God is so good. It doesn't really matter where you are or where you've been, if you look at what you have overcome, whether great or small, you will see the goodness of God.
The enemy wants us to focus on the now, what we are missing, what is not happening. That keeps us from worshiping with great faith for what is to come. Worship is to give God glory for what we cannot see.
You may not be able to see your need being met, your prayer being answered, but if you just remind yourself of all the answered prayers, all the needs He's already met, your faith for your current miracle will build. Then you can worship Him for it, even though you can't see it.
We want to think that it's something we must do make it come to pass, but it's not. It's His mercy, it's His grace, it's His goodness that will bring it to pass. All He wants us to do is ask and believe. Then He gets all the glory.
His Word is so clear about trusting Him. He knew it wouldn't make sense to us, that's why the Word says "lean not on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5).
So this week, walk with Him in trust and great faith. Make a list of His provisions on your life. Don't take even the small things for granted, for it is by His grace that you have anything at all, including a home, health, a sound mind, clothing, family, friends.
When my 7 year old is doing his homework and keeps get distracted by the things he'd rather be doing, I say, "focus, baby, focus! Then you can do other things." He always smiles, redirects his thoughts, and tries to finish.
You do the same thing! Focus, baby, focus! Focus on what He has done and worship Him for what He is doing and watch your mountain be moved! In Jesus' Name!
Monday, April 25, 2016
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Falling in Love
As a young girl, you develop "crushes" on boys. Yep. With this crush, you find out everything you can about that boy. You want to know what his favorite color is, what he likes to eat, where he likes to go, what his hobbies are... and so on ... you get the picture.
Eventually, you find yourself liking things he likes, and wanting to be where he is, just so you can see him and hope he notices you. When you don't get noticed, you end up crushed.
Then you grow up and date. You find out what your guy likes and how to make him like you. When it doesn't work out the way you want, you feel crushed.
Finally, you get married. You learn what your husband needs, how to make him happy, and how to show him love. You learn what to say and what not to say. You completely invest in this relationship, because it will last until death. You give it all you got. And still sometimes end up crushed.
Then there's Jesus. He's over there waiting on you to invest all you've got in Him. That's the relationship that will last forever. That one should be the priority. We get so wrapped up in trying to perfect our physical relationships, that we neglect the eternal spiritual one.
When you fall in love with Jesus, and I mean truly, deeply, more than any crush you've ever had, you want to know more about Him. You can't read His Word enough. You can't talk to Him enough. You want to hear His voice. You want to share your fears and your joys with Him.
When you fall in love with Jesus, when you realize that HE is the One you will spend forever with, you want to know what makes Him happy. You want to know what makes Him proud. You study His ways, and learn His laws with great excitement. He's your Crush. Then you get excited about what you find, and you want others to feel Him and know Him.
I used to think "witnessing" was a job, a task that you do in God's Kingdom. But, the deal is, if you know Him, if you are really in love with Jesus, it's like telling everyone about your best friend. Things like, "God is so good to me," roll off your tongue with actual meaning.
When you are deeply in love with Jesus, things of this world actually fade while you focus on Him. Nothing is as important as spending time with your Crush. I'm not sure why I always thought Jesus was so Powerful and Almighty that I couldn't get to Him. I'm not sure why I thought I had to respect Him in a reverent "just look, don't touch" sort of way, but I'm so glad that I figured out He's not like that.
He waits for me with open arms when my heart is breaking. He holds me with His love when my mind is overwhelmed. He listens when I pour out my darkest secrets and offers His mercy when I've done wrong. He doesn't judge and condemn. He loves and forgives. Every single time.
I don't talk to Him with some well organized theological prayer rhetoric. I talk to Him like I'm writing this blog...in my plain old words. I talk to Him like He's sitting next to me. Because I found out that when I talk to Him like this, He shows up. Always. He sits right down next to me and never gets tired of hearing my voice.
This Crush I have now is indescribable. Learning about Him is invigorating!
And I just figure, if I'm gonna spend eternity with this Crush, I want to know everything I can about Him!
I dare you to fall in love with Jesus. He won't ever crush your heart. ...He's just into crushing your fears for you. He's into crushing your pain. He's into crushing your enemy. He's into crushing your mental or physical illness. I'm not bragging, but I'm just saying, my Crush is pretty awesome. (:
Eventually, you find yourself liking things he likes, and wanting to be where he is, just so you can see him and hope he notices you. When you don't get noticed, you end up crushed.
Then you grow up and date. You find out what your guy likes and how to make him like you. When it doesn't work out the way you want, you feel crushed.
Finally, you get married. You learn what your husband needs, how to make him happy, and how to show him love. You learn what to say and what not to say. You completely invest in this relationship, because it will last until death. You give it all you got. And still sometimes end up crushed.
Then there's Jesus. He's over there waiting on you to invest all you've got in Him. That's the relationship that will last forever. That one should be the priority. We get so wrapped up in trying to perfect our physical relationships, that we neglect the eternal spiritual one.
When you fall in love with Jesus, and I mean truly, deeply, more than any crush you've ever had, you want to know more about Him. You can't read His Word enough. You can't talk to Him enough. You want to hear His voice. You want to share your fears and your joys with Him.
When you fall in love with Jesus, when you realize that HE is the One you will spend forever with, you want to know what makes Him happy. You want to know what makes Him proud. You study His ways, and learn His laws with great excitement. He's your Crush. Then you get excited about what you find, and you want others to feel Him and know Him.
I used to think "witnessing" was a job, a task that you do in God's Kingdom. But, the deal is, if you know Him, if you are really in love with Jesus, it's like telling everyone about your best friend. Things like, "God is so good to me," roll off your tongue with actual meaning.
When you are deeply in love with Jesus, things of this world actually fade while you focus on Him. Nothing is as important as spending time with your Crush. I'm not sure why I always thought Jesus was so Powerful and Almighty that I couldn't get to Him. I'm not sure why I thought I had to respect Him in a reverent "just look, don't touch" sort of way, but I'm so glad that I figured out He's not like that.
He waits for me with open arms when my heart is breaking. He holds me with His love when my mind is overwhelmed. He listens when I pour out my darkest secrets and offers His mercy when I've done wrong. He doesn't judge and condemn. He loves and forgives. Every single time.
I don't talk to Him with some well organized theological prayer rhetoric. I talk to Him like I'm writing this blog...in my plain old words. I talk to Him like He's sitting next to me. Because I found out that when I talk to Him like this, He shows up. Always. He sits right down next to me and never gets tired of hearing my voice.
This Crush I have now is indescribable. Learning about Him is invigorating!
And I just figure, if I'm gonna spend eternity with this Crush, I want to know everything I can about Him!
I dare you to fall in love with Jesus. He won't ever crush your heart. ...He's just into crushing your fears for you. He's into crushing your pain. He's into crushing your enemy. He's into crushing your mental or physical illness. I'm not bragging, but I'm just saying, my Crush is pretty awesome. (:
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Wilderness Wandering
The wilderness is a lonely place. The good thing about lonely is that you have nothing and no one to focus on, but the Lord. That's where He shows you His power.
For the children of Israel, Deuteronomy 8:2 says that the wilderness was, to "humble thee", and to "prove thee", and to "know what was in thine heart."
It is humbling to be alone. There is no one to validate your feelings, no one to listen to your pity party cries, no one to congratulate the little victories. It's humbling to stumble through your wilderness with people questioning your deliverance from Egypt. In the wilderness, you have to completely shut out the loud lies of the world and listen to the victorious voice of the Lord.
He will show you what is in your heart, not because He needs to know (He is God and He already knows!), but because He wants you to know so that you can rid yourself of ungodly things hiding deep within you.
This was the problem with the children of Israel: Idols. When they didn't get an immediate response from the Lord or they wanted to do things their way, they started worshiping idols.
Growing up reading that, I always thought, "this is so irrelevant to today. No one worships idols anymore." What an immature perspective! EVERYONE is worshiping idols! If you are not worshiping God and putting Him first, you are worshiping something else...that is your idol. You are not physically bowing down to your career or your work-out routine, but if you are not spending the first fruits of your time, energy, and finances on the One True God, then you are putting other gods before Him.
So you find yourself in this wilderness. Maybe you are dealing with depression. Maybe you are dealing with divorce. Maybe you are dealing with anger. Maybe you are dealing with the loss of a dear loved one. Maybe you have been hurt deeply by your spouse.
Whatever your wilderness is, there is only one way out. My pastor, Rev. Wayne Huntley, preached a powerful message about how to get out of the wilderness recently: According to Song of Solomon 8:5, the way out is to lean on the Beloved. Leaning of Jesus.
Here's the thing about leaning on Jesus. It's not easy. You have put aside the idols you are preoccupied with and focus completely on Him. It's easier to try to stay busy with other things occupying your mind, or focus on trying to figure things out. It's easier to justify your feelings related to your trial. BUT, when you lean on Jesus, surrender your feelings, fears, and future, He will humble you, prove you, and show you what is in your heart. And then you will be free to move on to the Promised Land, the place of prosperity that God has promised you.
He will not leave you in the wilderness to figure it out all on your own. Exodus 13:18 says that God was leading the children of Israel through the wilderness, and Deuteronomy 31:6 reminds us that God will never leave us or forsake us.
Quit wandering through your wilderness, wasting time on self pity. Let Him lead you away from the idols of this world that are holding you captive to the wilderness of your trial. Lean on your Beloved, Jesus, to teach you the lesson you must learn and move you on to the next chapter of your life.
I mentioned it in the last blog, and I think it's worth mentioning again: All through Exodus, God tells the children of Israel to have no other gods before Him. He wanted them to worship Him. I wonder what would have happened if they had worshiped Him alone through the wilderness.
Make it your goal to worship Him alone through the wilderness. Let me tell you this: Wilderness worship is powerful worship. It makes the enemy mad. It brings you great joy and peace. If you want joy and peace in your wilderness: worship!
Worship means to give God glory for things to come, things you can not see happening. Wilderness worship is powerful because you are completely trusting God and worshiping based on faith, not feelings. You are worshiping based on what you know God will do, not what you can see at the present moment.
So, when you are sick of the wilderness, you must first lean on Jesus. Let Him work on humbling your spirit, proving your mind, and purifying your heart. Then, and only then, can you offer wilderness worship! ...and watch the walls of Jericho fall!
For the children of Israel, Deuteronomy 8:2 says that the wilderness was, to "humble thee", and to "prove thee", and to "know what was in thine heart."
It is humbling to be alone. There is no one to validate your feelings, no one to listen to your pity party cries, no one to congratulate the little victories. It's humbling to stumble through your wilderness with people questioning your deliverance from Egypt. In the wilderness, you have to completely shut out the loud lies of the world and listen to the victorious voice of the Lord.
He will show you what is in your heart, not because He needs to know (He is God and He already knows!), but because He wants you to know so that you can rid yourself of ungodly things hiding deep within you.
This was the problem with the children of Israel: Idols. When they didn't get an immediate response from the Lord or they wanted to do things their way, they started worshiping idols.
Growing up reading that, I always thought, "this is so irrelevant to today. No one worships idols anymore." What an immature perspective! EVERYONE is worshiping idols! If you are not worshiping God and putting Him first, you are worshiping something else...that is your idol. You are not physically bowing down to your career or your work-out routine, but if you are not spending the first fruits of your time, energy, and finances on the One True God, then you are putting other gods before Him.
