstances they saw above the Word of God. This is tempting to all people. However, two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, choose to look at the circumstances by keeping in mind that this was God's idea and this land was a gift from God to His people. Caleb answered the bad report of the ten unbelieving spies by saying in Numbers 13:30; "Let us go up at once and take possession(of the land), for we are well able to overcome it." Caleb had this response because he believed God's Word! He knew nothing was impossible with God! The obstacles he saw were so small in comparison to the God he knew and trusted!
Unfortunately, Israel believed the bad report of the ten spies and did not heed the advice of Caleb, and Joshua. Keep in mind that these were the same people who had been eye witnesses to the parting of the Red Sea! They choose to not believe the God who parted the Red Sea to save them from the Egyptians. Well, the Lord was very angry about this. Because of this rebellion of unbelief these people spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness waiting to die. When they were all dead, then God brought Joshua and Caleb and the younger generations of Israel into the promised land of Canaan! God kept His promise and did the miracles required to give them the land!
This is a great principle to live by. Am I going to live my life wandering through the wilderness waiting for death or am I going to live in wonder as I experience the miracles of my Great and Mighty God? Can you recall the miracles God has performed in your life? Is there a miracle right now He is encouraging you to pray for? Are you living with purpose and passion? Are you attempting and praying for things that can only happen by the power of God? Are you stepping out of the boat in faith to walk on the water? This is the promised land! A life of faith, excitement, risk, great miracles and most of all dependance on Jesus! Are you living in the promised land of your own life? Maybe you are walking on the border of the promised land right now. Maybe you are wondering if God can really bring you to the places you believe you were born to go. Well, I want to encourage you right now! Believe God and take the first step in following Him! He will lead you if your heart is willing! Don't be a wanderer living in the fog of unbelief waiting for death! Be a BELIEVER living in the wonder of our Awesome God of miracles!
Psalm 77:14- You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate Your awesome power among the peoples.
This situation reminded me of the story in Numbers 13-14 of the twelve spies from the twelve tribes of Israel who Moses sent into the land of Canaan. God had delivered Israel from Egypt and the Lord had lead them to Canaan which was the land the Lord had promised them. The twelve spies went into the land and spied for 40days. Although the land was good, ten of spies came back and gave a bad report to the people of Israel. They gave this bad report because they saw fortified cities they did not believe they could defeat. They also saw "men of great stature." They were afraid of the obstacles and did not trust God to take care of things for them. Therefore, they believed the physical circumstances they saw above the Word of God. This is tempting to all people. However, two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, choose to look at the circumstances by keeping in mind that this was God's idea and this land was a gift from God to His people. Caleb answered the bad report of the ten unbelieving spies by saying in Numbers 13:30; "Let us go up at once and take possession(of the land), for we are well able to overcome it." Caleb had this response because he believed God's Word! He knew nothing was impossible with God! The obstacles he saw were so small in comparison to the God he knew and trusted!
Unfortunately, Israel believed the bad report of the ten spies and did not heed the advice of Caleb, and Joshua. Keep in mind that these were the same people who had been eye witnesses to the parting of the Red Sea! They choose to not believe the God who parted the Red Sea to save them from the Egyptians. Well, the Lord was very angry about this. Because of this rebellion of unbelief these people spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness waiting to die. When they were all dead, then God brought Joshua and Caleb and the younger generations of Israel into the promised land of Canaan! God kept His promise and did the miracles required to give them the land!
This is a great principle to live by. Am I going to live my life wandering through the wilderness waiting for death or am I going to live in wonder as I experience the miracles of my Great and Mighty God? Can you recall the miracles God has performed in your life? Is there a miracle right now He is encouraging you to pray for? Are you living with purpose and passion? Are you attempting and praying for things that can only happen by the power of God? Are you stepping out of the boat in faith to walk on the water? This is the promised land! A life of faith, excitement, risk, great miracles and most of all dependance on Jesus! Are you living in the promised land of your own life? Maybe you are walking on the border of the promised land right now. Maybe you are wondering if God can really bring you to the places you believe you were born to go. Well, I want to encourage you right now! Believe God and take the first step in following Him! He will lead you if your heart is willing! Don't be a wanderer living in the fog of unbelief waiting for death! Be a BELIEVER living in the wonder of our Awesome God of miracles!
Psalm 77:14- You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate Your awesome power among the peoples.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Overcoming Depression!
I was walking through Wal-mart yesterday and in passing, I saw the face of a woman. Her face has been with me since then. I have been praying for her although I do not know who she is. Something in her expression touched me deep in my soul. I recognized the face of someone who is severely depressed. I have seen this face in my own mirror in past years. It is not something I feel very often anymore. But knowing depression in my own life, helped me relate to the pain and hopelessness that gripped this woman.
