Get happy....right where you're at

The past couple of days a "random thought" has been on my mind. Imagine my excitement when my pastor preached today on the very things that had been on my mind! (Love it when that happens!)

Have you ever noticed that some people seem to go from place to place, job to job, city to city, relationship to relationship, even hobby to hobby looking for that elusive thing called happiness? You've heard it before in probably a million blogs and devotions, warning that if you put your hope into a thing or a position or even a person that eventually it will let you down. The problem is, we are all looking for happiness and it is usually best found right where you are at. (Okay - please forgive me for ending a sentence in the preposition, but you get the idea.)

I've had more than a few chances to put this whole idea into practice. The funny thing is, when I finally choose to be happy where I am, God seems to move me on.

This came to mind last week when I talked with a friend about the gentle nudge she was feeling about moving to a job in a different area. She stood there explaining to me, "It's not like I don't love where I am...in fact, I've never been happier." I could only nod. Seems like every job I've ever moved to didn't make sense. In one job, I'd tried repeatedly to leave! I couldn't even score an interview! Then, just when I decided to be happy where God had me planted, He moved me....to the very place I had been unable to get an interview for five years! Then God moved me again, but not during a season of discontent, but in a time when I finally had discovered contentment. 

Seems that just when I let go of the idea that I have any right to decide what my life should look like, it starts to look like something so much more than I could have ever dreamed....and sometimes I even get that which I had hoped for.

I won't pretend this is always an easy process. I have an idea of what will really make me happy and I'm certain that if I just try hard enough, I can make it happen. The problem with that is that my life doesn't belong to me. I am His. I'm not really the one in charge here. Now as strange as that sounds, that concept is pretty liberating. It's not up to me. The only part of my "future" that is up to me, is turning it completely over to God. I simply have to start where I am and choose joy. I choose to trust that God knows what will bring me fulfillment far better than I do.

I think the first time I really saw this was while hoping for a child. We had hoped for years for a child, lost one through an adoption that went wrong, faced each passing year without the sound of a child's laughter in our home. Slowly, I released that dream and truly gave it to God. I came to the point where I could truly say, "God, I want a child more than anything, but if You choose for us to serve you without children, I will trust You." My attitude changed. I changed. The one true barrier to my joy was removed and peace returned....and two children followed.

I'm not saying that there is some magic formula or equation. "Do this and then all your dreams will come true..." In fact, in a way it's about giving up your dreams - to God. It's about choosing to find the joy and fulfillment right where you are. It's about looking at what the enemy meant for your harm and recognizing that God can/has used it for your good and His glory.

It's about a choice...a choice to change your attitude and find the joy.

I am reminded of a story Lysa TerKeurst once shared. Her daughter had found some cocoons and was hoping to hatch butterflies and instead from those cocoons she got moths. Mom expected disappointment, but..."As I watched Brooke’s sheer delight with the rich evidence of life before her, she couldn’t have cared less if it was a moth or butterfly. A creature that once only knew the dirt of the earth had just been given the gift of flight. Reaching- soaring-up- up- and away."

I guess it really is all about how you look at things. In the words of my pastor, you may not get to choose your circumstances, but you do get to choose your attitude in the midst of them.

It's time to get happy, right where you are at...and then you can move forward.

Today's message isn't posted yet, but when it is, this is the link to where you can find today's message that shares this truth SO much better than I ever could. Grace Temple Podcast . (When posted, it will be the November 9th message.)

Acts 20:24 (NIV)

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Genesis 50:20 (NIV) 

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Philippians 4:11-13 (MSG)

I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.

Manna and stuff....

God said to Moses, “I’m going to rain bread down from the skies for you. The people will go out and gather each day’s ration. I’m going to test them to see if they’ll live according to my Teaching or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they have gathered, it will turn out to be twice as much as their daily ration.”...
^11-12 God spoke to Moses, “I’ve listened to the complaints of the Israelites. Now tell them: ‘At dusk you will eat meat and at dawn you’ll eat your fill of bread; and you’ll realize that I am God, your God.’”^... So Moses told them, “It’s the bread God has given you to eat. And these are God’s instructions: ‘Gather enough for each person, about two quarts per person; gather enough for everyone in your tent.’”
^17-18 The People of Israel went to work and started gathering, some more, some less, but when they measured out what they had gathered, those who gathered more had no extra and those who gathered less weren’t short—each person had gathered as much as was needed.
¹⁹ Moses said to them, “Don’t leave any of it until morning.”
²⁰ But they didn’t listen to Moses. A few of the men kept back some of it until morning. It got wormy and smelled bad....
Exodus 16


It's summer - the favorite time of year for teachers. Finally we can let our hair down, spend some time with our own families, and....clean our house! Yes, you heard right. Almost without fail, the last week of school I hear teachers say something along the lines of "Now I can clean my house!"

