5 Smooth Stones

I absolutely love David. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about the shepherd boy, entertainer of King Saul, soldier, or King, I just love reading about his progression through both his faith and his life. I would go so far as to say he is one of my spiritual heroes (minus the whole adultery/murder part). God himself found David as a man after His heart.  “But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’” Acts 13:22 (NLT). What an amazing statement. I pray that even through my own mistakes and lapses of judgement, God sees me as someone after His own heart and that will do His will.

I think that as Christians (myself included), we often believe that if we just do what’s right, everything should be smooth sailing. We think that life should be comfortable and easy if we just say and do the right things. The American Christian church is especially guilty of this. We have grown accustom to ease and comfort, so we feel like we must put on a façade of perfection. Social media only fuels this fire because we can portray ourselves any way we want. What a travesty! No one has a perfect life, nor will we. Honestly, I am thankful that things aren’t perfect because if they were we would miss seeing the blessings through our struggles.

The very thought of an easy life actually goes completely against the teachings of Jesus himself. He did say “take up your cross and follow me” (see Matthew 16:24-26). That phrase has become somewhat cliché in our modern society. He was literally saying “take up your instrument of extreme torture and death and follow me”.  This wasn’t some cute cross to hang on the wall. He was essentially saying “be ready for a rough ride but I’m right here beside you”.

If you look at the life of David, that is essentially what he did. He believed that God was with him no matter what he was experiencing. He had a bold faith that he was not afraid to share. So many Christians live incognito in this world. We believe in God but don’t want to be perceived as “different”, so we sacrifice some of our beliefs on the altar of fitting in. David didn’t care about that. Even in the darkest moments of his life when he was literally running for his life, he chose to praise God. He was never afraid to go into danger, because he knew God was with him.

I love the story of David and Goliath for many reasons (see 1 Samuel 17). First, I love when God uses unexpected people to advance His kingdom. I also love that He uses unqualified people to achieve incredible victories. David was a teenage shepherd who had never been near a battlefield, much less encountered a soldier with the skills and stature of Goliath. However, he trusted God so much that he chose to go to battle with the only weapon he knew how to use: a slingshot. He passed up using the King’s own armor because it was far too heavy and he wasn’t used to it. Instead, he went and found 5 smooth stones from a stream and went to battle. Here is what I love that I never thought about until this week; David grabbed 5 stones, God gave him the victory with only 1. Wow! Not only was David underqualified, underage, and under skilled, he was also underprepared with only 5 pieces of ammo. However, God gave the victory to a young man with a willing heart and only needed 1 stone to do it. All David had to do was obey.

So, what is God asking you to do? Even if you feel like David and are underqualified, underage, under skilled, and underprepared, God can use whatever stone you bring to the table. All you have to do is bring it!

Exciting News!

I have been keeping a little bit of a secret over the last couple of days, weeks, months, even a few years. I am about to reveal the secret! Drum roll please........I have officially published a book! This is a project I have been working on for a very long time a little at a time. However, when I officially became a stay-at-home mom last June (something I knew would be a temporary season), I made a hard goal to get it finished. Believe it or not, it has been done for several months but publishing takes time! I am so excited to finally be able to tell the world!

So here is a little background information, in 2009 I hit one of the hardest trials in my life up to that point when I found out I was about to be laid off from a job that I loved. It was absolutely devastating and I really struggled with the prospect of losing my job. I went through a period of really questioning my faith and dealing with depression and hopelessness like I had never experienced before. When the initial shock wore off, I started a journal writing down some of the issues I was working through. That journaling process is the very genesis of my new book Finding God in The Wilderness: Learning to Trust God During Times of Uncertainty. 
In the process of writing this book, I can honestly say that I learned more about the nature of God and about truly trusting in Him regardless of what is happening around me than I ever had before. Finding God in the Wilderness will take you on a journey from the wilderness to the promised land, in hopes of learning from the mistakes of the Israelites. When you find yourself in a wilderness season, it's extremely easy to do just what the Israelites did; grumble, complain, and want to run back to the familiar comfort of the chains you left. Despite your uncertainty and fears, the discomfort of the unknown may be exactly where God wants you to be. We must learn how to trust God in the wilderness.
I would be truly honored if you would check out my new book. If you are reading this blog you can get the book for 10% off here by entering discount code PZ6ZVSQ3 at checkout. If you would rather order from Amazon both paperback and Kindle versions are available here. If you do, please do me a favor and write a quick review and share it with your friends!
I hope and pray that the things that God has taught me through every experience and page within that book, will inspire you to also trust God no matter what you may be going through. 

Who are you, really?

                It’s that time of year again, high school and college graduations are going on nearly every weekend in May and into June. This time of year, I always think back to when I was about to graduate from high school and college, and how smart I was back then. Of course, I say that sarcastically, because looking back now I see how little I knew about life. It’s so easy in your teens, and early twenties to be so sure of your life’s path. We build our identities so much on what we do, who we know, and even what kind of clothes we wear or vehicle we drive.  However, none of those things are eternal. Jobs change, in both expected and unexpected ways, friendships definitely change, and material things go in and out of style and eventually end up worn out and tossed aside.

                So, who are you, really? If all the fancy clothes, “cool” friends, money, and talents were suddenly stripped away from you, what would remain? Are you a person that does whatever it takes to fit in or be admired? Or perhaps are you willing to go into tremendous amounts of debt just to look the part of someone wealthy? Or maybe you are willing to compromise and “fudge” your beliefs a little at work or school because you don’t want to be called a prude? On the other hand, maybe you have a firm set of beliefs and are unwilling to compromise on those just to fit in with the world?

                Those are hard things to think about, because we have such an attachment to status. I know that when I first graduated college, my identity revolved so much around what I did that when I suddenly found out that my location was closing and I was being laid off, I was crushed. It was at that point that I really had to start figuring out who I was, beyond what I did or who I knew. I had to go back to Genesis and realize that I was formed in the very image of God and regardless of who I was or what I did to earn a living. I also had to remember that God had a plan for my life and He wasn’t surprised in the least about the fact that I was being laid off. “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 NLT.

