Over Thinking--Hmm, Can We Do That?

I'm a thinker. It's how I'm wired. Oh, of course, I laugh and cry and what-not, but when it comes to processing anything, it goes through an extensive system of thought.

Pipes of pondering, I'd say. Thoughts about one concept, problem, or anything really, can travel down the pipes of my mind for days, if not weeks!

Nothing wrong with thinking through things. Nothing wrong with having an inquisitive mind. Nothing wrong with the way I'm wired by God....unless, I let it turn into what Joyce Meyer called "excessive reasoning."

You see, one of my greatest strengths is the fact that I'm a thinker. However, I'm realizing it can be one of my greatest weaknesses. I can become obsessed with an idea or problem, to the point that it can wreck my faith.


Joyce put it this way.

Reasoning occurs when we try to figure out the "why" or "how" behind something. When we reason excessively, our minds revolve around and around a problem as we try to understand it, which causes a whirlwind of worry and confusion.

This one really got me.

As soon as you become confused, you have left off pondering and gone into excessive reasoning.

Yep, that can most certainly be me. Here's what God says on the whole thing.

...a mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6

That is a great measuring verse for us. If our minds are full of chaos and confusion, then we need to let God control them. It is work and requires us learning how to settle down and believe. I know this is something I'm going to have to work on for sure. I guess I should say, it's something I'm going to let the Spirit work on in me.

I'll try not to think about it too much. ;)

Natalie

Find me at my blog!

Unexpected Detour

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt. Matthew 2:14 NIV

I’m a planner. I carefully select my events, my times, my meals, and even my accessories in effort to make my life – well, perfect. There is just one problem. Perhaps you already know it.

No matter how much we prepare, things don’t always go according to plan.

In this way, I set myself up for disappointment. For months, I envisioned the birth of my newest baby girl. The older two children would stand at the window of the nursery while she took her first bath. The grandparents, aunts, and uncles would stand behind them along with my husband who would be videoing this perfect moment. I, of course, would still be back in the recovery room holding hands in a circle with my best friends singing “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” That is how it was supposed to happen.

It didn’t.

Instead, my newborn was whisked out of the delivery room without so much as a how do you do. She spent not one day, not two days, but TEN days in the NICU. No siblings watched her bathe. No aunts and uncles stood in the background commenting on how she had my mouth and my husband’s eyes. Things did NOT go according to plan – at least not MY plan.

So, I wonder how Mary felt when Joseph shook her awake in the middle of the night and told her to get packing. The Magi, or three wise men, had just left their home after visiting the young King of Kings. Mary was just getting used to being the mother of the Savior of the world. If Jesus was God’s Son, then why were they running?

King Herod was on a rampage, killing every infant boy under a certain age. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him of Herod’s intentions and God’s plan for them to flee to Egypt. Joseph, the Bible tells us, got up, took Mary and Jesus and left in the middle of the night.

This was not a part of Mary or Joseph’s plan. But it was God’s plan.

I wonder how many times when my plans took a detour, God was protecting me. I was probably too busy complaining about my trek though the desert to realize God was sending me there for my own good. I’m thankful Mary didn’t park her heels and say, “No way. I just got this straw floor looking the way I want, and I’m not leaving.” Instead, she followed and in doing so, protected my Lord.

Dear Lord,

Sometimes the only I thing I see is Egypt. Help me to understand you often have a plan in the desert road. Thank you for Mary and Joseph, Father, for their obedient attitude helped to save Your Son. Create in me a submissive attitude. Help me not to focus so much on MY plans that I miss out on Yours. Lord, may I embrace the detours. Amen.

Visit Carol at sheep to the right!

A Quick Wit and A Stiff Neck

God has gifted me with a quick, dry wit. Constantly, I hear catch phrases that ring in my mind and cause it to answer.

It’s a blessing and a curse.

If you could be inside my mind for one day, I guarantee you would either be greatly entertained or incredibly concerned.

Anyway, I’ll get to the point of why I’m mentioning it.

One new day, I woke up with excruciating pain in my neck. While issues with my neck are common, this day was worse than normal, as it wouldn’t even relent to the pain medicine.



Halfway through the morning, Wit spoke up: “What a pain in the neck!” I chuckled in my mind. Later in the day, she spoke up again: “You stiff-necked woman!” That one wasn’t quite as funny to me, of course, as it refers to the Israelites who continued to turn away from God.


As I awoke that next morning, the pain woke with me. I couldn’t even move my neck from side to side without a wince. I was thankful for Mrs. Wit’s humor to keep me amused along the way. What amazes me is that God often uses these little illustrations in life to strike me and remind me of Himself. After spending time in prayer, the Holy Spirit reminded me of some unconfessed sin in my life. I was quick to deal with it. Then He brought to my mind some areas of complacency and unbelief. I gave those over. Then a tucked away verse woke up my memory: “Do not be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” That sent me on a trail of trying to figure out what this means to a Christian, and more importantly, to me:

“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. As has just been said: ‘Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.’” Hebrews 3:12-15

Time after time I’ve read this verse, but what the Lord showed me on that enlightened day is that it is possible as a mature believer to turn away from Him with sin or unbelief. Before, when I’ve envisioned “turning away from the living God,” I’ve thought of a BIG turning away, kind of like the prodigal son. I picture a monumental decision to leave the Christian life to seek my own pleasure. While that is certainly a possibility here, I don’t believe it is the only one. It says, “BUT encourage one another DAILY.” Wow---I can actually deal with a sinful, unbelieving heart on a daily basis?!?!? One of the things about sin is that it can sneak up on us.....it is deceitful. It wants to make us believe that we will be unaffected from the repercussions of a wishy-washy lifestyle, but read on: “We have come to share in Christ IF WE HOLD FIRMLY TILL THE END the confidence we had at first.”


