Category: choices

Less is MORE

He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30)

I chose this photo today because as you can see there isn’t much in this room. There really isn’t anything here to distract you from focusing on one particular thing. Which is the object lesson in decreasing our self and allowing more of God in our life. We have to get rid of things that are in our way, distracting us from having clarity, 20/20 vision and excellent hearing. We need to be resting in Him, not allowing our minds to wander focusing on everything around us. We should be wanting to go deeper in our relationship with God and allowing Him to go deeper within us. Ridding us from the things that don’t serve a purpose in our life and that are keeping us from receiving all that He would have for us. I think about when I’m out on the trails hiking or riding my 4-wheeler and I come across a leaf or a flower, my focus is not on the tree or the larger group of flowers clustered together, instead I look exclusively at the individual leaf or flower and I am able to see much deeper. Looking at the leaf I can see intricate little lines, sometimes small particles of fuzz on them, the actual shape of the leaf and the lighter verse’s darker parts of it. When looking at the flower I may feel a softness in the peddle or a little insect looking for some nectar and like the leaf the colors seem more vibrant when looking up close versus afar off. That is how it is when we get rid of the clutter in our minds and sight we are able to see and hear the much deeper things of God. His voice becomes clear and our vision is no longer clouded. Sometimes it’s as if we are shouting things at God as if He can’t hear us when in reality we are trying to speak to him over all the chaos. Once we let go of some things we can quiet ourselves and come to God in a calmer quieter voice, just as the Holy Spirit is a gentleman He does not yell, He has a still quiet voice and we can too. There are other areas of less is more in our lives we need to be aware of. Things like allowing materialistic things to overtake us …more, more, MORE. We never seem to be satisfied with what we have and that’s because stuff is not what satisfies us, our relationship with Jesus is. Pride; we are some of the most prideful people, let that go! Self-sufficiency; how about more of trusting God instead of ourselves? That’s where we will find peace, when we depend on Him. He knows everything we need before we ever need it. If we will just decrease in ourselves and allow God to increase in us we will be making more room for God’s grace and power in our lives. Better is a little with the Lord than great treasure and turmoil with it (Proverbs 15:16).

What are you willing to let go of in this world to allow for gaining more with God?

Closed Doors

And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God commanded him. And the Lord shut him in. (Genesis 7:16)

The closed door was for Noah’s protection. In Acts; Paul and his companions were forbidden by the Holy Spirit from entering certain areas, as an example that closed doors can be divine redirection. The ten virgins in the book of Matthew, “the door was shut,” meaning end of opportunity for salvation. We are also instructed in the book of Matthew to go into our inner room, shut the door, and pray to our Father that is an example of intimacy; private prayer.

Every closed door serves a purpose and not every closed door is shut permanently, such as Noah’s. It was reopened once the storm was over, once God had accomplished what He set out to do. God opens and shuts doors. When God closes a door, no human effort can open, that’s His Sovereignty. There are times we need redirecting, change up our focus, head down a different path, so God will close that door rather than rejecting us and what we are about to enter into. Close doors can also mean, it’s just not time, but we don’t lose confidence in God’s plan during times of closed doors. His ways are not our ways nor is His timing like our timing, His is PERFECT. Instead of forcing a door, we need to trust that God is steering us toward something better. God never rejects His children, sometimes He tells us “no” to protect us. Those “no’s” have protected me a few times in life, quite a few actually. When I have allowed God to redirect me, it has always been for my good. I have learned things I would not have if I kept going through the door I was walking through. It has taken some faith and trust to get to the point where I knew God was really just setting me up for something better. Not every door is meant for us to walk through and if we are not praying and asking for God to lead us, direct our path we can find ourselves in some rooms we never wanted to be. At the same time a door that is open to us and we aren’t willing to walk through it we just may miss out on the biggest blessing ever. Something else I have discovered in my life is that there are multiple doors in life and at times I have been confused as to which one was for me, again that is the real necessity in praying, seeking God’s wisdom, He will open just the right one for you “if” you will listen carefully. I recently closed a door that was stealing my peace, I felt the attack of the enemy and it was keeping me from my growth in Him and my calling. The finality of the closed doors to me is ask, seek, knock and then you will find.

