Time to Rest

The other day, I had a conversation with someone and mentioned that I was tired. He asked me if I was sleeping okay. I said yes. Then he stumped me and asked if I was RESTING okay. As a small tear came to my eye, I realized that it had been a long while since I had sustained REST. I do have continual peace. I have taken breaks here and there. But, if I'm being honest with myself, there have not been real sustained periods of rest. And I ruminated on that thought and wondered how I would possibly get that rest with life going forward and ministry being what it is. And THAT started to fatigue me even more...

It wasn't until I remembered that rest may come in space rather than time, that the weight of that fatigue began to lift. I knew that the source of my rest would not be one of long time or extended periods of sleep and vacation. That had become evident. But what was real was that God was and is always able to give me (and you) a refreshing and a rest that exceeds our understanding of how or where it comes from.

For me, God sent me some great quality time with my mother that brought that refreshing and that feeling of REST. At times rest is simply a supernatural blessing that comes out of nowhere. Other times it's the smile of a friend or the hug of a loved one that seems to bring you a charge. Or perhaps it's even simply an hour alone listening to your favorite songs, or a quiet ride in the car, or a small breeze that hits your face just so. If you find yourself at the end of your energy rope, I'm here to remind you that God is ABLE and WILLING to bring you a remedy for your much-needed REST. Truly His Word saying that we can bring ourSELVES (not just our problems) to Him is real. Be encouraged that the Lord knows that one thing that will give you strength, that thing on this earth that seems to breathe extra life into your deflating spirit, and it's waiting with Him just for you.

You Can Be Free

And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” Acts 12:11

There are times in our lives that are burned in our memories as times when God did a major working in us. Maybe it was a time when you felt the greatest pain or the greatest confusion. Or it could have even been the time you felt the greatest triumph or joy. As I heard someone read this scripture this morning, my mind immediately went to one of those times in my life. It was a time of growing and a time of stretching. For me it was painful and lonely I couldn't imagine when it would end. 

But it did.

At some point the pressure eased up and I could see through the fog that had settled to one big word...expectations. As I meditated and reflected, I could see that part of God helping me to make peace with elements of my past meant doing a critical thing: delivering me from expectations of people. A lot of times we focus on the first part of what God does just like it says in Acts 12:11. We focus on being delivered from the hand of our enemies (ex. Herod). However, the fullness of God's freedom includes deliverance from expectations as well. In some cases, I needed to release myself from what others expected of me, but the main person I had to get delivered from was myself. 

So many of my hurts and disappointments were tied up in who I hoped, wanted, expected others to be for me. I have wonderful family and friends who are supportive and encouraging and loving; yet even with that I had places hidden in my heart that were disappointed by this or that. Truly my heart was tied to places where people hadn't been what I had hoped. When I needed them, they hadn't been there. What I wanted, they hadn't delivered. I had sometimes measured the love in our relationship by what they had/hadn't given to me and not always on what I had given to them. They had missed their lines in the play of my life that I had cast them in and I realized through this process that it wasn't fair because I had cast them in a part and with lines that they hadn't agreed to. 

Those people around me had been just who God wanted them to be and not who I wanted them to be. They had been who I needed them to be and not always what I wanted them to be. At the moments when I wished they had been on the other side of a phone when I called, God wanted me to be turning to Him. When they had said "no" instead of saying "yes", God's plan was at play. Even in times when they had done things "wrong" or hurtful, Romans 8:28 was truly at work with all things working together for my good. I couldn't see it then. I felt hurt and confused and abandoned at times. However, as I looked back I realized that everything had happened just the way that it should--mistakes, hurts and all. 

There's a thin line between setting standards of excellence so that we strive for the best and setting expectations for others based on an ideal that we have created that may not always be in line with what is fair and/or what God wants for our lives. Being healthy and at peace is about realizing when that line has been crossed. And so the cookie crumbles both ways. Just as God released me from my expectations of others, he also delivered me from unrealistic expectations of others that did not match the journey that he had/has me on. There are times when people want you to be more than you can be for them. The weight of that can be tremendous. There are times when your actions don't match with the hopes that others have for you. Your obligation is to living a life that strives for excellence but that is not bound by mistakes you may make or times when you miss the mark.

