DAY 25: Can't Slay Dragons You Avoid

I slayed a dragon just now.

I know that sounds odd, but it's how I feel. Beyond procrastination and beyond fear was a big ugly dragon called AVOIDANCE. Procrastination is about delaying and putting something off where avoidance tries to prevent it completely. So what I've learned over the years is that I have a bad habit of avoiding things that I don't want to deal with. (It's probably just me. The rest of you face things head on, I know, but bear with me because I'm a work in progress.) Particularly, those things I don't understand...well...it's better left off my radar (not even at the bottom of the "To-Do" list) than where I have to constantly be reminded that there's something or someone I'm avoiding dealing with and that someone is God.

I probably shouldn't admit that. I mean, I'm a minister, a pastor, a prophet of God...and I'm struggling to pray to the Lord?! I call myself a Christian (and truly am). I love God. I get excited about God. I talk about God and encourage people in God. I read about God and listen to God. What kind of sense does that make? None. However, sensible or not, there's been a couple of things (a.k.a. dragons) that I honestly have shut down the lines of communication with Him on. Or at least I had.

But this evening, I faced one of those dragons. This evening, I decided that I would stop not praying about some questions I have. Not praying got me no closer to answers but that has a good and bad side. If you pray...if you ask questions with authenticity and truth then you must be willing and ready to hear answers. And THAT is where my avoidance was birthed. I haven't been afraid really that God would say no about some things. In fact, I think I have gotten used to a "no" or "not now" in some areas of my life. So what happens when in your spirit you feel a shifting and you have a feeling that the answer may actually be "yes"? What's a girl to do!?

Well this girl did the first unhealthy, negative thing I could think to do--took it off the radar and avoided. I checked emails, talked to people, surfed the social sites, made phone calls, wrote blogs...and didn't do the written prayer in my journal that I knew the Lord was calling for specific to this one issue. What's worse, I didn't even know I was doing it until I looked up and realized that I had been eating it up. Instead of facing the Lord, I was facing a plate or a snack. After such great progress in my journey towards health, I began putting that on the line again all in the name of avoidance.

And yes, fear is tied up in this thing. Truly my fear of failure has risen to the top on multiple occasions but what scares me more (and what was at play here) is about that fear of success. Success and yeses mean expectations and responsibilities. Somewhere along the way, I had managed to convince myself that I could not handle either. Somewhere along the way, I'd allowed the enemy to whisper that LIE into my spirit and it stuck...well until today. Today, I faced that dragon. Today, I looked it squarely in the face (after I ate the last snack bar of course) and said DIE because "Greater is He that is in my than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4) Today I decided to heed the scripture that says to "walk in the Spirit, and don't gratify the desires of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). Though that verse truly speaks about sin, I think it's applicable to walk in the spirit and not give in to the desire of my flesh to avoid God.

If what I've written here sounds familiar to you too, then bravo in advance for facing and slaying your dragons. You can't slay them though if you avoid them. And if this is not you...well then pray for us. Either way and most importantly...be encouraged to face GOD head on with boldness or with hesitation. He can take it.

Blessings,
Pastor Andrea

DAY 21: Wipe Clean

This afternoon, I was doing a devotional for a group of people and as I went to close, the Lord had me ask them to close their eyes and picture writing the name of the person they were having the most difficulty with on a board. Then before we prayed I asked them to wipe the board clean. I could tell that despite what I had said about there not being division among God's people (1 Corinthians 1:10) or about forgetting what was past and pressing towards the future (Philippians 3:13-14) there was still something that hadn't quite shaken loose. As I went back to my office I had the vision of some of them picturing themselves.

At times it is easy to discuss forgiveness when the object of our dissatisfaction lies outside of ourselves. It is often easy to point to another person and clearly define their flaws and ways that they could improve. However, what happens when the dissatisfaction lies within yourself? Today, I want to remind you that the same rules apply to you as to other people. Jesus said that we are to forgive someone "seven times seventy" times (Matthew 18:22)--you included.

No matter what you have done in your past. No matter what you have said in your present. No matter what may come in your future. You. Are. Worth. It. There is nothing too big and nothing too crazy that the Lord doesn't forgive you. Why, then, have you decided to hold onto what He has forgotten? The consequences to your actions may not be gone, but the act of forgiveness is not about absolving anyone of consequences to bad behavior. Instead forgiveness is a heart issue. It's an issue of LOVE. The Bible tells us that real love "keeps no record of wrongs" (1 Corinthians 13:5, NIV). As we hold onto unforgiveness, we hold ourselves in bondage and refuse ourselves the ultimate gift of love. If you don't show love to yourself, how can you expect love to flow freely from others? Demonstrate the love you seek by being that love...even to yourself.

Being able to forgive yourself today is about opening the doors and the windows to your life and letting fresh winds of the Holy Spirit flow through. It allows the Lord to reveal himself in newer ways. It allows the Lord to get through to you clearly instead of through the static of your own reduced self-worth and esteem. Forgiving yourself frees you up and releases you from the leech of bondage that unselfishly drains you of life instead of filling you with peace.

I don't know what issues are outstanding in your heart, but as you read this post, I pray that the Lord put some specific things on your mind to help you identify places of unforgiveness in your heart. While I also want to encourage you to forgive others, I admonish you today to take the first step and clean your personal record sheet before moving on to the records of others.

Blessings,
Pastor Andrea

DAY 9: Let It Go...Let It Goooooo!

