These three things...

"Let all those who put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever shout for JOY."
Psalm 5:11

Tonight I'm home with my under-the-weather preteen, steaming the air with boiling water to get some humidity into her congested lungs. She's just not feeling well, so we're resting together.  I could use a little steaming tonight myself. 

It's been quite a while since I sat down to write.  In ten days from today, it will be exactly two years since my last post. I've tried a little here and there, but I lost the taste for it a couple years ago.  It had been such a love in my life, but at that time, the well had run dry - no more ideas, no more words, no more drive to sit down and "experience" it. I stopped journaling at that time, as well. After so many years of speaking my mind on paper and screen, I finally had nothing more to say. And it was good for that season.

But we find ourselves in a surprising new season - ripped from one existence and plopped down in the middle of another.  It was a violent shift that left our heads spinning and me wondering where was God in all this?  

"Lord, was I not praying for exactly the OPPOSITE of this to happen??? Weren't You listening???"  

Of course He was... but He's not usually set on doing things my way. 

The shaking in my life left me angry and questioning the Lord, of all people. And in the face of me acting like a wounded animal, recoiling from His attention and ignoring His attempts to help me... in the face of all that... He was gentle, loving, and kind.  

Gentle.  Loving.  And Kind. 

As usual.  

Even when He picked me up, shook me awake, and said, "snap out of it!"  LOL  Maybe it wasn't too gentle a wake-up call, but loving and kind all the same.  Time to shake it off and get on with living.  

So here we are, three months later, taking purposeful steps toward the fresh, green spring of life... choosing the path of healing and restoration... because we only get this one chance at living... and I finally have heard the gentle whisper of words longing to be written. Hello, old friend... 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

If there's anything I've learned in the amazing, wonderful, painful, life-changing journey of the last seven years, it's these three things - 

• Let It Go
• Be Faithful in the Small Things, and
• Do What You Love.  

Let it go. Put it in God's hands and turn your back on it like it no longer exists.  Painful, feels wrong, extremely hard to do at first... but it works.  There is MUCH freedom and healing in letting go - and the Father will work it out for you. He changes things from the inside out.

Be faithful in the small things. Make your bed, do your dishes, keep your home... be on time to work, do what you say you're going to do - let your WORDS and ACTIONS match. Integrity.  Character.  Be responsible for your life.  

Do what you love.  You love it for a reason.  Singing and dancing, playing an instrument... painting, crafting, taking pictures... swimming, boating, biking, hiking, running... gardening, essential oils, cooking or baking... studying, traveling, connecting with people, or having an adventure!  

Even if it's as simple as reading and writing... If it calls to you... DO IT.  That's where your LIFE is.  That's what fills your LOVE tank!  That's what makes you YOU!  Embrace it, explore it, dive into it!

The simple fact is... someone out there is waiting for you to be all you were created to be.  They need what God has placed in you, so they can live THEIR best life.  That's community.  That's family!  Maybe it's your smile, or the gift of your talents and abilities... whatever it is, let that light grow in YOU, so you can pass it on to someone ELSE!  

The Father needs you to be who He designed you to be.  YOU are a part of His plan... 

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them," Ephesians 2:10.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

So, that's the word for today, and I'm about ready for my PJs and Sleepytime Tea. God bless you with sweet sleep tonight, dear friends.  Rest well.

Chemical Storm

"Today is a good day."  I can't tell you how many times I've said that to myself today. And it is a good day... this is the day the Lord has made... but maybe I'm having a hard time rejoicing in it.

I've had a physical issue happening in my body the last 9 or so months that occasionally knocks the chemicals in my brain for a loop, and all of a sudden... even though yesterday may have been amazing... today, it seems like all is lost and the entire world is coming to an end.

I am surrounded by people who love me, and any other time in life, I "feel" loved and loving right back. But knock a few chemicals loose in the ol' thinker, and BAM!  The world is my enemy and all of life is stacked up against me.

Any normal day, I sleep deeply, rise early, and start the day with a bang... but on these "off" days, there is no sleeping at night, no drive to pass go... no joy to be found, no hope to be had.  It's like the light was on and shining bright... but somebody reached in and turned it off.  Flipped the switch overnight.

I've seen the doctor, it's not all in my head... except that it's a brain chemical thing... so......

And there are medical and natural things that can be done. Big relief.  But some of them have to wait until other physical issues can be explored.  So in the meantime... though the supplements are helping, and most days I feel better than I have in a long time...... last night there was no sleep, and today my brain has sent my mind, will, and emotions down a chemically induced slip-n-slide.

So, what to do?

I praise God for a few things.  One, my husband.  He's been incredibly supportive during this time. Today, I told him what was going on and asked for prayer.  He said, "You got it!  Now go for a walk and get some sunshine." Then he prayed for me. Then texted and called later to check on how things were going. Then he gave me a big hug when he got home. Gotta love that.

Two, I praise God for sunshine, vitamins, healthy foods... and flowers, nail polish, and acrylic paints. I've been rotten at taking care of myself, which is honestly what probably knocked these dang chemicals free in the first place... that and my DNA/family history. But after munching on almonds two-ways, 30 minutes in the warm sunshine, and about an hour of colorful "joy" therapy... ALL of which increase serotonin in the brain (that's the "happy hormone")... I could "feel" a marked difference in my overall well-being.

Three, I praise God for work to do... ways to keep my mind busy apart from how I "feel." The Word says that His rod and staff, or His discipline and instruction, bring comfort.  So, early this morning, I made a list of goals for the day... and I may have missed one or two... and in there somewhere, I may have doubted their usefulness altogether... but all-in-all, they are helping me find victory in this particular storm. So, I praise God for that.