In the last week, I have been reading the Psalms. The Psalms are full of the emotions of man. They range from purely joyful moments to utter despair. It is amazing how the Bible has the answer to every one of life's problems! This is because it was written about real people! God inspired these words to those who have gone before us so we would have a way to deal with all the things that come our way. It is a manual for our life and a love letter from our God. His Word will get us through with grace and mercy.
So as I was reading, I found the answer to heal depression in one verse! It is comforting how one verse can be so packed full of answers for my life. I can testify to the accuracy of this verse because the Lord has used this method to heal my life of depression.
Psalm 42:5 says; "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior..."
Here are the steps that I see in this verse:
Step 1: The Psalmist asks himself the questions; "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?" It is important to ask yourself these questions so you know what it is that is causing the depression. You can even ask the Lord to help you. You might even want to talk to a friend about it. But figuring out what is really going on is the first step.
Step 2: Put your hope in God! Hope is actually the emotional state that is opposite of despair. So if we spend some time meditating on who God is, we see the hope of Him helping us through the situation. If we remember He parted the Red Sea, He healed the sick, He raised the dead, and He died for us, we have a much better perspective to gaze at our problem. When we consider God, every circumstance has hope. After all, nothing is impossible with God and everything is possible!
Step 3: Make a decision to praise Him! Jesus is our Savior. Often when I feel depression gripping my soul, I get out my journal and I start writing down everything I am thankful for. Sometimes it is hard to start, but as I get going, I feel my soul being lifted and I thank God for all of the beautiful creation around me, the amazing people in my life, and His abundant love for me. I am His favorite! You are His favorite! We are all His favorite! We cannot be grateful and depressed at the same time.
I am blessed to testify to the fact that depression is not something we need to live with day after day. God has given us the answer to dealing with depression. Depression was a daily struggle in my past and now it is just a word on the list of things from which the Lord has healed me.
In the last week, I have been reading the Psalms. The Psalms are full of the emotions of man. They range from purely joyful moments to utter despair. It is amazing how the Bible has the answer to every one of life's problems! This is because it was written about real people! God inspired these words to those who have gone before us so we would have a way to deal with all the things that come our way. It is a manual for our life and a love letter from our God. His Word will get us through with grace and mercy.
So as I was reading, I found the answer to heal depression in one verse! It is comforting how one verse can be so packed full of answers for my life. I can testify to the accuracy of this verse because the Lord has used this method to heal my life of depression.
Psalm 42:5 says; "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior..."
Here are the steps that I see in this verse:
Step 1: The Psalmist asks himself the questions; "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?" It is important to ask yourself these questions so you know what it is that is causing the depression. You can even ask the Lord to help you. You might even want to talk to a friend about it. But figuring out what is really going on is the first step.
Step 2: Put your hope in God! Hope is actually the emotional state that is opposite of despair. So if we spend some time meditating on who God is, we see the hope of Him helping us through the situation. If we remember He parted the Red Sea, He healed the sick, He raised the dead, and He died for us, we have a much better perspective to gaze at our problem. When we consider God, every circumstance has hope. After all, nothing is impossible with God and everything is possible!
Step 3: Make a decision to praise Him! Jesus is our Savior. Often when I feel depression gripping my soul, I get out my journal and I start writing down everything I am thankful for. Sometimes it is hard to start, but as I get going, I feel my soul being lifted and I thank God for all of the beautiful creation around me, the amazing people in my life, and His abundant love for me. I am His favorite! You are His favorite! We are all His favorite! We cannot be grateful and depressed at the same time.
I am blessed to testify to the fact that depression is not something we need to live with day after day. God has given us the answer to dealing with depression. Depression was a daily struggle in my past and now it is just a word on the list of things from which the Lord has healed me.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Morning Glory!
I have the pleasure of getting my grandsons ready for school several mornings each week while my daughter is at work. We have a routine we go through to get ready for our day. Included in this routine is a short bible study. Deuteronomy 11:19 says about God's commandments; "Teach them to to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." This is something I took to heart when my children were at home and it is a pleasure to continue this tradition with my grandchildren. It is a wonderful time of talking about the Lord and His Word together! We love it!
Well, recently we had an extra special morning. I was running really late. So I was making lunches while the boys ate breakfast. Although I was not happy about oversleeping and rushing to make it to school on time, God took the opportunity to "perfect His strength in my weakness." He is always so sweet and comforting! As I was preparing lunches I looked over at the table and saw a scene that brought tears to my eyes. My eight-year-old grandson was reading the Children's Bible to his three-year-old little brother. He was holding the bible with the pictures facing his little brother and reading it, just like I do. He went along reading and then he stopped in the middle and did something remarkable. He looked away from the words and look straight into his little brothers eyes and he explained something to him.