I don't know what you are going through or what pieces of your past are weighing you down now in your present and preventing you from moving pain-free into your future. What I do know is that God is able to deliver you from the heart of some of this pain and hurt--your expectations. Perhaps you had expectations of your mom to be positive when instead she said negative things to you. Perhaps you had expectations of your father to protect you at all costs, but you still got hurt on his watch. Perhaps you expected your child to do better than you had done and are disappointed at some of the choices they have made. 

No matter what your expectations, today is a good day to allow the Spirit of the Lord to release you from them. Cry out to Him. Tell Him. Then release it! Your total freedom hinges on this very thing. Freedom from the places of past hurts and pain does not end with apologies. Instead it ends with forgiveness--forgiving others for not doing right, for not doing what you'd hoped, and for not being who you'd expected. Today I want to encourage you to take advantage of what God is offering--freedom from your enemies and deliverance from expectations (i.e. peace of mind). It's yours for the taking. 

Be encouraged.

Blessings,
Pastor A

P.S. Don't forget to share the blessing. If you know someone who needs this word...pass it along.

Day 38: Yep...A Plank In My Eye

I've decided that one of the most pitiful, "something's not right here" sights I've seen in a long while (next to a pretty, well-dressed, grown woman cursing like a sailor) was a grown Christian person pouting the other day because they didn't get their way. They wanted something that a child wanted as well, and the other adults in the room all agreed that the child should have it. So when the child got it, I swear I saw the bottom lip of this grown person begin to tremble. And it wouldn't have been so bad except that today, I caught myself having a conversation with God and making the very same face as I pouted over an unfulfilled prayer request...Ouch...Busted!

Talk about getting convicted! I was so quick to see this person's pout as inappropriate and "not right", but in my own moment of childish splendor I forgot all about my stance with a quickness. How quickly we forget... In my self-righteousness I thought that I had moved past acting like a child. Yet, what I've seen to be true over and over again is that I'm no better than anyone else. And God surely reminds me of this gently every now and again for sure.

I'm a good person for the most part, but not above being duped by self-righteousness and judgement. Truly these character flaws are so slippery. Like many things in my Christian faith, I have come to realize that I've got it down pat when it comes to the big things. I try not to judge people's life decisions, styles, or even their basic decision to become or not become a Christian. All of those are the big things--for which I find myself unfailingly tolerant and patient. But an air of self-righteousness sneaks in when I least expect it and see the small things that I may have "conquered" (or think I have) playing out in those around me. It's that moment when you look at your ex's current love interest (even though you don't want him/her any more) and think that they could've done better with you; or the time you watch another parent fail to get their child to behave in the supermarket line while yours is the picture of obedience (that day/moment). It's the time that we make (what we think are harmless) jokes about people's vocabulary choices; or when you watch the person who got a raise at work make a silly error that you feel you never would have made.

I try my best to not experience these moments. However, just when I think I have it together, God shows me a new example and quickly puts me in my place. It's just like the scripture says, "Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Luke 18:14) Or even like what I've heard preachers say...that if you point your finger at someone, you must be careful because there are three more pointing back at you. We are admonished to deal with our own stuff before worrying about someone else's problems (Matthew 7:3); and today I'm just reminded that that means you have to diligently and daily be looking at yourself so as not to slip idly into that place of judgement.

That said, today's your chance to do a self-check. What have you been watching, thinking, doing that (even in small ways) exalts you over another person? Where have you allowed hints of self-righteousness to show themselves in your life? Today I want to encourage you that those hints don't have to remain. As we walk this Christian journey, we have a new chance each day to commit our negative minds to God, repent and allow the power of the Holy Spirit to convict us each of sin, righteousness, and judgement (John 16:8). So today...take the chance...

Be encouraged,
Pastor Andrea

DAY 24: Emptied Out

There's this old gospel hymn that CeCe Winans did a version of on one of her CDs some years ago. She didn't actually remake the entire song, but just did a portion as an opening to the CD...