                At that point, my sincere hearts’ desire turned toward walking the path God Himself had laid out for me. I started praying more than I ever had before. I chose to put my focus on one thing: the approval of God Himself. That isn’t an easy task. In the materialistic world we live in, if you don’t run with the right crowd or have the fanciest house on the block, you can sometimes be looked down upon. Although having nice things is not a bad thing, letting those things own us is. It can also be challenging when you are not willing to bend on your morals, I have especially seen this as a teacher when kids are not use to being held to a high standard. It can be lonely at times when it feels like everyone else is just going along with the world. Whatever we do though, we need to focus on doing it as a witness of the gospel. “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 NLT. Whether you are a doctor or a garbage collector, that doesn’t really matter. Each one of us has a great commission from Christ to make disciples of ALL nations (See Matthew 28). We need to have an eternal focus in whatever it is we do for a living. We must have integrity, generosity, love, and honesty no matter what we do for a living. We also must be willing to stick to our morals and beliefs no matter who is trying to convince us to bend “just this once”.  I know that I have fallen short in so many of those areas. However, I pray constantly for God to use me to reach others.

                I pray for all my former students, friends, and relatives who are graduating that your focus would not be on the status of what you do, the money, how much stuff you have, or what others think of you. Rather, I pray that you would work every single day as if God Himself was your ultimate boss (Hint: ultimately, He is). Don’t become a fake person who changes depending on the people they are with. Be the person who, when others are going through a hard time and need a true and honest friend, they seek you out. Congratulations and best wishes to all of you! I can’t wait to see where your life’s journey will take you!

More than a Bumper Sticker

                I received a catalog in the mail the other day from one of my favorite Christian bookstores. I like always like to glance through it when it comes, because they always have such neat home décor. It occurred to me as I was flipping through the pages, that so often we, as Christians, have taken verses and symbols and turned them into nothing more than a cool bumper sticker or cute wall hanging. We throw around verses like Philippians 4:13 (I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me) as if they were nothing more than a cute saying. We walk around with a t-shirt saying, “I can do ALL things”, yet live in a defeated state of mind spewing negativity everywhere we go.

The time has come. It’s time to start living the life we like to give lip service too.  I get tired of saying one thing and doing another, don’t you? Either the Bible is completely true, or it is a fraud. There’s no middle ground. According to 2 Timothy 3:16, ALL scripture is God-breathed, so either it is, or it isn’t. So, if the Bible is true, we are told over and over things like; we are more than conquers (Romans 8:37), don’t worry (Matthew 6:34), and that God is always with us (Deuteronomy 31:6). Why are those promises so hard to believe?

Over the years, especially the last 5 or 6, I have gone through many circumstances where I had to move beyond a bumper sticker faith and really re-assess where I was placing my trust. When things are going smoothly and there are no real challenges, it’s easy to live in a realm of clichés and feel-good quotes, but have no real substance to your faith. However, when unexpected situations occur, or rapid changes happen, you must choose if you are going to step out in faith, or cower back in fear. It’s so easy to default into fear and never be willing to take a chance. Sadly though, the rewards often lie in those places where we are depending on God, not on a comfort zone.

For now, I am choosing to live day by day seeking what it is God has for me. It isn’t easy, and there are many days where I fall into worry, doubt, and fear. However, I know without a shadow of a doubt that God does indeed have a good plan for my life and for my family, and I choose to trust that in the right timing, those promises will come to fruition.

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” Jeremiah 29:11 NLT.

You’re Slowing the Process

                God’s timing is one of the most frustrating, misunderstood blessings in disguise that we often encounter. We live in such an instant gratification world, that the term long-suffering is a mystery. Like most of you, I absolutely hate waiting on things. I am sometimes so impatient that I have even taken things out of the microwave (yeah, that machine that speeds up the cooking process) before they are ready. When that happens, the process is actually slowed down. Rather than 2 more minutes of cooking, it turns into 2 ½ or 3 more minutes because of my lack of patience.

                My two oldest daughters (2 ½ and 5 years old) live in a phase of slowing down the process. My 2-year-old insists that she can do everything herself. Whether it’s putting on clothes or buckling her car seat, she has to do it. Most of the time I don’t really mind, however, it seems like her biggest tantrums always happen when she wants to do something herself but I know she can’t. It doesn’t matter how logical my reasoning is, in her 2-year-old mind she knows how to do it. Of course, when I let her go ahead and try, it turns into a tantrum because she can’t do it. By the time I settle her down, 15 minutes have passed for a 30 second task. My 5-year-old is the exact same way. She is little miss independent right now and loves to help cook. She wants to dump ingredients and stir them together. At one point, she was helping her dad cook one of his favorite things and decided to jump ahead and not wait for instructions. She ended up dumping half a bag of powdered sugar into the bowl. Thankfully, he was able to get most of it out and it didn’t ruin the whole recipe, but it added about 10 minutes to the process. If she would have just been patient, they could have eaten their snack a lot sooner. 

I think we so often do the same thing in our walk with God. We don’t want to wait on his timing so, like my 2-year-old, we insist on doing it ourselves. We try to force on the pants when both our legs are in the same hole, then wonder why we get so frustrated. Or maybe like my oldest daughter, we are so anxious to get to the end result, we jump ahead and start adding our own ingredients before we know if those ingredients are even in the recipe. When we do that, God not only needs to help us, but he must first undo all the damage we created in the process of doing it ourselves. I struggle so much with not jumping ahead of God’s plan. When I feel called in a certain direction, I want to run and not walk. Yet, we are not always asked to run. Sometimes we are told to wait.  

After Jesus was resurrected, He told his disciples to wait before they went out to preach. I’m sure that they were fired up and ready to go out and save the world, but they had to wait. “And while staying with them He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’” Acts 1:4-5 ESV. They needed the power of the Holy Spirit before they could be truly effective ministers to the nations.

Perhaps in our time of waiting, God is empowering us for the thing that he is calling us to do. Rather than trying to force the hand of God and slowing down the process, maybe it’s time to wait and let Him show us day by day and step by step what we are supposed to do.

Driving Lessons

My daughter recently turned 5 years old. Since then, she has really felt like she is older and can do more things. She just loves helping her dad work outside and in his shop. The weather around here has been absolutely gorgeous lately, and last weekend we went out to help tear down an old fence. Once we got the panels and fence posts taken down, my husband went to go get his little tractor to load them up to haul them over to the place he was stacking them. Of course, my girls wanted to help him because they love riding on the tractor.

                On their way back with the tractor, my husband did something that a lot of daddies do, he let my oldest daughter steer as he was driving. She was so excited, this wasn’t the first time she has steered, but it was the longest amount of time. When she got off she told me that she just got done with her driving lessons and that she knows how to drive now. In the days since, she has told me several times about knowing how to drive and has even started giving me instructions about watching where I’m going when I am driving.