We WANT to share in Christ, don’t we? Do we still have the confidence IN Him to live rightly BEFORE Him? Micah 6:8 says, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” To walk humbly requires a daily giving over of ourselves. If we’re not careful, sneaky sin can convince us that we don’t have time to do this or that it’s not necessary....we can become a “stiff-necked” people, if you will. So what is the answer for us? The answer is found in Psalm 95:2-8a:

“Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods; In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. COME—let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care. TODAY, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts....”

Let’s stretch our necks out for Him today, noticing His creation on the left, His blessings on the right, and His provision right in front of us. As He shares this with us, may it renew in us the confidence to hold firmly Today all the way to the end.

Selah~ Pause. Ponder. Praise.
Please come by and visit my new personal blog,

LauraLeeShaw.com

The Arrogance of Unbelief

I'll keep this brief because I myself am still processing, seeing as how I just realized this yesterday. Maybe I should say that God showed me this just yesterday.

In a nutshell (after searching the Word and my heart) here is what I realized, er, He showed me:

My lack of faith, my unbelief, has the

potential to make God out to be a liar.

In other words, when I choose (in my own wisdom and arrogance) that I know the outcome of a situation, or I know that a particular promise of God can't possibly be for me, or I reason that God only answers some of his promises for some of his people based on certain situations, then I must know what I'm talking about...and he doesn't.

I have chosen to believe my own environment, heart, reason, whatever, and not chosen to believe God and his Word. So, he must be a liar if I don't believe he'll come through on a promise.

In essence, that's what my belief system says: he's a liar. Ouch, right?

Um, someone is faulty in their belief system and I'm thinking it's not God. So, what do I do? I go to the Word for wisdom and teaching.

...they have been entrusted with the very words of God...What if some did not have faith? will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true; and every man a liar. Romans 3:2 &3

If we claim we have not sinned (i.e. have not had unbelief) we make him out to be a liar and his word has to place in our hearts. 1 John 1:10

The man who says, "I know him" but does not do what he says (i.e. believe) is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. 1 John 2:4

I believe that God says to us, "I have given to the measure you have believed." Now, be careful! I'm not saying that if you dont' believe hard enough, close your eyes and squeeze real hard, that God won't come through. I'm simply saying, challenge yourself. Hold your belief system up to the Word of God and see if it matches. I was surpised and challenged by his amazing and wonderful promises.

Then, after much prayer and reflection, you too might be saying, "Father! Increase my faith!"

Thoughts?

In Faith,

Natalie

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and

Put the Scissors Down

I think it began with a Barbie Styling Head.

It was a dream gift, but eventually combing and styling became a bore. I began to snip. I was Vidal Sasson; I was a hairdressing diva. My cosmetology career began and ended at 6.

At 40, growing my bangs out sounded like a wonderful idea. It sounded easy. My hairdresser recently said it was time for a change and long bangs were "hip."

She had me at "hip."

It sounded like a simple plan. All I had to do was wait. It was easy; easy until about 6 weeks into it. Easy until the day I woke up and could no longer take it. With scissors in hand, I became my own "Barbie Styling Head."

I know better. I've been down this road many, many times before. We all know how this ends.

So, I snipped away. Took control of it. The results as you can imagine were not the results I desired. Walking in wearing a baseball cap, I knew that sooner rather than later I was going to have to "fess up" and tell my hairdresser.

"Ms. Kay, I trimmed my own bangs."

"I can tell," she replied, with a sheepish smile on her face.

"Why didn't you just let me do it?" she inquired, snickering.

"I just thought...." It was no use. I just thought what? I'd help her out? No, I should have let her do it in the first place.

How often do I do the same with God?

I try and take control of a situation in my life, you know, "help Him out." I snip, snip, snip at a situation in my life. A situation that clearly does not need my intervention, but rather my surrendering control to the Lord. Just as Ms. Kay shook her head, I imagine that the Lord shakes His head at me, and speaks the same words to me that He spoke to Peter.

"What little faith you have! Why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14: 31)

I need to leave my hair style to the experts and I need to leave His will in my life to Him. He clearly does not need me taking scissors to my own life, "snipping here and there." The ending is always the same. I come back to the one that I should have gone to in the first place. He needs my submission to His will. He needs me to put down the scissors and have a little faith. You know, actually living the words, "thy will be done."

I'm still learning.

I've hidden the scissors...really well this time.







Join Lori daily at her personal website,all you have to give, where she resolves this year to NOT pick up the scissors.

I WILL obey....next time!

I was reading Joyce Meyer's "Battlefield of the Mind" and the chapter was about "unbelief." She was saying that unbelief always leads to disobedience. It really struck a chord with me because my mentor has consistently talked about obedience really being an issue of faith. Do I really believe God? If I do, then I will obey.