And though I may not have "felt" God's overwhelming presence... I know He was still with me. That's who He is.  He doesn't leave.  He's always there, always the same, always full of grace and mercy. His rod and staff bring comfort. The discipline of knowing and doing the truth, though it may not feel true... it brings comfort. That's the lesson for today.

He's there...

Psalm 139:8 says, "If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there." Just before that, this chapter says that He knows our most intimate thoughts and motives before we even get a chance to think or plan them.  It says He goes before us and He watches our back.

Verse 9 goes on to say that wherever I choose to dwell, He is there with me. Even if I dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, He is there.  After that, the chapter explains that even the darkness is light to the Lord.

Psalm 139 says that even though He can see our thoughts from afar, even though we may choose to make our lives a living hell, even though we may try to run far from Him... He is with us.  We cannot get away from Him.  No matter where we are, His hand will lead us... and His right hand will hold us. This is because of what it says in verse 17.... His thoughts toward His children are too many to count, and they are precious. 

There is so much more to the story... more about how to be a child of God, how to love Him and follow Him, and lay your life down before Him... there's so much about taking advantage of His presence while He is still available to us before it's too late. And the truth should be known that He will let us go like the prodigal son, if that is our choice...

But so many need to know, and I can always use a reminder, that no matter where you have made your bed... no matter where you have chosen to try and run from God... no matter what you have done... the Father still loves you, cherishes you, and protects you.  Look for the signs, watch for His protective ways, ask Him to show you His love.  He's there.  You may not see it now, but He's there... and He desires to help you...

God Himself says this in His own Word, a love letter written to you...

"Even there [wherever I go] Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.  If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," even the night shall be light about me!  Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day!  The darkness and the light are both alike to You!" 

We make our own beds... even when we can't control the situation, we can control ourselves... and we make our own beds.  And sometimes the places where we choose to reside are not pretty.  But God has a way back to Him and back to His perfect will.  You haven't gone too far.  You haven't turned Him off.  His love is perfect, unconditional, and it never ends.  You can depend on Him!

So right now, just turn your thoughts to Him and begin to ask for His help.  Ask... then stop and listen... be ready to do what He says, because He's ready to show you the way home!

Holy Spirit, You Are Welcome Here

I was sitting on my back porch this morning, smearing the occasional sprinkler mist off the pages of my Bible as I read out of Acts chapter 2...

The Holy Spirit had come upon the earth with the sound of a "mighty, rushing wind." Devout Jewish men from "every nation under heaven" had heard the followers of Christ speaking "the wonderful works of God" in their own individual languages!  Upon hearing this, some of them were AMAZED... "How is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? What could this mean?"... but others were skeptical, hearing with embittered hearts, saying these testifying men were drunk!  

Peter stood up before the crowd... and raised his voice so all could hear... saying, "these men are not drunk!  It's only the 3rd hour of the day!"  Peter went on to quote the Prophet Joel about the coming of the Holy Spirit... the outpouring of God's spirit upon all the earth... the last days... and the Salvation that only comes from calling on the Name of the Lord.

Peter--the brash but timid man who cut off a soldier's ear in protective loyalty to Christ, and then three times denied even knowing Him--this man boldly testified before the masses that Jesus is the Christ... the Son of the Living God.  Peter spoke the Truth in love when he opened men's eyes to the Savior... giving the history and facts proving that Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah.  He pulled no punches when he brought their sins to light. These devout Jewish men had not only rejected the Coming King, but they had brutalized and murdered God's Son... just like the Israelites of old, murdering God's prophets to keep their ears from hearing the Truth.    

Peter said, quoting David, "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool," showing God's full proof that Christ may have seemed defeated, but He entirely was not.  

"This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear," Acts 2:32-22. 

I am always amazed at the change in Peter shown by this text.  It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that this once fool-spouting man... overly eager and partially devoted... stepped up to the plate and swung a Home Run, bringing 3,000 men to Christ in a single afternoon. 

Acts 2:41-42 goes on to say: 

"Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.  And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers."  

It says that "fear came upon all souls..."  The fear of the Lord that leads to breaking free from sin and living righteously before God.  All because of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  And watch this from verses 44-47:

"...all who believed were together, and had all things in common... continuing daily in one accord... they at their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."  

Jesus went from 120 disciples (Acts 1:15) to thousands of devoted followers in one day, all by the power of the Holy Spirit... and the difference in the people is amazing!  That sounds like Holy Communion right there working within the Body of Christ.  And you know what I wonder?  How have our churches changed so much from this example?  I mean, people were working to provide for each other, selling their own possessions to provide for their brothers and sisters in Christ.  They were together in prayer, in fellowship, and in praise to God... and people were coming to the Lord EVERY DAY!

I'm just thinking out loud here, but is that what your church looks like?  Is that what my church looks like?  Maybe not, but there is nothing in the Word that tells me the modern day Body of Christ should look any different.

Our world would be so different if we functioned in this type of unity, even if we started just within our four walls... because the Holy Spirit spreads.  Remember that old camp song, "it only takes a spark to get a fire going..."?  Maybe you're too young to know it, or maybe I'm to old to be sharing it (lol), but it's true! The arrival of God's Holy Spirit only looked like one small flame touching each person (Acts 2:3), but it exploded into a wildfire!!

In this modern day world, these last days of the end times, what the Church needs is an uprising of the Holy Spirit.  We need an increase in the Gifts of the Spirit... an overflowing of the Fruit of the Spirit... a renewing of the Compassion of Christ that only comes by the Spirit and leads all men to Himself.  It is by prayer that these things will come... and it is by Worship, the Word and Prayer in our daily lives that the Holy Spirit will begin to arise within our own hearts.