Now lest you think all teachers are slobs, we are not! We just spend the entire school year taking care of our own children, teaching, grading, planning, etc. etc. etc. until the days fly past us and the clutter builds around us. That is why, despite a month long workshop, I am thrilled to be able to spend a little time letting go of the clutter that surrounds me.

The other day as I prepared to do a little "clutter tossing," I got to thinking about the children of Israel and manna. That's how my mind works - crazy connections that make no sense at first but eventually help me see things in a light that is crystal clear!

I was thinking about why I have so much "stuff" in my house. Some of it has collected because I put it down to "deal with it later" and then forgot about it, but some of it has collected because of a lack of trust in God. Seriously? Yep...and I realized it when I made the manna connection.

How often have I kept something because "I might need it later"? Or, it's still good...too good to throw away. So I keep it till I might need it. Over time all the "stuff" I've kept piles up and the thing I kept till I might need it - well, even if I needed it I can't find it! I wind up going out and purchasing another simply because I couldn't find the first one. Oh, and about 95% of the other stuff I keep until I might need it - it never even is thought of again. 

Then there is the part I've tried to ignore....the stuff I kept simply "goes bad" and starts to stink up my life! It weighs me down and holds me back from the life God has for me. Some literally goes bad - things do have a shelf life you know, and some goes bad because it is just no longer useful for the life I now lead. For example, as a teacher I have lots of "cool lesson stuff" that I may need one day. As I packed up my classroom to move to another grade level next year, I realize how much of my "cool stuff" never got used because it was out of date, or more likely, available in some form on computer! I could find in seconds what would take me hours to find hunting through old files! And a lot of times, the stuff on the internet is updated and WAY better than the paper copies that are collecting dust and (yuck) bugs!

And in all of this, it's a bit like I'm not trusting God to provide what I will need when I need it. 

Crazy. 

If God gave it to me in the first place, won't He provide again when I need it? Instead of holding on to things that I might "need" later, wouldn't it be better to simply give the extra to someone else that can use it now and leave my space free for whatever blessings God wants to give me today? (Oh, and the whole holding on to it till I find someone who needs it - that doesn't really work. Sometimes we discover others don't need/want our manna. Take it to an organization that helps distribute to those who need or throw it away! Either way, don't hold on to it too long cause it will start to "smell!")

God will provide for our needs DAILY and holding on to things just in case is actually showing a lack of faith - at least for me it is. God did give instructions to keep some on the 6th day, so that the people could rest on the 7th, but if I am honest with myself, I'm NOT holding on to the things God tells me to...I'm trying to act like God and decide for myself!

I recently started re-reading a book by Peter Walsh called "It's All Too Much" and then this morning an article from Prevention magazine came in my email. In it, Peter is quoted as saying, "Too much stuff sucks the life out of families." To re-energize the family unit, Walsh turns to this fundamental question: Does the stuff you own give you joy and pleasure? "Does it help you create the life you want?" If it does, hold on to it, but set some limits—you can't own everything," he says. "It's all about treating your space with honor and respect." One of Walsh's favorite sayings is, "Clutter is decisions delayed." 

So, I'm starting my summer with a new way of looking at cleaning. Instead of just trying to organize my "stuff" I'm working on letting go, freeing my hands, my heart, and my home for whatever new thing God has in store for me and my family. You can't organize clutter, you can only hold on to it or let it go.

Darn...now I've got that stupid song from "Frozen" stuck in my head. Oh well, at least I'll be singing as I move forward! Happy summer my friends!

Below are links to the article, which I highly recommend reading; and for those who haven't heard it enough, the song from Frozen! 

Prevention article 
Frozen

Making sense of the dream...