                I started thinking about her driving skills yesterday. It occurred to me that so many of us look at our own lives the same way that she was looking at her knowledge of driving. We think we are in ultimate control of our lives and are “driving”, when really everything we have been given is a blessing. Just like I know, as a parent, that she does not really know how to drive, God knows that regardless of how “in control” we may think we are, ultimately, He is the one in control. Now, that is not to say that He doesn’t give us free will and reign in certain areas of our lives. It does mean, however, that we are just like that little 5-year-old, we may be making those small decisions and slight turns of the wheel, but when we are about to run into a fencepost, God will grab that wheel and course correct if needed. “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9

                These course corrections may not be easy, but they will always be beneficial. They will also never be contrary to the Bible (so don’t think God is calling you to cheat on your spouse or steal from your employer). Jonah had a course correction in the form of a giant storm, and ended up smelling like fish guts (see Jonah Chapter 1). The Israelites had a course correction in the form of wandering around for 40 years because of their poor decision making skills and lack of trust (see the whole book of Exodus). I had my own course correction, in 2009 when I was laid off from a job I loved. As tough as they are to go through (and I still haven’t learned to love going through course corrections, sometimes I downright hate it), they are always for our benefit. Even in my own situation, I can look back now and see that God was taking me in a different direction for my benefit.

An Introduction to Tom

                I would like you to meet Tom. Now, before you think I am a crazy cat lady and stop reading, hear me out. I am not writing about Tom because I am excited about a new cat. As a matter of fact, if you have been around my house you will know that we have about seven thousand barn cats, so a new cat is no big thing. Actually, Tom is not even my cat.

                As you probably figured out, Tom is, of course, a tom cat. About 6 months ago, he just showed up at our house from who knows where. What makes him special is the story behind the cat.

                When Tom showed up at our house he looked like a body builder on steroids. He was scratched up and looked like he had seen a few fights in his day.  He seemed to have no fears, and has been known to go after the dogs if they try to get too close. We didn’t mind having him around, because living where we do, we want to keep mice and snakes to a minimum, and cats seem to do a good job of that. Because of his mean nature though, we told our girls to stay away from him.

                A strange thing has happened over the last 6 months with Tom. When he first showed up, he was incredible scared of us. He stayed out by the barn and would run and hide every time we came near where he was at. But, over time, he started to get curious. He realized that we weren’t after him so he started getting braver and braver. He started coming closer and closer to the house, until he eventually started sitting on the porch.

                At this point he was still pretty scared of us, and would run off if we acted like we were going to go near to him. We continued to tell the girls to stay away from him because he might scratch or bite them. But I could tell he was changing. Slowly, as he got more brave and trusting of us, I made the first move. I slowly moved over to him and softly pet him on the back. He didn’t attack, but he did run away. Over the next few days he let me pet him a little more. Finally, after realizing I wasn’t going to hurt him, he actually let me pet him for a while.

                He slowly started to get brave with the girls, and now loves to be scratched behind the ears. He has even turned out to be quite the protector. If he feels like our basset hound, Murph, is getting too close he will step in and block him. He is now one of my favorite cats because he just loves being where we are.

                That sweet cat really made me think a lot about how easy it is to judge someone, or something, before we really know them. Growing up I learned, as most of us did, how to pass judgement on others. Whether we judge them because of the family they came from, where they grew up, or what they look like, the majority of people have some pre-conceived notions about other people. I know I do. But, just like that cat, you may not know what a sweet person they may be.

                Over the course of my life, I have had several occasions to learn the value of not judging a book by it’s cover. I have struggled with being judgmental pretty much my whole life, and even today still catch myself. I even debated writing about this, because I do still struggle in this area. But, we are told to confess our sins one to another (See James 5:16).

The first real chance I had to learn the lesson that you can’t always believe your pre-conceived notions and rumors was in the process of getting to know my husband. I was humbled so much when I learned how, under the sometimes rough exterior, this guy was a very thoughtful, intelligent, and caring man of tremendous integrity. That was really the start of the process of re-thinking my judgmental ways.

                After moving to Texas, I started going to a church where, once again, I learned a little more about not jumping on the judgement train too soon. The church had an incredible worship leader who you could tell really had a heart for God. However, one Sunday he dressed a little different than we were used to, and you could see how he was covered in tattoos. I was a little surprised and thought about jumping on the judgements again, but he proceeded to tell us about his past and how he came to Christ. It was such a great story of conversion, I felt terrible about having any negative thoughts.

                The biggest learning experience for me in the area of passing judgement though, has definitely been in my time as a teacher. I have heard so many heartbreaking stories from students who tend to get in trouble at school. More often than not, they simply crave attention and need love from others, they just don't know how to get it.

                We are called to love people. Not just people like us, but ALL people. Jesus himself said “’You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40 NLT.

                Jesus tells us that it is equally important to love God and love others. That love doesn’t mean that we continue to let them live in sin if that’s what is going on. It does, on the other hand, mean that no matter what, we love each other.

                I have definitely not arrived, unfortunately. However, I pray that each day that goes by would teach me to look at people through the eyes of Jesus, rather than through my own.

                “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:3-5 NIV

Distractions

     

 

      One of my absolute favorite things about my short time as stay-at-home mom has been the revival of my personal quiet time.  On a typical day, I get my oldest daughter up and ready to go to school, when she leaves with her dad (who also happens to be the principal at her school), I have a little bit of time before the other two girls get up.  I have cherished that time.  Rather than go back to bed, which can be a temptation, I have tried to use that quiet time to read my Bible, read a devotional, watch some of my favorite preachers that I have recorded, or even write this blog if there is something on my mind.  It has been such a great thing for me spiritually to intentionally take time by myself to immerse in God’s word.  Over the last few months I have gone from doing this as a duty, to actually looking forward to it.  I actually hate to miss it on those days that both of my other girls happen to wake up early.  It’s been kind of funny to me since becoming more intentional about reading my Bible, how many distractions seem to come up. 

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3 NIV.  There is nothing that Satan wants more than for us to be distracted when we are spending time learning about God.  This morning was a perfect example.  We just started a new study about the Holy Spirit in my ladies Bible study group.  It is a really great study so far.  I started on the work book last night and was going to continue this morning.  However, for the life of me I could not find a pen that would work.  I tried every pen I could find and none of them would work.  I spent 10-15 minutes on this stupid little problem.  The thought crossed my mind to wait until later to work on it because I was getting frustrated.  However, when that thought came to mind I sensed that the pen issue was just a distraction of the enemy to keep me from doing the study.  So, instead of quitting, I found a pencil instead and sat back down to get to work.  Wouldn’t you know it, the minute I started writing, the lead on my pencil broke.  I actually laughed out loud at this pathetic attempt of the enemy.  I clicked out some new lead and kept going.

