Month: January 2019

Diligence in the small things.

I was extremely tired a few nights ago and all I wanted to do was sit, not think, move, or even speak. I don’t know if I’m the only one that has ever been like that, but I was tired. The list of things I had done that day was long, just like everyone else’s. On this evening M. (our three-year-old), seemed to have more energy than normal. He wanted my attention, and he was doing anything in his power to get it. He wanted me to play baseball, basketball, and go fish. My first thought was, I can’t wait till he is old enough to just play on his own, and I can go back to my lazy evenings at home. Then the Lord reminded me how lonely that can be, and how precious it is to hear his little voice and watch his imagination as he plays. God reminded me that M. would soon be as big as our two older ones and you only see them out of their room when it’s time to eat. I think we have all been guilty of saying “I can’t wait till…” (you fill in the blank). We seem to always be looking for the next big thing, the next big excitement in our lives, or the next holiday. We want to rush past the hard parts in our lives and just get to the good spots, the easy places, or the non-eventful times in our lives. But, is that what we are really called to do? Is that the way God wants us to live our lives? I don’t think so.

In the book of Acts, we read of Paul and his journey, and missions trips. The thing that stood out to me in Acts 20, Paul is meeting with the elders from Ephesus. He was talking to them and telling them that he was going to be going on to Jerusalem, and that he would not be seeing them again, because he knew he would die before he would see them again. Paul was pouring out his heart to these men and giving them some advice to carry them through the hard times that Paul knew they would face. As I read this I think that Paul had taken his time in the previous years during his time as a missionary, to train these elders to be the men and leaders that he knew they could be, because, Paul knew that he would not always be there to help them in their church. Paul was faithful in those everyday situations so that when he was not there he would know that those men could handle it.

Are we faithful in the everyday things so that when its our time to go to our next mission, appointment, job, etc., we can have the confidences that what we are leaving behind is grounded and strong. This challenges me to evaluate, am I training my boys in the small things everyday so that when I’m no longer with them all the time they make those right choices? The place that God has you right now, are you doing the best you can, or are you just getting by till something bigger comes along. My challenge this week is to thrive where you are now so when the time comes to move to the next stage of your life, you can be proud of what you have left behind! Like Paul you can know that what you are leaving behind is better then it was when you found it!

Acts 20:31-32 “Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears. And now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you and inheritance among all who are sanctified.” (CSB)

What is in a Name?

I had struggled for days seeking God and reading scripture attempting to find the right words that I needed to write this week that would speak to the hurting heart, the lost soul, or the tired parent. As I was driving the song by Hillsong “What A Beautiful Name” started to play. I couldn’t help but cry as I thought of all the times we take that precious name for granted His Name JESUS. A name that belonged to a heavenly king that became man, so He could feel the same pain we feel. So that He could bridge the division that was between man and the God that had so lovingly created us. The man named Jesus, that felt the sting of betrayal from one of His best friends as His friend kissed His cheek in a symbol of death. The man that listened as His own people told lies about Him and yet stood silent and never refuted anything they said. This was also the Man that reached down into the dust and made clay and touched the eyes of the blind and his sight was restored. The same man who spoke the words “Lazarus come forth” and Lazarus walked out of the grave! This same name we see in Acts 4:29-31 where the disciples were spreading the gospel and they were asking for courage to continue in their mission. They prayed “And now, O Lord hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus”. After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were filled with the Holy Spirt then they preached the word of God with boldness.” (LAB) WE have the privilege and honor to also be able to know that when we call out to Jesus that his name can split the darkness that we have around us. WE can see the power of God when we pray in Jesus name! WE can see families restored, lives changed and revival in our hearts, families, and church.

I have watched as satin has had to flee because of the power of that name. I have prayed that name over the door frame of my home, and over the beds of my children. I have prayed healing over my babies as they were sick, and I’ve seen mighty things happen because of the name of JESUS. If we can just soak up the thought and understand that He loves us more than anything. No matter where we have been, what we have done, Jesus took our penalty and He is just waiting for us to call to Him. WE can see mighty things happen if we will just call out to Him. I encourage you this week, seek Him in prayer. Pray over your family, your church, and your problems and watch what He can do! John 14:12-14 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” (LAB)

His mercy is new!

The past few mornings as I have let our 8-pound ball of brown fur out, to do his morning routine, I’ve been met by the sounds of birds chirping and warmer air touching my skin. The thing that draws my eyes and makes me to pull my phone out to take photos, is the sun as it pushes its way back up over the mountain. At the time I’m looking at it the sun has not quite made its way to its fullness, but its trying. Its pushing the yellows, reds, and oranges across the January Tennessee sky. The darkness that proceeded it is scurrying to the corners trying to hold on for just that one last minute but its failing miserable. As I look at the sights, hear the sound, and feel the air the scripture that keeps coming to my mind is found in Lamentations 3:21-23 “Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: because of the Lords faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!” (CSB)

Ahh the promise that each morning His mercy is new, and He has promised to be faithful to us, and His love does no perish. Have you ever noticed that when there are trials in your life that as you go throughout your day you are able to push the thoughts of worry aside and not dwell on them as much? You occupy you mind with cleaning house, your job, helping the kids with homework, or watching the ball game on TV. But, as the night approaches all the thoughts you were able to keep at bay during the day now floods your mind along with magnified thoughts of disaster or disappointment. Now I know I can’t be the only one that has laid my head down in bed and struggle to fall asleep due to the thoughts I’ve let creep into my mind. We may feel like we have failed in so many areas, things like raising our children, keeping our marriage fresh or just even keeping our marriage together. Let me stop and say, to be honest maybe your have failed, maybe you didn’t raise your children the way you really should have, maybe you did walk out on your family, or maybe you have an addiction or maybe you are the problem at work, but guess what, Gods mercy is new EVERY morning. No matter where you are in your life, if you’re in that dark place right now, know that just as the sun sets every night and leaves your part of the earth engulfed in darkness, within just a few hours the sun will be pushing back through that darkness and bringing you morning.

