November 16, 2014

Calico’s Corner II

By valencia68

“Power will intoxicate the best hearts, as wine the strongest heads. No man is wise enough, nor good enough to be trusted with unlimited power.” – Caleb Colton

The captain was hubris and here are his officers:

Calico’s top brass of smiling faces and nodding heads did well because they appeared to be doing good.  Their pleasant demeanor and non-confrontational attributes earned them a place in the inner circle.  They were pleasing and loyal to the captain during peace.  When tensions erupted, they never rose above the battlefield to see what was really happening.  They hedged their bets that the captain would survive and wanted to remain in the good graces of the one they presumed would be in power.  As you cannot serve two masters, their smiling faces and nodding heads were of service to none.  Luke 12:48 tells us, 48 “But anyone who is not aware that he is doing wrong will be punished only lightly.  Much is required from those to whom much is given, for their responsibility is greater – (GNT). Was their search for the Savior obscured by the presence of a pleasant face?  Did their comfort of going along to get along outweigh their requirement to stand up?  Had they ever defined personal integrity such that they would know when that line had been crossed?

And then there was the top brass who cowered on the lower deck.  These faithful soldiers usually lived their lives in neutral, moving along when impacted by another mass stronger than them.  They were always propelled by institutional inertia but had no meaningful energy independent of other forces acting upon them.  When caught in the downspout of the realization that the captain’s experience amounted to less than that of the most junior yeoman and that his actions imperiled all of the sailors, the sensory overload of it all as well as the storm and the mutiny overwhelmed them.  They, opposite the ship, rocked onto their port sides.  The motion of their jousting thoughts swayed their minds as they wondered if they could have made a difference.  Everything they had previously heard along the way was worth repeating amongst themselves but they couldn’t find it within them to report any of it to anyone who could do something about it.  James 1:22-24 says, “22-24 Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other.  Act on what you hear!  Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like” –  (TLB). And so they lay, motionless on the lower deck of the sea-tossed ship.  Did they ever feel confident enough to make a difference?  Were they always only in it for themselves?  Was there ever a moment when they offered him wise counsel?  Where they rejected so much that they finally stopped trying?

The first officer had been one of Calico’s greatest supporters until he became the captain.  He believed the captain to be a person of the people until his ego grew above his rank.  He then believed the captain was a changed man.  At that point, the first officer began providing closely held information to the offended sailors and the fleet’s stakeholders.  He armed the sailors with sling shots and ensured the stone of the mutiny struck its intended target.  “We often pretend to fear what we really despise, and more often despise what we really fear” – Caleb Colton.  Was the first officer reacting out of scorn disguised as deception whose reality lay in the blindness that was before him?  Was he reeling from the shame that he had never walked with kings and the guilt that, at least for a time, he lost his common touch?  Open my eyes, so that I may see the wonderful truths in your law. – Psalm 119:18 (MSG)

The second officer operated with a spirit of courage and believed that, “Physical courage, which despises all danger, will make a man brave in one way; and moral courage, which despises all opinion, will make a man brave in another” – Caleb Colton.  She moved the fastest and got the most done when the major crisis struck.  She had previously advised the captain that the building material was inferior and pointed him in the direction of the craftsman but was counseled for the delivery of her interjection.  She spoke with a smiler and a nodder to let them know the state of affairs only to receive a reprimand.  She sent notes to her counterparts in the fleet and letters to regulators in the industry but no one responded.  She met with the cowards and prophesied the mutiny and the storm, but they simply stood still.  She listened to the first officer and encouraged him to take constructive action.  She knows that the third officer’s report to headquarters will be the third time they have heard the story.

The third officer, motivated by a sense of duty, was troubled to have to deliver such harrowing news to headquarters.  She knew that the captain’s actions were wrong and that sailors were in grave danger.  Following the lead of the second officer, she helped to loosen the ropes of the life boat.  Provided she lives, she knows others will ask her three questions: What she knew?  When she knew it?  What did she do about it?  She believes she must have something respectable to say.

The saga continues on the Mediterranean, five miles off the Italian coast.  While water permeates the ship’s hull, it allows the floating Rome to burn.  Will 48 sailors make it to shore alive?  What about the rest of the crew?  Will the capsized ship sink?  How will the officers answer for their actions?  I will respond to those questions when the story ends.  In the meantime, are there times in your life when you have exhibited the traits of each of these officers?  Where are you on any given day when you forget to put on or give up your armor of faith, the knowledge of His word, the spirit of courage, the guidance from prayer and wise counsel, or a line of sight to the foot of the cross?

