Embracing the Growing Pains

If you've had an extremely uncomfortable past two months raise yo' hand!....I'm pretty sure my fingertips are touching the clouds right now.  The word uncomfortable means "causing discomfort or distress;  painful; irritating; uneasy; conscious of stress or strain."  


  So let me ask you the amplified version of the question:  Have the past two months caused you discomfort or distress, uneasiness, awareness of stress or strain, and have left you feeling irritated?  They certainly have for me, and I'll tell you why.


At the beginning of October I began a new journey in life.  I started a brand new profession in a brand new location, not because it was my idea, but because it was what God told me to do next.  Now this didn't necessarily make sense to me, because the whole reason we moved was for ministry.  But nothing has to make sense at first if God tells you to do it, right?  None-the-less, the anxiety began.  I felt like I was thrust into the middle of a hurricane named "Real Estate."......(not a hurricane named "Ditka" for those of you who get it;)  Because of this I was having night-sweats, blurry vision, and breakdowns. (maybe not the night-sweats, but I'll explain the blurry vision and breakdowns)


   Let's talk about the breakdowns and the blurry vision.  When we moved here we knew that God said he would prosper us, not just spiritually, but financially too.  I even had dreams of our house and its location.  It sounded like the transition was going to be easy-beasy, light and breezy, nice and easy, berries and cream.  But mummy was wrong. This was not the case. 


   Over the past 6 months I had not made any money due to the fact that I was getting my real estate license (we both agreed I pursue it full time without having another job).  We had been living on very little, but the bills were being paid.   Yet I began to struggle with guilt that I put on myself for not being able to produce any wealth in this moment, and the thought of failing after taking a risk and sacrificing much.  Not to mention the fact that growth in a new ministry did not necessarily happen at Chia Pet speed. And then the breakdown(s) occurred.  "If this is what God told me to do, then why is it like this.....I don't understand.....Maybe if should get another job....I can't..."  And then the Lord spoke to my spirit.


First of all, it wasn't about my ability to produce wealth in this moment, or what I could do at all.  It was about acting on what God told me to do and trusting Him to take care of the rest (including in ministry).

"If you're a hard worker and do a good job, you deserve your pay;  we don't call your wages a gift.  But if you see that the job is too big for you, that it's something only God can do, and you trust him to do it--you could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked--well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God." Romans 4:4 msg

Second, my vision was clouded.  I wasn't looking ahead at what God said he would do, I was looking at where I was now and what I couldn't do in my own strength.

"When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do.  And so he was made father to a multitude of peoples."  Romans 4:18 msg

Third, I needed to go back to the rules of simple obedience:  "If God tells you to do it, it doesn't have to make sense.  Just do it.  You'll be happy you did."

"He (Abraham) didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions.  He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said."  Romans 4:20 msg

Lastly, I needed to embrace what God was doing for me in this moment and submit to it.

"Take your everyday, ordinary life-your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life and place it before God as an offering.  Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him." Romans 12:1 msg

  Can I see the why's and how's during this process?  Nope.  Do I know that there is a good reason that He has me in this place?  For sure.  But here are a few things I do know:  After every major breakdown, there is a breakthrough.  If you are comfortable, then you are not growing.  During every major period of growth, there will be discomfort, irritation, pain, stress, and strain.  That's what happens when you're being molded for what God has next.  That's what happens when your faith is being stretched and increased!

So I leave you with a few scriptures about faith and works....


"Abraham was first named "father" and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do:  raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing."  Romans 4:17


"Fulfillment of God's promise depends entirely on trusting God and his way, and then simply embracing him and what he does."  Romans 4:16


"Abraham entered into what God was doing for him, and that was the turning point.  He trusted God to set him right instead of trying to be right on his own."  Romans 4:3


"God does not respond to what we do;  we respond to what God does.  We've finally figured it out.  Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade." Romans 3:27,28


"The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him."  Romans 12:3

Only One You

What I want to say in this post is very short and sweet.....kind of like Webster

                                                     


 We are all originals, with no copies made.   Being an original means "arising or proceeding independently of anything else."  Each of us were made individually with different gifting's for a specific reason.


"Each person is given something to do that shows who God is:  Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits.  All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people!" 1 Cor 12:7 msg


On one hand there are people who feel as though, unless they dress a certain way, write songs a certain way, teach a certain way, or act a certain way, or have certain gifting's, they won't be validated for who they are.  They have dreams and plans, but are too afraid to live them out the way they were created to because of the fear of man's opinion.  They look at the lives of people who have successfully carved out paths similar to what their own hearts want, deciding they need to duplicate the exact steps that were taken, instead letting God tailor their own.


"If Ear said, 'I'm not beautiful like Eye, limpid and expressive;  I don't deserve a place on the head,' would you want to remove it from the body?  If the body was all eye, how could it hear?  If all ear, how could it smell?  As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it." 1 Cor 12:16-18 msg


On the other hand, there are people who think that everyone else needs to be like them in order for the world to go round.   They have the secret formula to their own destiny.....and yours too! (note the sarcasm)  If you dress like them, talk like them, think like them, have their gifting's, and follow their steps, there will be this amazing end result!  One big, walking talking "THEM"!