It’s so easy to allow life to distract us from pressing into God.  After all, we have a lot of things going on; demands at work, kids needing us, laundry and dishes, bills to pay, and even church events.  We are so busy that it can be easy to skip our time reading our Bibles.  I am so guilty of that.  However, one of the most common questions Christians have is, “how can I hear from God.”  Our first method of hearing from God is by reading His word, the Bible. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV.  If we don’t spend time in the word, we may miss out on what God is trying to tell us.  And don’t be fooled, simply reading to check of the box of your “read through the Bible” list may not give you the same benefit as actually digging into what you are reading and trying to understand it.  For example, when I taught math I would have never just told the kids to just read the chapter and do their work.  They would have been completely lost if I would have done that, and likely would have given up altogether (like many Christians do).  If I did have them read something I would explain it to them as they read.  God does the same thing with us.  He doesn’t want us just to read and then go about our day.  He wants us to allow him to explain through His Holy Spirit what we are reading.  However, if we give into every distraction and never stop long enough to be focused, we are going to miss out on what God is trying to tell us.

I am guilty of giving into the distractions.  Whether its housework, my favorite TV show, social media, my phone, or just plain laziness, I have done it all.  However, I have always benefitted during the times I put all those distractions away and allowed the teacher to explain what I just read.  It’s absolutely amazing how, when you do that, you may even get a fresh perspective on verses that are so familiar that you think you already know everything there is to know about them.  I encourage you, carve out some time in your day to spend letting God reveal to you exactly what He wants to teach you.

Gifts

                I love giving gifts.  I love spending time picking something out for someone I care about.  Several years ago I went through the Love Languages book by Gary Chapman and, no surprise, gifts was one of my top 2 love languages (the other one high up on the list was words of affirmation).  Now before you misunderstand, I am not a high maintenance person who expects fancy expensive gifts from my husband and others.  No, quite the opposite.  I love a simple hand written card, homemade gift, or just when my husband thinks of me and gives me an unexpected Dr. Pepper from the gas station.  The thing I love about gifts is knowing that someone was thinking about me.  I am all about the thought process behind the gift.  However, the emotional side of gift giving can be a hard thing to swallow when I happen to give someone a gift they don’t like or is not exactly what they were hoping for.  Over the years, I have had a few of those gifts that kind of just a flop. 

I remember my first married Christmas when I bought something for my husband that I thought he really wanted, only to get a hesitant “thanks” when he opened it.  Now don’t get me wrong, he did appreciate the gift, however, it wasn’t exactly the brand that he was wanting because I am sometimes too much of a bargain shopper and got him the cheaper version.  The thing you must know is that when it comes to love languages, gifts is one of the lowest for my husband so he doesn’t always think about the back story and thought process behind the gift.  There have been other times when I gave a gift to someone that I had spent a lot of time picking out or making, and never even received a thank you.  That can be frustrating and sometimes can cause disappointment for a person like me.

Matthew 7:9-11 (NLT) says, “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”  This got me to thinking about how often I have not been grateful for the gifts in my life.  How many times in our lives have we received a blessing, maybe a new job we had prayed for, healthy children, or simply a roof over our head and food in our belly, and not given thanks for it?  I know, for me at least, it has been far more often than I care to admit.  I sometimes get my feelings hurt when others are ungrateful, how must it grieve God every single day when we don’t even acknowledge the things He has done for us? We are told “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT). 

God is a wonderful gift giver, although, unlike us as parents sometimes, he gives us exactly what we need and not always what we want.  He is patient with us when we unwrap the gift to simply utter an insincere “thanks”.  He knows how even though it may not look like it, the lost job, missed promotion, or unfulfilled dream, are simply stepping stones to get us to where we are called to be. “Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! Truly I am God, I have no peer; I am God, and there is none like me, who announces the end from the beginning and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred, who says, ‘My plan will be realized, I will accomplish what I desire,’” Isaiah 46:9-10 (NET).  I love that.  When I get discouraged because of my immediate circumstances, I try to remember that He knows the end from the beginning.  He sees when the right turn I am wanting to take through what looks like a field of beautiful flowers, is actually a steep cliff in just a few feet.  I don’t know about you, but I want to submit to that, be thankful, and trust that He really does have a divine plan for my life.

“For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope. When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayers. When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul, I will make myself available to you,’ says the Lord. ‘Then I will reverse your plight and will regather you from all the nations and all the places where I have exiled you,’ says the Lord. ‘I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.’” Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NET, Emphasis mine).

Mundane Blessings?

    

Throughout the course of a person’s life, we are faced with a series of good times, not so good times, and even the occasional periods where we really aren’t sure if we will make it through. It’s during these different periods of our lives that we also find ourselves in different phases of our Christian walk. There are times when we feel as though God doesn’t care, couldn’t be further from our situation, or perhaps doesn’t even exist. However, we also experience times of extreme closeness and intimacy with God. Why is that? Is God truly far away at times, or do we keep God from being close to us?


When the Israelites left Egypt during the Exodus they were riding high on the miracles they had just seen. They had lived through the Passover, numerous plagues, and had finally, after 400 years of slavery, been set free. To top all of these miracles off they even got to see God part the Red Sea right before their eyes. They could not have possibly felt any closer to God at that time. The Israelites were so on fire for the Lord that as they crossed the Red Sea they even began to sing praises (see Exodus 15:1-18). They were extremely focused and their faith was strengthened. However, as you probably know, that is not the end of the story.


