The Challenge

 

This morning's devotion hit me, like a ton of bricks (as the saying goes); it hit me right between the eyes.

I have been stuffing down (and simultaneously exploding about) a situation at work. It has really gotten me frustrated over the past month.

A situation with a lack of respect, a lack of trust, and a lack of planning.

I was asked to be part of a team for our building, but in the end - and over the course of about four consecutive weeks - our team's planning and decisions have been usurped by someone above us - changing our decisions, telling us they don't like what we have decided, and making their own plans and decisions - effectively, rending our team useless and unnecessary.

I have been "exploding" with the other team members to each other.  We all feel disrespected, not heard, and useless. We all want to quit the team.  But we have all also been "stuffing" our feelings down and not addressing our feelings with Admin, going along with and acting like everything is fine on the surface.

When you read today's devotion (below), you will see what I mean.  It explains this situation exactly, and it allows me to understand that, obviously, my team and I are not alone in our feelings or actions in these types of scenarios.

I am going to pray over my situation.  God has shown me this morning that I am not acting with soul integrity, as James 3:17 teaches us to behave, and I want to act as God thinks I should.

I know I have work to do to reach this lofty goal James imparts upon us.  I'm not even sure I can do it, but if Scripture teaches it, I am positive I have to try.

Read today's devotion from Lysa Terkeurst and see if any of it resonates with you.  Maybe you can join me in the journey to soul integrity.  It is my prayer, that no matter our age or where we are on life's path, we will find our own personal soul integrity.

Happy Saturday my friends.

PRETENDING I'M FINE, PROVING I'M RIGHT

If someone says something or does something that hurts me, what is the godly response? Is it to pretend that everything is fine so I can keep the peace? Or is it to confront the person to prove how wrong she is?

Neither.

If ever I catch myself pretending or proving, I know I'm processing my hurt the wrong way.

The right way is approaching this situation with soul integrity—responding in a way that's not only honest but peacemaking. James 3:17 says, "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure (honest); then peace-loving… " Yes, I want this kind of wisdom, this soul integrity.

I want to be honest and peacemaking at the same time. But how?

Real honesty. Not all honest expressions of my feelings are real honesty. You see, my honest feelings may not be truthful assessments of the situation. I can be honest with how I feel and still exaggerate or misinterpret what is true. I can feel justified in being blatant about my feelings—not hiding a thing—and prideful for being so real, all under the guise of being honest enough not to stuff.

But in reality, honesty that isn't true isn't honesty at all. It may just be emotional spewing. That's why we need peacemaking honesty—honesty reined in by the Holy Spirit—if we're going to have authentic soul integrity.

So, if I want real honesty, I have to ask the Holy Spirit to show me real truth. I need to see things from the other person's perspective. I need to ask questions of that person with the desire to better understand instead of throwing out statements of accusation. Ultimately, my goal should be to add peacemaking to my honesty.

Real peacemaking. At the same time, it must also grieve God to see plastic versions of peacemaking that aren't reined in by honesty. That's what we do when we stuff and pretend everything is okay.

The upside of stuffing is that we have the semblance of peacemakers. But when we do so at the expense of honesty, we harbor a corrosive bitterness that will eventually emerge. Either it will erode our health and later present itself in a host of emotional and physical anxiety-induced illnesses, or it will accumulate over time and surprise everyone when the peacemaker eventually erupts. Saying, "I'm fine," to keep the peace, when we're really not fine, isn't honest.

Sometimes dishonesty comes in the form of saying things that aren't true. But it's also dishonest when we fail to say things that are true. It may seem godly in the moment, but it's false godliness.

Truth and godliness always walk hand in hand. The minute we divorce one from the other, we stray from soul integrity and give a foothold to the instability that inevitably leads to coming unglued.

Yes, we're after soul integrity—honesty that is also peacemaking that leads to godliness.

This soul integrity brings balance to unglued reactions. It makes us true peacemakers — people who aren't proving or pretending but rather honestly demonstrating what they are experiencing in a godly manner. And being a true peacemaker reaps a harvest of great qualities in our lives: right things, godly things, healthy things.

PRAYER
Dear Lord, through You I am able to bring all my exploding and stuffing under Your authority and truth. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit who gives me the wisdom to move beyond my reactions. Help me lean on You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Embracing Singleness and God's Calling on Your Life!

