Have you ever been sitting in the stillness of the early hours reading God's Word and find that all of a sudden the words begin to leap off the page? That God begins to speak and to instruct you in such a way as to be a voice shouting in the quiet?
This, this was my experience today. As I sit here ready to share this with you, I am still tingling with awe that the God of the universe would reach out to me, give me instruction in the way to go, guide me in how to walk in this thing we call life, and speak intimately with me in a relationship I can only describe as "all."
You might be wondering what "all" could mean but in it's simplest form that is what it is. It is everything I could ever want or desire from a relationship: love, joy, peace, unity, trust..... And the list just goes on. It is ALL.
I digress.... As I sat here reading 2 Chronicles this morning God used Chapter 20 regarding the reform of Jehoshaphat to speak to me about some things in my life. In this chapter, a great multitude was coming against Jehoshaphat and he knew that he had no power to defeat this enemy.
Listen to the words of Jehoshaphat speak as he calls out to God: "O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You."
The FIRST and most important thing they did was to acknowledge God, His power, and the fact that they simply needed to place their eyes upon God. This surely does not mean you do not acknowledge the situation but rather you make the choice to keep your focus on God who is above all as your source. You do not let the things of the world that are pressing in around you take your focus off of the Great I Am...... God Almighty.
Now we see God's reply: "Thus says the Lord to you: Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's."
"You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out agains them, for the Lord is with you."
The SECOND thing we must do is to be willing to hear and listen when God speaks. Following closely on the heels of this is the THIRD which is to be quick to be obedient to what He calls you to do. For some this is not so hard.... for me; well for me this is quite possibly the most difficult. For you see, in each of us is a basic tenant of fight or flight. It is deeply engrained in our dna. For me, the need to fight for those I love, for all that I believe in, for those who are unable to do so is as strong as breathing. So when God speaks as He has this morning; telling me the battle is not mine, it is just plain ol' hard to lay it down. "I" want to do something. I want to stop their pain. I want to make everything better. I, I, I. I find myself heartily sick of the "I" and finally ready to lay it all down for God.
Finally, let's see the results of Jehoshaphat's plea and God's response. God went before him and all the enemy was destroyed before Jehoshaphat ever arrived. The battle cry that was sung by Jehoshaphat and the Levites was this: "Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."
I am learning to sit in "believe in the Lord your God" and allow that to be enough as God goes before me to complete His will in the lives of those around me. A tougher task than you might think but look here at what that can bring about......
"Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around!"
Wooooo.... oh man oh man oh man. Can you imagine? Everything was quiet and he was given rest!!! The equation is so simple as to appear unlikely to work but work it does!!!
Acknowledge God
Hear & Listen
Be Obedient = all is quiet and rest is given all around!!!!
Come on people.... you should be shouting along with me right about now!!! The battle is NOT yours.... God has peace and rest for you if we will but leave it in His hands.
One final note, I couldn't help but notice that Jehoshaphat didn't keep complaining about the issue to God, he didn't give the situation un-due notice, instead he committed to go into the situation "bowed before the Lord, worshipping the Lord!"
I am seriously pumped this morning and ready to wake the house with shouts of joy! I may not know the how, the when, nor the anything else but this one thing I rest in. MY GOD IS ABLE.....
Praising Him for each of you that walk through this life with me...
hugs my friends
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Monday, November 27, 2017
Right Foot Forward
Psalm 119:32
I will run the course of Your commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart.
How have I not understood this before? How was it that I was so blind as to not see?
God has called me. He called you as well you know 😉. I have long known that. I also know that He uses us when we are in motion, not when we are at a stand still. Yet I still questioned. I still sought to understand. I still wanted the answers before I put feet in motion.
From the first of July until now, this 27th day of November, I have been deeply entrenched in an extended lesson of the soul with God as my teacher. When it began it was not of my choosing but it was definitively of His choosing. I had no direction, no vision, and if you had asked me, I would have told you that I had no calling as well.
Through a series of heart rendering torn relationships, job changes, upheaval, and more.... heart lessons were being taught that my hurting soul was quick to grab onto like a drowning person grabs onto a life line. The cries of why, how, where, and when became less and less as I learned to lean so very deeply into God that I, myself, became lost.
For when I am lost, I am found.
Truly. Not waxing poetic or vague but rather discovering the profound truth that has always been there waiting for me to be willing to lose it all.
It began with utter surrender during a worship service on the square in Murfreesboro and the waves began to build. Waves so big that they carried me away from everything safe, from the ones I loved, from security, from confidence. Waves so big that had you asked, I would have told you I was going under for the last time.
Yet here I sit. In utter peace amidst the biggest storm yet, looking in the face of my Father, knowing (that deep knowing that circumstances cannot cause to waver) that I am where I belong for I am held firmly by the One who loves me best and loves me most.
My ears are unstopped and I hear His voice clearly. My heart is wide open for all to see. My eyes are no longer covered by scales. I am home. I am resting in the heart of Father God learning the confidence to be everything that He has called me to - no reservations - no excuses - no apologies.
