Tag Archives: God

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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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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October 6, 2014

Beloved, My Friend

By valencia68

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart. – Helen Keller

Looking someone in the eyes right now does not necessarily tell you the story of what it took for them to arrive in front of you.  Nor does it tell you about their struggles or baggage.  As believers we are called to meet them where they are and love them as they are.  Sometimes, it is their brokenness and their willingness to share their challenges that allows them to shine the light that lets so many others see the way to Him.  Sometimes they are as lost and confused as the next person, but a seed of goodness in their heart opens up underneath the warmth of what was left by the last person they encountered.  She passed along the comfort of the care to the next person that had previously been given to her because she remembered how good it felt.  He was patient and kind because someone was that way towards him yesterday.  One sitting on the up side of down and the other standing on the down side of up.  Both reckoned with the emotion of the basement yet pursuing the sensation of the penthouse.  Neither understanding the blessings of balance that they received and then gave in those short moments.  How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in peace!  2 It is like the finest oils poured on the head, sweet-smelling oils flowing down to cover the beard, Flowing down the beard of Aaron, flowing down the collar of his robe.  3 It is like the gentle rain of Mount Hermon that falls on the hills of Zion.  Yes, from this place, the Eternal spoke the command, from there He gave His blessing—life forever.  (Psalm 133 – VOICE)

The freedom ride on the path that leads to the cross was never intended to be walked alone.  God sends many souls our way to meet us at specific points along our journey.  Some are fleeting spirits that dust us with a blessing and then quickly move on.  Some are there for a longer season while others are stalwart companions up the hills, through the curves, down in the valleys, around the bends, in the creeks, and on the mountaintops.  Through life, friends may come and go, but to have a lifelong, close, personal friendship is truly a great blessing.  A true friendship that stands the test of trials and time is rare.  As we focus on Him and love them deeply and closely, God delivers balance in our lives with these blessings; these lifelong friends.  So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well.  Learn to love appropriately.  You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush.  Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.  Philippians 1:9-10 (MSG)  As Celine Dion says in Because You Loved Me: You were my strength when I was weak.  You were my voice when I couldn’t speak.  You were my eyes when I couldn’t see. You saw the best there was in me.  Lifted me up when I couldn’t reach.  You gave me faith ‘coz you believed.  I’m everything I am because you loved me. 

Most weekends are not complete without a thought-provoking conversation with an intimate friend who has walked many miles, hand-in-hand, with me on my journey.  This weekend was no different.  We exchanged honorable greetings, shared the week’s trials and triumphs, and released our momentary embrace with the utmost love and care.

We met as two wandering souls and have endured as two kindred spirits.  Through all that life has brought us, (hard conversations, encouraging words, thankful praises, as well as sleepless nights full of prayer) we have remained attached at the hips and always there for one another.  We have grown up as we have grown together.

The Bible gives us a great example of the generational impact an intimate friendship can have.  1 Samuel chapters 18-20 tells us a story of two people who had a special fondness for one another.  They were closer than many siblings, confiding and trusting each other.  They were friends who shared hopes and dreams.  They remained close, even when separated, through the good times and the bad.  Through thick and thin, neither one deserted the other.  18 1By the time David had finished speaking to Saul, Saul’s son Jonathan was bound to David in friendship, and Jonathan loved David as he loved himself… 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as he loved himself.  4 He took off the robe he wore and gave it to David, and also his armor, sword, bow, and belt.  20 41And then they kissed one another and wept, friend over friend, David weeping especially hard.  42 Jonathan said, “Go in peace! The two of us have vowed friendship in God’s name, saying, ‘God will be the bond between me and you, and between my children and your children forever!’”  “For all those times you stood by me; for all the truth that you made me see; for all the joy you brought to my life; for all the wrong that you made right; for every dream you made come true; for all the love I found in you; I’ll be forever thankful baby.  You’re the one who held me up; never let me fall.  You’re the one who saw me through, through it all.”  The commentary in chapter 19 of the VOICE translation tells us, “In the friendship between Jonathan and David, Jonathan stands to lose everything he has if David becomes king, yet he betrays family and ambition by befriending him. These two young men make a pact to protect and love each other in life; and if something should happen to Jonathan, David agrees to honor Jonathan’s descendants out of the love he bears for Jonathan. Later that promise results in David elevating one of Jonathan’s sons to the king’s table.”

