No Distractions!

Oh my... it has been such a busy week and this week is going to be even busier!  I am blessed to be serving at Heart Quest, it is a spiritual event set up through Fellowship of the Sword.  I have heard people ask if it is like a ladies' retreat... it is like a retreat on steroids!!! I attended as a participant 3 years ago... it was 5 1/2 days like I have never experienced before! Let me just say, God is so incredibly good!  

Anyway, this event asks all participants to do 30 days of prep before the event, so along with those questing all of us serving also do the same prep.  It is good but during that time it can get a little rough too... anytime you are trying to draw closer to God things of life are always coming up!  So this is why I am sharing what I am sharing...

You might be feeling tired, overwhelmed, a little defeated, or all of the above!  You may even feel like you just don’t have enough in you to take your relationship with God to another level… I have been there too!  Be encouraged… you don’t have to do this perfectly!  Throw all worries of what others may think in the trash… we are all flawed, but only the ones that admit it can find freedom from it. 

In 1 Peter 5… verse 8 – “Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour.”  Being attentive to what God wants us to see… that is the key.  Keep from letting others’ issues take your focus off God.  When we lose focus it is so easy for the devil to slip in there and turn distraction into discouragement.  This is the time… God loves you so much!  Let Him turn your mess into His message!

Father, I thank You for this time You have given each of us to draw closer to You!  I praise You for being so incredible and loving each of us with Your perfect, unconditional love.  I ask You to open the heart of each person reading this wider than ever before to receive all that You have for them.  Even in times of doubt, Father, help them to believe Your hand guides them and your right hand holds on to them.  I pray Your peace and Your comfort over each of us. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Rejoicing in Truth!

Goo Be Gone...

Anxiety and worry!  How hard does it get to carry all that extra baggage around with us?  It is just crazy that we do that when there is no need for us to.

“Turn all your anxiety over to God because he cares for you.”  1 Peter 5:7

Notice it does not say, “Pack your anxiety in a bag and carry it around for a few days.”  I understand the benefits of strength training, but I don’t think this is what they had in mind! As soon as an anxious thought comes into my mind I have to turn it right over to God… it should become automatic… the more I trust Him the easier it will be! 

I sometime have pictures that go through my head… if I can picture it then it helps me remember things better, so as I was thinking on the whole anxiety/worry thing here is the picture that came to me.  It is like making pancakes… when you pour the batter on the griddle the underside of the pancake starts to cook. But the topside is gooey!  I remember when I was first learning how to make pancakes, I asked my mom how you know when to turn it over.  She told me that when the gooey side starts to bubble then you know it is time to turn it over.  What a picture… when worry (goo)  starts to bubble up in my life it is the sign it is time to turn it over to God! He will handle it! He wants to handle it!  I just need to trust Him enough to handle it!

“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

Father, I thank You for being the One that wants to take care of every need!  I praise You for the great sacrifice You made by sending Jesus to take away my sins that I can know the freedom and the peace that comes through a relationship with Him. God, You are so good and faithful! I ask You to bless each person that reads this… let Your Word be a changing moment in their lives as it has been in mine! Giving You all the praise and honor in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Rejoicing In Truth!
Carin

You are Not Called to Be a Caterpillar!

I had the opportunity to go to Frederic Meijer Garden to see the butterfly exhibit, recently.  For you that don’t know, I am fascinated and intrigued by those fluttering creatures.  As I was thinking about their transformation and how they start out with not much to offer… they crawl around on their bellies and can eat massive amounts of vegetation… it is hard to see the beauty or usefulness in those little critters.  I am sure most caterpillars could be satisfied living out their life as a caterpillar, but God has bigger things in store for them!  That caterpillar was not called to be a caterpillar!

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works,
and that my soul knows very well.” Psalms 139:14

If I am truly honest… I dislike the transformation process!  I am realizing my disdain for it has more to do with my stubbornness than it has to do with God’s work.  My selfishness, my humanness, can be satisfied, to a certain extent; just being what I am… transformation is painful!

Like the caterpillar, God lets it know when it is time to start the metamorphosis into what He has called it to… a thing of beauty… a butterfly!  I am almost positive the caterpillar does not argue with God about it or try to make a deal to be left alone… it knows that it is created for greater things! (Romans 9:20)  How about us?  Does the pain of transformation stop us from being made, slowly but surely, into God’s beautiful creature?