James 1:2-12 tells us, “2-4 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.  You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.  So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely.  Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.  5-8 If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father.  He loves to help.  You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it.  Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought.  People who ‘worry their prayers’ are like wind-whipped waves.  Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.  9-11 When down-and-outers get a break, cheer!  And when the arrogant rich are brought down to size, cheer!  Prosperity is as short-lived as a wildflower, so don’t ever count on it.  You know that as soon as the sun rises, pouring down its scorching heat, the flower withers.  Its petals wilt and, before you know it, that beautiful face is a barren stem.  Well, that’s a picture of the “prosperous life.”  At the very moment everyone is looking on in admiration, it fades away to nothing.  12 Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate.  For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life”  – (TLB). 

In You Are I Am, Mercy Me reminds us that while we doubt, God delivers.  I’ve been the one to shake with fear and wonder if You’re even here.  I’ve been the one to doubt Your love.  I’ve told myself You’re not enough.  I’ve been the one to try and say I’ll overcome by my own shame.  I’ve been the one to fall apart and start to question who You are.  You’re the one who conquers giants.  You’re the one who calls out kings.  You shut the mouths of lions.  You tell the dead to breathe.  You’re the one who walks through fire.  You take the orphan’s hand.  You are the one Messiah.  You are I am

When you choose to sit out, be prepared to stress out because the shame of standing by lasts a long time.  If you choose to get strung out be prepared to stroke out because the guilt that comes from abandoning others can never be medicated enough.  If you choose to stand out, you may strike out but you can rest with the dignity of knowing you gave it your all.

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November 15, 2014

Calico’s Corner

By valencia68

“To know a man, observe how he wins his object, rather than how he loses it; for when we fail, our pride supports us – when we succeed, it betrays us” – Caleb Colton

Psalms 119:143 teaches us, “You are right and you do right, God; your decisions are right on target.  You rightly instruct us in how to live ever faithful to you.  My rivals nearly did me in, they persistently ignored your commandments.  Your promise has been tested through and through, and I, your servant, love it dearly. I’m too young to be important, but I don’t forget what you tell me.  Your righteousness is eternally right, your revelation is the only truth.  Even though troubles came down on me hard, your commands always gave me delight.  The way you tell me to live is always right; help me understand it so I can live to the fullest.”  (MSG)

I heard a story of an Irish longshoreman who moved to Italy to find work.  He found a job in the Italian fleet as a deckhand.  He later promoted to the engine room and then onward to the bridge.  He was a family man who was a person of the people.  He showed up every day, made a living and a positive impact on the people and the environment in which he operated.  He was very laid back and there were few complaints about him or around him.  Even though he was aware of great imperfections in those levitating above him, he seemed happy and content where he was.  One day, a crew from a coast guard boat boarded the ship and compelled him to discuss the shortcomings and weaknesses of his superiors.  He dutifully did what he was asked to do and told what he knew about the captain and first mate’s arrogance and unfairness.  But, when he realized that the words he spoke were going to be used against others to bring justice to the justified and that his involvement would be made public, he immediately packed his bags and jumped ship.  A couple of years later, after the deck had been cleared, the dust settled, and peace had been restored, he returned and reclaimed a place of higher prominence.  He returned as the ship’s first mate.  His friends from before were elated to see him return.

At first, his presence seemed innocuous.  He spoke highly of the people to the people about the people.  “If you take care of the people, the work will take care of itself” was his mantra.  With self-decreed leopard’s prowess, he surrounded himself with smiling faces and nodding heads.  Their smooth surfaces reduced friction and avoided conflict.  He began building a maritime community that defined happiness as the absence of complaints.  No issues were ever caused by limitations, deficiencies or failures, but were merely personality conflicts that could be resolved through persuasion or negotiation.  All seafood catch production was deemed high quality and fishing impact was seconded to happiness.  He thrived on the crescendo-ing ride to captain as his pride distended and his illusion of distinction bulged.  But overtime, the façade of reputational grandeur thinned and illuminated this calico’s stripes.  As clients began to object to the standards of the quality label and stakeholders questioned the product’s impact, his former supporters erupted about their personal oppression by the suppression of their thoughts and ideas.  The seaward Silk Utopia quickly denigrated into the aquatic Plateaux du Combat.  It was apparent that the tabby captain had built a ship made of particle board and carved lands and grooves into the thin stock.  From a distance on a dry dock, its condition appeared pristine.   The reality was that the vessel was not sea-worthy.  Nonetheless, without seeking the wise counsel of the master craftsman wood workers and machinists who also worked in the shipping yard, he charted a course for his boat that took him into deep water.  As the storms approached and the salt water penetrated the hull, the impotence of his singular ideas, the imprudence of his design, the frailness of his crew, and the inanity of his leadership philosophy, placed his crew in great peril and left his investors at a loss.

