my wings are made of faith

CALLED, CHOSEN, FAITHFUL

My son posted last night in hours of insomnia that he was mulling over the “thus far” of his life, and wondering if he had wasted his life, and was speculating how to make a mark in life and be able to die in due time, believing he had done what the Lord would have him do.  I can say I have been there, have you?  One of my neighbor’s grandchildren expressed to me this morning the issues of her making decisions that would affect her life’s future.  She is only about to be nine. She is mulling over her salvation and that she would like to be baptized. I never brought the subject up, nor even hinted at it.  She is hearing the Holy Spirit. Each and every time we face this point in life, our emotions may vary, from the extreme of silently invigorating to the other extreme of powerfully debilitating, or anywhere in between. Some will know exactly to what God is calling them, and others will struggle with how to know why the Spirit stirs their soul.  Regardless of the circumstances, I am certain of one thing.  God doesn’t call us all to be missionaries, in the “go to the ends of the world” sense.  Instead, if we are called to serve him, but not chosen to be preacher, teacher or missionary…we still have a place in his great plan if we come with the right attitude.

There are 6 verses that come up in a Bible Gateway search when you type in “called, chosen” in the King James version. I was searching only one particular verse, but was impacted by the six verses that came up. All six speak of exactly this situation in life.  I want to share what I saw in each one:

1.When Samuel was seeking the new King, he followed the command of the Spirit to go to Jesse to select this king from among Jesse’s sons. Jesse brought the sons whom he felt would make the best king. However, after going through Jesse’s sons, Jesse’s chosen were not God’s chosen. David, his youngest, was.  Seven (the number of completion) of Jesse’s sons were called to pass before Samuel, but only one, the eighth, (number of new beginning) was chosen. And he was the least expected to be God’s chosen. What’s more, David was in the fields keeping sheep one minute and was the King of Israel the same day. God’s call can be a sudden and unexpected new beginning.

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. I Samuel 16:8.

2.Isaiah relates the story of God’s conversation with Jacob, whose name he changed to Israel, and whom he chose in spite of his past and in spite of his fear. It was his servant’s attitude that determined that choice.

But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.  Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:8- 10.

3. Matthew retells a story that Jesus told about a man who needed laborers. He hired men in the morning who agreed to work for a penny. Later as he saw they needed help, to get done for the day, he hired more men whom he also paid a penny. He paid the men, the last first. When he got to the first men, they expected to receive greater pay. They, just as we might, believed that if they worked longer, they should receive more pay. The late day workers were actually a gift to the tired men, but they never saw this. The last were chosen exactly the same as the first and agreed to exactly the same pay. Jesus is saying to us, that no matter the time of life we are called to the labor, we are equal to any who serve him for a lifetime. God does not look on the length of service, just that we be willing.

 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. Matthew 20:16.

Fret Not Thyself

In Psalm 37 the first phrase in the chapter is, "Fret not thyself."  Before verse 10, it appears in the text twice more.  Now the translation would obviously be: Don't be anxious," but there is a curious thing about the way it is spoken in the old form.  It seems to say that anxiousness and worry are something we do to ourselves.  As a worrier myself, I have been trying to apply these verses, with the recognition of that fact.  If I worry, I may be bringing a state of FRET on myself.  So since I know I have a need to do SOMETHING, what can I do in response to what causes me to worry that would be the right response?

These are the words God gives us to replace being fretful.They are given in an almost " if we, then God" format -

If we:

• vs. 3 ~ Trust (in the Lord) & Do Good - then God will provide that we will dwell in our land and be fed.
• vs. 4 ~ Delight ourselves (find pleasure in the Lord) - then expect Him to give you the desires of your heart.
• vs. 5 ~ Commit our way (to the Lord) &  believe He will "bring it to pass," - then He will make our right choices perfectly clear in time, bright as the noonday sun.
• vs. 7 ~ Rest and wait patiently (on the Lord) staying  focused, without looking at what's happening with others, (for in time wicked people get their justice,) then we can hear God laughing at them, because he sees their day is coming.
• vs. 8 ~ Cease (from anger, leaving wrath behind), turning our thoughts from doing evil..or retribution - then He will take care of those who do evil things in our pathway, and take that burden from us.

I especially like the light-heartedness of God telling us to imagine Him laughing at people who try to devise thier own way out of their troubles. Can't you just see Him shakin' His head? But wait, he calls them wicked.  Oh yes, when we are trying to spend all that time figuring a way out, and worrying ourselves with the devices, it is sin.  Sin is anything going in the opposite direction of how God is trying to take us.  So I guess, any devisive thinking, is really sin, because God says "don't fret yourself with it."  SO...

What will you do when you are alone and adrift?

I watched as my daughter disciplined her toddler son one day.  And I thought how Godly the process was. He was kicking and screaming, resisting what his Mom wanted him to do. She got his attention, put him in time out, and when the time had come that he understood he had done wrong, and ceased crying and feeling sorry for himself, she brought him back to herself, having fulfilled the resolution for his behavior. She made him understand she still loved him.

Sometimes we want to go our own way.  God made us with a sense of independence.  It is what motivates us to get up in the morning and get things done. But independence without the balance of unity, someone to love us, and boundaries can take us to places of loneliness and ineffectiveness.  Sin is when we ignore the need we have as humans for our creator to provide that balance.  We become heavily weighted on self-indulgence and things get out of kilter. 

Think of an astronaut in space.  He is a daring independent kind of guy.  Extremely so sometimes.  Intelligent and capable of flying his craft. If he weren’t, he might not get home. Apollo 13 was a great example.  But without his team on earth - helping him find the boundaries, sort the difficult calculations and extremes of detail - he would fail, and the results could be disastrous. I heard an astronaut say yesterday that if you are off just a little in the beginning and don’t adjust early, you could miss your target altogether. Without the altering of the cross on the sin issue, we would miss our eternal target all together, but we will miss the daily blessings of God as well.

God wants our independent character to get us where we are going.  He desires his best for us.  But we need a mission control!  Personally, I don’t like thinking of being alone in this great big universe like a pilot alone in outer space with no contact to what grounds him.  I want God’s universe-capable power to reel me in. 

Pursuing the Proverbs: Day 23

Proverbs 23:13-14 says,

"Do not withhold discipline from a child;

if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.

Punish him with the erode

and save his soul from death."

Now that my children are older, I appreciate the fact that my husband and I were consistent in discipline when they were young.  People often notice that my kids are respectful to those in authority over them.  Setting proper boundaries for children is crucial since it establishes expected behaviors for authority figures for their entire lives.

Since we are God's children, Scripture clearly teaches us that God, our Father, also disciplines us in Hebrews 12:5-6,

"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,

and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

because the Lord disciplines those he loves,

and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

Today's reflection:  Our challenge is to accept times when consequences or the discipline occurs and instead of being angry or becoming bitter, acknowledge that experience one of a child who is loved by God.

Today's Prayer:  Lord, help me to see when you are making a course correction in my heart and life.  Guard my heart from becoming bitter and help me to grow in your love and wisdom.  In Jesus name!

For more wisdom, read Proverbs chapter 23.

Pursuing the Proverbs: Day 6

God wants to provide guidance for us that we might be able to get through life easier, safer, healthier, wiser, and having built good character. In the Proverb today, the phrase “reproofs of instruction are the way of life” refers to discipline.  Our minds sometimes jump to the emotional reactions that come with discipline and we withdraw and wince. But the whole verse conveys a more pleasant picture than painful discipline. 

Today's reflection: God prefers that we use the law and commandments as a means of lighting our way so we can easily stay on the path.  Ever thought about walking a path in darkness? We naturally are deterred from getting off the path if we can’t see what’s there. Instincts and experience tell us that getting off the path in the dark will get us lost.  This is the image God would have us visualize. He would have us fear to get off his path more than fear staying on his path.  We have it backwards when we are afraid of where the Lord would lead us.  Or fear that we might fall or fail to get there when he is lighting our way.

God’s plan will shed light on only a small section of the path at a time.  We seldom visually see to the destination, rather, just the section of the path where we must walk our next steps.  God wants us to not become overwhelmed on His path.   Take life a few steps at a time. Seek to know the destination, if he allows, but don’t stress about not being there yet. 