The other day, I came home from work totally exhausted. I wanted to go for a workout, but I knew if I didn't close my eyes for just a few minutes I'd never make it there. So I took a short nap. Really short. Less than 20 minutes I think....and I had a dream.

Have you ever had one of those dreams that is so vivid and clear and when you woke up you just KNEW it meant something? I'm not saying it was prophetic or anything, but I KNEW it had meaning. Now I'm trying to make sense of it all.

In this dream, I'm not sure exactly where I was - maybe Africa? (This of course would have to be based on PICTURES I've seen of the place since I've never actually been there.) Anyway, I was trying to make a decision whether to go on or go back. Now this part of the dream is kind of hazy. I'm not sure where "go on" meant or where "back" actually was. Finally, I decided to "go back". I had no clear direction so that was the only thing that made sense.

My driver was waiting for my answer. I say "driver" but this person was so much more. He was close...a friend...no, closer than that, but I still can't say who he was. I said something like, "I guess I'll go back," and climbed into the jeep. It was one of those safari looking jeeps you see in the movies. The strange part was that the "driver" and someone else climbed up on top to do the driving. I sat all alone in that jeep. 

The jeep started up and began moving....but it wasn't headed back. It was headed off the edge of a cliff! It wasn't a huge cliff, but I was looking straight down at the oncoming gravel! I was about to yell, "Wait! Wait! You're going the wrong way!" when the front of the jeep picked up...like it was caught in a draft and it started to soar! I was flying! I could hear the driver say one thing..."uncertain. You were uncertain." (Maybe the word was unsure...why is it that dreams escape us so quickly?)

I looked up toward the sky and yelled at the driver, "THANK YOU!!!!" I felt such a huge relief! I knew he was right - I didn't really want to go that way and I had been rescued! Then I woke up.

Like most dreams, this one is pretty strange. Unlike most dreams, I woke up feeling so light and calm. I felt relief!

I still didn't know what to do, but now I felt a peace that I could trust that God had this. He knows what is best for me and since I am putting it in His hands, it will be okay. Better than okay. I won't crash - I'll fly!

Fast forward to the very next day. I was still kind of "flying" with my feelings, I even had a spring in my step! Then I got the news. The door I had so thought that God was leading me toward had closed. To be honest, I had heard through the grapevine that it probably had, but that day I learned it was definitely closed. I hadn't even scored a chance to interview. I was, at least in my own mind, totally ignored. Invisible.....and I could see the ground closing in.

It is here where I'm supposed to remember the dream and just brush it off...but it still hurt. Worry started to creep in. Tears hovered behind my eyes just waiting for a chance to jump out and ruin my makeup. I wondered if I had heard God at all. Had I wasted the past year? What was it all for? 

Oh, the "mature, rational" me knows it's all okay. God never lets anything go to waste and I've grown a lot this year. The two year old in me, however, wants to sit down and pout. Whispers of "worthless" and "not good enough" and "you'd have failed anyway" crowd my thoughts. 

I find myself looking at the ground and thoughts of the coming crash fill my head.

The dream, well it seems like just a dream; but I know it was something more. I will choose to look up and shout "THANK YOU," knowing that the One who is driving isn't going to let me fall. He knows the desires of my heart even when I don't. He knows what lies ahead and He has made a way...even where there seems to be no way. It may look like a cliff, but it's actually just the first step in flying.

Don't know what you face today. Maybe, like me, it is a disappointment that looks like the road has run out. Maybe it looks like the front of the car is already over the edge of the cliff and you're just waiting on the inevitable crash that follows. Like me, maybe you are battling your own thoughts and worries. If so, then I invite you to do what I plan to do. 



 Look up and shout, "THANK YOU!" Our Father knows how to make this jeep fly. 

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Psalm 46:1 (MSG)

46 God is a safe place to hide,
    ready to help when we need him.
We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom,

Exodus 14:15-16

And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me?... Lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. - 

The day after the election...

This was on my mind last night....so now it's found its way into a blog.

Now, I usually don't get too "political", but bear with me...I think it will all make sense by the end.

Imagine it is the day after the election. Imagine your candidate - no matter which one that might be - was not elected. Now what? What will your response be? If you think it's yelling and complaining, then you're probably pitching a toddler tantrum. If it's to take a deep breath, trust God, and move forward by praying - honestly praying and not complaining - for your leader...then you're probably being a mature member of our country.

