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faith
You are going through these struggles now
because it is building up your faith. Like a caterpillar struggles to get out of the cocoon, you are building up your faith muscles. If the caterpillar didn’t struggle to get out, its wings would not be strong enough to fly. Change the perspective on how you face the struggle. Whatever you are going through is helping you get to where God wants you to be. Instead of “Lord, why me?” ask “Lord, what do you want me to do here?”
Today as I found myself in a situation I did not like, I had to keep telling myself, that there is something God wants me to get from this. There is something He wants me to do. Change my perspective.
There was this man who a few days ago caused me a great deal of struggle. It was not his intention, he was just doing his job, but it interfered with mine. Needless to say, he did not fare very well in my book.
So today, here he was again. Oh brother. He had no clue of the trouble he had caused or so I thought. I had a choice to make. I could light him up and let him know how much trouble he caused me. I could let him know that he was not wanted near me today. or I could greet him as if we were old friends.
Yeah, I chose the latter. Let me tell you, he was the most helpful person on the floor the rest of the day. He went out of his way to be helpful and did things I had not ever seen him do. By the end of the day, I was like “Wow.” I changed my mind about this person.
Whatever type of situation God has placed you in, look around you. What is He trying to tell you? He has already told us that His ways are not our ways (which means He is not going to make everything easy). He will do things to strengthen our faith. He is going to get some glory from your situation.
15 Things I Learned in 2015
I learned a lot spiritually in 2015 and I am sharing it with you. You can look back through my blog if you want the full version, but the cliff notes are below. I got to know God in a way, I have not known Him before. I look forward to what 2016 holds.
15
Mourning is a process. You have good days and bad days. Own it, but don’t wallow in it. Ecclesiastes 7:2
14
Sometime we wait because the Lord has to take the teeth out of the serpent that is waiting to bite you Psalm 61:4
13
all of the struggles we are currently going through is God cultivating our hearts. He is taking hard dry ground and enabling it to grow something Ezekiel 11:19
12
Sometimes our blessings are in the storm Ezekiel 34:26
11
Remember who I am praying to. Revelation 4 tells me that I am not praying to a really good human being. He sits on the throne with flashes of lightning and peals of thunder. Four very scary creatures watch over him. He is mighty, all powerful and sovereign.
10
We work better together. God put us in community to work together. I am so blessed to be among a group of women who love and serve Jesus. Hebrews 10:24-25
9
He continually reveals himself to me. He tells me He loves me every day whether I hear it or not. Deuteronomy 29:29, 1 John 3:1, 1 John 4:10
8
He trusts us with moments, don’t take any for granted. Some people you are never going to see again. Act like it. Isaiah 43:10
7
When things I want are not in line with what God wants, Be Still. Trust Him. Psalm 46:10, Proverbs 3:5-6
6
Prayer is an effective tool to communicate with Him. James 5:16
5
Until you are dead, it is not too late to start anything. Remember the Sunday School class for women in their 80s.
4
I think God listens to our crappy prayers and decides to teach us a lesson by teaching us we don’t know what we are talking about.
3
Even though some things do not fit right now, I know that it will all come together because the one who made the plan completes everything. 1 Peter 2:7
2
I need friends who will remind me of God’s faithfulness. Deuteronomy 7:9
1
Fearing the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. There are lots of scary things on the planet earth, but there is none that I fear above the Lord. The study of Revelation has given me a grand picture of who it is I worship. It is not an accident that there are lots of thunderstorms and earthquakes in the area during the year we are studying Revelation. He is giving us an overview before the real thing happens. Deuteronomy 10: 12-13.
CeCe Winans says it best. Worship Him.
I’m Off My Game
Sometimes I kid my work partner that he is off his game when things don’t go the way we plan. It doesn’t happen often, but pointing it out helps us understand something we don’t like is happening. Usually we joke about it. He tells me if he is off his game, then I must be off mine.
Currently I am off my Christmas game. Presents still need to be bought, cards need to be mailed, and lots more. I am so behind.
Christmas is my favorite season and it is about to be over before I even prepare for it. The thing that keeps me calm is music. One of my favorites this season is the Christmas Song by Dave Matthews.