Is there a door that needs shut in your life? How about one that needs opened? Are you in need of redirection? Are there to many to choose from?

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock; and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one that seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)

Mount up and SOAR

Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

The struggle. When looking back haunted by the ghosts of my past, bound up in all my failures, feeling the unworthiness of shame, stain and regrets. That is not at all who I am today. I am redeemed! I have hope. No more fighting the past because I am free at last. No shackles, No chains, just wings that lift me higher and higher. I am like an eagle …watch me soar, like a lion …hear me roar. I lift my head high because the one who redeemed me will never say goodbye. My story is a lot like the song, “Black Sheep.” I’ve been alone, lonely and scared, there have been times I’ve had a heart of stone, cried tears that no one has seen. I’ve kicked, screamed, broken down fences and ran through ditches swearing I didn’t fit in and maybe I didn’t. I’ve hated everything about me and at times thinking everyone would be better off without me. I have felt every bit of those lyrics at one time or another, yet in all of that I know …Jesus loves the black sheep. No matter how far I wander He’ll always come for me again, that’s Grace, Amen?! I no longer am who I once was, now I fly like an eagle and let the Spirit carry me, like an eagle to the sea, I am free. People and streets look different these days, I can see purpose in my ways. Now I am feeding those without enough to eat and putting shoes on their feet. I am free to be me.

Eagles are considered amongst the strongest birds. They can crush bones and lift heavy prey. Their talons are built for piercing and their beaks are tough enough to tear through meat. Their chest muscles are exceptionally strong for powerful flight and leg muscles to secure their prey when captured. They have a keen eye, they can spot prey from miles away. They maneuver their large body in ways demonstrating both strength and agility. But when they get old they have a choice. They can stay just as they are; comfortable and slowly lose their purpose or go through a painful process of renewal, but the eagle chooses the renewal, the hard path. I have the same choice as the eagle. I can remain the same “OLD” me, “OLD” ways, thoughts and habits, losing my strength and purpose for which I was created for or I can go through the process of renewal. Like the eagle I chose renewal. I chose to enter into the secret place of the Most High where He will cover me with His feathers, under His wings. I am allowing Him to renew my strength, grow me spiritually, mentally, emotionally. The process of getting to this place can and has been painful at times just like it is for the eagle. It requires shedding of my old flesh, breaking old habits just like how the eagles beak and claws are broken and feathers plucked for new growth, completely exposed and vulnerable. The eagle will then be renewed with new feathers, new beak, new claws, it is a slow process, but when complete the eagle arises with strength it did not have before. The eagle doesn’t just survive it flys stronger and higher than before. The hidden places in our life that feels like isolation are for preparation. We cannot soar like the eagles carrying what we were meant to shed. Like the eagle I am stronger than I have ever been before, I see myself going to levels higher than I’ve ever been, new boldness, better awareness when the storms of life are about to hit. I have a new confidence, the storm will not bury me, instead it will elevate me. I will Mount Up and SOAR like the eagle.

What do you need to shed that is keeping you from your purpose?

Mind Your Own Biscuits and Life will be Gravy

“…aspire to live quietly, and mind your own affairs, and work with your hands, as we instructed you.” (1 Thess. 4:11)

Paul was writing to the Thessalonians to encourage them to live quietly and work hard, partly to avoid meddling and to set a good example for nonbelievers. I have been in the oven on this one for awhile. You know that refining fire kind of oven, removing the dross, working on becoming pure. In the process of it all, I have learned to be quiet and listen very carefully to the Holy Spirit regarding many things. One of those things was to quit allowing myself to be in the midst of another person’s affairs. Sometimes that can be hard if you find yourself there because some else put you there, thergo; free will comes into play. You have the option how you will react or respond to any given situation, in this particular case I chose silence. The old rule of thumb, silence is golden. Like pure gold once refined. Dross-free that is what I want to be. Silence is not the only thing I have taken away from the intense heat of the fire. I realize that it is my responsibility to search my own heart. I have been delving deep into my innermost being, allowing God to bring out the impure thoughts, feelings, things that do not edify or glorify Him, or others for that matter, but mainly Him. Rummaging through my heart and mind, investigating my thoughts and reasonings. Asking the Lord to reveal anything and everything so that I may be able to learn better habits in order to set better examples. It is going to take a whole LOT of “God’s gravy.” I’m the biscuit and God is the gravy. What I have found by doing this, God will pour extra blessings, joy and spiritual nourishment on me, the “GOOD STUFF.” This is called divine grace. It is an abundance of “God’s Great lake of Gravy,” salvation and love that covers all, “total gift” freely poured out. Most days it is little reminders of God’s love for me, extra little things to be joyous about. Just going along minding my biscuits, I mean business, while He pours the gravy, I mean grace, and love over me. Are you in need of some gravy for your biscuits? Go on and get’cha some, a BIG heaping helping, it’s free for the asking.

