You Are Perfect (Just As You Are)

Over the last few weeks, I've been listening to one of my children complain about self image. "I'm too chunky...I'm so clumsy...I'm not very smart." Each time I respond with compliments trying to disprove these negative thoughts. The other day I become a little frustrated with those comments.  It seemed my words were ineffective. With lots of emotion I expressed, "don't you hear me? I see you as strong, smart, kind, wonderful, caring, loving. I see you as perfect-- just the way you are. I love you very much just the way you are." All I got was a little nod. 

"I love you very much just the way you are."

How do we convince our children that the standards of the world are not the measurements for success and beauty? How do we overcome the lies the enemy? How do we combat superficial, fake culture? While seeking for those answers, I felt a nudge in my spirit about how God sees us. He sees us struggle with self worth, and He hears us speak down about ourselves. He knows our thoughts about feeling insecure. 

All the while He is right there saying, "don't you hear me? I see you as perfect! I love you very much just the way you are!" Yes, we have failed. Yes, we have fallen. Yes, we have shortcomings and wounds. But to your Heavenly Father, you are a beautiful, perfect mother. Allow yourself to rejoice in the victories and celebrate the blessings. Don't let the negative thoughts sneak in to beat you down. 

"I love you very much just the way you are."

I think the answer to the questions I asked earlier is this: live in the Light. We must let our children see that we are confident and content in way God created us. We are sure of His grace and mercy. They will be convinced they are beautiful and cherished as they see us as mothers live and walk with the assurance that God loves us just the way we are. 

I Peter 2:9 says, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light"

Next time you are tempted to think negatively about yourself, think of how you love and cherish your own children just the way they are, because that's how God sees you!

"Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee." Song of Solomon 4:7

Like a Flower In the Rain

If you pick a flower from a plant, it doesn't take much force to pluck the petals from the stem, yet during a torrential storm, the petals take the beating from the pelting rain without falling apart. Droplets fall thousands of feet from the clouds above mixed with wind and air pressure attacking the earth with an almost immeasurable force which can even feel somewhat stinging to bare human skin. So the observation how beautiful flowers tolerate such pressure is intriguing. 

I'm not a gardener, so my interest in a beaten-up, post-storm flowerbed led to some research. Here's what I found:

"Heavy rain damage on plants may leave them looking like they’ve been flattened to within an inch of their lives, but if you take a closer look at stems and branches, you’ll notice something amazing — most of those rain damaged parts are bent, not broken. Your plants may look terrible, but their flexibility saved them from a monstrous rain storm. If instead they remained rigid in the face of such an intense beating, their tissues would have broken or cracked, causing important transportation pathways to be severed. 

A few days to a week after a damaging storm, your plants will perk back up. Sometimes flowers are damaged and leaves slightly torn, but your plants will replace these injured areas much faster than seems possible if you leave them alone to do it. Don’t try to prop plants that are rain-flattened, since this can lead to additional damage. Let them be and watch them come back from their beating." (www.gardeningknowhow.com) 

Watching a harsh summer rain pound down on a beautiful, delicate bed of colorful flowers can really serve as a powerful reminder for us: 

We might get knocked down, but we will recover. We might be bent, but we are not broken. 

Even though our situation "may look terrible," being flexible, or moldable in the the Potter's hands, will allow us to withstand the pressure of the storm. If we are rigid, or bitter, we could become quite broken in a storm, hindering our growth in God. 

As a mother, we will watch our children go through storms. Often we want to jump in and save them from the beating, but sometimes that's not what God intends. We must allow God's process to take place. 

And even though our children may be damaged and slightly torn from the storms of life, if we trust the Creator and leave them in God's hands, they will heal and come back from that beating! We don't have to worry if they are broken beyond repair. We don't have to prop them up and fix their situation. 

"I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing." Ezekiel 34:26

Let the natural rain, and the beauty it brings remind you that storms bring forth blessing! 

The rain will come, we just have to trust God's design for growth in our lives. Like a flower in the rain. 

Keep Reading Your Story

Each chapter of a nonfiction book reveals new ideas and thoughts. Each chapter of a fiction book unfolds a story. 

Many people have begun a book only to find that it was not what they expected, so they tossed it aside, never finishing the exploration of the author's intent. 

