Your Dream: Small Beginnings Big God

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

“Who despises the day of small things?” Zechariah 4:10

I wonder? 

I have been guilty of this. I think there are so many times when we look back (hind sight being 20/20) and say ‘who would have thought all of this would have started like that?’ 

Recently, at my mom-in-love’s 75th birthday party, someone asked her that very question as they looked around at all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her reply? 

“God did.” 

God is a God of small beginnings. 

The Bible is full of examples of small beginnings. 

· The manger
· A shepherd boy becoming a king
· A widow picking left over grain on the edge of a field 

Everyone starts somewhere. 

Joseph started his journey to greatness in the bottom of a well, cast aside by his family, alone, hungry, in the dark and damp. He had a dream. God gave it to him. His small beginnings were not just a way to keep Joseph humble; they were a way to bring God all the glory. 

There are moments when you will feel the momentum of the Spirit pushing you. You will know that there is something brewing. Change in the air and sparks of creativity and clarity are lighting up your world. 

Then there will be those moments when your but is bigger than your faith. I get it. I have been there. These moments are the important ones. These are the make it or break it moments of your dream. 

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9

More so than the great triumph of getting started, the real victory is in follow through. 

For me I have had plenty of starts. I have started books numerous times, I have started hobbies that never really go anywhere, but at the start I had all the hope and excitement I could muster. I threw myself into whatever project I had going. I became compulsive to the point that I was consumed with the work rather than the process. 

Aesop had something right. “Slow and steady wins the race.” Be the turtle, not the hare. 

Do not get worn down because you get bogged by details. Do not sweat the small stuff. God sees where He has you and where you are going. 

God is not confused. 

His plans for you are the same in your moment of doubt as they were in your moment of clarity. He has not changed his mind about you. 

So do not look around at your small beginnings and mistake them for “smallness”. Your dreams are bigger than you. The only way they will come to pass is by relying on God to add to your humble offering and multiply it into something that brings Him glory. 

Do not despise your small beginning. Get excited. The widow in the field married well and lived happily ever after. The shepherd who became king made mistakes, but God called him a man after His own heart. That manger housed the most amazing gift of all: a Savior for mankind. 

Small beginnings means there is plenty of room for God to do BIG things. 

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Five Steps to Eureka

Do Not Let the Moment Go

A light bulb went on!

You had a Eureka moment and something snapped into place like never before.

When little breakthroughs happen it is important that you write these down, make a video, create a memento of some kind, or otherwise memorialize it.

Why?

Because in the next dark moment of doubt, you will need to pull that moment out and look at it.

Revelations 12:11 “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony” 

Building Up Your Faith

Faith is like an under developed muscle that has to be exercised in order to grow. How do we build up that faith muscle?

We strengthen it little by little, line upon line.

Recently I was reading and meditating on all the things God was showing me when I had my Eureka moment. I immediately began writing it down. But I needed more than just a journal entry. I needed a marker. Like Jacob at the ladder.

So I began making Post Its™ that had a 2 word phrase that meant something to me and I plastered my house with them. 


 In my room, at my computer, on my bathroom mirror, the fridge, the fireplace, all over I posted these markers.

These things will act like faith motivators. I will see them and remember the moment God spoke that thing to my heart. 
 

How Jacob Did It

Jacob was not expecting to go to bed in the middle of nowhere with a rock as a pillow and have an experience with God.

But God will meet you where you are. He has plans for you and in order for you to succeed you need to be on the same page with Him.

That is what Jacob’s dream was all about. God already had a covenant (contract) with Jacob’s dad, but Jacob was being brought in. 


Here are the five steps Jacob took that we can apply to our lives in those Eureka moments.

1 · He needed the dream in order to obtain a vision for his life. (Eureka!)

Without a vision God’s people perish.

2 · He recognized God in that moment.

It wasn’t just the late night pizza and coffee combo. God spoke to him and Jacob knew immediately! (Do Not Doubt!)