If we go back into the first two chapters of Lamentations we see that Jeremiah is talking to God about Jerusalem whom were part of God’s chosen people. They had turned their back on God and God had let them be taken in to captivity by the Babylonians. He had allowed some hard times to come on the people of Jerusalem and let them face some things that were not pleasant for them. We read how that no matter all the trials that Jeremiah reaches for the promises of God. He says “Yet, I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope!”

I want to encourage you to know that if you’re on the top of the mountain right now that is GREAT, but there’s someone who is not, and God wants you to know that His mercies don’t end, and He is faithful and all He wants is for you to seek Him out. Verse 25 said “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him” (CSB, Lamentations 3:25). Take time to seek God out and He will bring the Son rise that you need in your life.

Word of 2019

For the year 2019 God has given me the word “stretch”. What is the first thing we think of when we think about stretching something? Some of the first things that come to my mind are muscles, rubber, and clay. Let’s look at what happens when we stretch a rubber band, so bear with me just a minute while I try to explain how this works. When a rubber band is stretched the molecules that were previously all tangled up, like discarded fishing line, now becomes straight and aligned. As you continue to stretch the rubber band over and over it eventually changes its shape. So when I think of how God will stretch me it makes me excited to see God take my tangled mess and stretch it to align with His plan. I see God stretching me in my personal growth, my prayer life, and in my simple obedience. I also believe over the next year God will stretch my family, our finances and our time. My vison for the year is to see God take our tangled web of not enough time, energy, and money and stretch it to the point that in 2020 we, I, will be different. I long to become more aligned with His plan. “Enlarge the site of your tent and let your tent curtains be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your ropes and drive your pegs deep. For you will spread out to the right and to the left, and your descendants will dispossess nations and inhabit the desolate cities” (Isaiah 54:2-3 CSB).

Stretching can be inconvenient or even painful at times. It can mean stepping outside of your comfort zone, agreeing to sing at your church, speaking words of forgiveness to someone that hurt you. Stretching can mean increasing your giving above your normal ten percent. It’s in the form of serving at a community shelter and sitting aside our desire for perfection in our homes and spending face to face time with our children. But, just like the rubber band, if we continue to stretch ourselves and align our hearts, and desires with Gods will, we will start to see a change in ourselves. The things that used to be difficult will become easier, the bad attitudes we may have had will start to disappear because we have stretched ourselves. With the stretching comes a promise as we saw in Isaiah 54:3. He has promised to give us blessing if we follow His will.

So, my challenge to you today is ask God where you need to stretch? What is it that needs to be brought into alignment with Him? Seek God this week and open your heart to His leading and He will greatly reward you!

Welcome

     

       As I was praying about what God wanted me to focus on in 2019, I was given one word, “stretch” (more on this later what that word means to me). I have personally never experienced a “word of the year” before, but the past few months I have been seeking God to give me clarity on where He wanted me to serve. I had written down my desires of what I knew my heart wanted to do but I was unsure what that would all looked like. I have had a heavy heart to be able to  encouraging fellow Christians and helping them know that they are not alone in the struggles that they may face. So, I prayed, God you have given me a heart to see others excel in Gods word and know more about you, but where did I fit in with His plan.

      A few months ago, we had a worship night at our church. It was one of those rare evenings we were able to leave our three-year-old at home with Grandma and I was able to worship next to my husband without interruption. The worship team sang several songs and I was in my zone of worshiping God and asking Him for direction in what He wanted me to do. I heard Him tell me, “I’ve given you the ability to write, so write”. I had to sit down as the tears flowed. The presence of God was so strong at that moment that I knew without a doubt I was to write. I left that worship service that night knowing what God wanted me to do. I told my husband a few days later what I was supposed to do, and he supported me all the way. Since that time, I have written, and I have received ideas down loaded to me from God on what to write next, but fear started to filter in. What if I wasn’t good enough, what if no one wanted to read what I wrote, how was I going to get what God gives me to the audience he wants to hear it.
      This past Sunday morning we had another great service and at the end of the service we joined hands in prayer. As I was praying I heard God once again this time say to me, you are writing for me, not anyone else. God made it clear that it was the act of obedience that He wanted from me at this point and He would take care of the rest. So here I am writing, obeying God and I’ll put the results into His hands. As clear as the message was from God I still have second guessed myself even now as I sit here writing, but I will continue to write and trust God for the outcome.
     I have several goals of what I would like to see happen with my writings, but I know that no matter where it may lead, or who reads what God gives me to write, His word will not return void. He will make sure to touch lives I could never imagine touching! All I do, I do for the glory of God and in a simple act of obedience I will, write!

    So please join me each Monday evening as I post what God lays on my heart.  I pray that it will bless you and encourage you no matter where you are in your life.