 

Y'all.

I just read the best daily devotion on Singleness (is that a word?); it was so good that I want to share most of it here with you.

If you've been following along, you know the Lord allowed my life to change exponentially over five months ago when my partner walked out unexpectedly and without warning.

Through God's grace, amazing people have entered and come alongside my life to help me grow in understanding, wisdom, and healing.

And over the last month, as the Lord and I have dug down deep; worked our way through questions and tears; and taken painful yet necessary steps moving forward, I have begun to wonder if He isn't pulling back the curtain for a new ministry opportunity to appear.

If you are single now - meaning you have been for a while or are newly single - please click the devotion link above to start this plan today.  It is that good.  And please read the excerpts I am sharing below.

This is your path; this is my path.  No matter if you chose it or if it was "gifted" to you like myself, the Lord has allowed it to happen.  It is time to stop focusing on the whys and focus on the wheres.  God is taking you somewhere.  Settle into your seat, buckle up, and enjoy the ride!

Drop me a comment here or on my social media pages to let me know you are okay, settling in, buckling up, and enjoying the ride.

Happy weekend my friends.

"I spent too much time longing for a husband and wishing my days away. It was a lonely and miserable way to live. When I decided to look outside of myself and serve in the church, I found what I’m passionate about: I love connecting with people and encouraging women to root their identity in Christ. Through serving, my life took on new meaning. Suddenly, I was on fire for God in ways I hadn’t experienced before and I found true joy. I still want to find a husband, but it no longer weighs heavily on my heart. My biggest desire is no longer to hear “I do,” but to hear “well done my good and faithful servant.” 

God created each of us to play a special role in His Kingdom, and it’s only when we’re living in our calling that we can truly be fulfilled. We all have unique talents, experiences, and skills that point to our God-given purpose. Some are called to full-time ministry. Others are called to be a light in the corporate world. While the method may look different from person to person, as Christ followers, we’re all called to reach people for Jesus. Our marital status does not change that mission.  

In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells His followers to go make disciples and teach them to obey his commandments. He doesn’t say to wait until you’re married and then you can really start your ministry. He just says “go.”  

If you’re not sure exactly how God calls you to serve His Kingdom, ask Him to show you. In the meantime, just start serving somewhere. Don’t believe the lies that you aren’t a valuable part of the church and you can’t make a difference while you’re single. God sees you as chosen, anointed, and equipped—not someday, but right now. Spiritual maturity doesn’t come as a result of a change in relationship status. Spiritual maturity comes as a result of a relationship with Jesus. 

Maybe one day, God will call you into marriage. If that’s what you want, pray for it. It’s not wrong to pray for a spouse, but don't let that desire keep you from growing in your faith now and leading others to do the same. As Proverbs 16:9 says, we can make our plans, but ultimately, God determines our steps. Serve Him with everything you have today, and trust that He will lead you down the right path at the right time.  

Whether we are called to marriage down the line or not, God asks us to step into our calling now. We only get a short time on this earth, and we can’t allow our relationship status to keep us from fulfilling the purpose God has on our lives. So, go!

Faithfulness

 

The seventh fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness.

This is something I have been struggling with forever.  Both for myself and toward others, meaning I sometimes find it hard or difficult to be "faithful" to others but I also struggle with others being faithful to me and why that can be difficult.

Yesterday, someone slipped and told me my previous boyfriend came to church the weekend I was out of town. (There is a back story to this, but I will digress on that part.)

I realized while praying this morning that my immediate and first reaction was HOPE.  My mind had wondered to questions like, "Why was he there?" "What did my brother and sister-in-law say to him?" "Did he ask about me?" "Maybe there is some HOPE left."

And then I silently said, "God, my hope is not in man.  It is in you.  You are the ANCHOR I hold on to, not man.  If I am being honest God, my immediate and first thought was HOPE when I heard this information and that was wrong of me, but you already know my innermost thoughts and feelings, so you already knew what I felt and thought.  I will keep going forward as I have been directed and keep my eyes focused on you."