3 · He memorialized the moment

Jacob knew that this moment was a pivotal one. He took the stone and made it a pillar. A pillar is more than rock; it holds something greater than itself up. In Jacob’s case, this pillar was his faith in God’s promise.

4 · He named that moment

Jacob knew that giving things a name is a powerful faith tool. He called the place “Beth El” (Bethel) The place God dwells. This is the most prophetic and perfect name. God began his promise with Jacob here, and fulfilled it in Bethlehem with the birth of Jesus (whose name means God with us).

5 · He made a vow to remember

He would return to the place that changed his life forever. He would remember it and know that no matter what circumstanced said his life had meaning. God had a plan.

What about You?

God is not a man, He cannot lie. He has been the same since before time. He makes plans and guess what?

He has a plan for you!

Ask Him to show you. Seek God first above everything. When you least expect it, you will have that Eureka moment. Maybe you already have. Have you memorialized it or did you discount it as a pipe dream?

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33

What is one Eureka moment you have had that changed your life forever? 

Have You Lost Hope?

My daughter had given up hope. 

She had learned in the last few years just how financially strapped we had become and thought to herself "there is no way I will get a Kindle for my birthday".  We had said no when she asked. We knew we couldn't afford one. I had one that was a few years old, but next to my kids, my phone and my Kindle were my most prized possessions.

Then, I decided, that giving my daughter hope again was more important than a thing. I cleaned the Kindle up, a friend bought a skin, we put it back in the original packaging (my husband obsesses about keeping the boxes of everything!) and wrapped it up.

The look on her face was amazing.

"Are you for real?" was the first thing she asked.

We were and in that instant, her hope was restored.

What the Bible Says 

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.   Proverbs 13:12 (KJV)

If you have lost hope, you are in a dangerous place. Lack of hope is disheartening. It will cause you to doubt, and make you vulnerable to despair. 

Lamentations, (the book of mourning) tells us this: no matter how bad the circumstance, there is always reason to hold onto hope. 

Lamentations 3:20-22  (MSG) 

I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,

the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed.I remember it all—oh, how well I remember— the feeling of hitting the bottom.But there's one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:God's loyal love couldn't have run out, his merciful love couldn't have dried up.They're created new every morning. How great your faithfulness!I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over). He's all I've got left.

Now my daughter's circumstances were not all that dire. She has a roof over her head, two parents that love her, friends, and so much more. Maybe she even has things you don't have. Your circumstances may be mounting up and crowding in on you. You may feel overwhelmed and without recourse or hope. 

Do not give up!  

God's mercy is new today! Just for you. 

Job lost everything. Every piece of livestock, every acre of land, his house, and every child. All of them were gone. He had reason to despair. He had reason to give up. Then he became ill. So ill his friends and wife were baffled by it all. Job was a righteous man. He had done good things all his life, including loving and serving God. Why did these horrible things happen? 

Because he was afraid they would, and the enemy hit Job in his most vulnerable area- his family. His friends questioned him. His wife begged him to curse God and die. To her, nothing could have been worse. She had lost hope. But not Job. 

Job had hope that the God who he had served so faithfully all his life, (the one who had kept and blessed him all those years) would again save him. 

"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" 

Hope brings us alive. When we dream of the future, hope bubbles up like a fountain of life. When I think of the things God has done for me in the past, I know my future is  brighter than anything I could actually dream up. I have hope. 

What gives you hope? 

How to Have Peace in Our Lives

The world doesn't stop. Round and round it goes and we can get caught up in the never-ending cycle of wake, work, eat, sleep, repeat. 

We can look like ants, in a line, following blindly because we think this is what we are meant to do. Think I am wrong? Watch what traffic looks like at rush hour. 

I want us to take a moment and be still. God is in the quiet. 

When we take the time to turn off all the noise of the world something amazing happens. We can get in the presence of God and be renewed. We can be made stronger, more resilient, firmer in our faith and more focused for the tasks we have to do. 

This quiet time can be found by shutting off the TV, walking away from the computer, getting in a room alone, and worshiping. 