Once again, he was faced with the images of faults and defects.  This time, instead of turning tail and running, he stayed; not to face his flaws as a leader head on but to illuminate the blemishes of others.  As more light shone on the mastermind behind the mess, tension from the sailors grew.  The crowd’s earlier cheers of praise became chatter about the problems and then chants for a successor.  They then mounted a mutiny.  Most of the ship’s officers surrounded the captain or cowered on the lower deck.  Some hedged their bets on his success while others didn’t know what to do.  Still three others disconnected from the corps.  Instead of acknowledging his leadership voids, he shifted blame to his crew while he negotiated his exit and re-employment with another shipping company.  Meanwhile, the ship began taking on water in the high winds of the storm.

As the Silk Utopia violently swayed to her starboard side, a pressure-bound explosion started a fire in the engine room.  Half of the sailors began dousing the flames with foam while the others stormed the weapon’s room and then began searching for the captain.  The three outlying officers stayed on deck.  One then ran below the deck to help the sailors find the captain.  One ran up the port side of the ship to see if the life boats were still attached.  She then made a hard right and headed towards the bridge to use the intercom to call the sailors to the life boats, to use the radio to call Mayday, and to set off the beacons and the flares.  The third officer ran for the satellite phone and called headquarters to inform them of the situation.  Once the first officer accurately steered the searching sailors in the direction of the captain, he returned to the deck to help the two other officers load and dump the life boats into the water.  When the three officers realized that there was only one water worthy life boat that held 48 passengers when 84 sailors remained aboard, they each had a come to Jesus moment.  They had each jumped into action moments earlier for very different reasons but never imagined that the situation would degrade to the circumstance they were facing separately and as a team.  One took action for the satisfaction of seeing the captain get his due.  The second officer acted because she wanted to save the other sailor’s lives, and the third because the manual prescribed a specific protocol.  Together, they were the only sense of guidance the sinking ship had.  What if you dig and what if you find a thousand more unanswered questions down inside; that’s all you find.  What if you pick apart the logic and begin to poke the holes.  What if the crown of thorns is no more than folklore that must be told and re-told.  But what if you’re wrong?  What if there’s more?  What if there’s hope you never dreamed of hoping for?  Nicole Nordeman – What If

Each of us can relate to the Irish captain is some way.  Some of us are from humble beginnings while others of us are looking to make a better life for our families.  Others still are on a corporate climb, seeking to extend our networks, in pursuit of that next best thing.  The truth is our failure is imminent without:

  • The armor of our faith
  • The knowledge of His word
  • The strength of a spirit of courage
  • The guidance from prayer and wise counsel, and
  • A line of sight of the foot of the cross

Without these, the sores of our humanity gaped open by the arrogance of our egos will ooze the greed of our insatiable appetites for worldly wealth that leads to our demise.  As Casting Crowns reminds us, Be careful little eyes what you see.  It’s the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings.  Be careful little ears what you hear.  When flattering leads to compromises, the end is always near.  Be careful little lips what you say, for empty words and promises leave broken hearts astray.  It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away.  It’s a slow fade when black and white are turned to gray and thoughts invade; choices are made.  A price will be paid when you give yourself away.  People never crumble in a day.  Slow Fade

More to come on seeing ourselves in the character of the officers.  In the meantime, here is where my reflection on the story has me:

  1. Good leaders cultivate honest speech; they love advisors who tell them the truth. (Proverbs 16:13)
  2. The honor of good people will lead them, but those who hurt others will be destroyed by their own false ways. (Proverbs 11:3)
  3. First pride, then the crash — the bigger the ego, the harder the fall. (Proverbs 16:18)

The journey from your mind to your hands is shorter than you’re thinking.  Be careful if you think you stand, you just might be sinking.  Slow Fade

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November 11, 2014

Diamonds and Pearls

By valencia68

Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods.  Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father.  Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father.  It just isolates you from him.  The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.  1 John 2:15-16 (MSG)

God wants us to love one another! I had the privilege of having lunch with a sister who is new to the area and new to the church.  We spent time getting to know each other and musing about where God has us right now.  It was very obvious to me that we are two very different people who have intersected on the same path.  A cascade of thoughts led me to see that we are both gems in God’s eyes.  But I am a diamond and she is a pearl.

