Packing My Baggage

Photographer: winnond

Just over twenty four hours ago, I received the most amazing news. I started the morning dealing with the emotions of not winning the She Speaks scholarship. I was disappointed, but I went back to the words God had spoken to me last week, "Go. I will make a way".

God is not human, that he should lie, 
not a human being, that he should change his mind. 

Does he speak and then not act? 

Does he promise and not fulfill?

-Numbers 23:19

I believed Him. If it was not through the scholarship, it would be through another source. As I was working on some writing, I received a message on my blog:

Hi Lynnette,

I have some wonderful news for you :)

After reading your scholarship entry, someone felt God nudging she and her husband to pay your registration fee so that you can attend the conference this year! This anonymous donation is clearly God's provision, and His intent for you to attend She Speaks this year.

Please email me as soon as you can so that I can get you registered :)

And... congratulations!

Blessings,
LeAnn Rice
Proverbs 31 Ministries

I was shocked! Somehow, my best friend has a sense about these things, she called me at the exact moment I was reading the message. She and I laughed together and praised God for His provision. My mom was the next call followed, of course, by my sister-in-law. She was driving back to work from lunch. Just a minute she said, "I have to pull over. I can't see." She and I talked for a few minutes and cried for a couple. Even though we were thousands of miles apart, I have never felt closer to her. "Keep me updated on everything," she requested later, via text. "Of course I will," I responded. "You are part of this now."

It is so easy to get sidetracked by negative feelings, emotions and thoughts. These are the times we need to draw closer to God and His truth. In our Bible Study yesterday, Beth Moore said, that the enemy wins when he silences our testimony. When we are quiet about the great things that God has done, when we don't share the amazing gift of our Savior, the enemy speaks. The devil will do anything to undermine our personal testimony and witness because he knows the power that it holds. Beth went on to say that while we are waiting for the big victory, we should look for the little battles where the enemy is defeated. We are more than conquerors. We are more than over comers. We are not fragile. Although we feel insecure, we are victors!

That is why Christ died. So that the victory would be ours!

I encourage you to think about your testimony. Look at the little battles where you have been victorious. Think about the times that He has been faithful when everything else seemed to be crumbling around you. You were made to be victorious. You were made to be blessed and highly favored. No matter what the world is telling you, the truth comes from Him.

Heavenly Father, I am humbled by Your blessings this week. I am in awe of You and all that you do to meet my needs abundantly. I confess that there are times I forget that You are in control and that everything will work according to Your purpose and plan. Teach me the way to be strong in Jesus. I know that I am not capable of accomplishing great things on my own, but, with You, nothing will be impossible for me. I love you with all of my heart. Amen.

He Always Has a Plan

Photographer: anankkml

God’s Word is full of His promises and plans for His people. We don’t have to search very long to find a promise for all of us or a specific plan for a specific person and the details of how the plan worked out. In today’s reading, we learn about the objective that God had for Abram’s life.

Genesis 12:2-3
“I will make you into a great nation,
   and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
   and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
   and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
   will be blessed through you.”

God had a specific plan for Abram. God shared the plan with Abram and promised to watch out for him. As Abram went forward, we learn that he was worshipping God and staying in relationship with Him. However, when Abram and Sarai went to Egypt, fear took over, and Abram quickly forgot that God was with him. Rather than trusting God, Abram took the situation into his own hands and decided to lie to the Pharaoh. The result was that the Pharaoh discovered the lie and kicked Abram and his entire entourage out of Egypt. The MacArthur Bible Commentary suggests that this must have looked bad to his servants and probably resulted in a loss of integrity for Abram.

After reading this passage, I began thinking about my life and my own walk with God. How many times has God made plans for me, but instead of waiting on Him, I walked ahead with my own “better ideas” of how things should go. How many times have I questioned whether God was going to come through for me and I decided I needed to take things into my own hands. What was the end result? Instead of following His perfect plan, I got in the way and ended up looking foolish and unfaithful.

In the second part of the reading today, we learn about another of God’s plans. In Matthew 4: 1-11, we learn about Jesus being in the desert. Jesus was fasting and seeking God before he began his ministry. The devil showed up and began to tempt Jesus. Where Abram failed, Jesus succeeded. During that 40 days, Jesus trusted God with His provision and protection. When the devil came and tempted him, Jesus knew God’s word he was able to resist the devil’s schemes. By remaining strong in who God created him to be, Jesus was able to fulfill God’s ultimate plan. If Jesus had fallen to temptation there in the desert, he would not have been able to go to the cross in order  to save us. 