Two and a half months into their wilderness journey (after numerous blessings), they were in the Desert of Sin (ironic name don't you think?). The people began to grumble (not the first time if you read the whole story). They kept talking about how they should have stayed in Egypt because at least there they had all the food they wanted. Like we so many times today do, the minute something gets uncomfortable, we want to quit and go back to the comfort of the way things used to be, even if that means going back into bondage. The gut reaction of the Israelites was not to look to God, who had saved them from the plagues, rescued them from slavery, made it possible to walk on dry land in the middle of the red sea, and had turned bitter water into water that was drinkable (see Exodus 15:25); instead they looked to their circumstances and took their eyes off their provider. How many times have you done that? I know that I have done it more times than I could possibly count, or would honestly care to admit


Why is it that we as humans have such a hard time with change? We get comfortable with where we live and a certain group of friends. We find something we like at a restaurant and never order anything else. We even do this at church. Have you ever tried sitting in a pew where someone else usually sits? Why is that? Do we enjoy monotony? Are we a boring species? I don’t think so at all. I believe that we as humans like to put up walls and form comfort zones. It can be uncomfortable or even hard to move to a new town or start a new job. Because of that we so often find ourselves settling for less than God’s will for us. This applies to every aspect of our lives; from where we work, to who we marry, even to how we treat our physical bodies. Change is hard. No matter how much we know in our head about the benefits, we struggle to break our old, comfortable habits and ways.


Despite the grumbling of the Israelites, God still blessed them as they complained about how hungry they were. What I love about this story is how God chose to do it. Rather than just show them some animals or a fruit tree, he chose to feed them Manna directly from heaven (see Exodus 16:4-5). What an amazing blessing! To ensure that they could only gather enough for one day, any leftovers would actually rot. Talk about “give us this day our daily bread”. I have to be honest though, I struggle with that. I am a worrier by nature and I cannot fault the Israelites for wanting to gather extra Manna each day. Isn’t that just like us as humans, we are focused not just on today, but we are looking at tomorrow. Even if God just finished blessing us, we are worried about 5 years down the road, as if God doesn’t already know about what will happen then as well. The funny thing about God is that he expects us to do that, he knows our nature, he created us after all. If you look at the story of the Israelites, they still tried to gather enough Manna to store for later, however, it served them no purpose because it went bad.


God didn’t stop the Israelites from gathering more than they needed, however, it served them no purpose. It was God’s intention for them to really learn how to trust in him. When we do see blessings happen, we must be careful to not take them for granted. The Israelites had an incredible, daily blessing literally falling from heaven. However, that became routine for them. After all, they had been following a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (see Exodus 13:20-22). They started to take the miraculous for granted and every time they got bored or wanted something different they would grumble and complain. Don’t we do the same thing? I know there have been times when I have followed the exact same pattern as the Israelites. I get in a desperate time of struggling, seek God for his help, and he miraculously comes through for me. However, sometimes the very next day, I am grumbling and complaining again. Why is it that we as humans constantly do that? Why is it so hard to be content and enjoy where we are? Why can’t we take a step back and savor the blessings of the Lord every day?


God’s blessings should never become mundane, but they do. When he blesses us over and over we sometimes come to simply expect it. Just like a spoiled child, we throw a temper tantrum when we don’t get what we want. When I think about my own life, I see that even in myself. I have taken God’s blessings for granted so many times, simply because I have come to expect them. However, just like a child, when I have had to patiently wait, save up, or work hard to get what I have been wanting, I appreciate that blessing so much more. We need to learn how to have that thankful attitude more often. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) says “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” It’s God’s will that we could learn to be content and thankful no matter we may be going through.

Hard Verse to Swallow

We all know it.  For Christians, it’s probably one of the most familiar things that we have all recited.  I’m referring, of course, to what we call The Lord’s Prayer.  This prayer is the pattern given by Jesus of how we should pray.  It’s found in Matthew 6:9-13 “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”  I have heard and recited this prayer so many times that it has kind of become something that I mindlessly say without really thinking about it. 

                However, recently this prayer has struck me in a way that is slightly uncomfortable.  In particular the part about “forgive us as we forgive others”.  That’s a scary thing to pray if you happen to hold any unforgiveness.  Do we really want God to forgive us the way that we forgive others?  I can honestly say that until recently, that is not what I wanted.  I had a few people that I secretly harbored unforgiveness for, whether I consciously realized it or not. 

                I love to listen to various podcasts while I am cleaning throughout the day and about a month ago I heard one about unforgiveness.  Since that time, I have really been mulling that over in my mind, and digging into scripture to read more about it.  There are several things that God has to say about forgiving others.  Here are a few verses just as examples:

                 1.       Immediately after the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6, the very next verses say this, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15.  These words are in red folks, that means they came from Jesus himself.  Not only are we told to forgive others, we are also told that if we don’t forgive others, God will not forgive us.  That should absolutely terrify us and that alone should inspire us to forgive others.

                 2.       “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” Matthew 18:21-22.  We are told to forgive continually.  That means even if the same person sins against you time and time again, you still need to forgive them.  That doesn’t mean that we are excusing their action, it means that we are not going to continue to hold it against them. 

a.       Immediately after this verse, Jesus goes on to tell the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.  If you are unfamiliar with this parable I recommend going and reading Matthew 18, but in a nutshell, a man was shown a ton of mercy by a king by being forgiven of a tremendous debt that he could not pay.  He then turned around and demanded payment from someone who owed him a small about but who also could not pay.  Rather than extending the same mercy as he had received, he had that person thrown in prison.  This got back to the King who was not happy.  The king handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay back all he owed.  Jesus ended the parable by saying “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” Matthew 18:35. Have you felt any torture in your life? Maybe there’s someone you need to forgive from your heart.

                 3.       “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24.  We are told to reconcile before approaching God.  That’s a pretty big deal.  To me that means that if we want our prayers to be heard, we have got to forgive others. 

The most interesting (and honestly the hardest) thing I have noticed in the last month or two of digging a little deeper, is that we are not told to forgive only if the other person deserves it or if they ask us for forgiveness and pay us back for the damage done.  No, we are simply told to continually forgive others.  This is not dependent on the other person.  It isn’t dependent on if they deserve it.  And it isn’t dependent on if they are even repentant.  Forgiving others doesn’t even always affect others.  However, it does impact us.  If we are not forgiving someone, that person and their actions tend to constantly be in the back of our minds.  We develop hatred and even wish ill on that person.  In severe situations, it may even impact our health.  If we forgive someone it doesn’t excuse that person.  It does, however, release us from the oppression of the sin that person committed against us.  God still tells us, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’” Romans 12:19.  God is still in charge.  Just like I always tell my daughter when she starts yelling at her sister, “I’m the mommy, you aren’t, if your sister is being bad let me take care of it, not you.”.  God is telling us, “I’m God, you aren’t, if your brother or sister are being bad let me take care of it, not you.”.  Whoever you may need to forgive, I encourage you to sit down and get serious with God and let that burden go.  

Why the Wilderness?