It might take making the decision now - that no matter who wins, we make the decision to pray, trust God, and come back together as a nation. You can still disagree, but even in disagreement we have got to work together. 

All this brings to mind all the yard signs I have seen lately. On my street, there are signs for both candidates - one candidate is on one corner and across the street, the other candidate's sign holds a prominent position. Now, I have nothing against people showing their support, but let's be honest - if I am still undecided at this point then a yard sign probably isn't going to make me choose one candidate over another...and I have to wonder again - what about the day after the election? Will those two neighbors be able to go back to talking about the weather and lawn maintenance after seeing that sign in their neighbor's yard each day? I hope so, but this campaign has gotten so heated, I have my doubts. I have been around long enough to have seen the United States have a number of different presidents - some I agreed with and some I did not. With that in mind, I'd like to make my own "yard sign". It would say something like, "One nation under God - no matter which candidate wins."

Then there are those who make rash statements about how awful life in this country will be if the "other" candidate wins. Seeing the rants and raves reminded me of something that happened with my son when he was about 3 years old. He had one of his toddler meltdowns and decided he didn't like our rules. He was going to run away. In my "parenting wisdom" I tried to use psychology. I told him it would make me sad if he decided he didn't want to be a part of our family, but if he did leave, he'd have to realize that all the cool toys and clothes in that room belonged to the little boy that wanted to be a part of our family. I was feeling pretty proud of my ability to outsmart a 3 year old....until I turned my back and he stripped down naked and headed out the door! I caught him before he made it past the driveway, but that "meltdown" made a memory like none other...and it makes me wonder again about our reaction once this election is over.

Will we be like my toddler and pitch a fit, tossing aside all that is good because we don't like the way things are going? Or will we look around and realize just how blessed we are and find a way to work things out? I hope we'll decide to grow up a bit and remember that through good and bad, through celebrations and disagreements, through elections and inaugurations, we are still family. 

I think it's very significant that not long after the election, we have a chance to sit down together and give thanks for this country. No matter who wins the election - your candidate or the one you desperately don't want - God is still in control.

I'm thinking we'd do a lot less "yelling" during the process if we could remember that.

Daniel 4:35

The Message (MSG)

^34-35 “At the end of the seven years, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked to heaven. I was given my mind back and I blessed the High God, thanking and glorifying God, who lives forever:

“His sovereign rule lasts and lasts, his kingdom never declines and falls. Life on this earth doesn’t add up to much, but God’s heavenly army keeps everything going. No one can interrupt his work, no one can call his rule into question.

Proverbs 16:9

We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.

Proverbs 21: 30-31

Nothing clever, nothing conceived, nothing contrived, can get the better of God. Do your best, prepare for the worst - then trust God to bring victory.

1 Peter 1:3-5

What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.

Psalms 33:12-22
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,  the people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the Lord looks down  and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches  all who live on earth—he who forms the hearts of all,  who considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;  despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,  on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death  and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord;  he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice,  for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,   even as we put our hope in you.

Reading the Bible is messing with my theology!

Those who have read my blog recently know that I've undertaken a Chronological Bible reading plan this year. I'm also attempting to read with new eyes...not relying on past sermons and teachings. I want to try and see these stories for the "first time." To be honest, I'm finding that this reading the Bible is messing with my theology!


Oh, I like to say I believe in God's saving grace - that it is based totally on His love and I realize I do not deserve this kind of favor...but I'm lying to myself. To be very honest, I live my life in such a way to try and "deserve" His acceptance. I am a very "American" Christian. I hate to admit it but I feel like if I am "good enough" I will somehow receive the favor of God. Then I read about some of the people in the Bible that God favored. 


It started when I read about Lot - I mean for crying out loud, the man wanted to offer his daughters to a crowd of ruffians to protect angels! Okay, so he didn't know they were angels, but still - HIS DAUGHTERS!!!!!?????!!!! And God saved him. 


Then I read about Abraham. The man was a liar! Then there came Jacob - the man was a cheater. Both of these men were blessed by God. Okay, this is seriously messing with my theology.


I wonder why God blessed these men. That's when it starts to hit me...it really wasn't because they were somehow holy or righteous...they just believed. 


