You know what I love about the printed word? It captures a moment in time. More than a photograph, words have the power to preserve thoughts, feelings, ideas, and emotions for all eternity.
Before chuch this morning, I was sitting at Panera having breakfast and working on a Bible Study by Sheila Walsh. (I review books for Thomas Nelson Publishing and her book, Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God, is my latest "assignment".) The entire study is, as you would guess, based on trust and how it affects our relationship with God. This morning, my trust in Him was pretty high. Sure, I'm approaching the edge of a cliff, and within the next few months I'm going to be jumping over, but for the most part, trust is something I've got a handle on. Of course, it's easy to say that now. While I still have a steady paycheck and solid ground under my feet! At the end of each chapter in the book are a series of questions, and my answers this morning were a direct reflection of the trust I'm clinging so tightly to.
Later this afternoon, just for kicks, I decided to take a good, long look at my budget to see exactly how much money I'll need to be making after I jump off the cliff in order to keep a roof over my head. And just like that, all of my trust went flying out the window. No matter which way I looked at it, things were just NOT adding up. On paper, it looks like I could be working 60 hours a week and still not paying the bills. So in less than eight hours, I went from trusting God 100% to nearly having a panic attack and wondering what on earth I'm doing.
Then, in an effort to avoid further panic and the tears brimming just under the surface, I promptly got up from the table, grabbed a piece of chocolate from the kitchen counter, and settled onto the couch to finish my Bible Study homework. And do you know what I saw? The pages of my journal, words written just this morning, proclaiming my faith in Him. Faith, trust, and praise for the God who will never leave me. Talk about a wake-up call! Those encouraging words weren't found in the pages of a book written thousands of years ago, or even last week. They were words written in my handwriting on this very day. My circumstances haven't changed since this morning, but my perspective had. I'd stopped walking by faith and instead was looking for hard facts. Proof that I'd make it. But you know what? Just as God has provided in the past, He will continue to do so. It all goes back to trust.
And now, if you're so inclined, I'd like to give you all a little homework assignment. I'm a teacher after all, and that's what teachers do. :-) Because words can capture feelings better than anything else, write yourself a letter the next time you feel amazed at what God is doing in your life. Maybe that won't be today. Maybe you're in a place of doubting, wondering, or hurting. But when dawn finally breaks and you see clearly all that God has done, write your thoughts down. Describe the miracles you see happening around you, the scripture verses that are most encouraging, and advice you want yourself to follow the next time you feel your trust slipping. It might be just the wake up call you need.
It's personal......
It was proved to me today just how far I've come in my relationship with God. Up until a few years ago, He wasn't really in the forefront of my mind; I simply took it for granted that He'd always been there and always would be. In an effort to keep from alienating my non-believing family, friends, and co-workers, I generally kept any and all religious views to myself. Seriously, folks, I avoid conflict like the Swine Flu. Whenever my liberal friends and family would bring up their anti-Jesus comments, I'd tune them out and remember the saying To each his own. No harm in that, right? Anything to keep the peace!
But somewhere along the way, things changed. God was no longer a name I heard only on Sunday mornings. I began to read about Him, talk to Him, hear Him, and study His Word like never before. He went from being a name to a person. Someone I called on throughout the day, someone I found joy in getting to know on a deeper level. He became the Heavenly Father He's always longed to be, and more than that, He became a friend.
That's why, this morning, when I came across things on Facebook, Twitter, and a few other websites that did nothing but mock Him, I was hurt. It's one thing to say you don't believe that God exists, but something else entirely when you start making Him the butt of your jokes. Perhaps it's because I've been the butt of one too many myself, but reading those comments was like taking a knife to the heart. I wasn't so much offended as I was heart-broken. For the first time in my life, the amount of rejection that Jesus Christ faces on a daily basis became real to me. We can debate religion vs. science all day long, but when you start attacking God Himself..... my God, my Lord and Savior..... then it becomes personal. And I realized that I could no longer tune those comments out. Ensuing conflict or not, I've got God's back.