On our “birdcount” this weekend, my husband and I did some “owling,” (seeking out and counting owls,) in the dark.  We park along roads where the habitat is right, and we play a tape, which is a recording of a screech owl’s calls. This is a small owl, usually less than 12 " tall. Several kinds of owls will respond to the tape, hoping to warn the presumed "intruder" of territory bounderies.  When we hear them call in response to the tape, we can count them, because we know which owls have which calls. My husband and some of our birding friends cannot hear certain bird calls.  This weekend, the little screech owls needed to be very close for him to be able to hear their low, very soft, “bounce call.” To put them on his personal list, he needed to hear them if not see them.  So he was patient and listened for them to come in very close. Often, with a flashlight, we can also see them.  Sometimes, just after dawn, we get good looks at them.  And it’s a good thing, because they seldom call after dawn. In this instance, we stand still and let the birds come to us.  Sometimes, when God seems not to be shining his light on our path, his instruction is clear: stand still and listen for his still small voice. Or wait for the dawn, the point in time when he will enlighten the wonders along his path.

Today’s Prayer: Jesus, I have wasted a lot of time in my life stressing over not seeing the path in minute detail.  I don’t know why it fractures me so, when I know you are in control, to not see all the way down the path to the destination. I know I fail miserably sometimes at taking life in smaller segments. I ask forgiveness for the wasted energy and time that I could have spent joyfully awaiting your light for my path. I could have embraced the silence in this noisy world while listening for your warnings that I am in someone else’s territory.  Maybe you called like the little owl, and I had a deaf ear, and didn’t wait for you to draw near, and intently listen. Forgive me, and come close, Lord, and call a little louder, please, like the little owls who heard our recorded call. Most of all, please help me not to be the broken record, like my tape just calling over and over, begging you to come near.  When I stop the "tape", help me paitiently listen. Open the eyes of my heart like the dawn, as I search your word, and let the commandments be my flashlight and your law be my morning sun. If all you desire me to have is a look where the tiny focus of the flashlight is aimed, then help me to rejoice in what you are letting me see. Glory to your name. AMEN

For more wisdom read Chapter 6 of Proverbs.

Pursuing the Proverbs: Day 4

As a Sunday school teacher, I often sought ways to make a principle stick with kids. It isn’t only the scripture, but the principle, which bears learning.  And the fun thing I discovered early on, was that the first letter of words – alliterations, helped the children remember “The Principle.”  What was even better, the letter that kept coming up in all the principle words was “P”. So if I asked, “Can you guess which letter the principle this week begins with,” they would all chime, “P”, because they knew from experience, it always began with the letter “P”. 

I am loving our theme this month, because, guess what?  Proverbs begins with “P”. And it is all about adventures in principles, and the first of my selected scriptures also begins with the letter “P”.  Are you feeling like we are on Sesame Street and the letter of the day is “P”, yet? LOL

So what is this Perfectly Principled word?  It is Plan.

Today's Reflection: Proverbs 4:26 says: Ponder the Path of thy feet. 

Oh, yaayy! More “P” words!   Say it three times fast. I mean it. 3 times beginning - now. That will help it stick. OK. You are not 6.  So why do most of us act like 6 years olds, living day in and out without sitting down and pondering what steps we should take for the day? Then share that with God? 

If for a few minutes each day we do four things:

1. Ponder our path – give the day a little thought.  Rather than striking out into it blindly doing what we did the day before. 
2. Like most of you I need lists.  So as part of your Plan try to:

        Pray the list – if you have a list of things to do, pray for –

• guidance – let God point the way.
• presence of mind -  defined as “existence in a certain place” in the mind
• peaceful and prosperous productivity
• and passion for the purpose

   3.  Purpose to Prove God’s Power – Claim that power by filtering our plan through his word. Then prove him, put God to the test. On Purpose… have purpose.

 A reason to do what is on the list makes certain things Priority.  So –

   4.  Prioritize the plans.

Then: 

• We might get everyone in the family on the same page.
• We might see God in our day.
• We won’t walk alone.
• We might realize some things were not as important as we thought.

Result? Things will go wrong anyway, the plans won’t always pan out, and you will feel like a pitiful failure at the end of the day - IF you forget that the plan was a guide, not the perfect will of God.  Please put a little fun in and plan to laugh and make changes to the plan. Proverbs are Character builders, not the “LAW OF GOD.”  Use them as tools to fashion a little more perfect YOU.

 Then above all – refer to Acts 2: 21 often, at the end of your day: and remember the old joke which quotes only half the verse but reeks with wisdom: “it shall come to pass”.  Tomorrow’s another day. Think about it! And Ponder a new Plan.

Today's Prayer: Lord Jesus, your word helps us know that everything about you is one big plan. There is purpose in every element of your creation. Help me be a part of that plan, but also help me to include you in my daily plan.  But most of all, help me to emulate you and have a plan. Lovin’ having fun as part of the plan. I think I see you smiling.  AMEN

For more wisdom, read Chapter 4 of Proverbs.

Ever Felt "WALKED ON"

Believe this:

Claim this:    (As you relate to the people of Israel)

Thus sayeth thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out thine hand the cup of trembling…thou shalt no more drink it again.

But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over; and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street to them that went over. Isaiah 51: 22-23

Awake, awake; put on thy strength…put on thy beautiful garments…Shake thyself from the dust… Isaiah 52: 1-2

Be assured by this:

…my people shall know my name: they shall know in that day that I am He that speaks; behold it is I. Isaiah 52:6

Pray this:

Lord, I believe and claim what you have promised.  I am assured that you are speaking to my heart, and I accept the promise and obey.  I arise from the position of letting this happen to me, and put on my strength which you give, I shake off the dust, and dress myself as if it never happened.  Lord I ask… and receive and open the door to newness… Help me as I choose to love my offender. Amen.

And Do this:

If ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? For sinners also love those that love them… Luke 7:32  But love your enemies, and do good…vs 35.  (See also: Proverbs 25:21 – 22 on how to do this.)

Remember this:

As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. Psalms 140: 9

And this:

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me…Psalm 138: 7 – 8 

Realize this:

 The Lord never asks us to deal with people who walk on us, until he first allows that we are able to rise up from the dirt, dust ourselves off, put on our strength, and dress ourselves with beauty.  And then he promises that he WILL deal with them. It is one of the “opposites of God” precepts that we allow God to fight our battles. Though we don’t understand sometimes –

Accept this:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55: 8-9

 

Honor God in this, and watch and wait….See what the hand of the Lord can do!

My Peace I Give YOU

When I  began to research the word “PEACE”, I was amazed to find that there are arguments that are historical about the translation of the Christmas passage that is so familiar to us:

 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:4

In the early centuries, transcribing errors caused a multitude of early documents to have a different meaning than the texts before them, of which there are only a few.  Translating scholars chose the meaning in the multitude of erroneous documents available to men of the 15-17^th centuries, and made those highly copied errors the meaning of the verse.  Out of that came great discussions about whether “on earth peace, good will toward men” meant peace between men, and a lack of war - wherein men were to do the right thing and be at peace with one another - making peace on earth a viable and desirable “life’s work.” As if it were the call of God on their lives to pursue peace, and avoid war because of Christ’s birth. As if the Angels declared a new and great commandment unto mankind. Some stake their basic beliefs about how God feels about war on this concept.

I am not sure that I ever thought the verse meant to avoid war at all costs, because to me it always had to do with “inner peace.”  So I was surprised to find that this beloved verse had controversy around it. Why, the very fact that a verse about peace caused contention between men, sort of had a ring of discord to me.  It was as if I could hear Satan laughing in the background.  What was the great news that the angels proclaimed on that night? Did they really come to tell us that Jesus came so that we could make a commitment to ourselves to seek peace between us?  Wow!  Are we failing at that or what?  Time alone has made God a liar, if his message to us was that because of Jesus we would have the power within us to establish peace on earth.  So why does this scripture seem to be a lie in God’s word? Did Jesus bring the potential of a world of nations at total peace, when he came as a babe in a manger?

Well there are a number of other scriptures that admonish us to seek peace within our families, with our neighbors, and ultimately, desire it that we may have allies and friends among nations.  But, to me, and in the words of the earliest documents, the angels were addressing a more Holy issue.  Just as some rulers & church leaders of Christ’s day misunderstood when he said he was King of the World, it is a great mistake to lower this verse to the man-to-man level.  No. This verse is about God’s plan to bring peace to link himself to man. For mankind, this meant no fear of retaliation, ever. In the Old Testament, there was a peace offering brought to the temple, which was intended to placate God.  That offering was a ritualistic act to remind people not to feel enmity with God when they fell into their sinful nature, and stay trapped there. Jews understood this concept of bringing an offering before God, which would be like a bringing a gift to a loved one to say, “I’m sorry.”