Fill my cup, Lord. I lift it up, Lord. Come and quench...this thirsting in my soul. Bread from Heaven, Fill me 'til I want no more...Fill my cup. Fill it up. And make me whole...

It's one of my favorites and I've found myself at times when I've come to my wit's end and feeling completely emptied out singing those very words as she did.  While there is a spiritual value in being "emptied out" of ourselves and emptied out of our sin and emptied out of our mess, being emptied of the good stuff too can be more than a bit overwhelming. So, in moments when I don't know what else to think or do, when I've gone a bit numb to my feelings, when I've given all that I can give, or simply can't put a word to what I feel except "fine", I remember her plea. Fill my cup, Lord. I lift it up, Lord. Truthfully, there are times when I feel like I don't even have the energy to lift up my cup. It's empty and I'm empty and the only thing I can think to do is sing.

It may seem silly to some, but I dare you to say the words or maybe even sing them if you're feeling empty. Or if you can't do it, go download the song and let her sing it to you. Listen carefully to the words of offering that she gives to the Lord. Let your faith be built by hearing the words she uses in hers. Close your eyes and imagine a you-shaped cup being filled by the overflow of the Holy Spirit. Let your imagination and your hopes give way to renewal and spiritual filling where physical filling may still be needed. Reset your mind to know that it is truly possible for God to make it so that your cup overflows (Psalm 23:5).

I'm a witness that He can do it.

Be encouraged,
Pastor Andrea

DAY 23: Thought I Was Good...Until I Wasn't...

I was wondering what I would write about today. Today was a good day. I felt like I handled things fine and that no new negative issues came out of me. I also didn't interact with someone where I saw something negative glaring out at me. Like I said, it was a good day. So I sat down to pray about it and got distracted by instagram. Yes...I allowed the allure of the "you've got mail/notifications" draw my attention. As I ran through some of photos of the day, I stopped at one of a lady in her wedding dress and thought to myself how I could never afford such a beautiful, extravagant dress or gorgeous photographs but wishing deeply that I could. In that small moment of nothingingness the word ENVY crossed my heart.

Wow! How quickly had I gone from feeling like I was doing good to realizing that, even in my "goodness", I was still not alright. Now, don't get me wrong, this is not about condemnation. I fully understand what it says in Romans 8 that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ. Finding the roots of negative feelings/emotions/behaviors in my and others' lives is not about pointing fingers or chastising any of us. But what I believe is that words and thoughts have power. So like what happened today, it would have been so easy for me to get fully distracted by that longing for what I feel like I couldn't/don't have (as per the definition of envy). We must remember that what distracts us can also be what delays us. What distracts us can be the thing that holds us back from truly accomplishing what God wants for us because we are so focused on idolizing the accomplishments and blessings of others.

In fact, the Bible says that envy is one of the "evil things" that "defile a person" (Mark 7:22-23) and that "envy makes bones rot" (Proverbs 14:30). This is not simply about being jealous and hating on someone else and thinking that you deserve what they have more, but instead coveting what they have and putting your soul in danger of a fate that doesn't seem to appealing to most. I don't know about you, but the thought of being defiled or rotten is simply not a good thing to me. So, when I take a moment to acknowledge these moments of envy, then I can stop it in its tracks. Saying "don't envy" is not saying "don't dream". Instead it's saying that you keep your dreams flowing in the right direction. When envy shows itself, I can commit that desire of my heart to the Lord and hope that my desire lines up with God's. I can ask God to change my heart towards the things that make his heart beat. Most importantly, I can redirect my distracted focus back where it should be--on the Father.

You likely aren't envious of a silly fluffy white dress or the eye of a good photographer capturing "your good side" as I. You may desire more money, a thinner body, a buffer body, a different professional opportunity, a different social opportunity...no matter what your thing is, know that I'm praying with and for you that God would take full control of your focus and full control of your dreams on this day.