But somewhere along the way, things changed. God was no longer a name I heard only on Sunday mornings. I began to read about Him, talk to Him, hear Him, and study His Word like never before. He went from being a name to a person. Someone I called on throughout the day, someone I found joy in getting to know on a deeper level. He became the Heavenly Father He's always longed to be, and more than that, He became a friend.
That's why, this morning, when I came across things on Facebook, Twitter, and a few other websites that did nothing but mock Him, I was hurt. It's one thing to say you don't believe that God exists, but something else entirely when you start making Him the butt of your jokes. Perhaps it's because I've been the butt of one too many myself, but reading those comments was like taking a knife to the heart. I wasn't so much offended as I was heart-broken. For the first time in my life, the amount of rejection that Jesus Christ faces on a daily basis became real to me. We can debate religion vs. science all day long, but when you start attacking God Himself..... my God, my Lord and Savior..... then it becomes personal. And I realized that I could no longer tune those comments out. Ensuing conflict or not, I've got God's back.
On the Road Again.......
I love a good road trip. I mean, I really love them. Perhaps it’s because I spent so much of my youth in the backseat of my mom’s van traveling to visit relatives. Or maybe it’s because I have uninterrupted time to think, plot, and reflect. Whatever the reason, listening to good music from behind the wheel is one of my favorite things to do…. which is why I make the 400 mile trek to Florida at least once every four to six weeks. As I was driving down yesterday, it hit me that the trip to Mom’s house is similar to another journey I’m on…. one that will eventually take me, not on vacation, but to my eternal dwelling place.
As I drove south on I-75, all I could see out my windshield was an endless sea of gray. The road seemed to blend into the sky, broken up only by the occasional cluster of bare trees swaying in the February breeze. Life can be sort of like that, too. It’s not uncommon to look out the window and see a world that’s cold, filled with pain and suffering. Inside the car, however, things were nice and toasty thanks to the heater. I drove along, listening to some great praise and worship music, periodically calling my mom or sister to check in, and dreaming of that place that promises to take all my worries away- the beach.
As I drove, I encountered a few potholes, construction zones, and other things that served only to slow me down (I’m looking at YOU, Poulan County police officers!). Again, very symbolic of what life is like. We may be wrapped up in the warmth of God’s love, but curve balls do come, and sometimes, it’s even necessary to step out into the cold to recharge our faith-meters (or fill up our gas tanks).
During that seven-hour drive, my sights were set on two things: seeing my family and stepping onto Anna Maria Island. Because as great as it is to hear my mom’s voice on the phone, nothing compares to seeing her face-to-face and feeling her arms around me. And the beach? It’s the most wonderful place on Earth. No matter what the weather, I absolutely love walking along the sandy shore, talking to God, and enjoying a few hours without stress.
But then I got to thinking. If arriving in Florida lets me feel that loved and has me looking forward to that kind of beauty, how much greater is Heaven going to be? What will it feel like to have His arms around me and to see the streets of gold? I don’t know about you, but eternity is sort of a hard concept to grasp. Honestly, I’d just like to know what this week is going to hold. Laying the groundwork for eternity can wait…......... or can it? Even if we aren’t physically packing a suitcase, shouldn’t we still be preparing to reach our final destination? And in the midst of those preparations, shouldn’t we be experiencing the anticipation, excitement, and joy that comes from looking forward to a good road trip? I don’t know for sure, but I think Heaven might be even better than the beach.
As I drove south on I-75, all I could see out my windshield was an endless sea of gray. The road seemed to blend into the sky, broken up only by the occasional cluster of bare trees swaying in the February breeze. Life can be sort of like that, too. It’s not uncommon to look out the window and see a world that’s cold, filled with pain and suffering. Inside the car, however, things were nice and toasty thanks to the heater. I drove along, listening to some great praise and worship music, periodically calling my mom or sister to check in, and dreaming of that place that promises to take all my worries away- the beach.