So you find yourself in this wilderness. Maybe you are dealing with depression. Maybe you are dealing with divorce. Maybe you are dealing with anger. Maybe you are dealing with the loss of a dear loved one. Maybe you have been hurt deeply by your spouse.
Whatever your wilderness is, there is only one way out. My pastor, Rev. Wayne Huntley, preached a powerful message about how to get out of the wilderness recently: According to Song of Solomon 8:5, the way out is to lean on the Beloved. Leaning of Jesus.
Here's the thing about leaning on Jesus. It's not easy. You have put aside the idols you are preoccupied with and focus completely on Him. It's easier to try to stay busy with other things occupying your mind, or focus on trying to figure things out. It's easier to justify your feelings related to your trial. BUT, when you lean on Jesus, surrender your feelings, fears, and future, He will humble you, prove you, and show you what is in your heart. And then you will be free to move on to the Promised Land, the place of prosperity that God has promised you.
He will not leave you in the wilderness to figure it out all on your own. Exodus 13:18 says that God was leading the children of Israel through the wilderness, and Deuteronomy 31:6 reminds us that God will never leave us or forsake us.
Quit wandering through your wilderness, wasting time on self pity. Let Him lead you away from the idols of this world that are holding you captive to the wilderness of your trial. Lean on your Beloved, Jesus, to teach you the lesson you must learn and move you on to the next chapter of your life.
I mentioned it in the last blog, and I think it's worth mentioning again: All through Exodus, God tells the children of Israel to have no other gods before Him. He wanted them to worship Him. I wonder what would have happened if they had worshiped Him alone through the wilderness.
Make it your goal to worship Him alone through the wilderness. Let me tell you this: Wilderness worship is powerful worship. It makes the enemy mad. It brings you great joy and peace. If you want joy and peace in your wilderness: worship!
Worship means to give God glory for things to come, things you can not see happening. Wilderness worship is powerful because you are completely trusting God and worshiping based on faith, not feelings. You are worshiping based on what you know God will do, not what you can see at the present moment.
So, when you are sick of the wilderness, you must first lean on Jesus. Let Him work on humbling your spirit, proving your mind, and purifying your heart. Then, and only then, can you offer wilderness worship! ...and watch the walls of Jericho fall!
Monday, February 15, 2016
A Dangerous Generation
My generation is dangerous. We have so many more easily accessible resources than what our parents had. We have education, jobs, and social support. If we need something, we google it and figure out how to get it. We have amazing churches where we can go to be filled and renewed in the Spirit.
Recently I watched a YouTube interview video by my pastor, who has been my pastor since I was 3 years old. Traffic Talk with Wayne Huntley
It is well worth your time to click on the link. Rev. Wayne Huntley is considered an elder now and has pegged our generation, as he perfectly states in that video. We are self-sufficient. We know our resources and access them when needed. We don't ever exhaust the natural resources to the point where we are dependent on a Supernatural intervention. We have robbed ourselves of an intimate walk with God, being led by the Holy Ghost on a daily basis, because we have made a life long commitment to Him and feel like that is enough.
Obviously, I am not speaking for the entire generation. If this is not you, then don't read on. But, if you can relate, please keep reading! I was raised in a home where Jesus was the answer. Mom and dad worked hard, but still fell short in providing and would pray for Jesus to intervene. One day, I vividly remember my mother praying for God to send us groceries and within hours, there was a knock at the door. A neighbor had gone to the store to find that many items were buy one, get one free, and she was a widow, living alone, so she gave us all the free items. As soon as that lady left, mom actually did a little dance thanking the Lord for answering her prayers. I saw my mom do that dance often.
When was the last time you were in a place where you had to depend on God to pull you through? You had completely exhausted the natural, and you needed a Supernatural intervention.
Here's the deal. You can't ever get to that place where you can rely on a Supernatural intervention, if you don't have an intimate walk with God. Rev Wayne Huntley explained how we need to be more dependent on the Holy Ghost and be led on a daily basis by what He wants us to do. We've become so comfortable in going to church multiple times during the week and filling up our spiritual tank, that we neglect to develop daily walk with God. We neglect to schedule time for Him on the days that are crazy busy. We neglect to diligently seek His will on every aspect of our lives.
The generation before us, our parents, wouldn't dare leave the house without having prayer and devotion. They wouldn't dare change jobs or buy a new house without seeking God's will. They wouldn't dare to get married or have children without asking for God's favor. Yet, here we are, we rush out on Monday morning neglecting to ask Him for direction for our day, because we are still full of the dose of the Holy Ghost from Sunday night. We neglect to praise Him for waking us up and providing for us.
In our finite minds, we feel that we are successful because we're able to pay our bills and buy groceries on a regular basis. Sure we live from paycheck to paycheck, but we're never in a place where our stomachs are growling and we're wondering how much longer the electricity will be on without paying the bill.
The truth is, it is God Who gave you that job. It is God Who gives you the health to go to work every day. It is God Who gives you favor with your boss and co-workers. It is God Who keeps your car from breaking down every 50 miles. It is God Who keeps you and your family safe while you travel around town. It is God Who puts the very breath in your lungs and wakes you up each day with a sound mind.
These are the things our parents realized. These are the reasons they fell on their knees every morning and worshiped the One True God. What you spend your time on, it what you are worshiping. All through the Old Testament, God was angered at the Children of Israel because they put other gods before Him. God does not change. How long will we go on putting other things before Him? How long will we go on spending more time on social media, than we do getting to know Him for Who He is? The God of our parents has not changed. He is longing for us to find Him and know Him the way that they did.
We can't be led by the Holy Ghost on a daily basis, if we don't get into His presence on a daily basis. You wouldn't ask someone you don't know for a favor, so how can you ask the King of kings for a Supernatural intervention, when you don't have an intimate relationship with Him?
Here's the thing about my mom's prayer...that wasn't the first time I heard her pray. She prayed like that every single day. That was the first time I heard her pray for something specific and watched it actually happen. She knew Who she was praying to because she didn't wait for a crisis to happen before she developed a daily prayer life. She met with the King of kings daily, and when she had a need, she knew exactly how to petition Him.
Don't wait until you get into crisis mode to find Him. Rise above the average walk with God that most of our generation has, and find an extraordinary place in Him. It is great that you are dedicated to attending church and signing up to help with every ministry possible, but that doesn't replace the intimate relationship He wants from you. Find that place in Him where you can depend on the Supernatural after you've exhausted the natural. Your faith will grow. Your spirit will soar. Your heart will be full and content. Why? Because walking with Him on an extraordinary level, is what we were created to do. Col 2:6.
This isn't just a blog. This isn't me just rambling about what I think we should consider for our lives. This is the Word of God and it does not change. God has proved Himself to me. God hears and answers our prayers, just as He did for our parents. A few years ago, I found myself in a place where I was in desperate need of a financial intervention. My gas bill was due (my heat/water heater is fueled by a gas line), and my groceries were almost gone. I truly had exhausted the natural and was completely dependent on the Supernatural. In my prayer time, I said, "God, You provided for my parents, and now I need You to intervene for me and my kids."
The very next day, a huge amount of money (enough to cover ALL my bills for a month) was accidentally deposited into my checking account. I called the bank, and they told me where it came from. I called that person, and they said it was a mistake but they felt like I needed the money, so I could keep it! I wish I could tell you that I got up and did that little dance my mom did when God answered her prayers, but I didn't...I just wept in humble adoration of the One who loves me so much. It was amazing that God cared so much about me that He provided more than what I needed.
James 4:8 says to draw near to God and He will draw near to you. He is waiting for you.
Put aside whatever you spend excessive amounts of time on, and schedule time with Him each day. Set an alert on your phone and don't turn it off until you talk to Him. Don't cancel your appointment with Him. When patients don't show up to an appointment at our office, they get charged a $25 fee. When you don't show up to your appointment with God, you are robbing yourself of blessings. Peace. Love. Joy. Abundance of life.
Escape this dangerous generation of being average and bust into the extraordinary Supernatural realm that the generation before us has discovered. If we don't, what will the next generation be like? The Supernatural may become extinct.
Recently I watched a YouTube interview video by my pastor, who has been my pastor since I was 3 years old. Traffic Talk with Wayne Huntley
It is well worth your time to click on the link. Rev. Wayne Huntley is considered an elder now and has pegged our generation, as he perfectly states in that video. We are self-sufficient. We know our resources and access them when needed. We don't ever exhaust the natural resources to the point where we are dependent on a Supernatural intervention. We have robbed ourselves of an intimate walk with God, being led by the Holy Ghost on a daily basis, because we have made a life long commitment to Him and feel like that is enough.
Obviously, I am not speaking for the entire generation. If this is not you, then don't read on. But, if you can relate, please keep reading! I was raised in a home where Jesus was the answer. Mom and dad worked hard, but still fell short in providing and would pray for Jesus to intervene. One day, I vividly remember my mother praying for God to send us groceries and within hours, there was a knock at the door. A neighbor had gone to the store to find that many items were buy one, get one free, and she was a widow, living alone, so she gave us all the free items. As soon as that lady left, mom actually did a little dance thanking the Lord for answering her prayers. I saw my mom do that dance often.
When was the last time you were in a place where you had to depend on God to pull you through? You had completely exhausted the natural, and you needed a Supernatural intervention.
Here's the deal. You can't ever get to that place where you can rely on a Supernatural intervention, if you don't have an intimate walk with God. Rev Wayne Huntley explained how we need to be more dependent on the Holy Ghost and be led on a daily basis by what He wants us to do. We've become so comfortable in going to church multiple times during the week and filling up our spiritual tank, that we neglect to develop daily walk with God. We neglect to schedule time for Him on the days that are crazy busy. We neglect to diligently seek His will on every aspect of our lives.
The generation before us, our parents, wouldn't dare leave the house without having prayer and devotion. They wouldn't dare change jobs or buy a new house without seeking God's will. They wouldn't dare to get married or have children without asking for God's favor. Yet, here we are, we rush out on Monday morning neglecting to ask Him for direction for our day, because we are still full of the dose of the Holy Ghost from Sunday night. We neglect to praise Him for waking us up and providing for us.
In our finite minds, we feel that we are successful because we're able to pay our bills and buy groceries on a regular basis. Sure we live from paycheck to paycheck, but we're never in a place where our stomachs are growling and we're wondering how much longer the electricity will be on without paying the bill.
The truth is, it is God Who gave you that job. It is God Who gives you the health to go to work every day. It is God Who gives you favor with your boss and co-workers. It is God Who keeps your car from breaking down every 50 miles. It is God Who keeps you and your family safe while you travel around town. It is God Who puts the very breath in your lungs and wakes you up each day with a sound mind.
These are the things our parents realized. These are the reasons they fell on their knees every morning and worshiped the One True God. What you spend your time on, it what you are worshiping. All through the Old Testament, God was angered at the Children of Israel because they put other gods before Him. God does not change. How long will we go on putting other things before Him? How long will we go on spending more time on social media, than we do getting to know Him for Who He is? The God of our parents has not changed. He is longing for us to find Him and know Him the way that they did.
We can't be led by the Holy Ghost on a daily basis, if we don't get into His presence on a daily basis. You wouldn't ask someone you don't know for a favor, so how can you ask the King of kings for a Supernatural intervention, when you don't have an intimate relationship with Him?
Here's the thing about my mom's prayer...that wasn't the first time I heard her pray. She prayed like that every single day. That was the first time I heard her pray for something specific and watched it actually happen. She knew Who she was praying to because she didn't wait for a crisis to happen before she developed a daily prayer life. She met with the King of kings daily, and when she had a need, she knew exactly how to petition Him.