It was a beautiful moment! I forgot about the lunches and paused to feel the presence of God in my kitchen! They were reading about the poor widow who put two small copper coins into the offering in Mark 12:42-44. This is the point where he stopped the story and spoke directly to his brother. He said, "You know when we are at church and they pass the baskets around and we put our money in?" His brother answered, "Yes." He replied, "This is what was happening when the widow gave her coins in the temple." I loved it! He had given a practical example from his three-year-old brother's life that connected him to the bible story! I could not have done it better myself. The glory of God filled my kitchen and I basked in it!
In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus addressed His disciples before leaving the earth and descending to heaven. This scripture is called The Great Commission. In this passage, Jesus says; "...go and make disciples of all nations..." and "...teaching them to obey all I have commanded you..." It applies to all those who are disciples of Jesus. Disciple means "learner." As long as we are on earth, we are going to be "learners or disciples." The more I read my Bible over and over, I realize I will never come to a full understanding of it. I will never get tired of reading it! I will always find new truths as God reveals Himself to me personally through His Word each day!
Every believer on this earth has someone in their life who is willing to listen. We each have circles of influence which God has given us to make a difference. Many Christians I know claim they do not know enough about the Word of God and they use this as an excuse to disqualify themselves from fulfilling The Great Commission. When Jesus said this, He was not making a suggestion! He was commanding us! I know I do not feel fulfilled when I do not have outlets to testify and teach about Jesus. When God gives us a command, He is doing it for our own benefit! We were born to worship and praise God!
So on this special morning when things looked rushed and hectic, the Lord stopped me in my tracks by sending His glory into my kitchen. My grandson was following my example and sharing what he knows about God's Word with his little brother. What a joy! Although my eight-year-old grandson might not be aware of The Great Commission, he was fulfilling it in my kitchen! This is discipleship--pure and simple! It was a beautiful sight in my eyes and I know it blessed the heart of my Father in Heaven! Just like that, God filled my morning with His glory!
Matthew 28:19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age."
Well, recently we had an extra special morning. I was running really late. So I was making lunches while the boys ate breakfast. Although I was not happy about oversleeping and rushing to make it to school on time, God took the opportunity to "perfect His strength in my weakness." He is always so sweet and comforting! As I was preparing lunches I looked over at the table and saw a scene that brought tears to my eyes. My eight-year-old grandson was reading the Children's Bible to his three-year-old little brother. He was holding the bible with the pictures facing his little brother and reading it, just like I do. He went along reading and then he stopped in the middle and did something remarkable. He looked away from the words and look straight into his little brothers eyes and he explained something to him.
It was a beautiful moment! I forgot about the lunches and paused to feel the presence of God in my kitchen! They were reading about the poor widow who put two small copper coins into the offering in Mark 12:42-44. This is the point where he stopped the story and spoke directly to his brother. He said, "You know when we are at church and they pass the baskets around and we put our money in?" His brother answered, "Yes." He replied, "This is what was happening when the widow gave her coins in the temple." I loved it! He had given a practical example from his three-year-old brother's life that connected him to the bible story! I could not have done it better myself. The glory of God filled my kitchen and I basked in it!
In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus addressed His disciples before leaving the earth and descending to heaven. This scripture is called The Great Commission. In this passage, Jesus says; "...go and make disciples of all nations..." and "...teaching them to obey all I have commanded you..." It applies to all those who are disciples of Jesus. Disciple means "learner." As long as we are on earth, we are going to be "learners or disciples." The more I read my Bible over and over, I realize I will never come to a full understanding of it. I will never get tired of reading it! I will always find new truths as God reveals Himself to me personally through His Word each day!
Every believer on this earth has someone in their life who is willing to listen. We each have circles of influence which God has given us to make a difference. Many Christians I know claim they do not know enough about the Word of God and they use this as an excuse to disqualify themselves from fulfilling The Great Commission. When Jesus said this, He was not making a suggestion! He was commanding us! I know I do not feel fulfilled when I do not have outlets to testify and teach about Jesus. When God gives us a command, He is doing it for our own benefit! We were born to worship and praise God!
So on this special morning when things looked rushed and hectic, the Lord stopped me in my tracks by sending His glory into my kitchen. My grandson was following my example and sharing what he knows about God's Word with his little brother. What a joy! Although my eight-year-old grandson might not be aware of The Great Commission, he was fulfilling it in my kitchen! This is discipleship--pure and simple! It was a beautiful sight in my eyes and I know it blessed the heart of my Father in Heaven! Just like that, God filled my morning with His glory!
Matthew 28:19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age."