How can I apply this to my life? I am not always successful at resisting temptation. There are times that I don’t rely on Him, I try to do things through my own strength and end up falling to temptation. During these times of sin, I am not following God’s perfect plan for my life. What am I ultimately missing out on?

I can’t help but think of: 

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
      And He shall direct your paths. 

How much further would I go by remembering this during everyday life? His ways are so much higher than my own. He only wants the best for me. His plan is perfect. If I trust in Him, my path will be made straight.

Heather has been talking with us about God’s plan for us for 2011. His plan is good and I don’t want to miss out on any part of it.

Heavenly Father, thank you for creating a plan specifically for me. You are so faithful to keep walking with me even when I am not at my best. I confess that I am prideful and stubborn sometimes when I should be trusting and following you. I don’t want to live in your permissive will for my life, I want to live out your perfect will for my life. I don’t want to get in your way anymore. Please open my ears to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and teach me to submit to your ways. I want to live like your Son, Jesus. Amen.

Hugs,

Lynnette

My Broken Heart

While I was doing the reading for today, I kept thinking about Heather’s blog from yesterday. The people of Judah were definitely experiencing one of those “how can this be” moments that Heather described.

There were swarms of locusts and a severe drought destroying their crops and their land. This meant their livelihood and their lives were being threatened. That sounds familiar.

You may be experiencing the locusts. What is eating away at you? Is it fear, stress, anger, un-forgiveness, hurt?

You may be experiencing drought. What is drying up? Maybe your finances, a job, love, a relationship, hope, faith, your Spirit?

In Joel 2:12-13, we discover the key to living through their, and our, circumstances: return to God “with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments.”

I did not know what “rend your heart and not your garments” meant. I had to look it up.

Rend means to tear something into two or more pieces. To rend one's garments, means “to tear one’s clothes as a sign of extreme grief or distress”.

Joel is telling the people of Judah to go to God with their entire heart, open to Him.

My study Bible notes Psalm 51:17 as a reference to Joel. The text note there says, “what pleases God more than sacrifices is a humble heart that looks to him when troubles crush and penitently pleads for mercy when sin has been committed.”

Wow! God wants our hearts more than anything else that we might offer. It may be broken, it may be bruised or stained, but He still wants it. It is not beyond His healing.

His word says, that when we turn to Him, He is faithful and will take pity on us. (Joel 2:18). He will feel sorrow and show compassion on those because of their suffering. God says that on the day of the Lord, “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten” (Joel 2:25), He promises to “pour out His Spirit” (Joel 2:28) and He says, the water will return and be plentiful (Joel 3:16).

That is great news! When we turn to Him, He is faithful in healing our hearts and our lives, when the time is right. Aha! There is the catch you might be thinking (or even saying.) These things all happen in His time, not on ours. It is true, it is not on our schedule, but on His. But, don’t give up! Keep going to Him. Open your heart in prayer. Prayer gets to heaven. Want proof? Revelation 5:8b tells us, “they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” And, according to Romans 1:7 and Ephesians 1:1, you who are faithful to Christ, are a Saint!

Our prayers are lifted to heaven as incense, when the time is right, when the bowls overflow, they will be overturned and the blessings will be abundant. All that has been taken will be repaid.

You may be broken right now, but when you humbly go to Him, the healing and help will begin. He will take all of the pieces and put them back the way He meant for them to be.


Lord, my heart has been broken by my circumstances, by other people and even through my own mistakes. I am not without stain and blemish. I rend my heart and give it to you. I know that it is better in Your hands than in my own. You are my Healer, my Comforter, my Help. I know that you hear my prayer and that you will answer in Your way and in Your time. Thank you for feeling my hurt and for showing compassion. “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (Rev 5:13) Amen. 



Hugs,

Lynnette

vote

I have to say I was very excited to see the reading today. One of my very favorite verses is found in Jeremiah 29. I started to write the blog in my mind. 

“Oh, this is going to write itself!” 

I felt God speaking to me. “Finish reading”.

“But this is it”, I said.

“Finish reading.”

God doesn’t usually want us to go the easy way. There is no chance of growing through the easy route. When I got to Titus 3, I read His message for today. 

Praise God for His perfect timing.

What could be more appropriate on election day? Titus 3:1-2, Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.