Be encouraged,
Pastor Andrea

DAY 12: Be Gone Controlling Spirit

Did you know that God is real? He is Creator of the universe? He's Author and Finisher of faith... He is sovereign, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. I could go on and on and continue to ascribe to you the Greatness that is the Lord. Yet despite my knowledge of His greatness, I like to be in control of things. Is it just me? So over the past few years, my gracious Lord has been slowly but surely whittling away at my need to be in control. I really have felt great peace work in my life as I have surrendered both the big and little things in my life to Him. I watched as He diligently showed me that He's the same God that provided for Elijah at the brook by sending to ravens to feed him there during the famine (1 Kings 17). I've been awed as He has consistently showed me that He's the same God who delivered on the promises he made to Abraham when he told him to 'go' and he promised to meet him "there" (Genesis 12). I've been astounded as he's continually shown that he is the same gracious and merciful God that spared the children of Israel time and time again even though they were hard-headed. In the midst of it all, what I am reminded of daily is that He's much better at this whole controlling-my-life thing than I am.

When I can't think of what to do next, he's there. But the problem is that first I have to let go. I have to be willing to make His plans come to fruition and not mine. When I don't think I'm ready for something, he's there. When my fears kick in, he's there. When my energy is low, he strengthens me. He is detail-oriented and hasn't forgotten a single thing about me or you. I'm just in awe yet again today of how grateful I am that the controlling spirit that wants to take up permanent residence in my life is not more like a visitor now and again and I'm truly looking forward to the day when it is has completely moved away.

My prayer for you today is that you would be encouraged to rest in Proverbs 3:5-6 and that that controlling spirit in your life will stay at bay...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. 

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 6: Grrrr...umble

It's funny how sneaky negative emotions can be. There you are, going about your day with a smile, then someone asks you a question or you are just having a basic conversation and you realize that negativity is about to slip out of your lips. That was me today. There I was, mindin' my own business, having a chat with a friend and realized that I was about to say something that wasn't necessary. It was one of those things that, had I said it it would have been like starting up an engine and taking both me and the other person on a ride through Murmurville.

Today, I caught myself, but how many other times have I failed that test miserably? How many times do I act like the Children of Israel did in the desert and murmur and complain when things aren't just the way I'd like? Countless. I have read Exodus often and thought that they seemed just like me--always with something to say about a situation and not always fully trusting the Lord to bring it all together. As I wonder about marriage and family and new direction for my life, I find myself sensitive about what words I speak. I try my best to speak life to who I am and what I will become knowing that 'death and life are in the power of my tongue' (Proverbs 18:21). So why is it then that negative words become so easy to spew?

James 3:7 calls the tongue "a fire, and a world of unrighteousness", but today I really want to set my mind, my heart and my tongue in line to be a fire that burns for Christ's righteousness and positivity. Be encouraged that you can make a decision mid-sentence to change the trajectory of any conversation for the better. If you find yourself in the midst of causing a brush fire, snuff out the flame and begin to take a different focus in your words and conversations. We sometimes forget the simplicity of making a difference in this world begins with small moments when you can choose to do something great with your small input. Choose today to be the day that your walk and talk match up in ways that bless others all for the Love of Christ.

Lord bridle my tongue. That is all. Amen.

Blessings,
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

It Doesn't Take Much

A friend of mine passed me in the hallway and handed me an envelope. Inside was a simple colored 3x5" card with words from another friend who had sent her notes to distribute. Earlier in the day, I received a package. And when you're serving away from home both the packages and notes mean the world to you.  It's not about what's in them per se (although that's always nice), but it's the thought that someone took to remember you that really sticks out. I felt thought of and remembered and yes...loved...

And. as much as it meant to me, I was reading in 1 John 3 and noticed how that little thought means a lot even to God.

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

1 John 3:18

So my question to you today is what are your actions saying? No matter how big or small, what you do has the power to truly change someone's life? It's not rocket science. We need to stop trying to complicate things. Change our focus and realize that it's the simple things that make a world of difference. In all, we have great power and opportunity in all that we do, and it doesn't take much to love with action.