                                                 






 "But I also want you to think about how this keeps your significance from getting blown up into self-importance.  For no matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of.  An enormous eye or a gigantic hand wouldn't be a body, but a monster." 1 Cor 12:19


It's so true.  A gigantic eye or a gigantic hand would look like a monster.  And that's usually what's created when people aren't allowed to be themselves.


  Don't try to be exactly like someone else.  Don't try to make someone be exactly like you.   Wherever you are in life, whatever you do, just be yourself.  The world (and God) needs a "you" because they have no one else to fit your shoes.

"You are Christ's body-that's who you are!  You must never forget this.  Only as you accept your part of that body does your 'part' mean anything."  1 Cor. 12:27

Hitting The Reset Button

  


 I've been feeling a little off.  Ok maybe not a "little" off, more like "majorly" off.  Like looking at a child who accidentally shaved off their eyebrows, or like looking at a man who sprayed ninety percent of his "hair" on, in a shade three times too dark.  Or even perhaps watching a shark, riding an elephants back, trampling and eating everything in its way.  In any case, I had to ask myself what was causing me to have this imbalanced feeling.
   As I thought about the weeks that had passed, I realized the very thing that was "off" was my relationship with God.  And I was longing for Him.  I was feeling almost distant, like I wasn't able to hear, feel, or communicate with Him.  Now, obviously I knew that He was right there with me.  In Hebrews 13:5 God says, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 


 So if this was true, then I must have walked away somewhere, instead of letting Him carry me there.  And at that very moment, I heard it.  HUMILITY.


   It was like a sweet kick to the stomach with a steel toed "God" boot.  No prideful person wants to hear that they've been prideful.  Most think they are humble, but are in fact humble braggers. (Now humble bragging is "form of self-promotion where the promoter thinks he is, almost subliminally, bragging about himself in the context of a humble statement."  Like "Rockstar A" tweeting, "Checking out at CVS and my song comes on the speakers.  Awkward......"  What Rockstar A was really saying was, "hand me the golden scepter and crown me King of the Airwaves, pharmacy wench!  Tally ho!")


For me, it wasn't as much in speech as it was an attitude of my heart.  Maybe I thought  I was "entitled" to certain things because of the good and bad experiences we went through over the years.  Maybe I thought I'm the one that should be doing "that" because I'm called to it and I know how it can be done.  Maybe I thought I'd had enough of serving, especially since even all my jobs I'd ever had were based on that one thing (nurses aid, waitress, nanny, house cleaner).  I always felt like I got a slice of humble pie every time someone asked me what I did for a living.  But this was me looking at myself from a human perspective, not a heavenly one.  Jesus said:


"All who make themselves great will be made humble, but those who make themselves humble will be made great"  Luke 14:11 NCV


 Such nonsense in the grand scheme of God's plan.  What ever happened to me serving people out of love and a joyful heart, no matter what the task?  Instead I had made it about me.  I had gotten sidetracked about what was important and allowed other influences to cloud my vision, instead of mirroring what Jesus did (He happened to be the servant of all).  It's like the saying, "what you behold you become."  


"Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.  Put away from you a deceitful mouth and put devious speech far from you.  Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.  Watch the path of your feet and all of your ways will be established.  Do not turn to the right or the left"  Proverbs 4:23-26


   I began to think back when I first started to do ministry, all I wanted was to be used by God to help people, and I still do.   But I didn't want anything in return.  I didn't want recognition or position.  I just wanted Him, and I wanted people to know Him.  I realized then that God was asking me to hit the RESET button.  To humble myself before Him and go back to that pure heart.  It's in that place where we can hear and see Him so clearly.  


"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."  Matthew 5:8 


"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."  James 4:10


I was ready for a fresh start with Him as my focus. 


"God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life." Psalm 51:10 msg


"Going through the motions doesn't please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you.  I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered.  Heart-shattered lives ready for love don't for a moment escape God's notice."  Psalm 51:16,17 msg




When I felt distant from God, I realized it was because "me" was getting in the way. I felt a huge hole in my heart.  Like if He didn't fill, I couldn't survive.  His Spirit graciously allowed me to realize how much I couldn't rely on my own strength, how much I really needed him. 


"God blesses those who are poor (in spirit) and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs."  Matthew 5:3  NLT 


    Many of us have been feeling like there's distance between ourselves and God, and it's not because he's been playing hide and seek.  It is is simply because we've created it by where we placed ourselves before Him.  We want his instructions, we want to hear his voice, but many of us don't want to admit that our pride has gotten in the way. Daniel was a great example of how we should posture ourselves before the Lord.  Because he began to pray for understanding and to humble himself before the Lord, his request was heard in heaven and his prayer was being answered (Daniel 10:12)  


It's in this place of humility where we can hear his instructions and he will hear us, because we are sitting there right at his feet.  It really is as simple as hitting the reset button.


