Fresh Start

It has been moving weekend, well it has turned into moving week.  You bet you can tell who you can really count on when that day comes around.  No one likes to do it but everyone likes the help!  This time my husband had to work on Saturday and I was so grateful for the guys that showed up to help me.  We could have never been able to to it on our own.  

Now that we are moved in - mostly, I look around at the boxes to be unpacked and all our "stuff" and I don't just see work.  I feel gratitude. Gratitude for the things God has been so faithful to provide. Gratitude to God for a fresh start that we so do not deserve. 

You know God is in the fresh start business.  When we accept Jesus we are given that fresh start, no matter want mess we made of our lives in the past.  No matter how many times you have blown it with your finances, people, family, illegal activity, it doesn't matter. If you truely love God, and accect Jesus as your savior, you have a fresh start waiting for you.

May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed.  On account of his vast mercy,  he has given us new birth.  You have been born anew into to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  You have a pure and enduring inheritance that cannot perish, an inheritance that is kept safe for you in heaven.  1 Peter 1: 3-4 CEB

Breaking Point 2

What will it take before you decide to create a buffer zone in your life?  Stress reveals itself in many ways, lack of patience, snapping at others, weight gain, heart attack…. What will it take?  Our bodies need downtime to heal and refresh. Listen to your body it will let you know when you are at the breaking point. 

As you’re in the overload mode your time seems to disappear, no time for family or friends, no time for God.  Seriously, how can you do what God wants you to do if you have no time? How can you even hear what God wants you to do if you don’t take the time to be with Him and listen?    Don’t be that person that says “Really God, now…?” 

“People plan their path, but the Lord secures their steps.”Proverbs 15:9

Do you know someone in this stressed out obsessed with too much stuff people?  You know they have probably lost their joy too, instead of just blowing them off as a mean person, try to help them figure it out…

“Anxiety leads to depression, but a good word encourages.” Proverbs 12:25

Breaking Point

 Do you feel stretched so thin you think you might snap?  Do you rush all day from one appointment to the next? Like getting the kids to school, then you to work; you inhale your food at lunch to rush back to work so you can meet the deadline before days end. Oh but heaven forbid if anyone is late!  This throws the entire day off and you are late for everything else, it’s the snowball effect.

Then you rush home to fix dinner, clean up the kitchen get the homework done, then kids in bed. You then fall into bed mind racing fighting to fall asleep, only wake up in the morning to start all over again.

Even if you are a stay at home Mom you can get into this rush routine.  I was a stay at home Mom for a while, I had a 6 year old in school, and 2 in diapers-15 months apart.  I remember one day my husband came home to the chaos and asked, “What did you do all day?”  “Oh no he didn’t just ask me that!” was my thought.  The next day I wrote a play by play of my day. Every diaper change, every burp and feeding was in that journal.  He never asked that question again.

I had no ease, quiet or rest and trembling came. Job 3:26

What kind of life is that? Can you say STRESS!  I believe that if we will schedule some buffers, or little breaks into our day we could be much happier and more productive in the long run.

We are overloaded- too much media, too much debt, too much work~ home & business~ too much activity in general.

When we are hurrying and worrying we don’t take time to think. When we don’t think we make poor decisions and all too often say hurtful things to those we love we normally would never say. 

So take some time to relax, have some fun. Psalms 46:10 says

Be still and know that I am God…. Let God take control.

The Shore Baptisms!

So baptisms were last night for the Shore Church; TJ had preached Sunday morning on really giving your all to God, being all in as TJ said; so it was a perfect end to the day to watch as 4 showed publicly that they were giving & trusting their lives to God. I admit to being a very proud Momma as I watched my son TJ baptized my daughter Mallory, a very moving moment for me, yet I managed to keep it all together. Surprising – I know.

Now, for the four baptized, could be the hard part.  Staying in the euphoric, top of the mountain feeling they have now.  That feeling that you will never fall away from God.  But they can stack the deck against that falling away.  They need more than a Sunday ”fix” of worship & teachings, they will quiet time with God, and they will need Christian friends to meet with regularly. A small group, or connect group as we call them at the Shore Church.  Groups where they will feel safe to share what they are going through pray with and have fun too. 

There are many of us that think we don’t need anyone, that we can do it all on our own, but life can be tough and when that happens we can become discouraged and slowly fade out sight.  Truth is no one will ever be an effective Christian if you try to do it alone.  We need each other. 

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their hard work. If either should fall, one can pick up the other. But how miserable are those who fall and don’t have a companion to help them up! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Surround yourself with other that will encourage you to be your very best for the kingdom.