Don't wait until you get into crisis mode to find Him. Rise above the average walk with God that most of our generation has, and find an extraordinary place in Him. It is great that you are dedicated to attending church and signing up to help with every ministry possible, but that doesn't replace the intimate relationship He wants from you. Find that place in Him where you can depend on the Supernatural after you've exhausted the natural. Your faith will grow. Your spirit will soar. Your heart will be full and content. Why? Because walking with Him on an extraordinary level, is what we were created to do. Col 2:6.
This isn't just a blog. This isn't me just rambling about what I think we should consider for our lives. This is the Word of God and it does not change. God has proved Himself to me. God hears and answers our prayers, just as He did for our parents. A few years ago, I found myself in a place where I was in desperate need of a financial intervention. My gas bill was due (my heat/water heater is fueled by a gas line), and my groceries were almost gone. I truly had exhausted the natural and was completely dependent on the Supernatural. In my prayer time, I said, "God, You provided for my parents, and now I need You to intervene for me and my kids."
The very next day, a huge amount of money (enough to cover ALL my bills for a month) was accidentally deposited into my checking account. I called the bank, and they told me where it came from. I called that person, and they said it was a mistake but they felt like I needed the money, so I could keep it! I wish I could tell you that I got up and did that little dance my mom did when God answered her prayers, but I didn't...I just wept in humble adoration of the One who loves me so much. It was amazing that God cared so much about me that He provided more than what I needed.
James 4:8 says to draw near to God and He will draw near to you. He is waiting for you.
Put aside whatever you spend excessive amounts of time on, and schedule time with Him each day. Set an alert on your phone and don't turn it off until you talk to Him. Don't cancel your appointment with Him. When patients don't show up to an appointment at our office, they get charged a $25 fee. When you don't show up to your appointment with God, you are robbing yourself of blessings. Peace. Love. Joy. Abundance of life.
Escape this dangerous generation of being average and bust into the extraordinary Supernatural realm that the generation before us has discovered. If we don't, what will the next generation be like? The Supernatural may become extinct.
Friday, January 1, 2016
The Storm Is Over: Happy New Year!
It's been raining here for days. Persistent, heavy downpours
of rain. Then tonight, New Year's Eve, it stopped. Not a drop. The clouds have
parted, and the stars are peeking through. The physical storm is finally
over.
I'm not complaining about the rain. The rain is beautiful and reminds me of wonderful things. However, multiple days of rain is exhausting. You don't realize how exhausting, until it's over. I stepped out to take out the trash and didn't have to rush back in for fear of getting saturated. I walked to the mailbox without drenching my shoes in the nearby puddles that were sustained by a constant downpour.
Oh, but there's a purpose to the storm. Rain storms change the environment providing suitable conditions for many types of ecosystems. Hydration for these ecosystems produces successful agriculture, rangeland, and human livelihood (food and agriculture organization, fao.org). James 5:18 says that the heaven gave rain and the earth bore it's fruit. So we need the rain, right?
Spiritual storms are also exhausting. We overexert ourselves in prayer and fasting. We rack our brains to try to figure it all out, only to figure out that only God, in His infinite wisdom, has the knowledge and power to control the storm. While the spiritual storm is exhausting, it is necessary. It changes our spiritual ecosystems, providing suitable conditions for God to grow us and make us fruitful.
The 2015 storm is over. How do I know? Because 2015 is over. Don't go into 2016 fighting 2015's battles. Lay down your weapons and surrender to the One who speaks peace to our storms. Call out to Jesus in your storm, invite Him onto your tossing boat and let Him calm the raging seas in your life.
Just as I'm glad this physical storm is now over, I'm going to praise Him that my spiritual storm is over. Leviticus 26:4 says that rain will cause an increase and fruitfulness. 2016 will be a year of fresh spiritual ecosystems with an environment rich and ready for harvest because of the 2015 rain!
The storm is over- HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
I Believe
My theme for the holidays came a little later than usual, but today I got my inspiration.
While on my morning run, I passed a little wooden bench with a small, evergreen wreath carefully attached. It was labeled with one sparkly, elegantly printed word: Believe.
As I continued, I thought about how nice it was for someone to place that wreath there to spread a little Christmas cheer. When I see the word "believe" at Christmas time, it's usually in reference to Santa Claus and Christmas magic. Which is fun and exciting, but nothing is farther from reality and when it's all said and done, it's really a let down. This year it hit me- Christmas is about believing. Not about believing in magic, but believing in miracles.
Christmas is truly about the most amazing miracle of all time. God wrapped Himself in flesh to save us from sin, so we could live eternally with Him. What a wonderful miracle!
So this Christmas I'm going to remind myself of this: Believe. Believe that the God who performed the miracle of Christmas is the same yesterday, today, and forever, just as Hebrews 13:8 reminds us.
I'm going to believe that Christmas is a reminder of the miracles to come. I believe that even now God is doing miracles that we cannot see. 2 Corinthians 4:18 reminds us to set our eyes on things that are not seen...I think that means believe! Believe that He is breaking chains. Believe that He is setting captives free. Believe that He is bringing prodigal sons and daughters home.
Luke 1:37 tells us nothing is impossible with God. Lots of us cling to that verse. Do you know that is the beginning of the Christmas miracle? That is the last thing the angel of the Lord told Mary. The angel told her about how she will be carrying this miraculous baby, and the last thing he said was: "for with God nothing shall be impossible."
Why would he need to make that statement to her? Because the foretelling of such a work of God was huge! It was unbelievable to her! He saw the questions in her eyes and cut her unbelief out of the picture. She was most likely thinking, "this is impossible." She even said at one point, "how can this be?" So his response is, "nothing is impossible with God."
Alone, on your own, it may be impossible. But you are not alone. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, God will never leave you, nor forsake you. And if you have Him, NOTHING is impossible!
It really doesn't matter what kind of miracle you need this holiday season. It doesn't matter how small or how great it is, you have to just believe. In Mark 9:23 Jesus, the Miracle of Christmas Himself, says, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."
So this Christmas season, I say join me and BELIEVE! Believe in the true meaning of Christmas, but don't just believe in the miracle of Christmas, let Christmas remind you that miracles have happened, and still happen.
Don't believe in magic, believe in miracles! God's Word does not fail!
I believe!
While on my morning run, I passed a little wooden bench with a small, evergreen wreath carefully attached. It was labeled with one sparkly, elegantly printed word: Believe.
As I continued, I thought about how nice it was for someone to place that wreath there to spread a little Christmas cheer. When I see the word "believe" at Christmas time, it's usually in reference to Santa Claus and Christmas magic. Which is fun and exciting, but nothing is farther from reality and when it's all said and done, it's really a let down. This year it hit me- Christmas is about believing. Not about believing in magic, but believing in miracles.
Christmas is truly about the most amazing miracle of all time. God wrapped Himself in flesh to save us from sin, so we could live eternally with Him. What a wonderful miracle!
So this Christmas I'm going to remind myself of this: Believe. Believe that the God who performed the miracle of Christmas is the same yesterday, today, and forever, just as Hebrews 13:8 reminds us.
I'm going to believe that Christmas is a reminder of the miracles to come. I believe that even now God is doing miracles that we cannot see. 2 Corinthians 4:18 reminds us to set our eyes on things that are not seen...I think that means believe! Believe that He is breaking chains. Believe that He is setting captives free. Believe that He is bringing prodigal sons and daughters home.
Luke 1:37 tells us nothing is impossible with God. Lots of us cling to that verse. Do you know that is the beginning of the Christmas miracle? That is the last thing the angel of the Lord told Mary. The angel told her about how she will be carrying this miraculous baby, and the last thing he said was: "for with God nothing shall be impossible."
Why would he need to make that statement to her? Because the foretelling of such a work of God was huge! It was unbelievable to her! He saw the questions in her eyes and cut her unbelief out of the picture. She was most likely thinking, "this is impossible." She even said at one point, "how can this be?" So his response is, "nothing is impossible with God."
Alone, on your own, it may be impossible. But you are not alone. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, God will never leave you, nor forsake you. And if you have Him, NOTHING is impossible!
It really doesn't matter what kind of miracle you need this holiday season. It doesn't matter how small or how great it is, you have to just believe. In Mark 9:23 Jesus, the Miracle of Christmas Himself, says, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."
So this Christmas season, I say join me and BELIEVE! Believe in the true meaning of Christmas, but don't just believe in the miracle of Christmas, let Christmas remind you that miracles have happened, and still happen.
Don't believe in magic, believe in miracles! God's Word does not fail!
I believe!
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
My Day of Wondering
Have you ever found yourself in a place wondering, "how did I get here?" ... or wondering, "how do I get out of here?"
A few years ago, some said that I had it all. The whole American dream was played out perfectly: luxury vehicle, large house, successful career, regular vacations, perfect little family... yet I was miserable. Why? Because I had ordered my own steps and in turn, had become lost. After losing it all and finding Him, I can honestly say, nothing in this world can fill the void that is meant to be filled by Jesus Christ. We were created to worship Him, and until we are worshiping Him in every aspect of our lives, we will be left wondering. Wondering why we are so empty when it seems like we have it all. Wondering how to get out of our mess. Wondering if there is any hope for our lifeless situation. Quit wondering and find Him. He is always waiting with open arms.
A few years ago I found myself in a place wondering, "how did I get here?" It was a desperate cry, a cry of despair. In my misery, I wondered how I ended up where I was. I felt like my life had turned out all wrong, but I had no idea how it happened or how to fix it. My helpless heart cried out to God while my foolish mind ran wildly trying to understand the mess.
Thankfully, the Lord heard my heart and ignored my head. While my mind was busy trying to figure things out, the Lord was busy resuscitating my almost dead heart.
Just today (years later), I found myself wondering the same thing: "how did I get here?" Only today, it was out of astonishment and awe. It was with abundant gratefulness that I wondered how I had been delivered from where I was and brought to where I am now. This place where I am now is full of life. Each day I find His love and peace surrounding me.
Don't get me wrong, I have not "arrived," by any means! However, when I have those moments when I feel not-so-happy, I refocus on what I have been delivered from and where I am going, instead of the pitiful woes of today.
In a world overcome with negativity, I find great optimism in knowing that my steps are ordered of the Lord. Though my path is unknown to me, it is known to my Redeemer. Though I may not know what tomorrow holds, I trust in Him knowing that He fixed my yesterdays, so He can handle my tomorrows.
A few years ago, some said that I had it all. The whole American dream was played out perfectly: luxury vehicle, large house, successful career, regular vacations, perfect little family... yet I was miserable. Why? Because I had ordered my own steps and in turn, had become lost. After losing it all and finding Him, I can honestly say, nothing in this world can fill the void that is meant to be filled by Jesus Christ. We were created to worship Him, and until we are worshiping Him in every aspect of our lives, we will be left wondering. Wondering why we are so empty when it seems like we have it all. Wondering how to get out of our mess. Wondering if there is any hope for our lifeless situation. Quit wondering and find Him. He is always waiting with open arms.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Make a List...Check It More Than Twice!
There's power in being thankful. When you are looking for things to be thankful for, you can't focus on negative things. Your focus is on the good. When I look back over the last few years of my life, I'm brought to tears in thankfulness.
I had to just sit down and make a list. I love lists. I live by lists. Apparently Santa does, too, but this list is one that I will check more than twice. I will read it over and over reminding myself of what God has done. Some of it may seem vague to you, but just know that He has done more for me than I could ever describe in a blog, even if I tried.