As Christian’s we should be setting a good example for the people around us. We should do our homework, find out who is the best person for the job and make sure we get to the polls and vote for that person. I know it is difficult, because not every candidate is perfect in their views on various subjects and so, there are times when you have to look at the bigger issues and vote according to those. Our local Christian radio station has done their homework on the “big” issues and has been encouraging people to get out and vote. I will admit that I am not good about following the news and what is happening, so this information has been helpful to me.

The part of Titus 3 that really stood out to me, was “slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.” It is very common to hear people cutting down our authority figures or elected officials, the choices they make, their character and even their race. I really have a problem with this. I may not agree with all of the choices that our leaders make, but I am a Christian at all times, I need to act accordingly and be respectful. It is one thing to disagree and completely another to tear the person apart. 

I like what The Message says, no insults, no fights. God’s people should be bighearted and courteous (Titus 3:1-2, emphasis mine). For me, that is the bottom line. You can’t get much more straightforward than that.

I am one little person in a little town in the middle of nowhere. I won’t be making any big impact on government any time soon. But, God is bigger than anything I can do or even imagine. The most powerful thing I can do is pray. Pray that I make the right choice at the polls. Pray that the right people get into office. Pray that God’s will be done on election day. But, it doesn’t end there. The best thing we can do once the elections are over, is pray for our leaders and officials. Pray that they will make good decisions and follow God. Pray for their strength to do the right thing. Pray for protection and good counsel around them. Prayer is so much more effective than criticism. 

I encourage you to vote today. You are only one person, but you have the Creator of the Universe on your side. The Victory is His!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

 

Father, thank you for your word and your perfect timing. I want to vote responsibly today. Please open my ears and my heart so that I can vote for your people, so that your will is accomplished. You know the perfect person for each position on the ballot, use me as your instrument to get those people into office. Please protect each of our representatives from evil and from darkness. Lord, guide them in their decisions, actions and work. Your word says, to support and respect the people you have placed into positions of authority. Help me to build up rather than tear down. Teach me to be constructive rather than cruel. Show me how to be a light in my community and my country. Thank you Lord, for always knowing what is best for me. I know that you are in control today. In Jesus precious name. Amen.

Hugs,

Lynnette

My Story

I have had three people within the last week mention "your story" or "your testimony". Around here, we call that an echo from God. Perhaps He is trying to tell me something!

Until yesterday, I didn't think I had a testimony. It seems silly now, but there wasn't a big life changing experience or a flash of lightning. After some reflection, I don't think that testimonies have to be that way. Some are big and exciting and "flashy" and then there is the rest of us. Normal everyday people. With normal everyday stories.

I was raised in the church by Christian parents. We went to church most Sunday's (unless someone was sick or we were out of town) and Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. In High School, I joined the Youth Group and got very involved there with activities and work/mission trips. Then college... I didn't do as well. I didn't completely walk away from God, but I am pretty sure I didn't follow the path that He had planned for me. Looking back, I know that God was with me even though I wasn't seeking Him. He put people in my life that were strong Christians and they were a good influence on me when everything else was so bad. I tried attending church there and did a few times, but it never became habit and it was so easy to just sleep in.

After college, I moved back home. I went back to church with my family and was welcomed with open arms and even taught Confirmation that year. Shortly after moving home, I met my husband and while we were dating, we often attended church. Either his or mine. Looking back at that time, I see now that I still wasn't following God. I did my best and fooled a lot of people including myself. Maybe it wasn't fooling, but ignorance on my part. 

Life went on. I went to church on Sunday and I did my own thing the rest of the week. I thought that was enough. I had the label "Christian". I had accepted Jesus. I knew right from wrong (in my own mind). I tried to be a good person, helping others, not stealing or killing. What more was there? 

This season lasted about seven years. During that time, I almost completely quit going to church. Things did not really start to change until I was trying to get pregnant for the first time. Typical of the season I was in, I didn't turn to God until I needed Him. I was fine on my own, until a crisis appeared. Then, I treated God like my personal Genie. I went through tests and took fertility medication, until I couldn't live with the side effects any longer. A month later, I was pregnant. I would like to say that I had turned to God and said, "You are bigger and You know what is best. I surrender my life to you."  But, I didn't. I thanked God and moved on. 

But, I began thinking (or rather, God placed it on my heart and I finally started to listen) that I needed more.  I wanted my child to have a good foundation. I wanted to give my baby the good morals that I had been given. In my heart, I knew there was something to the "whole church thing", I just didn't know what it was. I began "church shopping". I tried several local churches and decided on the one that was the most comfortable. I got involved with the Children's ministry and made some great friends. We stayed there for almost three years, until the church changed and I no longer felt comfortable. I took a step back to analyze the changes.