Romans 10:9-13

Today

For I the Lord do not change (Malachi 3:6)

Life is so unpredictable. We are aware that there are different seasons yet in the changing of seasons we are unable to predict what it will be like. Will the Spring bring lots of rain or will it be dry? Will Summer be a scorching hot one early on until it meets fall? When Fall arrives will the trees have had enough water for the leaves to turn all the beautiful colors we have been waiting to admire? Will the Winter bring ice storms? snowstorms? how much? How long? Seasons come and go nothing stays the same, except God. He is unchanging, and His faithfulness remains. These pictures of me on my 4-wheeler represent a season I am in now, for how long? I do not know. I’ve been here for a couple years, but it could all change tomorrow. Right now I am happy, content and at peace whenever I am in my element which is riding off into God’s creation wherever that may lead me. Yet I am also aware of the fact this is not something I will be doing forever. My life will change again, like many times before. I once was child and did child-like things, I was a teenager, thank God I survived that season. A young wife and mother a whole new kind of season, one that was no longer just about me. Then came the season of being a grandmother, oh the joys that have come with this season have been like heaven on earth. Now I have reached yet another season in my life, one where my husband and I are pretty much alone except an occasional visit from one of our children or grandchildren when they have time because their seasons have changed to. When this season is over will I have another season? If so, what will it look like? The answer is I don’t know, life is unpredictable, I can only live for today. There is something that I am certain of though; a particular time. I wouldn’t call this time a season because it lasts forever. Scripture says, (2 Cor. 5:8) “absent from the body …present with the Lord”) and (Luke 23:43) Jesus’ promise to the thief, indicates that believers go to be with Christ in heaven immediately after death. I know I am going to be with God for all eternity when my seasons here on earth are finished. How do I know that? By faith. Faith in the Word of God. Faith in a Risen Savior, the kind of faith (1 John 5:13-21) speaks of; to KNOW. Know occurs seven times in these verses, indicating John’s focus on the assurance and even certainty of Christian faith and salvation. These things were written to those who believe in the name of the Son of God. Romans 10:9-10 says, If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Verse 17; So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Saving faith is a deep inward trust in Christ at the core of your being. I can predict my future after my last season, because I believe. Can You?

Let’s Get Real

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Believers are NOT to be anxious, instead we are to entrust ourselves and concerns into the hands of our loving heavenly Father. He is the God of peace and it is His peace that guards us in Christ Jesus. Because God is sovereign and in control we Christians can trust Him with ALL of our difficulties. He rules over ALL creation and He is wise and loving in all of His ways. So that we can have an inward peace, along with a heart of thanksgiving.