You know when you come across that question that says, "What famous person living or dead would you like to meet?" Well...since I already know Jesus, I'd have to say that my answer is often Nelson Mandela. There's one thing about them both that always leaves me awestruck. I've often marveled at what it would take to move a nation...a people to begin the process of reconciliation at the level that they did. In the case of Mandela, I know that he wasn't perfect (we're not even sure he was a Christian) but he was impactful. In the midst of being an example to the world about forgiveness and fortitude, he also illustrated the principle of letting go of RESENTMENT. And though his motivations may not have been based in his faith, ours should be.

Resentment can be defined as "bitter indignation at having been treated unfairly or insulted". Whether we look at Mandela or Christ himself, we know clearly that resentment is poisonous and causes nothing but strife in life. But as Christians we are called to do whatever is possible to live at peace with others (Hebrews 12:14). No matter how justified we feel in our emotions, at the end of the day letting go of resentment means that we cannot hold onto offenses and allow bitterness to set in. Now I know that we can clearly see the effects of long-term, systemic resentment like Mandela was fighting against. When you're discussing race relations and community building, it's easy to say that we need to "get over it" and move beyond past hurts and the legacy of pain that people who have come before us. However, when you have to take the magnifying glass and direct it at the details of our own lives, we often miss the mark. How do I not stay mad at someone who lied about me? How do I not feel some kind of way about being passed over for a job? How do I not allow resentment to make its mark?

We look for a magic answer that will make resentment fade and make our memory short though the wrongs against us may have been long. However, unfortunately there is no magic answer. Moving past resentment takes a daily commitment to merely LET---IT---GO. (Who knew that Disney could be so insightful?) If you need to set that daily commitment to music, then do it. Belt out "Let it go! Let it goooooo..." (the anthem of the movie Frozen) or even just rehearse it quietly in your mind. Speak the Word of God against that feeling regularly. Remind yourself that Proverbs 19:11 says that "...it is his glory to overlook an offense." With that in mind, we must do whatever it takes to consistently remind ourselves to refuse to hold onto the negative poison that is resentment. Choose to exalt the Lord in our hearts instead of exalting our problems or our injuries. Remember that it is the Lord who brings about resolution to our hurts and our injustices. All we have to do is sit back, relax and trust in him.

Lord today, we choose to let resentment go! 

We choose to delight ourselves in the you, knowing that 

you will give us the desires of our heart. We commit our way to you, Lord, 

and choose to trust in you, and for you will act. 

You will bring forth our righteousness as the light, 

and our justice as the noonday. We will be still before you, Lord, 

and wait patiently for you. We choose not to fret over 

the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

We release all of our offenses to you. Amen.

Psalm 37:4-7 (adapted)

Be encouraged,
Pastor Andrea

DAY 7: Changing the Playlist

Yesterday, I posted a picture on social media of something I was doing that day. It was a picture intended to relay the fun and silliness that I was engaging in. It was not a Glamour Shot (if you know what that is, then you are as old as me...haha), but it wasn't the worst picture I've ever taken either. As I read through the responses, many of which were positive, all I could see was the one negative comment among the group. Now to be clear, I don't think that the comment was made with malicious or negative intent. The man's statement about me looking "fat" may have been to be mean, but I doubt it. For some people in non-Western cultures, it's not an insult to make mention of someone's weight. It just is what it is. Stating the truth can be done without attention to the person's feelings. I know this. After living with and around people of many nations for most of my life, I have battled this exact commentary for years on end. Yet armed with my multi-cultural understanding of life, I STILL managed to feel the sting of his statement and play that tape (and replay old tapes that I thought I'd deleted) in my mind for much of yesterday evening and today.

I thought about this more and more I realized that it was the topic of today's devotional. I don't know what to call it though. It's not a clear-cut "emotion". Perhaps this is an issue of insecurities. But, at the end of the day, it's more about the negative tapes that we play in our minds. Your tape may have nothing to do with your appearance. It may be a compilation of things that you were told about what you could or could not do with your life. Maybe you compare your intelligence or your wealth or any number of other things that we can compare ourselves to others in. That point in your life that you lack the most confidence seems to annoyingly remain on "repeat" in our minds and needs to be silenced. No matter what your story is, today is the day to push the OFF button on those words.

As you are faced with what you want to think about yourself, remember that God didn't make a mistake in making you just as you are. In Zephaniah 3:17, we see the sweetest reminder that "...the Lord delights in us..." Rather than feeling as though you are always short of what you need in order to be who you want to be, you need to remember that that YOU ARE ENOUGH. Treat yourself with the same kindness and compassion that you expect from strangers. A friend of mine always says "stop talking about my friend that way" when she hears me say something negative about myself. Take the same care to be nice to yourself as you would to another person.

For it will be in the midst of those nice moments--those reminders of how much you are loved and delighted in--that the silence of negative thoughts will be born. May THOSE loving and nurturing thoughts be the ones that take up permanent residence in your mind's playlist instead.

Lord, today I pray that you will silence the tapes of negativity that have played in my mind. Help me to meditate on the positive and not get caught up on the negative. Help us find the words to cancel every hushed word that the enemy whispers into my ear.

Blessings,
Pastor Andrea

DAY 4: Disconnecting from Discontent

There's that thing in everyone's life that makes you blissfully happy. There are moments that are easy to point to and say, "I was excited" or "That made me smile"--those "Facebook" moments that we're all proud of where there's an obvious sense of euphoria and excitement about life and/or it's events. And, as I drove home from one such moment today, I reflected on the day that I had with a silly smile on my face.