Oh, how our lives are a book! Each one of us have a unique story unfolding. There are new characters introduced here and there. Previous characters can sometimes fade away. The setting changes from day to day and can vary from a new room in the same house to a new country across the world! 

The plot of our lives is so unpredictable. Our plot could range from tragedy to comedy or include a quest of some kind. Conflict and resolution are woven throughout our lives with some instances being dramatic and others being minuscule. No matter how our story goes, we are all written with love. The Author of our book is none other than the Creator of the world. Jesus Christ is walking with us through each step of our plot, through every twist, to bring us to the expected ending. 

No matter how our story goes, we are all written with love. 

One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11,

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Jesus is in your story right now, and He is at the end of your story cheering for you. The current chapter of your life may be dark and overwhelming, but He promises to never leave us (Matthew 28:20). The current chapter of your life may be scary and turbulent, but He is the God of peace (Philippians 4:7). 

Jesus is at the end of your story cheering for you!

Maybe the characters in your current chapter are not producing positivity in your life. Keep reading your story. Maybe your current chapter includes a complex plot twist. Keep reading your story. Maybe you feel like tragedy is the main theme. Keep reading your story. This current chapter won't last forever. New characters will come into view bringing joy and love. New plot twists will arise with excitement and enjoyment. Don't allow your mind to stay fixated on the current chapter. Keep reading! Too often we feel like the current circumstances are the final circumstances, but this is not so! Your story is still being written with love. This chapter will end and the next chapter will bring hope. What you are facing is only a chapter of your life, not your whole story! Hold on to the hand of Jesus as your keep exploring what He is writing for you. He will never let you down. 

What you are facing is only a chapter of your life, not your whole story!

Keep reading your story!

Slam The Door

As Christians, Jesus calls us to serve Him with our whole hearts. Actually- with our whole lives.

Deut 6:5 says, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."

This means serving Him in all that we do. Every action we make, every thought we think, every word we say should be pushing us towards Him. We must purposefully chase after Him. Every aspect of our lives should potentiate our relationship with Him.

In studying the sin of Eve, it is clear to see that she was deceived (I Tim 2:14). She was placed in a perfect world, yet she still fell into deception. She was given so many wonderful things to take advantage of, yet she chose to hang around the one tree she shouldn't have been near. Maybe she thought she was strong enough to handle the temptation of that tree. Maybe she felt like it was not a big deal because she had God's commands in her mind and heart.

Whatever the case, we find ourselves in this same situation daily. We decide what we are going to look at, where we are going to go, and who we are going to be around. Often we convince ourselves that we can be exposed to certain things or situations without it being an issue, because we have the power of the Holy Spirit inside of us. Some temptations seem so harmless. That's the trick of the enemy. Allowing ourselves little open doors to temptations gives the enemy a chance to move in on us.

Some temptations seem so harmless. 

For Eve, the Serpent found her hanging around that forbidden tree and walked through that door to deceive her. She left open the door of temptation by being where she shouldn't have been. In our lives, if we're not careful, we can be found in the same situation. We leave open what seems to be a harmless door of temptation. We can feel sorry for a hurting coworker who is going through a rough time in a relationship, opening the door to our own emotions, potentially leading to sexual sin. We can find ourselves spending more time on the computer or smart phone tracking other people's lives, neglecting our own families causing stress in the home. We can allow our eyes to view photos of people of things that seem harmless when in reality they are drawing our thoughts towards distracting emotions.

The temptation is often not a sin. It was not wrong of Eve to be near that forbidden fruit. But why leave the door to temptation open when it can potentially lead to sin? The flesh cannot be trusted. No matter how much Holy Ghost you have in your life, you still have flesh. No matter how much time you spend with the Lord, you must still be vigilant about protecting your relationship with God. In protecting your relationship with God, you are also protecting your relationship with your family and church body. Completely avoiding temptation protects your blessings. When Eve ate the fruit, she lost all her blessings of that perfect garden. 

Avoiding temptation protects your blessings. 

The Apostle Paul was fully aware the enemy still uses deception to draw saints away. To the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 11:3, he warned:

"But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ." 

Closing this door can seem strange or difficult. It may seem strange to others that you refuse to go out alone for lunch with a coworker of the opposite gender. It may be difficult to release a friendship that could potentially damage your marriage. Or, it may seem like a small, insignificant door, like releasing social media or some other form of entertainment. However, not closing the door can be fatal. No matter how much of a struggle it is to close a door to temptation, it is a much greater struggle to deal with the repercussions of sin. James 1:14-18 reminds us that temptations leads to sin, which results in death.