On Thanksgiving morning of 2008, I was getting ready to go to dinner at my parents house. I had the TV on for news and background noise. Joyce Meyer came on and that is when things really changed for me. I don't remember what she said exactly, but I was at that point I realized there was something more to church than "religion". That was the turning point for me, I began to find my own faith. For so long, I was living on what my parents said or the way they raised me. It wasn't until I really started doing it for me that I was able to understand what so many others already had and what God wants for all of us. I began to read my Bible, although I didn't understand it, and we found a new church. 

The new church has made a huge difference. I am really being fed the word! I didn't realize how hungry I was until I heard someone who really spoke to me. I also joined a women's Bible study. That has been a big step for me and really encouraged me in my daily walk. I enjoy reading the Bible and reading books that take me deeper in the word. I love being around Christian women who share the same values and beliefs that I do. I miss it when I am not there and have made it a priority in my schedule.

Everyday, I work at being more open about my faith and my Savior. Throughout my life, I hid my faith and beliefs (and still do to some extent) from others out of fear of rejection. What I didn't understand is that our choices are either good or bad. So, fear of rejection from people caused me to reject God. I should have feared Him more than people. I am getting better at it, and stepping out on faith more than ever before. I am trying to be open with my children, so that they will learn that God's opinion is much more important than people's opinion. I am trying to teach them that their faith is not something to hide or be ashamed of. As the women of my Bible studies have taught me, it is in the sharing that we grow.

Those who have known me for a while can appreciate that this blog was a big, scary step. I don't really know where this is all going- meaning the blog. I just felt like this was the direction that He was leading me. I have never been a writer, but it seems like He is using me for something. My wonderful and supportive Mom recently told me, "you don't need to know why, you just need to obey and trust in Him who always knows".

That is the cool thing about God! He is not normal or everyday. He is creative and exciting and unexpected. When we follow Him, our lives are that way too. Looking back, I see that His fingerprints are all over my life! This is not really my story it is our story.

1 Kings 19:11-12 (New Living Translation)

 ¹¹ “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹² And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.

Lord, I am a sinner. On my own, I am not good enough to come into your presence. I believe that Jesus died on the cross to save me from my sins. I believe that he rose and ascended into heaven. Through my belief in Jesus I am able to come to you at the throne. Thank you Abba, that you were faithful when I was fickle. Thank you for pursuing me when I turned away. Thank you for loving me when I was unloveable. Amen.

Have you exercised recently?

I recently read that our faith is something that needs to be exercised in order for it to grow. I will be honest, the mention of the word exercise stirs up many emotions in me and none of them are very good or happy. My husband and my children are very active! They love and play several different sports and they work hard at learning to be better athletes. I am active in other ways. My activities include vigorous cleaning, running up and down stairs to do laundry, running the kids to school or activities and walking up and down the grocery store aisles. I know these are not technically the best way to exercise and they are not really helping my body, but some days that is all I can manage.

So, when I read that we need to exercise our faith, I wasn't entirely happy. But I will say, I was somewhat relieved. I have often wondered how others seem to have so much more faith than I do. It didn't seem right that God would give some an extra helping, while others are getting the leftovers.


Mark 7:24-30
The Faith of a Syrophoenician Woman 
Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. 

"First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs."

Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter." She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

This passage confused me for a while. Why are they talking about dogs and table scraps? There is a  sweet child out there possessed by a demon! Jesus, do something!

But, we need a little background in order to understand this story. He was a Jewish man. She was a Gentile woman. She had two strikes against her. In that time, she was at the bottom of the food chain (the dogs). Women, especially Gentile, women were not supposed to approach a Jewish leader, such as Jesus. But her child was home, suffering. She got word that Jesus was in town, and she had heard stories about the miraculous healings he had performed. She decided that her child was worth going against the social etiquette. She stepped out on faith.

Now, I don't think that Jesus was calling this woman a dog as a put down. I think he was helping her exercise. She had risked coming to see him, which was the warmup part of her exercise. She begged him to heal her daughter, which was the first part of her workout (she was still fresh and motivated). He questioned her request. She had to keep her eyes on her goal. She needed her daughter healed and had faith that he was the one to do it. She asked for just a little bit of what he had and that was the last part of the workout. She could have quit halfway through, but she didn't.