On our journey, we have been through a great many things.  Our experience is an ambition of giving that causes each to receive in abundance.   Through it all, we have learned that shared pain is half the pain and shared joy is twice the joy.  We encourage each other as friends to have:

  1. A spirit of courage
  2. A heart of perseverance
  3. A timeless bond and
  4. An unfailing love

She is my David.  I want her to know that she has a faithful Jonathan beside her,  to remember that her Lord is with her, and to believe that her Savior lives in her.  She is in a battle of epic proportion.  As she faces this behemoth Goliath and the wrath of Saul, my prayer for her is that she always remembers to pray and never forgets who she is or whose she is.  May she feel the favor God has offered and have faith to know He will continue to see her through.  May she continue to fight the good fight in the face of evil, doing good despite the chips being down.  His people are with her.  His prayer warriors are around her.  She is not alone.  She is loved.  She is my friend.  You gave me wings and made me fly.  You touched my hand, I could touch the sky.  I lost my faith, you gave it back to me.  You said no star was out of reach.  You stood by me and I stood tall.  I had your love.  I had it all.  I’m grateful for each day you gave me.  Maybe I don’t know that much, but I know this much is true: I was blessed because I was loved by you. 

And so I ask you: Who is your David?  Are you a faithful Jonathan?  Who is walking along side you?  When facing your Goliath, who do you turn to?  Are you on this path alone?  Where are you looking for those God-honoring relationships?  What are your best and most beautiful things?  Can you feel them with your heart?  Be the love!  8 People who won’t settle down, wandering hither and yon, are like restless birds, flitting to and fro.  9 Just as lotions and fragrance give sensual delight, a sweet friendship refreshes the soul.  10 Don’t leave your friends or your parents’ friends and run home to your family when things get rough; better a nearby friend than a distant family. Proverbs 27:8-10 (MSG)

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September 28, 2014

GenPop

By valencia68

Matthew chapter 14 tells us the story of Peter walking on water.  In verses 29-30, the scripture tells us, “29 Jesus said, ‘Come!’  So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he noticed how strong the wind was, he became afraid and started to sink.  He shouted, ‘Lord, save me!’” (GW)  In the beginning, Peter had great courage as verse 29 says, “Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus.” (MSG)  When first called, Peter was strong.  Without hesitation, he left his place of security to do what he was called to do.  But the conditions he found himself in (the rough seas and high winds) made him doubt that he could do the very thing he was already doing.  He then lost his nerve and began to sink.

Peter’s experience is very similar to many of ours.  We begin exploring our calling with great intentions and strong convictions.  We then let fear (False Evidence Appearing Real) get a grip on us and cause us to do less than we are capable of or called to do.  We allow anxiety and uncertainty to destroy the promise God has given.  One could question how different things would have been if Peter had beaten back the flame of fear with the fan of faith.  There is no need to ask what if because Peter was not much different from us.

This weekend, I had the privilege of attending a professional baseball game and watching a team that has made the playoffs.  I was extremely fortunate to have received the scarce and in-demand tickets as a gift.  I did not pay attention to the section or seat numbers on the tickets when I received them.  My offspring and I enthusiastically entered the stadium, glanced at the seat numbers, and realized they were in an area we had not ever paid attention to.  We found our way around to the other side and settled into our seats in the sold out stadium.  I then went and stood in long lines for food and beverages.  I wasn’t able to return to my seat until the bottom of the second inning.  Agitated and sulking, I was resolved not to move again.

For those around me, the excitement of the post season prospects created a vim and vigor as well as a corresponding static electricity in the air.  The positive energy was accompanied by the enhanced acoustics of the crowd’s continuous roar.  I realized that part of my anxiety was because I was with a larger, louder crowd, in a more confined space.  I was not in a VIP section, on the lower level behind home plate or along the third base line.  I was up high, under the scoreboard, facing the sun, directly in front of a bar filled with game-goers with libation-induced lowered inhibitions.  I realized I was with the general population.

Christ died on the cross so that the general population, not just the high priests, could have access to the Father.  His ransom for our salvation extended God’s grace to everyone and ended the need for sacrificial offerings.  His redemptive death was the great access equalizer and Holier than Thou eliminator.  Those who had more or could do more did not have a place closer to the Father.  Everyone’s access point to God is now the same, through the Son.  All people now have the same requirement – to take up your cross daily and follow Him, starting strong and finishing hard.

