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Good Morning!

it's in the waiting

I received this letter via email several years ago. It is a letter that I keep in my bible. And, it is a letter to be shared with others. Have a wonderful day!

Good Morning,

I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help. If the devil happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, DO NOT attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFDJTD (Something For Jesus To Do) Box. It will be addressed in MY time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold on to it or attempt to remove it. Holding on or removal will delay the resolution of your problem. If it is a situation that you think you are capable of handling, please consult me in prayer to be sure that it is the proper resolution. Because I do not sleep nor do I slumber, there is no need for you to lose any sleep. Rest my child. If you need me, contact me, I am a prayer away.

Your Father,

God

crown and heart

It’s In The Waiting

waiting

Mick Jagger from the Rolling Stones sings a song about waiting for a friend. Brad Paisley recorded a song; Waiting on a Woman where Andy Griffith is sitting on a bench with Brad giving him advice about waiting on a woman. Everyday it seems that most of us  are waiting in some sort of line, in traffic, waiting for an appointment, anticipated phone call or waiting for a prayer answered.

microwave

Today, we live in what I call a microwave world. We don’t want to wait for anything! Instead, we want our answers right now, we want to hurry up and get to where we are going and NOT sit in traffic. We arrive at our scheduled time for an appointment where we may not actually be seen for an hour passed the appointed time and we grow inpatient and grumble that our precious time is being taken away.

it's in the waiting

It’s in the waiting where while I stood in line waiting my turn that I have met the neatest people and had the most interesting and sometimes entertaining conversations.  There have been times when sitting in traffic where I look over at a sign that says something I needed to hear or it’s something that makes me chuckle that gets me  through the rest of the day.  It’s in the waiting on an appointment, I have listened to someone share their concerns about a loved one or of something they were going through. It’s in the waiting for that phone call that I was able to think things through and pray a little more before responding to the call that would be coming in.

seek God

Waiting is a season in life. All of us go through this season at some point and time. There are those of us who go through this season of waiting many times throughout our lifetime. In this season of waiting, we sometimes feel as though God is not there but in all reality he is there.

From my experience, I sincerely believe God makes us wait so we can experience him all the more. Remember the saying;  great things come to those who wait”?  This quote is true but it is in the waiting where God is showing great things all around us.

But 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

count your blessings

All My Children….

JR Ewing

When reading the Old Testament many twists and turns take place. Some of the events in the bible would put soap operas  like All My Children to shame. And, the characters would put JR Ewing to shame. Although, there was misbehaving, mischief and scheming in the Old Testament, it never failed that God used these schemes, people for his glory.

soap character pic

Rahab a very unlikely candidate to fulfill God’s purpose. She was a prostitute and lived a pagan life . Yet, she willingly hid the Israelite spies from the king of Jericho. Rahab lied to the king and his men that she did not know where the spies had gone. Thus, sending the king and men of Jericho on a wild goose chase to find the Israelites who had come to take the land of Jericho. Rahab tells the Israelite spies that she knows their history and what God has done and is doing for them. She went against the grain of her people by professing that God was the only true Yaweh  to the Israelites.  She made an agreement with the spies that her family and her life would be spared in return for what she had done for them. Thus, she and her family’s lives are spared and in the end God uses this unlikely lady of the evening for his glory by putting her in the genealogy of our Lord and Savior. God redeemed her and she became the mother of Boaz.

promised restoration

Boaz became Naomi’s kinsmen redeemer. This was done when Naomi’s daughter-n-law followed her back to Bethlehem. Ruth was  Moabite. Again, a person who worshiped other gods besides the true Yaweh.  However, when Naomi tried to convince Ruth to return back to her homeland and not travel with her, we are familiar with the words Ruth spoke to Naomi: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” ( Ruth 1:16) In that very monologue, Ruth denied the other gods her people worshiped and acknowledged the one true God, Yaweh.  If you are familiar with the Book of Ruth any at all you know that she ends up with Boaz and they give birth to a son, Obed. Obed is the father of Jesse.