If we desire this, it is because the Father has placed that desire in our hearts. That is when we can ask the Father, believing, and it WILL be given to us... God's ways are so much higher than ours.  Holy Spirit, You are welcome here! 

Compassion of Christ

The song on my heart this morning is this... thank you, Jesus, you set me free.  Christ my Savior, You rescued me.

You've given me life
You've opened my eyes
I love You Lord
I love You Lord
You've entered my heart
You've set me apart
I love You Lord
I love You Lord

(Thank You Jesus, by Hillsong)

Paul said, "I have decided to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and Him crucified," (1 Corinthians 2:2).

He also told  Timothy to "pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf; give thanks to God for them," (1 Timothy 2:1). 

Standing in a crowded place, not really thinking about anything, my thoughts turned to the Lord.  I thought, "Lord, what would You want me to be thinking about right now?"  His response to my heart was this... "look at all these people all around you."  And I looked and thought about the hundreds, maybe thousands, of people all around me... wondering where they were going, what they were doing, did they know Christ? 

I thought about 1 Timothy 2:1 - "pray for all people... ask God to help them... intercede for them... give thanks for them."  So I started doing that, just simply, quietly, without speaking...

"Thank you, Father, for these people, thank you. Please help them, God.  In every way, please help them........."

And in that moment of simple prayer, a change came over me.  I felt love for these people.  I felt compassion.  My heart went out to them for the pain they may have experienced, for the choices they have to make, for the burdens they are carrying and the sickness they may be experiencing.  Are they all alone?  Who will help them?  Who will be there for them?  No one could have offended me in that moment.  No one could have irritated me.  Forgiveness was at the forefront... ready before it was even needed.  These were God's people... the ones He loves... the ones He wants to bring to Himself. In a moment, I felt joy for them, and sadness at the same time.  Where are they with Christ? Are they His?  Are they seeking Him?  What can I say?  What can I do that will lead them to Him?  

And there it was.  The love and compassion of Christ that leads to seeking the lost and bringing them into the Father.  I went from standing in a crowd doing nothing, to praying for the salvation of the lost who surrounded me on all sides, and all it took was asking the Father a simple question: "what do You want from me in this moment?"  And what did He want?  For me to love people, pray for them, and get them to the Cross.  

How different life would be if this is what we did all the time.  Living in the compassion of Christ for all people.  The world would be a different, and much better place.

We're not perfect, but in Christ, we get better every day.  This compassion can be our world if that is what we desire.  

Wagon Tracks...

Good morning!  This morning I'm sitting in my recliner, enjoying a cup of coffee and studying God's Abundance...  

"They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from the River of Your delights," (Psalm 36:8)  

I've decided that today - all this week - I'm going to think about Abundance.  Our days can be so riddled with negativity and the demands of mundane life that our minds, hearts, and attitudes NEED us to focus on all the GOOD the Lord has done!  The Bible even tells us to be purposeful about thinking on good, positive, lovely things (Philippians 4:8).  What's more lovely than Abundance?  

There's SO much good stuff in the Bible about God's Abundance.. 

• Jeremiah 31:14 - "I will fill the soul of the priests with abundance, And My people will be satisfied with My goodness," declares the LORD."
  
  
• Psalm 63:5 - "My soul [my life, my very self] is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises [to You] with joyful lips." 
  
  
• 1 Cor 2:9 - "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him."
  
  
• Ephesians 3:20-21 - "Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen."

... but this verse on Abundance stood out to me this morning and I thought I'd share... 

"You crown the year with Your Bounty; Your wagon tracks overflow with Abundance," (Psalm 65:11). 

I love this picture of Blessing in Motion.  I am a firm believer in #doing, (though I'm not always that great at being consistent).  I fully believe we are saved by grace through faith alone, not of works. At. All.  However, I also fully believe that because of the life of Christ in us, we are His workmanship, created to do His good works (Ephesians 2:10)!  He prepared us for good works and He has set us in authority over the works of His hands (Hebrews 2:7).  This Christ life gives us PURPOSE like we never dreamed possible... and it's easier than we think!! 

Step One is always... and will ALWAYS be... to get your wagon FULL.  

The Bible, in John 15, talks about abiding in the vine.  It says that the Father, through Christ, is the Vine and we are the Branches.  If we will abide, or remain, in Him, there will be NOTHING that we cannot do... NOTHING that we cannot ask for according to His will that HE will not give us.  That's where it all begins.  

I'm convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if we are living defeated lives, it's because we don't know the truth and power of God's love.  If we really knew WHO it was that saved us... and WHAT His heart really holds for us... and HOW He is able to strengthen us, empower us, and lift all our burdens... it would change our lives completely.  

This is what I mean by filling your wagon.  It's in seeking to know God more by studying His Word... it's in searching for a place of real intimacy between you and God through prayer and just laying it all out on the table... it's in finding that place where you believe 1) Jesus died for you, 2) God loves you... just as you are, and 3) you're forgiven... completely... for everything.  

You have been made perfect... holy.  You are God's own special treasure... priceless.  And you did nothing to earn it.  Believing that... having faith in it.  That's abiding.  That's filling your wagon.  And it feels AMAZING.  Even if you're not there yet, the simple desire to be there mixed with a little bit of faith will start getting the job done!  

Step Two... Get Your Wagon MOVING!!    

We have been saved by grace, through faith, and not of works.  Nothing in the least that we can do in our own strength will save us.  That's the truth.  