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Unveiled
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a wedding of some close family friends. It always amazes me to see the beauty of the bride as she walks down the aisle to her waiting groom. It is a special moment when the father gives the bride to the groom and lifts up the veil. All of the love of the bride comes shining through her face!! In this moment she is free to share all of herself with the man of her dreams. Her father has given the groom permission to have and to hold his daughter.
This special time in the wedding reminds me of our Father in heaven's gracious gift of intimacy! In the Old Testament, we see intimate relationships between God and man. In Exodus 33:11, it says; "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." When Moses came back to camp after speaking with God, something peculiar happened. It says in Exodus 34:29; "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony (The Ten Commandments) in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD." His face was glowing like a bride. This frightened the people so Moses began to wear a veil over his face. But Moses took the veil off when he went to meet with the Lord.
In the temple in Jerusalem when Jesus was alive as man on earth, there was a veil that hung in the Holy Place of the temple. It was a separation between the people and the presence of God. At the moment that Jesus died, the veil ripped from top to bottom. The veil was from ceiling to floor and about 12 inches thick. Only God could have ripped this veil. It is such a beautiful imagery God our Father gave us. The church is referred to as the Bride of Christ. So when Jesus died, the Father removed the veil so that all believers, who are the bride, could enter into an intimate relationship with His son, the Groom.
God has given us this gift through Jesus to enter into His presence each day and to talk to Him as a friend. In the process of spending time with God, His glory is revealed in our lives. And unlike Moses, we are to walk around without a veil. And as we do, our faces will be shining with the radiance of having God with us! And through this miracle, people will be faced with the reality of the glory of God.
I love meeting with my Lord in the morning. He always greets me with the anticipation of a groom waiting for His bride. He reminds me how loved I am! He shares his thoughts and plans with me. He helps me understand how valuable I am to Him and those He has placed in my life. He fills my cup to overflowing. And then I can go to face the day with His glory all over me and around me. As I walk through the day, I can share His wisdom and great wonders with all I meet. Just like He waits for me, He is waiting for you! Go to Jesus! You are His bride and He is your groom!
2 Corinthians 3:18- "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
This special time in the wedding reminds me of our Father in heaven's gracious gift of intimacy! In the Old Testament, we see intimate relationships between God and man. In Exodus 33:11, it says; "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." When Moses came back to camp after speaking with God, something peculiar happened. It says in Exodus 34:29; "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony (The Ten Commandments) in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD." His face was glowing like a bride. This frightened the people so Moses began to wear a veil over his face. But Moses took the veil off when he went to meet with the Lord.
In the temple in Jerusalem when Jesus was alive as man on earth, there was a veil that hung in the Holy Place of the temple. It was a separation between the people and the presence of God. At the moment that Jesus died, the veil ripped from top to bottom. The veil was from ceiling to floor and about 12 inches thick. Only God could have ripped this veil. It is such a beautiful imagery God our Father gave us. The church is referred to as the Bride of Christ. So when Jesus died, the Father removed the veil so that all believers, who are the bride, could enter into an intimate relationship with His son, the Groom.
God has given us this gift through Jesus to enter into His presence each day and to talk to Him as a friend. In the process of spending time with God, His glory is revealed in our lives. And unlike Moses, we are to walk around without a veil. And as we do, our faces will be shining with the radiance of having God with us! And through this miracle, people will be faced with the reality of the glory of God.
I love meeting with my Lord in the morning. He always greets me with the anticipation of a groom waiting for His bride. He reminds me how loved I am! He shares his thoughts and plans with me. He helps me understand how valuable I am to Him and those He has placed in my life. He fills my cup to overflowing. And then I can go to face the day with His glory all over me and around me. As I walk through the day, I can share His wisdom and great wonders with all I meet. Just like He waits for me, He is waiting for you! Go to Jesus! You are His bride and He is your groom!
2 Corinthians 3:18- "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
Friday, March 2, 2012
"Do Not Be Anxious About Anything"
I got a phone call the other day that blessed me and at the same time scared me to death. Some friends of our family are getting married and asked me to read a scripture passage in their wedding ceremony. Wow! I felt so honored! They are beautiful people! I am so grateful to be attending their wedding and never expected to be a part of the ceremony! As you know, I love the Word of God and believe in the power of the Word and so this is a gift to me!
So, you are probably wondering about the "scared to death" part of this phone call. Did you know most people rank the fear of dying below the fear of speaking in front of groups? I understand this! Fear of speaking in front of groups has been paralyzing to me in my past! It just freaks out my senses to be in front of a group and hear the sound of my voice over a microphone. And the anticipation of it in years past really messed with my mind and caused my heart stress.
