Do me a favor and don't think about the shoes you are wearing today. Don't think about what color they are, whether brown, black, or red. Oh a shiny red pair would look stunning with a cute little black dress, wouldn't they? Don't think about whether they are flats or heels. Don't think about whether they are tennis shoes, golf shoes, or sandals. Don't think about whether they are cute and comfortable, or gorgeous and feet killers. Whatever you do, do not think about your shoes. Okay?
Now after reading all of that, how many of you actually did not focus on your shoes? How easy was it to follow my directions? Well, had you thought about how great your hair turned out today, best hair day yet, and tuned out the part about the shoes then it would have been a lot easier to forget about ..... oh wait what was it I wasn't supposed to be thinking about?????
It can be so difficult to stop ourselves from dwelling on a situation because it is so important to us at the moment, that job interview, that unpaid bill, the test results from the doctor's office. You name it, we can tend to allow things to overtake our lives. How many times have we heard the cliche, "Let Go and Let God"? It can be really tough sometimes. The harder we try not to focus on something the more it is in our minds unless we do one important thing, Replace It!
Paul told us in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." So when we are faced with uncertainty and tempted to worry about something, or to allow that thing to steal our joy, we need to take a look at Paul's list and see just where it fits. If it's not on the list, then forget about it.
A few weeks ago I had to do something I really didn't want to do. I was nervous of the outcome and just wanted it done. On the way there, I was tempted to pray more, asking God to allow everything fall into place without any difficulties, but that would still have kept me focused on the situation. Instead of focusing on me, I decided to spend some time talking to God about a friend's situation. I had the opportunity to go bold to the throne on behalf of my friend and her family, and doing so calmed my nerves and kept my mind off the situation. I replaced my thoughts with better thoughts. Praying for my friend and her family definitely fits into Paul's list. Don't you think?
Is it easy to take our focus off our situation? No, but it is God who tells us to do it. Sometimes it is difficult to watch others succeed while we stay stuck in our circumstances. Sometimes it is hard to watch while other people's dreams come true and our dreams remain unfulfilled. I know, I have been there, and am there right now in some ways, but God's ways and His thoughts are much higher than our own. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
The bigger picture revolves around trust. Do we trust God enough to know what is best for our lives? So often we think we know what is best for us, but in reality we have so little information that we can't know with our finite minds.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
So what is the answer to the question on the color of your shoes today? You just have to love great hair days, don't you!
Be blessed, my friends, be simply blessed! :)
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
Ready, Set, Stop
You try and you try, then finally the door opens and you begin to walk through the door. Everything has fallen into place for you and all is well, but suddenly a roadblock stands in your path. Have you ever felt that way?
A few months ago, one of the pastors at church saw me working on some homework for a Bible College course I was taking and he stopped to chat. He had some great encouragement for me. He told me that I need to step out in faith, to Go, but that God would send a roadblock to test my faith, to mature me, to make me ready for what he has for me, to make me humble, to teach me what I need to know so that I am fully ready to walk through that door, to keep moving forward.
So often we think that when a door seems to be open but becomes blocked that must mean that it wasn't an open door for us after all. How often do we give up because it gets difficult? Sometimes we just need to persevere through it all to get to where God wants us to be. Far too often we want to know what the end is before we get there; we want to know how, what, when, where and why everything is going to end up, but we don't always get to know those answers.
I love Romans 9:33 in The Message, which says, "Careful! I've put a huge stone on the road to Mount Zion, a stone you can't get around. But the stone is me! If you're looking for me, you'll find me on the way, not in the way." What a beautiful message from God. It is all about perspective. We see the stone on the road and we think of it as an impossibility, God says, "Wait, it's Me!"
Do we trust God enough to get us to the end of our journey? Do we trust Him enough to allow Him to get us past the roadblocks? Are we willing to allow Him to do what He wants to do in us to prepare us for the next leg of the journey? Do we trust His timing?
A few months ago, one of the pastors at church saw me working on some homework for a Bible College course I was taking and he stopped to chat. He had some great encouragement for me. He told me that I need to step out in faith, to Go, but that God would send a roadblock to test my faith, to mature me, to make me ready for what he has for me, to make me humble, to teach me what I need to know so that I am fully ready to walk through that door, to keep moving forward.
So often we think that when a door seems to be open but becomes blocked that must mean that it wasn't an open door for us after all. How often do we give up because it gets difficult? Sometimes we just need to persevere through it all to get to where God wants us to be. Far too often we want to know what the end is before we get there; we want to know how, what, when, where and why everything is going to end up, but we don't always get to know those answers.
I love Romans 9:33 in The Message, which says, "Careful! I've put a huge stone on the road to Mount Zion, a stone you can't get around. But the stone is me! If you're looking for me, you'll find me on the way, not in the way." What a beautiful message from God. It is all about perspective. We see the stone on the road and we think of it as an impossibility, God says, "Wait, it's Me!"