However, even in the most loving environments, we get tired of hearing someone say over and over again, that they are sorry for repeatedly going back to some act, which continues to hurt the relationship, every time it occurs.  With most “I’m sorry” gifts, is the often hollow promise of  “I will never do that again.” When we’ve heard it over and over, not only the act is offensive, but the lie about never doing it again becomes worse.  This is what would be our station in life with God, repeatedly answering for our sins, apologizing with high hopes of not falling short in his eyes again, only to find it is an impossible task…if Jesus had not become our forever peace offering.

Peace was needed between God and man.  A kind of peace that set our hearts and minds at ease, about not being able to be perfect in God’s eyes.  As we discipline children, we sit them down to think about what they’ve done, asking them to not do it again, but to listen and do what we are telling them to do instead.  Once they get up from the “time out”, we ask that they say they are sorry.  Sometimes, the process wears on us to the point of not being enforced, due to lack of will power on our part.  The result is a wayward child, and having to start all over with the discipline. Yet if there is to be peace in the family, a loving parent can’t loose the will to be consistent with discipline. 

Years of discipline without a healthy balance of forgiveness will build up an animosity that sometimes comes out as rebellion in teens.  Constantly keeping our noses to the “pleasing God” grindstone will cause animosity between us and God, as well. Satan will do all he can to add fuel to the fire, hoping to cause rebellion toward God in our hearts.  God gave the peace offering of ancient days, as a point in time, when people could come to him, and ask for a fresh start.  But years and years of peace offerings didn’t bring the inner peace, which God and man were seeking.  Just as in so many other of the ways that Christ fulfilled the law, Jesus came to be our “peace offering.”  And the angels were sent to declare that God and his heavenly family were rejoicing that there could finally be a remedy to the constant inner battle, a means of healing the friction between God and man.

Let’s hear it from Jesus: Not the Peace the World seeks - 

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34(KJV)

Jesus’ coming actually stirred up trouble between nations of various religions, and between people of various beliefs, and between sinners and God. He knew his coming would not bring peace in the worldly sense. 

Rather - Peace between God and Man –

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. John 20:21

And from the Apostle Paul to the church at Phillipi:

And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phillipians 4:7 

Jesus did ask that we share our peace.  Our inner peace. To give the world what they really need, release from the animosity between them and God.

 Thank you, Father, that you reached out to me with your permanent peace offering.  Thank you for ending the ritual, for allowing that there might be peace between us. Thank you for accepting me as I am, flaws and all, while giving me the power and authority to overcome the patterns of sin in my life. Yet, no matter where or when I fail, you are simply there with love and adoration to hug me back into your mercies, forgive me of sin, and let there be PEACE between you and me. AMEN 

 By the way, when Jesus returns the second time…we are promised that he will bring the peace that earth and nations desire. Then He will be the Prince of Peace.  There is no peace without his intervention.  We should all hold peace for the world dear in our hearts, and long for the day that he will come and bring a genuine peace to the whole world…but that’s another story.

Choose Joy

In Nehemiah 8, Ezra the prophet, and the Levites who provided the music, read and explained the law of God to the people. It says: Vs 4: “ Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose.”  The people had gathered in the street, and the pulpit was high above them. When Ezra opened the book of the Law in the sight of all the people, they all stood up. He read to them from the “Bible” of their time. Afterwards, Nehemiah taught the people and helped them understand what was being read to them. Upon hearing and understanding it, they cried.

I don’t know about you, but that scene seems as familiar to me as if I were there. Like a good blessing church service. But for these people, this was extremely special, because they hadn't had access to their scriptures as we do today. There wasn’t a Bible or two for every person. I think I actually own 4 not counting the coffee table versions or the family bibles from my mom. I can’t imagine not being able to pick up one, open it and glean from its words whenever I pleased.  There have been centuries of people who have not had that easy access.  We sometimes don’t consider what a glorious opportunity we have in our age to choose any verse we desire to read. With a concordance by my side, or Bible Gateway open, I can actually choose to read only the verses that speak of my subject. It blesses me so much, that I can’t imagine not having that option.

When the people heard what Nehemiah taught, they cried.  Yet he admonished them to make a choice not to be sad:

Vs. 9. …This day is holy unto the Lord your God. Mourn not, nor weep.

Vs 10. Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared…Neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

When we are faced with the toils of the world, and sadness or worry stealthily seek to spoil our joy, God desires that we choose Joy, that we may have strength in those times. Ever notice how sorrow zaps your strength.  My husband and son often choose to joke in what seems like inappropriate times to me. If I am sad, my husband goes out of his way to make jokes so I will smile. Sometimes I don’t feel like smiling, and I don’t want him joking.  But his is actually the better attitude. I allow the sorrow to drain me. He finds joy and remains strong.

Vs. 12  says: And all the people went their way to eat and to drink, to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

Nehemiah was helping the people to choose how they placed their focus. He wanted them not to dwell on the fact that they had not known the law, and hadn’t understood God’s desires for their lives; not to let their regret take the stand in their lives.  Rather, he wanted them to direct their focus on the fact that they now had understanding, and that was a reason to be glad.

I believe the Lord has led me this season, to find Joy for my strength.  I have been saying for a week how much stronger I felt this Christmas, and was well aware that I was choosing to have joy. But only when I asked the Lord what I should I write about this week, did I see the multitude of scriptures that indicated that choosing Joy is the reason for my renewed strength. The Spirit of God had led me to joy even before I read the admonitions of scripture. And he had demonstrated the results, so that I might have no doubt when I read the words.

Isaiah 61:3 says: To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning.

The medicine for sadness around the holidays or any time, is to chose to have joy.

In Nehemiah 8, the Levites who were the praise and worship people, found themselves with a different task. It says in verse 11 that they stilled the people and said “hold your peace… neither be ye grieved.”  Many of the verses in my concordance, which speak of joy, note that God gives joy coupled with peace. So I have decided, in the words of the old pastors and ministers of the Word, to “HOLD MY PEACE” AND CHOOSE TO HAVE JOY…

When we get together at a funeral of one of my husband’s family, there is always laughing in the hallways.  And by the casket, for that matter.  There was a time when I wondered what other people who were in other rooms thought, but I finally realized, that since so many of Jimmy’s family are secure in their salvation, that the laughter was more than appropriate. They are a family who lives their joy. There is scripture to back the desire to rejoice when someone has died and gone to the presence of God.  But most of all, the Word clearly tells us to make being joyful the remedy for our sadness, and the means by which we return to a place of strength. His family most definitely finds their release and ability to  move on in their knack for laughter.

One of the “Opposites of God” basics is that we can turn from one thing and be renewed in its opposite.  This fits the principle, that we should release the one and seek the other.Let me challenge anyone who finds themselves weary and overwhelmed, to find Joy so that they may also find Strength.

An exercise in renewing your mind would be to write the word JOY and place it everywhere.  Hang it on the fridge, on the mirror, on the dash of your car.  If jokes aren’t your thing, then find pictures that make you smile, or wear colors that bring you joy. Look in the mirror and actually make yourself smile.  During the day, raise your eyebrows and follow it by relaxing your face, then smile.  Think of God and Smile. Think of your favorite food and smile. Think of something and close your eyes and spell out silently: J O Y. Visualize it. Hold your smile for as long as you can and time it. Ask your co-worker to tell their joke again, and this time smile! Renew your mind.

Much love to everyone this Holiday season. And for those who are really having a hard time finding joy this year, say this over and over: “Count It All Joy.”  It won’t feel like joy, but the mind will eventually obey God’s Word. For you I pray in a special way, cause I’ve been there…I know how hard it is to choose joy in pain. But the time will come…the time will come.

Lord, help the hurting, the weary, the sad and grieving, those with loss and those who just don’t know why they don’t have joy to choose selectively to find joy, that they may have the strength your Word promises.  Grant this is Jesus Name and for whom we celebrate. AMEN

Unconditional Love

Face it! We are at odds with people around us.  We find ourselves married to spouses who are our exact opposites, most of the time.  Our children begin to show how differently they think than we do almost immediately. By the time they are teens, they feel like strangers in our house.  The boss thinks it should be done one way and we can only do it the way we know how.  In the end it gets done, so why does butting heads matter? Smack in the middle of all the things that push us apart, are a million reasons why we need to come together, and even though we know love is the answer, how do you love someone who is so forcefully drawing away. The walls that go up are so hard to pull down.  Sometimes it feels like you would have to be God to actually practice unconditional love.