Is it possible that God uses people not because they are special or doing what is right? That really doesn't work with my good Southern-girl way of looking at life. I always figured if you did what was right, life was supposed to treat you right. Yeah, I know my past history should be evidence enough that it doesn't work that way, but what can I say...I'm a bit dense at times. Still, I wonder if we don't all do this in a way. We have a very "American" way of seeing things, a pull yourself up by your bootstraps kind of faith...but it doesn't work that way. 


Why does God include stories about patriarchs of faith that are less than exemplary? Maybe it's so we'll realize it's not something earned, and it's not something that always makes sense. His plan is greater than ours and sometimes we get to be a part of that plan - whether we 'deserve' it or not. (And to be honest, it's always NOT.)


The following is from a devotion I read today from youversion.com...it just seems to fit.


"Whenever God does something new, he involves people — often unlikely people, frequently surprised and alarmed people. He asks them to trust him in a new way, to put aside their natural reactions, to listen humbly for a fresh word and to act on it without knowing exactly how it's going to work out. That's what he's asking all of us to do this Lent. Reading the Bible without knowing in advance what God is going to say takes humility. Like Joseph, we may have to put our initial reactions on hold and be prepared to hear new words, to think new thoughts, and to live them out. We all come with our own questions, our own sorrows and frustrations, our own longings. God will deal with them in his own way, but he will do so as part of his own much larger and deeper purposes. Who knows what might happen, this year, if even a few of us were prepared to listen to God's word in scripture in a new way, to share the humility of Joseph, and to find ourselves caught up in God's rescue operation?"


So how has reading the Bible messed with your theology today?

Isaiah 55:8-11

The Message (MSG)

 ^8-11"I don't think the way you think.
   The way you work isn't the way I work."
         God's Decree.
"For as the sky soars high above earth,
   so the way I work surpasses the way you work,
   and the way I think is beyond the way you think.
Just as rain and snow descend from the skies
   and don't go back until they've watered the earth,
Doing their work of making things grow and blossom,
   producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry,
So will the words that come out of my mouth
   not come back empty-handed.
They'll do the work I sent them to do,
   they'll complete the assignment I gave them.

Trusting Him...

Lately I've been coming across the same theme in my devotions - trusting God with EVERYTHING!
It all started one day as I was leaving the gym...I had one of those thoughts come into my head. You know the ones...those that are unmistakably God speaking to you. This one had to do with my giving and I felt like I heard my Father say, "You aren't trusting me enough." I mentioned it to my son as we drove home and just sort of tucked it away for later thought.

Then, for the next few days, everywhere I turned I came across devotions and stories of people who had trusted God with everything and I was getting more and more convicted. This wasn't some sort of "You aren't doing what you should" kind of conviction...it was more of a "Trust me to take care of everything" kind of conviction. I could feel God tugging at my heart to let go of the worry and just trust that He would take care of it all.

My family is like a lot of other families out there right now. Money is tight...okay, that's an understatement. Let's put it this way, if my money were a pair of jeans, we'd be lying on our back, gasping for air trying to get them zipped! There just never seems to be enough. I always run out of money long before I run out of month! And God is telling me to trust Him more? That can't be right - still, there was no doubt in my mind that is just what He was saying to me.

Then, as if to make sure I got the picture, God did something that spoke to me with a shout. He put it on a dear friend's heart to buy my husband and I tickets to see my favorite band. I just mentioned on facebook that I'd like to see them for my anniversary and the next thing I knew tickets were provided...and more! God was not only providing for my needs, He was adding extra! He was blessing me with a want!

Now, trust me, I'm not some "Name it and claim it" sort of believer; and I don't believe in giving to get. Still, I know when God is showing me something. This time, I'm pretty sure He's showing me that I don't have to worry. The economy may be bad, but He still has His eye on me. I have been blessed with so much more than I realize, and yet He wants me to trust Him for even more....and He wants me to live with an open heart and an open hand. Not sure I know quite how to do that yet, but I'm excited about what God will do as I learn to listen and obey.

We have been blessed with so much more than we deserve...yet we feel like we are poor. How ridiculous is that? I want to walk in the knowledge that if God leads me to give, He's got it all under control.