I love this picture. It was taken at our local YMCA. Usually, on a busy soccer or football day, the grass is PACKED with parked cars. Do you notice the sign? Even though people are told NOT to park on the grass.....it isn't allowed....they still choose to disobey and do it anyway.

If they believed there was something WRONG with parking in the grass, I am sure they wouldn't (or at least a majority wouldn't). But, in their minds, they don't think there is anything really wrong with parking there, so they do.

I have a 13 year old who is beginning to push the limits. He is beginning to make choices on what he wants to obey. I have noticed that when he thinks a rule "isn't a big deal," he will make the CHOICE if he wants to obey. For example, he likes to listen to the ipod while going to sleep. I have a rule that only Christian music is allowed at this time. While the kids are falling asleep, I want the Word (in song) to fill their minds. He didn't BELIEVE that music was important, so he chose to disobey.

If I truly trust God, believing in what He says, then I won't question or reason or make excuses....I will obey. I won't come to the Word, picking and choosing what I want to follow. If I believe that the Word is His Will, His plan, then I won't question it, but obey it.

Whew! This can be hard for me!

And, when my mentor first told me that unbelief was a faith issue, I didn't agree.

I thought, "I believe God! I trust Him. I am just being rebellious." But, if I really TRUSTED Him, in His plan, in His ways, then WHY would I not do it? If I know that His way would lead to life and peace, then why would I choose another way?

For me, as I pondered this, I realized that at times I think I KNOW BEST.

I may think, "God, I know You are telling me to do such and such, but I am going to try this first." I may not consciously THINK, "my way is better." But, that's where my actions are rooted! If I really BELIEVED that God's way was best, then I wouldn't take a chance with MY "trial and error."

In Mark 9, a man comes to Jesus and asks Him to heal his demon-possessed son. The man says, "If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." Jesus retorted, "If you can?????" He then says, "Everything is possible for him who believes." IMMEDIATELY the father exclaimed, "I do believe" and then says, "help me overcome my unbelief!"

That is the cry of my heart! Lord, help me overcome my unbelief! When I have doubt or think MY way is better, Lord help my unbelief! When the situation LOOKS impossible through my eyes, Lord help my unbelief! When the world says the opposite of what you say and my mind begins to reason...Lord help my unbelief! Make my faith strong and unwavering.

"Unbelief, like doubt, will keep us from doing what God has called and anointed us to accomplish in life. It also keeps us from experiencing the sense of peace that He wants us to enjoy as we find rest for our souls in Him." -Joyce Meyer from Battlefield of Mind

There is a line in a Newsboys' song that goes, "Trust and obey. There is no other way." Notice that "trust" comes first. Of course, obey rhymes with way, so that may be it as well!! :-) Seriously, there is no other way for our lives. Having the faith of a child, child-like faith as Jesus says in Matthew 18 and 19, simply trusting/believing THEN obeying without question.

"Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness." Romans 4:3

Father God, help my unbelief! Work in me such a strong faith that does not waver, does not question, does not make excuses. Give me Your eyes. Help me to see things the way You do. And, when I can't, help me to have such a strong trust in You that I obey in spite of what I think or want! Lord, You are so good. Your ways are perfect and true. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for Your patience with me. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

Please visit me at my personal blog:

Points to Ponder:

1. Are there areas in your life where you are not obeying God's Word- either His written Word or something He has spoken to you? Pray that God would help you believe Him in these areas.

2. How does the world, and worldly thinking trip us up in these situations?

3. Read Romans 4 and the original story of Abraham in Genesis 15. Look then at Abraham's faith in Genesis 22. Ponder Abraham's faith and obedience, even when in the natural what God was asking didn't make sense.

Be A Woman of the Word

Guest Barista Joanna Shumaker is pouring today!

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Psalm 119:105 (NASB)

One of my earliest memories of my mother is seeing her sitting in the rocking chair reading her Bible.


One day, I picked it up and saw all the marks beside each chapter. I asked her what they were and she said they were for every time she read the chapter. I was amazed by the number of marks beside each chapter of the Bible. Besides spending time with God, she said that reading her Bible gave her guidance and help for living her life. Naturally, I grew up with the confidence that if I too read His Word, I would find the guidance and help I needed. My mother’s devotion to God’s Word made an indelible impression on my young mind.

As we deal with the pressures of marriage, motherhood, career and relationships, our Bible reading often goes by the wayside. Yet, it is the very encouragement we need to thrive during this time of life.



The book of Proverbs is full of passages which encourage us to follow God’s principles. I Peter 2:1 encourages us to desire the Word in our lives the same way a newborn desires milk. Interestingly, this desire for God’s Word is in response to seeing the goodness of God. One of the best ways to “see” the goodness of God in the midst of trials is to remember His goodness in the past. It drives us back to the Word to look for more of Him.



Romans 12:1-2 encourages us to transform our lives by renewing our mind. What better place to renew our minds and keep our lives on track than reading the very words of God? In the fast pace of life, remember to make the Word of God a frequent part of your life. It will give you teaching, correction, and training as you navigate this journey in life. It will keep you coming back for more insight, perspective and guidance.


“Father – help me to make time to read Your words to me so that I can transform my life for Your glory.”


What time can you set aside to read God’s Word and be renewed in your spiritual walk?

What lessons have you learned from God’s Word that you can share with others?

Temporary Tissue Paper

“God would never choose for us safety at the cost of significance.”