           

           As a Christian, I often tend to think that everything should be easy.  I somehow believe that God should pave my life’s path in gold and remove any little thing that could possible stand in my way or cause me to stumble.  However, that isn’t how life works.  There are times when things seem to go well and there are times when nothing is working.  Some people seem to struggle more than others.  I also know people who never appear to struggle and it seems like everything they touch turns to gold.  However, we all have challenges in this life.  The older I get, the more I realize that no one has the perfect life.  The more I have gotten to know the people with a “Midas touch”, the more I have seen the real side of them.  Anyone can appear from a distance to have it all figured out.  It’s when you get a little closer that you can see the real struggles underneath.

So many people believe that Christians should have everything figured out.  I’ve even heard people say, on many occasions, that they don’t want to go to church because it’s just full of a bunch of hypocrites.  Well, I have some news for those people; yes, it is full of hypocrites.  I’m one of them.  None of us have it figured out.  We all struggle in some area of our lives.  Just like a hospital is not necessary if no one is ever sick, there would be no need for the church if we were all perfect.  There would also be no need for Jesus if we already had this faith thing figured out.  However, we all still have not arrived.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. Last time I checked, all means every single person. 

Some of my biggest moments of spiritual growth have occurred during times of frustration.  It’s during moments of feeling like I am wandering in the wilderness like the Israelites, that I finally get to where I can depend fully on God.  Why is that?  Why does it take a “wilderness” time in our lives to get us to turn to God, or turn back to God? 

There are so many examples of God meeting with people in the wilderness throughout scripture.  The most famous is probably in the book of Exodus when Moses led the Israelites through the wilderness.  However, God met with so many others when he was able to get them alone in a “wilderness”.  For example, David wrote so many of his most heartfelt Psalms when he was in the wilderness tending to his sheep or even when he was running for his life from King Saul.  Before leading the Israelites out of Egypt, God met with Moses in the wilderness in the form of a burning bush as he was tending his father-in-law’s sheep.  Abraham had an encounter with God in the wilderness when he took Isaac up to sacrifice.  Joseph had a long wilderness phase when he was sold into slavery by his own family, falsely accused of rape, and thrown in prison.  Even Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness being constantly bombarded by temptations and attacks of Satan.  No one is immune to wilderness times.

Sometimes, getting alone with God is exactly what we need.  We need to get away from distractions to focus on what it is God has for us. You have a choice in the wilderness.  You can run to God or you can get mad at God, blame Him for your frustrations, and run from God.  However, you will never truly experience God’s blessings and promotions in your lives if you turn tail and run when you are in the wilderness.  Every one of the examples I gave of men in the Bible who experience times of frustration also experienced tremendous blessings on the other side of their wilderness.  The character that was built during those wilderness times, served them for the rest of their lives.  I, for one don’t want to miss out on that.  I have had a few “wilderness” phases of my own life and I have decided to run to, rather than from God during those times. 

One of the most comforting verses for me during trying times is James 1:2-4.  “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  We can take joy during our trials knowing that even as we go through hard times they are preparing us for what God has in store for us.  I don’t want to miss out on the blessings on the other side of the trials.  I want to develop that maturity the verse speaks of.  I want to understand more about God today than I did yesterday.  I want to react better to a frustrating person now than I did a year ago.  I want people that I may have hurt to see a sincere heart for God rather than simply a hypocritical person.  I definitely want to be further along in my relationship with God five years from now than I am today.  I sincerely hope that if you are walking in the wilderness right now, you will grab your Bible (or your Bible app on your phone) and press in to the Word.  Turn off your television, radio, or whatever else you are allowing to distract you and simply pray that God would encourage you through your frustrations.  Press in and look up, rather than give in and give up.  

Let go of the Brush

I have to make a confession, growing up I loved watching Bob Ross paint.  For those of you who don’t know who he is, he is the guy with the huge afro who loves to paint “happy little trees”.  I am about the furthest from an artsy person you will ever meet, but there was something about him taking a blank canvas and turning it into a gorgeous mountain scene in just 30 minutes that would just draw me and my sister (if she would admit it) in.  Watching his show was interesting because just looking at his canvas as he painted, you would have no idea what he was painting.  It wasn’t until he got just about finished that you would be able to tell what his masterpiece was going to look like.  Even when he messed up a little he would simply say something like, “let’s just turn that into a little fluffy cloud”.  Even though the audience didn’t necessarily know what he was painting, he always knew what it was going to look like.

Just like Bob’s paintings, our lives are God’s masterpiece.  He knows exactly what he has intended the end to look like from the very beginning. He designed us exactly the way he wanted us to be. “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!  Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.  You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.  You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” Psalm 139:13-16 NLT.

God did create us with a purpose, but we must yield to His will to truly fulfill that purpose.  “But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?” Romans 9:20-21 NIV.  Just like a painting should never grab hold of the brush, thinking it can do a better job than a talented painter, we need to stop second guessing God every time we think God should be using blue when he is using grey.  Even a beautiful masterpiece looks a little ugly before the real beauty comes out.  God will take the ugliest paint spots and turn them into something beautiful, if we simply allow him to.  However, if we decide to turn away and do things our way, those ugly spots may dry as ugly and then we will wonder why we are not enjoying our lives.

Fortunately, no matter how badly we might mess up God’s masterpiece, if we turn back and allow him to take control, God will take those ugly spots and make them something beautiful to use for his purpose.  “He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.” Isaiah 61:3 NLT.  So let go of the brush, let God create a masterpiece in you.  Don’t get frustrated if you can’t see the beauty just yet.  Keep trusting, praying, seeking, and yielding to God.  No matter your situation, do what you can exactly where you are, let God do the rest.

Where's Your "Elf on a Shelf"?

                I absolutely love Christmas time.  I love all of the traditions and anticipation in the air.  I love watching my girls get excited about everything from putting up our Christmas tree and decorating, to making Christmas treats, to being a part of our church’s Christmas program.  To me, Christmas is so much more fun as a mom because I love seeing my girls light up about everything.  I am not one of those Christians who thinks everything secular at Christmas time is bad.  Rather, I am trying to teach my kids why we give gifts, why there is a star at the top of the tree, and the real reason behind the season.  Our society has taken a Christian holy-day and turned it commercial, but there are so many wonderful things to teach our kids even in the commercial parts of Christmas.  I do find it intriguing how many non-Christians celebrate, and I welcome it.  Even if they don’t know the actual reason why we use a tree to decorate, or what the meaning behind candy canes and wreaths are (which ironically all have Christian roots) I pray that their hearts would be open during this time to feel God’s love for him and understand that they have been given the greatest gift, Jesus, whether they believe in Him or not at this point.