I love the words to this song and the beat. As I was listening this week, I thought about Jesus. I mean He knew when he breathed life into Adam that eventually the focus would turn to Him. (And rightly so because He came to save us.) He knew that people would write songs about his life.
I wonder if terms like “less than golden,” “daddy-o” and “jokers” gave Him a giggle. They make me giggle because of the songwriter’s method of telling the story. He uses a vernacular that I am familiar with.
I am not saying the song is biblical, but I do like the theme. I love the idea of showering Him with love while He lay in the hay. I disagree that the blood spilled is of the children all around. I know the blood spilled is of the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Yet that doesn’t limit the song for me. Because as God tries to explain to us what He does for us, we don’t always get it right.
But Jesus loves us. So much that He was willing to come be with us. We will never know the full extent of His love.
Even though I may be off my game, I love being reminded of the trip Jesus made to earth to shower me with love.
Only You…
So I have this song stuck in my head, but I only know 2 words. It makes me giggle.
So I walked into my mechanic’s office and explained the problems with the car. He answered by breaking out in song. I could not help but laugh as he continued to sing through my distress. After he sang a little, he looked at me and laughed.
The best part was he reminded me of where my source and help comes from. As I stood ready to talk business. He reminded me that God was my protector and has control of our lives. He reminded me that nothing happens in our lives without God.
Now he did roll his eyes at me for wanting him to do the repairs the same day. ( I got there two hours before he closed.) He also continued to sing.
A couple of days later, as he was going over the repairs with me, we talked about family. He said family gatherings are about love and respect for each other. He gave me a hug, a kiss and wished me Merry Christmas.
I paid for car repairs, but got a whole lot more.
As you are meeting with your family and friends this holiday season, and getting caught up in the festivities, remember to love and respect one another. When things start going to the contrary, just sing.
Rained On But Not Overwhelmed
After I finished an 11 hour shift, I stopped and pumped gas in the rain because I was headed home and didn’t plan on venturing out anymore that evening. My T-shirt and jacket were wet from the rain, but I was headed home and traffic was light. It wasn’t going to take long.
Driving along one of many highway construction zone, I got a flat and had to pull over and park on the side of the road. I was a long way from home. It was dark, rainy and cold. Did I mention I was wet?
I called for a service to come change the tire, waited and prayed none of the cars speeding by would hit me. My sister, who is better than your sister, came and sat with me. She sat in her car (because she needed to listen to the game) and I in mine. It was still cold, rainy and dark. My car shook as 18-wheelers sped pass me.
I prayed, Lord I am sure there is a lesson in this. Help me know what you want me to get from this.
Shortly after that my sister pointed out that behind us about a fourth of a mile, there was a car in a ditch. Focused on my misery I had not noticed the still headlights in my rear view mirror. The car’s lights were on but we were not sure if anyone was in the car. The ditch was filling up with water. That car was in a worse position than mine.
Help arrived for both of us at the same time.
My lesson: No matter how bad your situation seems, there is always someone who has it worse.
What struggle seems to be drowning you? The Lord has promised in Isaiah 43:2 that when we pass through the waters, He will be with us and the river will not overcome us. At the right time, someone came along and helped us out of those situations. Sit back and let Him teach you what He wants you to know. Instead of being lost in your own misery, allow God to give you some perspective about your circumstances.
Lord, help me find a way to praise you in all my circumstances even when I am soak in cold rain, and it is dark and I can’t do what I want. Thank you for sending someone along side me to wait with me. Thank you for sending rescuers. Amen.
Stop Kicking Grace to the Curb
This week I got to languish in God’s grace. Sometimes we mistake God’s grace as a nuisance because it doesn’t look like what we think it should look like. While I was getting a good picture of the High Holy God I serve during this week’s bible lessons, I experienced His grace in several settings.
My favorite experience was that worship comes from your heart. Many days we feel like Peter with a sword in his hand promising to follow the Lord to death. Yet when it comes to worship in any place at any time, we are more like Peter running from the crowd denying we know Jesus. I mean there are some places you just can’t worship Jesus. (wink)
God sends people into our lives to teach us about His grace. It seldom looks the way we expect it. It is never the people we expect. It always teaches us about His character. His goal is to make us look more like Christ and less like us.