Blessings,
PastorA

Hit The Wall...But Keep Shuffling

“For You are my lamp, O Lord; The Lord shall enlighten my darkness.
For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall...

2 Samuel 22:29-30

There's a phrase that is used in the runner's world (and beyond) that describes that moment when you're on a run or working out where you simply can't go another step. When I was training for a marathon, I used to hit that wall in our long distance runs somewhere around mile #13. And I can tell you that, when you've hit a big wall, your pace slows to a drag and you literally feel yourself shuffling to advance even an inch or two (if that). Your energy level plummets and you feel like sleep is the only option...right there in the middle of the road. It's one of the rare moments where you wonder if you will meet your Maker right then and there.

The thing about a runner's wall is that it's mostly mental. And if you have been trained well, the key to hitting a wall is not to let it stop you. You may drink a taste of water or eat a bite of your energy bar. However, that little shuffle may be all you can do. That little shuffle becomes necessary as a means of keeping momentum going. Because if you keep shuffling long enough, what always surprised me was that eventually the weight of the wall lifts and you catch that second (or third or fourth wind) and can finish your race. The key is to simply press on over your wall until you make it to the other side.

Similarly, life can sometimes get us to the place where we feel as though we have hit our "wall" and simply cannot go another step. Quite frankly, I was feeling this way earlier this week...on the verge of tears but not really sure where to pull from to even cry, hungry, hormonal, exhausted while still bubbling with energy, homesick while glad to be where I am...plain and simply an emotional mess. I had hit my wall. And, as I tried to explain the saying to someone for whom English is not their first language, the Lord began to minister to me. In the midst of my explanation, He reminded me that, just like that runners wall, this space I was in was mostly mental and that the key to getting over was to keep shuffling.

At times we may not have the energy to leap walls in a single bound like Superman/woman. We may not have the resources of Spiderman to pull us over. But we have strength greater than any comic hero. We have the strength and fortitude of The Almighty bottled up inside of us for such times as this. The scripture tells us that by Him we can run against troops and leap over walls--mental or physical. 

So today, if you feel yourself about to hit that wall...pull out your favorite Bible verse, call on your friend to pray...but most of all keep shuffling...Be encouraged that with God, you'll be able to make it over to the other side.

Blessings,
PastorA

P.S. Maybe this message wasn't for you but you have a friend whose been a bit down in the dumps...don't forget to "pay it forward" and pass it along.

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"...

Hidden Sunrise

"And when by His light I walked through darkness;" Job 29:3b

"And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way..." Exodus 13:21a

The other day, I arose earlier than normal. While some people make it a habit of waking up before the God-given indication that the new day has begun, I've always been a firm believer in seeing sunlight first. So, needless to say, I'm not a morning person. But that morning I thought that I would take advantage of my random alertness and attempt to see the sun rise. I made the trek to the deck on the ship and set up my chair with expectancy.

Time passed and as I sat in quiet prayer, the peace of the morning covered me like a down blanket. I knew God was with me. I have to admit that, for a moment, I began to understand how it is that those early risers must feel. And as the sky moved from dark to light, I thought for a moment that I had missed the main point of my being out there...the SUN. In all the peace, I realized that I missed the fact that I didn't get treated to a beautiful sunrise filled with oranges and purples and reds and golds. The sky went from one shade of blue-grey to a lighter shade thereof. The peace that I felt had distracted me from missing that "show" of light.

And before I could even think of being disappointed at that fact, the Lord began to minister to me about how the sun was still there and had, in fact, still put on a show that I simply could not see. Even though it was veiled by clouds, it was there. It didn't cease to rise just because clouds were in the way or because it couldn't "show off" its splendor. The sun had risen behind the clouds and pushed darkness away. Regardless of what my sight was telling me, the sun didn't change its habits just because the clouds were in the way.