He has spoken so very clearly this morning. Or maybe I am hearing so clearly for the first time. In losing every last scrap of myself I have fully walked into His family, into the heirship that is fully mine, so that I can fully declare the praises of the One who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9
As I keep His commandments, He enlarges my heart. Right foot forward, my heart expands. Left foot forward, my heart expands. And so it goes. The people I always admired and thought were so "together" in their relationship with God are doing exactly the same. We stumble, we fall, we get covered in filth, and we rise as He lifts us, and we continue on. Right foot forward, heart expanding. Left foot forward, heart expanding.
THIS, this is how the apostles were obedient. THIS is how the heroes of the faith stood their ground. THIS is how faith is able to move mountains. When WE refuse to be moved by outside forces and instead only move at the direction of the Father's will.
I thank you Lord for loving such a wretched person as me. I remain in awe of the mercy and grace that You show to me. I am forever grateful and humbled by Your forgiveness.
Teach me more..... for I am willing to listen to all that You are calling me to. Even despite my not knowing. For I trust you to enlarge my heart.
Boots on the ground. Right foot forward. Left foot forward.
me
I will run the course of Your commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart.
How have I not understood this before? How was it that I was so blind as to not see?
God has called me. He called you as well you know 😉. I have long known that. I also know that He uses us when we are in motion, not when we are at a stand still. Yet I still questioned. I still sought to understand. I still wanted the answers before I put feet in motion.
From the first of July until now, this 27th day of November, I have been deeply entrenched in an extended lesson of the soul with God as my teacher. When it began it was not of my choosing but it was definitively of His choosing. I had no direction, no vision, and if you had asked me, I would have told you that I had no calling as well.
Through a series of heart rendering torn relationships, job changes, upheaval, and more.... heart lessons were being taught that my hurting soul was quick to grab onto like a drowning person grabs onto a life line. The cries of why, how, where, and when became less and less as I learned to lean so very deeply into God that I, myself, became lost.
For when I am lost, I am found.
Truly. Not waxing poetic or vague but rather discovering the profound truth that has always been there waiting for me to be willing to lose it all.
It began with utter surrender during a worship service on the square in Murfreesboro and the waves began to build. Waves so big that they carried me away from everything safe, from the ones I loved, from security, from confidence. Waves so big that had you asked, I would have told you I was going under for the last time.
Yet here I sit. In utter peace amidst the biggest storm yet, looking in the face of my Father, knowing (that deep knowing that circumstances cannot cause to waver) that I am where I belong for I am held firmly by the One who loves me best and loves me most.
My ears are unstopped and I hear His voice clearly. My heart is wide open for all to see. My eyes are no longer covered by scales. I am home. I am resting in the heart of Father God learning the confidence to be everything that He has called me to - no reservations - no excuses - no apologies.
He has spoken so very clearly this morning. Or maybe I am hearing so clearly for the first time. In losing every last scrap of myself I have fully walked into His family, into the heirship that is fully mine, so that I can fully declare the praises of the One who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9
As I keep His commandments, He enlarges my heart. Right foot forward, my heart expands. Left foot forward, my heart expands. And so it goes. The people I always admired and thought were so "together" in their relationship with God are doing exactly the same. We stumble, we fall, we get covered in filth, and we rise as He lifts us, and we continue on. Right foot forward, heart expanding. Left foot forward, heart expanding.
THIS, this is how the apostles were obedient. THIS is how the heroes of the faith stood their ground. THIS is how faith is able to move mountains. When WE refuse to be moved by outside forces and instead only move at the direction of the Father's will.
I thank you Lord for loving such a wretched person as me. I remain in awe of the mercy and grace that You show to me. I am forever grateful and humbled by Your forgiveness.
Teach me more..... for I am willing to listen to all that You are calling me to. Even despite my not knowing. For I trust you to enlarge my heart.
Boots on the ground. Right foot forward. Left foot forward.
me
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Offense, Offense she cried
No I am not screaming at football on the television. Not that it couldn't be a very real possibility. We all know I am a good Southern girl who loves her football.
Todays lesson learned..... You know the saying " the best defense is a good offense ?" So do I. But rarely do I think to apply that to my prayer life. Or to my walk with Father God.
My power moment this morning during my studies was just this. Don't just pray against hardship but pray God to bless, provide, and be glorified.
An example would be something along these lines.... Instead of just praying against divorce, ask God to make your marriage a beautiful picture of the gospel of Christ and His love for His bride, and that He will use you to minister to others and advance the kingdom through your loving relationship as husband and wife.
Yes, we do want to bind the evil that would come against us. Yes we do want to claim the blood of Jesus Christ over the situation. Yes, yes, yes.
Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good
Romans 4:17 But God who gives life to the dead, and calls those things which do not exist as though they do.
At the very same time, we want to call God and His promises - provision into the situation by praying lovingly.
My take away is this, do I get caught up in the situation at hand (problem) or do I look around to see the glory that God will receive as He works (solution)?
Let me begin today raising my eyes to the Father who works all things for the good of those that love Him and make praying offensively a part of my daily prayer life.
Praise God there is always hope, peace, joy, and the greatest of them all, LOVE!!!
Hugs folks.....
Todays lesson learned..... You know the saying " the best defense is a good offense ?" So do I. But rarely do I think to apply that to my prayer life. Or to my walk with Father God.
My power moment this morning during my studies was just this. Don't just pray against hardship but pray God to bless, provide, and be glorified.