1. God delivered me. He yanked me out of my comfort zone, my life of complacency (why be average?), and pushed me into an uncomfortable, painful place forcing me to find Him, forcing me to rise above average, and find the Supernatural. Not the way I would have ordered that, but He knew what would work for me.
2. God healed me. He took me to a place where the pain was so great only a Divine intervention would answer the questions of my breaking heart. He completely healed my heart. Then He healed my mind. He spoke an indescribable peace to the raging thoughts in my head that had captured my life and crippled my walk with Him.
3. God forgave me. He went back to when I was 14 years old and washed away all the guilt and shame from then until now. No, I shouldn't have been harboring those feelings, but I did. I honestly didn't realize how strong they were, until He washed it all away. He covered me with His precious blood and gave me another chance. Now He remembers none of it (that part makes me shout!). He actually freed me from the old life and gave me a new one.
4. God loves me. God has shown me the depth of His love. He doesn't get tired of hearing me talk. He doesn't think I'm annoying. He comes to my rescue and holds me when I'm alone. I'm never lonely with Him by my side. His love NEVER stops. No matter how many times I mess up, He still loves me. When I think about how He loved me when I didn't really even know how to love Him, I'm amazed.
5. God wants me. He has a plan for me. Each day He reveals another step to that plan, and each day I'm in awe of His power. He doesn't just love me, He adores me, and I have a future in Him.
6. God changed me. He changed my thoughts, my moods, my words, my actions, and ultimately my whole life. He is moving in me. He isn't finished with me and is somehow, despite my failures, making me into what He wants me to be.
7. God blessed me. He has given me more than I could ever imagine!! I'm not referring to money or things. He has blessed me with friends, family, love, joy, and peace. He has given me a purpose and wonderful passion to pursue my dreams. He has opened my eyes to see what really matters in life. He has opened my eyes to see the needs of others and not be self-centered. He has changed my perspective on so many dimensions.
So there's my list. You know what the best thing about my list is? He will do all that for you! He loves you as much as He loves me! It's NEVER too late! You're NEVER too far gone. Just like the prodigal son, even if you come home smelling like a rotten pig and completely broke, your heavenly Father will run to you and give you another chance! Actually, I think Jesus likes it when we blow all that we have and come home to Him completely hopeless. It is then that He can get the glory for the Supernatural intervention, because it's obvious to others that we couldn't have saved ourselves. It had to be Him! So go make your list and check it more than twice! (;
I had to just sit down and make a list. I love lists. I live by lists. Apparently Santa does, too, but this list is one that I will check more than twice. I will read it over and over reminding myself of what God has done. Some of it may seem vague to you, but just know that He has done more for me than I could ever describe in a blog, even if I tried.
1. God delivered me. He yanked me out of my comfort zone, my life of complacency (why be average?), and pushed me into an uncomfortable, painful place forcing me to find Him, forcing me to rise above average, and find the Supernatural. Not the way I would have ordered that, but He knew what would work for me.
2. God healed me. He took me to a place where the pain was so great only a Divine intervention would answer the questions of my breaking heart. He completely healed my heart. Then He healed my mind. He spoke an indescribable peace to the raging thoughts in my head that had captured my life and crippled my walk with Him.
3. God forgave me. He went back to when I was 14 years old and washed away all the guilt and shame from then until now. No, I shouldn't have been harboring those feelings, but I did. I honestly didn't realize how strong they were, until He washed it all away. He covered me with His precious blood and gave me another chance. Now He remembers none of it (that part makes me shout!). He actually freed me from the old life and gave me a new one.
4. God loves me. God has shown me the depth of His love. He doesn't get tired of hearing me talk. He doesn't think I'm annoying. He comes to my rescue and holds me when I'm alone. I'm never lonely with Him by my side. His love NEVER stops. No matter how many times I mess up, He still loves me. When I think about how He loved me when I didn't really even know how to love Him, I'm amazed.
5. God wants me. He has a plan for me. Each day He reveals another step to that plan, and each day I'm in awe of His power. He doesn't just love me, He adores me, and I have a future in Him.
6. God changed me. He changed my thoughts, my moods, my words, my actions, and ultimately my whole life. He is moving in me. He isn't finished with me and is somehow, despite my failures, making me into what He wants me to be.
7. God blessed me. He has given me more than I could ever imagine!! I'm not referring to money or things. He has blessed me with friends, family, love, joy, and peace. He has given me a purpose and wonderful passion to pursue my dreams. He has opened my eyes to see what really matters in life. He has opened my eyes to see the needs of others and not be self-centered. He has changed my perspective on so many dimensions.
So there's my list. You know what the best thing about my list is? He will do all that for you! He loves you as much as He loves me! It's NEVER too late! You're NEVER too far gone. Just like the prodigal son, even if you come home smelling like a rotten pig and completely broke, your heavenly Father will run to you and give you another chance! Actually, I think Jesus likes it when we blow all that we have and come home to Him completely hopeless. It is then that He can get the glory for the Supernatural intervention, because it's obvious to others that we couldn't have saved ourselves. It had to be Him! So go make your list and check it more than twice! (;
Friday, November 6, 2015
Wanted, Not Wasted
I once heard a sermon about how everything you are going through is happening for a reason, "nothing will be wasted." The preacher pointed out how Moses was in the wilderness 40 years ALONE before he was in the wilderness 40 years with the children of Israel (Acts 7:30). Moses was raised in a palace. He knew nothing about the desert. If he had not messed up (murdered the Egyptian) and fled to the desert, he would have continued to live in that comfortable place, ignorant of God's perfect will for his life.
Sometimes we see our sins as weights, black marks on our lives. The truth is that God knows we are human, and we will mess up. In His awesomeness, if we let Him, He will use our mistakes, our sins, to bring us to where we need to be in Him. Once we repent, those sins are under the blood. The blood of Jesus not only covers those sins, but it redeems us, according to Ephesians 1:7. One definition of "redeem" is, "to make something that is bad into something better." The blood doesn't change the sin, it changes us. It makes us (something "bad," because we are flesh) into something better! How powerful is that?!
There's a song I love by Lauren Daigle called, "How Can It Be?" She sings, "You plead my cause. You right my wrongs. You break my chains. You overcome. You gave Your life to give me mine. You say that I am free. How can it be?"
If you allow yourself to truly believe in the power of the blood of Jesus, you will be amazed. You'll be in awe. It really leaves you wondering, "how can it be?" It breaks me down to think about how He not only loves me and saved me, but also redeemed me. It makes no sense how Someone so powerful would love me that much.
Nothing will be wasted. You, your sins, your trials, are not wasted. God is using them to show you something, to make you into something He needs you to be (James 1:2-4). It might be the change you need to reach your lost family. It might be the change you need to reach your neighborhood. Or, it might be the change you need to reach an entire nation! Whatever it is you are going through, let the blood of Jesus redeem you, let Him break your chains, and set you free, so that you can be what He wants you to be. You are not wasted. Your trials, your pain, your storm, is not wasted. You were called into this desert place because you are wanted. He wants you. You may feel like your life is wasted. That is a lie from the enemy. Rebuke those thoughts! You must allow Him to transform your thoughts, your mind. Romans 12:2 says that we must be transformed with a renewed mind... only then can we accomplish what His perfect will is for our lives.
Your life is just beginning. Step into His Grace. Let Him set you free and feel His love wanting you.
"You say that I am free. How can it be?" ...because I am wanted, not wasted.
There is nothing like the freedom you find in Him. When you are free from the past, you are open to what He has for you in the present. When you are open to Him in the present, you have a secure future. The enemy's only tactic is to remind you of yesterday, because He knows that you are covered with new mercy every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Now, look in the mirror and say, "Jesus has redeemed me. I am free. I am wanted, not wasted." Say it until you believe it, until it is stuck in your mind, because it's true! God's Word never fails.
Sometimes we see our sins as weights, black marks on our lives. The truth is that God knows we are human, and we will mess up. In His awesomeness, if we let Him, He will use our mistakes, our sins, to bring us to where we need to be in Him. Once we repent, those sins are under the blood. The blood of Jesus not only covers those sins, but it redeems us, according to Ephesians 1:7. One definition of "redeem" is, "to make something that is bad into something better." The blood doesn't change the sin, it changes us. It makes us (something "bad," because we are flesh) into something better! How powerful is that?!
There's a song I love by Lauren Daigle called, "How Can It Be?" She sings, "You plead my cause. You right my wrongs. You break my chains. You overcome. You gave Your life to give me mine. You say that I am free. How can it be?"
If you allow yourself to truly believe in the power of the blood of Jesus, you will be amazed. You'll be in awe. It really leaves you wondering, "how can it be?" It breaks me down to think about how He not only loves me and saved me, but also redeemed me. It makes no sense how Someone so powerful would love me that much.
Nothing will be wasted. You, your sins, your trials, are not wasted. God is using them to show you something, to make you into something He needs you to be (James 1:2-4). It might be the change you need to reach your lost family. It might be the change you need to reach your neighborhood. Or, it might be the change you need to reach an entire nation! Whatever it is you are going through, let the blood of Jesus redeem you, let Him break your chains, and set you free, so that you can be what He wants you to be. You are not wasted. Your trials, your pain, your storm, is not wasted. You were called into this desert place because you are wanted. He wants you. You may feel like your life is wasted. That is a lie from the enemy. Rebuke those thoughts! You must allow Him to transform your thoughts, your mind. Romans 12:2 says that we must be transformed with a renewed mind... only then can we accomplish what His perfect will is for our lives.
Your life is just beginning. Step into His Grace. Let Him set you free and feel His love wanting you.
"You say that I am free. How can it be?" ...because I am wanted, not wasted.
There is nothing like the freedom you find in Him. When you are free from the past, you are open to what He has for you in the present. When you are open to Him in the present, you have a secure future. The enemy's only tactic is to remind you of yesterday, because He knows that you are covered with new mercy every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Now, look in the mirror and say, "Jesus has redeemed me. I am free. I am wanted, not wasted." Say it until you believe it, until it is stuck in your mind, because it's true! God's Word never fails.
Monday, October 26, 2015
Don't Grow Up Too Fast
Raising children is an unending complication of adulthood. There are many phases to parenthood. It starts out challenging your physical composition. How little sleep and how little food can you live off of and still survive? How long can you go on that way? The physical breakdown causes a mental breakdown. Can your mind function effectively without physical nourishment? Yes, I'm referring to having a new baby. It sounds fun to imagine, but when it actually happens, it is a harsh reality for which no book or lecture or class could ever prepare you.
And that's just the beginning of the challenge. The more they grow, the more they require from you, as a parent. The questions they ask get deeper and deeper. No, you won't be graded on your answers. However, your answers to their questions will guide the rest of their lives. No pressure, right? They have more physical and emotional needs. They require more time and attention. The sleepless nights and lack of nutrition are just the first phase of the process.
Often we find ourselves in a spiritual battle or a rough trial, and pray for God to just get us through it. We can only see what is right in front of us. The big picture is that this trial prepares us for the next trial. The next trial changes us into something more like Him. It's a growing process. We don't get through the newborn phase and life is over. After the newborn phase, we go through the infant stage, the toddler stage, the preschool stage, and so on. We must go through each trial to get to the next phase spiritually.
Moses was called out of his isolation in the wilderness to go set the people of Israel free from Egypt (Exodus 3). God did not give him all the details of how the process would work. Moses initially argued about speaking to Pharaoh. Really? We know the whole story. He should have been like, "how do I handle this crowd once I get them out of there and they go crazy on me?" Instead, he asks and argues about the little part he can see at that moment: How do I talk to Pharaoh?