When things don’t look the way we plan it, we figure everything is wrong instead of God had other plans. We tend to ignore the souls God has placed in our path and try to do things on our own. We miss the blessing.
I mean if anyone could have worked on his own, Christ could. But He chose 12 guys to work with Him. He knew what would happen if those men allowed God to work through them.
What is God calling you to do that is outside of your plan? Are you willing to miss His grace to work your plan?
This year I have watched His grace do incredible things in my life. It is purifying me.
How Do You Get Through Tough Times?
2015 is going down as one of the hardest years of my life. It has also been one of the most powerful years of my life.
This week in the study of Revelation we are looking at our view of God. Many of us think of God as some better version of ourselves. Why else would we be so flippant in how we approach Him and refer to Him? We think of Him as a buddy or friend.
Earlier this year I had the opportunity to listen to some teaching by Francis Chan which approached this subject. I spent some time in Revelation 4 and gave great thought to who this was I am praying to. To be just a black girl about it, “What does He look like?” ( I mean wool like hair? Does that mean He black?)
To be honest, the images in Revelation 4 scared me. I have prayed for Him to help me understand what He wants me to know about these passages. As I think about facing this mighty powerful God and all of those creatures, it makes my current circumstances seem like nothing. I can face a mountain of earthly circumstances in order to NOT have to face a creature with eyes in the front and back of it’s head who also has six wings. (feathers freak me out) And that is how He works. He takes our circumstances and uses it for His glory.
When Isaiah was mourning the loss of his king, Uzziah, The Lord revealed to him what the real King looked like on his throne with train of his robe filling the whole temple.(Isaiah 6) The Lord met the elders of Israel in the desert and John on the island of Patmos (Revelation 4). What they thought were awful circumstances, changed as they focused on the Creator and not His creation.
Their circumstances took them to the throne of God. My circumstances have taken me to the throne of God.(I have not physically been there) I have watched Him do more than I can imagine in my life this year (Ephesians 3:20). But now, I think about WHO is doing this for me and HOW He loves me unconditionally.
This week we have seen terrorism in France and wonder what will we do to combat such a powerful foe. People are angry and frighten by cowards who kill in the dark. The truth is the cowards are mortal and will die as will their mission. I have read how the story ends. We win. Don’t allow mortal men to cripple you with fear.
Let me tell you, there is a God who sits high and looks low (Psalms 113:5-6). He is not a better version of us (Isaiah 55:8). He is immortal and will judge everyone (James 4:12).
What I have learned in difficult times is that worship can get you through anything. You have to focus on what can really help you. A relationship with Jesus Christ. He can heal any wound any man can make.
I was sick all week, to the point of losing my voice, but the Lord saw me through. He took care of everything. He writes scriptures on my heart through His actions. When I didn’t have another ounce of energy, He gave me more than I could ask or hope for (Ephesian 3:20). He deserves all the worship I can I give.
One evening in BSF we were singing Worthy of Worship. I wondered if we would sing this in heaven. (And yes I want to be in the choir for that one). I can think of instances when He has been Father, Creator, Savior, Sustainer and more.
How do you get through the tough times? Worship.
Stop Looking Backwards
In Secrets of the Vine by Bruce Wilkerson, he distinguishes between pruning and discipline, one brings pain, while the other brings relief.
One of the things I am learning about the pruning is that it gives God permission to free you from things that have been binding you. Most of the time we don’t even know they are binding us.
If God has moved people out of your life, let them stay. If they come to mind, pray over them. Don’t call them.
As I have come to appreciate what God has done, I am learning who was there to strengthen me, and who has been draining. He will teach you the same if you allow Him.
If God has changed some situations. Trust Him. Like the vine dresser, He is preparing you for growth. Don’t try to rush back into similar type situations. Appreciate where God has you.
You can’t grow into the person God wants you to be if things and people are sapping up your strength. Wilkerson said we need to appreciate this process and not fight against God. Trust Him.
Keep moving forward.
Her job changed drastically
Although she was just trying to make a living, her life was an adventure. She spied on cheating spouses and caught bail jumpers. She never imagined the bad guys would chase her.
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