He daughter was healed. Her faith was strengthened. As a woman and a mother, she was heard, recognized and confirmed. But, none of this would have happened if she had stayed home with her daughter hoping for a miracle. God can, and does, perform miracles everyday. But, we have to leave the house! We have to take the first few steps on faith. We have to go out into the world. God is waiting and He is faithful, but it is our choice to get moving!

At times, I go through seasons of faithful exercise, they don't usually last long and then I am back to going without. I feel so much better and stronger when I do get regular exercise, but I don't make it a priority. The same, goes with my faith. There are days I feel strong and others where I haven't done the work.

I have a few things on my to do list that I have been avoiding! I am off to do them now. I am stepping out on faith and I know that God is waiting there for me to show up.

Heavenly Father, you are so good and faithful and patient. Thank you for calling me toward you and helping me grow in your love. Help me to see the opportunities that you have prepared for me, to exercise my faith. I know that you are with me and that you are guiding me through it all. Thank you Jesus, that you know exactly what I need to become more like you. Amen.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you are going to do to exercise today.

Every Season Is God Season

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

A Time for Everything

¹ There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven:

² a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

³ a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

The seasons are definitely changing here in Michigan. We are wearing longer clothing and we even dug out the hats and mittens to walk to the bus stop yesterday.

This morning, I started thinking about the different seasons of my life. I am in an unusual season right now and I'm not sure how to describe it. There are changes happening within me. I am closer to God than ever before, which is a great thing! I long to spend time with Him and when I don't have my morning time with Him, the rest of my day seems off balance.

Things around me are changing too. My kids are in school more. We are moving out of the preschool stages and into full time school. It is scary for me! That is all I have known for the last seven years. I loved having the kids at home. Don't get me wrong, there were days I watched the clock move slowly towards bed time and it couldn't come fast enough. But, I have adjusted to being a stay at home mom. For the most part, it suits me just fine! As the kids are in school more, I begin to wonder what will I do during my next season? I am turning to God for guidance and answers.

I know that God is working in my life. He has brought new people into my life, and removed others. Sometimes it is painful and sometimes it is a relief. As I grow closer to Him, I see that my old ways were not His ways! This removing of people has also drawn me to Him. I turn to Him as a friend and counselor.

Although most days, I don't feel I am making a huge impact for Him, He is working in me to make me a stronger person. The books that I am reading, the passages of scripture that He brings to mind, the songs I hear and the messages from others all seem to be focused on the same topic. I know it is not coincidence those are God-incidents.

So, during this season, I wait. Waiting on God is not wasted time. I am still seeking Him. I am studying. I am spending time with other Christ-centered people. I am reading scripture. I am using this time to prepare for the next season.

Isaiah 40:31 (New King James Version)

But those who wait on the LORD

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint.

Lord, as I wait upon you during this season, make my time fruitful. I don't want to waste any of the precious time you have given me. I want to make the most of this season, as I grow closer to you. Please help me to see your path clearly, so that I am following you and not the paths that other people offer to me. Strengthen me so that when your time is perfect, I will be ready. Thank you for your guidance and for the perfect example you set, through your son, Jesus. Amen

Are you ready to fly?

I have been feeling like God is preparing me for the next step in my journey for a while now. In the last (almost) two years He has been filling me with information, bringing new people into my life and pursuing me in a deeper relationship with Him. At this time, I feel like He is beginning to push me out of the nest! The problem, however, is that I don't think I am ready to fly! The thought of crashing face-first can be terrifying and crippling.

The study I am doing right now is One in a Milllion, by Priscilla Shirer. In my reading today, she was talking about preparing herself for a women's talk. She followed all of her regular routines: prayer, study, note taking and planning. As she prepared to walk on stage, she felt the Holy Spirit prompting her to speak on a completely different subject. She was not prepared for that subject. However, she listened to the prompting and obeyed. The talk was successful in reaching some women who needed to hear the "new" message. Shirer, goes on to say that if she had "chosen to balk at the thought of embarrassing myself in front of those ladies, I would've missed a blessing that forever altered my life and my view of God."

How often do I choose to stay in the comfort and security of the nest, for fear of falling on my face in front of others? I seem to listen to the lies of the enemy more than completely trusting that my God is always good and bigger than anything I will ever encounter! Shrier says, "the Enemy uses fear and doubt as tools to keep us from moving into new spiritual territory."