Take a long look at the word – unconditional.           UNCONDITIONAL   

U N C O N D I T I O N A L.   

NOT conditional.  How many times during the day does what you say to someone hold a condition? Discipline demands conditions.  To our children we say, “you can go play, if you clean your room.”
Busy lives have conditional demands on our time.” I will take care of that when take care of this.” But the one thing in our lives that must not have conditions is LOVE. Love is a time out from the routine that sets us on a perpetual path to opposite tracks.  It is the time when we stop going in opposite directions and come together, with no conditions.

Almost never is it the choice of both individuals at once.  Generally, if it is between us and God - that a mountain of opposites have grown - it is usually God who is trying to remove the obstacles.  Many times the label of SIN is placed on the pile of stuff that causes us to keep such distance from God.  If you haven’t noticed, it is God who made a way to remove the pile .Sin is just the trash to him, to be tossed or burned. His definition of sin is that which separates us from Him.   He went so far as to say that if you desire, you can say to the mountain, “mountain go away,” and God promised that we have the power to send the mountain to the sea. Why, because it is just that simple to follow through on the principles of God and have them work. The moment we take advantage of God’s unconditional love, the mountain is removed.  There will be things that have to be worked on to fix the broken stuff. Or decide to just toss it, and get new .* But the love of God which never changed, but was difficult to see as the mountain grew, becomes suddenly visible again.

Now take that picture and use the image of removing the mountain… no matter what their age, decide to have unconditional love for your children.  No matter the issues between you and your spouse, decide to have unconditional love.  Can you love your boss, your friend, your mother or father – unconditionally? It something you must choose to do, just as forgiveness is.  A Choice.

If the mountain comes down, are all the broken things fixed?  NO.  Do you always get a reciprocal from the one on the other side of the wall.  NO.  But does it give you a break from the stress of living in a world  where we spend more time building the walls than taking them down?. YES.  Is it really helpful?. YES Totally.

Two things:

1.    Toss the hurts if you are able, and decide to build on love instead.  It takes courage, and there will be a fear that you will need to build a wall of protection.  When abuse is the issue, put time frames on how long you will accept a changed behavior. Example - to a spouse one might say: “We will see how it goes for six months, and we will talk again, but I am drawing the line now on the abuse.  You will never abuse me again, NEVER.  If you abuse me again within that six months, you will have lost your final opportunity to show you love me enough to do whatever it takes to put that out of our lives.  Putting a condition on abuse is not the same as putting a condition on love. It actually gives unconditional love a chance to blossom, and grow. This principle works for children as well, but put shorter time limits.  And remember that conditions on behavior are not the same as conditions on love. 

2.    Time outs should become more frequent.  If we parallel the timeout to the “SuperNanny” example,  we realize that abrupt, frequent, and responsible use of the “technique” is an effective way to deal with a child’s disciple with love. In other words, find a way to bring a halt to the behavior for a few moments. Then start again as if nothing had happened, with a hug and a promise of love. Of course, the scenario with bosses looks a little different, but the concept must be the same.  Showing the love after the break is very important.  Now see it in the context of the Mountain/wall building example.  If you remove the mountain more often, it doesn’t grow so overwhelmingly tall.  It won’t seem like such an impossible task to see the other person, without the mountain of problems and make the decision to act as if you were God-like in loving unconditionally.

My husband has a habit of saying “ I love you”  very often.  I used to tell him, that there were times I just didn’t think he loved me, because his actions spoke louder than his words.  “If you loved me…” I would say.  I see it differently now. Now I accept the offer of verbal love as his real feelings, and sometimes actually say, “I accept your love and that you love me, but  …(whatever)…doesn’t make me feel loved.  Can we handle this differently, so I will feel like you love me?”

Conversation about love must also come from an unconditional place. Not placid, not submissive in the connotation of being under someone’s power, but submissive in a response that comes first from love. Submit to the love. Conversation only takes down the mountain, when you say…”take down the mountain”.  A conscious decision must be made by one person to say, I will put the mountain aside so we can talk about loving one another unconditionally. It is critical to not see love as an excuse to let someone do harm, or behave badly. Love is only when you call the break, firmly, absolutely.

Here's a great Facebook page that has some super uplifting sayings:

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

And please don't forget to visit us at our Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/My-Wings-Are-Made-of-Faith/212364455451281

  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. I John 4:7

 

He makes me strong.

With everything changing around me (the season, job location, divorce, etc), i really felt encouragement from the Lord to attend a new church as i start a new journey. Traveling the whole month of October and taking a break from church (the physical building, not the act of worship) has been a good way to transition to a new place for fellowship. 

It felt so good and refreshing this morn to be at this new church. i was able to tune out the crowd and soak in His presence. The title of the series they were in was Stronger—i felt like i was exactly where i needed to be and it felt so good.

In the time of worship He really spoke to me:

I have made you strong. When i thought about what that meant, i realized that it didn't mean He created me strong, but that He made me strong through all the trials in my life. And at a time when i feel a bit weak and vulnerable He reminded me of the strength that i have through Him. Every heartache, pain, disappointment, and setback that i've experienced has not made me weak. It has made me strong. And ...

He promises in scripture to make us strong.

He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.—Isaiah 40:29

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. 
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’—Isaiah 41:10

The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; 
This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will extol Him.—Exodus 15:2

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.—Philippians 4:13

The God who girds me with strength And makes my way blameless? 
He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, And sets me upon my high places. 
He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.—Psalm 18:32-34

I want you to be desperate for me. We were singing this song and the words i am desperate for you, i'm lost without you seemed to be the only words i could hear. As if God was saying seek Me first ... not second or third, but first. Be desperate for Me alone and I will direct your path. With all the change happening, i don't know what to seek first. There are so many things pulling me in different directions and i am easily distracted. My heart and head are on overload. But i got the sense that God was telling me to simplify. To trust in Him and get rid of the stuff that is weighing me down so He can show me exactly where i need to be. 

Today's experience was a good reminder to continually put myself in a quiet and safe place where God can speak to me. He longs to encourage us in that way, but He won't shout over the noise, busy schedule, or be last on the mile-long to-do list.. We have to want and need to be desperate for Him. We have to be willing to simplify our lives to make time for Him. We can't expect God to move in our life if we don't make a place for Him to move. 

i am challenging myself (and you) to simplify the busy schedule to make time for Him and His Word. Pray and ask God what you can give up or rearrange in your schedule to spend more time with Him. Simplifying our schedules for Him will not only lower stress levels, but bring calm, clarity, focus, and a way for God to truly give you direction and a purpose. 

Tempered Like Gold

 
I was watching a jewelry presentation on new technologies in tempering gold, which produced an effect on gold threads, which allowed the gold to stretch and return to it’s shape.  By weaving 20 to 35 strands of the thread, the jewelers had made necklaces and bracelets that were stretchy enough to not need clasps.  They could be stretched enough to go over one’s head or hand, and according to the maker, were stronger than any other kind of pattern used for jewelry because it didn’t kink, and dent; therefore, over time, it would not loose it’s value. It would not become unattractive or un-wearable, so he was willing to say that it was a lifetime investment. This jeweler also had gold threads wrapped over stretchy silicone, which made massive, more solid looking jewelry, which also stretched.  And the thing that struck me was that he was interested in frequently saying something about the process of how they achieved this remarkable trait, while the sales girl was only all about how beautiful it was.

I was intrigued, that a metal held the properties to be made stretchy.  I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised, because I know that part of the process for tempering any metal, including steel is to make it stronger, by making it flexible.  The steel for sky-scrapers and bridges will break in the wind, if not tempered to a point where it withstands the wind and bends slightly. But of course, you would not want it so stretchy that it could not hold it’s shape.  The same was true for the bracelet, since the jeweler wanted it to return to wrist size after stretching it over the hand. 