I spent a lot of my early years as a Christian, worrying and fretting over darn near everything. I’d close my eyes and pray, sometimes with tears running down my face and then open my eyes and my mouth and cancel out everything I just turned over to him in prayer. I was taking it all back with my words of worry. I felt defeated. I felt as though I just wasted His time and mine. Have you ever been there? I wanted so bad to believe but for some reason the struggle was real. I believe I found the answer to the struggle. God tells us in scripture, “if any lacks wisdom, let him ask and He will give liberally”, so I did. I asked, “why can’t I believe for what I am asking for?” The answer was pretty simple. I had created a habit of worrying, and complaining about things, people, the past, etc. I needed to create a new habit. So everytime anxiety or worry would return, I would pray again. Consistency started paying off. Little by little I began leaving things there with God in prayer, I quit taking them back, and if I spoke anything of that thing it was the Word of God over it. I was now creating a new habit, one that clearly was to my benefit. If you can worry, you can pray. It’s a process of trading one for the other. Anxiety for Peace, the kind that surpasses all understanding. We are told to meditate on things that are pure and lovely and of good report. Worrying is meditating on the wrong things. I started giving my worries to God when I finally realized I couldn’t do anything about them, but He could. All I was told to do was what I could and what I couldn’t He would. Worry paralyzes, prayer activates faith. Faith and fear do not co-exist. Bottom line; why pray if your going to worry and fret?

Band-Aids Don’t Heal

“He was wounded for our transgression, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

Some wounds bleed longer than others. Some heal overnight, but I have found in my life, many take time and simply covering them up with whatever your band-aid may look like NEVER works. Back in the day my band-aid was “self-medicating,” some days that looked like drinking alcohol, just to relax you know; that’s what I would say to whomever might be watching. Some days it was a little bigger band-aid, a drug of choice, just so I didn’t have to feel the pain, again that was my coping mechanism. Coping is not a form of healing, nor are band-aids. Bandages are used only to stop the immediate bleeding while confronting the cause of the injury and finding the appropriate prescription, the one that actually brings healing. I’m definitely not suggesting or promoting that you use alcohol or drugs or any other thing to stop the bleeding. I only shared that as an example of what I did before I knew how to stop the bleeding and receive my healing in the correct way. Unfortunately I see people everyday doing just what I did and it is heartbreaking. I still bleed at times when I’ve been wounded, but now I address the wound differently. I take it to the “Lord Who Heals,” He can and will heal both my body and soul and He does it through compassion and authority, not by the other things I mentioned above. Wounds can be physical, spiritual, and emotional and Jesus can heal everyone of them if we will go to Him with faith believing that He can and will, if we will receive our healing. Faith says, yes He can; belief is receiving what He will do. Jesus is the healer of both the physical body and the “sin-sick soul,” offering us peace, comfort and forgiveness. Your bloody mess may be caused from sin, and you need forgiveness. Are you bleeding out to the point that others are wearing it to? I try to be transparent in my writings, in my past I was the person that bled all over innocent people. I let the bleeding go for so long that everyone around me had to feel my injury. And you know what? I found out in several different occasions that sin was holding me back. Sometimes it was the kind of sin like we all know; doing the wrong thing, but more times than not it was the sin of guilt, shame and unforgiveness. I needed a savior, I needed a real physician, I needed HEALED! As most of us dealing with any kind of hurt or injury we find that rarely is there complete restoration, just temporary relief, Jesus offers us complete restoration; wholeness. His atonement on the cross covered both the forgiveness of our sins and healing in our body. Doctors are part of God’s plan for our healing just as direct intervention in response to our faith, so I am not saying that we stop seeing doctors and only believe by faith for our healing. We must use wisdom to know if what we need requires immediate assistance or can we call out directly to God for our healing. Even when seeing doctors of all kind; physical, mental even spiritual advice, always pray to the One who directs the steps of the hands you are putting your life in. For their gifts and talents were given by God to begin with, He is working through them. Jesus is considered the ultimate healer, operating above and through the skills of earthly doctors. I’m not a doctor, I’m not Jesus, I’m not a Preacher, I am a believer. I talk to God about EVERYTHING, He is my Healer, my Savior, my confidant, I share my deepest, most intimate problems with Him. I know He is trustworthy, for He is not man that he should lie, He is always listening, always present with me, I am safe with Him, He doesn’t share my private information with anyone. And He doesn’t mind cleaning up my bloody mess, matter of fact, that’s just what He does.

Lord God, my Father, my Savior, my Healer, my Comforter in times of pain and suffering. I pray that whoever is reading this, whatever the pain or suffering is they are going through, that you Lord would meet them right here, right now, let them feel your Holy Presence through this prayer. I ask in the name of Jesus the Christ that you would remove all sickness; mental, physical, spiritual and emotional from them. Restore them completely, bring hope and comfort to them knowing that You are who You say you are. You are the Great Physician. If there be any unrepented sin in them I ask they bring it before you right now. Cleanse them from all unrighteousness. Cause the bleeding to end, and the healing to begin. It’s in Your Name, I ask all these things, Amen.