hour glass

Then there was the time when God approached Samuel to bring forth his son to be anointed King. Samuel just knew his son, Eliah would be anointed because of his good looks. Yet, Eliah is not the one God wanted. After approaching God with his other sons, God asked if Samuel if he had another son. Samuel responded  by saying that he had one who was out tending sheep. God told Samuel to bring David to him. Thus, we know the rest of the story….David was anointed king.  

king david

Remember the story of King David and Bethsheba? David saw Bethsheba from across the way and he was captured by her beauty. He wanted this woman for himself. David wanted Bethsheba so badly  that he had her husband murdered. Not only did David have an affair with Bethsheba, and  her husband murdered so that he could be with her all the time, we know that David slid on that slippery slope more than once in his life. Yet, he as a man after God’s own heart. In other words, God knew David’s heart and used all the twists and turns of his life.  Not only did God use David’s twists and turns but out of Bathsheba’s and David’s relationship, a son named Solomon was born.  From Solomon we get the best advice and wisdom we could ever ask for known as the book of Proverbs.

Tears of Love

Can you see what is happening? All  of these unlikely people are building the most beautiful genealogy. They are in the genealogy of prophesy being fulfilled in God’s time. The prophesy of God coming to us in human flesh,to be our redeemer kinsmen,  to walk among us and to teach us of his marvelous grace.  We better know this  prophesy and walking human example of grace as Jesus Christ.

emmaus Jesus

Oh, I could go on of unlikely characters in the bible who God uses including more women and men not only in the Old Testament but in the New Testament as well. For example, who did Christ call to follow Him? He called dirty old fishermen and tax collectors. And, there is Paul. For the longest time he persecuted the Christians but in turn he became persecuted because he became a follower of Christ.

seeking the heart

In our society today, we have a tendency of sizing people up. We are quick to judge someone of their appearance, where they live, what they drive, what they may have done or not done,  and who they know. We may even look in the mirror and size ourselves up at times and question who we really are and ask ourselves what do we truly have to offer. Yet, we fail to see the hearts of others.  We fail to see ourselves as God sees us. Some of the best witnesses for Christ I have encountered in my life have been people in a homeless shelter. They have been people living on the street that gave me that word of encouragement I needed to hear at that moment.  It has been people who have very little to offer willing to open the door for me or simply give a smile that warmed my heart.

Jim and I love the following commercial. The first time we saw it we were rolling in the floor laughing.

Isn’t this commercial so much of how we size people up?  We see someone who is different from us, who may be dirty, have an addiction, a shady/shaky past,  or not the best outward appearance and draw a conclusion before we even give them a chance? If we are going to walk in the footsteps of Christ, we must see each individual as God sees them. We must seek their heart.

looking in the mirror

  Along with seeing others’ hearts as God sees them, remember the  next time you look in the mirror and you find yourself  sizing yourself up.   When you start asking what is your purpose in life,  know that God can use ALL of you, no matter your past, for his glory.  Each one of us who walk this earth is a child of God. God sees our hearts and says, you are “all my children.”

crown and heart

Only If The Shoe Fits….

trying on shoes

When I was a little girl the biggest frustration my mom had been finding shoes that would properly fit my feet. I have a small foot and a very short heel thus making it hard to find shoes that would not slide on my foot as I walked.  My small foot and finding a shoe that fit when I was a teenager was even harder. We wanted to find a shoe that looked more age appropriate for me but the only thing that would really fit my foot was a shoe from the little girl’s department.

little girl trying on shoes

Over the years, I have learned more about how to shop for a shoe that would fit properly fit my foot. I will admit that there are some shoes that I get from the little boys’ department as well as the little girls’ department. As a matter of fact, I found the cutest pair of athletic shoes in the girl’s department this past weekend. And, just like any normal female I could not resist to do nothing but try them on and purchase them. These shoes are a perfect fit.