Do we trust God enough to get us to the end of our journey? Do we trust Him enough to allow Him to get us past the roadblocks? Are we willing to allow Him to do what He wants to do in us to prepare us for the next leg of the journey? Do we trust His timing?
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans
to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will
listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your
heart.
God has great plans for our lives and when we are ready to seek after Him with all our hearts, that is when we will find Him. Choose today to trust Him, no matter what He brings your way, even if He says,
"Ready?
Get Set.
Stop!"
Don't worry, if you keep your focus on Him, one day you will hear Him say, "GO!" That will be an exciting day indeed!
Thanks for the chat, Paul Black. It was God's perfect timing.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
A New Season Indeed
I can't believe it has been almost three years since I started this blog. I think the greatest thing that I have learned through the process is that we are blessed with new seasons all the time. Some seasons are difficult, others are pure joy, but when we invite God to walk alongside of us, the journey is a sweet one indeed.
I love to ask friends to bring me back one thing when they go on vacation, a digital picture that reminds them of me. When my dear friend Sarah went to Costa Rica this year she sent me back this picture.
The subject line of the email was "Which road will I travel? Which way?" What I love about this picture is that you don't get to see what is just around the corner, you don't get to know what is ahead. If you choose to go to on the paved road, you don't get to know where it will take you until you turn the corner.
That is the way it is with God sometimes, isn't it? He leads down a path that we can't see, a path that requires us to trust in Him. Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Sometimes those paths can be scary, but when God is on it with you, it is the best path to take.
I am at the beginning of another new season in my life and I am excited about where it will take me. I am not sure exactly what is around the corner for me, but I just take one day at a time, one step at a time. The thing I do know is that God is on this road with me and I am safe in His hands. Tomorrow is a new day indeed.
I love to ask friends to bring me back one thing when they go on vacation, a digital picture that reminds them of me. When my dear friend Sarah went to Costa Rica this year she sent me back this picture.
The subject line of the email was "Which road will I travel? Which way?" What I love about this picture is that you don't get to see what is just around the corner, you don't get to know what is ahead. If you choose to go to on the paved road, you don't get to know where it will take you until you turn the corner.
That is the way it is with God sometimes, isn't it? He leads down a path that we can't see, a path that requires us to trust in Him. Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Sometimes those paths can be scary, but when God is on it with you, it is the best path to take.
I am at the beginning of another new season in my life and I am excited about where it will take me. I am not sure exactly what is around the corner for me, but I just take one day at a time, one step at a time. The thing I do know is that God is on this road with me and I am safe in His hands. Tomorrow is a new day indeed.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Wheat Fields
I love that I live in a small town in middle of farm country. I love getting to drive by the fields as they begin to grow. I think wheat is my favorite to watch because it is one of the first crops, having been planted in the fall. After the gloom of winter, it is a breath of fresh air to be able to see the stalks of wheat reach for the sky.
This year I loved driving by blankets upon blankets of green fields, but oh the joy that filled my heart as they ripen to a golden brown.
The fields were beautiful this year, hardly a weed to be found anywhere. How wonderful that the fields aren't overtaken by weeds. Then it hit me; they were gmos.... genetically modified organisms. Their genes were spliced to make them resistant to bugs and weeds, allowing farmers to get larger yields from their crops. Many people are scared of what the genetically modified crops will do to them long term. This reality made me cringe.
Suddenly I was reminded of something that truly made me smile. As God's child I am a new creation; the Bible tells me so. Second Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." The Holy Spirit works in us to change us from the inside out. The old me is gone, the new genetically modified, or shall I say Holy Spirit modified me is here.
God calls me to put on my new nature and be renewed as I learn to know my Creator and become like Him. (Colossians 3:10) Suddenly, I want to be a modified creation of God. I want my life to be weed and pest resistant. I want to be a larger yielding crop for my King.
Maybe some GMOs aren't that bad after all!
This year I loved driving by blankets upon blankets of green fields, but oh the joy that filled my heart as they ripen to a golden brown.
The fields were beautiful this year, hardly a weed to be found anywhere. How wonderful that the fields aren't overtaken by weeds. Then it hit me; they were gmos.... genetically modified organisms. Their genes were spliced to make them resistant to bugs and weeds, allowing farmers to get larger yields from their crops. Many people are scared of what the genetically modified crops will do to them long term. This reality made me cringe.
Suddenly I was reminded of something that truly made me smile. As God's child I am a new creation; the Bible tells me so. Second Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." The Holy Spirit works in us to change us from the inside out. The old me is gone, the new genetically modified, or shall I say Holy Spirit modified me is here.
God calls me to put on my new nature and be renewed as I learn to know my Creator and become like Him. (Colossians 3:10) Suddenly, I want to be a modified creation of God. I want my life to be weed and pest resistant. I want to be a larger yielding crop for my King.
Maybe some GMOs aren't that bad after all!
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