An example would be something along these lines.... Instead of just praying against divorce, ask God to make your marriage a beautiful picture of the gospel of Christ and His love for His bride, and that He will use you to minister to others and advance the kingdom through your loving relationship as husband and wife.
Yes, we do want to bind the evil that would come against us. Yes we do want to claim the blood of Jesus Christ over the situation. Yes, yes, yes.
Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good
Romans 4:17 But God who gives life to the dead, and calls those things which do not exist as though they do.
At the very same time, we want to call God and His promises - provision into the situation by praying lovingly.
My take away is this, do I get caught up in the situation at hand (problem) or do I look around to see the glory that God will receive as He works (solution)?
Let me begin today raising my eyes to the Father who works all things for the good of those that love Him and make praying offensively a part of my daily prayer life.
Praise God there is always hope, peace, joy, and the greatest of them all, LOVE!!!
Hugs folks.....
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
Undignified &
Just so that we are all on the same page.....
Undignified as defined means: appearing foolish, lacking dignity.
Doesn't sound like anything I would knowingly choose. Quite the opposite in fact. I strive to NOT appear foolish. I find that my biggest fault is that I look to those around me for approval when in fact, the only one whose approval should concern me is that of God.
As I was reading today in 1Samuel 6 a particular verse stood out to me.
1 Samuel 6:22a "And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight."
I always strive to keep a verse in the context of which is was written so that I do not mis-represent nor give an accounting of a verse that God never intended. Today, the Father used this verse in particular to speak to me to reinforce a new work that He is doing in my life.
God is stripping away any confidence that is based upon self, upon family, upon friends, upon titles; anything that is not of Him. Instead He wishes to replace it with confidence in Him, in who He has created me to be, and in the calling that He desires me to walk in. W H E W... how is that for a heavy load?
It all began a rainy, cold, nasty Saturday. Last Saturday in fact. It all began with 1 Peter 2:9. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
So as I begin this new path, I thought to share it with you. The highs, the lows, the struggles, and the victories. And though I do not know what all lies ahead, I know this: Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
So back to undignified..... am I willing to appear foolish to others in my worship of, obedience to, glorifying of, exalting of the one true God? Good question and I can honestly say that I am not completely there yet. Not even sure that I am half way there yet. Like many of us, I still look at the perception of others which is most definitely NOT where I should be looking.
Finally, the second part of that verse: and will be humble in my own eyes. Sounds fairly simple but if we take away those protective glasses we wear when we view ourselves, then maybe the answer isn't so obvious as we might think. Did you know it is possible to be completely lacking in self confidence and be proud? Oxymoron I know, but I have discovered that, in my own life, this can indeed be true. There are things that I take pride in. Things such as the way I love others deeply without reservation, the way I serve family, friends, clients community, the way I can grasp new concepts easily and a few other things. So here is the thing... am I proud for the gifts the Lord has given me, of the achievement and how it can bring good things to others, or am I puffing myself up to receive the honor myself? Talk about a wow / hard question. And truth be known sometimes it is the first and often times it is the latter. Not for any other reason than to feel good about self. However, IF we know (that we know that we know) that we are a royal priesthood, sons and daughters of the most high God, then why aren't we already confident in whose we are, whom He created us to be, and the relationship which we walk in with the great God Almighty?
Strong words. Took quite a bit of coffee to get those down I can tell you that much!! So the two words that literally leapt off the page at me were undignified and humble. Not sure that I have ever seen those two words used in conjunction with each other but after many hours of prayer and seeking I can see how together those two words bring about perfect harmony. When we are willing to have our complete and utter focus on God the Father, we take our eyes off of self and off the world and are free to serve/celebrate/worship Him with our whole being no matter how undignified we may appear. With that letting go of all else except God comes a humble heart that has no room for self but only for God.
Pretty cool stuff don'tcha think? I sure did. And although I am still so far from perfecting the practice of this, it is now part of my morning prayer. More of You, less of me. May I be even more undignified than this. May I be humble in my own eyes. My You consume all that I am and more. May I be so lost in You that all else fades away.
Woo!!! I tell you; gets me seriously EXCITED!!!
Time for me to go pull those boots on and get to walkin.... God has much to do today and I am determined to be a willing vessel.
Take care folks........
Undignified as defined means: appearing foolish, lacking dignity.
Doesn't sound like anything I would knowingly choose. Quite the opposite in fact. I strive to NOT appear foolish. I find that my biggest fault is that I look to those around me for approval when in fact, the only one whose approval should concern me is that of God.
As I was reading today in 1Samuel 6 a particular verse stood out to me.
1 Samuel 6:22a "And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight."
I always strive to keep a verse in the context of which is was written so that I do not mis-represent nor give an accounting of a verse that God never intended. Today, the Father used this verse in particular to speak to me to reinforce a new work that He is doing in my life.
God is stripping away any confidence that is based upon self, upon family, upon friends, upon titles; anything that is not of Him. Instead He wishes to replace it with confidence in Him, in who He has created me to be, and in the calling that He desires me to walk in. W H E W... how is that for a heavy load?