Trying on shoes and finding shoes to fit made me think about how we search to find out where we fit in throughout our life. We all have different factors we have to think about when we are looking for our “perfect” fit in society.  Sometimes, our finding this purpose/calling in life takes us trying different jobs, volunteering in different areas of life, and doing a lot of soul-searching.

place in this world

Our finding our purpose and place in this big world is often dictated by our educational/training backgrounds, geographic location and sometimes physical limitations.  For me, it is the latter when it comes to finding that perfect fit and/or place in this world. Yes, there are physical limitations that I have had to come to terms with of what I can and can’t do.

Over the last month, there have been some things to come into my path that I became really interested in pursuing. Fortunately, these things are things where there was and is no rush so that I could and can pray and search about what I can and should do. The thought process has been like trying on a shoe. Do I really like the shoe? In other words, do I really have a passion for this proposed path? Does the shoe slide on my heel? In other words, would I be able to handle the added responsibilities both physically and in ability?

talking to God

In recent days, as I have gone through this  self-evaluation,  seeking wisdom from my Father and talking with my husband, I realize that pursuing these journeys are not where I need to go. As I realized and acknowledged my physical/medical limitations, I at first became frustrated. My first question to God is; ‘why?’ .  I tell God that I don’t feel like I am doing anything productive.

As this thought process and questioning God, played and re-played  through my head, God spoke to me. He opened my eyes to what I am doing and what I CAN do.  Even though, it is not possible or meant for me to pursue these paths in front of me I can pray for the ones who will answer the call to these paths.

have a good week

God also reminded me that my place in this world is what I am already doing and it is something that I am very passionate about doing. I love to send cards of encouragement to people who are going through storms in life, who are not well and cards to people who need just a little wind to pursue what they are doing, to send congratulations when the occasion calls for it. I also love to send cards just to say;’ hello and I’m thinking about you.’

We live in such a fast paced world and with all the social media a hand-written note or a card signed and sent through the mail is becoming a lost art. Think about the last time you got a card in the mail and how good it made you feel. There is nothing like sending a personal touch of love, encouragement, blessings and prayers through the good old snail mail.

children praying

Along with God reminding me that I can pray for others and sending cards,  He reminded me of how I present myself as an empty vessel to be filled with His words to share with people in this world through my blog writing.  Many times I have gone out searching for that perfect shoe and the perfect  fit to go with an outfit but I run into dead ends. Yet, as I return home,  I look in my closet and find that I had the perfect shoe with the perfect fit all along.  In other words, God has directed me to my place in this world.  I just failed to stop and realize what I was/am already doing to make my mark on the world.

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God calls all of us to do different things to make this a better place. Some are called to do big things and are able to carry big loads. Then, there are those of us  who may have limitations that  called to do simple things that can make a big difference.  The important thing is that we do all that we are called to do with joy in our hearts and allowing God to work through us in all that we do.

closet of Shoes

Are you trying to find a good shoe that fits and having no luck? Maybe, it is time to go home and look in your closet and see if you already have that shoe you are looking for. In other words, go to your Father and talk with Him. It is in talking to Him you may find you have already found your place in this world.  Or,  He may show you a better shoe that is a better fit.  Listen to His small still voice and be ready for what He shows you and directs your steps.

“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

Blessings

Imprinting

imprintin bible

Several years ago I worked in a Christian Bookstore.  When customers would come in and purchase bibles for themselves or for other people, it was customary to ask if they would like to have the bible imprinted. Imprinting meant using material to press down on the leather that would place the name on the bible for a lifetime.

old bible

In life we are constantly imprinting whether we realize it or not. How? We imprint by the words we speak, how we react in certain situations and how we carry ourselves on a daily basis. Through our imprinting, we show our true  appearance. This appearance is what  God sees ALL the time, our heart.