As I drove, I encountered a few potholes, construction zones, and other things that served only to slow me down (I’m looking at YOU, Poulan County police officers!). Again, very symbolic of what life is like. We may be wrapped up in the warmth of God’s love, but curve balls do come, and sometimes, it’s even necessary to step out into the cold to recharge our faith-meters (or fill up our gas tanks).
During that seven-hour drive, my sights were set on two things: seeing my family and stepping onto Anna Maria Island. Because as great as it is to hear my mom’s voice on the phone, nothing compares to seeing her face-to-face and feeling her arms around me. And the beach? It’s the most wonderful place on Earth. No matter what the weather, I absolutely love walking along the sandy shore, talking to God, and enjoying a few hours without stress.
But then I got to thinking. If arriving in Florida lets me feel that loved and has me looking forward to that kind of beauty, how much greater is Heaven going to be? What will it feel like to have His arms around me and to see the streets of gold? I don’t know about you, but eternity is sort of a hard concept to grasp. Honestly, I’d just like to know what this week is going to hold. Laying the groundwork for eternity can wait…......... or can it? Even if we aren’t physically packing a suitcase, shouldn’t we still be preparing to reach our final destination? And in the midst of those preparations, shouldn’t we be experiencing the anticipation, excitement, and joy that comes from looking forward to a good road trip? I don’t know for sure, but I think Heaven might be even better than the beach.
Empty Hands
I read something the other day that sort of smacked me upside the head. In a good way. :-) It was in Karen Kingsbury's novel "Just Beyond the Clouds" (which is a great book, in case you were wondering!). I don't remember the exact words, but it said something along the lines of "God can't give you something new until your hands are empty." I know we've all heard the saying "God doesn't close a door without opening a window," but I love Karen's words so much better because they imply that the best is yet to come. Instead of being a promise that God won't leave us trapped with nowhere to turn, they remind us of His desire to bless our lives. And sometimes, staying in our old ways can hinder His ability to fulfill that desire.
I think the line struck me particularly hard due to the sheer amount of change happening in my life, and in the lives of those around me, at the present time. So many people I love are having their hands emptied, and in return, filled with something new. As I sit here and type, two friends are packing up their homes and preparing to move this week. Oddly enough, one is leaving my hands empty by heading for Tennessee, while the other is filling them by returning to Columbus after 4 years away. My baby sister is within a few weeks of leaving behind the freedom of young-adulthood to become a first-time mother. And before I know it, I myself will be giving up a large part of my identity in order to try and be more like the me that God wants me to be.
Whether it comes in the form of relocating, new jobs, changing family roles, or something as simple as trading in your vehicle, it's important to remember that change doesn't come without a price. Getting means giving. Acquiring means letting go. So the next time you feel God trying to empty your hands, go with the flow... chances are, He's trying to make room for something new.
I think the line struck me particularly hard due to the sheer amount of change happening in my life, and in the lives of those around me, at the present time. So many people I love are having their hands emptied, and in return, filled with something new. As I sit here and type, two friends are packing up their homes and preparing to move this week. Oddly enough, one is leaving my hands empty by heading for Tennessee, while the other is filling them by returning to Columbus after 4 years away. My baby sister is within a few weeks of leaving behind the freedom of young-adulthood to become a first-time mother. And before I know it, I myself will be giving up a large part of my identity in order to try and be more like the me that God wants me to be.
Whether it comes in the form of relocating, new jobs, changing family roles, or something as simple as trading in your vehicle, it's important to remember that change doesn't come without a price. Getting means giving. Acquiring means letting go. So the next time you feel God trying to empty your hands, go with the flow... chances are, He's trying to make room for something new.
Just Because He Can
Sometimes I think we get so used to waiting on God to answer our prayers (you know, that sometimes annoying concept of things happening in His time, not ours), that when He chooses to answer us rather quickly, it can almost take us by surprise. It’s pretty cool when it happens, though, isn’t it? I don’t know about you, but I can usually benefit from a reminder that my prayers aren’t just bouncing off the ceiling.