In all this, I am also having to learn something else that for me is even harder. I'm having to learn to receive. You see, I'm pretty much a "do it myself" kind of girl. I don't like to depend on others...I can handle things just fine, thank you. But God has a different plan it seems. He is MAKING me depend on others...from the person who makes sure I take care of my health by FORCING me to go to the doctor (love you Cheryl!) to the person who provided for a MUCH needed evening with my husband (love you too Candace!!!), God is knitting me into His family. He is teaching me how to receive. I'm not really very good at that...but I'm learning.

So, there you have it. God is working on this old girl teaching her something new. I'm a bit apprehensive about how this will look as I walk it out, but I'm excited too. God is doing a new thing in me. I'd love to hear what God is speaking to you, too. Feel free to comment and share with others. We can all be encouraged together!

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks unto the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us"

Luke 21

^1-4Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, "The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford—she gave her all!"


Matthew 6: 25 - 34
^25-26"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
^27-29"Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
^30-33"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
³⁴"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

I got this....

Don't you just love the words, "I got this"? I heard my husband today at lunch say those words to my daughter and her friend. They wanted to leave the church without waiting for us and we'd meet up at the Chinese restaurant. Before we could get there, she called wondering what to do. Her dad said simply, "Go in and eat. When the bill comes, I will take care of it. You don't worry. We're on our way."

Now this would speak volumes all by itself, but when coupled with what God had spoken to my heart that very morning it echoed through my soul!

This has been a difficult weekend. Anyone who has teenagers knows those kinds of weekends tend to sneak up on you and give you a good swift punch in the stomach leaving you gasping for air and wondering what happened. Still, in the midst of it all, I knew God was in control....and I prayed.

This morning during my prayers for "my family" I heard that unmistakeable voice of God..."Whose family?" Just two words but it re-aligned my prayers and I said, "I know God...they're not mine. They are yours. We are yours. But what part do you want me to play in helping to correct this mess?" That's when I heard the six most comforting words I think I've ever heard. "Don't you worry. I got this." Does that give you the chills it gave me? I really hope so because it has brought such a peace into the situation that I cannot explain. Then, just in case I needed confirmation, I saw the facebook post of a friend:
From my friend Honoray's post:
What ever you are facing in this season: "You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the lord will be with you." 2 Chronicles 20:17

I don't know what you are facing right now. I do know I am seeing the enemy trying to bring in fear at every opportunity. Division is cropping up with such regularity that it makes my head spin. This isn't just friend against friend, although I'm seeing plenty of that...it's child against parent, husband against wife; those who need to cling to each other most are having a wedge of guilt, distrust, or anger hammered in between them like a wedge used to split wood. But it won't work. Our Father will see to that. I know. I've heard His promise.... "Don't you worry. I've got this."

There will be plenty of times when I know God will have me to "stand and fight", but this time I'm taking my hands off the problem and waiting to see the salvation of the Lord. These children are His, not ours. The enemy has messed with the wrong families this time. "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you." I trust my Father to take care of it all.

Will you do me a favor and share the victories when they happen? It will encourage us all.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you. May God's blessings overtake you this week. I know I plan to stand still to make it easier for them to catch up to me!

Deuteronomy 28

Blessings on Obedience

¹ “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. ² And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:
³ “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.
⁴ “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.
⁵ “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
⁶ “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
⁷ “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.
⁸ “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
⁹ “The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. ¹⁰ Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you. ¹¹ And the LORD will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you. ¹² The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. ¹³ And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. ¹⁴ So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

Hundreds of fat burning promises

There are hundreds of fat-burning products on the market today. There's "Grassy Tea", "Slim-in-a-hurry", "Mega-life", "Stacked up", "Zan-away your weight", (all names changed to protect ME!) There are pills, patches, liquids, and powders. All promise a quick fix to your weight loss problem and I have to admit, they all sound good. After all, who wouldn't like to "lose weight while you sleep"? We'd all be taking two or three naps a day and waking up looking like a super-model! Many of us have fallen for these promises only to find that few of these "fat-burners" actually work and worse, some are down-right dangerous! And, in all these products there seems to be one element lacking (I mean other than the fact that they don't work for most people.) None of these products build muscle. The only way I know to do that is to get out there and move....yes, you actually have to exercise in order to "burn fat" and at the same time build much needed muscle.