And so it goes in life. There are times when we can't see God and when it seems like the He's not there, but there's evidence of His presence comes as the light (joy, peace, love, etc) pushes out the darkness (confusion, anger, bitterness, etc.) of life. If we allow light to enter and meditate on those things, there's no way for darkness to stay. It must go! No matter what you are going through, you need to remember that, like the sun, The Son is always there. As Job testified, He can serve as a light to help us push through darkness. (Job 29:3a) As He was with the children of Isreal so long ago, He will guide us in the midst of the clouds. (Exodus 13:21a) If you focus, God has a peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7) waiting to cover you like a down blanket even in the midst of your trial. At the end of the day, be encouraged and remember that the presence of God has the ability to distract you from the fact that you can't make sense of the light.Walk in faith. Don't worry about your sight.

Blessings,
PastorA

Build To Order

"So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it:...And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him...But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded."

Genesis 6:14-15a, 7:5, 8:1

The other day, I was assisting with the process of organizing chairs in a conference room. The conference room was average size and the chairs enough to sit approximately 350-400 people. As the process began, one of the ladies in charge began to explain to me their way of doing this. It would not be enough to simply "eyeball" the chairs and line the backs up in lines. The precision that the process demanded literally boggled my mind. She explained that we had to have at least 3 people to make the process work--two to hold ropes at either end of the room and the third to arrange the actual chairs in line. I stood there with my brow a bit furrowed as she and the others explained the process, on the edge of protest to say that it didn't have to be this complicated. Until the Lord began to deal with me. 

As He pierced my spirit, I tempered my tongue and simply fixed my face and followed instructions. While I couldn't truly grasp what the point was for the complicated process, I knew that it was an order that had been handed down from the leader of the organization. This was the way it was to be done. And as we completed our task and stood back, it became increasingly clear that the level of excellence that they demanded was well worth it. It was almost breathtaking to seek the whole room in such a state of order. While I would have been satisfied with approximations of lines, they were striving for consistency, excellence and obedience. I thought of all the times in the Bible where we read instances where God spoke and people obeyed--Solomon with the temple, Nehemiah with the wall...but Noah was at the top of my mind. When God said "this is how you do it", Noah did not respond "well why?" Instead, he moved forward in obedience down to the very cubit. And God remembered him in the end and "the waters receded."

Do you ever wonder what if things in the Bible had gone another way? What if Noah had not been as righteous? What if he had questioned God? Or what if he had proceeded but changed the measurements of the wood or only brought one horse instead of two? How many times do we have the opportunity to submit our will to that of others and/or God and we either do it reluctantly with questions of "why" along the way or we simply don't do it? How many times has God unctioned our spirits to proceed in one direction and we have turned to the other? How many times have we had supervisors who have given us instruction that we have grudgingly walked out when we could have simply submitted our spirits to authority with a smile? If you're anything like me, I'm sure you can point to a number of opportunities that you missed. So I'm here today to encourage you not to miss your next chance. Something or someone will come your way in in the coming week (or just came at you recently) and I want to challenge you to proceed in pure, uncontested obedience. Perhaps you are waiting for the waters (things that are overwhelming you) to recede but haven't built the boat to order. Imagine the "floods" of life that God will keep you from and bring you through if you simply obey. Selah...pause and think on this.

Blessings,
PastorA

Going, Going, God

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)

A dear friend of mine said something that tickled me recently. She was being silly, as we often are, while also being serious. As a mother of three young children, wife, co-business owner, small group leader, daughter, sister and friend, her list of hats and commitments seems (at times) overwhelming. She like many of us has had those moments where you look up one day and all of a sudden you have on several hats and you're not even sure how they really got there; and you are aching to tag someone in on your life to take a turn at your life. Her words were that she wanted to "escape the tyranny of her to-do list".

We laughed as I prescribed Jesus as the only answer, but as I thought more and more about it, I realized that I know to many of you who are overwhelmed without an understudy to sub for you now and again. You are aching to get off the merry-go-round/roller coaster that has become your life. You go from one event to the next meeting to the next appointment and try to squeeze God in where you can. Some days He makes it in penciled in at the bottom, and still others not so much...