They were gorgeous.  Each gold thread had been diamond cut into patterns along the entirety of the thread, and this added sparkle as well as aided in weaving the flexible shape.  The one thing the jeweler wanted people to know was that it was a heat process that set the memory into the metal, and made this possible.  He said that they could not do this with 24 carat gold, which actually had the malleable properties built in, because it would stretch out but not return to it’s original shape.  But by adding other metals which also gave the gold it’s various colors – platinum for white gold, and copper for rose gold – the gold content was reduced to 58%, which was exactly the right content to apply the heat process to and achieve the desired resiliency. This was the formula he said for 14 carat gold.  He said we should always be proud to wear 14 carat gold because of its ability to withstand abuse more than purer forms of gold.

I guess we all know something about this.  We’ve heard it all our lives, but this very moldable stretchy form to which this jeweler had taken the process, was refined to near perfection, in my mind.  I thought of how, when God puts us through the fires of life and adds himself to our very makeup, it makes us so bent out of shape that we don’t know what shape we are in. Hammered and beaten and cut all to pieces, I don’t think we see the bigger picture of coming out of our trials being all sparkly and beautiful. Then, He heats up the circumstances of life and holds us to the fire more than before. Only then do we have memory molded into our very make up.  We become flexible to withstand being stretched to extremes, but can bounce back, and return unscathed to beauty and form.  And that beauty remains etched for all time, to remain valuable in its maker’s eyes.  He is willing to guarantee his work for a lifetime of wear.  The jeweler, who was from Italy, was so proud of his creation, and confirmed that it took weeks to make each piece. The process could not be shortened, because each step was necessary.  There were no shortcuts to achieve the desired strength and beauty he purposed the piece to have.

God has included himself into the process of molding us.  Like pure gold we hold great value to him, but when we become less of ourselves, and one with Him, we take on a flexibility that helps us give with the ebb and flow of life.  We are no less gold, just gold plus that which makes us more than just something pretty to look at.  We take on God’s strength and character.   In a way, Jesus was like this jeweler, who took what was known about the properties of gold for thousands of years, and made it more useful than it had ever been before. As the sales girl, stretched the bracelet gently, the maker said,  “Oh, stretch it more than that, it will not fail.  It can stand much stretching and will always return to its perfect shape.”  So she stretched it twice as far and it returned beautifully to a perfect bracelet once again.

 Lord, I have been through some fires in life, that like the old saint, Job, I wanted to find you and bring my arguments. I wanted you to give me answers as to why must the fire be so hot! What value could my circumstances possibly have on becoming more like you, when, while going through the fire I was so bent out of shape that I didn’t even recognize myself, much less see you becoming one with my character?  I certainly didn’t act like you.  I knew you were there, I knew you allowed me to fall into my emotions and you didn’t mind at all. I knew you never accused me, saying, “How dare you ask me Why?” You let me groan from the pain, and cry out for help. You knew I thought it was more than I could bear.  But rather than leave me, as with Shadrack, Meshack and Abednigo, you joined me in the fire.  In places where no one else could go with me, you were there. When the din of the intensity made it impossible for me to hear you, I could SCREAM to you, and it was OK.  You never cared that I acted like a human and not like God. You simply made yourself the element of strength that would be bound to my future.  And when I emerged exhausted from the process, you allowed me to simply spring back into shape, but now stronger, more beautiful, etched by your hand a permanent pattern of your design. Woven intricately into a new form, renewed in my mind, with a shiny new purpose.  More valuable in my Maker’s eyes.  Thank you for being the only one I have to answer to when I go through the fires of tempering.  And thank you for becoming one with me, even when some would wrongfully judge me as being far from your presence.  Because, Lord that is what people do.  As Jesus said, “Father forgive them, because they just don’t understand.”  And because that is just what You do. AMEN

 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.  Job 23:10

 

Plowing in the Snow

The other day I was speaking with a wise friend who was sharing a story about someone who was working a job in her field in hopes that it eventually brought in more clients and expanded her business.  She said it’s like “plowing in the snow.”  I had never heard this phrase before, but am amazed at what God has revealed this week in praying about the meaning.  

In preparation for a new season of growing, farmers often plow their fields and mend tools and machines during the winter.  These simple acts alone do not grow their crops and yield a harvest, but are crucial to a good crop.  Plowing the fields during the colder weather is hard work and doesn’t produce any immediate results.  Repairing farm machinery, in the same regard, seems pointless at the time.  However, when the spring arrives, the farmer diligently plants his crops in prepared fields with maintained machines.  The farmer has to look down the road quite a few months during those cold winter months to dream of what the future could look like.

I can relate to this principle so much as a Christian.  There are times when I’m doing the “right” things:  reading my Bible, spending time with the Lord, going to church, worshipping God, but I am not seeing the results of my efforts.  I am dreaming of my future plans, but they seems so distant.  This is an example of “plowing in the snow.”  

As Christians, I believe God wants us to dream and pray for those things within His perfect will, but we can’t give up when life gets difficult.  The challenge is to fix our eyes on Jesus each day-knowing that our Heavenly Father adores us and has great plans for us-both in heaven and on earth.  Sometimes the winter seasons are longer than others, but when our focus is on the Lord, He will give us the grace we need to endure.

My Prayer:  God, I confess to you that I sometimes feel like giving up during those cold seasons of my life.  Thank you for giving me strength when I’m looking ahead.  Holy Spirit, remind me to focus on you.  Thank you, Jesus, for modeling the ultimate example of perseverance on the cross.  Lord, I claim that your grace is sufficient for me.  In Jesus Name!

Memories from God's Perspective

 
My husband (boyfirend) and I in the sixties, the day after our Seniors Banquet, held by our church for a place to go instead of Prom.  We were standing in front of a rose bush that I had babied since it was a stem. And I was in my favorite dress, one I loved more than my "Prom Dress."  Sixties Hair LOL

In a post from Max Lucado’s daily thoughts, for Aug. 24, he wrote the following:

“Present Tense - By Max Lucado

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  Hebrews 13:8 NLT

The present-tense Christ. He never says, “I was.” We do. We do because “we were.” We were younger, faster, prettier. Prone to be people of the past tense, we reminisce. Not God. Unwavering in strength, he need never say, “I was.” Heaven has no rear view mirrors . . .

Can God be more God? No. He does not change. He is the “I am” God. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” “

 I am a person who looks back a lot.  I have had a need for healing of my memories, and in looking back I find myself faced with two situations.  I can live in the memories and be sad – for the extremes of the bad times and the memories of the hurts that still hurt me, and sad that I am not younger, faster, prettier, thinner, etc. Or I can look into the past seeking the glad memories to help them out weigh the sad ones, while always allowing that thing from the past to bolster my now, while, at the same time, seek healing for the memories that still hurt.  Memories are like wounds if they are bad ones.  And they must heal. I said  MUST HEAL.

Bad memories must be dealt with. Stuffing them into the past to stay is not what Mr. Lucado is talking about in the comment above. He is helping us remember that God was in our past and when we were hurt, we were not alone. God knows what hurt us. But He wants us to have a resurrection attitude –realizing that we can be free from the past and healed of the pain.  But looking to a future with Him as well.  For me, when intense pain was a part of a long period of my life, the past was my life. It was hard to break free from that stronghold.  I became hurt with God.  I found myself in what seemed like a pattern of living hurt over and over, as if something I was doing was causing my hurt, and as if loving and serving God meant I had to continue to be hurt.  That was true to the extent that I was in a pattern, but there was an escape. 

Thinking about your memories is only the surface result for what can happen to a person living out of the past.  The mind can actually develop a pattern to respond to every situation in life the same way as it did when hurt.  So when someone else hurts you, you will react as if that person hurt you again, and also the next time someone hurts you. It is subconscious, and you often don’t realize it. You are actually LIVNG IN THE PAST. When you do, you may not know how to get out of the pattern.  Max Lucado is soooo right when he says God is the “I  AM.”  Because living in the present does not have to be a reflection of what you lived in your past. God wants healing for our past pains and traumas.

I know how the Lord chose to heal me, and the mental scars as well.  For someone else he may chose a different path to healing, but seeking healing from my past was the best thing I ever did for the prospect of living a better today and a better future.  And now, I love to reminisce about the lovely things in my past, because they bring me joy, and help me remember that God has always been there.  Yet, the one thing I still bring into check, while looking back, is to not fall into the pattern of saying I was prettier, thinner, faster, whatever’er, because whatever I have today, is still better than what is gone, as long as I know Christ is still there.  And of course we all know that our Future is only brighter looking to live it walking in His presence.