You see, we spent the day exploring this part of Madagascar. How many people get to say that?! We had spent the day having a cultural tour that left me in a state of sweet exhaustion and somewhat overwhelmed. We learned to do this natural paper art with dried flowers, cooked (and ate) traditional Malagasy snacks, participated in rice farming from field to plate, became basket weavers, and met some of the most beautiful people along the way. Yep...it was definitely worthy of 140 characters of tweeting.

But what struck me the most as we interacted with the people we met was something intangible. Looking at the smile of the fisherman in the village we visited with whose home on stilts was creatively arranged to have 3 "rooms" for he, his wife and child or the silent pride in the eyes of the rice farming woman raising 5 children with a husband who works a long distance from home and she sees only once a month or the elder/shepherdess of the church whose 2-part home houses a total of 17 people (near and extended family) I was struck. I can make no suppositions about their happiness and imagine that life has not always been kind to/easy for any of them, but I could discern that they were at peace and CONTENT. They were proud of their families, proud of their traditions, eager to share. They welcomed us with such grace and shared their lives as though they were something precious...because they are.

It is not to say that they don't strive for more. Being content has nothing to do with that 140-character blissful happiness. The definitions of contentedness speak of satisfaction, not stagnation. You could see that they strive for more by the way that they worked diligently to provide for their families and the communities around them. But you could also see that they possessed that very thing that Paul boasts about. Paul who spent much of the time in the bible imprisoned said that he had learned to be content in whatever state he was in (Philippians 4:11).

So many people would notice the poverty of the places we saw, but what I saw most was the peace. You can't bottle that. You can't sell it. You can't pay for it. Peace is priceless. Most of us have more than they have, yet we spend so much time just missing that space of contentment and peace as we search for all of the material trappings of life. In our desire to not stagnate, we don't just strive but we lust after those things that we desire. It's a dangerous yet fine tightrope that many of us fail to stay on--falling because of dissatisfaction and discontent. We allow discontent to sour our moods to make enjoyment of even the little things in life like playing in the mud or splashing like children in a pond virtually impossible.

Today's trip was a reminder to me that I pass along to you: We are privileged beyond measure. Not because of any things we may possess beyond others. No. Our privilege lies in the fact that we have the key to disconnecting the power that discontent has on our lives permanently if we so choose. Paul finishes his famous thought on contentedness with a well-known verse that I think we fail to fully grasp. He says, "In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:12b-13) You have a choice. You can choose to be strengthened and charged in the satisfaction and peace that comes from the power of Christ, or you can choose to be drained by discontent. You can choose your focus. You can choose to give voice to the places of joy in your life and silence discontent. You can choose to meditate on what you lack and where your life is missing something or you can find strength and satisfaction in the small things that remind you that life is good. Be encouraged today to make the decision to disconnect from discontent and plug into small joys and underlying peace that comes with being content.

Lord, help us today to choose you in our focus. Help us to meditate on those small good things that bring us joy and peace. Help us disconnect from the power that discontent has on our lives. Help us to choose contentment in this day. Amen.

Blessings,
Pastor Andrea

Lifeline Thru The Fog

I spent the majority of the day in bed. As I messaged an old friend, I couldn't understand why this had hit so hard. It was just a cold. Colds in February are a norm of life. However, my fatigued body was lacking the emotional and spiritual reinforcements that would have normally made it possible to press through the day with a measly cold. It was like I could feel a fog settling in over me. Have you ever felt that way? So weighed down by circumstance or simple reflections that you can barely connect the dots of your thoughts?

We often allow ourselves to become overwhelmed by what feels like a storm raging around us. Sometimes the storm is obvious with wind and hale and thunder; and sometimes the storm is more subtle like the settling of a fog over a chilling day. Sometimes the storm of life is obvious like the loss of a loved one, divorce, health challenges, financial mayhem; and sometimes life's storms are those subtle moments where your mind and emotions lose focus and allow the "shoulda", "woulda", "coulda"s of life to seep into your soul.

But, at the end of the day, God prevails even over the foggiest brain. As I rested, a friend messaged me to say that they noticed the spiritual fatigue and reminded me of a Word from the Lord that had come to me weeks ago. In the midst of my fog, the Lord sent me a lifeline. The depth of the fact that we don't war against the flesh but against spirits (Ephesians 6) took root in my soul. I felt the weight begin to lift and my mind begin to clear and felt an urge to write. Immediately, I wanted to pay it forward. You may be unaware of even what's really got you down for the count. You may simply feel a little bit under the weather or a bit bruised from the season of life you are in...blue or down. But God sent me today to tell you that He sees you! God loves you enough to not let you flounder and sends His redeeming Word as a lifeline. Be encouraged today to hold fast to His Word that says:

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

    and the flame shall not consume you.

3 

For I am the Lord your God,

    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Isaiah 43:2-3a)

Blessings and peace,
Pastor Andrea

from disconnected to reconnected

Someone asked me today if I'd be willing to share any verse from my last week's bible readings that jumped out at me and was memorable. And, though I read, I was at a loss. As you all know, I don't like to make stuff up, so I just told the truth..."I haven't really had anything this week. I've felt a little disconnected." I know that statement goes against what many people tend to think about ministers and pastors. I think people assume that we must get something whenever we read the Word of God. And, I think that would probably be true some of the time--I often go in looking for that thing...that one word that will heal my hurt or encourage my soul or just make me smile--sometimes disconnect rears its ugly head. 