This afternoon, I read from another (unrelated) book:

"Do not curb the impulses of the Spirit within you, nor refuse to allow Me the freedom to manifest Myself through you by means of the gifts. You may resist Me because you feel unworthy or unready to be used. This is a delusion of the mind. I do not use you when you feel prepared, but when I need you and you are yielded. When I use you, you will discover that I also work within you to edify your own heart and life. You block the way to your own spiritual development if you hold Me back when I would minister through you (Ephesians 4:12, 16). Indeed, if the time should ever come that you feel ready, I would then be completely blocked by your pride and would be forced to use someone else." -Frances J. Roberts

If there is a reason He is sending me, who am I to question that? When God is pushing us out, He won't send us out unprepared or alone. He is always with us and will give us the strength and words that we need if we are doing His work.

I may not be ready to fly...

but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

-Isaiah 40:31

I believe in God who keeps all of His promises.

Forget-Him-Not

A prayerful labyrinth walk can bring peace and feeling the presence of God. The idea of a Christian labyrinth is to walk towards your personal center: Christ. On the walk out, there is a sense of clarity and renewal, you feel refreshed and revived.

I recently returned from a retreat. There is a labyrinth on the grounds of the retreat center, that is similar to the one pictured above. We had a break in our sessions and a few of us decided to walk the labyrinth. I entered the path and began my journey. I had to keep reminding myself to focus on Jesus. My mind kept wandering to my loved ones, my to do list and at one point I wondered what was on the menu for dinner. The walk in, seemed long. When would I reach the center? There were so many twists and turns, back and forth. When I started one way, the path quickly turned and led me back in the direction from where I had come. It seemed like forever until I reached the center.

Once in the center, I tried to feel the presence of God. I paused for a few moments enjoying the quiet and the stillness. When I felt the urge to move, I did. I began walking and it was very different. I was calmer and I wasn't in a hurry to get out.

I began thinking about different things that I have been praying about. And then, I saw something amazing. There along the path, was a tiny forget-me-not beginning to bloom. They are so small, I must have missed it on my way in. I moved along and thought of another recent prayer request. There, along the path, was another forget-me-not. Huh, how did I miss that one too? Each time I began thinking about my prayer list, there was a tiny little blue flower along the path. The labyrinth was full of them! I had missed them all. Each time I thought of a prayer request or concern, I could sense God saying "forget-me-not. I am bigger than that problem." At one point I thought about one of my "big ones". One of the prayers that is always at the top of my list and at the front of my mind. "Did you forget who I am?" he whispered.

What about..? forget-me-not
What about...? forget-me-not

I could feel His presence so completely, that it seemed like we were walking together. With each step, I could hear his Spirit speaking to me. Do not forget who I am.

Psalm 103

¹ Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

² Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-

³ who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

⁶ The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:

⁸ The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.

⁹ He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;

¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.

¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;

¹² as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

¹⁵ As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;

¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.

¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children-

¹⁸ with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

¹⁹ The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

²⁰ Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.

²¹ Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.

²² Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.

___

Folklore and legend of the forget-me-not from Wikipedia. In a German legend, God named all the plants when a tiny unnamed one cried out, "Forget-me-not, O Lord!" God replied, "That shall be your name."In another legend, the little flower cried out, "Forget-me-not!" as Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden.

In yet another, the Christ Child was sitting on Mary's lap one day and said that he wished that future generations could see her eyes. He touched her eyes and then waved his hand over the ground and blue forget-me-nots appeared, hence the name forget-me-not.

___

I have been trying to grow forget-me-nots in my garden for several years, without success. I finally found a spot where they are happy and they are flourishing! When I got home from the retreat, my little angel was waiting in the flowers.

Seeking Wise Counsel

This topic has come up so many times in the last year, I felt compelled to write something about it.

There are so many decisions to make. Some are life changing, while others barely deserve a second thought. It is so important to stay tuned in to God and his promptings, because even the slightest decision can have huge consequences.

I am really thinking about the big ones though. The decisions that change our life. It is so easy to go over and over a situation in our mind without seeking advice. I am very good at this!

A dear friend of mine has a check-list of sorts that she uses before making any big decisions. First, she checks her spirit. What feels right in your heart? What is your gut telling you? All believers have access to God through the Holy Spirit. Paying attention to (and obeying) this voice could keep us out of so many sticky situations and help us make wise decisions. Her second check is the Bible. What does God say about your decision? It may take some hunting, but again, follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and he will lead you to scripture that fits your situation. If you don't know where to start, there are some great sources on the internet to help you out. Break out your concordance, search biblegateway.com or biblestudytools.com. Google can even be a good source to get you started. But, I encourage you to check the scripture for yourself, in your own Bible. Lastly, she seeks wise counsel. Ask a pastor, or godly person whom you respect and trust. These three often echo the same answer. You will sense where God is leading you.