 Don’t stop meeting together with other believers, which some people have gotten into the habit of doing. Instead, encourage each other, especially as you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10:25

Guilty Yet Forgiven

Imagine being acquitted of a crime and then told you are being retried for the same crime, years later.  This is happening to Amanda Knox.  Accused of murdering her room mate 6 years ago and spending 4 years of that time in an Italian prison, the Italian courts had decided she was innocent, yet now a new trial will begin, once again they decide her fate. 

How would you feel? Frightened, depressed, would you want to give up on life?

Amanda being retried for the same crime hardly seems fair, does it?  Yet so many of us do the same thing to ourselves everyday.  We ask God for forgiveness of our sins, then we replay them over & over again like an old movie in our heads; we relive the pain and anguish very time, it’s gut wrenching torture. Why?  Well, I believe most just cannot believe they have been forgiven therefore cannot forgive themselves.

"It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah." Ephesians 2:1-6 The Message

I love that it says God didn’t lose His temper, but with so much love & mercy for us He forgave us.  Now we have to do our part. Take these words deep in our soul; really feel God’s forgiveness. Let it replace that gut wrenching guilt and stop the torture. Forgive yourself and stop replaying the movie in your head. The Message bible, in Psalms 103, says

"And as far as sunrise is from sunset, He has separated us from our sins."

If God can forgive & forget your sin to this great extent, so should you.  It may take some work, perhaps even on a daily basis, but you’ll get it! 

Lysa Terkeurst has a great way to phrase this- 

“Imperfect progress is still progress” 

I am sure Amanda is frightened and maybe a little depressed, but she is not giving up, she is fighting. Let that inspire you to turn off that movie, take a deep breath and fight to forgive yourself of everything. 

No more Masks

No more masks. For years I wore the mask of happiness and confidence.  Having difficulties in my marriage, my job and finances, anytime I had to be in public I put on the mask so no one could see my faults, insecurities or what I considered to be my failures.  It was exhausting and took its toll on me mentally and physically.  My doctor prescribed drugs for depression, and after losing three days I began to function with the drugs in my system. That’s pretty scary in it’s self right?  Life was good for a while; but then the same tune started playing in my head -  doot doot, doodle, doodle, doot, doot, do do… You can hear it can’t you…. the three-ring circus,  well out comes the masks.

“ Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”

James 5:16

 Perhaps if I had lived out this verse, things could have been different.  But I didn’t feel like I had anyone I could “confess” to and well, who wants to do that anyway?

It is in the darkness we hide, (mask) our sins (faults, insecurities and failures).  Look for a trusted friend that you can share your feelings with; someone that will pray with you, heartfelt prayers for your healing and restoration. Confessing these things, bringing light the dark areas of your life, is freeing and opens you up for God to use you to heal & help others that may be going through the same thing. 

Since I have lost my job, my home is in short sale and my finances are much, much lower than they have ever been, I feel freer than I ever have. I should be hearing the pipe organ for the three-ring circus, but I feel peace! It’s all out in the open and no mask required. I have trusted friends I have asked for prayer. 

I am trusting God, doing my part and knowing that whatever the outcome, God is in control and has my interests - because I am on His best list ( Insert Big Smile Here).

Is it an earworm or is it God?

There is a song that has been playing in my head for the last week. Every morning I wake with the chorus playing over & over again. I do love the song, so I don’t mind.

If there’s a road I should walk


Help me find it


If I need to be still


Give me peace for the moment


Whatever Your will


Whatever Your will


Can you help me find it


Can you help me find it  

                Sidewalk Prophets

Two verses in Psalms come to mind when I hear this,

"Be still and know that I am God…” Psalms 46:20

"Your word is a lamp at feet, a light for my path." Psalms 119:105

Being still and trusting God on is a learned experience. Especially if you happen to be a person that likes to pick up the ball & run with it like me.  There were hard lessons along the road for me, some that cost me money, others my pride.

Now that I feel I am (for the most part) on the other side of that learning process I have a more “peaceful” spirit.

Do I fall back into the, “I can do it myself” mode? Yes occasionally I do, and sometimes what I think God is telling me is wrong.  I don’t always get it right, but that is OK.  

Usually when I have a song repeating in my head I'm sure God is trying to tell me something, like an earworm put there by God to get my attention...so the chorus has been my prayer;  I ask Him to help me find the path He has chosen for me. God already knows I'm not that smart sometimes,  Hummm, maybe that's why I hear a song for weeks on end- He's just makin' sure I get the message. 

Surrendering to God

Starting over is hard, and I admit a bit humbling to say the least. Realizing at fifty-__ (insert mumble here) that I (or we) have messed up our finances and I (we) need a second chance is tough.