There are many of us who grew up in the era of re-engineering and on the mantra of “do more with less.” We flew the coup at 18, got a college degree, and turned pro.  We chased our dreams, pursued our careers, followed our first minds, raised our children, tracked our accomplishments, and leaned in to be all that we could be.  We hit the ground running and have not ever slowed down.  We pride ourselves on shining the brightest because we have done so much while under tremendous pressure.  We are the diamonds of our day.

He knows our value is driven by our rarity. As we gain seasoning, we come to realize the significance and the worth of our uniqueness.  Other factors that affect our value are easily remembered as the four Cs:

  • Color – We are known to keep a cool head even in the face of adversity because the spirit is with us.
  • Clarity – We know well the shallow nature of knowledge and information.  Through our experiences, we strive to learn to see things through the Father’s viewpoint and respond according to scriptural principles. We started out believing in this: 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As it says in the book of Job, God uses man’s own brilliance to trap him; he stumbles over his own “wisdom” and falls. 20 And again, in the book of Psalms, we are told that the Lord knows full well how the human mind reasons and how foolish and futile it is. (1 Cor. 3:19-20 – TLB) And have since learned this: 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is pure. That’s the most important thing about it. And that’s not all. It also loves peace. It thinks about others. It obeys. It is full of mercy and good fruit. It is fair. It doesn’t pretend to be what it is not. (James 3:17 – NIRV)
  • Cut – Although we are as flawed or fractured as the next persons, it is our cracks that allow light to shine through; the thing that gives us our greatest value to His people.
  • Carat weight – Bigger is not always better, but we seek to be worth our weight in Godly wisdom.

He built some of our sisters to bear different talents. They go about life, seemingly in a shell, living in the moment and embracing the production of one thing at a time.  They don’t spend energy multi-tasking or doing the things that create the pressures that made us.  They understand the beauty that can be made from a single grain of sand when it is surrounded by suppleness and gentility.  They have learned that size doesn’t matter.  They know that when there are lots of small heavenly treasures, each aligned perfectly so that light passing along the axis of one is reflected and refracted by the other to produce a tapestry of light and color, they have love.  Their nacre is not just a soothing substance, it is what surrounds them.  It is their community and they enjoy its people.  They are the pearls of their day.

A gem is a naturally occurring material desirable for its beauty, valuable in its rarity, and sufficiently durable to give lasting pleasure.  In all of our wanting, He has brought us together to help each other walk this path to eternity, while uniquely shimmering and shining light for others to see.  By living out our lives with each other, the magnetism of our opposing poles brings us closer together in Him.  The pressure of one and shell of the other illustrates and illuminates that so frequently the waters we wade in swell from the storms in our lives.  When the tide rises, we question God’s faithfulness as we wonder if He will let us drown.  Rather than standing up on the bedrock of faith with the confidence that He is with us and will save us when we call on His holy name, we give up as we set ourselves adrift in the murkiness and darkness of the heavy wake.  And then along comes His servants beside us to be His countenance in the face of difficulty.  They reach out their scarred hands and bring us in.  They tell us their harrowing stories of near death experiences and how they too were rescued by His ambassadors.  They feed us and warm us, then teach us and lead us to the foot of the cross.  In the right season, they meet us on this journey of life as they pray for us until we choose to believe in Him on our own.  They baptize us in His name and fast for us just the same.  They cheer for us as we gallop through the Garden of Eden and they weep for us as we are dragged through the Garden of Gethsemane.  They love us and show us we are not alone.  They meet with us and talk through issues with us, yet never breach a single bit of trust we placed in them.  Through them we learn: When private is not secret; When hugging is not holding back; When frankness delivers forgiving words; When His light shines through their cracks; When holding hands helps someone to hold on; When quiet knows the voice of reason; When we step outside our comfort zone, until He brings stillness to this season.

Caleb Colton once said, “Times of great calamity and confusion have been productive for the greatest minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace. The brightest thunder-bolt is elicited from the darkest storm.”  Each gem is impacted by its environment.  We were each naturally formed by Him and given a path that leads back to Him, if we choose to follow it.  Once committed to it, we have a duty to bring all that we are because (as New Hope has taught): “Found People Find People; Saved People Serve People; Connected People Grow; Growing People Change; and Devoted People Give.” By working together, these values show.