In college this fear was so out of control I actually blacked out while presenting a project in front of a classroom full of people. It was humiliating! This fear harassed me for years. After college, I promised myself I would never speak in front of a group again. I did not anticipate any need to speak in front of a group so I thought those days were over.
Then, when I surrendered my life to Jesus, I began to feel the need to testify! The Bible is full of verses calling us to testify and witness. This need has lead me in front of many groups. In order to not allow this fear to control me, I have worked out a commitment to God as His witness. I will only speak in front of groups when asked if I feel passion in my heart for the topic or if I am asked to testify about Jesus. So, as you can see, it was clear during this phone call "Yes" was my answer even though deep down in my flesh, I was feeling fear!
The difference now in how I handle this fear is my dependence on God! I have made a commitment to God to say, "Yes" and not let this fear control me. And He has promised me He will be with me. The Lord has helped me to overcome this fear in the moments I have stood before groups. I have even felt a sense of blessing and joy standing before groups! It is a great testimony to His presence in my body through His Holy Spirit! These times have definitely built my faith!
God is so faithful and sweet! He always blows my mind! When I asked what scripture it was that they wanted me to read, I immediately could hear the words in my head! It is a scripture I have memorized because it so pertains to my life and has brought healing to my fear! I need this scripture often and I see God knew I would need it on that day! This couple chose three scripture passages out of the whole Bible and this is what I ended up with! Philippians 4:6-9! The first verse I will read says this; "DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Then, verse 7 says, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
I will proclaim this promise of God before about 180 people! And do you know what I am expecting in the moments that I stand before this group? The peace of God, which transcends all understanding! Even through the weakness and fear in my flesh! Praise Jesus!
So, you are probably wondering about the "scared to death" part of this phone call. Did you know most people rank the fear of dying below the fear of speaking in front of groups? I understand this! Fear of speaking in front of groups has been paralyzing to me in my past! It just freaks out my senses to be in front of a group and hear the sound of my voice over a microphone. And the anticipation of it in years past really messed with my mind and caused my heart stress.
In college this fear was so out of control I actually blacked out while presenting a project in front of a classroom full of people. It was humiliating! This fear harassed me for years. After college, I promised myself I would never speak in front of a group again. I did not anticipate any need to speak in front of a group so I thought those days were over.
Then, when I surrendered my life to Jesus, I began to feel the need to testify! The Bible is full of verses calling us to testify and witness. This need has lead me in front of many groups. In order to not allow this fear to control me, I have worked out a commitment to God as His witness. I will only speak in front of groups when asked if I feel passion in my heart for the topic or if I am asked to testify about Jesus. So, as you can see, it was clear during this phone call "Yes" was my answer even though deep down in my flesh, I was feeling fear!
The difference now in how I handle this fear is my dependence on God! I have made a commitment to God to say, "Yes" and not let this fear control me. And He has promised me He will be with me. The Lord has helped me to overcome this fear in the moments I have stood before groups. I have even felt a sense of blessing and joy standing before groups! It is a great testimony to His presence in my body through His Holy Spirit! These times have definitely built my faith!
God is so faithful and sweet! He always blows my mind! When I asked what scripture it was that they wanted me to read, I immediately could hear the words in my head! It is a scripture I have memorized because it so pertains to my life and has brought healing to my fear! I need this scripture often and I see God knew I would need it on that day! This couple chose three scripture passages out of the whole Bible and this is what I ended up with! Philippians 4:6-9! The first verse I will read says this; "DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Then, verse 7 says, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
I will proclaim this promise of God before about 180 people! And do you know what I am expecting in the moments that I stand before this group? The peace of God, which transcends all understanding! Even through the weakness and fear in my flesh! Praise Jesus!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Always Pray and Don't Give Up!
More than four years ago, my husband and I began to pray for the sale of a business we own. This business had been causing us problems and arguments in our marriage for over 20 years. It was a profitable business, but we came to the conclusion that we needed to get rid of it for the best interest of our marriage. So we prayed for over four years and we had not gotten an offer or any real interest.
A problem came up in November related to this business. We have some very wise friends who we meet with when we are having a disagreement that we can't resolve in our marriage. They have been married for over 45 years and they are great role models to help us in times of tension. We are so grateful to God for them and we both value their opinion and have great respect for them. We scheduled a meeting with our friends to seek counsel and resolution.
One of the questions that came up during our meeting was, "How often do you pray together about selling this business?" We thought about it and realized our prayers were very sporadic. What they counseled us to do was to pray EVERYDAY together for the sale of our business. So we made this commitment to pray together everyday for the purpose of the sale of this business.
Within a few weeks of this commitment, we got an offer on the business. WOW! This really encouraged our prayer! We went through the process of getting everything together and working with our client over the next month. And we continued to pray everyday! The deal was set to go through on January 6th. Just before Christmas, my husband received a phone call from someone else with another offer on the business. Two offers in a matter of 6 weeks when we had not received an offer in 4 years! We were praising the Lord and we continued to pray and seek His guidance in this deal.