Not closing the door can be fatal. 

With living for God wholeheartedly, we must be intentional. Every thing we do, say, hear, see, and think has be controlled. We have to allow the flesh to suffer. We must let the Spirit to take over. Being lead by the Spirit is a beautiful thing when we see His blessings, but let us not forget that the blessings have come because of obedience to His Word. Avoiding temptation is most certainly a trend in His Word. Because the temptation isn't always obvious, we can not be too careful.

I Thessalonians 5:22 command us, "Abstain from every form of evil."

So I would suggest to you that you close any doors to temptations that are lingering in your life. Actually, why don't you just slam the door? Don't convince yourself that you are a superhero and temptations that affect others won't affect you. As it says in Matthew 26:41, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Eve never saw that Serpent coming. Be wise in your investments and intentional in building the life God has blessed you with. Slamming the door to temptation is "making no provision for the flesh," as we are commanded to do in Romans 13:14. You are protecting your soul, your eternity, your family.  You are protecting your blessings.


Slam the door! 

A New Thing This Spring

It's spring! The freshly fallen snow does not discourage my excitement about a new season. It's pureness reminds me of a new beginning. Spring represents newness of life. Spring always brings growth and warmth. The environmental seasons we experience are an ever present reminder of the spiritual seasons we go through.

Spring always brings growth and warmth.

When the new season arrives, we are often glad to see the previous season go. It's the same in the spirit. We are commanded to actually forget that last season. Let go of the past. We should press on in this new season in great anticipation of what God is going to do next. He promises to do a new thing.

Let go of the past. 

"Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?  I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:18-19

So we must forget what has happened in the past. Don't allow your mind to dwell on history. Don't focus your thoughts on what has been in your life. It's easy to get hung up thinking about how things have always been and what things you've longed for in the past. If you want this new thing, you must let go of the past! Don't even consider the things of old, or you might miss this new thing! "Shall ye not know it?" You won't know it, if you are stuck in your old ways. How tragic it would be to miss the new thing God has for you!

Jesus said in Luke 9:62,

"No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

Jesus calls us to be His completely. He wants us to be all in! Jump into His kingdom and don't look back. Look forward unto the new path He has called you to walk. When we continue in our same path, same habits, same patterns, we are "looking back." We are missing what is right in front of us.

Look forward unto the new path He has called you to walk.

When we stop looking back, God said that He would even do miracles- He will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. He will bring to pass things that seemed impossible before.

If you want this new thing from God, if you want to see Him bring greatness into your life this season, focus on what is to come! Look ahead. Be excited and anticipate this new thing to come forth speedily! God said that it shall "spring forth!" As soon as we let go of the past, He will make a way and rivers will of blessings will flow!

If you have trouble with the changes God is demanding, remember this:

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee: yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10

He is your God, and He will give you help and strength! He will not let you down, and what He has for you is greater than you can imagine! He's been waiting for you all along to chase after Him.

Oh, what excitement there is for a "new thing" this spring! 


Thank you to Shawna for the encouragement this week. 

I Will Sing

Often in trials, I've tried to remind myself of what God has already done. It's uplifting and encouraging. However, recently I felt God change my focus. Instead of focusing on what He's already done, in an effort to reassure myself that He can take care of my current trial, I felt Him whisper, "focus on Who I am." Wow. Who God is. His qualities.

Obviously, His qualities are manifested in what He has done, but what if we focus on just those qualities? He is all powerful (I Chronicles 29:11). He is never changing (Hebrews 13:8). He is a Promise Keeper (II Peter 3:9). He is Powerful (Psalm 147:5). He is the Comforter (John 14:26). He is a Healer (Jeremiah 30:17). He is a Guide (Psalm 48:14). He is a Provider (Genesis 22:13-14). He is a Protector (II Thessalonians 3:3). He is Love (1 John 4:8). He is... it never ends! The list never ends! You won't run out of things to focus on in your trial!

So here I am focusing on the qualities of God and refusing to die. I will sing. I've shared the song below because it is so encouraging to me. Even if you can't physically sing very well, you can allow your heart to "sing" by maintaining a spirit of praise in your trial.