"The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way."  Psalm 25:9


"Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom."  Psalm 51:6 NKJV


   

The Transition

  Last month my husband and I FINALLY transitioned into a new season in our lives.  Over the past four and a half years, God had us in a place where He spent some time preparing us.  When I say He "spent some time preparing us," what I really mean is "it was the best and worst time in our lives."  You know, one of those times where people say to you "what doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger," but while they're saying it you are daydreaming that your punching them in the knee caps.

In hindsight, they were right.  Last season changed us.  It was great at times and very painful at times, but we knew God had us there for a reason.




"We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next.  In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged.  Quite the contrary-- we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"  Romans 5:3-5 msg

We came out stronger, wiser, and ready.  Ready to go to where God wanted us to go, and to do what He wanted us to do.  Ready for the birth of the new.


Now, the transition period was a little longer than I had imagined.  I thought that when we felt the "stirring" we would immediately find out where God was sending us next.  Like maybe we'd be gone in a month or so.  Wrong-o.  It was more like a year or so.  The most confusing year of my life.  At first we thought we were going, then staying, then going.  Opportunities would arise and doors would open, but they weren't the ones God wanted us to walk through.  I felt all over the place.  My head and my emotions were pretty much like Corky Romano......

  All kidding aside, God knew what He was doing, even when I didn't.


"For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." Matthew 6:8


 He was teaching us to wait on Him and his timing.  God was preparing a place for us and providing the means for us to be able to afford the move.
     Finally the time came when God told us where to "Go."  As soon it happened, everything snapped into place very quickly.  Our jobs transitioned smoothly and ended right on time.  We found an apartment in a beautiful area, right on time.  It was so exciting that God was sending us to one of the most beautiful cities in America to help plant a new church and ministry!  This was going to be a whole new life for us!  I was in la-la land.


It was time pack up and get ready to go.   I was mentally prepared... or at least i thought I was.  As the weeks went on,  I started to feel as though everything was getting messy.   It's the same feeling as when your eating spaghetti, and no matter how much you try to stop it, a big saucy meatball boogie boards down your white shirt.  All of my wonderful "crap" was piled up in boxes, my car started to go lady-gaga on me, the moving expenses continued to pile up, and some relationships got tense.  I began to wonder what in the heck was going on here?! 

Weren't things supposed to go more smoothly?  Like perhaps all of my belongings would be transported on a fluffy white cloud guided by doves, all while I sipped on a frosty beverage served to me by cherubs.  The money, of course, would be provided to me by the money tree growing in my back yard and not from my savings.


And then through the chaos I heard the Lord speak.  He said, "giving birth is messy."  

Leave it to God to be right!  We were giving birth to a new season in our lives.  And things were bound to get messy and feel disorganized.   And trust me, after the transition I am still feeling a mix of emotions, just like a lot new parents do.  They say parents with new babies can go from experiencing pure love, to total fear, to regret, to anxiety, and back to total bliss all in thirty seconds.  And it's from the uncertainty of not being in "the groove" yet and not really knowing what to do or what exactly to expect because its new.  And that's human. 


One thing I do know is that the Lord is faithful and His promises are steadfast.  God would never send us to a place and then not sustain us.  


"The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.  The lord lifts up all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.  The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.  You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing." Psalm 145:13-16 NIV


"I know what I'm doing.  I have it all planned out--plans to take care of you, not to abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." Jer. 29:11 MSG




When it's all said and done, I really truly know that in this season things are going to be great!  Will it be all roses and and fairytales?  Nope.  But God is a good Father.  He is looking out for our best interest and the best interests of those he sends us to.


"He trained us first, passed us like silver through refining fires, brought us into hardscrabble country, pushed us to our very limit.  Road-tested us inside and out, took us to hell and back;  Finally he brought us to this well watered place."  Psalm 66:11,12 msg

Fun Fact:  the Connecticut state motto means "He who transplanted continues to sustain."  thanks Katie Pichotta;)

   

Faith and The Little Things

A few months ago, everything changed.  My husband and I decided that we were going to move to a brand new city and help plant a church.  What was the catalyst of this change you ask?  Well, quite frankly, God said "Go".  We all know that when God says "Go" you go because you know that whatever he has waiting for you is much better than staying where you're at.   We also know that wherever He asks us to go is the "zipcode to our destiny," and what an awesome thing that is!  This is an a act of great faith.


"What is faith?  It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen.  It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.  God gave his approval to people in the days of old because of their faith.  By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen."  Hebrews 11:1-3  NLT


For many of us, we have entered into a new season in life.  But not just any 'ole season, THE LIFE CHANGING season.  All I can describe it as is we are going through a complete metamorphosis:


Metamorphosis- a profound change in form from one stage to the next in the life history of an organism, as from the caterpillar to the pupa and from the pupa to the adult butterfly.  


Now, I don't expect that the caterpillar is worried about the details on how they will reach their destiny as a butterfly, but I know that I am beginning to become anxious about the details in my own life change.   I am leaving steady income, loved ones, and a home behind.    I have faith for the big change, so why am I having a hard time with the little ones like new jobs, homes, friends, money etc?  I wanted to cry.  I began to ask the Lord for wisdom.  He told me to read Hebrews 11.