But we were created to DO GOOD WORKS.  We have been given authority over the very works of God's own hands!  We were given PURPOSE, but WE have to get moving.  

The Bible says that the thief has come to kill, to steal, and to destroy (John 10:10).  And in today's American church, I think the greatest thief in our time is passivity.  It comes in all shapes and forms, and is sometimes hard to discern, but passivity in itself will kill, steal, and destroy ALL God has set aside for us to do.  

Passivity can refer to a lack of courage, lack of confidence, and lack of persistence to accomplish what God has called us to do. Passivity is also inactivity, being subdued in attitude, not responding to a word or action that was received. Passivity also refers to the inability to resist evil. It refers to being dull and without energy, emotionless and inexpressive. The apostle Paul told Timothy that God did not give him the spirit of fear (passivity), but a spirit of power and love and a sound mind.

https://scripturenuggets.wordpress.com/tag/passivity/

Remember that there is Abundance in His Wagon Tracks.  If we get our wagons filled up so we know and dwell in the love of God, but then we do nothing with it to spread His love and sow it to others, all we have gained will rot and profit us nothing.  We will find ourselves dying on the vine!  But the Bible says that a man's gifts will make a way for him (Proverbs 18:6)!  It says, "give and it will be given to you" (Luke 6:38).  If we desire to reap in Abundance, we must sow in Abundance.  The branches that do not bear fruit by sowing and reaping will wither and will be cut off (John 15:2).  

We are saved by faith alone, but faith is not really faith if it is not accompanied by doing good on the Father's behalf and to please the Father's heart (James 2:14-26). 

Wagon Tracks... 

The greatest thing about all of this, is that the Bible tells us not to despise small beginnings (Zech 4:10)... (So much Hope in every Word the Father speaks!)  Even the simplest things count when we do them with a heart that seeks to please the Father... and if we decide today to start with small steps of obedience, our faith will increase with every step, and we will grow into even greater works than these...  

• Sometimes it's working in the church, or volunteering to help a friend in need.  
  
  
• Maybe it's baking cookies and knocking on a neighbor's door to offer prayer, a hug, or a friendly hello.  
  
  
• It could be writing letters with scriptures of encouragement to your pastors and fellow laborers, or making phone calls to pray and check on people.    
  
  
• Or maybe it's starting a Bible study, prayer group, or fellowship night...

The greatest thing that we don't often realize is that WE were CREATED to be a LIGHT in our world.  To see what negative things are going on and fight them with the Love of Christ.  To know that there are real people in our every day lives that we come into contact with... and we were placed in their lives for a reason.  WE may be the only JESUS someone sees today... 

His wagon tracks are filled with Abundance... 

If we are moving forward in Christ, we WILL be blessed!  If we do not grow weary in doing good, we WILL reap a Harvest (Galatians 6:9)!  If we get our FULL wagons moving, our wagon tracks WILL be filled with Abundance!  

Who Gets the Leftovers?

And let's not forget about those who come behind us... who is following us? Who is gleaning the leftovers from our harvest?  

I saw this amazing picture online that beautifully illustrated how those we lift up will lift us up in return. When our path overflows so much that it raises up others...we ourselves will be raised up, as well.  And not just in position, but in peace, in joy...whatever we sow, we will reap. 

I'm asking God today how I can sow into others, what He would have me to do, and how to get my wagon moving in the right direction. Will you join me?

Deep Calls Unto Deep

As believers in Christ, we sometimes think we have it all figured out.  We go to church, read our Bibles, and pray... sort of... but what we don't realize is that we're drowning in the shallow end of the pool.  We're dying on the vine.  There is an immeasurable depth of living water available to us, but we refuse to access it... or maybe we don't know how...

We feel the longing.  We know there is something more, and we can almost taste it. Sometimes it feels like our hearts will burst if we don't find the answer soon... and we have a feeling that if we wait too long, we may never find it.  We begin to feel desperate to quench the thirst, and we feel a sense of urgency, but we're not sure where to run or what to do!  We know the Lord, we work for Him, we're good little boys and girls... but we sink in the knowledge that we are somehow, tragically, missing the mark.

"Deep calls unto deep in the roar of Your waterfalls, all Your waves and breakers have swept over me." ~Psalm 42:7

The barren dryness of the desert resides deep within humanity.  People are dying of thirst. They are longing for something they cannot name, and therefore, cannot find.  They have good ideas, but can't quite put their finger on the answer that will soothe their dry, cracked souls.  All too often, they settle for less.  They get used to their thirsty emptiness... used to feeling chapped and sunburned.  They begin to believe the soothing shade and healing balm will never come, so they get comfortable in the desert and stop searching for that deep drink of water.  

Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” ~John 7:37-38

For those who do not know Christ, accepting Him into their lives will be like water in the desert to their dry and weary souls.  A peace they have never known will flood into them like a river overflowing its banks, and though life will still have trouble, they will be able to rest knowing that Jesus has changed the foundation of everything. They will have that blessed assurance that, come hell or high water, God's got their back.

But then there are those who HAVE known Christ... for a while... maybe even their whole lives.  And even though they have been granted access to deep, living water, their relationship with God has grown stagnant and stale.  They are overcome by life's daily struggles, and have become the enemy's playground.  No victory can be found in them.  Defeat rules the day... because they have been taken in by a lie, and lulled to sleep.

That's the enemy's plan for each of us.  To make us distracted and ineffective at the very least... and at the most, bound up in every way and used by the enemy to defeat others.