–Erwin Rapahel McManus

I am mesmerized by tissue paper. I seek it out at every party store, stock it up in my pantry, fluff it up in every present I give and fold it up tight when I receive it.

I am, at times, more impressed with the tissue paper of a gift than the gift itself.

Isn’t there just something about polka dots, pink and paper so sheer you can see the world through it?

I think, in life, I’m mesmerized by tissue paper as well.

I get so caught up in the wrapping of this place — this earth — this one shot, that I often overlook the deeper, lasting gifts given to me completely.

I see a house with a white picket fence.

I see an office with an actual address.

I see a convertible with my hair blowing wildly in the wind.

And I neglect to look deeper.

Because again, there is just something about the polka dots, pink and paper so sheer it tints my world to a brighter hue.

I say, “I want to be like Christ. I want to know Him.”

And most of the time, that’s a tissue paper statement. It looks good, adds flair, is polka dot and pink.
It’s a Christian wrapping. A gift bag we present – perhaps with good intention, but with lacking conviction.

“I want to be like Christ.”

A dangerous declaration.

It means nails in hand, betrayal in full, hunger for 40 days, temptation that aims to take, the weight of sin, the pull of the crowd, the ache for silence, the sickness of a wayward world. It means suffering in righteousness and patience in affliction. It means the testing of faith, hidden glory, the taking up of a daily cross.

“I want to be like Christ. I want to know Him.”

A gift.

Hidden underneath the tissue paper of this life.

I want to be one who looks past the polka dots and pink. Who means it when she says, “I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.” Philippians 3:10-11

I want to live dangerously.

Not worried about tearing up the paper this present is wrapped in.

I want to forfeit my hold on the temporal so I can fully embrace the eternal.

I want to live dangerously.

How about you?



***
Kristen Schiffman is the founder of Exemplify Magazine. She welcomes you to check it out today!

Have a “Mary” Christmas!

Tuesday-Aly's Christmas Concert at School,
Wednesday-All-Church Family Advent Night,
Thursday-Christmas Party at the "Smith's."
Send out invitations for an annual Cookie Exchange at our house.
Send out invitations for our Christmas party for Brian's employees.
Send out invitations for Ashley's birthday party.......

Wow! Is your calendar as busy as mine? AND- it's only the first week of December!

As we begin to jump into the Christmas season, and all of the activities that surround it, I am again reminded that I must keep grounded on what Christmas is all about- the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is so easy to get caught up in all of the busyness, the things on all of our “to-do” lists, the shopping and entertaining…

As I catch my breath, and remind myself to slow down, God again uses “Mary and Martha” to teach me these lessons.

One of my favorite Bible stories is the story of two sisters, Mary and Martha. Both sisters loved Jesus, and He would often come to visit them. Now Martha, the older sister, had a servant heart, but could get caught up in all of the details and become distracted by her many tasks.

One day Jesus came to visit the women. Martha was preparing a meal for them while her sister, Mary, the Bible tells us, sat at the feet of Jesus. Well, as Martha was busy with all of the preparations, she allows her heart to go from serving joyfully and selflessly to getting angry that she is doing all the work alone.

As I read the story, I can picture Martha clanging the dishes, hoping to get Mary’s attention, banging the cupboard doors, and sighing loudly- you know, the “huhhhs”- expecting Mary to hear and get the hint! And, why do I think this? Probably because this is MY typical behavior when I am feeling sorry for myself in these situations!

Well, Martha finally blows, and she storms in the room where Jesus and Mary are sitting, and whines, “Lord! Don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

Boy, do I hear my own whining voice in this story, especially at this time of year. “Lord! Don’t You care that I am doing all of the work by myself? You know? The cleaning, the shopping, the wrapping, the cooking, the decorating, sending the cards, the baking… Make Brian help me!”

But, Jesus is not concerned with the fancy dinner, the decorations, the fluff. He tells Martha, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. But, only one thing is needed and Mary has chosen what is better and it won’t be taken from her.”

You see, sitting at the feet of the Savior, drawing near to Him, listening to Him, being still and knowing Him- that is what is important and it won’t be taken from you. It is the “one thing” our stressed, tired spirits need! It is the “one thing” that I NEED!

This Christmas, we can get caught up in shopping for the gifts, stringing the lights, decorating the tree, singing the songs, attending the parties, the details and distractions.

But, my prayer for you is that this Christmas, you will experience THE gift- the Bright and Morning Star, the Prince of Peace, the Wonderful Counselor, our Hope, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, your Burden Bearer, Our Strength, and Our Salvation, Immanuel- God With Us.

My gift to all of you is the message that He loves you, you are His
Beloved, and that He wants to fill you with all joy and peace, both now, at
Christmas time and for the rest of your life!

“May the God of all endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with ONE heart and ONE mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This Christmas, this New Year, and forever, “May He bless you and keep you. May He make His face shine down upon you. May he be gracious to you and give you peace.” Amen!

Questions to Ponder:

1. What steps will you take this year to keep Jesus the focus of Christmas?

2. What steps will you take this year to keep Christmas simple and free of stress?

Consider reading this awesome book from Focus on the Family filled with great ideas on how to keep Christ in Christmas. Our favorite idea is "Gift with Purchase."

Please visit me- I love to hear from you! Merry Christmas!