Psalms 100:4 says this: 

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 

In God’s presence there is peace and fullness of joy. 

Take your cares to Him. Bring your prayers, your pain, your hopes, your dreams. He wants it all. He wants your whole heart and your whole life, because He wants to make your life whole. 

Psalms 119:73-80 (MESSAGE) 

With your very own hands you formed me; now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you. When they see me waiting, expecting your Word, those who fear you will take heart and be glad. I can see now, God, that your decisions are right; your testing has taught me what's true and right. Oh, love me—and right now!—hold me tight! just the way you promised. Now comfort me so I can live, really live; your revelation is the tune I dance to. Let the fast-talking tricksters be exposed as frauds; they tried to sell me a bill of goods, but I kept my mind fixed on your counsel. Let those who fear you turn to me for evidence of your wise guidance. And let me live whole and holy, soul and body, so I can always walk with my head held high. 

Watch this video, listen to the words of the song. Ask God to breathe His peace onto you. Your world may continue to spin chaotic and you may feel stuck in a never-ending cycle, but God is with you. Do not be overwhelmed by the world, but let God’s peace overwhelm you and you can face anything. 

If God is for us, who can be against us?

Focus On what Matters

I woke up to one word in my spirit this morning: focus. 

I had planned on writing something else, but then I opened my Bible up to find the scripture I was going to write on and this is what I saw instead. 

Nehemiah 4:6 (AMP) says “So we built the wall, and all [of it] was joined together to half its height, for the people had a heart and mind to work” 

The note (in case you cannot see the picture) is what stopped me in my tracks. I do not know how long ago I wrote this. I know it has been a while since I read this book of the Bible, so it has been at least a few months, if not years since I scrawled these words: 

“Focus and willingness to obey can get great things accomplished. God’s favor seals the deal. His grace holds off the enemy.” 

The wall of Jerusalem had been destroyed, and God told Nehemiah to rebuild it. What a task! He was in service to the king. He had another job. One that placed him in a position of trust and gave him favor in the sight of his employer: he was the cup bearer. Now, he wanted to leave to do something totally different, out of his area of expertise, and completely dangerous. 

That speaks volumes to me about his trust in God. That tells me Nehemiah knew that God had a plan, and he knew he needed to obey. 

Now here comes the amazing thing God is showing me and I want to share with you: God has a plan for you too. You just need to focus and obey. 

Rebuilding a wall was a big job! 

The job required crews of workers, organization and a lot of courage. There were enemies around that did not want Nehemiah to succeed. Do you know what that is like? “Haters” want you to fail, they are just out of sight while you do all the hard work, and then they come in at your most vulnerable moment to denigrate and attack you. 

You have to know in your heart of hearts WHY you do what you are doing. If you are doing it for the recognition, the fame, the money, the feel good feelings you get doing it, then you will not have the success God wants you can have. You are getting in your own way! 

“Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people.” Colossians 3:23 (CEB) 

Focus on the Why 

Did God tell you to build a wall? Then build the best wall you can. Do it because God said to, not because everyone you know and some people you don’t know may or may not be impressed. 

I went down that road with this blog. I wondered “how can I get so-in-so to read it?” “How can I get more people to my site?” and “How can I get more people to comment?” 

Now I know my focus (my heart and mind) was not on the task. I should be focusing on what God told me to do, and let Him bless it. “His favor seals the deal.” I just need to focus and obey. 

Honestly, whether or not one more person ever reads this does not matter. I wrote it. That is what God told me to do. He will bless it, or use it, (or not) in His way, in His time. 

Get your heart and your mind on the things God has told you to do and stop wondering when you will get recognized for your “efforts”. Let God see your obedience, let Him bestow favor. 

Do not work for man, work for God. 

What has God told you to do?

This Is the Stuff That Drives Me Crazy!

This is the Stuff is one of my favorite songs right now and there is a reason why! It strikes a chord! Lost keys, running late, getting pulled over, we have all had these things happen before. The thing we should avoid is letting these things set the tone for the whole day! 