On the morning of the game, I spent time with God, praying and listening to Him.  I left the house feeling strong and full of faith.  Like Peter, I leaped out there to do what I was called to do.  Likewise, I got distracted by an unfamiliar environment and became anxious because it felt different.  For two innings I was unable to be His positive energy or enjoy the privilege He bestowed upon me.  He was patient with me during that time.  But suddenly, in the sweet voice that is only His, Jesus said, “Hello!  I sent you here to be my light, yet in this moment you are a dim bulb.  Ditch the funk and let’s get back to My business.  I want you to be that curious, outgoing, fun-loving child I designed you to be.  Move about the people, smiling at them and talking to them, bringing them My joy.  Games are play time and social events that allow you to be My ambassador.  I got you free tickets.  Now make them worth your while.”

I bowed my head in thanksgiving and then got up to refill my child’s empty drink cup.  While in line, I had the chance to hold an infant for a father who was struggling to tie shoes and place orders for his other three boys who were all under 5 years of age.  As the crowd roared because the home team scored, I sang into the infant’s ear: “I hope you never lose your sense of wonder; you get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger.  May you never take one single breath for granted; GOD forbid love ever leaves you empty handed.  I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.  Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens.  Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance….I hope you dance.  I Hope You Dance – Gladys Knight

After returning to my seat, reflecting on Peter’s experience, and Jesus’ message to me, I realized this:

  1. Heaven has no VIP section
  2. Access to Him is not limited to affluence
  3. On earth as it is in heaven, He loves all of His children the same
  4. General population is where faith is built, the gospel is preached, and souls are saved
  5. There is no space for exclusion in His kingdom
  6. His followers are not fans cheering from the stands. They are fearlessly on the field every day.

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance; never settle for the path of least resistance.  Livin’ might mean takin’ chances but they’re worth takin’.  Lovin’ might be a mistake but it’s worth makin’.  Don’t let some hell-bent heart leave you bitter.  When you come close to sellin’ out, reconsider.  Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance….I hope you dance.

Remain strong.  Answer your calling without hesitation.  Circumstances may change but the love of The Lord remains the same.  What fear is causing you to sink today?  Are you walking faithfully towards Jesus?  What earthly things are causing exclusivity in your life?  Does the general population of His lost children make you nervous?  Recapture the fearless faith of your first calling.  Reach higher, go farther, and dig deeper to plant seeds, fertilize ground, and collect the harvest that he has placed you here for.  Your passion and resilience are powerful and compelling to those who are seeking the love of our Lord.

30 But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink (MSG).  Be audacious and daring, especially among the masses.  Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along.  Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone.  I hope you dance….I hope you dance.

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September 21, 2014

Do Life Big

By valencia68

“What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.” – Oscar Wilde

To the many women in my life who have prayed for me this year: Thank you!  I have needed it, it has helped, and I am back.  The summer was rough but it is now behind us.  Fall is upon us and it is time to live in this moment.  Each day in the month of September has been better than the last.  When I awakened this morning, the first thought on my mind was the need to release the relentless thoughts of the challenges of the most difficult 42 days of the year.  There have been 215 other absolutely fabulous days in the same year.  I will not allow this difficult minority to haunt the fantastic majority any longer.  I made it through and am here now to press on towards greater things.

Our God has given us a spirit of courage and a charge to do life big.  There is much to accomplish in the vineyard and little time to get it done.  The growing season is behind us and the harvest is upon us.  Now is the time to dream big and dare to fail; throw caution to the wind and live out our purpose; leave isolation behind us and live out loud; abandon doubt and love boldly; press on and be optimistic.  Solitude is sinful when there are so many souls searching.  The glass menagerie, the ornamental exhibit of 42 captives, has shattered.  The pieces of pain have been laid at the foot of the cross, in an acknowledgment of what they are and an acceptance that we are not in it alone.   In His time, He will take what is left, multiply them, then divide them so they can be used for His glory.

