Get Fit!

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This is the time of year when a lot of people (including me) are focused on working through their New Year’s Resolutions.  It’s time to get healthy, time to get fit, time to make goals, time to change way of thinking/way of doing, time to become more of who we want to be (however that may be formed into a resolution).

I see it as the time to build our muscles.  Hit the gym, so to speak (or literally!).

At the end of 2016 (3 days before Christmas), I was given the opportunity to build my muscles.  My faith muscles that is.  I was taken off a work project that I thought would last a good year or so.  Suddenly (and not conveniently), I had no income.

Funny word I chose there:  opportunity.  However it is truly an opportunity!

It’s the opportunity to work on my faith muscles.  Just like hitting the gym each day in order to build muscles, its time to hit the Bible (believe what He says in it, and work on my relationship with Him) to build my faith muscles.  The good news is I didn’t stop “going to the gym” (Bible, hearing from God) prior to this news, as He actually prepared me ahead of time.  I kept up the muscle maintenance needed for moments just like this.  I’m actually very excited that this is the season to “bulk up.”  I’m learning to appreciate what James said:

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” (James 1:2 NLT)

I’m learning that when I go through “stuff” I get the chance to experience different aspects/qualities of God.  For instance, when I was afraid and had a sort of “bully” in my life, I experienced God as my refuge and strength, and as my vindicator. (“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalms 46:1 NLT;  and “For the Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants” Psalms 135:14 ESV)  When I was laid off from my job of 11 years, I experienced God’s rest as never before. (“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 ESV)  When I was single for so many years, I experienced God as my husband.  (“For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.” Isaiah 5:54 ESV)

You can never change my mind or convince me now that God is not my refuge and strength, or my vindicator, or my rest, or my husband.  I KNOW those things and nothing will ever change that because I experienced and lived it!  Those muscles are toned baby!

Continuing what James said after he said to consider the trials/troubles opportunities, he gives us the reason: “For you know that when your faith is tested (or faith muscle is built up – my words), your endurance has a chance to grow (bulk up – my words). So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. 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. ”  In other words, the yuck in life is the opportunity to build up your faith muscles!  Then you will not need anything else and realize all you need is God alone!  He is enough!  He is all you will ever need in every situation.  Good or bad, God is all you need.

Want to come work out with me?

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:10 NKJV)

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Filed Under: Becoming, Believe, Faith Tagged With:

Believe

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I believe Summer is coming quickly. However, looking outside, the snow is pouring down. But, I do 100% believe that Summer will arrive right after this snow.

I believe that when I ask the service guy to change my oil, that he will do it. I believe that when I ask my mom to pray for me, she will. I believe that God answers my prayers, oh wait…do I?

I find this verse very challenging: “Therefore I (Jesus) say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24 NKJV)

Oh, how often I pray just to get it off my chest! I complain to God. It’s like in my prayers I’m really saying, “God, here’s what I’m dealing with, don’t you know?!” Then I can say, yea, I prayed about that, or I am praying about that.

Why do I forget to believe that when I ask God something, that He will deliver? It seems so natural to believe, and yet, its the first thing I forget when I’m praying. Is it just me?

It makes me re-think the “with thanksgiving” part of this verse: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV)

After I ask the service guy about the oil change, I thank him in anticipation of it being done. Same with my mom (or at least I hope I do), I thank her knowing she will pray for me because I asked.

I’ve often pondered the “with thanksgiving” as it sometimes seems to be a little out of place. The verse would be just fine and probably they way its most recited: “in everything by prayer and supplication, let your requests be made known to God…”

But the thanksgiving piece, is key! It shows that we believe that God will answer us. I don’t think its just a “thanks for hearing me up there.” But I think it is a “praise You heavenly Father and thank You because I know that You now have it taken care of!!!”

Abba Father, please help me to leave my “asks” in Your hands and believe that You will answer my every prayer! (even this one!)

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Filed Under: Believe

Buckets

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My brain creates buckets. I’m pretty sure all of ours do (if I remember correctly from college a few years ago). When I come across something, I want to put it in a bucket.

My buckets have lots of varying titles such as smart, scary, useful, unnerving, tall, pretty, etc. I’ve been known to put people in buckets. She’s accomplished. He doesn’t like Romantic movies. She takes trips a lot. He is handsome. Her personality is INTJ (for those Myers Briggs fans out there). He drives scary just like the other people I’ve seen that drive that way – he’s in the “drives scary” bucket.