It all began a rainy, cold, nasty Saturday. Last Saturday in fact. It all began with 1 Peter 2:9. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
So as I begin this new path, I thought to share it with you. The highs, the lows, the struggles, and the victories. And though I do not know what all lies ahead, I know this: Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
So back to undignified..... am I willing to appear foolish to others in my worship of, obedience to, glorifying of, exalting of the one true God? Good question and I can honestly say that I am not completely there yet. Not even sure that I am half way there yet. Like many of us, I still look at the perception of others which is most definitely NOT where I should be looking.
Finally, the second part of that verse: and will be humble in my own eyes. Sounds fairly simple but if we take away those protective glasses we wear when we view ourselves, then maybe the answer isn't so obvious as we might think. Did you know it is possible to be completely lacking in self confidence and be proud? Oxymoron I know, but I have discovered that, in my own life, this can indeed be true. There are things that I take pride in. Things such as the way I love others deeply without reservation, the way I serve family, friends, clients community, the way I can grasp new concepts easily and a few other things. So here is the thing... am I proud for the gifts the Lord has given me, of the achievement and how it can bring good things to others, or am I puffing myself up to receive the honor myself? Talk about a wow / hard question. And truth be known sometimes it is the first and often times it is the latter. Not for any other reason than to feel good about self. However, IF we know (that we know that we know) that we are a royal priesthood, sons and daughters of the most high God, then why aren't we already confident in whose we are, whom He created us to be, and the relationship which we walk in with the great God Almighty?
Strong words. Took quite a bit of coffee to get those down I can tell you that much!! So the two words that literally leapt off the page at me were undignified and humble. Not sure that I have ever seen those two words used in conjunction with each other but after many hours of prayer and seeking I can see how together those two words bring about perfect harmony. When we are willing to have our complete and utter focus on God the Father, we take our eyes off of self and off the world and are free to serve/celebrate/worship Him with our whole being no matter how undignified we may appear. With that letting go of all else except God comes a humble heart that has no room for self but only for God.
Pretty cool stuff don'tcha think? I sure did. And although I am still so far from perfecting the practice of this, it is now part of my morning prayer. More of You, less of me. May I be even more undignified than this. May I be humble in my own eyes. My You consume all that I am and more. May I be so lost in You that all else fades away.
Woo!!! I tell you; gets me seriously EXCITED!!!
Time for me to go pull those boots on and get to walkin.... God has much to do today and I am determined to be a willing vessel.
Take care folks........
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Love ~ Is it worth it?
Have you ever been just going along about your day, humming a tune, and then out of no where something is said or done which just completely knocks you off balance?
Something so unexpected that although you are hearing it - experiencing it, you just can't get your mind to comprehend what is happening? Amidst your mind struggling to comprehend the why and how of the situation your heart is working over time to stop the bleeding from the wound that was inflicted; there is no real way to think, to process it, or to react due to the numbness that creeps over you as you are reeling.
Recently this was me. Experiencing and hearing a hurt that my mind just couldn't seem to wrap itself around. Something so outside of my thinking - expectations that I couldn't get my mind to comprehend what was happening. In an attempt to gain some perspective and begin to make sense of it all, I reached out to an individual who is filled with wisdom and grounded in the Word of God. The response I received was so not what I expected or could have imagined.
"I know I have said this many times to you (now anyone with a lick of common sense knows that isn't the prelude to a warm and fuzzy so much as a 'you aren't listening to me when I speak' moment) 'protect your heart'. You love big and it opens you to big hurts."
True to the strong willed character that I am, I immediately fired back with "may those words be on my tombstone 'she loved big' no matter the hurt it brings, may it always ring true in my life."
It has been several sunrises since that conversation and it is something that I am seeking God earnestly on. One question that keeps popping up is this; did I really mean that? Did I really, from the depths of my being mean that? Because if so, then that means that I am choosing to allow hurt from unexpected sources into my life. That means, that when that hurt comes, I MUST, become an expert at crawling up in the lap of the Father and allowing Him to heal me rather than allowing that hurt to have it's way with my heart, my soul, and my character. That rather than the return fire option, I MUST choose to let go of all that rages through me.
So then the question becomes; is it worth it? That is not something that could be answered with a snap response but instead requires deep introspection, deep guidance from the Father, and an even deeper commitment to daily roll my hurts onto Him.
So this morning (yes it has taken a while), I go back to my original response with a new conviction and a firm faith and trust in my God and Savior and I say with all the strength that I have.......
MAY LOVE ALWAYS RING TRUE IN MY LIFE.
Now before there is any commenting, applauding, or any edification of me at all.... know that my nature is at war with those words and this stand that I am taking. There is no halo above my head. In fact, quite the opposite 😈. But my heart is true and my God is faithful and will sustain me.
So I ask that you hold me accountable to what you have read here (please be kind when you do so 😊) and that you join me in this commitment to love. Doing so in the full knowledge that it is not easy, it is not always appreciated, it is not always well received, but also knowing that God is faithful to provide the strength to do that which He leads us to do.
In light of what is coming up this weekend in our beautiful city, this becomes even more heavy on my heart. Let us each seek God's will rather than our own reactions and choose to love through the hate.
Much love my friends..... Pull on those boots and let's get busy walking.