The commentary in The Voice translation in 2 Corinthians 13 tells us, “Weakness looks like failure in the eyes of the world, but…weakness is an avenue to share in Jesus’ death and, therefore, in His life as well.  The challenge is to remain faithful even in the difficult times, even when there is no one left to provide support.  It is in these times that God’s power and comfort are most evident.  This call to embrace weakness and suffering is difficult.  It is normal to run from pain.  But the examples of Jesus in the Gospels, of Paul in his letters, and of David in the psalms are of finding God’s strength in times of weakness.”  “Keep, keep On…. Never Say Die… When in the midst of sorrow, you can’ t see up when looking down.  A brighter day tomorrow will bring.  You hear the voice of reason telling you this can’t ever be done.  No matter how hard reality seems, just hold on to your dreams.  Don’t give up and don’t give in although it seems you never win.  You will always pass the test as long as you keep your head to the sky.  You can win as long as you keep your head to the sky.  You can win as long as you keep your head to the sky.  Be optimistic!”  Sounds of Blackness – Optimistic

If anyone understood the harshness of this world, the Son of Man did.  He left His place in heaven and laid it all on the line just so we can live in eternity with Him.  His suffering was great and he paid the ultimate price for us.  Through it all, God was with Him.  Through His obedience, He fulfilled the scriptures so we would never be separated from Him again.

Mark 15:15-37 in part tells us, “15 When Pilate saw that he could not persuade the crowd to change its mind, he…had Jesus publicly whipped, which was the normal prelude to crucifixion.  Then he had Jesus led away to be crucified…17 They put a purple robe on Him and made a crown of thorns that they forced onto His head, 18 and they began to cry out in mock salute.  19 For a long while they beat Him on the head with a reed, spat upon Him, and knelt down as if to honor Him.  20 When they had finished mocking Him, they stripped off His purple robe and put His own clothes back on Him.  Then they took Him away to be executed…24 And so they crucified Him, divided up His clothes, and cast lots (an ancient equivalent of rolling dice) to see who would keep the clothes they had stripped from Him.  25 His crucifixion began about nine o’clock in the morning…29 Those passing by on their way into or out of Jerusalem insulted and ridiculed Him…33 At noon, the day suddenly darkened for three hours across the entire land.  34 Sometime around three o’clock Jesus called out in a loud voice.  Jesus: Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?  Jesus was speaking, as in the psalms, ‘My God, My God, why have You turned Your back on Me?’…37 Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and He took His last breath.  38 At that moment, the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

The commentary from the VOICE translation of Mark 15 explains, “The tearing of the temple veil is a picture of what Jesus’ death has accomplished.  The temple sanctuary is divided into two sections: the holy place and the most holy place.  The most holy place is a chamber so sanctified that only the high priest can enter—and then only once a year.  There God’s presence is manifest on earth.  A long curtain divides the two areas, and at the moment of Jesus’ death it is torn in two.  The veil that serves as a means to protect everyone but the high priest from the power of God’s presence is no longer needed because Jesus, on account of His sacrificial death, gives everyone access to God.  Only God Himself can rip the curtain in two ‘from top to bottom,’ opening the way for people to come into His presence.”

Our God is with us from beginning to end, through all of our triumphs and trials.  What made the victory of conquering the mountain so sweet is that we traversed the valley first.  The climb was steep, intense, and arduous.  But we did it because we remained faithful and persevered with the support of others who believe in His vision.

Jesus came to earth and lived out His mission, which included many trials, challenges and difficulties.  His example was to go all out and to be all in without regard for how hard it might be.  The challenges of the summer taught me many lessons and I now know that they were each a blessing in disguise.  Through my weakness, I gained strength; because of adversity, I received wisdom; in my moments of despair, seedlings of hope blossomed.  “If things around you crumble, no you don’t have to stumble and fall.  Keep pushing on and don’t you look back.  I know that storms and strife cloud up your outlook on life.  Just think ahead and you’ll be inspired to reach higher and higher.  You’ll always do your best if you learn to never say never.  You may be down but you’re not out.  Don’t give up and don’t give in although it seems you never win.  You will always pass the test as long as you keep your head to the sky.  You can win as long as you keep your head to the sky (you can win child).  You can win as long as you keep your head to the sky.  Be optimistic! – Optimistic

11-13 And that’s about it, friends.  Be cheerful.  Keep things in good repair.  Keep your spirits up.  Think in harmony.  Be agreeable.  Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure.  Greet one another with a holy embrace.  2 Corinthians 13:11-13

Now that you know there is nothing standing between you and Him, what’s stopping you?  What is your calling in life?  Whatever it is, pursue it earnestly.  Leave nothing on the table and no room for regrets.  He is with you and your sisters are praying for you.  What power against you can prevail?  Now go get ‘em!  Whatever He is calling you to do, do it big.

 

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