"By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land.  He was warned about something he couldn't see, and acted on what he was told.  The result?  His family was saved."  Hebrews 11:7


"By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God's call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home." Hebrews 11:8


"By faith, barren Sarah was able to become pregnant, old woman as she was at the time because she believed the one who made a promise would do what he said."  Hebrews 11:11


"Through acts of faith, they toppled kingdoms, made justice work, took the promises for themselves.  They were protected from lions, fires and sword thrusts, turned disadvantage to advantage, won battles, routed alien armies." Hebrews 11:33,34


After I read this I thought about their situations.  Because they were human, they probably had their anxieties and thoughts about everything too.  I'm sure the "how's" and "why's" passed through their minds, but one thing they had was foresight.  They marched ahead anyway because they had eyes to see the end result.  They also had eyes to see God as the trustworthy Father he really is.   
This is key to overcoming the how's and whys.  When we put our focus on God, it shifts our vision from the anxious details of our changes in life.   This brings peace.


"People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole, steady on their feet because they keep at it and don't quit.  Depend on God and keep at it because in the Lord God you have a sure thing."  Isaiah 26:3,4 msg


"The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does."  Psalm 145:13 NIV


Sometimes I think that the reason why God doesn't tell us all the details right away is because maybe we'd force things to happen before the right time.  Or maybe we would end up not talking with him as much about what's on our heart, or include him in our day to day decisions.  He longs to be a part of our daily thoughts and actions. This is what intimacy is.


"Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own.  Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track."  Proverbs 3:5,6 msg


I guess when I think about it this way, it takes my worries away and makes me appreciate the way God orchestrates everything in our lives. 


  


  Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him."  Hebrews 11:6 msg

Changing Focus

A few weeks ago,  I was surprised when the 3yr old I watch gave me some wise advise.  I'll call her "Yogurt"  (It's the Spaceballs version of Yoda, but hey, one of her favorite foods happens to be yogurt).   I was in the living room having a tea party with Yogurt and Otto the Polar Bear when all of a sudden she got serious.  She looked at me and said, "Cass, life changes.  It always does.  And I can't do anything about it."  
Quickly I turned Yogurt around and looked for the zipper to this very life-like "child suit" she was wearing.  I couldn't find it.  Then I tried to pull off her well-made "little girl" mask, but it wouldn't come off!  Eventually I came to the realization that I had been mentally trumped by a 3yr old,  and I also came to the realization that God was speaking to me through this precious child.


There are many of us who have recently entered a season of change (and everyone should say Amen!).  Some are adding to family and some are "leaving and cleaving".  Some are moving and establishing new lives with new relationships and some are cultivating where they are and the relationships they are in.  Some are letting God tear down old mind-sets to make room for renewed mind-sets.  Some are off to plant with new vision while others will build on a vision where the foundation has been set by a forerunner who could only take it so far. Whatever the change is, it is ordained by God:


"There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven.  A time to be born and a time to die.  A time to plant and a time to harvest.  A time to kill and a time to heal.  A time to tear down and a time to rebuild.  A time to cry and a time to laugh.  A time to grieve and a time to dance.  A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.  A time to embrace and a time to turn away.  A time to search and a time to lose.  A time to keep and a time to throw away.  A time to tear and a time to mend.  A time to be quiet and a time to speak up.  A time to love and a time to hate.  A time for war and a time for peace."  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8


All good things must come to an end so an even better thing can begin! I am so excited for the new thing God is doing in my life and I definitely know it's for my benefit, but i will be the first to admit that I'm a little, well, anxious about  the unknown details.  The "how's" and "why's" of jobs, money, houses, etc. etc. etc.  It's like wearing leather pants in the summer, seeing a grown man wear "jorts", or watching someone wear socks with sandals.  IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE!!!  But we can either learn to ride the wave or drown ourselves in it.


 It's what we focus on that will determine how we handle the change and how we handle life!  Jesus said it best:


"So don't worry about having enough food or drink or clothing.  why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things?  Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern."  Matthew 6:31-33


It's as simple as that.  Making the Kingdom of God our primary concern.  If we learn to keep our focus on His Kingdom, loving others, and serving others instead of ourselves,  then it allows God to take care of the details in our own lives and the changes ahead without us getting in the way of His perfect plan.  We also end up finding ourselves worry-free like a child who says "Life changes. It always does. I can't do anything about it.....but I'll trust and obey."


"If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself.  But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me."  Matthew 10:39 msg


"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled to the fullness of life and the power that comes from God.  Now glory be to God!  By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope."  Ephesians 3:16-20

WIll You or Won't You?

As the past few weeks rolled by, I've been noticing a reoccurring theme that people have had on their minds.  Obedience to the will and call of God on one's life.  I log into Twitter.  It's there.  I log onto Facebook.  It's there.  I randomly decide to watch a movie on Netflix entitled "What If?".  It's even there.  It's like a rash that won't go away, only it's not itchy.  Or maybe like the mustache one get's after drinking fruit punch.  Every time you go past a window or mirror, no matter how many times you try to rub it off,  the image of your face is accompanied by a red fu-man-chu stain.