I know I'm not alone. There are times when, try though we may, we simply cannot seem to feel connected. I wasn't ill at ease. I still had my peace. I just didn't feel any extra "umph" in my relationship with God. It's like having a charger that has a short in the cord. No matter how much you plug it in, you fail to ever truly get your device charged up until you wiggle it around enough to reconnect the short. This works temporarily to get you charged up until you can get somewhere to replace the cord. I decided after that conversation this morning that that's what I've got to do...wiggle it around enough to reconnect my short until God's Word could come in and permanently replace the disconnect with reconnection. 

So I pulled out my Bible and said, "Lord help me see you in these words. Let me here from you today." My "wiggling" was to just keep reading to the next verse and the next passage and the book after that until the Word massaged my soul open. Sometimes you have to press past the disconnect and keep reading until you get to what is yours. Though you may be reading one devotional or reading plan, just keep reading. With that prayer and my wiggle, this is what the Lord gave me in the end:

You keep him in perfect peace

    whose mind is stayed on you,

    because he trusts in you.

4 

Trust in the Lord forever,

    for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

(Isaiah 26:3-4)

And I sat with perfect peace knowing that no matter how disconnected I feel, when I keep my eyes stayed on him, he is that "everlasting" presence in my life...that Rock from whom living water flows. 

Happy connecting/reconnecting, folks!

Blessings,

Pastor Andrea

This Is Not A Drill

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, 

you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, 

considering yourself lest you also be tempted.  

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians: 6:1, 2

If you've never been on a hospital ship before then let me tell you there are some very interesting things that make the whole thing work efficiently. Just like in any other mainland office building, regular fire drills must be conducted to ensure that all crew are ready and able to handle it should a blaze ignite on board. Every crew member must evacuate the ship and congregate at a designated "muster station" where their names are checked against the master list of people on board. 

As you exit and head towards your muster station (arranged by last name alphabetical groupings), you pass a group of people holding a sign and soliciting for STRETCHER BEARERS. You check in at your muster station and then, if you're feeling so inclined, you head back to said sign and exchange your ID badge for one that marks you as a stretcher bearer on a particular team. In the event of a true emergency, teams of people bearing stretchers will re-enter the ship and head to the hospital where they will be directed in helping to get hospital patients out to safety. Needless to say, like so many other roles on the front line, the role of the stretcher bearer is important and cannot be neglected.

Similarly in life, the Lord has directed us to be Stretcher Bearers to one another. It is a role in this life that is important and cannot be neglected. In today's society it is easy to get into a rhythm and focus on what pertains only to self, but God challenges us in His Word to do different, better and more. Galatians 6 tells us to "restore" and "bear burdens" for others. We are indeed directed to be our brother's/sister's keepers. You may have been asking yourself recently if you should even bother to invest in this person or that. Or perhaps you've felt a bit annoyed by a coworker or friend's constant "dumping" of their problems at your doorstep. The thing is that they see something you forgot you had--your new ID badge. The Lord sent this note your way today to remind you that when you decided to follow him, you turned in your own ID and you now bear HIS identification--making you a key player in His team of Divine Stretcher Bearers.

This is not a drill. There are people all around you that need your light to shine and need your shoulder to lean on or that simply need a lift. This week, your challenge is to take your eyes off of your problems and see where you can be that touch of a gentle spirit that someone else needs. And, though you don't do it for this reason, just know that as you pour out that gentleness of spirit on others, the Lord is faithful and just to return that same spirit unto you. Other Stretcher Bearers will be sent your way and have a mission of helping to bear your burdens and put salve on your wounds. So be encouraged...help is on the way...

Blessings,
PastorA

P.S. If this spoke to you...don't forget to "pay it forward" and pass it along to another friend in need of a "lift"...

Trust Your Voice

When I was in high school, I was quite active in the drama department. One year, I tried out for our spring musical. I prepared my song with much angst and decided to try out for the chorus with the the thought that I couldn't possibly be able to carry a major role. Though I had been in choir and knew I could sing, somewhere in the back of my mind, teenage doubt began to seep in. I wondered if I would be good enough. The day of the audition, I was shaking in my boots. My anxiety reached new heights and it showed. As I sang my song, my nerves kicked in and I unintentionally sang the song one key higher than I had practiced. It wasn't flawless, but I finished it nonetheless.

The director and music director both looked at me, shaking their heads with smiles. I will never forget that they then asked me why I hadn't auditioned for one of the lead roles. I nervously admitted to my anxiety and the feeling of not being good enough. They shared with me that, with training and practice to get my nerves under wraps, I was more than capable of doing the job. I was cast in one of the lead roles and was understudy for the leading role. The play went off with flying colors, but it was more than just a play. It began the long journey of teaching me to trust my own voice and to trust the gifts God has given to me.