Psalm 119:105 says, "your word is a lamp to guide my feet." You wouldn't need a lamp if it wasn't dark, right? In complete darkness, a lamp will only light the area right around your feet. It will not shatter all darkness, allowing you to see for miles ahead. So when you are in complete darkness, frustrated by the process of your trial, you MUST allow His Word to guide your feet, to guide the very step that you are in. Seek Him out, search His Word. Only then will He light your feet, so that you may continue on. Rarely does He show us where He is taking us. That is what builds our faith in Him. Allowing His Word to light each step (the part you can see) will lead you to where He wants you to be.
The problem is that we want to know and understand the whole process. If He told us the whole process, everything that we would go through, we would not be able to handle it with our human minds. Ephesians 3:20 says that He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. His ways are so great that it's beyond what we can ask or even think!
If you had a book about parenting that told all that you would go through with raising a child, before you had children (and I'm sure there are some out there), you wouldn't believe it or you wouldn't believe that your child would do those things, or you'd think that you could handle it. You really cannot understand the gravity of parenthood until you are completely submerged in it. You go into parenting one step at a time. You can't birth a 5 year old well-behaved, potty trained, sleeping-through-the-night child! You get a newborn that must be nourished and loved. God knows right where we are. He is "parenting" us at the appropriate spiritual stage. He knows what we need to be disciplined so that we will grow in Him. He does this to us, because He loves us and wants us to draw closer to him. He won't put on us more than we can handle or more than we need to move on to the step in Him.
Not only have faith in Him, but have faith in His process. Trust His ways. Children trust their parents without question. Maybe because they are ignorant to the devices of this world, or maybe because they see their parents as superheros who can protect them from anything and everything. Either way, revert to that faith. Have faith that God, your heavenly Father, loves you and can protect you from anything and everything.
Just like growing up is a process, so is growing spiritually. Each step of the process you find yourself deeper and deeper in love with Him. Your prayers are no longer shallow; your heart is no longer empty. It doesn't happen over night, and He knows this. Through your trials He is growing you. Just like you would tell a child not to rush growing up, don't rush your trial! Thank God for it and seek His Word to understand what you are supposed to be learning from it. You will be more "grown" after this trial, and the next one will be even greater.
BUT, in the next trial, you will be more mature, and you will learn a different lesson. All I know is, this trial that I'm in now is not the first trial. It is much more difficult than the last trial I went through. However, I know God better than I did during that last trial. That makes it easier to trust Him for this one. Also, now that I'm able to see that the trials are never going to stop, and I'm supposed to learn something from each one, I'm trying to stop throwing prayer tantrums begging, "God please get me out of this trial," because I know that as soon as I get out of this one, another one is coming. He will pull you through each time, but only after you learn what you need to learn.
Just like you don't want your children to grow up too fast or you would tell a teenager to slow down and don't rush into adulthood, so I am telling you: Slow down and enjoy your trial. Look for the good, seek out the lesson, and let His Word light only your feet, right where you are. He knows what He is doing. Take one step at a time knowing that He is teaching you something, growing you spiritually, and you will come out a stronger, more mature Christian.
Psalm 119:105 says, "your word is a lamp to guide my feet." You wouldn't need a lamp if it wasn't dark, right? In complete darkness, a lamp will only light the area right around your feet. It will not shatter all darkness, allowing you to see for miles ahead. So when you are in complete darkness, frustrated by the process of your trial, you MUST allow His Word to guide your feet, to guide the very step that you are in. Seek Him out, search His Word. Only then will He light your feet, so that you may continue on. Rarely does He show us where He is taking us. That is what builds our faith in Him. Allowing His Word to light each step (the part you can see) will lead you to where He wants you to be.
The problem is that we want to know and understand the whole process. If He told us the whole process, everything that we would go through, we would not be able to handle it with our human minds. Ephesians 3:20 says that He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. His ways are so great that it's beyond what we can ask or even think!
If you had a book about parenting that told all that you would go through with raising a child, before you had children (and I'm sure there are some out there), you wouldn't believe it or you wouldn't believe that your child would do those things, or you'd think that you could handle it. You really cannot understand the gravity of parenthood until you are completely submerged in it. You go into parenting one step at a time. You can't birth a 5 year old well-behaved, potty trained, sleeping-through-the-night child! You get a newborn that must be nourished and loved. God knows right where we are. He is "parenting" us at the appropriate spiritual stage. He knows what we need to be disciplined so that we will grow in Him. He does this to us, because He loves us and wants us to draw closer to him. He won't put on us more than we can handle or more than we need to move on to the step in Him.
Not only have faith in Him, but have faith in His process. Trust His ways. Children trust their parents without question. Maybe because they are ignorant to the devices of this world, or maybe because they see their parents as superheros who can protect them from anything and everything. Either way, revert to that faith. Have faith that God, your heavenly Father, loves you and can protect you from anything and everything.
Just like growing up is a process, so is growing spiritually. Each step of the process you find yourself deeper and deeper in love with Him. Your prayers are no longer shallow; your heart is no longer empty. It doesn't happen over night, and He knows this. Through your trials He is growing you. Just like you would tell a child not to rush growing up, don't rush your trial! Thank God for it and seek His Word to understand what you are supposed to be learning from it. You will be more "grown" after this trial, and the next one will be even greater.
BUT, in the next trial, you will be more mature, and you will learn a different lesson. All I know is, this trial that I'm in now is not the first trial. It is much more difficult than the last trial I went through. However, I know God better than I did during that last trial. That makes it easier to trust Him for this one. Also, now that I'm able to see that the trials are never going to stop, and I'm supposed to learn something from each one, I'm trying to stop throwing prayer tantrums begging, "God please get me out of this trial," because I know that as soon as I get out of this one, another one is coming. He will pull you through each time, but only after you learn what you need to learn.
Just like you don't want your children to grow up too fast or you would tell a teenager to slow down and don't rush into adulthood, so I am telling you: Slow down and enjoy your trial. Look for the good, seek out the lesson, and let His Word light only your feet, right where you are. He knows what He is doing. Take one step at a time knowing that He is teaching you something, growing you spiritually, and you will come out a stronger, more mature Christian.
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Be Careful What You Pray For
First, let me just tell you all that I appreciate you continuing to hit up my blog site even though there hasn't been anything new on here lately. It's encouraging to see those numbers rise...I love y'all, too! (:
It's been a busy last few months with graduation and job hunting. God is good, and the doors are opening, so I'm praising Him for that! With that behind me, I thought I'd share some new thoughts.
I've always heard that you shouldn't pray for patience, because God will be sure to put you in a position where you will need to develop patience. So of course, I've never prayed for patience. I did, however, pray for other things that I'm now realizing were just as dangerous. Since you all are so diligent in reading all about my life lessons, I just have to tell you about these dangerous prayers.
You know I love the Christian artist, Natalie Grant. She has a song called, "Awaken" that I diligently listened to for years and sang it fervently. I've even prayed the lyrics, "Lord, I feel like I'm just existing, I'm not really living, I'm far from my destiny. Awaken my heart and soul. Awaken Your power in my life and take control. Give me a passion to live for You."
There was another song that I loved to sing and pray called, "Empty Me," by Chris Sligh. The lyrics were all too true for me, and I begged God to empty me of anything that is coming between me and Him. Remove the poisonous pride from my life. Pride is sinful and separates us from God (Psalm 10:4). First, I had to admit I was prideful, then I had to be willing to let it go.
Praying that He would "awaken" me, and show me how to get back to where I should be, involved admitting that I was prideful and wanting to change. I surrendered it all to Him. That fall that I referenced in my first blog, that was the fall of pride that Proverbs 16:18 warned me about. Then through fiery trials, He awakened my heart and soul. He powerfully intervened in my life and emptied me...of everything. And I mean, every thing.
In my brokenness, I began questioning God, "where are You? Why am I here? What did I do to deserve this mess?" And He powerfully answered, "you prayed for this." Oh wow. I did, didn't I?
When He multiplied the loaves and fishes, what did He do? He broke it first according to Matthew 14:19. Before there is fruitfulness, brokenness is a prerequisite (Refer to the fruitfulness blog for scriptures). It's during this breaking, painful process that we question living for God. Many people give up. They don't see that actually, they are closer to Him than when they were comfortable in their sin, comfortable in being around Him, but not really knowing Him.
We love the story of Jesus walking on the water and calming the storm for the frightened disciples, but look closer. In Mark 6:45 Jesus tells the disciples to get in the boat and go out into the sea. Jesus knows it all...He knew there would be a storm. They were in the perfect will of God and were in a storm. We think because we are in a storm, we are not in the will of God. NO! It's quite the opposite! It's in the storm that we learn Who God is. At the end of that story in Mark 6:52, it says that they had not really understood the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Jesus knew they were questioning Him in their hearts, and He used this personal miracle to show them He was God. According to Matthew 14:33, after Jesus calmed the storm, they worshiped Him and said, "truly you are the Son of God." Finally, they got it! ...after a huge, frightening storm.
Pray what you want to, but know that when you really truly surrender, your prayers will be answered, and it will not be the way you expect. I guess I just thought Jesus would come down and say, "I forgive you," and wave His miraculous hand over me and I would go on my way a brand new person. I NEVER thought it meant that I'd find myself where I am-- in a storm.
When you allow Him to take control, you get to know Him better. He reveals Himself in the storm. You draw closer to Him, He shows you His heart. He puts a burning passion in your heart for the things that He wants, like loving others and reaching the lost. You can't help but show compassion to those who are hurting and lost, in the church and outside the church. When you allow Him to "empty" you of what is in the way, and "awaken" you, your eyes become open to the critical spiritual needs flooding our environment.
It's not at all about your storm. It's about Who He is. He wants you to know Who He is...only then can we be about His business.
I'm so thankful that first of all, God revealed my sin to me. The sin of being lukewarm and complacent is so overlooked. Then He powerfully dealt with me to bring me back to Him. I just want you to know that if you pray for God to take control, and you really allow Him to work, it is a painful process. Being disciplined is always uncomfortable. Being broken is miserable. But think of the alternative: staying lost in sin, complacency, which is eternal damnation. Just being around Jesus isn't enough. You must truly dig in and know Him. Surrendering to Him and allowing Him to change my heart was the hardest thing I've ever done, but I know the reward is being able to worship my Savior, my Deliverer, my Redeemer for all eternity. And in the mean time, I'm riding out the storm and reaching for other who are hurting. Hold on. He is walking on the water to show you Who He is.
It's been a busy last few months with graduation and job hunting. God is good, and the doors are opening, so I'm praising Him for that! With that behind me, I thought I'd share some new thoughts.
I've always heard that you shouldn't pray for patience, because God will be sure to put you in a position where you will need to develop patience. So of course, I've never prayed for patience. I did, however, pray for other things that I'm now realizing were just as dangerous. Since you all are so diligent in reading all about my life lessons, I just have to tell you about these dangerous prayers.
You know I love the Christian artist, Natalie Grant. She has a song called, "Awaken" that I diligently listened to for years and sang it fervently. I've even prayed the lyrics, "Lord, I feel like I'm just existing, I'm not really living, I'm far from my destiny. Awaken my heart and soul. Awaken Your power in my life and take control. Give me a passion to live for You."
There was another song that I loved to sing and pray called, "Empty Me," by Chris Sligh. The lyrics were all too true for me, and I begged God to empty me of anything that is coming between me and Him. Remove the poisonous pride from my life. Pride is sinful and separates us from God (Psalm 10:4). First, I had to admit I was prideful, then I had to be willing to let it go.