Be encouraged by His qualities, and ignore what you are lacking. Be encouraged by His power, and ignore your loss of control.

Read these lyrics, google the song. I love the line, "I will trust. I will remember." I will remember all His qualities. You can sing, too, because of His qualities.

I Will Sing 

by Kari Jobe

I need to see You here
I need to know You're in control
Though my heart is torn wide open
I will trust, I will remember

I need to hear Your voice
Speaking to silence all my doubts
Your word won't return empty
You will break through every darkness

Even when my breath is weak
I will sing, I will sing
Even in my suffering
I will sing, I will sing

I need to feel Your hope
Rising above my greatest fears
Even death has been defeated
I will trust, I will remember

Even when the shadows fall
I will sing, I will sing
Even when the night is long
I will sing, I will sing

Hallelujah
I surrender all to You
Hallelujah
You are God, You won't be shaken

Hallelujah
I surrender all to You
Hallelujah
You are God, You won't be shaken

I need to see You here
I need to know You're in control
Though my heart is torn wide open
I will trust, I will remember

Waiting Room Exit

This is a continuation of the Waiting Room blog. For this one to make sense, you have to read that other one first.

So here I sit in God's waiting room enjoying His love and peace. Then someone else in the waiting room wants to talk about the waiting. They say they are waiting on God, too, but after more conversation I find they aren't totally committed to waiting on God. Making their own plans and decisions still sounds somewhat enticing to them.

In a physical waiting room, there are usually two doors- the door you came in and the door that goes where you are waiting to be. When you enter a waiting room, the door you come through will sometimes say "exit" above it. You can always go back out the door you came in. You can always escape the waiting room. It's the same in God's waiting room. He doesn't lock the door behind you. He's allows us to have free will. He lets us decide what we want to do with our lives. He gives us His Word, written and spoken to our hearts, as a guide, but it's up to us to decide what to do with it.

You can always escape the waiting room.

There I found myself in God's waiting room talking to someone who seems exhausted from waiting. Weary. Then the thought comes up, "what if we exit the waiting room the way we came in?" You know, go back out and look for another way to change things. Maybe use our human minds to do some more thinking and our own strength to do some more building? Sounds like a tempting idea. Maybe I missed something, and I'll see things differently out there in the world of running-my-own-life? My mind starts wandering. The waiting is so difficult some days. I momentarily forgot the truth. The truth that when I was in control, life was chaos. When I was in control, I was often gasping for air and searching for hope. On the other side of that exit door, I was a different person. I was a troubled, hurt person. The truth is that I had started to take for granted the hope, love, and calmness I found in the waiting room. The waiting room had actually become a welcome respite once I realized the treasures inside. God restored my hope in the waiting room. God offers peace in the waiting room. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him (Lamentations 3:25). Yet, there I sat in the waiting room, allowing my mind to wander about giving up and going back out that door. There was no peace when I was trying to figure things out on my own. There was no peace when I was desperate for deliverance from turmoil. There was no peace when I was making my own decisions.

God offers peace in the waiting room. 

Why would I give that up now? It's a little scary to think that there is always the option of going back out the door you came into the waiting room. It's not locked. You don't have to wait on God. If you get frustrated with your wait and wonder how much longer, refocus your mind on what you were delivered from (Philippians 4:8). Refocus your thoughts on the peace you have found in God. Don't let the enemy try to convince you that there is anything enticing on the other side of that exit door. Everything you left behind when you decided to wait on God is what is out there. Everything ungodly and everything disastrous. Pain, heartache, loneliness, fear, and desperation- that's what's on the other side of that waiting room exit door. There is no peace in the world of running-your-own-life. Fill your mind with thanks for all that you are sheltered from in God's waiting room. You don't have to understand what God is doing, just believe that He keeps His promises. He is still working. When He calls you out of the waiting room, all things will be perfect and complete. He makes all things new. It will be worth the wait, the commitment of staying focused on His promises.

You don't have to understand what God is doing, just believe that He keeps His promises.

The coolest thing about waiting on God is that He waits with us. When I felt a little confused and my mind wandered to considering the exit door, I talked to Him about it. I asked Him to help me stay put. I reminded Him that my heart wants Him and His will more than anything. He wrapped His arms around me and poured more love in my heart. He is here. In the waiting. He's never going to call us out of that mess we were in and then forget us.