But there is still victory to be had!!  It will only take one little spark of faith to wake these believers up... one little glimmer of hope will break into their spirits with a SHOUT, saying, "Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light!!!" (Ephesians 5:14). And like a switch got turned on inside them, they will sit up out of their stupor, shake off the dust, and begin to swim out into the deep parts of the Spirit of God. Their need for Him will become desperate, and they will begin to seek Him out like never before. They will hunger and thirst anew to hear His sweet voice, and they will not rest until they have found Him again. And our ever-faithful Father will meet them there and He will begin to change them... to renew and revive them... and to make them a bright and shining light drawing all men unto Him.  Just a little spark of faith... a small belief in the power of the One True God... will set their hearts and lives ablaze in VICTORY for all to see... for the GLORY of GOD!!

I once heard a wise man say, "the enemy's only weapon is a lie."  We are in a fight for our lives, and we must know what our true weapons are, BUT THIS IS NOT A FAIR FIGHT!  Not even close!  Our enemy is already defeated, and he knows it.  His biggest job in these last days is to make sure WE never truly know it.  But, dear one, we are waking up... a sleeping giant is rising up from the dead... revival has already begun on the earth, and the children of God are beginning to walk in new victory.  We are trampling new ground, taking back what the enemy has stolen.  We are standing up and worshiping our God in spirit and truth, and He is enthroned on our praise!!  The depths of the Spirit of God are calling out to the depths of our souls... and together, as we humble ourselves before Him and submit to His perfect will... we are answering His call.  

Moving On

"You have dwelt long enough at this mountain. Turn and take your journey..." 

(Deuteronomy 1:6b-7a).

The children of Israel took 40 years to make an eleven-day trip.  It was a straight shot from where they were outside of Egypt into their very own amazing destiny of a fertile land promised to them by God Himself.  A land flowing with milk and honey.  The sweet spot.  I'm sure when they set out toward their destination they thought it was going to be easy...

For 40 years they rattled around that desert, like a never-ending loop on an unfamiliar highway... you miss your exit and you have to go all the way around again to get back to it.  Missed your exit again? Go around again.  If you've ever experience that, and I definitely have, you know just how frustrating it can be! Each trip around the loop is another 20 minutes, and for whatever reason, the exits are not that easy to navigate.  "Why did they make the road like this???" Around and around you go like it's a spinning carnival ride... and the longer you're on it, the sicker you get.

I had a dream once that I was on a highway loop just like that.  The first time around, I took an exit that ended up being a dead-end, so I retraced my steps, got back on the highway, and went back around the loop... only to end up taking that same dead-end route.  Back on the highway, back around the loop, and back onto that blasted, infernal dead-end road.  Over and over and over, without mercy. Finally, I just gave up and walked home in the dark.

The frustrating thing in all this is that we can all relate in some way to the children of Israel and their stubborn, hard-headed, 40-year trip through an ungodly desert in which they circle the same mountain over and over and over again, all the while thinking they are making progress toward a new end.  Over time, our disappointed hopes begin to pile up...

Fad diets... I'll try this to lose weight, or that to lose weight, this and that, this and that, only to lose and regain the same 10 pounds (plus some) for two or three decades.  Eventually, we give up.  It works the same with money, with our children and our marriages, with our careers, with our relationships... even with deeper, darker issues that have taken over our lives... we work and work to figure it out, but we refuse to concede that maybe it's our choices that are the problem. Maybe we've gotten ourselves into a situation we can't get ourselves out of.  We refuse to see that maybe our ways are not the best ways.  

For some of us, sad to say, we'll never get out of the desert.  We're a little stubborn, maybe even a little prideful and unforgiving... and besides, we've grown comfortable with the heat, and the with the sand in everything... and the non-stop walking.  And maybe His way is too hard, maybe we're afraid to go that way... afraid to face our own giants of fear, failure, and past hurts.  Many of us just believe we can't do it.  No matter what we've done in the past, no matter how hard we've tried, we've never been able to accomplish our goals or attain freedom from our desert, so why keep trying?  Why keep banging our head against the same wall?  We're tired of trying and failing, tired of picking ourselves up again and again and again, tired of toiling and working to "keep on keeping on," exhausted from going around and around the same loop... so we quit.  We walk home in the dark.  "I'm done. I can't live like this anymore. I give up."  

For some, a journey that could have been beautiful ends in devastating defeat. All is lost. The struggle was for nothing.  

But for others... even though they've had these same ongoing struggles, even though they've been on this very same, seemingly endless, journey... even though they too have raised their white flag in surrender... something is different.

Many sons and daughters of God will wake up in the midst of their long walk in the desert.  Their heads hurting from mistake after mistake, and their bodies tired from the journey, they will see the sand and feel the hot sun... and in a crucial moment of choice... instead of whining and complaining and trying to "figure it out," these blessed ones grab onto a small tingle of a thought... a soft and tiny whisper of a feeling... that maybe they're doing it wrong.  Maybe they're making things more complicated than they really need to be.  Maybe, just maybe, they will never be able to get out of this desert alone, and everything they are doing only serves to keep them lost.  In that miraculous moment, their white flag of surrender does not mark the giving up of all hope, but the laying down of who they are in trade for something much better...

Maybe that's all it takes.

What would happen if we just decided that we were moving on.  That we were leaving that looping cycle of defeat.  Not quitting.  Not abandoning the journey. But moving forward through the power and strength of Jesus Christ alone. Maybe we just start walking in that direction toward new life. Just a simple "yes" to God to do one simple thing His way... and we just start walking.  Sure, we'll make mistakes along the way.  We'll fail.  We'll stumble and fall.  But we won't beat ourselves up. And we won't go back to the desert.  We'll simply stand back up and keep walking.  Through faith.  One step at a time. Always saying "yes" to God because we've chosen to believe He's working it all out.