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”   2 Corinthians 3:18

What is God working on in your life?  Are you moving forward with an open and willing heart to His leading? Or are you refusing to get into the cocoon?  Yes, God loves every one of us as “caterpillars” but He loves us so much He cannot wait to transform us into His beautiful creature, one step at a time.  Remember… You are not called to be a caterpillar!

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Rejoicing in Truth!

From the Heart... Love is the Key...

"From the Heart"... I have seen and read lately so many things about what you want for Valentines Day or what is the best gift you have received???  I admit I can easily fall into the thought that once a year on the “big heart” day... what you receive shows how much you are loved! 

So then I was reading in Romans 12… “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (12:9-10)  I love to be surprised… I love to be on the receiving end at times, but what would my life look like if I gave instead of waiting to receive???

In John 13:1-17… the scene is the last supper, there is no servant there to wash their tired, dusty feet, so Jesus jumps into action and serves His disciples by washing their feet.  The Savior of the world tied on a towel and gave to His friends in such an intimate way!  It may not be practical to wash a person’s feet but having a listening ear, giving a gentle hug, speaking a word of encouragement... those could be the refreshing water that could cleanse a tired soul.

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." John 13:14-15

 

It’s not a once a year heart thing… it is an everyday of the year heart thing!  Christ set the example… if we can even grasp a small amount of this how much of a change could we make?  God’s kind of love flows from a loving heart not out of duty or coercion… it is from a joyful heart not from a guilty consciences… it is your choice… what will you do with it?!

Rejoicing in Truth!

From the Heart... Walk in Love!

This is the 1^st day of February… a short month (28 days) with so much packed into it! Ground Hogs Day… Super Bowl… Fat Tuesday… Presidents Day… Valentines Day!  I personally like to think of February as the month of love!  I have many sweet memories from my childhood from the month of February and Valentines Day in particular.

So this is what God has laid on my heart… I am going to share a few things over the next month regarding, “From the Heart.”  I am using it as a challenge to myself and maybe in the process it will challenge some of you as well.

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.”  Matthew 12:30

To love like that it takes your “ALL”… there are very few things in my life I give my all to. What kind of passion does that take to give your all?  I tend to be a “middle of the road” kind of gal in so many ways, but the things that really mean the most to me… the things I have great passion for… you better watch out because I can be like a run-away train!

God has put passion in each of our hearts for different things, but one thing that He has given all of us the same passion for is to love Him.  What is your heart attitude?  We can never repay God for what He did by sending His Son as a sacrifice for our sin… and He doesn’t want repayment… it is a free gift (Romans 6:23).  But how can we show our love for Him?

 

Obedience… doing the will of God from the heart (Ephesians 6:6). Serving Him by serving others!?  Where are you serving... is there a place in your church that needs you? Is there a place that you need to be serving? You say you don't know where to start or what you might like to do??? You will never figure it out by doing nothing?!!! Walk it out... start now! 

 

"And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance." Ephesians 5:2

That’s it... from my heart to yours!

Rejoicing in Truth!

A Mystery I Don't Have to Solve...

Prayer is such a mystery! Sometimes you pray and get an answer right away. Other times you pray and get nothing… no, “yes”… no, “no”… or in the silence, “just wait.” I had an experience recently of a promise God had given me a couple years ago, what I thought was being fulfilled, in just the way I wanted it to be.  I just knew it… I had it all worked out in my mind how I felt God was doing this thing He had promised!  I built myself up believing that this was it… God is going to give me just what I want, how I thought I wanted it!  I was acting like God needed my help to figure this out!  Wrong! Don’t throw stones… you know we’ve all done that!

Whose promise was this anyway?  I was not the one who asked God for His promise… He gave it to me and along with that I had to remember that He will fulfill it in His time, how He knows is best, in a way I could NEVER imagine!  Knowing that is all good and dandy being on this side of it looking back, but it was a very hard, I mean very hard (who’s stubborn?), few days getting over my feelings of disappointment!

I can admit it now, I acted like a spoiled brat, don’t get me wrong my heart was hurting and I know God knew that, but my reaction to my devastation was not pretty!  It went something like this… “I don’t feel like You are hearing me”… “I don’t feel like You care that this is what I want”… “I don’t feel You see what an opportunity this is to bring You glory?”… “I just feel like taking my “marbles” and going home! What does any of it matter anyway?”  Like I said, not a bit of beauty in my attitude.