Praying that He would "awaken" me, and show me how to get back to where I should be, involved admitting that I was prideful and wanting to change. I surrendered it all to Him. That fall that I referenced in my first blog, that was the fall of pride that Proverbs 16:18 warned me about. Then through fiery trials, He awakened my heart and soul. He powerfully intervened in my life and emptied me...of everything. And I mean, every thing.
In my brokenness, I began questioning God, "where are You? Why am I here? What did I do to deserve this mess?" And He powerfully answered, "you prayed for this." Oh wow. I did, didn't I?
When He multiplied the loaves and fishes, what did He do? He broke it first according to Matthew 14:19. Before there is fruitfulness, brokenness is a prerequisite (Refer to the fruitfulness blog for scriptures). It's during this breaking, painful process that we question living for God. Many people give up. They don't see that actually, they are closer to Him than when they were comfortable in their sin, comfortable in being around Him, but not really knowing Him.
We love the story of Jesus walking on the water and calming the storm for the frightened disciples, but look closer. In Mark 6:45 Jesus tells the disciples to get in the boat and go out into the sea. Jesus knows it all...He knew there would be a storm. They were in the perfect will of God and were in a storm. We think because we are in a storm, we are not in the will of God. NO! It's quite the opposite! It's in the storm that we learn Who God is. At the end of that story in Mark 6:52, it says that they had not really understood the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Jesus knew they were questioning Him in their hearts, and He used this personal miracle to show them He was God. According to Matthew 14:33, after Jesus calmed the storm, they worshiped Him and said, "truly you are the Son of God." Finally, they got it! ...after a huge, frightening storm.
Pray what you want to, but know that when you really truly surrender, your prayers will be answered, and it will not be the way you expect. I guess I just thought Jesus would come down and say, "I forgive you," and wave His miraculous hand over me and I would go on my way a brand new person. I NEVER thought it meant that I'd find myself where I am-- in a storm.
When you allow Him to take control, you get to know Him better. He reveals Himself in the storm. You draw closer to Him, He shows you His heart. He puts a burning passion in your heart for the things that He wants, like loving others and reaching the lost. You can't help but show compassion to those who are hurting and lost, in the church and outside the church. When you allow Him to "empty" you of what is in the way, and "awaken" you, your eyes become open to the critical spiritual needs flooding our environment.
It's not at all about your storm. It's about Who He is. He wants you to know Who He is...only then can we be about His business.
I'm so thankful that first of all, God revealed my sin to me. The sin of being lukewarm and complacent is so overlooked. Then He powerfully dealt with me to bring me back to Him. I just want you to know that if you pray for God to take control, and you really allow Him to work, it is a painful process. Being disciplined is always uncomfortable. Being broken is miserable. But think of the alternative: staying lost in sin, complacency, which is eternal damnation. Just being around Jesus isn't enough. You must truly dig in and know Him. Surrendering to Him and allowing Him to change my heart was the hardest thing I've ever done, but I know the reward is being able to worship my Savior, my Deliverer, my Redeemer for all eternity. And in the mean time, I'm riding out the storm and reaching for other who are hurting. Hold on. He is walking on the water to show you Who He is.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
He's Holding Me
Someone asked me the other day how I could be so happy after going through such trials. The answer is so simple: "it's not me, it's Him. He's holding me. My trials are far from over, but I'm not letting Him go, so I know I will be safe in His arms."
It was in the lowest of my lows that I turned to Him in frustration and despair and began to shake my fist and say, "why me, God? Why do I have to go through this?" Yet, when I did, I was met with a merciful, loving Savior who had nothing but compassion and peace to offer me.
I melted into Him. Instead of running from Him and trying to figure things out on my own, I fell into His arms. I literally collapsed in a heap of tears pouring my heart out to Him. And He listened. I whispered my fears and shouted my frustrations. He kept listening. Then I left it all with Him, and He picked me up and held me.
He was waiting for me to be serious about leaving it there at His feet. This time I had no choice. At one point I felt like Job. A "friend" told me that you can't live for God once you get divorced. Another "friend" said my life would be ruined and God could never use me because I wasn't willing to fake my marriage anymore. Let me just tell you something, they were wrong!
God has brought my relationship with Him to another level. I will live for God, no matter what, and God has already begun to use me in ways that I never imagined! Every single day I am so thankful that He has been holding me, and I praise Him for loving me unconditionally. Romans 8:39 says NOTHING (which includes anything anyone would say) can separate us from the love of God.
You might feel like you are trapped in an unbearable situation, but I hope you listen when I tell you this: Jesus is waiting for you. His arms will hold you. He will give you peace while He is working it all out. You can trust Him with your heart. He will fill your heart with more love than you have ever felt, and He will NEVER break your heart. And that's how I'm so happy through all these trials...I'm safe in His arms.
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Let It Rain
Through the years, rain has become one of my favorite things. It smells so fresh after it rains. In the spring, rain washes away pollen and purifies the air. It can be frustrating when it ruins your shoes or slows down traffic, but rain is a beautiful thing.
Rain brings fruitfulness. There's that word again! It's one of those things we are praying for this year. In another blog I talked about how painful pruning must happen for there to be fruitfulness. Well, I hate to tell ya, but you gotta endure the rain to have the fruitfulness, too!
All throughout scripture, rain precedes fruitfulness:
James 5:18 ...heaven gave rain and the earth bore it's fruit.
Leviticus 26:4 I will give you rains in their season, and the land shall yield it's increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
Isaiah 55:10 For as the rain...come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and spout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater
Acts 14:17 ...he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness
Rain is not always pleasant. The clouds are dark, and the ground is messy. Rain changes plans. Rain affects what you wear, what your drive, and how you feel. Rain interferes with vitamin D absorption from the sun. Rain, in excessive amounts, can create hazardous conditions.
Yet we endure the effects of the rain and are able to enjoy the fruitfulness of the earth.
In life, we must endure the rain. It feels like the pain and persecution is pouring down. It feels dismal clouded by darkness and disappointments. You're enduring the changed plans and hazardous conditions, the darkness and messiness. But don't focus on that. Focus on the beautiful sound of the rain. Focus on the benefits of it's cleansing. Know that when it rains, it means that fruitfulness will follow.
Stop waiting for the rain to end and appreciate the storm. The rain seems harsh and heavy, but it's part of the process. ...that fruitfulness process you've been praying for. If it's raining, then your prayers are being answered and fruitfulness is on the way! So, I say, become a pluviophile, and let it rain!!!!
(Pluviophile. (n) A lover of the rain; someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days)
Oh! I forgot one more thing...everyone always complains about the rain. Why be like everyone else? That's so average! Rise above and appreciate the rain! Rain in the forecast means one thing: fruitfulness is in the forecast!
Oh! I forgot one more thing...everyone always complains about the rain. Why be like everyone else? That's so average! Rise above and appreciate the rain! Rain in the forecast means one thing: fruitfulness is in the forecast!
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Praise and Tell!
Sometimes you pray for something, and then when it happens,
you forget to praise Him for it!
I want to praise Him as passionately as I petition Him when
I am in need!
James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers
and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because
you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let
perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not
lacking anything."
Apparently, I was immature, incomplete, and lacking a lot,
so I've been put through some trials lately! It sure has produced some
perseverance, though! Thank God for verse 12 of that chapter promising: "Blessed
is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that
person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those
who love him." ...gives me blessed assurance of the ending to my trials
and the reward for my perseverance!
So in all these trials, I've been asking for different
things. One of my trials had to do with finances (who doesn't have that trial,
right?!). My car is paid for, but it was costing me $200-$500 per month in
repairs for several months last year. In November, I prayed, "Lord, you
can do anything. Please fix my car so it won't need major repairs until I am
done with school."
It wasn't until last week, when I was going through some paperwork
for my car that I noticed something miraculous: the last car repair receipt was
from that day in November when I prayed that prayer!!! It sounds so small, but
for me, it is huge! It was a huge burden on me, and I didn't even realize He
had answered my prayer until now! It's April! That's about 5 months of no
repairs!
God is so awesome. He loves us so much. Don't be afraid to
take even the small things to Him in prayer. If it means something to you, then
it means something to Him, and He wants to help you with it!
I Chronicles 16:9 says, "Sing praises to Him; tell of
all His wondrous works!" It doesn't say to tell of some of His wondrous
works, it says all! So next time you recognize an
answered prayer, whether large or small, praise Him for it and tell
someone!
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
You Can't Trust God
In my first blog I talked about how trusting God was so hard. Recently, I've found myself truly trusting Him without any difficulties, just comes naturally. Something completely ridiculous happened, and it was easy for me to take it to Him and say, "what was that? It made no sense and it was obviously not from You. I don't understand, but I know from Your Word that You are working out Your Master plan, and I trust You."
How was it so easy? Because I know Him. You can't trust someone that you don't know, right? You wouldn't trust a stranger to hold your wallet or watch your children. It's the same thing with God. Sure, you've met Him, been filled with His Spirit, are acquainted, but you can't know Him without studying His Word. Pray His Word, and ask Him to reveal Himself through His Word. You've got to really know Him to completely trust Him.
It's natural to trust someone you know. It's easy to believe what they say. Once you start getting to know God, you will see. You will see specific prayers He has answered. You will see Divine intervention in the hardest of times. Then when you again are faced with an issue, you can say, "Lord, You did that last thing for me, I know You will not fail me. I trust You."
King David was known as a man after God's own heart. He most certainly knew the Lord. In Psalm 91:1-3 he wrote, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." For he will deliver you from every trap..." This lets us know that when you dwell (meaning to live in or not ever leave) in the shelter of the Lord, you can trust Him and He will deliver you. You have to constantly chase after Him to get to know Him. It's a way of life, not a one time action. It's a commitment to a relationship with the King of kings.
Psalm 37:5 says, "commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!" When you commit your way to the Lord, He will be your Defender. He will act. He sees your righteousness and will bring justice. Once He forgives you of your sins, He can only see your righteousness. This was written by King David, who was very familiar with sin, but He knew that God no longer sees those sins once they are forgiven, even though men try to carry out evil devices!
It's such a relief to be able to let it go and let God handle the situation. He brings peace and joy, when you would usually be worried and upset. He brings love and hope, when you should be lonely and afraid. Oh! Trusting in the Lord will also make you fruitful! Jeremiah 17:7-8 says that the man who trusts in the Lord is blessed, is like a strong tree planted by the water who does not fear, is not anxious, and does not cease to bear fruit!
It all goes back to that "putting Him in charge" thing. I've always known of Him, but I've never allowed myself to get to really know Him until everything fell apart. This is very common among believers.
Even Job was described by God as blameless and upright, fearing God and turned away from evil (Job 1:8), but he completely fell apart when he was tested and had to repent. At the end of the book after God tells him that he was wrong to ever doubt Him, Job tells God, "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see you, therefore I despise myself and repent.." Job 42:5-6. Job admitted that he had heard God, but did not really know who He was. He despised himself for this. I'm sure he was wishing that He had known God before, so that He could have fully trusted Him throughout all those trials.
Don't wait for your world to fall apart! Seek Him now! Then, when you find yourself in a situation you don't understand, you can say, "I trust You, Lord," and really mean it! You can't trust Him, if you don't know Him. It's impossible.