When we are not walking closely with God, it is easy to find someone who will tell us what we want to hear. If I am mad at my husband, I have a friend I can call, who will tell me "you are so right and he is so wrong". She will tell me that all men are rotten and that my husband is no better. That I have every right to be upset and that I should never expect anything better from him. Is this wise? No. It may make me feel better for a minute, but not in the long run. It is not always easy or painless to do the right thing. I have another friend who I can call who will be honest. She will listen, and tell me the truth. It may not be what I want to hear, but if I am being ridiculous about something, she is sure to tell me. This is part of growing up and following in the footsteps of Jesus.

This also makes me analyze the kind of friend that I am. When someone calls me for advice, do I take the easy way out and tell them what I know they want to hear or do I tell the more difficult truth? I know what God wants me to say. It is so hard sometimes, growing in our walk with Him. I risk losing friends that have been around for awhile, people who may not want to know God or his truth. But, then I ask, are these the friends that I really want around anyway?

We will always have big decisions to make. Following God does not mean that all of our questions go away. By seeking Him though, we can follow the path that He has prepared for us.

Lord, please guide my decisions today. I want to follow in your path. Help me to seek the truth and to be a truth teller.

The waiting game (Part 1?)

I read the story of Sarai this week (Genesis 12-17). God spoke to Abram and said "I will make you a great nation. I will bless you." The scripture says nothing about his wife Sarai, other than Abram took her along with all their possessions and set out for Canaan. Along the way, God said to Abram "I will give this land to your offspring."

We learn that Sarai, has not been able to conceive a child. God had made a promise to Abram, but never mentioned his wife. I'm sure that it was a given that God would bless Abram and Sarai with a child, but why didn't he mention her?

Sarai, gets tired of waiting and takes the situation into her own hands. This is where it goes downhill quickly! She gives her maidservant to Abram as a wife, so that he can have children. It was a custom at that time, for men to adopt servant children as heirs, if they didn't have children of their own. Hagar conceives a child. Animosity and tension builds between the two women.

Again, the Lord appears to Abram and says Hagar's child is not the one he will bless. There is another child that will come from Sarai (who is now 90 years old) and this child will be the son that God intends to bless and make fruitful.

So, Sarai (now called Sarah) messed up because she didn't wait on God. She didn't wait for Him to fulfill the promise that he made with Abram (now called Abraham).

I have been thinking about my life and the times I have waited on God, either patiently or impatiently. There are also plenty of times that I have not waited. I can completely identify with Sarah. God made a deal with Abraham and never directly mentioned who the mother would be. So, maybe He didn't mean her? She was in a holding pattern and felt like she needed to do something. She didn't want to be the one standing in the way of her husband's blessing. There have been opportunities in my life that came up, and I wonder "am I supposed to move on this or do I wait on God"? There have been times I have stepped out on faith, things don't go well and I wonder "was I wrong for moving ahead"?

In The Feminine Soul by Janet Davis, she speaks to this topic. "At times our exclusion from God's work is as real as Sarai's infertility. In those times it is far easier to draw false conclusions, to blame, and to settle for less than it is to persevere in our vision, struggle, and unfulfilled desire. It is critically important to own that we, like Sarai, have sometimes been the first ones to give up the vision of our contribution to the whole of the church, unwilling to remain engaged in the difficult and painful struggle."

It is easier to think, than wait. I start thinking instead of waiting. I think myself right out of the plan that God had prepared. It can be so painful! Things happened between Sarai and Hagar that would have never occurred if Sarai had only waited.

I am not finished with this study. Here are my questions:
How do we know when to wait?
How do we know when to step out on faith?
Why didn't God mention Sarai/Sarah until the final covenant?

Fill 'er up

Mr. D and I were in the car not too long ago and a song came on about giving love away.
He asked "why would you give your love away?"
I said, "we give it away because it makes others feel better. Just like when Mommy hugs and kisses you , or when you tell Mommy you love her."
"Or when I share with my sister" he replied.
"Yes, that's right. You've got it!" I said.
"What if I don't have any love to give?" He asked.
I said, "Well, then you tell God you need more to give and He will fill you up. That's what God teaches us. That if we ask, He will give us love to give to others. We will never be empty because God will always give us more."
"I think I might be empty" he stated sadly.
"Tell God", I replied.
"God, can you fill my tank up, please?" He asked expectantly.