Something so unexpected that although you are hearing it - experiencing it, you just can't get your mind to comprehend what is happening? Amidst your mind struggling to comprehend the why and how of the situation your heart is working over time to stop the bleeding from the wound that was inflicted; there is no real way to think, to process it, or to react due to the numbness that creeps over you as you are reeling.
Recently this was me. Experiencing and hearing a hurt that my mind just couldn't seem to wrap itself around. Something so outside of my thinking - expectations that I couldn't get my mind to comprehend what was happening. In an attempt to gain some perspective and begin to make sense of it all, I reached out to an individual who is filled with wisdom and grounded in the Word of God. The response I received was so not what I expected or could have imagined.
"I know I have said this many times to you (now anyone with a lick of common sense knows that isn't the prelude to a warm and fuzzy so much as a 'you aren't listening to me when I speak' moment) 'protect your heart'. You love big and it opens you to big hurts."
True to the strong willed character that I am, I immediately fired back with "may those words be on my tombstone 'she loved big' no matter the hurt it brings, may it always ring true in my life."
It has been several sunrises since that conversation and it is something that I am seeking God earnestly on. One question that keeps popping up is this; did I really mean that? Did I really, from the depths of my being mean that? Because if so, then that means that I am choosing to allow hurt from unexpected sources into my life. That means, that when that hurt comes, I MUST, become an expert at crawling up in the lap of the Father and allowing Him to heal me rather than allowing that hurt to have it's way with my heart, my soul, and my character. That rather than the return fire option, I MUST choose to let go of all that rages through me.
So then the question becomes; is it worth it? That is not something that could be answered with a snap response but instead requires deep introspection, deep guidance from the Father, and an even deeper commitment to daily roll my hurts onto Him.
So this morning (yes it has taken a while), I go back to my original response with a new conviction and a firm faith and trust in my God and Savior and I say with all the strength that I have.......
MAY LOVE ALWAYS RING TRUE IN MY LIFE.
Now before there is any commenting, applauding, or any edification of me at all.... know that my nature is at war with those words and this stand that I am taking. There is no halo above my head. In fact, quite the opposite 😈. But my heart is true and my God is faithful and will sustain me.
So I ask that you hold me accountable to what you have read here (please be kind when you do so 😊) and that you join me in this commitment to love. Doing so in the full knowledge that it is not easy, it is not always appreciated, it is not always well received, but also knowing that God is faithful to provide the strength to do that which He leads us to do.
In light of what is coming up this weekend in our beautiful city, this becomes even more heavy on my heart. Let us each seek God's will rather than our own reactions and choose to love through the hate.
Much love my friends..... Pull on those boots and let's get busy walking.
Monday, October 23, 2017
Journey of Healing
Henry Blackaby, author of Experiencing God, has long instructed believers not to refer to the Bible as what "it says" but what "He says" - what God says.
I so need to keep that at the very forefront of my thinking; that I am reading the very words of God. Not just that, but that as I read, His Holy Spirit is right there in the room with me.
More and more as each day passes I see women, men, children being beaten down with harsh words, ugly attitudes, and a complete lack of knowledge of who they are created to be.
I firmly believe that with the onslaught of social media presence invading every moment of one's life, it is nearly impossible to escape the taunts or inferences that we aren't enough..... won't ever be enough.
Once upon a time, we left our school, our office, our environment and returned home for the day to a time of refreshing. A home where there was peace, where support waited, and where the taunts could not be heard. Sadly, now, those taunts are carried around with us constantly in our phones, iPads, laptops and more.
So where is the answer? How do you build that confidence in who you are?
For one thing, dive deep into God's Word and see what a beautiful creation you are. Experience the depth of love He has for you. Go to His Word daily and read how intricately He created you, how lovingly He pursues a relationship with you, and how much He longs to share this thing called "life" with you.
Secondly, set your phone up with the "do not disturb" feature. Place all family - caretakers in your favorites so that they can reach you then set the do not disturb to activate at dinner time. Sit at the TABLE, novel concept I know 😇, and have all other electronics off. Talk with your family, share laughter, share your day, and share your struggles. No judgement, no trying to "fix" each other, just listening and allowing each other to be heard.
These are the things that build who we are, that establish our confidence in ourselves so that when the taunts come, they fly right past without damage.
I love you guys..... and I am learning to love ME. Won't you join me on a journey of healing? Not just of self but of those around you as well?
I so need to keep that at the very forefront of my thinking; that I am reading the very words of God. Not just that, but that as I read, His Holy Spirit is right there in the room with me.
More and more as each day passes I see women, men, children being beaten down with harsh words, ugly attitudes, and a complete lack of knowledge of who they are created to be.
I firmly believe that with the onslaught of social media presence invading every moment of one's life, it is nearly impossible to escape the taunts or inferences that we aren't enough..... won't ever be enough.
Once upon a time, we left our school, our office, our environment and returned home for the day to a time of refreshing. A home where there was peace, where support waited, and where the taunts could not be heard. Sadly, now, those taunts are carried around with us constantly in our phones, iPads, laptops and more.
So where is the answer? How do you build that confidence in who you are?
For one thing, dive deep into God's Word and see what a beautiful creation you are. Experience the depth of love He has for you. Go to His Word daily and read how intricately He created you, how lovingly He pursues a relationship with you, and how much He longs to share this thing called "life" with you.