                One of the newest traditions of Christmas has become the elf on a shelf phenomenon, boy how I wish I had come up with that.  We have an elf that my 4-year-old creatively named Elfie when she was 2.  It is kind of a silly idea but it is so sweet how excited she gets when she finds that elf each day.  I started thinking about how blessed children are with their childlike faith.  I don’t know a little girl who doesn’t just live in an imaginary world.  My girls are always playing mommy or teacher or pretending to be a princess.  My favorite thing to watch is how pure their faith in God is.  When my oldest wakes up from a bad dream, the first thing she asks me to do is say a prayer for her.  When I put my 2-year-old to bed right now I can’t just pray for her, she wants me to pray for her stuffed cow, baby doll, pacifier, and any other random thing she has decided to sleep with that particular night.

                I think that’s why Jesus had a special place for children in his heart.  He healed many children and, unlike most men in that day, never sent children away when they came to him.  Instead he drew them to himself.  I love The Message translation of Matthew 18:2-7.  The “mature” men of God, the disciples, were inquiring of Jesus who ranked highest in the Kingdom of God.  In my opinion they were fishing to find out which of them was Jesus’ favorite. I love how he responded to them.  “For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, ‘I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me. But if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you’ll soon wish you hadn’t. You’d be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck. Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time! Hard times are inevitable, but you don’t have to make it worse—and it’s doomsday to you if you do.’”  

                I truly believe that as adults sometime we do ourselves a disservice.  Rather than simply knowing and trusting that God has our best interests at heart, we over analyze every single time we are in a trial and lose our faith.  We think there is some magic formula to pleasing God and getting our prayers answered.  However, he simply wants us to humble ourselves and have simple trust like a child.

                The older I get and the longer that I am a Christian, I am so amazed at how much I realize I don’t know.  Over the last several months I have come across so many things in scripture that I never even knew were there.  I have been a Christian as long as I can remember, and it humbles me every single time I find something new in a book I thought I knew everything about already.  I’ve decided that rather than going through life trying to understand every little thing, I want to be more like my little girls looking for that elf.  I want to wake up each day with anticipation, excited to see where God is going to show up today.  I want to go back to the simple and elemental things and have a simple trust like a child.

How Hungry Are You?

         

          After becoming a full-time stay-at-home mom starting in August, I have been learning how to re-arrange how I do things.  One of the biggest things I have changed my approach to is grocery shopping.  It is next to impossible to efficiently shop when you have 3 kids in tow, especially since the closest grocery store is about 25 miles away.  It’s also tough to wait until daddy gets home, or the weekend because there are a lot of things around the house and outside that he needs to get done, having to watch the girls slows that process down.  So, I decided to become a once a month grocery shopper.  I started menu planning and doing one huge shopping trip per month rather than 3 or 4 smaller ones.  It has been great!  Not only does it save trips, it also saves money because I have to be strategic and plan ahead, plus I can more easily comparison shop.  It has gotten even easier with Walmart doing online ordering for groceries. You simply order them online and they bring them to your car and load them!  It has made a former Walmart despiser into a Walmart lover once again (this is not an advertisement, it is just a tip that has helped save my sanity.  If you want to try it though click here for $10 off your first order).  

Because I shop only once (unless I make a quick milk or egg run), I sometimes have to get creative at the end of the month.  If my kids snack more than expected or if I forgot something on my list at the beginning of the month, the cabinets tend to get bare.  It is amazing the snacks or meals you can come up with if you are forced to use what’s in the pantry, freezer, and fridge.  If you get hungry enough you will figure something out to cook.  Desperation plus Pinterest and Google recipe searches can inspire you to try something new.  You may even be willing to dig out the old-fashioned ingredients…you know, those things you put together like flour, sugar, and cream of tartar (whatever that is), when that ready-made meal is not there.

The same is true in our spiritual lives.  When we get “hungry” enough for a change of our circumstances we will be forced to be more creative.  When we are just not getting fed by others in a way we so desperately need, it’s time to pull out your own old-fashioned ingredients (AKA reading the Bible for yourself) and get a real meal.  It is during times of actual desperation and seeking that we may finally find exactly what we are looking for.  I know, just like many Christians, I have had seasons where I have allowed myself to get distracted or too busy and put Bible study on the back-burner and forgot to turn on the heat.  It happens to everyone.  However, there have also been seasons where I have become discouraged and frustrated feeling like God couldn’t be further away, and finally got so desperate for a change that I really pushed into God’s word.  It never fails, when I finally put God back in the #1 spot in my life where he rightfully belongs; I am able to hear from him again, I feel a lot more content and thankful, and I have a lot more peace in my days.  So, my question to you is: how hungry are you?  Are you going to wait until the cabinets of your soul are completely bare, or are you going to push in and get fulfilled?  

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

Finish Your Recipe

Growing up, I absolutely hated sloppy joes.  First of all, who in their right mind wants to eat something that brings to mind a big, sweaty man who might change oil at a gas station (at least that's the image that came to my mind)?  I had tried them a few times and just really didn't like them.  However, I married someone who does like them so I had to find a recipe that I liked.  It took a while, years in fact, but I finally found one (and of course it happens to be this one by The Pioneer Woman, I just love her recipes).  I will now openly admit, I LOVE sloppy joes!  I often make them a couple of times a month now.  Nothing beats some of these sloppy joes on a toasted bun with some melty, shredded cheese.  However, it takes the right combination of ingredients to make a sloppy joe that I will eat.  

I started thinking last night while I was cooking about the magic of a good recipe (I know sometimes the strangest things come to my mind, give me a break I spend my days with humans age 4 and under).  You can take several ingredients that by themselves are not particularly something good to eat and turn them into something delicious.  For the sloppy joes for instance, I hate mustard but the recipe would not taste right without it (I use regular mustard instead of the ground kind by the way).  I would never dream of sitting down and eating a plate of raw meat or a spoonful of chili powder.  However, when you put them together in the right amounts, and put them to the right amount of heat for just the right amount of time, something magical happens.  The same is true of one of my favorite sweets; hot, fresh chocolate chip cookies.  Flour is not appetizing on its own, and who would eat a couple of teaspoons of baking soda?  But, when mixed with all the right ingredients and put in a super-hot oven for just the right amount of time, they are heavenly.