So I spent a few days wallowing in my mud… then God sent someone to reach out to me… just that act of caring helped some of the clouds to be pushed away.  I knew my time of “mourning” had to be finished.  I started asking God to show me what was causing me to react in such a way.  I asked Him to reveal to me what that black blob was in my heart.  Holy Spirit shined His light on it so I could see it was a blob of my tangled up feelings!  I let my feelings and emotions, something God created me with for good, to be used as a weapon against myself.  He also showed me that it is not about my feelings, but it is about God’s Truth! What an ugly mess we can easily get ourselves in when we live by our feelings and not God’s Truth.

So why am I sharing all of my spiritual ugliness?  I don’t really know… I would just as soon forget it and move on, but God showed me in James 5:16 – “Confess your faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”  I know that it is only in my helplessness God will be glorified!

Maybe someone reading this is going through a similar struggle.  Maybe God wants to use my experience to bring Him glory… without a test you will never have a testimony. Maybe we need to start praying more for each other.  All I know is it is really not about me, but about what Christ is doing through me and through each one of you.  Someone said to me recently, that this is the year for boldness… boldness for Christ.  Are we ready to be bold?

“He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:16-21

“Prayer works because God is in control. The basis of all miracles is God's sovereignty. Why does He do one and not another? Because God is in control. We have to trust His wisdom and His goodness.” – Rick Warren

So yes, prayer is a mystery, but God’s Truth is not… He is our Provider (Genesis 22:14), our Healer (Exodus 15:26), our Protector (Exodus 17:15), our Peace (Judges 6:24), our Shepherd (Psalms 23:1), He is good (Psalms 86:5), He is just (Isaiah 30:18), He is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9)… just a few.

Rejoicing in Truth!

Reflecting...

At the verge of a “new year”… what will I make of it??? December 31, seems to always bring out some sort of self-reflection… how about in you?  The path I could see my life heading down a year ago is definitely not where I am now… love how God has His own idea, i.e. better plan, just around the corner, if we are willing to hear Him and follow!

 

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.  Psalms 18:2

There were many ups and downs in the past year, but I believe what I choose to reflect on will also set the stage for the next year.  Are you looking to “escape” from 2012?  Do you only see the bad things that you never want to see again?  Let me share a couple things that happened in my life this year… my mom has not been well for a couple years.  She spent multiple times in the hospital this year… 2 of which were in the “behavioral ward.”  I just kept praying for her and over her, along with many prayer warriors… at times it really felt like God had abandoned her, but deep down I knew that wasn’t true.  It really seemed like a nightmare at times, but I kept clinging to God’s faithfulness… His Promises.  My family went through this together… we knew no matter what happened God would be our strength to get through it!  This I would say would be a low point of my year… but without this low point I would never recognize the high point.  The high point and what I am going to reflect on… Within the last few weeks my mom has made a miraculous turnaround… my sisters and I had gone through the last year not really having our mom, but now God has given her back to us! Lessons can be so hard to learn but when you come out on the other side… it is so sweet! 

Another thing that occurred in the past year… my dad was diagnosed with stomach cancer.  Even through this diagnosis God had His hand print all over it!  First of all, they diagnosed the cancer before Dad really had any symptoms! Secondly, God had brought an incredible doctor into the picture because of my mom’s illness… this doctor was the one who caught the cancer before symptoms started! With all that my dad had been dealing with regarding my mom… God gave him such peace… if Daddy was worried about it, I never saw it.  Dad went through a month of radiation treatments without any real complications.  Through all this there have been lives touched… all the glory goes to God!  But without the low point of cancer there would never be the high point of a cancer-free biopsy report a week before Christmas!

I don’t share any of this to show you that my life is anymore special than anyone else’s, but to encourage you that even though none of us want to have the down moments of life… it is through those low times we can experience the up moments!  If life was always the same… would we even recognize the miracles God is doing in us and through us?  I ask you to take a few moments and ask God to shine His light on those special moments of 2012 in your life… then give Him all the praise He so deserves!  Maybe you are not on the other side of your down time… praise Him and thank Him in advance for Who He is and what you know He is doing!

Praying a blessedly prosperous New Year for you!

Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters,
“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:16, 18-19

Rejoicing in Truth!