Secondly, set your phone up with the "do not disturb" feature. Place all family - caretakers in your favorites so that they can reach you then set the do not disturb to activate at dinner time. Sit at the TABLE, novel concept I know 😇, and have all other electronics off. Talk with your family, share laughter, share your day, and share your struggles. No judgement, no trying to "fix" each other, just listening and allowing each other to be heard.
These are the things that build who we are, that establish our confidence in ourselves so that when the taunts come, they fly right past without damage.
I love you guys..... and I am learning to love ME. Won't you join me on a journey of healing? Not just of self but of those around you as well?
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
I am a MESS
Not only am I a mess, I am a hot mess! For those of you not from the South, you may not be familiar with such a saying.... Basically it means that when I mess up I do so in a rather spectacular fashion.
Let's just say that yesterday I was rather SPECTACULAR in all aspects of my day. I allowed one over sight to alter my focus and attention for the remainder of the day. When this happens, as you might suspect, the whole day becomes one that is out of kilter with rushed or wrong decisions being made. As a result of not keeping my focus where it belonged, my day became a big wad of ugly.
And for a brief, shining moment, I allowed myself to wallow. You know, like any good pig, just get down in the depths of pity and roll around in it until I am well and truly filthy.
You might wonder why I would choose (yes, it is most definitely a choice although I would truly love to convince myself that it is merely a by product of life being rough.... pshhhttt ) to roll around in filth when there is beauty all around for me to enjoy and be part of.
You see, life is kind of funny that way. God designed us to walk with Him, in relationship, a daily community of give and take, all the while keeping our focus firmly on Him and NOT on our circumstances. Three guesses who utterly failed to do that?? Hmmmm.... I wonder.
So when I took my eyes off of Him and put them on the circumstances as they began to produce the results of where my vision was, I began to hurt in my heart. All too often when I get caught up in "me", the very worse place I could possibly get caught up in, the mistakes I make can lead to hurt for those around me. Though un-intentional, the by product of a self centered view point still causes very real worry / pain for those around us.
When the day was coming to a close and I was seated by a fire in the dark of night with God's handiwork all around me, my heart began to ache. Not for me. Not for my day. But for the people around me that had to deal with the by product of my focus. Those un-intentional hurts. I can't take it back, I can't make it right, I can't fix it no matter how much I might long to.
What I can do, is go to each person, look them in the eyes and apologize with no "reason" or "explanation" but to simply pour out my heart and let them know how very sorry I am. That is tough. That is humbling. And it hurts, because I know that it doesn't change anything about the situation.
HOPE! There is hope amongst the most messy moments of life. Because I can guarantee they are going to happen. The hope is this. God. God brings healing out of a mess. God creates humility out of a mess. God knits hearts together through the process of a mess. God ushers in forgiveness from a mess. Most of all, God brings in wisdom and maturity so that such a mess does not occur again.
So as I ran to Him this morning, I let the tears fall, I allowed my heart to pour out to Him, and when the time for tears had stopped, I allowed Him to hold me as only He can and began to soothe the tattered pieces and start sewing together the beautiful tapestry that He has ordained for my life.
Can you see how all is not lost? That although so many would say there is no reparation, nothing to be done, God steps in and says "watch me work!". He comes in with his mercy and grace and begins to orchestrate a symphony so beautiful that it can only be felt and not heard.
So I encourage you my friends, as I sit among my mess, to take your eyes off your mess and place them fully on the Savior. Look at yourself through His eyes and see how truly loved and precious you are and know that there is the living hope waiting for you.
Whether business or personal the result is the same. Where our focus is our heart and life will follow. Be sure of where you place your focus today!!
Let's just say that yesterday I was rather SPECTACULAR in all aspects of my day. I allowed one over sight to alter my focus and attention for the remainder of the day. When this happens, as you might suspect, the whole day becomes one that is out of kilter with rushed or wrong decisions being made. As a result of not keeping my focus where it belonged, my day became a big wad of ugly.
And for a brief, shining moment, I allowed myself to wallow. You know, like any good pig, just get down in the depths of pity and roll around in it until I am well and truly filthy.
You might wonder why I would choose (yes, it is most definitely a choice although I would truly love to convince myself that it is merely a by product of life being rough.... pshhhttt ) to roll around in filth when there is beauty all around for me to enjoy and be part of.
You see, life is kind of funny that way. God designed us to walk with Him, in relationship, a daily community of give and take, all the while keeping our focus firmly on Him and NOT on our circumstances. Three guesses who utterly failed to do that?? Hmmmm.... I wonder.
So when I took my eyes off of Him and put them on the circumstances as they began to produce the results of where my vision was, I began to hurt in my heart. All too often when I get caught up in "me", the very worse place I could possibly get caught up in, the mistakes I make can lead to hurt for those around me. Though un-intentional, the by product of a self centered view point still causes very real worry / pain for those around us.
When the day was coming to a close and I was seated by a fire in the dark of night with God's handiwork all around me, my heart began to ache. Not for me. Not for my day. But for the people around me that had to deal with the by product of my focus. Those un-intentional hurts. I can't take it back, I can't make it right, I can't fix it no matter how much I might long to.