God uses the mundane and the incredible that occurs in our everyday lives to teach us lessons and to hone our gifts to be used as blessings in the lives of others. Tell me what good God has done for you today?  Are you lost or looking for others?  Are you serving, connecting, or growing?  What have you given of yourself in His name lately?  When was the last time you reached out for someone or gave thanks for the same having been done for you?  Whether you are a diamond or a pearl or a gem of another sort, we are not our own when we serve Him.  My prayer for us today is: Lord, may we always want what You want for us and see what You see in others.  May we always be willing to give to Your children to help bring them home while keeping us close to You.  Please continue to provide us opportunities to share our gifts, embrace our differences, be blessings, and love Your people.  In our lifetime, may we discover as many gems as possible and bring them to You for Your glory, teaching each other not to want of the world but to hunger and thirst for You.  It is in Your Son’s name I pray this- Amen

I know I need You. I need to love You.  I’d love to see You but it’s been so long.  I long to feel You.  I feel this need for You.  I need to hear You.  Is that so wrong?  Tenth Avenue North – Times

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November 2, 2014

The Potter’s Dozen

By valencia68

“My entire mission in life is to help women take over the world. Not by force…but with compassion, perseverance, and love.”  Kevyn Aucoin

Slowing down last week allowed me to connect with other women, which caused me to slow down even more and attract still others. The Spirit is teaching me that motion must cease before a bond can be created and only in stillness will two things adhere to one another.  The strongest bonds are not formed with C5H5NO2, an acrylic resin called cyanoacrylate (also known as Krazy Glue).  Instead, the strongest bonds are formed with an emotional compound called love.

A year ago, the church group I was in ended.  Soon thereafter, I started a new one with about ten women in it.  Many of the 50 or so women whom I had grown accustomed to meeting with regularly, crossed over to other groups, began leading their own groups, or were otherwise plugged into another spiritual development ministry.  But about twelve women fell through the cracks.  I had received my calling, taken the training, formed a group, and pulled out of port to execute mission.  I called “all aboard”, conducted a head count and roll call for the current group, and never looked back.  Unfortunately, I am not sure that anyone else did either.  By slowing down, I realized that one of His precious dozen had been left behind.  Many of them were still standing stuck in the same cyclone, sensing the violence and destruction that can come from life’s storms.  Casting Crowns summarizes how abandoned and afraid many of them may feel:  Here I am Lord and I’m drowning in Your sea of forgetfulness. The chains of yesterday surround me.  I yearn for peace and rest.  I don’t want to end up where You found me.  And it echoes in my mind, keeps me awake tonight.  I know You’ve cast my sin as far as the east is from the west.  And I stand before You now as though I’ve never sinned.  But today I feel like I’m just one mistake away from You leaving me this way.  Jesus, can You show me just how far the east is from the west?  ‘Cause I can’t bear to see the [wo]man I’ve been rising up in me again.  In the arms of Your mercy I find rest.  You know just how far the east is from the west, from one scarred hand to the other. – East To West

The Lord put it on my heart to reach out to them. I learned that a few have moved away.  Most are adrift and disconnected from the body, feeling cut off and uncertain of their worth in His kingdom.  Without support, they entered the spiritual poverty queue and without connection, they will remain there.  To find relief from the nooses of perpetual spiritual crisis, they will have to join forces with members of the body and make drastic changes in their lives.  Those members who are in secure vessels must turn around immediately, travel back, and offer what we can.  The willing and committed will welcome an invitation to be brought back into the fold, into the security that comes with connection to His people.  As Casting Crowns continues with, “I start the day, the war begins; endless reminding of my sin. And time and time again your truth is drowned out by the storm I’m in.  Today I feel like I’m just one mistake away from You leaving me this way.  Jesus, can You show me just how far the east is from the west?  ‘Cause I don’t want to see the [wo]man I’ve been come rising up in me again.  In the arms of Your mercy I find rest, ’cause You know just how far the east is from the west, from one scarred hand to the other.”

Reaching out to these women took my focus off of the trivial issues in my own life. What I have learned so far is that in many ways, they are just like me – clay the Potter is molding.  Without Him, we tend to make choices that make bad situations worse.  Without the guidance of His spirit, we chase the immediacy of now which can move us from financial hardship or spiritual distress into abject poverty or moral bankruptcy.  Backsliding even further once we recognize that we are in crisis, we jump out of His arms and begin looking inward for the answers.  We then seek a soother and allow our orifices take the lead role in our decision-making process.  For some, it is food or drink.  For others, it is an unevenly yoked relationship or an empty wallet full of plastic that won’t close.  For all of us, it is a boastful self-reliance that has an infinitesimal fraction of the capacity of our Maker.  We seek to cope in our space when He wants us to thrive in His arms.  “How often we expect big things from God without preparing for big things from him” – Beth Moore.  Matthew 6:33 says, 33 “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these things will be given to you too.”  (TLB)

What I am also seeing is that those who are seeking release, are eager to get reconnected. They look forward to the calls of encouragement and commit themselves to prayer.  The spirit is moving in them and is impacting their decisions.  The change of the internal landscape is, by default, altering their external backdrop.  Over time, they will learn their precious worth and embrace being the women God called them to be.  Through perseverance, they will learn there are so many gifts they have been given and the specific role they play in his kingdom.  They will learn to seek wise counsel and make faith-filled choices, enter into a deep relationship with God, get educated in His word, grow in their walk in community with others, and teach their children in His ways.  By showing them compassion, not judgment, we can encourage them back into His network.  But, it all begins with showing them love.