This lesson came back to mind recently as I was called upon to serve in a ministerial position that I'm less comfortable with than standard teaching/preaching--prophecy. Though I recognize this as a part of my calling and have accepted it as a gifting from the Lord, it is often easy for me to talk myself out of saying what "thus says the Lord" and insert myself into the picture (telling myself "Oh that's not really God, that's just me thinkin' something or other..."). However, this time I was tired of reverting back to the scared me and took the bull by the horns, praying God would grant me holy boldness to flow according to his will. I heard the Spirit remind me, "TRUST MY VOICE"peace. At the end of the day, I felt such a lightness. As I flowed in the giftings, a feeling that I can only describe as "right" or like coming home overtook me. As I flowed, there was genuine

How many times do we second guess ourselves and, consequently, second guess God? How many times does God have to tell us to flow boldly in Him? What is he telling YOU to do or say that you have been second guessing? Well don't even dwell on that. I'm here to remind you that you are good enough! Today is a new day. Today is the day you remember to be encouraged because the Holy Spirit in you will not lead you astray and only wants to fill you with "liberty". (II Corinthians 3:17) Today is the day to decide you will not revert to the old you and you will flow with confidence in the creation He has crafted. Today is the day that you must decide that 'greater is He that is in you' than even YOURSELF, your flesh and your doubts (1 John 4:4). Today is the day you must silence the voice of doubt in your mind and pursue Him with a fervor like none other. Today trust the voice of the Holy Spirit in you. I promise you that there is a reward of peace and joy on the other side of your obedience.

Blessings,
PastorA

Riding In The Glory

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. ~Exodus 13:21

The road was straight before me as I began a new chapter in my life. The day was bright and my heart filled with expectation as I pulled away from the place that I had lived for so long. And as the trip began, I got so very excited. You see, a friend of mine had allowed me to have their sign that read "Glory Zone". In anticipation of my trip, I had placed it in my vehicle in the front window. And I began to get excited about the prospect of the glory of God going before me wherever the road may lead.

 

I realized not long into the trip that I felt much like the Children of Israel must have felt. I felt as though my car was covered by God's grace and mercy and that every step away was a step towards God. It's hard to describe except to say that I felt like I had a pillar of a cloud and fire leading the way. Even as flash storms hit, the reflection of the sign in the front window seemed to almost clear a path ahead in a symbolic way. It truly felt as though we had been riding with His glory.

So often, we get ahead of God or fall behind. We either move too quickly and try to make things happen that we think God is saying for our lives or we lag behind as though our spiritual feet are in quick sand. But what God wants us to remember is that how we move is like a dance with Him--He moves, we move (just like that). We have to be so in tuned with our partner (the Lord) that we move with the cloud and stay put when it does the same. In fact, there's a passage of scripture in Isaiah that says that if we put righteousness ahead of us, 'the glory of the Lord will be our rear guard'. As we traverse the terrain of this battlefield of life, when we put our ego and selfish desires to the side and focus fully on God getting the glory, it is that very glory that protects us. I read somewhere that the "rear guard" of an army is often responsible for ensuring that the lines of battle are secure.

Today, God wants to secure your situation. He wants to cover you with the pillar that keeps you moving in the right direction. He is yearning for you to ride in the glory zone. To get in the zone, it takes focus, it takes faith and it takes fortitude. You have to be willing to put aside your own "stuff" and trust God in all aspects of your life. It's easier said than done, but today be encouraged that it is possible to live and ride consistently in the glory zone if you press through and believe that He has truly got your back.

Blessings,
PastorA

Why So Surprised? HE IS GOD!

I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.

Psalm 89:1

When I left home yesterday morning, I have to admit to being a bit blue. The previous couple of days (more than that if I'm being honest) had been particularly "heavy". There was no major event to explain why that was the case but it was more about the season I have been in weighing on my shoulders and simply trying to maintain my faith. Like so many other days before, I had had a bit of a melt down the previous day about my transportation situation--crying out to God that I was still waiting for the promise of a car that He had given me and that my fortitude in the wait was wearing thin. And so as I began my trek that morning to the bus stop, a small speck of white on the sidewalk caught my eye.

As I looked down, there was a small bead with the letter A inscribed on it. This random little speck made me stop, back track and take a picture. There was something about it that made me feel like God was whispering directly to me that morning that I was on His mind and that He hadn't forgotten me. Feeling the way I had recently, I could use every piece of encouragement I could get from God so I snapped the picture and kept on moving--this time with a little less weightiness dragging me down. As I made my way up the road, I was still a bit down but just that much more encouraged that God hadn't forgotten me. I took one bus then stood waiting on my connecting bus feeling worn out and the day had not even really begun.

The ringing of my phone would next change the trajectory of the entire day as a friend called to tell me that she and her husband wanted to bless me with their "old" (yet new to me) mini-SUV! I thought I was hearing things. Tears began to overwhelm me as she explained how I had been on her heart to do this for me the last three months and basically how God made a way for it to be possible. Her husband had blessed her with a new, bigger truck for Mother's Day and was in agreement that they should give the old one to me instead of using it as a downpayment on the new one. My prayers had availed and God's promise had been manifested just that quickly. When I shared the news with one of my friends last night, she almost made me feel stupid saying 'duh...you SAID He was gonna do it!' and I told her that my awe was not in the belief but because I was overwhelmed by His faithfulness.

As I awoke this morning, God reminded me of the scripture in II Kings 4 where the prophet told the Shunamite woman after her being barren for so long that "this time next year" she would hold a son. True to that prophetic word, by the time he returned the next year, she had had her son. Last year the weekend of Mother's Day, my old car died and God told me to get rid of it. He also told me that he would replace it (though I did not know when). So this time last year, God was telling me to trust Him and this time this year He is reminding me that that trust is never misplaced. As "crazy" as prophesy sounds at times, He was very specific in putting a small SUV in my heart and said that something I did in ministry would be result in someone blessing me. When my friend gave me the news yesterday, she expressed those same thoughts.