On January 6th, the first deal fell through. We were shocked! It was a disappointing day for both of us as we were so excited to have closure in this area of our lives. But, we realized God had seen all the details in the future and had provided all we had needed to answer this persistent prayer. Last week, our second deal was finalized. During the time between the failure of the first deal and the closing of the second, we prayed and prayed.
As I spent time with the Lord and continued to pray, He lead me to some scriptures about persistent prayer. Luke 18:1 says, "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them they should always pray and not give up." He told a parable about a widow who kept coming to a judge day and night to seek a ruling over her adversary. This judge did not fear God or care about men. He kept refusing her request until finally he gave her the judgement she asked for because her persistence wore him down. At the end of this parable, Jesus compares this judge with God and says, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find (persistent) faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:6-8)
This scripture hit me straight in the heart. It was a promise directed to encourage me. So I started crying out day and night. I wanted the Lord to see persistent faith in my life! It hurt my heart to read that statement. I wanted Him to find persistent faith. And I let go of doubt and prayed in faith. I encouraged my husband that we were not counting on the plans of men but on the faithfulness of God. I was sure this sale was God's will and I took every thought captive that interfered with the outcome I was praying for. I simply believed no matter what! And what fueled this belief was a deep desire to bless Jesus who constantly blesses me.
As I have realized God's gracious answer to our prayers, I have increased my prayer time on a daily basis. I have added things to my list that I believe are His will but seem impossible at this time. My husband has joined me in praying for our next miracle! Whatever we have given up on in the past has become the cry of our hearts day and night! We are committed with the grace and help of Jesus to have persistent faith on this earth! I pray this story encourages you to cry out day and night to Jesus for the answer to whatever you have given up on! He has given us a promise. Our part is to "always pray and don't give up!"
A problem came up in November related to this business. We have some very wise friends who we meet with when we are having a disagreement that we can't resolve in our marriage. They have been married for over 45 years and they are great role models to help us in times of tension. We are so grateful to God for them and we both value their opinion and have great respect for them. We scheduled a meeting with our friends to seek counsel and resolution.
One of the questions that came up during our meeting was, "How often do you pray together about selling this business?" We thought about it and realized our prayers were very sporadic. What they counseled us to do was to pray EVERYDAY together for the sale of our business. So we made this commitment to pray together everyday for the purpose of the sale of this business.
Within a few weeks of this commitment, we got an offer on the business. WOW! This really encouraged our prayer! We went through the process of getting everything together and working with our client over the next month. And we continued to pray everyday! The deal was set to go through on January 6th. Just before Christmas, my husband received a phone call from someone else with another offer on the business. Two offers in a matter of 6 weeks when we had not received an offer in 4 years! We were praising the Lord and we continued to pray and seek His guidance in this deal.
On January 6th, the first deal fell through. We were shocked! It was a disappointing day for both of us as we were so excited to have closure in this area of our lives. But, we realized God had seen all the details in the future and had provided all we had needed to answer this persistent prayer. Last week, our second deal was finalized. During the time between the failure of the first deal and the closing of the second, we prayed and prayed.
As I spent time with the Lord and continued to pray, He lead me to some scriptures about persistent prayer. Luke 18:1 says, "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them they should always pray and not give up." He told a parable about a widow who kept coming to a judge day and night to seek a ruling over her adversary. This judge did not fear God or care about men. He kept refusing her request until finally he gave her the judgement she asked for because her persistence wore him down. At the end of this parable, Jesus compares this judge with God and says, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find (persistent) faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:6-8)
This scripture hit me straight in the heart. It was a promise directed to encourage me. So I started crying out day and night. I wanted the Lord to see persistent faith in my life! It hurt my heart to read that statement. I wanted Him to find persistent faith. And I let go of doubt and prayed in faith. I encouraged my husband that we were not counting on the plans of men but on the faithfulness of God. I was sure this sale was God's will and I took every thought captive that interfered with the outcome I was praying for. I simply believed no matter what! And what fueled this belief was a deep desire to bless Jesus who constantly blesses me.
As I have realized God's gracious answer to our prayers, I have increased my prayer time on a daily basis. I have added things to my list that I believe are His will but seem impossible at this time. My husband has joined me in praying for our next miracle! Whatever we have given up on in the past has become the cry of our hearts day and night! We are committed with the grace and help of Jesus to have persistent faith on this earth! I pray this story encourages you to cry out day and night to Jesus for the answer to whatever you have given up on! He has given us a promise. Our part is to "always pray and don't give up!"