What I can do, is go to each person, look them in the eyes and apologize with no "reason" or "explanation" but to simply pour out my heart and let them know how very sorry I am. That is tough. That is humbling. And it hurts, because I know that it doesn't change anything about the situation.
HOPE! There is hope amongst the most messy moments of life. Because I can guarantee they are going to happen. The hope is this. God. God brings healing out of a mess. God creates humility out of a mess. God knits hearts together through the process of a mess. God ushers in forgiveness from a mess. Most of all, God brings in wisdom and maturity so that such a mess does not occur again.
So as I ran to Him this morning, I let the tears fall, I allowed my heart to pour out to Him, and when the time for tears had stopped, I allowed Him to hold me as only He can and began to soothe the tattered pieces and start sewing together the beautiful tapestry that He has ordained for my life.
Can you see how all is not lost? That although so many would say there is no reparation, nothing to be done, God steps in and says "watch me work!". He comes in with his mercy and grace and begins to orchestrate a symphony so beautiful that it can only be felt and not heard.
So I encourage you my friends, as I sit among my mess, to take your eyes off your mess and place them fully on the Savior. Look at yourself through His eyes and see how truly loved and precious you are and know that there is the living hope waiting for you.
Whether business or personal the result is the same. Where our focus is our heart and life will follow. Be sure of where you place your focus today!!
Monday, October 9, 2017
Success not size...
1 Samuel 14:6 ........For nothing restrains the Lord from saving, by many or by few.
Among the business world, size is often equated with success. Often times wrongfully so!!
It does not take an entire company to create change; rather it takes one person committed to a cause and a solution. One person who will stand for right, who will take more action than the words they speak, who will not stop until change is reality.
So this morning I encourage you... in your deepest secret heart, in your life, in your family, in your business.... do NOT overvalue size.
Remember, the Lord accomplishes great things through small numbers.
So go out today, be you, and be awesome... because you truly are!
Among the business world, size is often equated with success. Often times wrongfully so!!
It does not take an entire company to create change; rather it takes one person committed to a cause and a solution. One person who will stand for right, who will take more action than the words they speak, who will not stop until change is reality.
So this morning I encourage you... in your deepest secret heart, in your life, in your family, in your business.... do NOT overvalue size.
Remember, the Lord accomplishes great things through small numbers.
So go out today, be you, and be awesome... because you truly are!
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Secrets....
I read the following statement in my studies this morning.....
"The secret to your success will come from your secret place. And the secret to your failure will come from your failure in the secret place."
Now this particular study is referencing our real relationship with Christ who sees all things which are in our heart, who knows if we are spending time in prayer, and if we are growing in our walk with Him.
But as I was evaluating my most important relationship, it came to me that this very same axiom applies in all areas and most especially our business'.
You see, our business doesn't succeed or fail based on what is witnessed by others but rather by what we do when no one is around.
The persons who are putting in the hours to educate themselves, stay on top of current trends, seek out mentors, and allow the hard questions to be asked/answered; those are the ones you see continually growing and succeeding!
The persons who are going home to watch the game, off exploring with friends, late to come in, early to leave, those are the ones that are often times left wondering what went wrong and why their business isn't producing the results they want.
The successful person is also the one who knows the following to be truth and lives it out daily; "Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts!"
Our success in any area of our lives, whether it be our relationship with Jesus Christ, our spouses, our family, our friends, our hobbies, or our business' is always measured by what we do when no one is looking. It is the person with the never say die attitude that you will see consistently performing at the top. For success is not a destination but rather a determined daily activity.
I would say "Bon chance cher" but I know luck to be no more than the wishful thoughts of those who don't take action so instead, I will say to you.......
Great determination.... today and every day!!
"The secret to your success will come from your secret place. And the secret to your failure will come from your failure in the secret place."
Now this particular study is referencing our real relationship with Christ who sees all things which are in our heart, who knows if we are spending time in prayer, and if we are growing in our walk with Him.
But as I was evaluating my most important relationship, it came to me that this very same axiom applies in all areas and most especially our business'.
You see, our business doesn't succeed or fail based on what is witnessed by others but rather by what we do when no one is around.
The persons who are putting in the hours to educate themselves, stay on top of current trends, seek out mentors, and allow the hard questions to be asked/answered; those are the ones you see continually growing and succeeding!
The persons who are going home to watch the game, off exploring with friends, late to come in, early to leave, those are the ones that are often times left wondering what went wrong and why their business isn't producing the results they want.
The successful person is also the one who knows the following to be truth and lives it out daily; "Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts!"
Our success in any area of our lives, whether it be our relationship with Jesus Christ, our spouses, our family, our friends, our hobbies, or our business' is always measured by what we do when no one is looking. It is the person with the never say die attitude that you will see consistently performing at the top. For success is not a destination but rather a determined daily activity.
I would say "Bon chance cher" but I know luck to be no more than the wishful thoughts of those who don't take action so instead, I will say to you.......
Great determination.... today and every day!!
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
The Trap...
It all started innocent enough..... Our sweet cavalier, Homer, is currently enjoying (read with lots of sarcasm inserted) a lovely yeast infection through out most of his body. So for all you non-animal, non-veterinary people this equates to one thing: he is one huge walking ITCH.