None the less, I finally asked, "Are you there God, it's me, Margret.....Ahem, I mean it's me, Cassy.  What is it that you want me to see?"  


It all started when I turned on the movie "What If?"  The movie was about a man who was called to be a pastor, but instead of going to seminary,  he made a choice to go to business school and pursue "success" and "happiness" without God.  Needless to say, 15 yrs later he was a wealthy investment banker who made millions.  He chose to walk through an open door, but not the one God had called him to.  So after he bumped his head in a car accident, an angel came to him in the form of a mechanic (i know, i know) and showed him the life he would have had if he chose God's will for him, hence the title "What if?"  He ended up realizing that God's choice was the best choice after all.  At the end of the movie, he woke up back into the reality of what he originally chose.  He ended up leaving investment banking and going to seminary, taking God up on His second-chance offer.  


It's almost like It's A Wonderful Life, I know!  But it really spoke to me, cheese and all.  God knows best, even if we think He doesn't.   There may be more than one open door presented to us, but our choice should be the one that we know God has called us to walk through (we prayed about it and He said yes).  If we aren't obedient to what we know God is on, then we may find ourselves on a hamster wheel (with a very sick stomach and no peace, mind you).  Let me put it to you this way.  A wise person once said that if you birth something from the flesh, you have to maintain it in the flesh, but if you birth something from the Spirit (what God births for you), His spirit will maintain it for you.  In lay-persons terms, when you try to do something without the go-ahead from God, you will eventually burn out because you yourself will have to do all the work.  This means even if it looks like God or is a good opportunity that seems like it'll get you to your destiny!
But if you wait and walk through the door that God opens which says, "YES this is what I want you to do," His Spirit is all you need for maintenance. 


Essentially, it's obedience to God that activates His strength. (El Sali) 


"Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess." Deut. 11:8


We should expect that when we cross into the "land" He promised us, He will also provide His spirit to help grow and maintain the fruit.   One of the big differences between the land of Egypt (the place of bondage where the Israelites came from) and the promised land was the source of water.  (water and rain are a symbol of the Holy Spirit)  In Egypt rain was so scarce that people had to toil and dig irrigation canals just to get water to the crops.  This was a lot of hard labor just to get things to grow.  But in the promised land, it just rained at the proper times and then the people gathered the harvest.  Growing things that produced fruit were as simple as that. 


"The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden.  But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven.  It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.  So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today- to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul---then I will send rain on your land in it's season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil.  I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied."  Deut. 11:10-15


Something that one shouldn't expect right away when walking into the promises of the Lord is to get everything all at once.  Why, you ask?  Because if we received it all at once, we wouldn't be able to handle it.  


"The Lord your God will drive those nations out ahead of you little by little.  You will not clear them away all at once, otherwise the wild animals would multiply too quickly for you."  Deut. 7:22


We receive the fruit of His promises bit by bit so we can grow and expand properly.  So for those of you who are already walking in "the land," I bet you have a lot more territory to conquer.


When walking in obedience, there is one thing we must make certain we hear:  HIS VOICE FOR OURSELVES.  Not her voice, your dog's voice, your cat's voice, William Shatner's voice (although tempting...), or even someone else's voice we trust, telling us that God's voice is telling them what we should do and what door to go through (I am so out of breath right now).  No my friends, we need to hear direction directly from God himself.  Let me give you an example:


 1 Kings 13 tells the story about a prophet of God giving a message to King Jeroboam, who was worshipping and sacrificing to pagan Gods on the altar in Jerusalem.  The prophet spoke to the altar and said that God would raise up a child named Josiah who would burn all the pagan priests on it.  As a sign, the prophet said that the alter would split apart and it's ashes would be spilled out.  The King raised his hand to seize the prophet of God and as he did, his hand was paralyzed in that position, whilst the altar cracked and spilt out ashes.  The King begged the prophet to ask God to restore his hand.  The prophet prayed and his hand went back to normal.  The king asked the prophet to eat, drink, and stay over before his journey back.  But the prophet of God refused because he said God gave him this command:  "You must not eat any food or drink or any water while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came."  So the prophet left on his journey.  Another old prophet heard of this man of God and sent went after him to fetch him.  The old prophet asked the man to come back (to Bethel) and eat some food with him.  The prophet of God told the old prophet the command God had given him about not eating or drinking or staying in the town.  But the old prophet told the prophet of God, "I am a prophet, too, just as you are.  And an angel gave me this message from the Lord. 'Bring him home with you, and give him food to eat and water to drink.'  The old man was lying, but the prophet of God believed him and went back and ate and drank.  Then a message came to the old prophet from the Lord, saying that the man of God would die because of his disobedience to Lord's message. 


 Needless to say, the man of God was eaten by a lion on the way home while his donkey looked on.  The reason I shared this story from 1 Kings 13 was because of this blatant reason:  Stick to what you know the Lord is telling you to do.  Be obedient to HIS VOICE ALONE for yourself and not what someone else claims God is telling them to tell you to do.  Even if they are a trusted friend, mentor, or pastor.  They still do not replace your communication with God.  I'm definitely not saying you shouldn't seek wisdom or counsel from a trusted friend or pastor, because you should.  I'm not saying if you mess up a lion will eat you or a Wookie will shoot you with his intergalactic space gun.   A word or piece of advice from someone else should line up with what you know in your spirit God has called and told you to do, as well as line up with the Word of God.  When your decisions and choices have His "Yes" stamped on it,  peace will accompany those decisions in your spirit. 