I had a great moment like that the other day, thanks to you all. While reading through some of my favorite blogs, the link for this one in my Favorites caught my eye. And I realized how neglected it’s been. I haven’t written anything just for y’all in at least a couple of weeks, which in writer-world, seems like a long time. To be honest, I’ve been a bit pre-occupied with the book I’m working on, and all of my recent blogging has been book-related in some kind of way (and I don’t want to bore you with that here). So, I prayed asking God to give me some inspiration. Some words of wisdom. Something I could pass on to you.
Ten minutes later, I was in my car heading to a friend’s house, flipping through radio stations in a desperate attempt to find one that wasn't playing commercials. Eventually, I heard a female voice belting out an emotion-laden tune I’d never heard…. Barlowgirl’s “I Need You to Love Me.” It’s an awesome song that I had downloaded to my mp3 player before the day’s end, but one line stuck out and was exactly the inspiration I’d been looking for. In the second verse, the song says, "I just never saw how You could cherish me. You're a God who has all things, and still You want me."
Read that again, and think about what it’s saying. God has the entire world in His hands, and yet He chooses to love us complete with all our flaws. Just because He can. I don’t know that we’ll ever comprehend the magnitude of that love (at least on this side of Heaven), but WOW. How’s that for a spiritual bone worth chewing on? I encourage you to click the link above and listen to the song if you haven’t heard it before, and even if you have, go listen again, perhaps a bit more closely than before. I can assure you that you won’t walk away from your computer the same. It may not make you any more deserving of that incomprehensible love, but hopefully you’ll appreciate it a little bit more.
I had a great moment like that the other day, thanks to you all. While reading through some of my favorite blogs, the link for this one in my Favorites caught my eye. And I realized how neglected it’s been. I haven’t written anything just for y’all in at least a couple of weeks, which in writer-world, seems like a long time. To be honest, I’ve been a bit pre-occupied with the book I’m working on, and all of my recent blogging has been book-related in some kind of way (and I don’t want to bore you with that here). So, I prayed asking God to give me some inspiration. Some words of wisdom. Something I could pass on to you.
Ten minutes later, I was in my car heading to a friend’s house, flipping through radio stations in a desperate attempt to find one that wasn't playing commercials. Eventually, I heard a female voice belting out an emotion-laden tune I’d never heard…. Barlowgirl’s “I Need You to Love Me.” It’s an awesome song that I had downloaded to my mp3 player before the day’s end, but one line stuck out and was exactly the inspiration I’d been looking for. In the second verse, the song says, "I just never saw how You could cherish me. You're a God who has all things, and still You want me."
Read that again, and think about what it’s saying. God has the entire world in His hands, and yet He chooses to love us complete with all our flaws. Just because He can. I don’t know that we’ll ever comprehend the magnitude of that love (at least on this side of Heaven), but WOW. How’s that for a spiritual bone worth chewing on? I encourage you to click the link above and listen to the song if you haven’t heard it before, and even if you have, go listen again, perhaps a bit more closely than before. I can assure you that you won’t walk away from your computer the same. It may not make you any more deserving of that incomprehensible love, but hopefully you’ll appreciate it a little bit more.
Navigation
I posted this on my other blog (Navigating with GPS) and thought I'd share it here, too.
I have a confession to make. For a few months now, I've had some reservations about the whole GPS thing. You know, what it stands for. God in the Passenger Seat. I thought it was all cute and stuff when I first wrote it, and I love the idea of navigating with that kind of GPS, but then I got to thinking.... Does it make me a bad Christian to keep God in the passenger seat? If I were surrendering like I should, wouldn't I be letting Him drive while I ride shotgun instead? Probably so, which I guess means this is just another sign of my stubborn independence. It's sort of like I'm saying, "Sure, God, I'll look to You for guidance and direction... but in the end, I'm the one calling the shots, ya hear?" And unfortunately, that's been my philosophy for many years. It's certainly not something I'm proud of, but since I've already based the title of this blog on those five little words, my plan was to ignore the guilt factor and hope no one else read between the lines enough to catch a glimpse of my fear of surrendering.