5 Ways to Stay Sane!

Recently, I returned from a beautiful trip to Breckenridge, Colorado. Beauty, peace, strength, wonder. These are just a few words describing the awesome grandeur of those mountain regions. It is a breath taking as its counter-part, the desert…which is where I went spiritually that same trip.

I'm sure many factors played a part: lack of sleep, lack of oxygen, pregnant, travel, God, and even the Enemy of all of us who say we love Jesus, Satan. It was strange for me to find myself at the end of a week surrounded by the wonder of creation to be so far away from God. Random and strange thoughts blew through my mind. Sleep called out to me. Fear began knocking on my door and everyone's grass looked incredibly greener than mine.

I was feeling lost, alone, and a bit out of control. Thankfully, I had enough where-with-all to realize that if I didn't do these 5 things to stay sane, to stay connected, I could certainly go down the path of destruction further and further.

Talk
The first thing to do when you feel a "disturbance in the force" is to start talking!

The first person I went to was my husband. Second, I went to my girlfriends. The emails that were returned began to have an affect. The truth spoken to me by others came as a balm when I was unable to sort through the truth and lies for myself.

If we don't talk, we bottle-up and things become greater and bigger and worse. Our ability to diffuse the situation and discern from what is real and what is not is greatly dimished.

Listen
There are many-a-time when I'm driving that my kids will be talking to me and I simply do not hear them. Sometimes, I simply don't listen.

If you find yourself dealing with a time of darkness, loneliness, feeling unattached from God, or flat crazy, you must take opportunity to listen. Listen to your husband, or friends, or Pastor. Take time to ingest what they are saying because sometimes those words can speak louder than our deceiving heart.

Rest
In our microwave society, we find that we want all things to go at the speed of a button and a click. This is not always the case in the things of the heart and spirit and mind. Although the Spirit of God never goes into a state of inactivity, we would do well to find ourselves taking time to rest.

When I returned from our vacation, I had no option but to rest physically and spiritually. Meaning, I was okay with letting the Spirit do what He does even if I couldn’t see it or feel it. Just because we feel bad doesn't mean He throws His hands up and walks away for a bit. It just means He is faithful even when we aren't.

Calm down.
Slow down.
Sleep and little bit more.
Get to bed earlier.

Pray
In my time of separation, number 4 was the last thing I wanted to do: pray.

I found myself thinking a lot and pondering the things in my heart, but not really having active prayer with God. However, that does not mean He doesn't uphold who He is in me.

For instance: He's the author and perfecter of my faith. He is interceding on my behalf. He never stops praying for me. He is living and active. He holds me together by His powerful word...not mine.

Over a few days, His faithfulness to communicate with me in Spirit (even when I didn't know it) drew me back to faithful and active prayer.

However, if you find that you have the strength to stay in active, engaging prayer, well then, by all means, do it!

Wait
Up in the mountains I suffered a little bit from "How high are we?" tummy ache! I didn't have to endure waiting for Tylenol to kick in so I could go back into town. But, spiritually, it was a different story. I was getting sick and no earthly pill could snap me out of it.

I knew it.

God knew it.

By Sunday, JT knew it.

By Tuesday, my friends knew it.

I had done the first two things: talk and listen. I was in resting with sleeping better. I had a profound sense that my friends and husband were praying for me when I could not, and I was left with the final way to get back closer to my God: waiting.

That's it.

Not far from the art of resting is the art of waiting. Technology is quick and easy, but the things of the Spirit are to be experienced, tended to, and waited upon. Not in the sense of inactivity, but a humble awareness that God is working regardless of how we feel.

Allow yourself, and Him, time to restore your soul. Waiting is an art form. Practice it well.

The Five

These things were a life-line to reconnecting with the One who loves me most. I pray that in times of difficulty or in seasons of disconnection, you too will try using these five things.

Just so you'll have them:

1. Talk

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16.

2. Listen

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Psalm 34:113.

3. Rest

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone... Psalm 62:5 4.

4. Pray

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:25

We do not know what to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. Romans 8:26, 27

Christ Jesus...is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Romans 8:34

5. Wait

I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm27:13, 14

Keep these five things active and you'll find your connectivity will be active as well. When you find you've lost track, kick these back into gear, and well, wait. :)

Serving you,

Natalie

Check out my personal blog and my blog for Women's Bible Study
and

Too Close For Comfort

Our family has been cleaning, purging and reorganizing around the house for some time now. The stuff in our garage is constantly shifting around as a result. And each time it changes, I have to relearn how to maneuver my large SUV in and out of my designated spot in the garage. This, for a woman with horrible depth perception and peripheral vision…oh my.


Picture me backing out of my space with EXTREME caution so that I don’t scrape up the entire right side of my vehicle, or hit the fence, or the trash can (again). What this means is that I go in reverse, stop and look, pull forward some to get further away from the wall, then reverse again. Admittedly, sometimes it takes me several backs and forwards. Try not to laugh. It will hurt my feelings. ;)


So one day not long ago, I was going through my normal brake & gas wasting ritual whilst backing out of the garage, and my teenage son in the passenger’s seat interrupted. “Mom, go ahead. You can make it.”


“No, Austin, it’s gonna hit.”


“You’re not going to hit, Mom…go.”


I took my foot off the brake for a nano-second, until my reflexes jerked it back to its comfortable place. “It’s going to hit.”