Hey, I am preaching to myself! Believe ME! 

Recently I have had an issue with a change of policy at one of my kids' schools. I made calls, I e-mailed the superintendent and I gave my opinion about the whole thing to anyone who was unlucky enough to catch me in my "complain" mode. 

Which lasted a week! A WEEK! 

I let something small, that really has no impact on the important issues of life, affect me so strongly that it hijacked a week of my effectiveness in the kingdom. 

I was not mean, rude, or ugly about my opinion, but it was all about me, my opinion, my concern, my voice, me me me me me me me! 

One of the quickest ways to ruin a witness is to start talking about ourselves, our opinions, our thoughts more than we talk about Jesus. 

Don't get me wrong, we can still have opinions and we can even talk about them, but everything we do and say should be measured against Jesus. If it edifies and glorifies God, then that is what we should focus on more through out our day, not the little annoyances of the everyday. 

Look at Judas

Judas kept the ministry purse for Jesus. He was the "treasurer" of the ministry, so to speak, and instead of focusing on the things that brought glory to God, he focused on the cost. 

I have been there, I get it. 

Money was tight, Judas was tired, and he worked hard for Jesus. He probably wanted to take a little of that money and sneak off to get pampered at a local inn, get his feet washed by a cute serving girl and spend the day relaxing. Instead, Jesus was always laying hands on the sick, raising the dead, and having dinner with tax collectors and harlots. 

Just a few days before Jesus was betrayed by Judas, Judas was focused on the little things yet again. (John 12 The Message) 

Six days before Passover, Jesus entered Bethany where Lazarus, so recently raised from the dead, was living. Lazarus and his sisters invited Jesus to dinner at their home. Martha served. Lazarus was one of those sitting at the table with them. Mary came in with a jar of very expensive aromatic oils, anointed and massaged Jesus' feet, and then wiped them with her hair. The fragrance of the oils filled the house.

Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, even then getting ready to betray him, said, "Why wasn't this oil sold and the money given to the poor? It would have easily brought three hundred silver pieces." He said this not because he cared two cents about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of their common funds, but also embezzled them.

Jesus said, "Let her alone. She's anticipating and honoring the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you. You don't always have me."

"But Dayna, you don't know how crazy I get when ...." 


Yeah, I do. I understand. I know life is full of things that rub us the wrong way and full of people whose sole mission seems to be to annoy us beyond our limits of patience. But this IS the stuff God wants us to get over. 


We need to get past what effects and affects us and focus on what effects the kingdom! 

Philippians 4:8 says "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

When you loose your keys, when you get pulled over, when your kid's school drives you crazy, take a breath, pray, refocus on the things God wants you to focus on and your day will go so much more smoothly than it was. 

What drives you crazy? 

Self-Confidence vs. Real Confidence

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

Let’s talk about something that seems to be a real problem for a lot of people: confidence. 

Maybe the reason this is a problem for people is because we have believed a lie: confidence is all about believing in yourself. 

Real Confidence is Not About Us. 

We are broken and flawed creatures who in ourselves have nothing worthy. Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of light, the Lord who is love. BUT GOD, who is flawless, and in whom is all our strength and hope, in Him we can have confidence. 

The respect and proper reverence of God (the fear of God) builds confidence! When we truly know that God is the author and the finisher of our faith; He holds the pen that writes our story, and when we worship Him in spirit and truth for His faithfulness to us, then we can know without a doubt that He is worthy of our trust in Him. 

Confidence (Noun) is defined as: full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing or certitude; assurance. 

Confidence is not something that is achieved overnight. 

Arnold in School. Photo credit unknown. 

Think of Arnold Schwarzenegger as a kid. He was skinny. He did not have the muscles that would one day make him famous. He had chicken legs and big ears. It wasn't until he began exercising and focusing on muscle development that things for him began to change. 

So how do we develop real confidence- the kind that is not found in us, but that relies on who God is in us and what He will do for us? 

                                   We fail. 