Today I want to give you a simple reminder...that same reminder that I gave to my friend in the midst of her moment. At the end of the day, God is greater than your to-do list. While you are aching to tag out, he is aching to tag IN. He's the best type of understudy who knows all the songs and can play your role better than you but who isn't trying to steal anything from you in the process. We serve a God who demands that we put him FIRST. I know it's hard to do, but this week I want to encourage you to carve out (at least) 5 minutes of quiet time before the kids awake, before you get your morning coffee, before you go for your morning run, before you even kiss your spouse "good morning". Greet God with a smile and offer Him your "to-do list". It may not slow down, but just that little time has the power to change how you feel going through it.

Blessings,
PastorA

Stuck In Neutral

When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.

John 5:6-9

Anyone who has ever had car trouble knows that it’s never fun. But I have to admit that I was somewhat amused one of the more recent times that car trouble darkened my doorstep. You see, I’ve gotten to the point where I try not to worry about things that I cannot fix and simply wait (and expect) God to take care of matters. But I digress…this time, I was having trouble with the gear shift. The car was stuck in gear. Now, I know that doesn’t seem amusing, but the amusing part was when the Lord began to minister to me through the failed mechanics of my vehicle. You see, the car was stuck in NEUTRAL.

The motor was running fine and the car could drift wherever I pushed it, but it wouldn’t actually shift into drive. And I knew in my heart, that God was trying to get my attention and show me areas of my life where I had become stuck in a spiritual “neutral”—where I had become somewhat numb and allowed some of life’s ups and downs to dictate where I did or didn’t go. In the midst of my waiting season, I admit that apathy had begun in ways to set in. Just like my car, I was running just fine from the outside but had a glitch that meant I couldn’t go full steam ahead. It reminded me of the man at the pool of Bethesda who sat year after year waiting for something to happen instead of making it happen for himself.

At the end of the day, my car was an easy fix. One small part had gone awry. And God is saying to me and to you that it can be just that simple for us. How often in our lives do we allow one small element of our world to throw us completely off course or, worse yet, to stagnate us? Where is God trying to take you that has been hindered by a simple fix (ex. a different perspective, a new route, a different mindset)? Today, you have the opportunity to break out your tools and make a simple fix in your spirit. The Word of God and the fellowship with His children make all the difference in being able to move out of neutral. Be encouraged today to make the decision to surround yourself with the right folks and fill yourself with the right words. It can be as simple as that.

Blessings,

PastorA

Journey To Praise

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."

Psalm 100:4

The other day I woke up and felt a little disconnected...okay maybe more like a lot disconnected. I began the day as I often do--reading my devotional. But even as I read I still couldn't shake that feeling. There are times when, even in the midst of going to church or reading our bibles, we simply aren't "feelin it" and definitely can't put our finger on what's missing. Sometimes we simply need a little nudge from the Lord to help us get back on track. I was searching for my nudge.

As I read I Chronicles 6, something jumped off the page in verses 55-57. It wasn't a phrase that anyone would really take note of beyond me. It wasn't one of our many super-quoted verses that stuck out. Instead in the midst of talk about lineage and 'who begot who' and the division of property was a part that said "They gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, with its surrounding common-lands...one of the cities of refuge". A smile grew on my face as I felt the nudging of God. You see, in my current journey away from what had been my home for 13 years, God told me to come to Hebron. I hadn't heard of such a place until my brother and his family moved to a neighboring city of Hebron, KY. The significance of this may mean nothing to anyone else. However upon closer look at the verses showed that Hebron (the biblical one) was a city in Judah and "Judah" means praise. I smiled even greater as I left my room to hear that my family made plans for us to go visit with another family member who lives in Hebron proper that day. And so...in the midst of my disconnect, the Lord reached through the pages of His Word and nudged me into a space of refuge and a place of praise.

I can't tell you where your "nudge" will come from. It probably won't look like mine. But what I do know is that when we commit to the process of devoting time to Him in prayer and reading his Word, He will meet us right where we are. He wants to take us to places of refuge in Him. He doesn't have to shout from the rooftops. He doesn't have to beat us over the head with it. At the end of the day, the thing that reconnects us all from that place of disconnect is plain and simple...PRAISE.

Be encouraged on your journey to praise.

Blessings,
PastorA