God can do miraculous things... He can heal the sick, bring the dead to life, part the seas, bring down fire from heaven... and so much more.  But I believe He can also crawl right into the middle of our mess, put His arms around us, and gently lead us out, one step at a time.  Loving, Leading, and Comforting all along the way.  And He does this because we are His and He desires to be with us forever.  Will we trust Him?

The Fragrance of Christ

"For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which exhales] unto God..."
2 Corinthians 2:15 AMP

Not too long ago, I had a dream in which I was teaching about the fragrance of Christ, and as I sit before the Lord this morning, I want to share the picture He has given me with you.  

Aroma is powerful.  It can overwhelm our senses, and bring back memories that seize our minds and take us to the very distant past like it was just yesterday.  I have experienced fragrance that filled me with so much longing it brought me to tears. There are some scents you wish you could inhale with your entire body and never have to exhale... to be always, endlessly wrapped in the aroma that fills your heart with love, sparks your imagination, and makes you tingle all over.   

That's how it is between the Heavenly Father and His children.  It will be hard for some of us to believe, but when our Father takes in our scent, He is filled with overwhelming love for us.  Perfect love that He can't hold back.  So much love that it brings Him to sing and dance over us with joy.  He wants to wrap us in His arms and never let us go... because we smell like Jesus.   

But sometimes there's a hint of something else that fills His senses... 

Every now and then I borrow my husband's jacket.  It carries his scent, and sometimes when I put it on, I get a rush of memory.  It takes me back to our younger days when our love was new and I was giddy with the anticipation of the next time I would see him or speak with him.  And it reminds me of more recent times, when I hug him with my face on his neck and inhale his fragrance. In the grip of those memories, I hug the jacket to myself and take in my husband's aroma as deeply as I can, basking in the joy of love.

But imagine what it would be like if there was a dead mouse in the inside pocket of the jacket.  If it hadn't been in there too long, the jacket might smell like my husband and bring back the same memories of life and love, but with a little hint of something "off."  Something that just doesn't smell quite right.  "What is that?" we would think.  

But if the dead mouse had been in there for a while, that jacket wouldn't smell like my husband anymore.  I would go to inhale its scent, expecting to relive the good times between us, and get a nose full of disgusting stench.  Even longer, and the stench would fill the closet, and then fill the room, driving me away.  

Regretfully, that's how it is sometimes between the Heavenly Father and His children. He adopted us into Himself with the blood of His Son Jesus because He loved us and longed for true and deep intimacy with us.  We carry the fragrance of Christ.  But when we "dabble" in sin... in our minds and in our bodies... it changes our scent from sweet to bitter.  And when our dabbling turns into a lifestyle, we carry the pungent stench of death.  

In my dream I said, "what we're talking about here is the fragrance of Christ and the smell of decay."  I weep at the longing of the Father to hold and love His children while the scent of death upon them pierces His heart with grief.  "I want to wrap you in My arms, speak intimately with you, and give you all My generous blessings, but you smell like sin."  

When we willfully compromise in our relationship with God and choose to walk in sin, and when we decide to live in ignorance instead of in the light of God's Word, we grieve the Father's heart, and WE suffer lack that leads to death.  A little sin here, a little sin there, and eventually we become a mutation of our former glory in Christ.  Where the secular world should look at the Body of Christ and see mutual love and support, every physical need met, none sick among us, and the overwhelming blessings of God the Father, instead they see lack... in every possible way... and they have no desire to join us in our hypocrisy. We have become lukewarm and ineffective, and we have rejected our God-given purpose.

But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. (Revelation 3:16-17 NLT)

This is a challenging message for all of us, and I am not excluded from that, but we need to hear it.  We have been deceived, and we have to get the sin out of our lives and begin to walk as God's new creation. We are supposed to be an example of victorious living, and we are supposed to bring the Living Water of Christ to all who come near us.  We are supposed to be a beacon drawing all men unto God, but instead we are wandering around in darkness. Sin cripples us and holds us back.  It robs us of joy, power, victory... it robs us of ALL things.

So I advise you to buy gold from Me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from Me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. (Revelation 3:18-19 NLT)

Ask God to open your eyes and show you your sin so you can live a life of repentance, so you can once again carry that clean, sweet-smelling aroma... so you can glory in living in the light of His face...  and so you can experience the Father singing and dancing over you with joy!  So many lives depend on us getting this right.  So many lost souls are waiting for us to show them the way. And time is short.  We can't wait any longer.  

On Being Content

"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment..." 1 Timothy 6:6

I was watching Phineas and Ferb with my kids this morning, and there was a bad guy... Khaka Peü Peü... who was trying to make Phineas have a bad day. Toward the end of the show, Phineas said, "Nothing can stop ME from having the best day ever!"  I chuckled at that because another more serious "bad guy" is always trying to make ME have a bad day, too.  But by the grace of God, I am making his job harder and harder by the second!

On any given day, several things happen that could very easily steal my joy.  It's the same for all of us.  We all have occasional issues with marriage, children, family, and friends.  We all sometimes deal with sleepless nights, illness, and back-to-back crazy busy days. The list of things that come at us on a daily basis is endless. 

Think of what life would be like if we never worried about any of that.  If no matter what happened in our normal everyday living, we were happy.  I haven't quite achieved that perfectly yet, but I can boast in Christ Jesus, because He is teaching me the secret to that very thing... and it's called, "I can do ALL things through Christ..."

The Apostle Paul, in Philippians 4:11-13, said:

"...I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me..."