Not what you wanted to hear, I know, but until we realize we cannot do everything on our own, we won’t truly understand why we need God in the first place. 

If you are a parent you understand this. When your child is learning to walk, they fall, they scrap their knees: they fail. Your child figures out he cannot walk on his own yet. So your tiny little one holds onto your finger or sits in a walker. This builds their confidence. It brings them balance. We, God’s children, are no different. 

Proverbs 3:5 The Message (MSG) 

5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health; your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst. Your wine vats will brim over. But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. It's the child he loves that God corrects; a father's delight is behind all this. 

When we are humbled then we look to God for His answers and His way, which are better than our ways and ideas. 

“There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end, that way leads to death” Proverbs 14:12 

The Benefits of Confidence in God 

When we have confidence and trust in God, we free ourselves from anxiety and worry. These things are the opposite of faith. They cripple our relationships and stunt our growth, but if anxiety and worry are staples in your life, then other things like fear and lack, bitterness and envy are probably some of the things you deal with too. I know I do. 

Simple trust breaks the power of worry. Confidence in God to provide, to fight on your behalf, to give you direction, to bring you peace and a fruitful end, this is what God wants for you. 

God doesn't “need” you to have confidence in Him to exist. God is. What God wants is your trust because it helps you. It makes your life easier. It changes your circumstances. When we allow the Spirit of God to dwell in our everyday and we rely on Him, then we can rest and prosper. 

Isaiah 32:16-18 New Living Translation (NLT) 
16 Justice will rule in the wilderness and righteousness in the fertile field. 17 And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever. 18 My people will live in safety, quietly at home. They will be at rest. 

Jeremiah 17:7-8 says: “But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” 

Reflection 

What is one way you can rely on the Lord today and begin trusting Him like never before? How do you build your confidence? 

Why We are Called to Love

Carelessness Has No Place in the Body of Christ

Christians cannot live carelessly. Living by happenstance and circumstance is not the way for us as believers. Jesus said that trouble (happenstance) will come in this world, but He had overcome the world.


Carelessness is really apathy, and Webster’s online defines apathy as “lack of feeling or emotion, lack of concern: indifference.”


Living a careless life, an indifferent life, is in direct conflict with God’s overall plan for us.

God’s Plan:

His plan is that no man should perish, that all would come to Him, and He needs us to actively show the love of Christ to the world so that the world would be drawn unto Him.


Matthew 5:14 says “You are the light of the world; a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid!”


Where there is light, there is no darkness. Where there is light there is life. Where there is light, the Father of lights is there. We are the City on a Hill; we are the light of the world. If we do not shine, if our light dims, darkness and death will fall. Dank death will rain down and what Jesus did on the cross would be for nothing.


Luke 1:9 says Christ came for this purpose: “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Our Purpose:

As Christ followers, we are supposed to carry on where Christ left off.


If we do not see the orphan, if we walk past the widow, if we do not feed the hungry and we do not share our cloak with someone who is cold, how can we say we walk and abide in the love of Christ?


We cannot stand by and watch the world perish. We must be more attentive and live with purpose, not carelessness and apathy.


Sister Teresa said this:

“Do not think that love - in order to be genuine - has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”

We are supposed to get full of love, and grow mature fruit so that we can empty our lives and our love into other people. To do this is the law of Christ: Love one another!

Call to Action:

Has someone shown you genuine love before? Share how in the comments below. 

Now, find a way to pass that love along to someone new - who needs it just like you did – and who through that love will see Jesus in you.

Waiting: Pit Stop or Serving Time?

Okay- I think everyone will admit to being in this place at one time or another. You rarely like it, probably do not appreciate it, and may even get frustrated by having to be there longer than you expected....

It is that waiting place.

That place where you know you have been praying about something, but have not heard a clear yes or no. That place where sometimes you may not even know what to pray for or how to pray. That place reveals your level of trust and fellowship with God.

Ouch. Close to home? It is for me.

Will you worship him even though it seems as if there is nothing happening? Will you be ready to move when he says go here, or stay there? Will you have you prayer life in order, your finances, and your family?