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Expert by Default
I was spending some time this morning thinking about an unpleasant time in my life. You may be wondering why I did this. It is amazing the useful information we can gain from our past bad experiences. I am a firm believer in Romans 8:28 which says; "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." I truly believe that through my agony, God was working for my good even when it did not seem like it. I remember questioning the Lord about this as I was going through this very hard situation! In the end I chose to believe this verse despite my circumstances and today I live with the benefits of all the glorious things that came from that trauma!
Lately, I have felt the leading of the Lord to revisit this time in my life to help others who are going through similar experiences. As I delved into this experience once again in my memories, I felt the confidence of knowing what worked in this situation to cultivate my healing. It is amazing to me how close the Lord walked with me during this traumatic and emotionally painful time. It also is mind-boggling how clearly I remember the days! It seems like a supernatural preservation of experiences for such a time as this!
As I was thinking and writing about these things, I realize that I am an expert on this topic. Expert means "experienced." The definition included the phrase; "having, involving, or displaying a special skill or knowledge derived from training or experience." Well, it is true! I am an expert in an area of life that no one would want to be called an expert in. It is one of the last experiences I would have chosen to participate in on the earth! The truth is, I have a special skill and knowledge in this horrid area of life not by my choice but by my experience, which was completely out of my control. So I am an expert by default!
The good news is, God will use this special skill and knowledge to help others. Even though I was unwilling at first, now I have information to help some other people through similar traumas. It is the way our society works. We depend on expert opinion to make good choices and learn tools to take us to a healthier place. Alcoholics Anonymous was founded on expert opinion. Bill Wilson, who was one of the founders of AA in 1934, was an alcoholic. He ruined his promising career on Wall Street because of his alcoholism. He used what he learned as Jesus helped him get free to conquer alcoholism in his own life and help countless others get free from this debilitating bondage. I am sure when Bill Wilson was a young boy he did not wish to be an expert on alcoholism. I am quite sure it was not his mother's dream for him. But, regardless, it became his life work and still impacts multitudes of people today! Praise God for this helpful organization!
I am grateful to the Lord that He is leading me to use my "essentially unwanted" expert information to bless those in His kingdom. He has healed my wounds of shame, hurt, and anger so that I can freely share this information with people who need help through my experience! Are there any areas where you are an "expert by default?" Ask the Lord to prove Romans 8:28 in your life! He wants to use all things!
Lately, I have felt the leading of the Lord to revisit this time in my life to help others who are going through similar experiences. As I delved into this experience once again in my memories, I felt the confidence of knowing what worked in this situation to cultivate my healing. It is amazing to me how close the Lord walked with me during this traumatic and emotionally painful time. It also is mind-boggling how clearly I remember the days! It seems like a supernatural preservation of experiences for such a time as this!
As I was thinking and writing about these things, I realize that I am an expert on this topic. Expert means "experienced." The definition included the phrase; "having, involving, or displaying a special skill or knowledge derived from training or experience." Well, it is true! I am an expert in an area of life that no one would want to be called an expert in. It is one of the last experiences I would have chosen to participate in on the earth! The truth is, I have a special skill and knowledge in this horrid area of life not by my choice but by my experience, which was completely out of my control. So I am an expert by default!
The good news is, God will use this special skill and knowledge to help others. Even though I was unwilling at first, now I have information to help some other people through similar traumas. It is the way our society works. We depend on expert opinion to make good choices and learn tools to take us to a healthier place. Alcoholics Anonymous was founded on expert opinion. Bill Wilson, who was one of the founders of AA in 1934, was an alcoholic. He ruined his promising career on Wall Street because of his alcoholism. He used what he learned as Jesus helped him get free to conquer alcoholism in his own life and help countless others get free from this debilitating bondage. I am sure when Bill Wilson was a young boy he did not wish to be an expert on alcoholism. I am quite sure it was not his mother's dream for him. But, regardless, it became his life work and still impacts multitudes of people today! Praise God for this helpful organization!
I am grateful to the Lord that He is leading me to use my "essentially unwanted" expert information to bless those in His kingdom. He has healed my wounds of shame, hurt, and anger so that I can freely share this information with people who need help through my experience! Are there any areas where you are an "expert by default?" Ask the Lord to prove Romans 8:28 in your life! He wants to use all things!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
"Put Your Hand Over Your Mouth!"
I have a friend with whom I love to spend time! One reason I love to be with this particular friend is because she is a great listener. I find this to be a rare quality among women. Personally, I am working on becoming a better listener. It is hard to be a good listener. Maybe you can relate? It is easy for my mind to start processing my next sentence even before the person I am talking with has finished their thought. Listening takes discipline and lots of energy. Especially for women! But, this quality is worth learning. And I plan on learning, with the help of the Lord, to be a great listener despite myself and my natural tendencies. Spending time with my friend and learning from her has helped me in this area.