When we move in obedience and do what He tells us, He remains faithful to take care of us. Period. Though our obedience should never be about earthly rewards, we have to keep in mind that God uses us in life plants seeds and unlock our own blessings. And it's not about what we are going to "get" as much as it about the potential for lives to be impacted for God's glory. In the end, I'm going to nickname this car "Faith" as a constant reminder to me of how God is faithful. The car is a "little" thing in God's sight. The promises He has given me are much bigger than my transportation, but God in his infinite grace and mercy saw fit to throw me a bone and lift some weights yesterday and simply remind me that He is God. I couldn't leave my house this morning without "singing of the LORD's great love" (as it says in the Psalm above) and encouraging you in this season. We can believe Him. There's no need to be surprised when He makes good on His promises both big and small.

Be encouraged that you are on God's mind and He has not forgotten you.

Blessings,
Pastor A

P.S. Some of you remember that I even wrote about my car before. You can see that entry at http://lhmdevotional.blogspot.com/2012/06/when-is-enough-enough.html.

It's Not Automatic

I woke up this morning with a thanks to God on my mind. But, just as quickly as I said "thank you", my mind began to wander--thinking about that guy I was talking to last night or the bill I need to pay this week or the tasks I need to accomplish today. I had to keep bringing it back in so that I could get through my morning devotion--reading verses multiple times in order to really absorb what it was saying. I was frustrated with myself for my lack of focus (which happens often). And, if I'm being truthful, many days, it's the other way around. I wake up with my mind already going at full throttle, preparing for the day or recapping the dream I just awoke from once the fog of the new morning lifted from my brain, and then I think "Oh shoot! Thanks God!" As guilt floods my spirit, I begin my devotion for the morning intertwined with trying to get to wherever it is that my schedule is dictating. At some point, I settle down and have some REAL quiet time, but what I've found to be true for me is that it's not automatic. My afterthought of praise often gives me a gut check. I really want to automatically wake up speaking in tongues and singing old spirituals. It just doesn't always happen that way.

As a young Christian, I used to believe that I would come to this day when it would--when my brain would suddenly switch from manual to automatic and fall in complete sync with my personal commitment to Christ--and I would roll out of bed everyday with an automatic praise and prayer. But today, I got some freedom as I read Amos 5:4, 14 where it says,

“'Seek (God) and live...Seek good and not evil, 

That you may live; So the Lord God of hosts 

will be with you, As you have spoken.'" 

The key for me was in that word "seek". I thought of the key verses of faith like Matthew 6:33 that says "Seek first the Kingdom of God..." or  Colossians 3:2 telling us to "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." The mere fact that the Lord uses an action word in His instructions to us is poignant. Seek. Set. DO something. They both imply that God understands that our worship and praise and prayer are NOT automatic. They imply that God knew that when we were "shaped in iniquity" (Psalm 51:5) we would have to approach Him with intention and purpose. Even the 12 disciples asked Jesus to 'teach them to pray' (Luke 11:1) and they were with Jesus in the flesh!

No. It's not automatic, but that means that in this day as with every day, we have the opportunity to expressly look for God in new and astounding ways. We have the opportunity for greatness in each and every day. We have the opportunity to take action and turn on our Jesus switch with purpose. And what we know in the end is that, He will meet us there, He will be with us and He will guide us through and through.

Be encouraged to manually turn on your Jesus switch and seek Him in this day. He's got something waiting just for you!

Blessings,
MinD

Use Your S.W.O.R.D.

"I can't take it anymore! Why does everything have to be so hard?!"

These were the words that I wrote in my journal the other day--hoping that an "easy button" would magically appear in response to my plea. The year has been outstanding. So many things have stood out and made 2012 a memorable year (to say the least) just as God had promised. But I had had enough. Tired of money challenges. Tired of transportation challenges. Tired of house challenges. Tired of love life challenges. Tired of people, places, and things. I was simply tired. And so I did what any grown up would do...I threw a tantrum. Writing in my journal the above words as tears streamed down my face, I knew of only one thing that could make it better--the Word of God, my sword of faith. I opened to this week's reading in Hebrews and immediately felt the salve of my Father's Words wash over my soul:

"Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:"  

Hebrews 10:35-36

All I could do was sit there as my tears dried up and my heart lightened at the Word sent just for me. Now maybe this isn't your word. Maybe you are searching for something else. Today's challenge to you is to USE YOUR S.W.O.R.D. (a.k.a. the Bible or what I call "Soothing Words Of Righteous Deliverance). So often we face life's trials feeling the need for just one more word to push us on to that next step. I can testify that the Word of God is just what you need.

Be encouraged as you continue in the press.
Blessings,
MinD

God's Whisper Through The Shift

This week, my life is changing. After ten years of love, joy, peace, sanctuary, friendship, triumph and trials, I am moving out of my home. It is my first home. It has seen me through 6 roommates, 2 pets, 3 degrees, 3 vehicles, and countless other blessings of jobs, relationships, and more. The corners of the room have heard me weep when there was no one else around and they have heard me whoop and holler when the room was filled. The walls have watched as I've gone through so much transition in my life and so the parting of ways has been like leaving an old friend. There are positive sides to this transition and challenging sides as well. With that in mind, making the decision to move has not been an easy one and has challenged my ability to be obedient as God shifts things around in my life. So it seemed only fitting that as I opened up my devotional on my big move date, it "just so happened" that my readings coincided with just what I needed to hear. The first words I read were those in Ecclesiastes 3 and then in Hebrews 4:

"To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven."  ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1

"For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." ~Hebrews 4:15-16

God, in His infinite wisdom started my day whispering comfort in my ear. Letting go of one season to walk into the next is never easy, but the great thing is that God is right there with us through it all. He walks with us and knows the turn of our hearts as we are pushed and pulled through the shifting seasons. Our emotions may be all over the place but, if we stop for a moment in the midst of all the hubbub, get quiet and listen, He whispers to us and brings a great peace that helps us to move one more step through the seasonal shift. In the midst of our trial and in the midst of our shift, we can go boldly to "the throne of grace" and He's waiting with the help that we need. 