How many times have we missed the perfect will of God for our lives because of a lack of preparation? It comes down to what we do in this place called waiting.

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

Does this mean sit on our duff and do nothing? No.

Wait means serve- it is an active verb. If you do not think so, look at your waiter next time you go into a restaurant. As he/she waits on you, they are working.

They shall mount up with wings like eagles- soaring above the turbulence and getting a different perspective... a bird's eye view... to their life and the circumstances around them.

They shall run and not be weary- life is a marathon... Paul said to press toward the mark...he ran his race...will you run yours?

They shall walk and not faint- Wow- our walk with Jesus can be a hard one. He said we would be hated for his namesake, but that we are also able to do what he did and so much more thanks to the Holy Spirit. 

Our walk may be hard, but there is restoration and healing along the way. We will not faint (fall out of our walk) if we hold tight to his love and rest in his goodness.

This place called waiting- it should not be a place of frustration, but of preparation and dedication. 

Focus in on the prize- our Lord- and all the rest will fall into place. If your treasure is anywhere else, then this place called waiting will be a pit stop on the road to stagnation and apathy.

What have you been waiting for? 

Mountains - To Climb or Not to Climb?

Big or small mountains are not fun to climb. Each of us has them- at one time or another- and every time we face a new one the challenge can seem insurmountable. 

I know that when I have looked back at some of the mountains I have faced in my life, one of two things go through my mind.

1- "I called THAT a mountain?" or 2- "I know that only God brought me through THAT!" 

If you are alive, and I would hope that if you are reading this it means you still have a pulse- you have faced mountains. You might be facing one now. I am just writing this to encourage you to be strong.

Easy to say right?

Well, I can honestly say- no- it is not easy. Intellectually and spiritually when facing a mountain we can feel insignificant or overwhelmed. I have been there. I know. Have I faced every mountain with faith, composer, dignity, strength, and determination? No- but I know it can be done, because my Lord said it can be.

"Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to thismountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done". Matthew 21:21

You might be thinking- 'Dayna- you don't know- my mountain is so big I can't even seem to get out of bed today'. This is the enemy and his name is depression.

Depression can be mild, (man I am bummed I did not get that job!) or it can be severe (thoughts of suicide, mood swings, uncontrolled malaise, and general apathy toward your situation and your world).

First Things First

First I have to say that if you feel like you are in severe depression- seek medical help. Your regular physician can diagnose and treat you. You do not have to seek out a therapist right away, but you should. If you are suicidal TELL SOMEONE NOW. Help is available. (more on this later)

Personally I have dealt with depression. I have had postpartum depression, clinical depression, and have had to commit my husband (several years ago) to a hospital. He was so severely depressed that thoughts of suicide were all-consuming for him. I have seen both sides. I know that when you are depressed you face a mountain with little if any ability to overcome by yourself. 

But it can be done.

Jeremiah 15:20I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you," declares the LORD.

God's whole plan for man after the fall of Adam and Eve was a plan of rescue. That is why He sent Jesus. To save us. This salvation is complete and it is permanent. Just because your circumstances have changed does not mean you are not loved just as much now as when God made this plan in the first place.

2 Corinthians 6:2 For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." [ Isaiah 49:8] I tell you, NOW is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.

and

Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed— not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence— continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of LIFE...

God is in the rescue business...daily.  

Why? 

Because of His unending and undying love for us. The cry of your heart, as you face your mountain- whether or not you face it depressed- is for wholeness, healing, and salvation. 

These things God provides.

Good counsel in these times- these face the mountain and can I take the next step times- is imperative. 

If you attend a good church, seek help with your pastor. They are the sheep with bells on. They are on the fore-front of ministry and are down in the trenches with you. This is a great place to seek Biblical and (most importantly) Holy Spirit guidance for your life. 

If you don't have a good church, find one. If church is not something you think you can handle, get over yourself. We all need a family, and though flawed, a church family can add tremendous support when going through "it".