So, why is this friend a great listener? She is a wise and mature Christian woman. She models "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak..." from James 1:19. (It is funny that James says "Everyone..." Try to count on one hand those you know who are "quick to listen and slow to speak"). So, not only is my friend a great listener but she fascinates me with how slowly she chooses her words. She chooses them so carefully, I can see her contemplating whether she should say them or not. This requires so much discipline. It makes me think she is not only listening to me, but checking her answer in prayer with the Lord. It is safe to say that when she speaks, I listen, and I listen carefully. Because she is "slow to speak," her words tend to be profound! This is another quality I aspire to! It is nice to have someone in my life who is such a great example to me of listening and thoughtful speaking. Although I am sure she is not perfect in this area, she is a living example of how it looks to listen and speak slowly.
So, how do I model this listening and slow speech I see in my friend? I was asking the Lord this question when I thought of a phrase in the Bible. It is so practical to my learning process, it made me laugh. The phrase which came to my mind was "PUT YOUR HAND OVER YOUR MOUTH!" This was definitely the Lord speaking directly to me. He always lightens my deep thoughts with laughter and practical help. So, I got out my Bible and found that the whole verse was exactly what I needed. Proverbs 30:32 says; "If you have played the fool and exalted yourself, or if you have planned evil, put your hand over your mouth!" Now, I can't remember the last time I planned evil, but I can recall many times that I have been foolish and exalted myself. It was helpful for me to see my quick words and bad listening skills as foolishness and pride. Sometimes the truth hurts for a few seconds but then it is so freeing. If I am thoughtless and impulsive in the things I say when I really should be listening, I will regret saying those things. And I would like to decrease my ratio of regretful statements to blessings.
As I reflected on the year, 2011, I really felt the Lord putting the emphasis on my mouth. Sometimes we find our greatest weakness rests in the area of our greatest strength. If you read my last blog in 2011, you would see it was about making sure to bless with a "Gift of Words." The Lord assured me to let every word of blessing flow without restraint from my mouth, but also to be disciplined when other words are formulating in my heart. Words such as advice or reproof or plans or angry outbursts. My mouth is meant to bless and not to curse (James 3:10). If what I am about to say is not absolutely, for sure, a blessing, then I will follow this simple resolution in 2012: I will "put my hand over my mouth!"
So, why is this friend a great listener? She is a wise and mature Christian woman. She models "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak..." from James 1:19. (It is funny that James says "Everyone..." Try to count on one hand those you know who are "quick to listen and slow to speak"). So, not only is my friend a great listener but she fascinates me with how slowly she chooses her words. She chooses them so carefully, I can see her contemplating whether she should say them or not. This requires so much discipline. It makes me think she is not only listening to me, but checking her answer in prayer with the Lord. It is safe to say that when she speaks, I listen, and I listen carefully. Because she is "slow to speak," her words tend to be profound! This is another quality I aspire to! It is nice to have someone in my life who is such a great example to me of listening and thoughtful speaking. Although I am sure she is not perfect in this area, she is a living example of how it looks to listen and speak slowly.
So, how do I model this listening and slow speech I see in my friend? I was asking the Lord this question when I thought of a phrase in the Bible. It is so practical to my learning process, it made me laugh. The phrase which came to my mind was "PUT YOUR HAND OVER YOUR MOUTH!" This was definitely the Lord speaking directly to me. He always lightens my deep thoughts with laughter and practical help. So, I got out my Bible and found that the whole verse was exactly what I needed. Proverbs 30:32 says; "If you have played the fool and exalted yourself, or if you have planned evil, put your hand over your mouth!" Now, I can't remember the last time I planned evil, but I can recall many times that I have been foolish and exalted myself. It was helpful for me to see my quick words and bad listening skills as foolishness and pride. Sometimes the truth hurts for a few seconds but then it is so freeing. If I am thoughtless and impulsive in the things I say when I really should be listening, I will regret saying those things. And I would like to decrease my ratio of regretful statements to blessings.
As I reflected on the year, 2011, I really felt the Lord putting the emphasis on my mouth. Sometimes we find our greatest weakness rests in the area of our greatest strength. If you read my last blog in 2011, you would see it was about making sure to bless with a "Gift of Words." The Lord assured me to let every word of blessing flow without restraint from my mouth, but also to be disciplined when other words are formulating in my heart. Words such as advice or reproof or plans or angry outbursts. My mouth is meant to bless and not to curse (James 3:10). If what I am about to say is not absolutely, for sure, a blessing, then I will follow this simple resolution in 2012: I will "put my hand over my mouth!"
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