And then I stopped just talking about GPS and actually used one. That's right, over the holidays, I not only had God in the passenger seat, but I also had my first experience with Garmin in the passenger seat. Due to the sheer number of people who came to town for my mom's graduation from nursing school and my sister's baby shower, we out of town guests were farmed out to various friends' houses for the weekend. Relishing the quiet like I do, I chose not to sleep on the couch or next door at the neighbor's, but instead drove a good 10 minutes to stay at the home of some friends who were themselves out of town. I'd been there before, but never driven by myself, so Mom plugged their address into her GPS and sent me off into the dark blue yonder. And like the obedient person I am, I followed the directions precisely... for about 3 nights. (Yes, my sense of direction is so bad I still didn't feel comfortable getting there without help.) On the 3rd morning, I realized that getting out of the subdivision took about one fourth the amount of time it took to get to their house. Something wasn't right. Looking at the Garmin's map, I discovered that the main road looped around the small lake, and my friend's house was approximately a mile to the left. But for 3 nights in a row, I'd been driving 5 miles to the right. I still arrived at the same place, I was just taking the looong way around. The next time I drove over, I went to the left instead of following the GPS's instructions and made it to their driveway in record time. Maybe making your own decisions isn't such a bad thing after all.
Now, I know that God is never wrong or misleading as the Garmin was, but it let me see that GPS (my GPS, that is) might still be a good thing. Because while we could go through life in the passenger seat, God did give us that little thing known as free will. He's powerful enough that He could make us love Him and make us do His will every day without fail. But where would the satisfaction be in that? I know that, as a teacher, I would much rather my students be well-behaved when I'm out of the room (because they know it's the right thing to do) than be perfect angels when I'm there (in which case they probably want something!).
I have to believe that God feels the same way. He wants us to do what pleases Him simply because... well, because it pleases Him, not because we have to. He wants us to listen to what He's telling us, and then make a conscious decision to turn the steering wheel ourselves. Life in the passenger seat might be easier what with the lack of decisions needing to be made, but it would also make us lazy, apathetic, and unconcerned with what's going on around us. No way to live, if you ask me. So, what's my plan? To enter 2010 with a GPS that's charged up and ready to go, of course--- because having God in the passenger seat is still the best way to travel. Even if it means a little more work on my part.
I have a confession to make. For a few months now, I've had some reservations about the whole GPS thing. You know, what it stands for. God in the Passenger Seat. I thought it was all cute and stuff when I first wrote it, and I love the idea of navigating with that kind of GPS, but then I got to thinking.... Does it make me a bad Christian to keep God in the passenger seat? If I were surrendering like I should, wouldn't I be letting Him drive while I ride shotgun instead? Probably so, which I guess means this is just another sign of my stubborn independence. It's sort of like I'm saying, "Sure, God, I'll look to You for guidance and direction... but in the end, I'm the one calling the shots, ya hear?" And unfortunately, that's been my philosophy for many years. It's certainly not something I'm proud of, but since I've already based the title of this blog on those five little words, my plan was to ignore the guilt factor and hope no one else read between the lines enough to catch a glimpse of my fear of surrendering.
And then I stopped just talking about GPS and actually used one. That's right, over the holidays, I not only had God in the passenger seat, but I also had my first experience with Garmin in the passenger seat. Due to the sheer number of people who came to town for my mom's graduation from nursing school and my sister's baby shower, we out of town guests were farmed out to various friends' houses for the weekend. Relishing the quiet like I do, I chose not to sleep on the couch or next door at the neighbor's, but instead drove a good 10 minutes to stay at the home of some friends who were themselves out of town. I'd been there before, but never driven by myself, so Mom plugged their address into her GPS and sent me off into the dark blue yonder. And like the obedient person I am, I followed the directions precisely... for about 3 nights. (Yes, my sense of direction is so bad I still didn't feel comfortable getting there without help.) On the 3rd morning, I realized that getting out of the subdivision took about one fourth the amount of time it took to get to their house. Something wasn't right. Looking at the Garmin's map, I discovered that the main road looped around the small lake, and my friend's house was approximately a mile to the left. But for 3 nights in a row, I'd been driving 5 miles to the right. I still arrived at the same place, I was just taking the looong way around. The next time I drove over, I went to the left instead of following the GPS's instructions and made it to their driveway in record time. Maybe making your own decisions isn't such a bad thing after all.