This morning, I poured my first cup of joe and then sat down to read today's devotion.  It was a late morning because I was out late last night.  I don't normally venture out much anymore, especially not late at night to concerts or out of my bubble zones.  But a close family friend had invited me to join his family on an outing and fun adventure to a little music club to see his brother - a famous (unbeknownst to me) folk singer - perform.  It was wonderful, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with his family and visiting a new town, a new venue, and a new performer.

As I sat down to read, the study was on faithfulness.  I haven't felt much lately during my readings, and I haven't felt the Lord pushing or calling me to write.  Honestly, I have been struggling a little bit and have felt broken and lost.  (As a side note:  I am so thankful to be back with my wonderful Christian Counselor who each week gently guides me back to the center line and keeps me focused - "You are not broken or lost.  You are 100% completely normal in your grieving.  Everyone goes through this.")

So reading about faithfulness was good this morning, as I sipped the hot coffee from my new Krusty Krab mug.

I had been struggling with faithfulness, as my last partner (as you may have read here before) has huge issues with this fruit and his struggle has hugely impacted my own life the last four months.  Faithfulness is not something my circle of family and friends normally struggles with.

Coming from a big Italian family, faithfulness was never something in doubt or question.  We may have fought, but we were fiercely faithful to each other - even through times of loneliness, anger, or even unhappiness.  You worked through those emotions and came back together stronger.  Fleeing has never been an option for us.

Same holds true with my inner circle of friends.  We may ebb and flow and move in and out of crossing paths, but we always remain faithful to each other, coming back together to support and love each other through the hard times, the difficult times, or even disagreements we might have with each other.

Today's devotion verse, Hebrews 10:23 says, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

That hit me deep and hard.

Let us hold fast.  Hold fast.  Cling to.  The confession of our HOPE without wavering.  For HE who promised is faithful.

When we cling to something, or hold fast, we are anchoring on something - like a belief or a principle.  Something so deep down in our soul, we can't be pried from it.

It's not hope in a person like I briefly held onto yesterday.  It's something so much more.  Something more profound and real.  Something deep down in our soul.

When our HOPE is in Jesus, we are secure.  Something that worldly hope cannot provide.  Hope in man will fail you, eventually at some point.  HOPE in Jesus does not waver because He has promised us He would be faithful.

God's faithfulness - and this seventh fruit of the Spirit - is seen throughout Scripture.  We can read examples of it in story after story.  We can look at our own lives and see where the fruit has been produced within us and for us.  God is faithful.  He will never leave you or forsake you.

My walk with Jesus the past four months has been life changing.  Through the heartbreak of unfaithfulness, I have been anchored to - held fast to - my HOPE, a Savior that has unending faithfulness to me and that produces fruit in my life.

And I know He will always be faithful because Scripture says He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Today - this morning - is a great time to place your faith in Jesus.  He is our anchor that we hold fast to.  He will never leave you, so there is no fear in trusting Him or relaxing in your relationship with Him.  There is no fear of hurting His feelings or you not being enough for Him or even you being responsible for filling up his emotional love tank.

He is the same for us today as He was yesterday, and He will be the same for us tomorrow as He is today.

Go ahead and put your trust and faith in Jesus.  Biblical HOPE is so much greater and more powerful than worldly "hope."  Give Jesus your heart and your life.  I promise you will never look back or be the same again.

Let's end today's writing with these exact words put into a beautiful, blessed song from the very gifted singer and songwriter Cody Carnes:

KINDNESS Linked with FORGIVENESS

 

I hate how the human heart and mind ebb and flow through crisis periods of life.

One day, you are doing well; the next, you are in bed until 1pm.

Such was today, with a beginning embedded in last night.   I woke up at 5am, read messages already on my phone from a few early-riser friends, and rolled over.

I finally got up a few hours later, but it wasn't long before my mind and body both betrayed me, and I was back under the covers watching the next few episodes of The Crown.

Finally, at 1PM, the sun was trying to peek through my bedroom blinds and break through the 36-degree weather outside.  I threw back the covers and made my way to the kitchen to talk myself into some positivity while making coffee, eggs, and bacon.

At 1:45PM, I decided to see what God had to say today.  I'd already been to my little bedroom altar in prayer and tears, after a night full of arguing with God.  Surely, He had something good to give me in response to our conversations together.

A girlfriend of mine, whose marriage dissolved this year - after multiple decades - send an encouraging picture and a few texts.  I guess those of us in "misery" love company, but nothing seem to be reaching me today.