How was it so easy? Because I know Him. You can't trust someone that you don't know, right? You wouldn't trust a stranger to hold your wallet or watch your children. It's the same thing with God. Sure, you've met Him, been filled with His Spirit, are acquainted, but you can't know Him without studying His Word. Pray His Word, and ask Him to reveal Himself through His Word. You've got to really know Him to completely trust Him.
It's natural to trust someone you know. It's easy to believe what they say. Once you start getting to know God, you will see. You will see specific prayers He has answered. You will see Divine intervention in the hardest of times. Then when you again are faced with an issue, you can say, "Lord, You did that last thing for me, I know You will not fail me. I trust You."
King David was known as a man after God's own heart. He most certainly knew the Lord. In Psalm 91:1-3 he wrote, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." For he will deliver you from every trap..." This lets us know that when you dwell (meaning to live in or not ever leave) in the shelter of the Lord, you can trust Him and He will deliver you. You have to constantly chase after Him to get to know Him. It's a way of life, not a one time action. It's a commitment to a relationship with the King of kings.
Psalm 37:5 says, "commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!" When you commit your way to the Lord, He will be your Defender. He will act. He sees your righteousness and will bring justice. Once He forgives you of your sins, He can only see your righteousness. This was written by King David, who was very familiar with sin, but He knew that God no longer sees those sins once they are forgiven, even though men try to carry out evil devices!
It's such a relief to be able to let it go and let God handle the situation. He brings peace and joy, when you would usually be worried and upset. He brings love and hope, when you should be lonely and afraid. Oh! Trusting in the Lord will also make you fruitful! Jeremiah 17:7-8 says that the man who trusts in the Lord is blessed, is like a strong tree planted by the water who does not fear, is not anxious, and does not cease to bear fruit!
It all goes back to that "putting Him in charge" thing. I've always known of Him, but I've never allowed myself to get to really know Him until everything fell apart. This is very common among believers.
Even Job was described by God as blameless and upright, fearing God and turned away from evil (Job 1:8), but he completely fell apart when he was tested and had to repent. At the end of the book after God tells him that he was wrong to ever doubt Him, Job tells God, "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see you, therefore I despise myself and repent.." Job 42:5-6. Job admitted that he had heard God, but did not really know who He was. He despised himself for this. I'm sure he was wishing that He had known God before, so that He could have fully trusted Him throughout all those trials.
Don't wait for your world to fall apart! Seek Him now! Then, when you find yourself in a situation you don't understand, you can say, "I trust You, Lord," and really mean it! You can't trust Him, if you don't know Him. It's impossible.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
I Caused a "Trauma One"
Working in the hospital you hear many different messages called out over the paging system. Most people are familiar with a "code blue, " which pretty much means someone has died. Sometimes the person is able to be resuscitated (revived), and sometimes they are not or it was expected for them to pass.
Most people, including a lot of nurses and doctors who do not work in the emergency room setting, don't know what "trauma one" really means. After working in the emergency department and seeing patients brought in labeled as a "trauma one," I cringe when I hear that called out over the paging system.
The initial arrival of a patient in the trauma one status is chaos to an observer. There is usually an unresponsive victim with massive amounts of injuries and body fluids going everywhere. Dozens of people are swarming to save the person's life, which is hanging in the balance and seconds can make a huge difference in the outcome.
Some of the criteria for a "trauma one" include:
Airway/Breaching Unstable, requiring immediate airway intervention
Severe Facial Injuries
Moderate-Severe Respiratory Distress
Arterial Bleeding
Spinal Shock, Spinal Cord Injury
Head Injury with Loss of Consciousness
Chest/Abdomen/Pelvis Injury
Cardiac or Major Chest Wall Injury
Multiple Long Bone Fractures with Shock
Pulseless Extremity with Evidence of Trauma
Penetrating Trauma to the Head, Face, Torso
The trauma team includes, but is not limited to: Trauma Surgeon, Emergency Department Attending Physician, Chief Surgical-Trauma Resident Physician, Emergency Department Resident Physician, Several Emergency Department Nurses, Paramedics, Emergency Department Charge nurse, Emergency Department Tech, Respiratory Therapist, X-Ray Technologist, and CT Technologist.
You may wonder why I'm telling you all this, but I want you to get a good visual image of how we respond to someone who meets the trauma one criteria. When someone has suffered these injuries, it's a HUGE deal.
This morning a minister came to our church and preached a message about the crucifixion of Christ. The picture verbally painted by the minister was of a man most certainly in a trauma one status. Read the criteria for trauma one that I listed above again...that was Jesus. I was thinking of how I would have felt if I had walked up and found this Man in that condition today. I know the deep wounds from His beating and torture and agonizing pain He experienced would have required a trauma center and an entire team of medical staff to respond to this Victim.
Then I thought about how I was the cause of this trauma one Victim. My sin beat Him and nailed Him to that cross. My sin induced torture and agonizing pain. My life meant so much to Him that endured great trauma and death to save me. His resurrection allows me to have the gift of eternal life. Why? How? Who am I that the King of kings would endure that for me?
Maybe this isn't profound to you, but picturing Jesus as a trauma one Victim made me realize how serious sin really is. I don't ever want to take for granted the price that He paid at Calvary. I don't ever want to forget that I caused Jesus to be a trauma one Victim, and He loved me enough to endure it.
Just as serious as sin is, His blood is that much more powerful. My sin has been covered by His blood. His crucifixion brings Power to cover that sin. Ephesians 1:7 says that we are redeemed by His blood. Isaiah 43:25 tells us that once He forgives us for our sins, He remembers those sins no more! That is how powerful His blood is!
What an awesome, powerful, merciful, loving God we serve!
Most people, including a lot of nurses and doctors who do not work in the emergency room setting, don't know what "trauma one" really means. After working in the emergency department and seeing patients brought in labeled as a "trauma one," I cringe when I hear that called out over the paging system.
The initial arrival of a patient in the trauma one status is chaos to an observer. There is usually an unresponsive victim with massive amounts of injuries and body fluids going everywhere. Dozens of people are swarming to save the person's life, which is hanging in the balance and seconds can make a huge difference in the outcome.
Some of the criteria for a "trauma one" include:
Airway/Breaching Unstable, requiring immediate airway intervention
Severe Facial Injuries
Moderate-Severe Respiratory Distress
Arterial Bleeding
Spinal Shock, Spinal Cord Injury
Head Injury with Loss of Consciousness
Chest/Abdomen/Pelvis Injury
Cardiac or Major Chest Wall Injury
Multiple Long Bone Fractures with Shock
Pulseless Extremity with Evidence of Trauma
Penetrating Trauma to the Head, Face, Torso
The trauma team includes, but is not limited to: Trauma Surgeon, Emergency Department Attending Physician, Chief Surgical-Trauma Resident Physician, Emergency Department Resident Physician, Several Emergency Department Nurses, Paramedics, Emergency Department Charge nurse, Emergency Department Tech, Respiratory Therapist, X-Ray Technologist, and CT Technologist.
You may wonder why I'm telling you all this, but I want you to get a good visual image of how we respond to someone who meets the trauma one criteria. When someone has suffered these injuries, it's a HUGE deal.
This morning a minister came to our church and preached a message about the crucifixion of Christ. The picture verbally painted by the minister was of a man most certainly in a trauma one status. Read the criteria for trauma one that I listed above again...that was Jesus. I was thinking of how I would have felt if I had walked up and found this Man in that condition today. I know the deep wounds from His beating and torture and agonizing pain He experienced would have required a trauma center and an entire team of medical staff to respond to this Victim.
Then I thought about how I was the cause of this trauma one Victim. My sin beat Him and nailed Him to that cross. My sin induced torture and agonizing pain. My life meant so much to Him that endured great trauma and death to save me. His resurrection allows me to have the gift of eternal life. Why? How? Who am I that the King of kings would endure that for me?
Maybe this isn't profound to you, but picturing Jesus as a trauma one Victim made me realize how serious sin really is. I don't ever want to take for granted the price that He paid at Calvary. I don't ever want to forget that I caused Jesus to be a trauma one Victim, and He loved me enough to endure it.
Just as serious as sin is, His blood is that much more powerful. My sin has been covered by His blood. His crucifixion brings Power to cover that sin. Ephesians 1:7 says that we are redeemed by His blood. Isaiah 43:25 tells us that once He forgives us for our sins, He remembers those sins no more! That is how powerful His blood is!
What an awesome, powerful, merciful, loving God we serve!
Thursday, March 5, 2015
News Flash: Life's NOT About You!
One of the most important lessons that I've learned as a parent is that life is not about me. Oh, it was a pretty hard lesson to learn. You know what I'm referring to....
You don't get to sleep when you want to. You don't get to spend your money on what you want to. You don't get to eat what you want to. You don't get to pee in private. Yea, you know what I'm talking about! The list goes on and on.
My kids and I had a theme last month: OTHERS. We had Philippians 2:4 posted all over the house. I tried to teach them to think about others. Help others. Encourage others. Forget self.
It wasn't until I started trying to teach them this, that I started realizing all the selfishness in our world. So many people are searching for happiness and contentment. Their loneliness is so overwhelming, they can't think of others. They are thinking, "what about me?" or "who is going to take care of my needs?"
God will always provide. Your needs greatly diminish when you see the needs of others. If you are focused on what you are holding in your hand, you can't see the world around you. Put what you are holding back on the altar, let Him take care of it, and go find someone in need. Pray for someone else. Encourage someone else. Reach out to someone else.
Some people have a personal story for everything. Forget your personal story and listen to someone else's personal story. They might be making their last cry out for help before they attempt suicide. They might be crying out for direction to the Prince of Peace.
Matthew 16:25 says that whoever loses his life for His sake will find it. Jesus walked this earth focused on others. He was healing others, saving others, teaching others. We have to "lose" our own life being like Him, focused on others, and we will find true fulfillment.
So, yea, life isn't about you, really. It's about others. Give God your mess. Let Him give you peace while He's working on it, and go help someone else. Leave the pity party and join the Peace party! It's a much better place to dwell in!
You don't get to sleep when you want to. You don't get to spend your money on what you want to. You don't get to eat what you want to. You don't get to pee in private. Yea, you know what I'm talking about! The list goes on and on.
My kids and I had a theme last month: OTHERS. We had Philippians 2:4 posted all over the house. I tried to teach them to think about others. Help others. Encourage others. Forget self.
It wasn't until I started trying to teach them this, that I started realizing all the selfishness in our world. So many people are searching for happiness and contentment. Their loneliness is so overwhelming, they can't think of others. They are thinking, "what about me?" or "who is going to take care of my needs?"
God will always provide. Your needs greatly diminish when you see the needs of others. If you are focused on what you are holding in your hand, you can't see the world around you. Put what you are holding back on the altar, let Him take care of it, and go find someone in need. Pray for someone else. Encourage someone else. Reach out to someone else.
Some people have a personal story for everything. Forget your personal story and listen to someone else's personal story. They might be making their last cry out for help before they attempt suicide. They might be crying out for direction to the Prince of Peace.
Matthew 16:25 says that whoever loses his life for His sake will find it. Jesus walked this earth focused on others. He was healing others, saving others, teaching others. We have to "lose" our own life being like Him, focused on others, and we will find true fulfillment.
So, yea, life isn't about you, really. It's about others. Give God your mess. Let Him give you peace while He's working on it, and go help someone else. Leave the pity party and join the Peace party! It's a much better place to dwell in!
Friday, February 20, 2015
Good Luck With That! Ha!