This morning as I forced myself to take my morning run, I passed an empty box for one of those weight loss products. I had to shake my head at all the times I'd fallen for the same empty promises until I finally began to realize that this was a battle I could fight better "on my feet". Still, it's human nature to want life to be easy. We want to follow some simple formula and never have to face a single difficulty or trial. We forget that it is resistance that builds muscle, both physically, mentally, and spiritually. Without that resistance, we never build any real spiritual muscle, and without muscle, we really can't accomplish all that God has for us to do. It's sort of like those weight loss products that say they make things easy, but easy isn't what helps us get healthy and strong...it is pushing against that which resists that makes us stronger. (I know that every time I push my resistant self out the door for a run, I get a little stronger!)

There is another parallel. In exercise, you don't start out running marathons or swimming the English Channel. You start small...walking each day or actually getting into the pool. Spiritually, we face many small obstacles that ultimately build us up to the point we can deal with bigger ones. Remember David? He fought a lion and a bear before he ever faced Goliath. The "battles" we face aren't just random events. Each one strengthens us in some way, preparing us to do more. The good news is, God knows the battles you will face and He prepares you for every one if you will allow Him to.

I had a good friend once who told me something so wise, I put it on my refrigerator! He said, "I find that we don't often choose our battles, but that they are chosen for us...and if they are chosen for us, then God has made a way for us to win." I don't know about you, but to me this is VERY good news. There have been times when I wasn't too sure about whether God knew what He was doing in the battles I faced. I was sure he'd made a mistake this time and I couldn't handle what I was facing. But with each battle, I learned my limits and in the process also learned of His limitless love. With each battle I grew stronger. Even in the battles I felt I had lost, I grew in compassion, love, patience, and most of all, trust.

1 Cor. 10:13 (Message translation): "No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it."

Now there is a promise you can "run" with...or even take a nap on.

Mirey clay and Mississippi mud

As I was taking a run this morning, a song started running through my head. It's one you're probably familiar with cause it's used in many churches as a worship chorus..."Jesus, lover of my soul, Jesus, I will never let you go...." It was when I got to the third line that my mind took a detour...one of the advantages of being a little ADD I guess. It is the line, "You rescued me, from the miry clay" that got me thinking. Maybe it was the fact that my feet already felt like lead and I couldn't imagine having to pull them out of clay that got the wheels rolling, who knows. Anyway, remembered something that happened recently to a friend. I told him if he didn't tell this story, I would....cause there's a lesson to be learned.

It happened during a recent women's retreat my church sponsored. As timing would have it, it was the weekend we had a lot of terrible storms passing through the area. Lightning was popping everywhere, the night was filled with howling winds, and the next morning, the lake was so high that the picnic tables had floated away. Yep, it was one eventful weekend, but the excitement wasn't over yet.

You may have noticed I mentioned that this happened to a "he" and I said it was a women's retreat. One brave soul came with his wife to act as our sound man, heavy lift-it guy, etc. We were very thankful for him being there. However, as they say in the south..."you ain't from around here are ya." This young man was from an area of the country where mud isn't quite as prevalent as it is here in the deep south. We have mud that isn't just mud...it's more like glue. Given the chance, Mississippi mud will suck you in so fast you won't know what happened.

You've probably figured out where this story is going. The morning after the storm, this young man and his wife were going to drive their car from their cabin to the main meeting area. No problem, he'd driven in and out from there a couple of times already. Only this time, he got stuck. Not just a little stuck. I've never seen a car that buried in the mud. His car was resting on its axle! He was STUCK!!!

I think if he had realized how bad things could get, he'd have stopped and gotten help right away, but like most people he thought he'd just keep trying and eventually he'd drive out of that mud...but Mississippi mud is a little like sin....it doesn't want to let go. He just dug himself in deeper.

To his credit, he kept such a great attitude in all of this. Never once did I see him beat himself up, blow up, lose his cool....nothing. Perhaps he did it in private, but none of us saw it. He just took it in stride, finished out the retreat, and then went back to trying to get his car unstuck.

Eventually the camp owners came to help. They had a big pickup truck and tried to pull him out. No luck. They tried to dig him out....talk about a mess. I think they even broke a shovel in the process. Still stuck. It was time for some expert help, so a tow truck was called.

You're not going to believe this...the tow truck got stuck. Yep, plus the cable broke when the driver tried to get himself unstuck. This guy's reaction was MUCH different than my friends had been. He somewhat held his temper, but you could tell he was fuming with himself and the situation. So now the first tow truck had to call in his boss who brought a second tow truck. This one was massive and could have pulled out an eighteen wheeler...all for my friends little compact car...and the other tow truck.