He is here. In the waiting. 

So, stay in God's waiting room! Don't let anything or anyone convince you that the door you came in is the door you want to go out of! Wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:14) Let God finish what He is doing and bring His promises to pass in your life. God has not forgotten us. He knows right where we are because He put us there!

And for the person who wanted to talk about using that exit door, thankfully they were convinced that it wasn't a good idea. And they decided to keep waiting on God, too. (: Encourage others in the waiting room. Don't let them give up on God, either!

Micah 7:7 But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

Distractions

Distractions. I felt the Lord whisper this one word to me a few years ago. Distractions. "Ok, I got it," I thought as I scribbled "distractions" in my prayer journal and went on my merry way. I had no idea how complex and heavy these distractions would be in my life over the next few years. Sometimes I immediately recognized the situation as a distraction, and other times, I fell apart and returned to God in frustration only to hear His reminder, "distractions." Ughhh, I fell for a distraction! 

What is a distraction?

dis·trac·tion

dəˈstrakSH(ə)n/

noun

1. 1.

   a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else.

 Any thing (action, person, situation) that prevents me from giving my full attention to Jesus is a distraction. Any thing. It doesn't have to be a "bad" thing. Any thing that takes my focus off of Jesus and consumes my time and attention is a distraction. So when I find myself frustrated by a situation, I remind myself that I am becoming distracted. 

Hebrews 12:1-2 says,

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I love these verses. Here's my interpretation: While running this race of faith, we must get rid of distractions along with getting rid of sin, staying focused on Jesus, the One Who will get us through and is cheering us on!

Distractions are the weights that set us back. Of course we should avoid sin, but we should also avoid any other thing that takes our eyes off Jesus. I think the Author used "looking unto Jesus" because whatever we have our eyes on is what we are moving towards. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we will be going the right direction and be able to avoid set-backs. 

Most of us have heard it said, "keep your eyes on Jesus." But how do you do that? By keeping your thoughts on Jesus. Read His Word. Meditate on His Word. Prayer should be first in the morning. Prayer should be in your heart throughout the day. If your mind drifts, your eyes drift. Refocus your mind and you'll be back on track. Jesus never changes. He never leaves us. We sometimes drift from Him, but He will always be there. A steady, guiding Light for us to focus on. Keeping your eyes on Jesus means not allowing oneself to spend excessive amounts of time or energy on something that isn't bringing us closer to Him. 

There is also a secondary definition of the word "distraction:"  

     2. extreme agitation of the mind or emotions.

Agitation means troubled, nervous, or perplexed. When our minds are agitated, we are distracted. When our emotions are agitated, we are distracted. Being troubled, perplexed, and anxious are signs that we are allowing distractions to take our mind and eyes off Jesus. 

Isaiah 26:3 says,

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

So there you have it; keep your mind on Him, dump distractions, and you will have perfect peace. No agitation. 

When life seems overwhelming and confusing, seek out what the distraction is and get rid of it! There is nothing like His peace! 

Many times over the last few years, I found myself struggling with less than positive emotions and realized I had let a distraction sneak in. My mind and energy was focused more on a distraction, things of this world, than it was on things above (Col 3:2).

God is so patient with us. If we get distracted, He's always waiting for us to refocus on Him. He's always there to pour His love on us and bring us peace that passes all understanding (Phil 4:7). We don't have to understand our situation to have His peace. We just have to stay focused and ignore those distractions! 

Focus, Baby, Focus! (:

Not Really Lost

Recently I got stuck in traffic because of an accident that closed down the highway. I looked up an alternate route on the GPS and exited onto a back road. It appeared that everyone else had the same idea. Being new to the area, I decided to trust the GPS and stay on this route. The GPS said I was 3.8 miles from the school, which is where I was headed to pick up my kids, but I felt like I was crawling there with no idea where I was. 

Nothing looked familiar. 

I called a neighbor to get the kids for me, because I have horrible childhood memories of being the last one picked up from school. Thankfully she was free and agreed to help, which immediately relieved my stress. As soon as I hung up, the GPS had me make a right turn, and I suddenly recognized the back entrance to my neighborhood where the school is the located! I almost cried. Not because of the situation, but because of the spiritual application that immediately saturated my thoughts. I’m going through a lot right now. Ok, I’ve been going through “a lot” for about 4 years now. And recently I’ve been feeling like God put me in a test, this trial, and forgot where I was. Spiritually, I felt like I did physically.