(frustrated sigh) "Mom. I’ve got the better view. It’s not going to hit. You’ve got like an inch. Go.”


I lifted my heavy foot from the brake again. I shut my eyes and let the car drift backwards, knowing full well it was going to scraaaape. And when it does, guess whose bank account the damages are coming out of? I thought.


“See? I told you, Mom.”


I squinted open one eye, then the other. I’d made it out free ‘n clear of damage. Wow. Lucky for him. I admitted to Austin that I couldn’t believe the truck didn’t hit the side. I knew for a fact it would…



…to which he lovingly replied, “You should trust me, Mom. I told you, I’ve got the better view. ALWAYS trust the person with the better view.”


Yes, he really said that. And the Lord has echoed that incredible piece of advice from my son over and over since that day. Not only when it comes to backing out of the garage, but also with life’s circumstances.

“Trust me. I’ve got the better view,” my Lord says.
And He does.

When God says, “I KNOW the plans I have for you, plans for a hope and a future,” we can believe Him. When He says to trust Him and “lean not on your own understanding,” we can depend on Him.

Isaiah 48:17b says,
“I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”


&

Isaiah 55:9,
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”


In other words. Trust Him, He has the better view. His depth perception and peripheral vision are absolutely perfect. But this is where the garage analogy ends. Though His plan is never to harm us, sometimes His way involves pain. It’s painful because we live in a world that doesn’t make it easy to do things God’s way, and it’s painful because this world is not our home. Jesus knew this full well:


"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done."
Luke 22:42


Jesus didn’t want to bear the pain of the cross, but He was willing because He trusted in the will of the Father. He suffered horribly as a result, the worst of the worst, but now look at Him. Now He has the best view of all.


Wouldn’t we, my friends, do best to keep this in mind? Can we encourage one another to trust and obey the One who fully knows? As we “walk by faith and not by sight,” our hearts will experience peace that doesn’t make sense to the rest of the world (or even to our futile minds). We’ll rest in the fact that “now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Cor. 13:12)


Trust Him today, even when the way is too close for your comfort. I’ll say it again just in case your reflexes demand your foot hit the brake. Go. Trust His direction. Always trust the One who holds the perfect view.

Lord, not our will, but Yours be done. Give us the faith to follow Your lead today.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Selah~ Pause. Ponder. Praise.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

When I wanted an answer, daddy made me "look it up." "Looking it up, pre Google, you know, back in the day, meant lugging out that monstrosity of a book called the encyclopedia, remember them? My kids don't.

I have to thank grandma too. More than once I heard her say, "inquiring minds want to know." (with a wink) Not exactly an educational pursuit, more of a supermarket field trip, but inquiring none the less.


Even today these influences are part of my personality. Sometimes I can't just accept the things I read, I need to know more. Just the other day, I came across an excerpt from a book by Oswald Chamber, and my "Inquiring Mind" begged to know more.

"We are not built for the mountains and the dawns and aesthetic affinities, those are for moments of inspiration, that is all. We are built for the valley, for the ordinary stuff we are in, and that is where we have to prove our mettle."
~Oswald Chamber

"Moment's of inspiration, that is ALL?"

"Built for the valley, ordinary stuff?"

WHAT?

Thankfully, with Google at my fingertips, my inquiring mind and I went deeper.

In the preceding text, Chamber's says;

"The test of our spiritual life is the power to descend; if we have the power to rise only, something is wrong. It is a great thing to be on the mount with God, but a man only gets there in order that afterwards he may get down among the devil-possessed and lift them up."

Let me tell you something, I love the lawnchair view.

The view from the top. The final ascent. Sitting in my lawnchair on the TOP of the mountain, sun shining, no distractions, breeze blowing through my hair and I am soaking it all in...maybe even getting a tan.

Then it's as if the lawn chair is being shaken,

"Go on, get off! Shoo! Fold it up and get a move on it sister. You weren't meant to STAY here girlfriend! Oh no honey, I need you back in the valley."


The proof of my 'mettle,' (or as Miriam Webster defines it, 'vigor and strength of spirit,') is when I get off my derriere, pick up my lawn chair, and come down off the mountain where I caught a 'glimpse' of heaven and the glory of God. Those times on the mountain are where God 'refuels' us! He uses those moments to refresh our souls and invigorate our spirits!

Peter, James and John could not stay on the mountain where the Transfiguration occurred, (LUKE 9:28 ~36) they had to descend to the valley, where the lowly were living and teach them and inspire them with what they had seen and knew to be the truth.

We are no different, we are called to do the same. Come down! The mountain is a lovely place, it's a safe place. We however, were not meant to climb to the top, unfold our lawn chairs, spread out our blankets and stay.

Oh, maybe for a bit, to take it all in, but our spirits should want to descend to those valleys of the mundane and the trials of life. Girlfriend, WE are, after all, modern day disciples! (I know, I don't often feel like a 'disciple,' but we are! How AMAZING is that?? You and I, disciples!)

We are the ones who are now called to come down and 'share' what we have seen. We are the vessels with which the Lord wishes to use to encourage others to climb to the top and experience that 'glimpse.' We are modern day disciples sharing what we have learned on our journey, sharing so that others can begin their ascent, to catch their glimpse, and for a bit, experience their own lawn chair view.