Eventually they all got unstuck and drove merrily on their way....complete with a tree limb they pulled out from under the car and the mud that stayed on there for a week. This was definitely an adventure that got me to thinking. How many times do we find ourselves "stuck" in something we thought we could handle? Maybe it's sin; maybe it's venturing into an area we aren't yet equipped to handle. Whatever it is, the scenario is much the same. At first we try to get ourselves out....that's fine, but at some point we have to realize we are stuck. We need to call for help. If we call soon enough, perhaps all it will take is a friend to help pull us out. Don't let pride keep you from asking, because if you wait too long, it may take more to pull you out. Then, the one who tries to help can actually get stuck with you if they aren't prepared. You get the picture.

There's an even greater lesson that I saw and it was in this young man's face. At no point did he seem alarmed or dismayed. He knew he'd be okay....I think that's the countenance that comes from someone who knows that no matter what life throws at them, God is in control. He will rescue from the miry clay and set your feet upon a rock....even if you're stuck in the clay because of a wrong decision you made. God loves you too much to ever let go. I guess God is the really big tow truck...the one that can really rescue you from what is trying to suck you under.

So with apologies to Hillsong for slightly changing the words, because I trust God's grip far more than I trust my own....."Jesus, lover of my soul....Jesus, You will never let me go. You rescued me, from the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock and now I know. I love you, I need you. Though my world may fall You'll never let me go....." Now that's good news.

What's the hurry?

Yesterday I was talking to my niece and she, like many others, is seeking for her purpose...looking for that certain something that God created her to do. I'm so glad that she has such a heart after God, and in some ways she reminds me of myself at her age: desperate to do God's will yet not sure exactly what that means.

While I am all for discovering your gifts and talents, I'm not sure that even that will help you discover your purpose in Christ, that one "thing" you were created to do....I'm not sure anything but time can do that. I'm not even sure there's is just one "thing".

Think about it; how many people have truly found their call in life before the age of 30? Even great athletes who win in the Olympic games have a lot of life left before they reach heaven....would they say their "purpose" in Christ was to win those games? True, it may have been a part of the plan, but it's not their purpose. When they stand before the Father in heaven, they won't be able to throw those gold medals at His feet. I'm pretty sure gold doesn't translate to heaven...after all, its used for paving the streets there so it must be pretty common. So, what is our purpose?

I remember a missionary who came and spoke once to our congregation. She told of when she had been crying to God asking when would it be her turn....for at the time her days were filled with changing diapers, wiping noses, creating a home. I don't remember what she said God's answer was, but I do remember a lot about her life. She led many to the Lord, as did her children. She built mission stations and spoke all around the world. None of it even began, as far as the world could see, until she was well past her prime. I believe she lived her days in God's purpose for her life.

Moses was 40 when he made his first big mistake...pretty much wrecked God's plan for his life according to his way of thinking. He went to being a shepherd...definitely NOT what he thought God had planned, I'm sure. Then, after about 40 more years, God spoke to him and Moses led the children of Israel out of bondage. He continued to lead (and sometimes make mistakes), for 40 more years. Now even those who aren't very good at math can do those numbers....40 years old and still searching, 80 years old he begins his purpose, then for the next 40 years he walks in that purpose.

I can almost hear people shouting at the screen, "But I'm not Moses! I don't plan on living to be 120 years old!!" To be honest, neither do I. In the years we waited to have children, people would remind me of Sarah who gave birth to Isaac when she was 90....my response was always, "I have no desire to be 90 years old and pregnant." However, both these examples serve as reminders....God isn't running out of time. He knows the plans He has for you, plans for hope and a future, and if He should decide to keep you alive till you're 120, He can do it. He can also renew your strength like that of the eagle. You will run and not grow weary, walk and not faint...if you WAIT upon the Lord.

Right now, for my niece, the purpose of God is clear: love her children, love her husband, and most of all, love God. In a few years, God may move her into doing other things, but none are more important than these....they're just different for a different stage of her life, and ALL are a part of God's purpose for her life. So what's the point? God is not in a hurry. He's not running out of time. He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. Finding your purpose in God is about living every day seeking His face and what He has for you that day....the rest will fall into place.