If someone reading this has trauma to heal from way back in their past, Pray: “Lord heal my hurts, Heal my memories.”  And hang on for the ride of your life.  It was not easy for me and it may not be easy for you.  Unlike a roller coaster, it was not a ride I want to take again, because my memories suddenly were as clear as if they were happening all over again.  However, it is a ride I would not turn down. NO. NO. Never! Unlike a surgery that you might say, “If I knew what this was going to be like, I would have never agreed to it,” I would recommend to anyone to seek God for the chance to revisit bad memories and find healing from the pain. For what God was able to do was to rewrite those memories, so that I always see Him there in power, in control and bringing me through. 

For example, my worst memory haunted me in my sleep sometimes. I could see the face of the person who hurt me, glaring at me showing his power over me, proud of his power and frightening me.  I could see the evil one in his eyes.  And I remember how frozen with fear I was.  He laughed a haunting laugh back then.  How did God heal my memory? The day the Lord healed my hurt, he gave me a new memory.  Now when I remember that night, I see the evil one afraid of the Spirit in me, and I see him draw back, knowing that the Spirit in me is greater than any evil thing the world can throw at me. Now, I sometimes remember fear in his eyes, and forget the evil laugh. Yes, I had to live through the experience, but I don’t have to continue to live in the experience, because God healed my hurt, and my fear.  I actually, look back now with joy, and I look back less often.  Just as God would have it.  God is willing to give us new memories, not just today, but by healing the ones in the past.

He is the God of Yesterday, Today and Forever.  If ever God says in the Scriptures to look back, He often is saying, “do you not remember how I …?”  He wants us to not see the past as “everything was better then”, nor as “I was such a victim then that I still am.” God wants us to be able to disconnect from carrying the weight of the past, so that we may move freely in the present.  Not that we should live so much for the future dreams and hopes that we forget to live, LIVE, in the present.  Today is the Day we Live.

One final note: when I was a child, I experienced a lot of trauma.  Yet as a child, I was always happy.  I cried for a short time, and I came into the present with a good happy outlook on my life.  I loved living. It was only when I became an adult married to a man who hated to see me cry, (so much so that he put a stop to it,) that I lost that child-like ability to move on.  I knew when I was losing it too. I felt as if I were losing life itself, and I was right.  It was only in the healing of my memories, coming to a point of freedom from repeating the pattern, and living apart from the subconscious repetition of that cycle which develops from living out of memories, that I was renewed to that childlike place. I no longer react to new hurt the same old way every time.

Heaven doesn’t lack the ability to see the past.  Heaven just doesn’t drive looking in the rear view mirror.  Therefore, no need for rear view mirrors. LOL

 Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them?

No man puts a piece of new cloth into an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up takes from the garment and the tear is made worse.

Neither do men put new wine into old bottles, else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish. But they put new wine into new bottles and both are preserved.         St Matthew 9:15-17

Lord, Thank you for healing from memories that draw us into the old ways of life. Thank you that each step we take is new, and to be lived as if it were new.  And thank you that you are able to change our past memories so that we may have power over the pain, frustrations or wishful thinking that holds us to a past.  Help me accept this day as a gift, and cherish it. Renew my mind.  Heal the one out there who reads this and wishes for healing from the past. Loving you today. Amen

PS. In the picture above there were trash cans behind the rose bush. The bush was so enormous that it needed pruning so the trash collectors could get to the can. Behind that big smile was a young woman who had covered her pain, by growing a rose bush that kept not only the trash collector from gathering my trash, but kept me from putting the trash in the cans.  My favorite picture is also my most revealing.

 

On The Edge

 
After years of hearing preachers use the Old Testament example of being on the mountain top as being in a place where we are close to God, the Spirit reminds me that those men were honoring God the only way they knew how, by adhering to the law. They knew nothing of being able to spiritually leave that mountaintop and fly, to have freedom in Christ thru salvation. I am sure they wished they could. What happens when you get to the mountaintop, and like those men, have to go back down again? Returning to the spiritual Valley of Hardship every time was a frightening way to look at being a Christian to me. 

 The picture was one of going up to the mountain, to find God who just gave you a lot of laws about how to live, that you couldn’t live up to. Then with that burden, you return to all the pain and suffering in the valley, to try to do what you couldn’t before. No help from God on that trip.  Some of the greatest pastors I know have spoken of being on the edge with God. Yet never once did they admonish me to fly.  It was only when I discovered that, when I get to the mountain, and commune with God, what He really wants is to take me to the edge and become the “wind beneath my wings.”  It is often in our deepest darkest hours that the Spirit himself teaches us how he lifts us from the depths. Spread your wings, and mount up upon what you cannot see. Use the tool of FAITH . Make the decision to fly and do it. 

Ever felt like God had dragged you kicking and screaming to “the edge” where you knew you couldn’t face another step? You were certain that if you didn’t back away, God would push you over the edge? Next time, say: “OK God, teach me to fly.”  Fledgling birds start from up high and are drawn or pushed from the safety of the nest, sometimes off the edge of a cliff.  I have seen them tumble and hit rocks or other hard surfaces if they haven’t spread their wings properly.  Once I saw a falcon bounce his way down ‘til we were afraid it might have been fatally bruised and feared it would die. But three days later, he leapt from the perch where he had remained while he healed, possibly until hungry enough to try again. This time with wings spread WIDE it soared out over water, dropping all the while until with a tilt of one wing his angle changed and up he went back toward the safety of the ledge, where the father falcon dropped him food. He made fledgling flights for several days before it became difficult to find him, because he learned to fly and land anywhere he pleased.  Learning to fly with the Spirit is a dangerous act. You have to face your darkest fears, and you will often have experienced the greatest spiritual falls of your life just previous to and while going off the edge.  The sooner you spread your wings the better.

While the falcon was at lower heights one day, I was positioning my camera to film his activities, and became so amused that he was exchanging glances with pigeons sitting on the same perch, that I forgot to press the button to start filming.  A pigeon actually looked back over his shoulder at the falcon, sitting beside him, and did a double take before putting some space between himself and the predator. The falcon appeared to be more curious than hungry, and I fully believe he was unaware that he was sitting beside the very bird species that would soon become his regular source for dinner.  This one pigeon on the other hand was very aware what he was.  It was only when I reached to review my footage that I realized I hadn’t caught it on tape.  But it stays in my mind as a reminder, that when you can’t fly you are in a place where you find food and gain strength for the journey.  And possibly learn more about what your spiritual food source actually is. If we are sitting “smack dab” in the middle of our food and don’t know to eat it, we will remain spiritually hungry. LOL 

 Our Loving Father pushes us off the edge to depend on the Spirit, which gives freedom from the earthly bonds, and if we wait upon the Lord, we are renewed in our faith. We better be ready to spread our wings out flat and catch that wind. Then, we are able to mount up with wings as Eagles and by learning to trust in it, to walk and not faint…. 

I know I recently posted about flying like the eagle, but I think it is a two-part message. We so concentrate on the soaring part that we my not realize that it is from the edge that we learn to fly.  But while learning, there may be a tumble and a time for food and healing before we actually get to the heights. Or - that we must go to this place between flights.

I do so wish I had the video of that pigeon looking over his shoulder at that falcon ---looking back in my direction---- and then jerking his head back so fast to look at the falcon. He wanted to see if he really saw what he thought he saw, sitting right behind him!!!! You would soooo laugh.  Why there’s a whole story of how the devourer can show up and just sit on our perch, without us knowing, until he is ready to eat us up, in that story.  Well, maybe another day.  LOL

Why would God push us off the edge?  Why does He allow these excruciating experiences in our life that leave us feeling alone and isolated, bruised and afraid to attempt to ride on faith again? It is because when we learn to fly, we escape the bonds of earthly things, and learn that being free is to be a little closer to His world.  In His world, you have no attachments to this world. One day when we are totally free from this world we will "fly" to where He is. But it is about the ease of living in spiritual freedom. Not a world of being bound to things we have to do to please God. 

Lori recently reminded us that Christ said to take his yoke because it was easy and light.  That verse grounds the concept. There is a yoke, but not a bondage. There’s a difference. We are linked to and dependant upon God. Yes we can fly anywhere, but it is not in our best interest to go sit among the pigeons, nor is it wise to dive into the water if you are a falcon and not an eagle, nor should we think we can stay aloft with the clouds forever without coming closer to earth for food and shelter.  We must not fly in the storm. Freedom has its boundaries. Flying must be learned in tandem to God.