He's not just talking about money and provision.  This verse can be applied to ANY sort of lack or problem.  Have you ever experienced "going hungry" in a dry marriage?  Or "suffering" the "need" of loneliness?  Have you ever suffered lack in parenting when you just didn't know what to do to help your kids?  Or even the bitter despair of divorce, serious illness, or losing a loved one?

In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul says:

"Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea... I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm..."

And still, he preached contentment in Christ, who always, unfailingly gave him strength in every situation. Just think what our lives would be like if we tapped into that kind of contentment no matter what we were going through.

Contentment in Christ is a weapon.  If I'm content with my circumstances... if I KNOW that no matter what, God has my back... there is nothing for the devil to steal. There is no lie he can tell me that I will believe.  There is no place where he can get a foothold.  True contentment in Christ closes all the doors and windows, and seals up all the cracks.  Then we can look forward to challenges that come our way because we know they will make us stronger, build us up in new ways, and help us to stand when it seems like all hell is breaking loose.

I pray for us all to see ourselves daily as warriors in Christ, and that we would know that no matter what, His strength has arrived and we hold VICTORY in our hands!

If I Only Had the Time...

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Ephesians 5:15-17

Today is the day before Thanksgiving, and I'm feeling introspective.  About 6 weeks ago, we quit homeschooling and put our kids in public school.  It has been wonderful and the kids are blossoming in ways that warm my heart.  Not only that, but it has brought a freshness into my relationship with each child because now I'm just mom.  I get to be someone they want to tell all their stories to, and a soft place to land when days are hard.  And sometimes, they actually miss me.  It's not that we didn't have a good relationship before, but this is definitely better. 

And now I'm a free agent.  Free to go and do whatever, whenever, I want.  And honestly, it's weighing on my heart... 

Like most people, I want to live my life well, especially now that I have all this free time.  I'm overwhelmingly aware that the time I have right now... seven hours alone every day... is a GIFT that could easily be squandered, but MUST be used WISELY.  Like the verse at the top says, I have to walk carefully and make the best use of my time, and in my life I've done my share of poor stepping, lackadaisical standing around, and squandering precious time completely away.  That's why I've been praying pretty earnestly for God to open my eyes and give me wisdom to follow in HIS footsteps.  

And now I see it.  Time has always been a gift.  Sure, I have more time on my hands now than I really know what to do with, but that doesn't make it any more of a gift than it was before.  I was always saying I didn't have time for this or that, or wished I had more time for one thing or another.  God's truth is that how much time you have isn't what really matters, it's what you choose to do with it that counts.  

We all know people who seem to have endless time.  One friend I know homeschools five daughters, runs two businesses, holds church in her home, and still has time for friends, gardening, and family fun.  I look at her and think I must be doing something wrong!  LOL  

But honestly, friends, it's truly all about perspective and CHOICE.  In this new season of my life, I have to begin to do the "hard" things.  I have to start chipping away at all my lists of things I've been saving for "when I have more time."  I was foolish to save those things for later because NOW is the time.  TODAY is the day of salvation.  My prayer for myself and all my loved ones is that we will cherish every moment we are given and obediently follow the Lord's voice in all things.  

Perspective

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I tell you, her sins--and they are many--have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love. Luke 7:47, NLT 

Let's be real for a second... With all our selfishness, pride, anger, jealousy, backbiting, greed, lust, idolatry, and murderous, adulterous thinking, has any of us really only been "forgiven little"?  I'm starting to think the truth of this verse is all a matter of perspective.  

There is no one righteous, not even one,
there is no one who understands,
there is no one who seeks God.
All have turned away,
together they have become worthless; 
Romans 3:10b-12

According to the Word of God, none of us can say we have been "forgiven little," but sometimes our lives show that's exactly what we believe.  

Let's look back at the comparisons made in Luke 7:36-50.  Jesus went to dinner at Simon's house, and Simon showed little care for Jesus... no water for His feet, no kiss of greeting, no anointing oil for His head. Even though Simon was a "church-goer," and a religious leader, he wanted to meet with Jesus in his home, eating the meal he provided, with the people he invited to be there... his way, his turf, on his schedule.  

What did the sinful woman do in comparison?  She sought Jesus out and did not rest until she found Him.  She entered a place where she was not invited and humbled herself before Christ in the face of her enemies.  She became undignified in throwing herself at His feet.  She kissed his feet and anointed them with tears and expensive perfume.  She wiped His feet with her hair.  She was desperate.  

I can imagine how she felt.  She wanted everything she had and everything she was to be completely laid-out before the One who would forgive her and save her life.  She knew her sin was great, and she was grateful.  She would not, could not, rest until all the love she felt for Him was fully expressed, fully spent.  Wherever He was, she wanted to be there.  Whatever He offered, she wanted to receive.  Whatever He said, she wanted to hear.  

And what was His response?  

He saw her.  He forgave her.  He loved her.  And He spoke the words she so desperately longed to hear... "Your sins are forgiven... Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

We have all been forgiven the same amount: completely.  Whether we are murderers and child molesters, or cradle-Christian housewives, we have ALL been forgiven MUCH.  When we really humble ourselves before God and see our sin for what it is... the very thing that crucified His Son, Jesus Christ... we will overflow with gratefulness and our hearts will cry out to serve Him above all others! 

The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit--O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject. Psalm 51:17, NET Bible.  

Prayer

"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." 
Lamentations 3:22-23

"I don't want anything to stand between us, oh God.  I want to walk tucked up underneath Your arm... wrapped in Your love, Your voice whispering in my ear as I live out this day." 

"I wanna stay right here, Father, right here in the midst of You..."

"I repent and renounce all that I have placed between us, and I place it under the Blood of Jesus.  I release it to You without burden and without condemnation, for You have made me blameless in Christ." 