In the video above, a four-letter word flies out of the little boy’s mouth and the dad realizes he has made an impression on his son. The father’s eyes are opened to how much his son is watching his actions and listening to his words. The little boy expresses how much he wants to be like his daddy.

The Lord's message

When we accept Christ into our lives, we are allowing God to imprint our hearts and lives. It is in this imprinting that we would desire to be just like our “daddy” God. We  should want to walk in the steps of His Son, Christ and  extend the grace that has been extended to us to those placed in our path’s.

As we journey through the days ahead, may we realize that people are watching us, our  actions and listening to our words. We  may never know who’s life we will be imprinting.

watch your thoughts

“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in the world, in conduct, in love in spirit, in faith, in purity.”  1 Timothy 4:12

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In ALL your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Blessings

“Lord, You are the beginning, the end, and the very essence  of love in me. Open my eyes to see as You see and love others through me.” Sandy Smith

Our Journey

walking with others

We are all on different journeys taking different roads in life, but in the end the road will take us all to the same place….heaven. In the words of Michael W. Smith….”Pray for me and I’ll pray for you.” Enjoy your day and may you feel God’s presence on journey.

 

FROGS

Image

I like frogs. It doesn’t make sense of why I like them because I would not dare pick one up because they are slimy. And,  as a kid I was told I would get warts if I held one. Yet, there is something about them that intrigues me.

FROGS. Fully Rely On God’s Sovereignty. Each one of us has reached a crossroads in our life, a life changing decision, a one hundred and eighty turn in mid-stride of our journey, or a time when we felt that we were at the end of our rope. In these particular moments in life, we have a lot of “why” questions, and  there may be a chance we had to make changes that we weren’t  really ready to make. It is in these moments when we truly must simply Rely On God’s Sovereignty.

frog

When I think about relying on God’s sovereignty, I think about Moses when God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and out of slavery. Think about it. Here is a guy minding his own business and then one day God appears to him via a burning bush and tells Moses; “here is what I want you to do.” Can you imagine the butterflies in Moses’ stomach at that moment and possibly his blood pressure and pulse rate all going up at the same time? Yet, he relied on God and obeyed God and God’s authority.

frog two

Because Moses relied on God and obeyed, God’s people were led out of slavery and to a new land of freedom. In the process, however, the Israelites did not take a straight path to the Promise Land. There were moments when they doubted God and doubted Moses’ direction that was given by God. In the end, they make it to their destination.

frog three

Have you been tapped on the shoulder by God to change direction in your journey? Have you had something to happen that has  put you at the end of your rope? Are you at that crossroads where you have to pick which direction you will take next? Is God calling you to do something that makes your heart race, your blood pressure go up and takes you totally out of your comfort zone?  If your answer is yes to any of these questions , know that you are a child of a most Sovereign God who loves you very much. Listen to His direction and allow Him to guide you on your journey at this moment. Yes, you may get off course a time or two just as the Israelites did but know you can Fully Rely On God’s Sovereignty. God WILL  get you to your destination.

Frogs. Another reason I like them is for the music they make on hot summer evenings. As I hear them sing along with the rest of God’s creatures, I am reminded of how they are relying on God for ALL of their needs. It is their song that reminds me that no matter what life brings or what new turns that come along, the God that I worship is a Sovereign God on whom I can fully rely on!

Teach me, LORD the way of your decrees,

that I may follow it to the end. 

Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law

and obey it with my heart. 

Direct me in the path of your commands,

for there I find delight. 

Turn my heart toward your statutes

and not toward selfish gain.

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; 

preserve my life according to your word.