Overindulging

Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags. (Proverbs 23:20-21)

Obviously this is not one of those feel good post, but think about it from a parents point of view. When you are teaching your children the right and good things of life, things that are going to bring about blessings and not harm to them, they usually are not the feel good talks. As adults we to need to remind ourselves of things that will potentially bring harm to us and veer away from it. When I saw this picture, there were so many things that came to mind. First let’s just think for a minute about the scripture under the picture, what that means. Eating and drinking to excess will impoverish people, to much food is gluttony, too much drink leads to intoxication. There is absolutely no self-control, just living in the moment. I have never had the overeating problem, but I certainly spent a minute in the overindulging times of drunkenness. For those of you reading my blog for the first time let me just tell you real quick, “I am not that perfect Christian,” “I am the one that knows, I am in need of a savior.” If you read some of my others I give a bit more insight into my life of; a sinner saved by grace. And you will also find out that I need Him just as much today as I did when I was lost. Back to overindulging. Like I mentioned in the beginning there is many things that comes to mind regarding this subject. Greed, comfort, pleasure, entertainment that controls us, rather than us controlling it. These are fleeting and harmful passions, there is nothing lasting. I recently got caught up on a T.V. series that really sucked me in, all along knowing and even telling myself this ain’t right, this is pretty raunchy the way they were talking and portraying themselves, I was even getting angry at a couple of the characters because of the character they were playing, yet I kept watching it. After the last episode and before the next series started the Lord began to deal with me about that. Needless to say, I never watched another episode of it. You might be saying about now, “well everything on television is like that.” No it’s not. What you lust after is what you will seek after. We need to have some self control and stop letting things control us. Temptation is a real thing, but we don’t have to give into it, that’s what leads us to sin. That scripture above says, if we give in, it will lead us to poverty, sloth, and moral decay. Yeah! Been there. So let me just try to lead you in another direction here. “If you have found honey, eat only enough for you,lest you have your fill of it and vomit it” (Proverbs 25:16). Unlike the worldly things that leave you feeling sick or empty, nourish yourself with God’s Word. Get you some “living water” (John 4:14). Check out the differences between the two: Worldly overindulgence: focuses on temporary, self-serving things which then leads to bondage and decay. The Bible says: moderation in worldly things-use them as if not dependent on them, instead immerse yourself in godly things that will lead you to peace and spiritual life. Life is full of choices and we get to decide, choose wisely.

Legacy

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged (Proverbs 17:6a)

The three children in this photo are the first of (12) of my grandchildren. This sibling group from left to right are now, 20, 22, and 21 years old, later came sibling number four, and might I add the 21 year old is now a father himself. Now I have been given another generation of grandchildren to pray for, to set examples for, to speak Godly wisdom over. Life is full of so many things to influence our children’s minds, that is why it is so important that we grandparents are being diligent in our prayer life. We are called to pray for our children and our children’s children, to pass down a legacy of faith, protecting our future generations from the influences of this world and the world to come. Training them how to be powerful and effective, with something that will sustain them into their old age, that thing is the Word of God and through relationship with Him. That they would learn to have a reverential fear of God all the days of their life. That’s where blessings come from. Teach your children to pray. I want my children; all of them, BLESSED. I want to know that I have done all I was instructed to do by my heavenly Father to leave a legacy that can be carried out through generations. We can read all about this kind of obedience in Deuteronomy 6. I am approaching the end of my years here on this earth, so I am living my life with a whole lot more intentionality. I use to pray for little things, now my prayers are for bigger things, eternal things. My love for my children has not changed, but what is truly important has. Psalm 92:14 mentions that the righteous “will still bear fruit in old age”, that’s me, the praying grandmother, the one they call Mimi. I was called by God to be a spiritual leader and I do that through prayer, word and example, that they too may live a long and prosperous life. Leave a Legacy they’ll remember.