Lo and behold 4 a.m. rolls around this morning and what should wake me? Scratch, scratch, scratch. Itch, itch, itch. Nails on the tile, little whimpers, rolling on his back in order get to those out of reach places.
I whisper for him to stop. I snap my fingers. I even shush him, because of course my dog knows exactly what that means. 🙄 In the end, I get up, stumble through the bathroom, brush my teeth and out the door we go for his morning constitution while our other dog, Amante, gives us dirty looks for disturbing her rest on my chaise.
I go into the kitchen to start the coffee because if nothing else, that is a good starting point. Grumbling all the while. Doesn't he know I need to sleep? Doesn't he know I have a very important 8 a.m. meeting? Isn't he aware that I have a long day ahead of me?
Together we walk into my home office, I pick up my bible and study, and plop on the couch. And then my mind clears and I realize. This is exactly what I had just asked/prayed for yesterday!! Duhhhhh.....
Yesterday during day 1 of our Road to Diamond training, our fearless leader Carrie had just reminded us all of the importance of attitude and how that shapes our thoughts, our actions, our days, our life.
God had already started a new work in me in June and each day He is bringing more and more about so that I grow and strengthen in Him. So the reminder Carrie gave was not only encouraging but timely. It is time to renew my mind!!
The trap...the word itself even sounds ominous doesn't it?
I know you must be wondering what it could possibly be; it is something so simple, so innocuous so as to never be given a moments thought until its too late.
Ready for it? Negativity.....
Whew.... now that wasn't so bad was it?
Or is it?? For I can assure you it IS a trap that will sneak up and ensnare you before you even realize it has happened!
Do you know what the problem with negativity is? That it creeps in at the beginning of truly difficult situations and begins to poison our thinking until it is a mainstay of our thoughts rather than the exception.
So this morning I started out grumbling but decided to end it with thankfulness and gratitude instead. I was awake, alert, had plenty of time for my study, coffee, and still had plenty of time left over for meeting prep. So as I sit here typing the lesson that was driven home to me so early this morning, sweet little Homer lies here at my feet snoring away. You just have to smile at the irony of that!!
The succinct version is this: we all have a choice in every situation. We can choose to focus on the bad, or how hard it is, or how unfair, OR OR OR....
OR we can choose to find one thing in all the mess in which to be thankful for. When we so choose, we can begin to turn our thoughts around, turn our mind around, turn our day around, and before you know it, you will discover that joy and peace has crept in to take the place of despair.
So grab a cup of coffee, sit down a minute, and before your day takes off like a horse at the races, find that thing that you can be thankful for....let that be the start of your day.
Hugs to you all.....
Grab those boots and let's get to it!
Lo and behold 4 a.m. rolls around this morning and what should wake me? Scratch, scratch, scratch. Itch, itch, itch. Nails on the tile, little whimpers, rolling on his back in order get to those out of reach places.
I whisper for him to stop. I snap my fingers. I even shush him, because of course my dog knows exactly what that means. 🙄 In the end, I get up, stumble through the bathroom, brush my teeth and out the door we go for his morning constitution while our other dog, Amante, gives us dirty looks for disturbing her rest on my chaise.
I go into the kitchen to start the coffee because if nothing else, that is a good starting point. Grumbling all the while. Doesn't he know I need to sleep? Doesn't he know I have a very important 8 a.m. meeting? Isn't he aware that I have a long day ahead of me?
Together we walk into my home office, I pick up my bible and study, and plop on the couch. And then my mind clears and I realize. This is exactly what I had just asked/prayed for yesterday!! Duhhhhh.....
Yesterday during day 1 of our Road to Diamond training, our fearless leader Carrie had just reminded us all of the importance of attitude and how that shapes our thoughts, our actions, our days, our life.
God had already started a new work in me in June and each day He is bringing more and more about so that I grow and strengthen in Him. So the reminder Carrie gave was not only encouraging but timely. It is time to renew my mind!!
The trap...the word itself even sounds ominous doesn't it?
I know you must be wondering what it could possibly be; it is something so simple, so innocuous so as to never be given a moments thought until its too late.
Ready for it? Negativity.....
Whew.... now that wasn't so bad was it?
Or is it?? For I can assure you it IS a trap that will sneak up and ensnare you before you even realize it has happened!
Do you know what the problem with negativity is? That it creeps in at the beginning of truly difficult situations and begins to poison our thinking until it is a mainstay of our thoughts rather than the exception.
So this morning I started out grumbling but decided to end it with thankfulness and gratitude instead. I was awake, alert, had plenty of time for my study, coffee, and still had plenty of time left over for meeting prep. So as I sit here typing the lesson that was driven home to me so early this morning, sweet little Homer lies here at my feet snoring away. You just have to smile at the irony of that!!
The succinct version is this: we all have a choice in every situation. We can choose to focus on the bad, or how hard it is, or how unfair, OR OR OR....
OR we can choose to find one thing in all the mess in which to be thankful for. When we so choose, we can begin to turn our thoughts around, turn our mind around, turn our day around, and before you know it, you will discover that joy and peace has crept in to take the place of despair.
So grab a cup of coffee, sit down a minute, and before your day takes off like a horse at the races, find that thing that you can be thankful for....let that be the start of your day.
Hugs to you all.....
Grab those boots and let's get to it!
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