Through love, He heals the hurts that keep us anchored in the four corners of our lives. In His word, our minds are occupied and our hearts feel His grace.  When our spirits are alive we experience the success of true joy.  His love gives us the energy to begin to make faith-filled selections in other areas of our lives.  Whether it is getting a roommate or a second job, there is relief from dependence on that broke-down relationship.  By living in His word, we no longer feel the need to eat, drink, or shop through our feelings.  Through community with others, we are exposed to resources that help ensure our children are not hungry.  Leaning heavily into Him, with the support of His servants, allows us to thrive rather than just survive.  We can move from spiritual crisis to a place of stability through the trifecta of love, perseverance, and compassion.  “Whatever God is urging you to clear away cannot begin to be compared to what He ultimately wants to bring you” – Beth Moore.  We know “You’ve washed me white, turned my darkness into light. I need Your peace to get me through, to get me through this night.  I can’t live by what I feel, but by the truth Your word reveals.  And I’m not holding onto You but You’re holding onto me… In the arms of Your mercy I find rest, ’cause You know just how far the east is from the west…”

Praying for and reaching out to the Potter’s Dozen has me here:

  1. Just because there is a loud clap of thunder or a large streak of lightning does not mean that the storm will last long or that it will be destructive.
  2. In the aftermath of violent storms, there may be a mess but it doesn’t have to be lifelong chaos.
  3. Crisis is designed to be a temporary state of extreme difficulty, not a way of life.
  4. “I note the obvious differences between each sort and type, but we are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike” – Maya Angelou

Now fellow fisherman, we are being called to be fishers of women. This is no proclamation that we have it all together.  It is also not a declaration to set out on long distance mission trips to postilatize our sisters in other countries.  It is a request to reach out to our neighbors in the cities and towns around us and share the good news and some of our abundance.  27 Don’t spend your life chasing food that spoils and rots.  Instead, seek the food that lasts into all the ages and comes from the Son of Man, the One on whom God the Father has placed His seal.  John 6:27

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November 1, 2014

Hard Fall, Soft Landing

By valencia68

“Today I choose life. Every morning when I wake up I can choose joy, happiness, negativity, pain… To feel the freedom that comes from being able to continue to make mistakes and choices – today I choose to feel life, not to deny my humanity but embrace it.” – Kevyn Aucoin

Each day when I awaken, I spend a few moments with Him. The recording I then hear is Zig Zigler saying, “Yesterday ended last night.  Today is a brand new day and it is yours.”  The scripture that follows is Joshua 1:1, “…Moses my servant is dead. Get going.  Cross this Jordan River, you and all the people.  Cross to the country I’m giving to the People of Israel.  I’m giving you every square inch of the land you set your foot on—just as I promised…”

My challenges of the past two weeks were all about containment, mostly of the sense of urgency that seemingly only I felt. I described it to my inner circle as a feeling of being on methamphetamines in an assisted living facility.  It was like I was playing a lower level in a video driving game, one that I had seen and surpassed many times before.  Nothing and no one seemed to move fast enough.  Everyone else seemed to be in slow motion and unable to anticipate what the next move should be when the path to future was already paved and clearly laid out in front of them.  With every passing moment, my blood simmered up to a low rolling boil as I contained the rage.  On the inside I was screaming, “What is this?  What altered reality have I fallen into?  Is this the Matrix?  Guys,…Stop making checkers moves in a chess game!  You can’t use a pawn to crown a rook and make him a king.  Get focused, do the right thing, and let’s go!”