Psalm 119:33-37

We Have Commitment!

airplane

We’ve got commitment”  were the words that Jim spoke into my ear as the flight attendant closed the hatch to the airplane. I cut my eyes at Jim wanting to bop him but could let go of the arms of my seat long enough to do so. Then, the plane began to taxi out to the runway and once again Jim with a big smile on his face said; “no getting off the plane now….we really have commitment.” Once again, I wanted to bop him but couldn’t because my hands were clenched even tighter to the arms of the seat.

afraid to fly

It was October, 2002 and we were flying to Washington, DC to attend funeral  services at Arlington for my grandmother. It was also post 9-11 and I had not flown since that awful September 11 event that devastated our country. As our plane was slowing moving towards the runway, I remembered standing at my grandfather’s grave site in Arlington in June and looking over and seeing the side of the Pentagon under repairs as a result from the of  the plane crashing in on that September morning the year before. Fortunately, it had  worked out where we drove to DC back in June for my grandfather’s services but this time due to schedules and such there was no other option but to fly.

010

009

Hearing the words; “we’ve got commitment” did make me feel a bit uneasy. Yet, I knew that there was nothing I could do but to try to relax and place my travel mercies into the expertise of the flight crew and into the hands of God. Fortunately, as the flight began to progress, I was able to relax a bit and let go of the arms of the seat.

Washington, DC at sunset

As we began to approach Washington, DC at sunset, I was relieved that the flight was almost over and that I would soon be hearing the landing gear engage for us to land. However, in this process, I looked over Jim’s shoulder out the window and saw some of the most beautiful scenery down below me. Our Nation’s capitol is a very awe striking scene from the air and at sunset. It was one of the most beautiful landings that I had ever remembered from previous years of flying.

butterflies in the tummy

“We have commitment.”  How does that word, commitment make you feel when you here it? Do you get anxious and wonder, “what have I gotten myself into?” Or, do you get butterflies in your stomach to the point you hold the arms of the seat so tight that no one could pry your hands off if they tried? Commitment can be a scary word for all of us.

Yet, if we think of commitment as the psalmist write in Psalm 37:4-5: “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the LORD; trust Him and He will do this.”we see the word commitment in a whole new light. 

You see, the psalmist is telling us that we should commit everything to the LORD. Each day we should commit everything  in our possession to God. This means placing our family, our friends, our situations, trials, victories, and every little spec of our lives into God’s hands. It is when we commit all that we have and all that we are into the hands of God we are truly trusting Him to work in our lives.  When we do this, we are able to relax and look out into the world just as I looked out of that airplane window and see God’s beauty all around us.  Furthermore, we are more open and  able to experience the blessings that God has in store for us.

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Nowadays, I hear Jim’s voice in my head at times saying to me; “we’ve got commitment!” Do I get anxious when I hear these words playing through my head? No. Instead, I chuckle at him giving me a hard time and in his own way trying to get me to lighten up and trust the ones in charge. Also, it reminds me every day to commit all that is on my plate to God and trust God. After all, the old hymn reminds us to “only trust Him.”

“We have commitment.”   In other words; “Let go and let God.”

emmaus Jesus

A little FYI:   You will notice in my post that I mention going to my grandfather’s funeral in June and you will see the head stone says he passed in May. These are both correct. Arlington gives you a date and time of when the funeral services will be held.

An Invitation

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come follow me”, Jesus said; “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed Him.  

Matthew 4:18-20

memory lane

A couple of weeks ago Jim and I went to his home church to worship with his family. As the service began, the minister did his greeting and in his greeting he shared this thought: “When we invite someone to church, we are asking them to be part of God’s family and to join us on the journey to heaven.”   I loved this statement and it made my heart smile.

walking

Have you ever taken a trip with a group of friends? If you have, you probably experienced lots of laughter, fellowship, maybe a sing-a-long or two, and even some tears along the way. Yet, no matter the conditions, the ups and the downs, in the end, you would not trade that memory for anything in the world. You were glad you made the trip and may have even gotten to know someone a little better as you traveled together.  Not only did you get to know someone a little better but if your heart was opened, you probably learned a little more about yourself. You learned things of where you may need to ease up on or things you need to focus on more.