The Father said:

Psalm 32:8I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

The psalmist said:

Psalm 73:24You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

Glory. Sounds like standing on top of that Mountain doesn't it?

Facing mountains, especially if you feel you are facing one alone can be daunting. But you do not have to be alone. The Lord made you, called you to be His, and longs to love you through the biggest circumstances...all the way to glory.

If you have never prayed before, or if the closest you came to praying was at the dinner table, then talk to the Father now. That is all prayer is...talking to the Father.

"Father, you see where I am and all that I have done and been in my life. Forgive me for my short comings and bring me to life. Thank you for rescuing me. Thank you for Jesus. Amen"

You are now God's child, his son or daughter. If you are already His, and feel that the mountain is too big, remember there is NOTHING too big for God. When He is for us, who (or what) could possibly stand against us?

When you look at the greatness of the Father, and his sheer awesome ability to bring you out of any situation- mountains begin to look like mo-hills...

What kind of mountain are you facing right now?


If you liked this post read more about battling Depression God's way here. 

O be Careful Big Mouths- 3 Steps to Bridling Your Tongue

"Oh be careful little eyes what you see. Oh be careful little ears what you hear. Oh be careful big mouths what you say."

Why We Need to be Careful 

Words have power, and as Christians, they are a direct witness to the people around you. There should be a careful guard on our mouths at all times. 

As a friend of mine says, "engage the brain to mouth filter"! 

The Bible has plenty to say about our words. 

Matthew 15:16-20 (MSG) Jesus replied, "You, too? Are you being willfully stupid? Don't you know that anything that is swallowed works its way through the intestines and is finally defecated? But what comes out of the mouth gets its start in the heart. It's from the heart that we vomit up evil arguments, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, lies, and cussing. That's what pollutes. Eating or not eating certain foods, washing or not washing your hands — that is neither here nor there." 

Psalms 34:13 says “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” 

James 1:26-27 (Easy-to-Read Version) says “You might think you are a very religious person. But if your tongue is out of control, you are fooling yourself. Your careless talk makes your offerings to God worthless. The worship that God wants is this: caring for orphans or widows who need help and keeping yourself free from the world’s evil influence. This is the kind of worship that God accepts as pure and good.” 

When we fail to control our words there are consequences. We offend and we become stumbling blocks to those around us. Matthew says those that offend little ones (Small in stature but also small in faith) it is better that a millstone be put around their neck. 

There are three things you can do to begin to change the way you speak. 

STEP 1 

Repent. (This just means acknowledge your sin and ask forgiveness) 

Job said “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.” 

STEP 2 

Renew Your Thinking – we do this by reading the word and by submission to God. 

Ephesians says “change the former way of life that was part of the person you once were, corrupted by deceitful desires. Instead, renew the thinking in your mind by the Spirit and clothe yourself with the new person created according to God’s image in justice and true holiness.” 

STEP 3 

When you mess up and you will miss the mark repeat step 1 and 2. 

Do you have a hard time controlling what you say?  Leave your comments about your struggles and victories below. 

Sunday Reflection April 15, 2012

This week has been a potpourri of posts. The first was about God’s restoration of dreams. He restores things we have given up on because He has plans for us that include those things. For me, it was singing. What is it for you? Whatever it may be, just surrender to God in it. 

On Tuesday I just got really honest and shared with you My Struggle with the blog. In so many ways this is not about me! Yes, God is working in me and through me to write this blog, but it really is about you, the reader. Whether you are an audience of one or one million, I need to be faithful and consistent. 

On Wednesday we talked about The 4 Benefits of Being a Believer. This was also the day I was launching the new podcast. I was so excited to bring the option of listening rather than just reading, but technical difficulties squashed that. I am working on finding a way to get around that, but it may take a while. Please continue to bear with me in this. 

Storm Stories was one of my favorite posts this week and then my husband corrected me about something, it wasn’t Hurricane Rita that the kitten story happened in, but Tropical Storm Faye. I do not know why I got those confused in my head and I want to apologize for the error. It does not change the points I make about preparing for the storm. I hope that you can enjoy the story for the allegory it is and overlook my mistake. 