Today, there is something that God is trying to move you from and/or move you TO. You've been resisting the shift, feeling alone in the movement. But I want you to be encouraged today. I pull the instructions from Hebrews that are repeated often..."harden not your heart" and hear what God is trying to whisper to you. Be obedient to the move of God and He will be right there at every step. He is trying to move you to that next place in your purpose and will honor your obedience. Do not hesitate and press through the obstacles before you. He wants to make your shift seamless. He wants to be there for you. Stop, take a deep breath, and listen to what thus said the Lord.

Be encouraged,
MinD


 

Day 19: Return Home

I admit it. I've been pouting this evening...

Oh don't look at me in that tone of voice...It's not like I'm alone. So many of us are struggling. We are in places where we are waiting until 11:59pm minute to see God produce "just in the nick of time" miracles in our lives. And sometimes when we don't see our miracles once our countdown has run out (since we put God on a timer), we assume that He isn't in the business of answering prayers. Tonight, I was about to go down that road with God. I was about to ask, in my best self-entitled voice, the age old question of "Why?" (It's amazing that I would have the gall to think that God owes me an explanation. He surely does not.) However, what I realized was that it wasn't that He wasn't going to answer, it was that I had asked amiss to begin with. How often do we get to that point? We've asked God for this or that and He doesn't deliver like Santa Claus on Christmas morning so we slip into a space of doubt in God or depression around our dreams.

What I love about God is that He meets us where we are. As I was about to slide into that pouty place I read Proverbs 19:23 which says that "The fear of the Lord leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil." Oh how wonderful it would be to abide in satisfaction--what a glorious thought that you live there. But, just like our earthly homes, there are times when we walk out of the doors and have been presented with the opportunity to simply go back home when we're ready. When we make the intentional decision to focus on what God wants more than what we want, we open the door. When we face new days with room for God to change our prayers and our hearts, we step over the threshold. When we praise Him despite what we do or do not get and worship Him just because He's God, we take a seat and "abide".

I don't know about you, but I think I've decided to turn my pout into praise this evening, open the door, step over the threshold and abide in the satisfaction of the Lord. Be encouraged to do the same...

Blessings,
MinD

Day 17: Hold Your Peace

Have you noticed as we are reading that in this book on wisdom, one common theme seems to repeat itself over and over again? The final words of Proverbs 17 are a perfect example and spark the memory that this is not the first time we hear Solomon reference our talking aparatus. It poignantly reads:

Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; 

when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. (vs. 28)

It's enough to prompt a search of the chapters up to this point and determine that there are 69 references to mouth, lips and tongues in the chapters 1 through 17 and 112 references in all of Proverbs. Here is this book that is all about directing Christians in ways to make decisions--a book that serves as an ode to wisdom and understanding--and one of the repeated concepts is about the mouth. It thus becomes easy to draw the conclusion that God is sincerely interested in what it is that we have to say. Someone reading this is like me and needs this point to be driven home. We need our hearts to be sensitive to what is about to come from our lips. We need our minds to match our mouths and not have the disconnect that sometimes occurs when we speak before we think.

If you are looking to better understand what is going on in your life, perhaps it is time to hold your peace. Perhaps it is time to listen twice as much as you speak. Perhaps perception will come when peace proves powerful over what you will and will not say.

Be encouraged today to hold your peace...

Blessings,
MinD

Day 12: What You Talkin' 'Bout?

When you Google the question "How many words does the average person speak in a day?" the answer isn't too surprising. Most experts say that women speak about 20,000 words in a given day and men only 7,000. Without getting caught up on the disparity between male or female tongues, hearing that statistic prompts the next thought in my mind: "How many of those words are meaningful?" If I think back on my day, all of the "hello's" and random "did you know's" don't amount to much. At the end of the day, I have 20,000 chances to say what is the question I have been asking myself. Gary Coleman's famous line from the 1970's TV show Different Strokes rings in my ears: "Whatchootalkin' 'bout, Willis?!" Are these 20,000 ways that I've changed someone's life for the better? Or at least 500? Are these 20,000 ways where God got the glory? Or did He at least get a tithe of my words (i.e. 10%)? Or are these 19,990 empty epithets and passing thoughts? We tweet and update our statuses on a daily basis--a whole lot of words but are we saying anything? Proverbs 12 gives us pause saying:

          14a - Wise words bring many benefits...
          19a - Truthful words stand the test of time...