Years ago God had checked my spirit with- “Get out of Debt.” We didn’t; instead we just tried to control our situation.  That didn’t work so we tied to manipulate things to our favor in order to force our agenda. All the while saying we had surrendered our life to God. That’s not surrender.

Surrendering is not a bad word; though we have associated it with weakness, surrendering to God takes a lot of strength.

Surrendering to God means this-

You will go where God asks without knowing where that will be.

You will wait for God's perfect timing without knowing when it will come.

You will trust God’s purpose without knowing the outcome.

You will expect a miracle without knowing how it is possible.

Be still. Be patient. Expect the Eternal to arrive and set things right. Don’t get upset when you see the worldly ones rising up the ladder. Don’t be bothered by those who are anchored in wicked ways. Psalms 37:7 The Voice

Once I realized I wasn’t fully surrendered and really started to let God take control of everything, including our finances, I had more peace about the stressful situation we had gotten ourselves into.  

So we start over, sold our house and will be renting a home. We are working on being debt free. I still tried to control the situation- and almost rented a larger more expensive home, but I surrendered to God’s urging and rented the smaller, less expensive one.  Sigh, I'm a work in progress.

Looking to make your home on Happy Peaceful Street? Try surrendering to Him instead of relying on yourself.

What you need vs What you desire

This week I have been looking for a home to rent.  It’s a little frustrating for me since I don’t have a job…yet, which makes it hard to know what we can afford. We have a small 14-year-old Italian Greyhound, Steve wants a place for all his tools and “stuff”, he also hates leaving the vehicles out doors. I want 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and of course would love a pool. Sarasota rent has gone up considerably since I last rented- oh, 25 years ago (Yes, I last rented when I was 5). 

What we desire

God has shown me so much grace throughout my life; I know I can trust Him to find the right house & the right job at just the right time.  The house will be just want we need, though perhaps not what we desire. The job will provide the amount of money we need, though maybe not as much as I would like, and of course, it will be in God's timing though I think I need this now rather than later….

What we might get

"You, beloved, are worth so much more than a whole flock of sparrows. God knows everything about you, even the number of hairs on your head. So do not fear." Matthew 10:30,31 (The Voice)

Not knowing is tough, waiting is tough, not having what the world says you need is tough.  But trusting God with all this is easier for me at this point in my life than ever before.  Why?

I have given myself (my life) totally over to God.  I couldn’t surrender my life to Him without trusting, neither could I trust with out loving Him and knowing He loves me.  I trust He loves me because of all the promises God has made, and the instructions from his word. 

"Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete." Romans 12:2 The Voice

So we wait and watch, I know if God finds it good, pleasing and complete, so will I.

A Father's Love

Thursday was a wonderfully happy day at our house; we welcomed our fifth grand baby.  She is beautiful, and the most alert newborn I have ever seen. She was 2 1/2 hours old, had a bath and diaper change, and fully alert as I held her. Her eyes wide open, perfect little pink lips pursed; she was staring up at me desperately trying to focus on my face to see where she was.  Then my son walks up and begins speaking to her; she turns her head to the familiar sound of her father’s voice; as he is   making promises to always love her and care for her. 

"My sheep respond as they hear My voice; I know them intimately, and they follow Me." 

John 10:27 The Voice

 Would you know God, our Father’s voice if He was speaking to you? Do you know that God has made the same promises to you that my son made to his newborn daughter?
Knowing God is not a religion, it is a relationship. A relationship built by spending time with God, learning about Him and His love for us through reading the bible. Sometimes God speaks through a feeling, or through circumstances. Sometimes it is a small voice in our heads. I have often prayed - 

“God I need to hear your voice, and please be clear because as you know, sometimes, I’m just not that bright.” 

Once you develop the relationship and know the character of God it will become easier to hear Him, but you have to watch and listen.
Just as my son promised to love and care for my new granddaughter, God has promises for you too- promises that could not be stated without Him loving  & caring for us.

"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. "' 

Jeremiah 29:11

Yes, Thursday was a happy day for this JjaJja.  I am excited to see where this new little one will go; I have this feeling she will be a world changer; I know she changed our world on Thursday.

Sweet Cece just 2 hours old

Are you in the right job?

Leaders, if you’re constantly frustrated with your team, the odds are, it’s not their fault. Chances are, it’s the limitations you’re putting on their work. 

God gives us each talents He intends for us to use to glorify Him. If you are in a job that is not a match for your gifts, or the leadership has changed the position; you may need to pray about a change.

I experienced this not long ago; my feelings for my job went from, “Oh God do they know I would do this for free?” to, “Oh God why won’t you free me from this job?” All because the position had changed and took me out of my gifts.  It was not that I could not do the job, but it was not my best work. 