Nothing in my life looks familiar.

I’ve been asking, well begging, for a breakthrough, something to show me that He wasn’t done with me. The exhaustion of the roller coaster emotions and juggling the daily tasks with additional stressful elements involved have been weighing so heavily lately. It’s been feeling like I’m going nowhere with this whole trial. What is happening in my life? Where is my life going? In that moment, the moment I trusted the GPS and made the right turn, I felt God showing me, with a physical illustration, that He knows right where I am and my trial is almost over. I’m much closer to the end than the beginning. It will all be over suddenly when He is ready to lead me to that point of the journey. Life doesn't look familiar to me, but it looks familiar to Him. Nothing is foreign to God. No situation, no circumstance, no issue- He knows what He is doing in the midst of it all. Nothing is hidden from Him, according to Hebrews 4:13.

Nothing is foreign to God.

Once again overwhelmed with emotion, I gave it all back to Him. As the tears flowed down my face, I surrendered all the struggles, all the fears, all the pain, all the exhaustion, again. I can trust that He knows right where I am, even though I don’t know where I am.

We must not allow ourselves to be blinded by what is right in front of us. We must remember how far we have come and persist in seeking out His will for our situation.  According to google, “A GPS or Global Positioning System is a network of orbiting satellites that send precise details of their position in space back to earth. The signals are obtained by GPS receivers, such as navigation devices and are used to calculate the exact position, speed and time at the vehicles location.” On our journey, we must seek out His signals, the Maker of the Globe. He is the Ultimate GPS! If we don’t obtain His signals and allow Him to guide us, it is so easy to get lost and feel abandoned or hopeless.

Allow His signals to lead you in whatever you are facing. Deuteronomy 4:29 tells us, “seek the Lord and you will find Him.” Psalm 34:10 says, “those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” Seek Him and when He sends you a signal, be an open receiver of His love and direction! 

The Waiting Room

The quiet anticipation of my dental cleaning was tense. Other patients surrounded me with unenthusiastic facial expressions as they stared at their phones, most likely scrolling social media or emails. The dental cleaning isn't really that bad. I'm most overwhelmed by the subjection of lying posterior for the invasive exam wondering if additional dental work will be needed, which would mean more time, money, and pain.

The waiting room can be a daunting place.

However, in the past, I have truly enjoyed a waiting room. My sister booked massages and facials for a few friends and myself to celebrate her birthday with her. We had to wait for each appointment. Now, that waiting room was totally different! We were given plush, demure bath robes and shown to a fancy room with comfortable sofas, dim lighting, soft music and light refreshments. We laughed together as we patiently awaited our turn to be pampered. We knew what we were waiting for would be worth it. 

The waiting room can be full of pleasant anticipation. 

Sometimes God puts us in a "waiting" room. If we don't have a good line of communication with Him, we will feel like we are waiting for a dental appointment. We will be anxious and fearful. We will be dreading the outcome or impatient to see God move on our behalf. But, if we know Him and are familiar with His Word, both written and spoken to our hearts, the waiting room can be full of pleasant anticipation. His Word says in Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) says, "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope."  God's plans for our lives are definitely worth waiting for!

If we truly trust Him, while in His waiting room, we will feel pampered and nourished, basking in the peace that He gave to us (John 14:27). He will cover us in a plush robe of righteous as He states in Isaiah 61:10. And what about the light refreshments? How about overwhelming refreshment?! "I will refresh the weary," He promised in Jeremiah 31:25 (NIV). He will restore our souls (Psalm 23:3). Now the calm music that plays in God's waiting room is on us. We are to sing His praise at all times (Psalm 146:2, Hebrews 13:15). Singing His praises lays the ground work for our miracle! (Acts 16:25-26)

Knowing that He has amazing plans for us allows us to enjoy His waiting room. We can laugh and be joyful with other saints in the same waiting room in pleasant anticipation of our upcoming appointment with the Master. Don't let your heart and mind become overwhelmed with erroneous ideas about "waiting" on God. His waiting room can be full of pleasant anticipation! 

Wounded Warrior

When you feel like the source of your pain is a wound by a leader, what do you do? How do you process that?

