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