people

The spiritual journey is very much the same as taking a trip with a group of friends. In this journey, you fellowship with others, you laugh together, cry together, and even may get upset with one another from time to time. Yet, along the way you learn more about the person you are walking with and little more about yourself. Thus, the end result is you are day by day walking closer with the Lord.

walking with others

People are in different places in their spiritual journey and some have not even begun to plan for that journey. It is the responsibility as Christians that they not only keep walking daily with Christ in their journey but to be in tuned to those God places in their path’s and to meet them where they are at on their journey. If they are not even at the starting phase of their journey, people need to reach out a hand of grace and unconditional love and let the person know that no matter what they are welcomed on the journey. Then, just start walking with them from where they are at and before you know it they are walking along growing in their faith. As they grow, you grow, too.

There are also times when you are on your journey you may see someone who is a little further along than you.  Please know that is okay and that person will stop and come back  and meet you where you are at and will walk with along with you. In this stopping and going back to meet you where you are at, they are demonstrating all the more God’s grace and love. The end result is still the same. Faith gets a little stronger and everyone is still heading for the same destination.

journey

In the days ahead of walking on your journey, invite others to walk with you and journey with you through this world. Just remember, that our journey is much like a race, we don’t all get to the finish line at the same time but we can help one another along the way.  Invite someone on the journey. As the saying goes; “the more the merrier!”

 

All Inclusive!

all inclusive resort

We are all familiar with the all-inclusive resort commercials. They are promoted to us as a place we can retreat from the world, everything we could ever want, need or eat is right at our finger tips. If you ever been to one of these resorts or on a cruise, the commercial is pretty accurate.  You are greeted with warmth and a staff ready and eager to please. They are trained to do whatever they can to make your stay comfortable, fun and relaxing.

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There is another place that is or should be all-inclusive. This place is the Christian family. God has placed us here not to judge others but to see others with grace and unconditional love. We are, however, guilty of putting boundaries on who and who can’t be in our Christian family.  Those boundaries, unfortunately, often include (and exclude) people in our church. Most times we are not aware we have placed these boundaries or perceptions on ourselves as Christians or as the church.

When these boundaries are set, or when we are afraid to cross over the aisle to shake hands with a stranger/foreigner or meet someone outside of our comfort zone, we are putting limits on God. We are also putting limits on ourselves as witnesses for the Christian faith. Instead of putting those limits on God and ourselves, we need to step out of that comfort zone and let God have the controls and go to work.

bring people together

When we  step out of our comfort zone or out of our culture and look at another as God sees the person’s heart, we are enlarging the circle of the Christian family. I loved the question that Rev. Gibbons presented us in his sermon yesterday when he shared the importance of enlarging the circle of  the Christian family. “Who am I to hinder God?”  In other words, we must ask ourselves if we are being all-inclusive and allowing God to guide us or are we being exclusive and sticking with what is comfortable?

Rev. Gibbons went on to share Acts 10 and Acts 11. He spoke about how Peter straddled two cultures when he met Cornelius. Yet, Peter allowed God to lead and saw the heart of Cornelius as God saw him. As a result, Peter was invited to Cornelius home where many were gathered. Because Peter saw Cornelius as God saw him, Cornelius along with his house guests were baptized. They experienced the gift of salvation. Peter stepped out beyond the boundaries of what considered acceptable in the Church of that time.

Gods hand

Another statement Rev. Gibbons made was this: Jesus- Lord of ALL, NOT  Lord of some.”   Our challenge as Christians is that we must step across the aisle, look beyond the stereotypes that our society puts on people and/or certain groups of people, and offer the hand of Christian fellowship.  Yesterday’s sermon was a great reminder of the importance of widening the circle of the Christian family.

Remember the old song, May The Circle Be Unbroken? The answer to this is that God’s family, the circle, is not broken but it can be widened.  It is time we were ALL Inclusive.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love, mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8

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