Even I am at a cross-roads right now.  There may be more than one open door, but my choice should be the one stamped with His "Yes".  This means even if it looks like God or is a good opportunity that seems like it'll get me to my destiny,  I still need to pray about those doors until I hear His answer for myself.  And whatever His answer may be, I will gladly walk through it.  I know if God told me to do it, He will provide for me, be my strength, and be my guide because it is His will and not mine.


"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.  He will not rebuke you for asking.  But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone.  Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind."

Crying for No Reason?

  I've been feeling rather weepy this past week and I've had no idea why.  No, it's not my hormones or "that" time of the month.  You could tell me, "Your shoelaces are untied," and I'd weep.  You could say, "Yo Cass those potato chips are legit, but I ain't so keen on them pretzels.." and I'd sob in the fetal position.  You could even say, "I love blueberries" and I'd wail because the strawberries were left all alone.  (you could, however, say you wanted to punch a kitty in the face and i wouldn't necessarily object.)
      Needless to say, I've felt almost like I was in mourning for something and I wasn't sure what exactly that was.  I started to talk to a few of my friends and I realized I wasn't alone.  They said they felt the same way, almost like they lost someone they held dear.  And something occurred to me.   Maybe I wasn't being a fruity pie or needing hormone therapy.  Maybe we were all mourning what has been happening in the world around us.   And Maybe we all are sensing a change that is coming in our lives.    Maybe all this behavior is actually the pre-ceding emotions right before we give birth to something new and leave the old way of life behind.
        I've heard that right before it's time to give birth, your emotions heighten.  In fact, they say "just take all  the emotions you've felt over the past eight months, intensify them, and then combine them.  You may be tired of being big, tired of being tired, and very ready to get the pregnancy over with."  Many woman say that a few days before they gave birth they begin to cry all the time for no apparent reason.  Sound familiar?


"All around us we observe a pregnant creation.  The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs.  But it's not only around us;   it's within us.  The Spirit of God is arousing us within.  We're also feeling the birth pangs.  These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance.  That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother.  We are enlarged in the waiting.  We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us.  But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.  Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right along side helping us along.  If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter.  He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans.  He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God.  That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."  Romans 8:22-28 msg


This scripture says it all!   
So maybe I'm not that crazy.  
 we are observing pain in the world right now, and maybe we are feeling the birth pangs within.  So maybe instead of just crying we cry out to God for help.  Help for our world, help for our nation, and help for us to push through into the next season without fear, anxiety, worry, or doubt.  Maybe He doesn't want to do it alone.  Maybe He wants to co-labor with us?

Patience to the Point of Explosion

   It seems as though we are on the cusp of something big about to happen (Ooh, cusp!  I haven't used that word since SAT prep in high school english ten years ago.  Yes, I said ten.  But I graduated when i was eleven, didn't you?).   I've been feeling like I am ready for a change!  Not a change like "I want to cut my hair off, dye it purple, bungee jump off Brooklyn bridge, and become a professional muskrat wrangler" but more like a "new season" change.
     My husband and I have been experiencing a transition, so to speak, over the past year.  We really haven't been sure if we've been coming or going.  One thing we do know is that we've been waiting.  Waiting for some promises to come into now.
    The past couple of days I've been feeling like I'm going to explode if something doesn't give.    And then God reminded me of something that happened three years ago.