Trucking along, doing your thing, and then somehow you fall into some drama. Sometimes it's self-induced. Sometimes not. Sometimes it's exacerbated by others. Sometimes it's even exacerbated by a leader. Wow, does that hurt or what?

At first, you might feel like avoiding them. You might want to run, hide, and lick your wounds. Then you might start thinking about the details and feeling like you were targeted and intentionally injured. You might share your pain with others in an effort to feel sympathy or justification for the way you were treated.

But here's the way I see it:

1. Leaders are human. No matter how much training, education, and experience a person has, they will make mistakes. They will sin. That's the nature of humanity. That's why we ALL need a Savior. Romans 3:23 says we ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And, despite what some people think, no matter how "spiritual" you are, you will still make mistakes. A strong, wise leader, hungry for growth, will recognize the wrong and attempt to make it right- these people are treasures!

2. You're not the only person who has been hurt by a leader. If you want to "build a case" against a leader, there will always be a group of supporters who have let an injury or offense fester and become bitterness. Those people are always willing to gather more supporters of their negativity. It's harder to rise above the voices of the negative people, but it's so worth it- the peace and joy that comes when you avoid feeding into the drama is essential to your own healing.

3. Don't take it personally. Most likely the entire situation, including parts that you cannot see, involved issues that were rooted long before you came on the scene. When a person is involved in something that hurts, it's difficult to see the big picture. Leaders are influenced by previous experiences and external sources. It's very possible that what happened was fueled by false information and/or has nothing to do with you personally. When feeling like a victim, take into consideration how the situation could have been exaggerated by hidden influences. It takes a very mature person to do this- it's easier to pout and focus on yourself.

4. One day you could be on other side of the situation. You could be learning this lesson because one day you will need to handle a similar situation differently from a leadership perspective. You will clearly remember how a leaders words and actions truly affect others. You will have empathy for a hurting soul. You will be better prepared to apologize and make things right because you can understand the long term effects of ignoring the hurts of others.

Leaders aren't born overnight. They go through a lot to get to where they are. Some are given power and aren't well prepared and must learn by their mistakes. Some make many mistakes before they are given a leadership role. Either way, as a follower, if you learn how to handle your painful interactions with leaders, you will grow and flourish. You will be stronger and more valuable to others and the kingdom of God.

We might not ever truly understand why we were hurt. The offense may not ever make sense. We might not ever know all the details of the other side of the situation. Often with time, bits and pieces will surface, but only God knows the whole truth. Waiting for understanding could be detrimental to your healing. It could allow seeds of bitterness to grow and eventually drive a wedge between you and God.

So, how do you handle your pain induced by a leader and probably someone you love and respect? You have to give them grace and forgive them- even before they ask forgiveness, knowing they might never ask for forgiveness. The Word says we cannot be forgiven if we don't forgive.

It will take some time. It's a process that involves lots of prayer and fasting. The length of the process is up to you. How willing are you to let it go? How anxious are you to see what God has next for you? How badly do you want to feel relieved of your burden? Surrender your pain to Him and let Him grow you from this experience. He can make something painful into something beautiful!

Listener or Lord?

So often we pride ourselves in the fact that we pray about everything.

We take our needs to God. He listens. Then we walk away and try to fix it ourselves. Or just keep thinking about how impossible our needs appear. If it was meant for you to figure it out, the solution would be your solution, and not Divine. It would exalt you, instead of bringing Him the glory.

Sure, we love God. He's our Savior. Our Deliver. He's our Healer, Redeemer, and Provider. And He's always such a great Listener...

But is He our Lord?

The definition of lord is, "a master or ruler, someone having power, authority, and influence."

It's easy to let Him deliver us, save us, provide for us, and heal us. We even work hard to serve Him and do many things for Him. ...but are we letting Him be the Lord of our lives?

When we make decisions without consulting Him, and waiting for Him to show us the way, we are ruling our lives. Lots of people will let Him listen to their concerns, but don't trust Him enough to wait on His response and do what He leads them to do.

Allowing others to influence our decisions above what God would want for us, is allowing them to be lord. It's easy for people to throw out advice, but you can not know exactly what God wants for you until you truly seek Him for yourself.

Giving your circumstances the authority to rule your mood, your emotions, your decisions is declining God's proposal to provide peace, love, and joy through every situation.