"You have filled my life with love, peace, and good works in Christ.  You have made my life worth something, Father, and I'm so unspeakably grateful."

"Fill me up with Your Spirit and Your Word, oh God, and let what You have placed within me overflow to others today.  Allow my life to make a real and lasting and beautiful difference in the lives of those around me." 

"Without You I have nothing, and I am nothing, and everything is worth nothing.  All of life is empty without You, for You alone are worthy of praise, Oh God."

A Great and Effective Door

I was in prayer and studying this morning and the Lord was speaking about the "great and effective door."  I had a dream about it last week that I'd love to share, but this morning I want to tell you about something else that caught my eye.  

"But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries." (1 Corinthians 16:8-9)

I've read that a million times, but this morning it stuck out to me that 1.) he's staying in Ephesus seemingly because of adversaries, and 2.) he doesn't ask for prayer about that... he just quickly states it once and moves on to talk about Timothy.  And apparently there are many adversaries.  Still, no problem, he's not leaving, and he's not worried in the least.  No biggie.  

Huh???  

Then I looked up some commentaries and found this quote: 

"Adversaries and opposition do not break the spirits of faithful and successful ministers, but warm their zeal, and inspire them with fresh courage. A faithful minister is more discouraged by the hardness of his hearers' hearts, and the backslidings of professors, than by the enemies' attempts." ~Matthew Henry's commentary

This truly makes me smile because I think of Paul traveling where the Holy Spirit leads, doing the Lord's work, and when he comes to Ephesus and encounters "many adversaries," he's like, "Oh yeah, baby!  I'm staying here!  Bring it on!"  LOL  He's not only unaffected by the enemy's tactics, he's EXCITED because he knows it's a sign that God's hand is on the situation... that a GREAT and EFFECTIVE door has been opened to him... and OH, THE WONDERS he will see when he walks through that door because the MIRACULOUS is on the other side!!!  Many adversaries???  Who cares!!!  We're about to strike ministry GOLD!!  Haha!!

In the face of ministry, adversaries and opposition should make our mouths water to sink our teeth into what God has on the other side of our own "great and effective door."  Our eyes should be wide with wonder in the face of every attack, at the throwing of every stone, because we know our Great God is about to do something that will blow our minds and change lives forever!  

Hold to the Path

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"Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.











 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." Proverbs 4:26-27

Every morning this week, right when I woke up, I heard in my spirit, "get up and go for a walk."  Because I have struggled with obedience in some areas, and because I desperately want to be obedient and mature in Christ, I have gotten out of bed, put on my shoes, and headed out the door.  

On the first day, a cool, damp morning, I walked down my driveway and turned left.  I had a quick thought about the path I would take through my large, 1970s-era neighborhood, and in my mind I saw a flash of the longest route I usually take.  It takes about 20-25 minutes, and there are plenty of up- and downhill slopes. 

As I walked and prayed, I came to the first place I could turn and I thought, "oh, maybe I should go this way instead..."  Immediately, in my spirit I heard, "hold to the path." Still clinging to that sweet voice, I continued straight.  

Then I got to another street where I could turn left and thought about going that way... and I heard, "hold to the path."  And again, I continued straight.  

Then the Lord began speaking into my spirit...  

Stay on the road I have set out for you.  Follow me obediently.  Along the way, there will be hard uphill climbs when you have to press and push yourself to get to the top... and there will be times of refreshing in the downhill slopes... but do not stop, and do not change course...or you will tire out faster, become discouraged, and quit early....

As I kept walking, the Lord brought more things to mind that I needed to repent of and submit to Him, and I began to cry.  Then He spoke to me again... 

All along the way, if you hold to My path, there will be times of repentance designed to open your eyes to sin and free you from its grip.  Hold tightly to Me, My child...

Finally, as I began closing in on my destination, feeling lighter than I had when I started, He spoke again...

Hold to the path that I set out for you.  If you turn to the right or to the left and take a different course, you will miss divine appointments I have prepared for you... and you will not accomplish My purposes for your life...

A couple weeks ago I spoke at an outdoor event.  It was my first time speaking in ages, and I was pretty nervous.  I had prayed all week for the Lord to reveal His plan to me for that day, but I didn't receive it until 11pm the night before.  The message came to me in three parts, and I wrote it out as best as I could.

The next afternoon, as I was preparing to speak, I couldn't make much sense of the first part of my message.  I kept forgetting how it was supposed to go.  But the second part of the message was clear and burning in my spirit to get out....

I wasn't as sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit as I should have been that day, and instead of scrapping the first part and moving on to the second like I now know I should have, I trudged through it.  It made no sense, had no point, and was pretty much a disaster. 

But when I got to the second part, everything became clear.  It still wasn't as well put together as I would have liked, but I got out what the Lord had put on my heart...

The tragedy is that I ran out of time right after I ended that second part and I never got to the final part of my message... a salvation message about Jesus Christ. 


As I was walking the road that first day, the Lord showed me that when I decide to change course and go my own way, I miss important parts of the journey.  What would have happened if I had given the message the Lord wanted me to give?  Would more people have come to Christ that day?  If so, will those people have another chance, or was I their last appointment before eternity?

I am humbled by my prideful ways of thinking I know better than God. He knows the plans He has set out for me, and all the reasons behind what He asks me to do... with possible ripple effects reaching generations into the future.......   I am unspeakably thankful for His grace and mercy, and how He has faithfully shown me the error of my ways.  I pray He continues and allows me more opportunities to learn and grow... and that I am humble enough to see them when they come...  

"Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." 
Proverbs 4:26-27