Both have to do with the words that we choose to use each and every day. Both have to do with the weight of words in our life. As you think of how you will spend tomorrow's seven or twenty thousand word "allotment", won't you consider that the ultimate test of your words is if they bring benefits? Who will be impacted for the good? The ultimate test of your words is if they stand the test of time. Will you speak life into someone's existence and hold your tongue on nay-saying? God being The Truth spoke approximately 774, 746 words (the Bible) that stand the test of time. Every Word He utters into your spirit, every assurance and every promise is "yeah and Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20). You can bank on it! And while we may not be God, we have an opportunity each and everyday to use the breath He breathed into us wisely. Tomorrow, as you speak, remember to make at least a few of your words bankable.

Be encouraged to speak life.

Blessings,
MinD

Day 10: Waiting For Whirlwinds To Stop

I don't know about you, but this season of my life has passed me by like a whirlwind...one thing happens after the other. So many parts of my world have felt like they're in the air, whizzing by my face with no hope of slowing down. I feel as though I haven't been allowed the moment to even catch my breath despite all of the air around me. In some ways, the control I'd like to assert on my life has been taken out of my hands and my trust in God tested to the hilt. I'm like so many of you who wear many hats (and more than one at any given moment); and the weight of the hats seems tremendous as we juggle all of the other parts of life. It can be overwhelming, to say the least. But even while the wind is whipping, the Lord has sent a reminder of what His protection looks like. His Word says:

"When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, but the righteous has an everlasting foundation."

Proverbs 10:25

Can you imagine that the Lord has us in a supernatural bubble. Though we can feel all the wind, it doesn't have the power to truly take us out. Though it feels like it may destroy us at any moment, God assures us that our foundation will be in tact once all of the winds still. And so all that's left to say at that point is...Praise God for his peace that persists in the mean time. May it guard your heart and mind while you stand with diligence and righteousness through the whirlwinds of your life.

Be encouraged,
MinD

Day 8: Obedience Is Not Enough (fix your face)

I'm one of those people who often wear my emotions on my face. It's not that my expression says what I'm thinking as much as I've been told that my eyes truly do serve as windows to my soul and tell all. As a result, I find myself having to tell myself to "fix my face" and adjust my attitude to reflect good and not otherwise. There are things that I've heard the Lord say to me that I've done or embraced somewhat begrudgingly. My obedience is often tainted by my "I'll do it but I don't have to like it" kind of air to it. Perhaps it's just me, but I've willingly moved forward in what God has said but can say that it hasn't always been with the joy that I would hope things of the Lord would bring to a person's heart.

So conviction poured over me as I read Proverbs 8 over and over again today. With various phrases and verses jumping out, there was one that seemed to resonate the loudest. Verse 33 links blessings to "Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it." As I meditated further on it, I realized that my attitude in in this faith walk has been a lot like the children of Israel who were delivered from bondage but who blocked their own blessings by grumbling. The end result for them was 40 years in the desert until all of the grumblers had died--never seeing the promise made manifest in their lives.

In a day and time when much of what we preach and/or hear preached is about claiming your promises, it's difficult to imagine that maybe, just maybe, you could grumble your way out of it. We think that if we do it, if we follow God, then that's enough. It's almost like we arrogantly think that God should be happy with whatever offering of obedience that we give him. But what I'm further convicted about is that obedience is not enough. At the end of the day, God desires for our hearts to line up with His and not just our actions. This means that we are to consciously decide to approach the wisdom, understanding and instruction that He provides us without disdain (disdain: contempt, scorn, haughtiness, arrogance, superiority). It may be hard to do, but in the end it really boils down to one thing--fix your face. (I know I'll be fixing mine.)

Be encouraged to approach God with the right attitude.

Blessings,
MinD

Day 7: Understand?

Years ago (sometime circa 1980ish), there was an episode of The Cosby Show that had a line that seemed to stick in my mind. Cliff (the husband) was chastising one of his children as he did on so many occasions in a silly way and whatever child was looking at him with that same blank look that they all seemed to do and he slowly and with emphasis said, "Do you understand the wooords that are coming out of my mouth?" You see whatever it was that he was saying was obviously something he had had to repeat. As a parent, he was none too pleased about this need for repetition and was at the point where he wanted to be express about his direction and ensure that he was getting through to whichever child that it was. It was just one of those lines that stuck in my mind and is one that I've repeated with silliness when trying to communicate a thought to friends. "Do you understand the wooords that are coming out of my mouth?"

As I began to read chapter 7, I was struck at how it began: "My son, keep my words, and treasure my commands within you. Keep my commands and live, and my law as the apple of your eye." (Prov 7:1-2) For a while there, I thought that I was reading the wrong chapter because I could have sworn that this was how what I read yesterday began. And when I looked back again, I noticed that it wasn't just familiar because of yesterday but because of the past 5 days. With each chapter from chapter 2 through 6 beginning with some similar version of "my son pay attention to my commands". But what rang even more true in this particular chapter was how it began to close in verse 24. Solomon says, "Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth..." Who knew that good ole Heathcliff was a preaching man?! For just like that frustrated father on television, God reiterates to us the necessity to keep his commands and pay attention to his law and make them the center of our hearts.

Today, as you examine your heart, where are God's laws/commands? Are you in touch with what he has commanded of you? Are you moving in obedience? Today's word to you and I is simply about obedience. This is not to condemn you but to simply remind you that obedience is so very important to God--important enough for him to repeat himself a minimum of 6 chapters in a row. The Bible tells us that "obedience is better than sacrifice" (I Sam 15:22). Today is your new opportunity to pay attention and move in the right direction. If tomorrow didn't flow quite right, today push reset and remind yourself of what HE said and then "just do it".

Be encouraged and encourage someone else!

Blessings,
MinD