If you close your eyes, you can almost imagine it, disciples on their way up, and those making the descent, (I imagine us high five~ing as we pass each other on the way) and so it continues on, until the end of time.

That mountain top view is lovely, I have seen it. I've unfolded my lawnchair and lingered at the top, and truth be told, I've been tempted to permanently cement my chair up there. But I was not meant to LIVE there.

"Those who do not take up their cross and follow in my steps are not fit to be my disciples." Matthew 10:38 (GNT)

I was meant to here in this valley, the valley of mini vans and hurting neighbors. The valley of troubled teens and grumpy co-workers. The valley of dysfunctional families, the tired, misunderstood and unchurched.

So, confidently, I fold my chair and begin to walk down, grateful and humbled by the experience to have another view from 'up there.' It is with sleeves rolled up, I descend to do some real work. You know, 'proving my mettle!'

I remain always confident that HE has another 'view from the top' waiting for me, to encourage and refuel me on my way. I'm certain that the lawn chair will not be permanently hidden, just put away, for exactly the time He determines another 'glimpse' is needed.

As I descend, I'm reminded that it pays to have an "inquiring mind." Thanks gram!






join Lori daily at her personal website,all you have to give, where she'll happily let you borrow her lawn chair.

The Rest of the Story

Please welcome Ceele Spidel to the Cafe! She's serving up the devotional today!

My 10 year old son decided last year that during his reading time he was only going to read the Bible. I thought that sounded a little unusual, but wanted to encourage him in His spiritual life, so I told him to go for it. I mean, what could go wrong?

A few minutes later he yelled across the house, “Mom, what’s rape?” When I told my husband about it that evening, he decided that for now our son should read selections of Scripture approved by us, or a book of Bible stories when on his own.

Recently my son paused while reading in The Young Folk’s Bible by Josephine Pollard, looked up at me and said, “They really leave a lot of details out of these stories and I’m not so comfortable with that.” I told him he could go to his Bible for the rest of the story.

I’ve been thinking about that same thing in regards to our Christian walk, lately.

I love Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” But this is just the beginning, not the end of our walk with God.

The rest of the story is in verse 10. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Too often we are tempted to rest in Christ’s work and neglect the work that He has designed for us to do.

Can I do it on my own?

Absolutely not, but I can do it! I can do nothing good without Him, but “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) One of the ways He strengthens me is through the study of His Word. I am made complete and “thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17b NKJV) through the study and application of the Bible.

Heavenly Father, let me not neglect so great a salvation! Teach me, correct me, and instruct me through Your Word so that I can better live for You.

In Him,

Ceele

Ceele is a stay at home homeschool mom to five fabulous kids. She has a doctorate in Pharmaceutical Sciences/Cancer Biology and has taught at the college and graduate level. Her and her husband adopted what they thought was their last child, but God blessed them with another blessing last October. She lives in Amarillo, Texas with her husband who pastors a small church.

Walking in the Dark

The Internet Cafe is welcoming Guest Barista, Sarah Beyer, to the counter today!

In my high school senior yearbook, for the quote that would follow my name and define who I was at 18, I chose the verse 2 Corinthians 5:7: “We live by faith, not by sight.” I was looking for a way to say that I loved Jesus without actually saying that I loved Jesus.

Crazy bold, I know.

I didn’t have a clue at the time what that statement really meant. I don’t think I even understood the difference between faith and sight. I’m certain I had no clue how much faith daily life would require of me in the future and how much I would long to be able to see the path before me. The thing is, there’s faith that leads to salvation and then there’s faith to walk every moment after that. I understood the first kind of faith, but I didn’t even know I was missing the second kind.

Early in my middle school years, I took the step of faith to say, “Yes, I believe I am a sinner. I believe Jesus is the Son of God. I believe He died and then rose again to take the punishment that I deserve. Please, Lord, forgive me and make me clean.”

However, in the years and decades that followed, even though I was ordering my life to God’s priorities, I didn’t really let Him have control.

I was seeking God and trying to be more like Him. I was praying and learning from His Word, but I never really let go and let Him have control. I worried like I was in control. I planned like I was in control. I managed people like I was in control. I didn’t exercise faith in my daily life that allowed me to walk in any direction unless I could see the outcome for miles ahead.

Contrary to what I had proclaimed so proudly in my high school yearbook, I was living entirely by sight. The problem with living by sight is that, at its very best, my sight is nothing more than a poor reflection in a mirror. I lived a couple of decades essentially squinting into my rearview mirror, thinking that my view was good enough to drive. While I thought I was living a safe, protected life by attempting to control my circumstances, I was really just living an unspiritual, fearful life.

However, around the time I turned 30, God began to do a work in my life that would forever alter the way I lived. He graciously turned out the lights and allowed me to stand in the pitch dark. He allowed circumstances and pain into my life that I could not overcome on my own. I can see now that it was His love for me that led Him to bring me to the place

where I had to face my own inability to solve, plan, control, and manage. I stood in the middle of the pitch dark that my life had become and I began to truly trust Him for the first time. I finally quit trying to get more “sight” and chose faith, believing that if God sent something my way, it must be good for me. I wish I could say that I chose to trust God before all else, but the honest truth is that I didn’t truly trust Him until there was no other option. But I think late is better than never.