Now, I know that God is never wrong or misleading as the Garmin was, but it let me see that GPS (my GPS, that is) might still be a good thing. Because while we could go through life in the passenger seat, God did give us that little thing known as free will. He's powerful enough that He could make us love Him and make us do His will every day without fail. But where would the satisfaction be in that? I know that, as a teacher, I would much rather my students be well-behaved when I'm out of the room (because they know it's the right thing to do) than be perfect angels when I'm there (in which case they probably want something!).
I have to believe that God feels the same way. He wants us to do what pleases Him simply because... well, because it pleases Him, not because we have to. He wants us to listen to what He's telling us, and then make a conscious decision to turn the steering wheel ourselves. Life in the passenger seat might be easier what with the lack of decisions needing to be made, but it would also make us lazy, apathetic, and unconcerned with what's going on around us. No way to live, if you ask me. So, what's my plan? To enter 2010 with a GPS that's charged up and ready to go, of course--- because having God in the passenger seat is still the best way to travel. Even if it means a little more work on my part.
A Chance Worth Taking
One of my favorite songs at the moment is Darius Rucker’s History in the Making. I’m a sucker for romantic ballads, and this is certainly one of the most romantic I’ve ever heard. However, it wasn’t the sappy sweetness that drew me to this song. It was the idea that a single moment has the potential to change the course of our lives.
I’ve got a feeling/ This could be one of those memories/ We want to hold onto, cling to/ One we can’t forget/ Baby, this could be our last first kiss/ The door to forever/ What if this was that moment/ The chance worth taking/ History in the making
As I’ve had this song playing non-stop in my head, I’ve been thinking about its connection to the Christmas season. Because really, has there been any other moment that so perfectly exemplifies history in the making more so than the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? You have to wonder if even Mary realized the magnitude of that moment. Here she was, young, unmarried, and undoubtedly afraid, probably still reeling from the fact that an angel had appeared and told her she was going to give birth to a son who would, in essence, single-handedly save the world. I mean… wow. What a responsibility! And the moment she first heard His cries? To say she was overwhelmed is probably an understatement. Yet here we are, still remembering and celebrating that moment more than two thousand years later.
While we may not be in the same position as Mary, God has given each of us a job to do, with each one working together to form the tapestry of His almighty plan. And each task begins with a moment. A choice, and depending on whether or not we’re willing to take that chance, the course of our lives could very well be altered forever.
I can’t remember any other period of my own life that has been so full of those moments as the one I’m experiencing right now. I suppose there have been several life-changing moments, but since most took me places I was expecting to go anyway, they don’t stand out as clearly in my memory. On the other hand, I distinctly remember sitting in my friend’s living room (while house-sitting one weekend) a good two hours past my bedtime, writing the original GPS story (see my first post if you don't know what that is). It flew from my fingertips so fast at times that it seemed as if I was reading it on the computer screen before I had even had time to think of the words. Then there was the night I was sitting in another friend’s sunroom (again, house-sitting) and emailed the URL for my blog to a handful of friends and family members. That was such a tremendous leap of faith because I had never felt comfortable sharing my thoughts nor did I feel as if I had any reason to start a blog other than the fact that “God told me to.” And the moment my sister called and asked me to write a book? I was standing in front of the deli counter at Publix waiting on an order of Cajun turkey breast.
It’s funny how those moments stand out, but I know it’s because each of them presented me with a choice. A choice to follow God’s call or listen to my head. I may not have any idea what my future holds, but I’m resting in the promises of Jeremiah 29:11, and taking great comfort in the fact that I don’t necessarily have to do something of Mary’s magnitude in order to find that door to forever. Sometimes all God needs to change the course of history is to hear us utter one little word. “Yes.”
It all comes down to a moment. A chance worth taking.