If you haven’t read Exercising My Faith then you may not know that my youngest child is getting surgery this week. When the surgeon’s office called me and said how much the cost of just his services was, I began to have a little panic session. This post was about building my faith in that moment, and I wanted to share it with you, because what came out of it is so important: trust. 

An update on that is this: The surgeon’s cost was dramatically reduced by more than 75% and they will take it a day later than they originally said which is a blessing because it means less traveling and expense for us. God is good. 

Yesterday, with the pressures of everything that is going on right now, I began to feel overwhelmed and wonder can we Have It All? I know that everyone feels overwhelmed at one point or the other, but the key to getting past that is to really look at the why of it all. Why are you focusing on the things in your life more than the God who loves you? It is worth the read. 

As I wrap this week’s reflections up, please pray for our daughter, Connie-Lyn as she goes into the hospital for surgery. Pray for the doctors, and pray for us. As always, I love you, I pray for you, and I ask you to trust in the God who made you. He has plans for you and His promises are Yes and Amen! 

Be blessed and be a blessing!

The 4 Benefits of Being a Believer

My husband has been looking for a new job. After eight years at the same place, he is ready for a change. One of the things he always looks at when he is interviewing for a job is the benefits package. These benefits are the extra “perks” of working for one company versus working for someone else. 

This got me thinking, “Are there benefits to being a believer?” 

You bet ya! 

Benefit #1 

When we are in covenant with God, we have the SECURITY of a  contract with God. 


He signed on the cosmic dotted line with the Blood of His son Jesus, and when you give your heart to Him, your name is entered into the Lamb’s book of life. Contract sealed! So this covenant does have benefits. 

In Genesis 15:1 we see that as believers we receive protection and a great reward. Deuteronomy 28:12 says: “The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.” 

Benefit #2 

When we are faithful to God and to the body of Christ we receive rewards. 

Before David was king, he had an opportunity to kill King Saul in his sleep. 2 Samuel 26:23 says he refused to touch God’s anointed king and because of that God would reward David’s loyalty. 

We are called to be a body of believers that serve one another: to love our neighbors as ourselves and fulfill the law of Christ. This means we need to need to grasp the parable of the hired hands. 

Matthew 20:15-17 sums it up. The 1st shall be last and the last shall be 1st. 

No matter what time you come into the kingdom of God, if you are faithful you will receive the same reward as everyone else. The benefits package is the same for a CEO and the lunch lady. 

Benefit #3 

Our work is not in vain. 

2 Chronicles 15:7 says, “Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.” 

The prophet Isaiah said this: “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” 

There is work to be done in the Kingdom of God. We have to feed the poor, lay hands on the sick, and serve our community as a witness that God’s love is an active love. 

In Galatians it says do not be weary with well doing, but in due season we will reap the benefits if we don’t give up! 

Benefit #4 

God grants us protection and favor. 

Unmerited favor, also known as God’s grace will follow us all the days of our lives. 

In Esther, we see 2 examples of God’s favor at work. First with Esther herself, who found great favor in the sight of the king and became his wife, and secondly with her uncle Mordecai, who the king remembered and honored, while Mordecai's mortal enemy, Haman, lead him through the city announcing all the wonderful things Mordecai had done. 

In Psalms 23, it says God prepares a table-a veritable feast in the presence of our enemies. 

So our enemies may be the bad economy, or they may be a co-worker trying to get you fired, or it could be an enemy that is not carnal, but spiritual. 

No matter how you look at it, God’s favor on your life is a benefit you cannot scoff at. 

Above all these things though, remember this: 

Do not let your pursuit of God and His Kingdom become a pursuit of blessings in a Thing-dom. 

Matthew 6:33 says seek ye first the Kingdom of God and HIS righteousness and all these things (aka benefits) will be added to you. 

What have I missed? 

Have you got another benefit to share? Share away! The comments are below!