After six days of feeling trapped in stalled traffic on the highway to nowhere, I screamed at God and said, “Dude! I can’t execute mission because I am stuck in the land of the lethargic and languorous.  Can you hit the ignition switch so we can get moving again?”  All energy then evaporated. Sight and motion ceased to exist.  In a direct way and with an unwavering tone, He said, “Be still and know that I am God! This matrix you speak of is called the world.  You are adrift in the labyrinth of purgatory between two spaces.  You walk in the world but you live through Me.  They may be lost but now you are misplaced and misguided.  Get back to our space so you can begin fishing with and for my people.  This inner voice is My spirit. He bears gifts of peace and justice so that you can speak the good news of the one true King – Me.  Get off your high horse and stop behaving like a wild bull.  My children are delicate and I have called you to be gentle with them.  This flummoxed state of mystified bewilderment only happens when you release my hand.  When you let go of love, you lose patience; the thing that I always have for you and an important trait you must have to make a difference with my children.  Since none of this is about you, it cannot possibly be done your way or without Me.  Wallowing in My word will cool your jets.  Then, and only then, will we be able to execute a smooth, soft landing to ground you again.”

The thunder of His voice in this instance was sheer shock and awe.  I then heard this song playing in my head:  Life can be only what you make it.  When you’re feelin down you should never fake it.  Say what’s on your mind and you’ll find in time that all the negative energy, it would all cease.  And you’ll be at peace with yourself.  You won’t really need no one else.  Except for the man up above because He’ll give you love.  Cause He’ll give you peace of mind and you’ll see the sunshine; and you’ll get to free your mind and things will turn out fine.  All you gotta do is take your time; One day at a time…It’s all on you.  What you gonna do?  My Life – Mary J. Blige

Then Ephesians 1:17-19 came to mind. It says, 17 God of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, Father of Glory: I call out to You on behalf of Your people.  Give them minds ready to receive wisdom and revelation so they will truly know You. 18 Open the eyes of their hearts, and let the light of Your truth flood in.  Shine Your light on the hope You are calling them to embrace.  Reveal to them the glorious riches You are preparing as their inheritance. 19 Let them see the full extent of Your power that is at work in those of us who believe, and may it be done according to Your might and power.(The Voice)  God then said, “That’s great.  Now say that same scripture to yourself for yourself.  This game is about loving my people!  If they want to play checkers, let them.  Not everyone is a chess player.  One day you will thank me for uniqueness.  Right now your job is to meet them where they are and introduce them to Me.  Not all of them are going to come to the foot of the cross.  But that is not a reason for you to get discouraged or lose your composure.  Love them all and connect with the willing.  Yes, the time is near but there is freedom in My son.  Now come on!  The exit point from this convoluted medium is at the intersection Affection Avenue and Love Lane.  We are in an apex and need to continue on this way.  Hold My hand so we do not get separated again.  I love you and you are going to be alright.”

Realizing that I have not had my best moments in recent weeks, I saw an opportunity to change course. And so I did.  I began immediately by walking and driving much slower.  Reducing my speed allowed me to see the subtleties, nuances, and contours on the path that leads to the cross.  His words made me learn again that not everyone sees life the same way, are driven by the same things, or react to the same stimuli.

Over the next few days, I noticed that by seeing the delicacies of the shades and not just the bluntness of the primary colors, I have been able to walk beside a few people. Because I was not travelling ninety to nothing, I appeared open and approachable and they were willing to ask me where they could find Him.  Two souls are now oriented in His direction; a place they may not have been if I had blown past them.

The experience was a terse reminder that:

  1. I serve at the pleasure of the One True King.
  2. My power is influencing others; my gifting is inspiring them; my pain is fear and my weakness is speed.
  3. I need results to open up to connection. Others need connection to produce results.
  4. When we go for broke, sometimes we break things.
  5. There is no perfection in life; but in everything we do, we pursue excellence through Him.
  6. He is always there to help us make a mid-course correction. All we have to do is ask Him.
  7. No matter how bad we blow it, we always have a home. He continuously makes us new.

You’re making me new, making me new, everything new. I’ve been changed by you like only love can do.  You’re making me new.  No warning signs, no sirens or flashing lights.  And just like a thief at night, you so unexpectedly showed up and rescued me.  I got a feeling that I can’t explain, like I’m crawling out of my skin.  I was dead till the moment that you said my name.  Now my heart is beating again.  You gave it all for me, came and set me free.  Now your love has overcome.  Royal Tailor – Making Me New

Live life big! You will fall and sometimes really hard.  Don’t hold back because of it.  Keep your spirit of courage and use the gifts He has given you.  Stay in Him and with Him.  When you lose your way, seek Him.  His arms are always wide open.  Jesus Loves You!  “I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us”  Romans 8:39 (MSG)

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October 11, 2014

I Am…In You

By valencia68

I am thankful for my struggle because without it, I would not have stumbled across my strength. – Alex Elle

For the first time in several years, I woke up lacking the desire to face the workday that was before me.  I prayed for the strength to do it, dragged myself out of bed, and headed into the office.  My entire drive in, I questioned His melodious subtle voice that kept saying, “Do this for Me.”  As I entered the lobby area of my building, I noticed a colleague walking towards me.  She had a look on her face that seemed devoid of hope.  I mustered up a smile, called her by name, and opened my arms wide.  She looked up, walked towards me, buried her head in my chest as I hugged her, and began to cry.  We embraced for a moment as she regained her composure.  She said, “Oh my God!  Thank you.  I needed that hug more than I realize.  It has been a hard day already.  I have been through so much lately.  Thank you!”  She wiped her eyes, kissed my cheek and went on her way.