Recently a friend asked me, "how can my Christian friends be so rude and so down? How can they be saved and not be loving or joyful?"

Oh, that's easy! They love God, but they are not letting God be the Lord of their lives. They are rude because they are treating others the way they think they deserve to be treated, not allowing Jesus to be Lord and treating them the way He taught us. They are so down because they are disappointed in their failures and circumstances, not allowing Jesus to be Lord and trusting something beautiful is in the works.

How do I know this? I was that person. I have always loved God with all my heart, but there was a time in my life when I let Him be everything to me except Lord. He was my Great Listener. I told Him all about my issues with deep details, and He listened. Every single time. However, I'd get up from my prayers and go try to run my life. Repeatedly.

During this time I found that I was unhappy, rude, selfish, moody, and frustrated. I was that good Christian girl who would firmly tell the waitress why the food was not to my liking. I was that good Christian girl who would explain loudly why I felt like I was done wrong. Maybe I was right. Maybe the food was not what I ordered or the clerk rang up my items multiple times. But since allowing Jesus to be Lord of my life, I try to treat others with kindness. Always.

Maybe that waitress can't concentrate because she hasn't had time for a break during her 12 hour shift and her blood sugar is low. Maybe the clerk is exhausted from staying up all night with her sick baby. Instead of looking out for me, I try to think about others now.

I have a long way to go, and sometimes have to actually bite my tongue, but I have found this: When you upgrade Jesus from Listener to Lord, He upgrades your whole world.

The sadness, rudeness, selfishness, moodiness, and frustration disappear. It's easier to see things in a loving manner.

Oh, and don't kid yourself if He is Lord of most of your life...He must be Lord of all or you are not truly letting Him be Lord. There is no half way with this. If He only has authority over your finances, but not your tongue, He does not truly have authority.

Here's what I think...when He is Lord of all, the pressure's off. Your deeds or words or thoughts are no longer dictated by yourself, others, or circumstances- which will all fail you. When Jesus is Lord of your life, each moment is trusted to Him. If something happens that isn't pleasant, you don't feel like you caused it; you see it as a learning opportunity. What was God trying to teach me? What was I supposed to say to that waitress or clerk to encourage them?

Of course my life is not perfect, but it's better than it was. Each day is a gift and some aren't even given that. Each trial is growing me. Some are dying instead of growing.

I'd love to say that it's easy to let Jesus be the Lord of your life, but this is not the case. Letting go and letting God reign on a moment to moment basis, is the hardest thing I've ever done. However, it has brought me more peace and joy than I could express in a blog...that is why I felt like I should share all this with you.

So I challenge you to try it: Let God go from Listener to Lord and watch Him change your life!

Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

Such a great verse, but read it carefully..."saith the Lord"...If He's not your Lord, He's not speaking to you! Let Him be Lord and claim His Word!

Serving the Silent Savior

The other day I got an email devotion that was profound.

God shows us things, leads us a certain way, maybe gives us an answer, but then we don't see or feel or know anything else. Feels like He went silent.

The devotion I read talked about how all through the Bible God did this to great people. He anointed David to be king long before it was time. Job knew he was blessed of the Lord, then God went silent. And there are numerous other examples.

The point is, when God calls you to do something, shows you something, or tells you something, you have to trust Him on the timing. Don't give up and think that He has changed His mind or forgotten about you.

The enemy wants you to think that you didn't hear Him right or you should try to make things work a different way. Oh! Think about Sarah and Abraham! God gave them a promise of a baby and then went silent, so she decided to try to make it happen her way. She paid for that for many years to come.

In the silence there are things going on that you cannot see. God was working things out in the kingdom that David would rule. God was showing the devil that Job was dedicated, wholeheartedly. You have no idea what God is doing that you cannot see!

While God is silent in one area of your life, He is working in other areas. Think on those things. Actually think about each and every blessing and previously answered prayer. Don't let your mind wander to what you cannot see. Keep your eyes fixed on Him and His glory, His power, His righteousness.

No matter what you can or cannot see, He is still your Savior and will bring you through. He will do what He has said. He does not lie or change His mind.

Hold on. Keep serving the silent Savior, and you will be singing a new song when His will is complete in you!

Focus, Baby, Focus

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!

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. (:

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!

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.

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!

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!

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 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.