I feel like we experience some of the same process in our lives.  God is crafting a "delicious" life for each one of us, but just like a good recipe, we must get all the ingredients mixed together completely and it needs time in the oven or on the stove to taste right.  If you gave up on a recipe because you tasted it before all the ingredients were added, or decided not to put it in the oven because it was just too hot, you would never enjoy the fulfillment of a delicious, fresh baked cookie.  Day by day and experience by experience, God is making us into what he has created us to be.  However, if we chose to quit because we are going through something hard or give up because our situation seems hopeless, we will never fully walk in what God created us to be.  Just like any recipe, some ingredients in life can stand alone as be good by themselves. For instance, getting a promotion at work or maybe celebrating a new baby are wonderful things.  However, some ingredients of life are just plain gross on their own (for me the mustard in the sloppy joes), but when combined with the rest of our life experiences can be crafted into a wonderful part of our testimony.  We must take the good with the bad and keep the end result in mind when things get tough.  

I truly believe that there are far too many people in this world that live unfulfilled, disappointed, and miserable lives because for whatever reason they didn't allow God to finish the recipe.  Maybe they hit a tough situation and got bitter and just never got over it.  Or perhaps they gave up because it seemed like the vinegar that they were dealing with would never make anything taste good.  Whatever the situation, we are called to persevere and allow God to use those things in our life to bless others.  Some of the most influential preachers I know have had to deal with some horrible life situations, whether their fault or not.  Some have been victims of childhood rape or maybe have come out of a drug addiction.  Many of the bad situations that we deal with in life are simple because we live in a sin-filled world.  However, God can take any of those situations and turn it around for His good, if we let him.  You never know 10 years from now, which of your "ingredients" will come in handy.  Don’t stop God before he’s done with you.  Some of the most delicious things in life take hours and hours to cook, don’t stop because it seems like God is taking too long.  He is the perfect chef and will pull you out of the oven at the right moment.

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4 NLT

Bible Basics

Ever since I became a parent nearly 5 years ago now, I often think about how I will instill Christian values into my girls.  As a school teacher, I saw first hand what kinds of things at earlier and earlier ages kids are exposed to.  I saw kids as young as 7th and 8th grade get involved in drugs, end up pregnant, or just become followers of whatever way the wind of the current culture was blowing.  If I think too hard about it, it terrifies me that I will eventually have 3 teenage girls.  I pray all the time that they will make wise decisions, they will not fall into the lies of this world, and even that their future spouses are being raised in a godly home and will be wise.  We live in a crazy world now and I want my girls to be a light in the darkness.

My oldest has reached an age of asking "why?" about everything.  She is learning at an exponential rate right now and I have been looking for ways to teach her about God.  I am pretty excited to share something with you that I ran across and was able to get a preview copy of to look over and review.  It is a book called "Bible Basics A Baby Believer Counting Primer" by Danielle Hitchens and illustrated by Jessica Blanchard. I have looked it over and love it!  It is a counting book that uses many of the foundational truths of our faith as the items that are being counted from 1 to 10. For example, some of the things that are counted include the 3 parts of the Trinity, the 6 days of creation, and the 9 fruits of the spirit.  If you have followed my blog for long, you know I don't typically do this kind of post.  However, I feel like this is a great tool for my little ones and I really encourage you to look into it as well.
This book is a great asset for both young children and older children.  Some of the concepts will be above the understanding of a young toddler, but will serve as a good foundation for conversations about things like the Holy Spirit, creation, and fruits of the spirit.  I am giving away a copy of  this book starting now and ending 12/31/16! If you would like to enter for a chance to win, there are two ways to enter.  You can either comment on this blog post, or share a link for this post on Facebook.  If you want to enter twice, do both! Good luck! In the meantime if you are interested in purchasing this book click here. GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.  Congratulations Tatiana Amundson for winning a copy of this book!!!

What Are You Thinking?

Our minds are incredibly powerful things.  It's amazing how a simple thought has the power to bring us joy, cause us stress, make us angry, or make us cry.  If you think on something long enough, it will even begin to mold your belief system.  If you think you are unworthy or a loser or that you deserve bad things, you will begin to walk that out.  If you are constantly negative and complain about everything, you will not only drive others away because no one wants to be around a complainer, but you will also be miserable because you cannot find anything to be grateful for.  However, if you think not about what you don't have, but instead choose to think about all of your blessings, you will be able to live an abundant life regardless of your circumstances.

I love The Message translation of the Bible.  I don't always read that version, but it is such a good translation when you just want to get a good word in a more conversational, modern day way.  I was using The Message as a reference last night when I was reading, and I just loved 1 Peter 4:1-2. "Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want." I love that.  We must learn to think like Him.  We need to cast out those thoughts that don't line up with scripture.  We aren't going through anything tougher that going to the cross.  We have got to get away from expecting to always get our way.  I still struggle with that.  I want comfort and ease.

I grew up on a cattle ranch, so the first thing I think about when I see that term "weaning" is when we would wean calves from their mothers every fall.  I remember that for several days after separating those calves from their moms they would bawl and carry on.  However, it was time for them to move from milk to solid food.  After they finished their fits for a couple of days and got a taste of good grain and hay, they never wanted to go back.  They would actually nearly knock us over when we would feed them each day trying to get that good grain.  

We go through the same thing as Christians.  We whine and carry on wanting our way.  If we always get our way though, we may miss out on what God has for us.  Sure, we can keep taking in the "milk" forever and get by, but if we really want to experience God we need to "wean" ourselves from the milk only diet.  It may not be fun or easy right away, but it will be worth it.  I want to move on from milk and get a good steak dinner.  I want to stop being held back by wanting my way.  I want to desire more "to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what I want."

That is an incredibly hard thing to do, but so incredibly worth it.  I know that the times I have finally given up my desires and simply submitted to what God's will was, it wasn't easy but there has never been a time it wasn't worth it.  We had to do this a few years ago in the form of house shopping.  We kept hitting dead ends and finally realized we were trying to force something that was outside of God's will.  We had expected to just get our way, because after all we were Christians and everything should just work out, right?  We realized that we needed to set that aside until God wanted us to have it.  It was so hard setting that dream aside, however, when we finally did, we were blessed (after a time of patience, praying, and trusting) with an open door that was far better than what we were trying to force.  It wasn't easy but it was definitely worth it.  I pray today that both you and I will have the discernment and the strength to allow God to "wean" us and help us to pursue His will rather than our own.