You people (my awesome followers) crack me up! I get the most hits on the blogs where I include my personal feelings and personal details...so here's some more personal feelings for y'all! (:
Today I felt super emotional. No, it wasn't a female thang, it was a flesh thang. No matter how much I "crucify" my flesh, it still likes to be in control sometimes. Today, I woke up feeling an emotional heaviness. This is different from the spiritual heaviness to pray about something. It was like a heavy emotion, almost making me cry. Frustration, maybe? It's difficult to describe.
So, I'll let you in on a secret: I fasted. I'm telling you this because I want you to know what I tried to do to "fix" this emotion. This is really personal, but I think someone else might need to hear all this, so I'm gonna share it. With the fasting, I prayed, of course, mostly crying. Just asking God what it is that He wants me to do. Where does He want me to go? Who does He want me to be? I told Him, "I'm willing, God. Whatever You want from me, I'll give to You."
Then (what I think is) the enemy tried to get in my head and tell me, "see how lonely it is to do what is right? See how lonely it is to chase after Him? If He loved you so much, He wouldn't let you feel so low today. You think you're special, set apart, called. Nope, you are average, just like everyone else, and a failure. Might as well give it up. Just go back to being average and trying to fit in. Go back to pretending. No one will ever know the difference." (And, YES, that enemy said all that! Dumb Devil)
Oh, right, no one except me, who has poured myself out to the King of Kings searching for meaning and direction. Why would I totally surrender, feel Him, know He is here, and then pick my hurts back up and try to fix it myself again? I tried that already, remember? Crashed and burned.
So after this ridiculously overwhelming low emotion attacked me all day, I fell asleep during my kids' nap time. Usually I clean or study, but today, I was just emotionally drained. I'd love to tell you that I had some amazing epiphany of a dream and woke up inspired. I didn't. I woke up feeling a little more rested, though, able to think a little more clearly.
Later in the evening, during my alone time, a friend of mine called me, feeling the same way as I was today and looking for encouragement! Crazy, right? We compared feelings and both agreed: this "chasing after Him" is an emotional roller coaster! Yes, sometimes we are screaming out of excitement and giddiness because of the high we feel riding with the Prince of Peace....but then there are days like today: Screaming because we want to get off the ride! Ha!
After thinking about this all day and discussing it with my friend, here's what we came up with: Yea, you can get off the ride anytime (take back your pain and try to do things your way, like everyone else), or you can keep on riding, ride it out through the low and know that high is on the way. Something amazing is about to happen! Shut-up, enemy, I'm not going to quit now! Get thee behind me, emotional attack, I'm hanging on to see where my Prince is taking me! Even if this ride feels like it is going around and around in circles sometimes, I'm not going to give up my faith!
So, if you do get off the ride and want to handle your life on your own: Good luck with that!
I choose Him...again! Because any day with Jesus is better than my life was before I knew, I mean really knew Him.
Today I felt super emotional. No, it wasn't a female thang, it was a flesh thang. No matter how much I "crucify" my flesh, it still likes to be in control sometimes. Today, I woke up feeling an emotional heaviness. This is different from the spiritual heaviness to pray about something. It was like a heavy emotion, almost making me cry. Frustration, maybe? It's difficult to describe.
So, I'll let you in on a secret: I fasted. I'm telling you this because I want you to know what I tried to do to "fix" this emotion. This is really personal, but I think someone else might need to hear all this, so I'm gonna share it. With the fasting, I prayed, of course, mostly crying. Just asking God what it is that He wants me to do. Where does He want me to go? Who does He want me to be? I told Him, "I'm willing, God. Whatever You want from me, I'll give to You."
Then (what I think is) the enemy tried to get in my head and tell me, "see how lonely it is to do what is right? See how lonely it is to chase after Him? If He loved you so much, He wouldn't let you feel so low today. You think you're special, set apart, called. Nope, you are average, just like everyone else, and a failure. Might as well give it up. Just go back to being average and trying to fit in. Go back to pretending. No one will ever know the difference." (And, YES, that enemy said all that! Dumb Devil)
Oh, right, no one except me, who has poured myself out to the King of Kings searching for meaning and direction. Why would I totally surrender, feel Him, know He is here, and then pick my hurts back up and try to fix it myself again? I tried that already, remember? Crashed and burned.
So after this ridiculously overwhelming low emotion attacked me all day, I fell asleep during my kids' nap time. Usually I clean or study, but today, I was just emotionally drained. I'd love to tell you that I had some amazing epiphany of a dream and woke up inspired. I didn't. I woke up feeling a little more rested, though, able to think a little more clearly.
Later in the evening, during my alone time, a friend of mine called me, feeling the same way as I was today and looking for encouragement! Crazy, right? We compared feelings and both agreed: this "chasing after Him" is an emotional roller coaster! Yes, sometimes we are screaming out of excitement and giddiness because of the high we feel riding with the Prince of Peace....but then there are days like today: Screaming because we want to get off the ride! Ha!
After thinking about this all day and discussing it with my friend, here's what we came up with: Yea, you can get off the ride anytime (take back your pain and try to do things your way, like everyone else), or you can keep on riding, ride it out through the low and know that high is on the way. Something amazing is about to happen! Shut-up, enemy, I'm not going to quit now! Get thee behind me, emotional attack, I'm hanging on to see where my Prince is taking me! Even if this ride feels like it is going around and around in circles sometimes, I'm not going to give up my faith!
So, if you do get off the ride and want to handle your life on your own: Good luck with that!
I choose Him...again! Because any day with Jesus is better than my life was before I knew, I mean really knew Him.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
What Is Whiter Than Snow?
The ground is covered in snow this morning. It reminds me of Psalm 51:7 saying, "wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."
When we repent of our sins, truly repent, meaning to not only be sorry, but to stop the sin, He washes us. We become whiter than snow.
I was thinking this morning, "that snow is pretty white, how can we become whiter than snow?" If you look closely at the snow, you can see debris that has fallen with the snow. The snow caught some dirt on the way down or leaves or branches are peaking through.
But, when God washes away our sin, there is no trace of the dirt. No trace of debris! When He looks at us, He sees a pure, repentant soul starting over. He doesn't remember our sin at all!
Sometimes we struggle because we can't forget our sin or others want to remind us of our sin, but we have to remember that no one is perfect, and we've all messed up. We can only be whiter than snow when we let Him wash away the dirt with the sin and start over.
The snow reminds us of how He sees us after true repentance. Forget how you see yourself or how others see you and know that your Creator sees you as whiter than snow! Let your heart be full of gratefulness for a new beginning. Live your life in confidence of your salvation, so that others can see Him through you.
Oh! The best part? Lamentations 3:22-23 says that His love never fails and He makes His mercy new every morning. So if you messed up yesterday, you can start over today! What a faithful God we serve!
So what is whiter than snow? I am, because my Savior has washed me! And you can be, too!
When we repent of our sins, truly repent, meaning to not only be sorry, but to stop the sin, He washes us. We become whiter than snow.
I was thinking this morning, "that snow is pretty white, how can we become whiter than snow?" If you look closely at the snow, you can see debris that has fallen with the snow. The snow caught some dirt on the way down or leaves or branches are peaking through.
But, when God washes away our sin, there is no trace of the dirt. No trace of debris! When He looks at us, He sees a pure, repentant soul starting over. He doesn't remember our sin at all!
Sometimes we struggle because we can't forget our sin or others want to remind us of our sin, but we have to remember that no one is perfect, and we've all messed up. We can only be whiter than snow when we let Him wash away the dirt with the sin and start over.
The snow reminds us of how He sees us after true repentance. Forget how you see yourself or how others see you and know that your Creator sees you as whiter than snow! Let your heart be full of gratefulness for a new beginning. Live your life in confidence of your salvation, so that others can see Him through you.
Oh! The best part? Lamentations 3:22-23 says that His love never fails and He makes His mercy new every morning. So if you messed up yesterday, you can start over today! What a faithful God we serve!
So what is whiter than snow? I am, because my Savior has washed me! And you can be, too!
Friday, February 13, 2015
My Valentine Is The Prince of Peace
I was reading my first blog today and remembering how I felt when I typed it. This part I did not totally reveal at that time, but you have to know this to understand the rest of this blog.
When I typed that first blog, I felt like I was giving God control out of default. I had lost control and had no idea how to regain it. Giving Him control, trusting Him, was all that I could do. Trust Him or die. I felt like I was jumping off a cliff and free-falling, knowing He was going to catch me, but totally terrified of the fall. When would He catch me, and why was He letting me fall at all? It was like I threw my mess at Him and said, "here fix this junk." I hated giving it up, but there was nothing else I could do. Hated the trusting, the letting go, and the anxiety, but I did it anyway.
From then until now, I've been seeking Him. Everyone does it differently, so I just started seeking Him with every ounce of my being, the best way I knew how. And I mean, desperately seeking Him. He has truly revealed Himself to me. This is how I know...when I read that first blog again today, the way I felt when I typed it flooded my mind. BUT, that is NOT at all how I feel now!!!!
In that first blog, I talked about how I was driving with Jesus in the passenger seat and lost control. I talked about how I'm letting Him drive, I have no idea where I'm going, and I'm learning to trust Him. I really did not expound how terrifying it was for me, or how much I was struggling with letting it all go.
Now, though, now I feel like I'm on a romantic rendezvous with the Lover of my soul! Oh, I'm still in the car, letting Jesus drive and have no idea where I'm going, but now I feel like I'm riding in the front seat with a blind fold on and I'm so excited and giggly because my Prince is driving! He is taking me to that special place that I've always wanted to go to, but didn't know how to get there.
He's not telling me the details, or how long it will take, but He knows me so well that He knows what I like and want! I know when He gets me there, and takes the blind fold off, it will be better than I can imagine!
I know this is true because His Word tells me each of those things:
Psalm 37:5 says to commit your way to the Lord, trust Him and He will act-- I gave Him the keys, so He is driving. He is leading me to a new place in Him.
Romans 5:8 He loves me-- He wants to make my dreams come true; He knows what I need and want.
1 John 4:18 His perfect love has cast out all my fear-- His perfect love removed my fear and replaced it with contentment and excitement.
Psalm 139:1-2 He knows my thoughts-- If He knows my thoughts, He knows me well!! He knows where I need to be and what needs to happen for me to get to that place in Him.
Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart-- I am truly excited/delighted in Him, He will fulfill His promises!
Eph 3:20 He is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think--- Where He is taking me will be better than I can imagine!
I'm not full of fear and anxieties anymore. Just as 1 John 4:18 says, His perfect love has driven out all my fear! I'm not frustrated with the lack of control. I'm not driven to my knees out of desperation. I'm full of peace and excitement. I'm full of joy and contentment. I'm driven to my knees to spend quality time with the Lover of my soul. I'm driven to my knees to be held in His arms and pour my love out in worship.
Philippians 4:7 says the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ. Isaiah 9:6 calls Jesus the Prince of Peace.
My Prince of Peace, my Valentine, has shown me perfect love to remove my fear and given me peace beyond my understanding of my situation. His peace is guarding, shielding, protecting my heart and mind!
With his peace, He is protecting my heart from pain and bitterness. He is protecting my mind from doubt and negativity.
Amazing love and peace from the perfect Valentine, the Prince of Peace, is the best Valentine's gift I've ever received!
Oh! The best part: He wants to be YOUR Prince of Peace, too! He wants to hold you in His arms and show you what it feels like to love without fear of getting hurt. He wants to show you what it feels like to rest in His peace although your situation is beyond your understanding.
When you have the Prince of Peace as your Valentine, it is by far a HAPPY Valentine's Day! (:
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