 Eagles gather when possible at night, to find shelter close to one another. They fly from the roosts at about 7:00 am to go hunting breakfast, but they usually fly off the roost one to three at a time and go separate directions. Raptors generally don’t fly to heights until well after dawn when the atmosphere warms and the thermals rise. If we fly where the Lord does not offer the support and guidance, without food, rest, fellowship, and support, we will just be flapping our wings.  We go it alone with His help every day, if we are well equipped for the journey. But, if I am acting like a vulture, smelling like a vulture, eating like a vulture, I can’t gather with the Eagles at night.  

“When I said: My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.”           Psalms 94:18

 Read carefully the full context of this verse in three versions.  Vss 11 – 22. Vs. 13 says God gives rest from adversity; vs. 22 says God is our rock of refuge.  These allude to being at a place of learning…a place where God is drawing the writer to the edge where he has not yet “learned to fly.” Or a place to which he returns for the wisdom and strength the Lord has waiting. Vs. 21 is a foreshadowing of Christ in his darkest hour. Can you see the writer of this Psalm longing for something, for escape from the vulture life?

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms%2094:12%20-%2022&version=NKJV;NLT;TNIV 

Thank you, O' Lord for your merciful freedom, that once it is learned, one never wants to go back and live only under the law.  Yet thank you for the instruction and definition the law gives, to help me remember what kind of bird I am.  Thank you for the rock, the perch to which I return, never again afraid of my darkest hours, knowing that when the morning comes, I can fly. Thank you for its place of refuge, food and fellowship, from which to view the big picture. And thank you for always being my tandem partner. Give this blessing to someone who needs it Lord. Teach someone to fly. AMEN

 

When God answers prayers—but not like we hoped for

God answers prayers. i have had many prayers answered in the last two and a half years. some prayers were answered just the way i asked for them to be. others were answered, but not in a way that i hoped for. But God doesn't say that He will answer every prayer the way we hope—He just asks that we trust that He knows best.

For two and a half years i prayed endlessly for God to heal Luke, and most importantly to reveal to me what was holding Luke back. God stripped me of many things during that time—all i had was Him, a prayer, and hope. He left no room for me to get distracted from the truth and He slowly revealed that truth. A lot of days the path was painful, but most of the days i found joy as i learned to trust in Him, get to know Him, and find meaning for my life.

Three weeks ago, God brought this whole thing to a head. In a matter of days i stood in front of truth. It wasn't pleasant or what i had prayed for. In fact, it was painful. And, i said to God, "This really can't be how you are going to answer this prayer after such a long battle, right?"

You see, God put in for me the missing puzzle pieces. i finally got to see the entire picture, but it wasn't beautiful like i had dreamed of. In fact, it was dark and unpleasant. And even though i got to see the picture, God took away from me all control. All i could do was stand there and pray.

For two and a half years i bent over backwards for Luke and our marriage, working full-time + freelance work, took care of the house and bills, ran errands and got groceries, and cooked most of the meals. i did everything i could to help Luke—i was faithful to what the Lord asked me to do. Three weeks ago, God took all the burdens off my shoulders when he took away control.

As Luke was faced with the deeply rooted emotional and spiritual battles that are keeping him from healing, God gave Luke free will to make a decision three weeks ago. Luke, after being asked who he wanted to go home with, his wife or his mom and dad, Luke chose his mom and dad over me. Your first thought might be what was going on in our home that would make him choose to go home with his parents. The truth: nothing. i am not saying i was always a perfect wife, but Luke and i got along really well—i gave him everything i could give. Truth: Luke never leaved and cleaved and no parental/family boundaries were set - this is just one battle that he is fighting. And, i believe that in his fear of facing truth, he runs back to a place where he doesn't have to face it.

For over three weeks now i have not seen Luke. Every day i have text him and about every couple days i've tried to call him and he won't respond to anything. And, when i ask his parents how he is doing, all they tell me is that he is well and stable. After taking care of Luke for so long, the door has been shut in my face. i have to wait outside with minimal glimpses of what's going on inside.

Can i tell you that my wings of faith feel like they've been clipped. Can i tell you that my heart feels broken in ways that i never thought possible. That my tears are plentiful and my words are few. i hurt knowing that i gave him everything i had (physically, emotionally, and mentally) and he walked away.

All i can do is pray that this clipping and redefining of my wings will allow new, bigger and more beautiful ones to grow. i will continue to raise my hands to the sky in worship to the God who is love, peace, and all-mighty. i rest under His wings, focusing on Him.

i don't know the next step exactly, but i am moving forward one step at a time knowing that He works all things together for good. i rely on the Lord to fill the holes in my heart and the longings in my soul. i continue to look to Him for strength and grace for each day, believing that He has not failed me, but made me a stronger woman in Christ for the will He has for my life.

"Just Enough Light"

Stormie Omartian wrote a book called, Just Enough Light for the Step I’m On, and I have to admit that I bought it merely for the message in the title.  You see, I’m the type of person that likes to make an educated decision based on all the facts and research that I can come up with which is great unless we are talking about waiting on the Lord.  

Sometimes God doesn’t give us all the information during our journeys so that we will trust in His character, His will, His provisions, but most of all, His love for us.  Stormie says, “The path is not a punishment; it’s a privilege.  It’s not a restriction; it’s a reward.”

Stormie opens her book with this poem called, “Just Enough Light.”

“Sometimes only the step I’m on,

or the very next one ahead,

is all that is illuminated for me.

God gives just the amount of light I need

for the exact moment I need it.

At those times I walk in surrender to faith,

unable to see the future

and not fully comprehending the past.

And because it is God who has given me

what light I have,

I know I must reject the fear and 

doubt that threaten to overtake me.

I must determine to be content where

I am, and allow God to get me where I

need to go.

I walk forward,

one step at a time,

fully trusting that

the light God sheds

is absolutely sufficient."

Walking with God doesn’t mean that we have the answers to every situation in our life, it only means that we are praying our way through on a daily or even hourly basis while trusting that the Lord has our best interest in mind.  

Billy Graham said, “Pray for wisdom to deal with whatever is worrying you.  Pray that God will act to change the circumstances according to His will.  He doesn’t always do what we want Him to-but He knows what’s best for us, and He can be trusted.”

Our challenge today is to lay our circumstances at the foot of the cross and allow God to envelope us with His sweet love and peace.  Let’s allow this old hymn written by John Sammis in the late 1800’s be the cry of our hearts,

“When we walk with the Lord

in the light of His word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

 

While we do His good will,

He abides with us still

and with all who will trust and obey

 

Trust and obey for there’s no other way

to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey”

 

My Prayer:  Lord, thank you for being a loving Father and looking out for me.  Give me courage to continue when I don’t have all the pieces to my life’s puzzle.  Holy Spirit, remind me to trust and obey when I’m scared.  I choose to lay my worries at the foot of the cross.  Thank you Jesus for bearing the burden of my sins.  In Jesus name!

 

Scripture to memorize:

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,

for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go,

for to you I lift up my soul."

~Psalm 143:8

 

Under His Wings

Psalm 91

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the almighty.

This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God and I trust him.

For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.

He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.

Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

Though a thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.

Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.

If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter,

No evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.

For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.

They will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.

You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.

When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.

I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation." (NLT)

 

Christy has asked me to share this Psalm with you this morning. It has been her foundation verse for sometime now, and is the basis for the blog.  In her greatest times of need, it reminds her there is always a loving God who keeps us safely in his care.

She asked me to share with you that she is going through a difficult time right now and can use your supportive prayers. She shared with me that the trials of life only strengthen her resolve, because she knows from where her strength and guidance come.  Please lift her up, and continue to pray for Luke, and ask that as she follows the path God has them on, that she is protected in every way from doing anything but the will of our Savoir.

My Prayer for Christy and Luke is:

God Bless you both, and may He grant you, healing and strength, guidance and protection, love and joy.  Amen

From Fear... to Foundations... to Focus

Recently, my camera shutter button broke. “What will I do now?” I moaned. For some time, I was sure God was leading me into a profession of taking pictures and turning them into graphics, as are millions of other would be artists.  Seeing the market overwhelmed with artistic souls wishing for an outlet has been a little discouraging. My family just knew I would never make it work. But amidst caring for elderly parents, and realizing how much I really didn’t know - which I needed to know - I kept trudging into the bog of just figuring it out. Bog is an appropriate word, because for every step up I took up, I felt like I sank two. 