   My husband drove an old 98 Malibu with 270,000 miles on it that I endearingly called "My Boo".  It was the first car I ever owned and she was paid for.  I babied "My Boo", and she was good to us.  Little  did I know, she was misbehaving due to her age.  My husband didn't tell me she could die any day now.     
     One day he was traveling home from working in Greenwich on 95 north (which I also endearingly call "The Bain of My Existence") and traffic was coming to an abrupt stop ahead.  Needless to say, he was hit from behind and pushed into the car in front of him, totaling the Malibu.  Thank God he was untouched, but now we had to deal with getting another vehicle.  We really needed a new car, but in this way?
   The next month was a nightmare trying to get money from the insurance company.  What should have taken a week took a month to get settled.  Consequently I was one frazzled lady.  I scoured ads, dealerships, and craigslist alike for cars.  We always consult the Lord about our decisions, but i was at the point where I wanted to take out a loan to get something because I was desperate.  But we just didn't feel peace about any decision, even though we really needed something.  Finally after a month of waiting, we received a measly check of $3,000 for the car.  The only thing I could think was "Good luck getting something that's not a piece of junk for that price in Connecticut."  During this time I joked with my husband, asking him when we would buy our Saab, since I had a dream about driving one the year before.  We laughed because we knew they were expensive to own and expensive to fix. 
     One day on my way to work I saw a little beater car that was right around our price range.  I offered the owner close to the price and in cash no less.  I was sure he'd take it since it was greenback, right?  Wrong.  He refused to sell it to me for a few hundred less than I had.  I left crying hysterically.  I beat my fists on the steering wheel of the loaner car.  I punched the air.  I wanted God to pity us.  He had always taken care of us, but it just seemed as though this time we were in a very unfortunate pickle. 
     When I got home, I turned on the computer, sobbing of course, and looked at craigslist again for the hundredth time.  I saw an ad for a Saab 9-5 with 89,000 miles on it for $3500.  I kelly blue booked it and found that it was worth $10,000.   I laughed because I thought it was a scam, but I decided to test the waters any way.  I emailed the seller and waited.
  The next thing I knew, I got an email from the seller saying he lived in the area and he would be glad to show it to us.  He left his number.  So I called my husband and he wasn't sure about the whole thing.  A friend told me that if this guy was legit, he should let me bring my mechanic to come check it out first.   I laughed at her because who in their right mind would offer THAT?   I wasn't sure about it all, but I called the seller back.  I kept asking questions, and he could hear my hesitancy.  He told me the muffler would eventually need replaced, so he would knock $500 off.  THEN without me even asking, he told me if i wanted to i could have my mechanic take a look at it before i made a decision.  I almost peed my pants.   Literally.
   I called my husband back and we discussed things.  We actually got in a little argument and I told my husband I was hanging up and calling the seller back to cancel everything (real mature, right).  As soon as I hung up to call the seller, my phone died!  I couldn't turn it back on for thirty minutes.  Thirty minutes!!!  I said, "ok God.  I get it.  I dreamt I was driving a Saab.  I find one for the EXACT amount of money we got back.  The guy tells me to have my mechanic come look at it.  Then when I go to cancel everything, my phone dies.  Point taken."
    So I made arrangements to go see the car the next day.  One thing was missing though.  I didn't know any mechanics, and the thought of fixing anything on that car made me cringe due to the expense of parts.  
   That night we had a young adults meeting.  We ended up praying for a young man and the Lord touched him.  As we talked later on, I asked him what he did for a living.  He told me that he was a mechanic, and he "really loved working on restoring Saabs," and if we ever needed anything to let him know.  WAIT.  WHAT!!!  God dropped a mechanic, who happened to restore Saabs, right into our laps.
   To make this long story short (or longer).  Our new friend looked at the car.  It was a good car and it became ours.  The Lord gave us something good.  And all we had to do was wait for it.  


I know I was reminded of this story for this simple fact:  God knows what we need.  He knows the desires of our heart (whether it be new leather boots, a car, a house, or a destiny).  He knows what His promises are to us.  Most of the time we just need to wait a little, even if it is to the point of feeling like an internal explosion is about to happen.   And it's at this point where change ends up occurring.

"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."  Romans 8:25

If the insurance money wasn't held up for a month, and I wasn't refused when it came to buying other cars, we would have missed the right timing for God's best for us.  Everything was hanging in the balance of timing.   Did I fight being patient tooth and nail?  Yes.  Did I complain about it?  Yes.  Am I happy that God made me wait to the point of impending explosion, even though I petitioned Him?  Yes!


"And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised." Hebrews 6:15


So I know I need to take what I learned from this situation and apply it to the life change and promises I've been waiting for.  Have I cried about it?  Yes.  Have I complained about it?  Yes.  Will I be glad that God made me wait till the point of what feels like an internal Hiroshima is looming?   I am sure of it.


"That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."  Romans 8:28


" Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord;  trust in him and he will do this:  He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.  Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him..." Psalm 37:4-7

Encouragement or Jedi Mind Tricks?

Have you ever heard a child talk about what they want to be when they grow up?  Like maybe they dream about being an astronaut or a police officer.  Or perhaps they dream about being a a super hero named SuperSlapAFool because they believe one day they will meet fools who just need a slap?  Or maybe they want to invent a T-shirt made of potato chips so that when they watch TV they will have something to snack on. (both aspirations complements of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon)  No matter what they say they want to do in life (sans being a murderer, thief, or anything that negatively impacts this world), we encourage them, right?  Or at least we should.   There is high percentage rate of success in children who have been affirmed and encouraged by their parents.

This past week I've been thinking a lot about encouragement and how it affects adults too.  To encourage, to be encouraged.  What does this really mean?

According to the dictionary, encouragement means to inspire the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty without fear and to inspire them to act in accordance with what they believe, especially in spite of criticism.

  If encouragement inspires a fearless mindset and spirit within someone to accomplish what they've been created to do, then I pose this question:
 Why is it so hard for us to encourage one another and say "If this is what you feel you are called to, then I believe in you and I will do what is in my power to help you."?  
Did you ever just look a someone and just know that they were destined for greatness?   If you haven't, you really should ask God to be able to see people through his eyes.  We can't just assume that people know that we have "The Force" and use Jedi Mind Tricks to complement them with our thoughts.  This "encouraging" thing actually requires us to focus on others, open our mouths to edify them,  and then keep good on our word (Matt. 5:37 let your yes be your yes).

"Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.  Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.." Phil. 2:4,5



Many of us end up "fishing" for encouragement by putting ourselves down.  It's like we walk around saying, "I feel like such a poopy-pants.  All I do is poop my pants all day long and nothin' else" just so someone will come along and say "you're not a poopy-pants.  You're a WONDERFUL pants!"  It's not like we really feel this way about ourselves, but for some reason this seems like the only way to illicit positive reinforcement from one another.  I've noticed very little encouraging words are said to those who look like they don't need it.  But everyone needs it.  It's natural.  And we all should naturally be lifting each other up ALL the time.  Imagine how successful and how far those around you can go!  Imagine how motivated you get when you actually believe that people believe in you!  This is unity at it's best.

And most importantly, for those of us who have felt very little encouragement lately, here's a friendly reminder.  You have an eternal Encourager and his name is Jesus.  Instead of wallowing in the spirit of Eeyore (you know, the donkey from Winnie the Pooh), we should put on the mind of Christ.   He is who we should always look to first and foremost because in return we will always be invigorated, encouraged, and strengthened.

"May Jesus himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work and enliven your speech."  2 Thess 2:16,17 MSG


My point to all this is:  We should always be getting our encouragement and self-worth from God. But on the flip side, we are representations of God on this earth, who should be loving, championing, and encouraging each other to fulfill our destiny's not just with our thoughts, but with our words and actions. Remember the scriptures say that the power of life and death is in the tongue (Proverbs 18:21),  not the mind.



"I try to be as true to my word as God is to his.  Our word to you wasn't a careless yes cancelled by an indifferent no.  How could it be?  When Silas and Timothy and I proclaimed the Son of God among you, did you pick up on any yes-and-no, on-again, off-again waffling?  Wasn't it a clean, strong Yes?  Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus.  In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God's Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident.  God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his yes within us.  By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge- a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete." 2 Cor. 1:18-22 MSG

The Unknowing Know-It-All

I've noticed a new trend forming over the past week.   People have been partaking in a habit that is quite new to society.  Of course,  I have been doing it for years! Well, it's almost as if I started the trend!  Wait for it..........THEY ALL HAVE BEEN EATING THEIR CANDY BARS WITH A KNIFE AND FORK!!!!


   Wait, no.  That's not what it was.  Ah, yes now I remember.  What I meant to say is that I have been noticing that many people (including myself) have been giving into anxiety over where they are at in their lives at this particular time.  Not where they've been or where they are going, but where they are at.  But hey, this is totally a new thing (please note extreme sarcasm).
   The ones who are being plagued by this upheaval of emotion most likely belong to the group of people I affectionately refer to as the "know-it-alls."  They know who they are, what they are called to do, and  "where" they are going.   I have been an unknowing member of the know-it-alls.


       Some of us know-it-alls have been caught in this whole anxiety thing of the "now" in life..  We have it all figured out when it comes to our lives.  We have our vision.  We have everything mapped out of what we think will be next and how things are supposed to look.  We also have a long list of credentials as to why we "deserve" this self-packaged place or thing that God is going to give us.  Our list includes all the "sacrifices" we've made, things we've given up, the time we've been patient etc., etc., etc.   The list goes on and on.  And then, we start to say we "question" who we are, even though we actually know.  Basically, we are threatening God that we will hand in the towel if our demands aren't met.  All we are missing is a pistol, a ski mask, and a Big Gulp to go....and oh yeah, i'll take those Slim Jims and a pack of that Nicoret over there.
     What ends up happening is that we obsess about our destiny.  Does this make sense?  We end up making our calling our idol.
    
      The Lord showed me over the past week that this was the very thing i've been doing for the last couple of years.  I've been dwelling so much on where i think i should be going that it's been making me anxious about where I am at.  Why have I been spending my time trying to pursue all of this instead of  pursuing all of Him?  And then He asked this question: "What if all that you've been working towards were counted as loss for the sake of knowing Me?"  And something changed in me at that very moment.  It's like a switch went on inside of me.  Knowing Him was more important than all that I could dream up.  And for the first time in years, i really, truly answered with all of me, "It's ok if that's what you want God.  You're worth it."  The apostle Paul said it best:


"I once thought all these things were so very important, but now i consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.  Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that i may have Christ and become one with him."  Phil. 3:7,8


And then of course, peace followed.  And then I heard the still, small voice.  What if the reason why I brought you to this point was to get you to realize that you've been dreaming only within the boundaries of what's possible in your own mind?  (For the record, my name is not Neo, and no i did not take a red or blue pill)
       There is such a freedom in focusing on Him instead of the hows, whys, and nows.  It's in this place where you and God come into an agreement that, "yes, this is what i was made for.  You know it.  I know it. Thus saith the Lord.  Now that we got this out of the way, let's focus on our relationship."  Eventually the more you get to know someone, the more you trust them.  The more you trust them, the less worry, fear, and anxiety you have about putting all you hold dear into their care.  It kinda reminds me of a song.


"Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus.  Just to take Him at His word.  Just to rest upon His promise.  Just to know 'Thus saith the Lord'."




"For the word of the Lord holds true, and everything he does is worthy of our trust." Psalm 33:4


"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them."   Romans 8:28