I even put God in buckets. As I read His Word and try to grasp what He’s saying / doing in my life, I want to whittle it down to a bucket – or maybe a few buckets. For instance, the whole Christian experience is about Faith – believing in Him and in what He says. That’s a bucket (is it really the whole experience?). Or the “journey” bucket, where God is taking me on a journey and I need to learn to hear and follow Him. God is also in a bucket of mine that contains His characteristics: Love, Powerful, Longsuffering (with me!), Guide, etc.

Well, I’ve been contemplating all my buckets lately and wondering if there are holes in them or if something can move from one bucket to another. For instance, he doesn’t drive scary anymore because he took a defensive driving class and now he’s in my “safe driver” bucket. Or that bird isn’t in my “pretty” bucket anymore because it just pooped on my car so now its in my “annoying” bucket along with the “it just rained after I washed my car” bucket.

I’m always trying to get to the bottomline of everything so I can put it in a bucket. However, one of the hard ones for me is to put my feelings in a bucket. Heck, I can’t even explain them let alone identify them! They are all over the board sometimes! (Yes, men, I am a woman.)

We are such complex creatures, it’s hard to really put us in buckets and keep us there. I get annoyed when I recognize someone has put me in a bucket – “you like Country music” or “you are smart and will figure it out.” The problem is that I change. I did like Country music at one time, but now I like Adele-like music. Or I’m not really smart in this area and can’t figure it out so I need help.

So if we are so complicated and can change at the drop of a dime, where does that leave God? If He is our creator, and we were created in His image, just imagine how complicated He is! (“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27 NKJV)

No seriously! I bet we have so many buckets that we put God into that we don’t even recognize them anymore. Like, “I know that verse” bucket. Or “God brought me through that exact same situation this way…” bucket. Or “God is love” bucket. But where does that put God in our lives? Even if we know the verse, what did God speak to us today about that verse? Or is it really the exact same situation (considering people involved, ages, timing, economy, relationships, etc.)? Or is God only love – what about His justice and sovereignty?

Bottomline (yep, still bottomlin-ing it!), God is bigger, huger, grander, more massive, more substantial than any buckets we can come up with! Let’s let God break through our buckets and may we be ever seeking know Him more because He is more than we will ever know.

“Who can put into words and tell the mighty deeds of the Lord? Or who can show forth all the praise [that is due Him]?” (Psalms 106:2 AMP)

“For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights of the hills are His also. The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.” (Psalms 95:3-7a NKJV)

“Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” (Psalms 150 NKJV)

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Filed Under: Adventure, Becoming, Believe

I Surrender!

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Uneasiness. Anxiety. Unrest. Discord. Angst. Uncertainty. Discontent. These are feeling I had for several weeks. I had no idea why. There was nothing majorly wrong in my life. Hubby and I getting along, holidays coming up, have income, etc. But my insides were just…just…not settled.  Like an upset stomach, but it was my emotions that were queasy.  Have you been there?

I was still getting up before anyone else and spending time with the Father, reading His word, praying, and seeking His face. But it all just seemed stagnant. Unmoving. Bland. I felt like I was struggling to hear God speak to me. I was trying really hard.  Like I was going through an obstacle course, running, jumping, crouching, maneuvering, sweating, straining, pressing to hear anything to settle my emotional stomach.

What’s up with that?!? In my head, I knew it wasn’t right to have to try so hard.  Something was amiss.  But what?  And how can I change it?  Then the answer came.

TRUST.

I thought back to when the discontent all started, and I came to the conclusion that it was when I thought I heard God – but I was wrong. What do you do with that? Believing, trusting, hearing from God to lead me and then I got it wrong! Oh lordie! I bet you have also lived with the emotions that came as a result of being wrong – especially in hearing God.  There really is no end to the depth of ickiness that results.

My trust in myself and God was broken.  I couldn’t trust that I could hear Him anymore.  I couldn’t trust that He actually spoke to me.  I couldn’t trust any outcomes anymore – or His promises to me.

Funny how the enemy uses our mistakes to play havoc on our beliefs!