It is so easy to teach my children, but do I ever listen to my own words? I often feel empty, but I don't often ask for a fill up. I do other "things" like read my Bible, study my books, listen to praise music. All of these things are good and edifying and they work. I guess because I am a "grown up" I feel like I need to behave like a grown up. I should love God in a grown up way. But then, there is Matthew 18:3 unless you become like little children you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. With God I don't always have to be an adult. No matter what my age, I will always be His child. And that is grace. God will always love me and always give me what I need.

Father, please fill me up. My love tank is empty.

My way or the High way?

I am a private person. I have a VERY short list of people that I confide in. There have been times I have shared things with people that I thought were "safe", and I have been burned! I have built walls to keep people out and to keep me safe. Therefore, this blog is a very big and scary step for me. I'm not going to spill everything, but I am still sharing pieces of myself that I don't normally share with people.

I also like to be in control. I like to plan... how my day will go, what I will do, what I will say. This often leads to frustration. Because, this is life! Things don't go my way. It is not my plan. I can't control what others say or do. I can't control what happens to me. (Lots of me's and I's in there!)

God has really been working on me this week about trust. Trust in Him and who He is. About surrendering my thoughts and actions to Him. There are so many thoughts that come at me during the day. Whether they are from others, from myself or even from the evil one. And I dwell on them, especially the bad and scary ones! Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Things are never going to go my way. But, that isn't a bad thing. God is love. Love is who he is. He cannot do anything that is not based in love. Jeremiah 29:11-13 "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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity." By surrendering my ways, I will be free of anything that holds me back from the person He created me to be. Trying to do it my way is weighing me down and holding me captive. I have to seek Him first (Matthew 6:33)!

As only God can, he taught me this week, and then presented the perfect opportunity to test my new "wisdom". The old me (from last week) would have tried to take control of the situation. Doing it my way. I stepped back from the situation. Recalled what God had showed me this week. I prayed and felt Him pushing me in a direction. "Really? You want me to do what?" I felt a confirmation, that is direction that he was pushing me. And I say pushing, because it was very against my own instincts! And then, He showed me... "Let go. I AM in control". I wasn't a vision with smoke and celestial lights, but I could see it written, with I AM in capital letters. "Ok. Ok, Father, I got it". So, I obeyed. It was scary, but I knew it was right.

I'm not sure how this situation will work out. But that isn't important, is it?

Close Encounters

Have you ever had one of those study times when it feels like God is right there talking to you? I love that feeling! I had one today.

I am currently doing the "Breaking Free" study by Beth Moore with my small group (Beth's words and ideas are in blue). The study today was all about
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

As only Beth can, she dissected the scripture, explained each of the pieces, then put it back together so that I could apply it to my life. "Strongholds are like concrete fortresses we've constructed around our lives for protection and comfort. These fortresses become prisons. At some point we realize we no longer control them. They control us." Hmmm.... giving other people too much weight, power and control over my life? Sounds like a stronghold! One that I have dealt with so many times in my life. I am a pleaser. I want to make others happy. I want others to be happy with me. I don't want to offend anyone. Insecurity plays a major role in strongholds. I was/am not confident in who God made me. Unbelief that God can do anything (which is a sin). "We often rationalize our strongholds. We maintain excuses for not surrendering areas of our lives to the authority of Christ". My excuse: I need this or that (person, approval) to be ok.

divine power to demolish strongholds (v.4) The truth is that I really only need Jesus to be ok.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God (v.5) I thought I knew what was best. I didn't seek God first and ask Him. Another sin- pride!

we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (v.5) We become victors through surrender to Christ. I need to surrender to Christ. I may have to do this everyday or even several times a day.

So here is the prayer I wrote in my notebook:
I am still so easily swayed by the enemies lies! God please break any strongholds in my life. I want to live in your perfect will today and everyday. I do not want to put anyone or anything in the place that only you should be.

I still had a few minutes, before I needed to get ready for the day. So, I opened another favorite, Come Away My Beloved by Frances J. Roberts. I turned to the bookmarked page and found:Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Roberts wrote, "Put down your anxieties, and trust Me for everything. You need nothing but what I am fully able to supply, with no effort on your part. I do not ask all My children to live in so complete a degree of trust, but I require it of you, because you cannot please Me with anything less."

I can feel the heat from the refining! Discipline has never felt so great... and freeing!