As I continued through the lobby, He said, “I urged you to get out of bed for the very moment you just experienced.  I sent you to show Me to her.  She was at the end of her rope and needed to see a ray of hope so she could regain the strength required to do her part in My kingdom.  She has a special role in my vineyard but has been feeling too discouraged lately.  That hug answered her prayer asking Me to show her that I care by making her feel better.  Your obedience illuminated My face to one of my children.  Never underestimate how I may use you and the impact that your faithfulness can have.  I have used the two sibling traits, stability and a smile, to accomplish many things throughout time.”  I was reminded of Psalms 90:2,4 (ERV) – 2 You were God before the mountains were born, before the earth and the world were made.  You have always been and will always be God!  4To you, a thousand years is like yesterday, like a few hours in the night. 

As I continued through my day dealing with budget issues, briefings, meetings, personnel matters, and the like, God’s whispered words stuck with me.  The song that came to my mind over and over throughout the day was Mark Shultz’ I Am.  I am the maker of the heavens.  I am the bright and morning star.  I am the breath of all Creation who always was and is to come.  I am the One who walked on water.  I am the One who calmed the seas.  I am the miracles and wonders.  So come and see and follow me.  You will know I am the spirit deep inside you.  I am the word upon your heart.  I am the One who even knew you before your birth; before you were. 

The struggles continued to build throughout the week to a crescendo as each day presented greater challenges than the one before.  Each sunrise was his wake up call to put my feet on the floor to go about doing His business.  Every morning, I praised His name for the chance to serve Him again yet simultaneously asked Him what these challenges were all about.  With each question, I felt the warmth of His smile and gentle purr as He nudged me through the uncertain moments.  Alas, the week’s end of zenith power and intensity transitioned to an auditory petal-breathe space, like delicate fingers tickling ivory keys, whispering “Affettuoso.  Ssshhhhh!”  Romans 8:27-30 tells us, “27 Don’t you know that He who pursues and explores the human heart intimately knows the Spirit’s mind because He pleads to God for His saints to align their lives with the will of God?  28 We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan.  29-30 From the distant past, His eternal love reached into the future.  You see, He knew those who would be His one day, and He chose them beforehand to be conformed to the image of His Son so that Jesus would be the firstborn of a new family of believers, all brothers and sisters.  As for those He chose beforehand, He called them to a different destiny so that they would experience what it means to be made right with God and share in His glory.  (The VOICE)

The week ended with an unobtrusive evening with an old friend who reached out with an eager petition to connect.  Over dinner, we talked about our journeys since our last heart to heart.  We laughed about the silliness that life brings, mused about our dreams for the future, and smiled about the good favor God has extended our way.  Although my original preference was to just go home, spending time with another one of His children enriched my life.  Her parting words were, “Thanks, I really needed that.  Let’s connect more often.”  Our souls are fed and our minds are guided in community with one another to take care of each other’s needs.  Acts 2:42

On my slow ride home on a cool drizzly night after an excruciatingly long week, the Lord began to softly speak to me again.  He said, “Yes, I know it was a long week.  Testing the limits of your spirit of courage grows and humbles you.  I am not a sadist.  I am your loving father who encourages you towards your purpose.  You have told me you want to follow my son.  Doing so is not a sprint.  Taking up your cross daily is a marathon.  Likewise, at certain points along the way you will get very tired or hit a wall and want to quit.  My desire was for you to never give up.  You play like you practice.  I want you to train hard so you finish strong.  I am always with you and will never forsake you or tempt you beyond what you can bear.  Hang in there.  I love you!  Oh, and thanks for listening to my voice when I called you to hug your colleague and break bread with your old friend.  These are the things that let you see My purpose for you.”

Before the Earth (I am); the universe (I am); in every heart (I am); oh, where you are (I am); the Lord of love (I am); the King of Kings (I am); the Holy lamb (I am); above all things…Yes, I am almighty God your father; the risen son of man; the healer of the broken and when you cry, I am your savior and redeemer who bore the sins of man; the author and perfecter; beginning and the end, I am.  “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

Be the love!  He is in you.

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