One thing I know for sure, God’s Word is true. If there’s any belief the enemy can’t steal, it’s that. Okay, so to His Word I went.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27 NKJV)  I need to trust His Word that says I CAN hear Him!  This verse also points out that He is speaking – if He wasn’t, what would we be hearing?

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes(ess).” (Psalms 118:9 NKJV) Yes, I’m a princess because I am child of God. But this verse tells me not to put confidence in myself (or others). But to trust God and Him only.  I can’t have confidence in myself that I’ll never make a mistake in hearing Him. I’m fallible (and hate to admit it!). But He is not! God is trustworthy! God does not lie!

My only conclusion is to surrender. Surrender what I thought I knew. Surrender that I am not God, nor infallible. Surrender all of it to Him.  And trust Him only.

“All to Jesus I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

I surrender all,
I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Now I feel the sacred flame.
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!” (Hymn by  Judson W. Van DeVenter)

I am learning to trust Him again and His word that I do indeed hear His voice.  To quote another song:

“Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can’t do this on my own
I’m letting go…
Oh, Jesus take the wheel” (Song by Brett James, Hillary Lindsey, and Gordie Sampson)

Jesus, I put you back in charge of my life and I trust You!

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Filed Under: Becoming, Believe, Peace, Trust

Moving

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Moving.

Just that word can cause angst!  Thinking of moving locations, new house, new places to learn, new people, all the work that goes into it, etc. can cause great stress.  However, there are good “moving”s.  As in, moving our bodies.  Exercise is good for our bodies and they thrive on moving.  Getting out of bed in the morning (moving) is good, means we’re alive!  Or moving toward a goal.

That’s the one I want to focus on here.  Moving toward a goal.

You see, I’m a planner (I see the smiles on my family’s face as they know this all too well.).  Which means, I make plans and execute them.  I am very much a do-er toward my plan.  And my plans spread across a wide range of situations and encompass the most trivial to the very important.  For a trivial example…my husband tells me he wants to take me to dinner at my favorite restaurant.  I proceed to make the plan.  In my mind, I’m figuring out what I’m going to wear. What I have to get done before we need to leave to be on time. Which direction we’re going to drive.  What we should talk about.  What am I going to order.  I’ve got the full plan all laid out!

But what happens when we’re late, or hubby drives a different route to the restaurant!  “AHHHH!” goes my insides.  That’s not the plan!  I know God created me this way and it does come in handy to get things accomplished.  However, there is a limit.  That limit is when my plan gets ahead of God.

Recently, I felt the Lord was telling me a certain destination was ahead for me.  A “promised land” as it were.  Similar to God telling us to start a certain type of business, accept a certain job offer, or you’ll be having a baby, etc.

Well, in my case, I made plans.  What I was going to wear (seems to be a theme for me…hmmm).  What time would I have to get up in the mornings. Who I was going to meet.  How I would start once I got there, and so on.

But then days passed.  No word.  I was not any closer to the destination.  Interesting how it affected my faith.  Did I hear God correctly?  Why would He tell me that if He wasn’t going to make it didn’t happen?

“AHHHH!” goes my insides.  I had it all planned out!

You see, I got ahead of God.  “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 NKJV)  “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go.'” (Isaiah 48:17 NKJV)

How can God lead when I go ahead of Him?

This is huge!  And it’s daily!  Let Him lead!

Do you see God sitting on a couch hanging back on a couch like the picture above?  Or do you see Him sitting a throne doing nothing but eating grapes?  Or maybe you see Him with a stern look on His face disappointed in everything that’s going on?  Or do you see Him moving?  Active?

God is on the move!  He is not just hangin’ out.  He is moving!  He is orchestrating.  He is directing. Leading. Guiding. Talking. Making things happen!

So how then how do I go forward?  God says in at least 6 scriptures the exact same words spread throughout the Bible (so must be important eh?):  Romans 1:15, Hebrews 10:38, Habbakuk 2:1, Hebrews 10:25, Galations 3:11, Romans 1:17.  “The just shall live by faith!”  Faith that He is moving!  Faith that God’s got this!  Faith that He is in control!  Faith that He IS directing my steps – even in the midst of my plans!

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.” (2 Peter 3:9a NKJV)  God is always on time!

Lord God, help me trust You every day, for every day, and not get ahead of you with my plans.  Help me not to worry about tomorrow, but to trust You in today.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Filed Under: Adventure, Believe, Faith