            One day, I was given the choice to bring my Mother home with me, from the nursing home in another state. I called my family, who even on such short notice said, “BRING HER.”   I was pleasantly surprised to find that they had rearranged things to make a room just for her.  They had done such an amazing job. Clearing the room of its contents, they created a desk area for my husband in our family room, and stored our stacks of notebooks with art and research onto a single shelving unit. To do so they had moved my keyboard into the front room where lovely light comes through the window.

 Sometimes, when my things are moved to a place where no one else generally is, I feel displaced.  Because the likes and dislikes of my family are often very different from mine, this happens a lot. It is usually to the basement or an outbuilding.  But this time, it seemed the perfect place.  I could turn the volume down and play to my heart’s content. And while my mother was with us, I could play for her. So I began to practice more.

            Mother became bored very quickly if I began to miss keys and chords.  So I became a little repetitive with my melody phrasing. By playing the same things over and over, I began to be able to play more fluidly. One day while playing, I thought, “this is how the mind learns to do things with ease.”  Like a babe learning to walk, a child on a bike, a teen behind the wheel of a car, it is with repetitiveness that we learn to do something that becomes second hand.  Upon the early repetitiveness we build and expand our skills.

This was something I thought Mama had lost - the ability to learn and remember. But somewhere there was a part of her brain where she could still learn.  She relearned how to *take care of herself and take a bath. To take regular meals at the table, get up mornings and put on fresh clothes. At bedtime, she let me help her into nightclothes and brush her hair. She had not done these things for a very long time. For her it was the doing she could remember, but just hearing it was lost forever. There were other things she relearned too, but eventually her body just couldn’t hold up to doing what she learned.

 Once Mother passed away, I found it was God’s timing for me to begin to build a new foundation for the empty place in my world.  To take steps to build something new for my own future. With that in mind, I returned to my computer. I thought, “I have to learn a whole new way of doing things.”  From experience, I knew first to see what the Lord has already provided. I once built a business from just the things God provided and an initial investment of 50 cents.  I was certainly no stranger to seeing what God can do with the smallest of offerings, hundreds of times in my life. At first it seemed that I had nothing. I asked God to show me what I really had. There was a software program my son downloaded for me for free. I could learn that program. It was time to start. A few online tutorials and I was on my way.

            Next, I returned to a blog, which I had tried to build months earlier. I was embarrassed that everyone in the world but me knew you could begin for free.   After several failures, I gave up.  I became successful with Facebook, (who wouldn’t?), so I decided to try the blog again. “Baby steps.” This time it clicked. Slowly, I entered one or two posts, and after not being able to post for several weeks, I forgot how again. Try as I might I couldn’t get back into it. So I decided to stop being afraid of it, and just click EVERYWHERE - look at every detail. I found the design part of the thing….OK, in my element now - I lost my fear.

            Without retelling every detail, may I say, I realized it is never a good idea to stop learning. And to push through the fear. My mother’s Alzheimer’s & dementia made me keenly aware of that.  When mother began relearning things, I encouraged her to try new things. She was so afraid of everything. I discovered that even in her state it was worth trying; that God makes it possible to start from scratch with almost nothing.  Unfortunately, the disease does damage in ways that learning new and exciting things doesn’t cure. Some things she would never remember. She eventually had to return to a nursing home.  But I felt that I had given her more than the nursing homes did, for a little while. And we had changed her decrepit living conditions.

            I was pleasantly surprised to find that blogging was like journaling.  It was a creative way to put my thoughts, art and bits of me on virtual paper. I could return to it, rework it, redraw it, rethink it, and build upon it from the last time I was there - like expanding a few bars of music into a song. There are always places in life when everything changes.  And I would venture that it is the same for everyone - we start with almost nothing in what we know about where God is taking us, starting with only the foundation.

            Now that God pushed me, the way I had to push Mama, into learning something, we have built a foundation. I am discovering freedom to go where the Lord is leading. However, there are heart problems that learning new things will not cure. (Although it helps.) And fear is my biggest heart problem.  They said Mom’s heart finally succumbed to the resistance she had to not eating and drinking. She developed unreasonable fears of food and drink. She fell back into refusing the help she was being given.  It is possible to know where the Lord is leading, and fail to step out on faith, because of the fear of failing. Are you realizing what my second big heart problem is? It is failing to focus on Him. To shut out the discouragement, cease looking to friends and family for direction, and let God teach me --- *how to take care of myself, to eat regular meals at His table, to wake mornings and dress anew in clothes He prepared, to do things in a way that I hadn’t done them for a long time. To fight Spiritual Alzheimer’s disease.  So in addition to learning new things, I have been relearning an old thing – FOCUS ON GOD.

 Focusing on Him has refined my searching.  Plus it has helped me stand firm on my decisions - against the din of other advice. (I noticed last week that God shared this with Lori as well in her blog. That’s how God is. He attunes our hearts like tuning forks to be like-minded.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 “Lord, I have been nearly overwhelmed by fear of what could happen during the last two years. I feared what to do now that things have happened.  But as time passes, I lean more on the assurance that You are there, no matter when my fears become reality. You stand by me, even when I am pitching a tantrum of emotions. (Just as my mother did.)

For my family’s sake, I guess what I need to pray is, Lord protect the people around me from me. Help them know that even when I am falling apart on them, You will not be. Then hold my attention Lord. Help me focus on you no matter what.  I accept your Grace, and urging to learn a new thing. I choose to focus on you.  AMEN” 

For I, the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not;I will help thee.    Isaiah: 41:13 KJV

   

BY YOUR SIDE  by Tenth Avenue North  (download by giulianoaugusto)

**********************************************************

Christy posted at the beginning of the week about doing home/heart redecorating. It is another form of how God is continually refreshing our lives, bringing renewal. Take a look back and see where you are in life. Redecorating stage or all out start over with nothing stage.  They are both normal, expected places where God is bringing to us newness of life  - expect them, share any fear of them with God, and try to think how exciting it was to learn to ride your first bike.  It’s like that – a little scary, maybe a “skint” knee at first, but then: “look out world!” Freedom to fly!  

Please tell us where you are today.  Is there a Re…something going on in your life?

 http://infinitygoods.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/we-must-focus-on-god-chapt-1-purpose-driven-life/

 A funny aside:  I just love that my old version of Microsoft Word doesn’t know that Blog and Facebook are legitimate spellings of real words.

 

Stress Relief

A few years ago my husband sent me and my sister to the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina for a spa weekend.  When we arrived we were given a locker to store our clothes and cell phones and were given white fluffy robes and slippers.  As our day continued, we had massages, swam in mineral pools, and relaxed in saunas while quiet classical music played in the background.  When we walked out to the outdoor area, we sat in awe of the view of the mountains.  I literally melted into my comfortable bed that night and slept like a rock.

 As I got into my car the next morning and drove back home, I remember the stress creeping into my shoulders again.  By the time I arrived home, I was almost as tense as I was when I left.  Now don’t get me wrong, I would do it all again, but this story reminds me that true stress relief comes from only one source-God.

 This morning I read a prophetic word written by Marsha Burns that said:

“If you will allow it, I will remove the pressure that creates stress. I would have you move with Me in the same way that the eagle effortlessly soars on the thermals, doing what it was created to do. I would have you to yield to the moving of My Spirit with the joy and ease of doing what you have been created for. It is only when you give in to anxiety and operate under the burden of worry that you lose your joy and peace. I will relieve you if you will completely put your trust in Me, says the Lord. Let Me lift you up.”

 Billy Graham said,

“Pleasures are the things that appeal to our flesh and to our lust.  But joy is something else.  Joy runs deep.”

So often I allow myself to give in to life’s stressful situations which quickly causes me to lose my joy and peace.  If I want my life to exude peace and joy, I have to plug into the river where they run and that place is in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

 God desires for us to bow in surrender to Him and, in return, He will lift us and carry us like a daddy would hold his children.  He longs to comfort us and offers stress relief from the battles of life.  While massages and spa weekends are great, they only provide a band aid to the real wounds we carry.

 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”  James 4:10

 My prayer:  Thank you Lord for carrying me through life’s turmoil.  I choose  to allow you to fill my heart with a river of peace and joy.  Holy Spirit, remind me when I am losing my battle with the anxiety of life so that I can readjust my perception.  Today, Father, I surrender and ask you to lift me up.

 “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.  He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.”  Psalm 40:1-3