People in leadership that value their employees will realize that if an employee is not doing their best work it could be do to something they have done. Perhaps changes made were needed for the success of the organization, but ask yourself, “how can I help this employee I value? Can I adapt the position or do I have another position that is a better fit?” 

Bill Hybels uses a 1-10 analogy. Where on the scale is the employee? If they are low on the scale; why are they there? Is it due to being over challenged or under challenged? How can you as a leader fix this?

Now I am not trying to point any fingers so don’t take this personally if this message strikes a nerve, it is a life leadership lesson I have learned along with my devotion today that sparked this blog. 

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!” Mathew 25:21 NIV

 You see one day God will ask, “What have you done with the gifts I have given you?”  I don’t want to reply, “I stayed in a job that never let me use them.”  God did finally release me from that job, He wanted me out of there too. He had been preparing me for a change almost a year before it finally happened. 

If you find yourself questioning the job situation, pray about whether you are in the position that God really wants for you. You may have gifts you never knew you had. Pray God will reveal them to you so in the end you too can hear "Well Done". 

“So here is my instruction to all the churches: each must live with the gifts the Lord Jesus grants you and with the call God offers you.”

1 Corinthians 7:17 The Voice

Cleaning Closets

I am packing,  again... how did we get so much stuff in just a year?  Seriously!  And if I carried it to Missouri two years ago and back to Florida a year later and STILL have not used it do I really need to keep it? Really there are broken things I swore I would fix and never did, scraps of paper in case I need it for crafting with the grand kids and ink pens! I have so many ink pens I will not need to purchase any for the rest of my life!  It really is ridiculous the junk closet, junk drawer, junk in the laundry room and junk on the counters in the garage- that were clean 6 months ago. Our closets get so filled with so much clutter that we loose things, as hard as we search for these items, we cannot find them until we clean out the clutter.  

Our lives are so like that…we search for God, try to hear Him, but until we clean out the clutter in out heads…… we will not "hear" Him.  Some things should be given away to bless someone else, like that beautiful dress hanging in the closet that has been there for 4 years….. (come on girl you know you will never fit into again); so should you pass on some knowledge or wisdom don't keep that for yourself.  Other things need to be thrown away, like the other beautiful dress that as the stain you swear you can get out, and 3 years later it is still in a wad on the closet floor, also throw out that baggage that is doing you no good at all and only brings you down whenever you think about it.  Perhaps it is an old friendship that you just need to let go of, you may be past the issue and just keep holding out that things will be the same again, the stain will not come out. There are time we need to throw out the thought that we can change the situation.

All this is renewing the mind Romans 12:2 tells us:

 "Do not conform to the pattern of the world; be transformed by renewing your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will..."

So if we will clean out the clutter in our head we will be able to "hear' God and know His plan for us is:

Good

Pleasing

Perfect

It is a choice, keep the old or purge the old and renew….. 

I am trying to throw things away- really I am. If I don't succeed, you may see me on the next episode of "Hoarders", sigh....

Faith or Fear?

 “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:24

 This verse is filled with a joyful promise from God; but it doesn’t mean God is your personal vending machine. God still has a plan for your life.  If what you are asking is for the right reasons, by that I mean not out of selfish desires or pride, God may answer your prayer.

Andy Andrews has a book called The Traveler’s Gift.  In one chapter the traveler David Ponder, meets Gabriel in heaven and he takes the David into a warehouse filled with racks and racks of stuff.  There are photos of children, wheelchairs and cures for disease, anything anyone could imagine.

The David asks, “What is this place?”  The Gabriel replies, “ This, my friend, is the place that never was.” Gabriel goes on to explain, “This is the place where we keep all the things that were about to be delivered just as a person stopped working and praying for them. The contents of this warehouse are filled with the dreams and goals of the less courageous.”
 

A Warehouse full of things perhaps no one had enough faith to ask for or didn’t ask for out of fear. Gabriel, in the story, also says that:

 “All men are driven by faith or fear-one or the other-for both are the same.” 

True they are both the same, yet fear takes our faith in the wrong direction. We “fear” the unknown because it hasn’t happened yet and we do not know what to expect. We cannot see it or touch it, only imagine it.  Faith is a belief in something you cannot see or touch- it too is an unknown. But we have faith that it is there just like the air we breathe. Is there a reward in faith? Yes, seeing what you have believed in come to fruition.

"Now faith is being sure we will get what we hope for. It is being sure of what we cannot see." Hebrews 11:1 NLT

Don’t let your dreams end up in God’s warehouse, have the courage to pray for your gift without ceasing, knowing by faith God will deliver your Joy.