The good news is that faith is a gift from God. We can’t conjure it up or fake it. We need only ask God to provide it, making sure it is not sight for which we are asking. And then we exercise it. I have found it to be like a muscle that gets stronger every time I use it. It starts out weak, but each time I choose to trust in the name of the Lord instead of freaking out because I can’t see the path in front of me, my blood pressure goes down and my faith muscle gets stronger. Then the next time I need it, it is more ready for action.

To be honest, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing since I discovered that I could live by faith instead of sight, but, by the grace of God, I have experienced slow, steady growth in the direction of trusting Him. And the peace and joy that comes with being on His agenda instead of my own is filling me up and carrying me through.

Friend, I know you may be standing in the middle of a really dark place right now. I know it is tremendously difficult to have peace when your circumstances appear bleak. But you can take comfort from the fact that darkness is as light to God.

He can see just fine right where you are and He will lead the way if you allow Him to do so. He also says He loves you with an everlasting love and He will never, never leave you or forsake you. Don’t wait as long as I did to choose to trust Him with your daily life. Your own sight will never fulfill you or protect you the way the God who loves you will.

Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. Is. 50:10b

Additional references: Psalm 139:12, Jeremiah 31:3, Hebrews 13:5, Ephesians 2:8 (all NIV)

Lord, we ask you to give us the strength to trust you with our lives. We ask you to help us to rest in the fact that you can see when we cannot. Please bring good out of the difficulties we face and grow our faith in you. Thank you for sheltering us under your wing and for renewing our hope when we are weak. We ask for joy, Lord, and for an extra measure of patience as we wait for you to bring us through the darkness. Amen.

1. Are you walking in the dark right now? What has caused that darkness?

2. Have you truly let God have control or are you clenching your hands hoping to help out?

3. How do you see God using this darkness to increase your faith in Him?

In Him,

Sarah

Sarah can be found daily at her little place on the web, Sarah Beyer, Graffiti

Where she describes herself, "Me? Goofy. Paying to stay a blonde. Former worrier, turned prayer warrior. Running hard after the Lord. In love with my man. Lucky mom to the Alfies. Wannabe runner. Lake girl. Boggle Champion, except when playing Rachel. Farkle. Friend. Loved. Forgiven. Grateful. Free."

Be All In for Him

This week we are thrilled to serve up a devotion by Laurel Simpson!

She was standing up now, shouting at the guest speaker, “So how do we set boundaries for our husbands?”

“Psssst!”

“Noooo Lord, not now….” I groaned.

“Psssssssttt, share your heart.”

“Lord, I’m not doing it! If you want to me to, you’ll have to make me!” I thought smugly.

“…Laurel, why don’t you share the story of how you came tothis retreat with Betty.” The speaker broke the silence of my private conversation.

Groan… what was I thinking?!

I began to share how my husband was not saved and how when I’d asked him months before how he feel about me going to a retreat with all of the woman of my family, he was less than pleased at the thought. Who’d take care of our 3 children, including our 9 month old baby? This was a great time to practice what God had spoken to me about a meek and quiet spirit. I prayed…and prayed…and prayed.

The night before we were to go, my Mom called and asked if I was coming or what?

I said, “Well, if I’m not there in the morning, go without me. ”

My mom asked what I’d do if he really did say no?

I said, “He won’t. I know that God is in control. This is His plan.”

Truth is, if he had, I’d have been totally okay with it because I had given it to Christ to do with as HE willed. Right after hanging up with Mom, the phone rang, calling my husband to work. I thought that was the answer since he couldn’t work and watch the kids. He got off of the phone and said, “That’s it! You can go!”

I replied in utter astonishment, “WHAT?” He said, “I couldn’t commit to keeping the kids with work looming but if your Dad will keep them while I work, it will be great.” So my Dad and my brother (bless their hearts) kept our kids while all the wives headed off to the retreat.

At this point, she looks like she might come right across the room.

“WHAT?” she yells. “You are a doormat, that is what you are! That’s just STUPID!” The little veins in her neck were bulging out and my knees were shaking now. I whispered, ‘um Lord, a little help here…’

Ps. 56:11

In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

“No it isn’t. It’s just what God asks me to do. Maybe He wouldn’t ask the same of you. We don’t set boundaries for our husbands, we give them to God and pray for the wisdom to follow His lead in our marriages.”

Upon returning to my room I found, you can’t imagine, my roommate was Betty!! God looks down and giggles I am sure! I hurried to bed before she could see me.

A new day, I excitedly made my way outdoors for a bit of quiet peace by the lake. I sat down to gaze at the beauty.

“I want to talk to you,”

The voice began, “About yesterday, I’m really sorry. God was speaking to my heart with what you said and I didn’t want to hear it. I was throwing a bit of a tantrum. Thanks for sticking with me. I really appreciate your heart.”

Yes, it was Betty.

See, while that was way out of my element – it wasn’t out of God’s element. I’m so thankful that He pushes me past myself, and into Him; moves me from emotion into faith. That is what He asks of us.

Next time I hear a ‘psst’, I’m all in!

PRAYER:

Dear Jesus,

Thank you Father for loving us when we say no and when we want to throw a tantrum. Thank you for increasing our faith with your tender love. Continue to teach us how to move from emotion into faith, and then faith into action. AMEN

In Him,

Laurel

You can meet me for coffee at my blog, From My Heart to Yours.