I'm at a point where my broken heart just feels like a millstone around my neck.  No matter how much praying I do for healing, it's like the Lord is saying, "No, keep going."  I am despising social media, tv movies, and even going out to eat right now.  Seeing couples together on dates just kills me and makes me incredibly sad.  "Keep going out with friends," everyone says - but it doesn't help.  You just carry the sadness and heaviness of your heart with you, like a piece of luggage.

I'm not really sure how to escape it anymore.  I just keep writing, journaling, praying, and crying.  Eventually, it has to stop, right?

I think that maybe if I knew this hurt wasn't one-sided or if an olive branch was extended, I might be able to heal differently, better, or quicker.  I have asked for forgiveness multiple times (each time, it has been denied), and I have extended multiple olive branches (none taken).  My heart hurts from a type of love I have not experienced before - and from a walking away I don't understand.

I know the love still exists between us both, but I'm not sure why the desire to work through the hurts is absent.  So, to open up today's reading and read Ephesians 4:2 was a little surprising, "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."

One thing I am 100% sure of is this - my prayers for my partner have not ceased, and I have seen at least one of them answered.

I will always be kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving.  Because that is what we are called to do - endlessly.

I can't imagine doing anything else.

Forgiveness is hard.  (Which is probably why my ex will not grant it.) In the book of Phillipians, we are told that we can do all things through Christ.  This includes forgiving those that have hurt us.  Forgiving not only releases those that are asking for our forgiveness, but it releases us as well.

I have forgiven my ex for leaving us (four times to be exact) because I know the underlying root cause, and it releases me from harboring anger and resentment towards him and within my soul.

I have asked for forgiveness from my ex multiple times for hurting him, for being selfish, and for also being self-centered - even though I know the root cause (which I wrote about yesterday).  Asking for forgiveness releases me from carrying the guilt and shame of hurting someone I deeply love.  If that forgiveness is ever finally accepted and granted, my ex will be able to release the deep hurts he is still carrying toward me and our relationship.

The act of granting forgiveness is an act of kindness (our fifth Fruit of the Spirit).  Granting forgiveness often becomes a war between the Spirit and our flesh.  If the hurt happened multiple times or if the relationship was deep, the war raging within us may take a little while to sort itself out.  (I think that's what my ex and I are dealing with at the moment.)

One Bible verse I have been praying for (over myself) these past few weeks is one I learned to memorize early on as a new Christian - 2 Cor. 5:17, "Behold, old things are passed away; all things become like new."

In order to walk in full kindness and forgiveness and to renew relationships and love, we must be able to let old things pass away and become like new.

Today, I read a few things forgiveness is NOT.  I think these are good reminders to all of us that when you forgive someone, you are not losing these things:

1. Forgiveness is NOT claiming our pain isn’t genuine. We can forgive and still acknowledge our broken hearts.

2. Forgiveness is NOT condoning or saying someone's behavior was appropriate.

3. Forgiveness is NOT forgetting. We aren’t wired this way.

4. Forgiveness is NOT a feeling. The Bible teaches us the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). If we’re waiting to feel forgiving towards someone, it may never happen.

5. Forgiveness is NOT an invitation to be a doormat. Expressing clear boundaries of what’s ok and what’s not is very important.

6. Forgiveness is NOT trust. Trust is earned. It requires the offender to repent and show consistency in healthy behaviors for trust to return.

7. Holding on to unforgiveness is NOT powerful. It doesn’t give us control, it deceives and enslaves us.

Those are amazing points, and things I know my ex is struggling with.  It is OKAY to forgive your partner, rebuild relationships, and still love them.  Forgiveness does not mean everything is fine.  It is just a first step to release both parties to move ahead freely and begin the healing process.

In fact, here are some more points of what forgiveness is:

1. Forgiveness IS a decision. Sometimes our feelings and intentions to forgive aren’t always in sync, but the Lord will help us align our heads and hearts in obedience to His will.

2. Forgiveness IS strength and courage. Courage is the ability to be strong amidst pain and grief.

3. Forgiveness IS freedom from the weight and heaviness of the offense we’ve been carrying.

4. Forgiveness IS freedom from bitterness.

5. Forgiveness IS costly. It cost Jesus His very life to provide us forgiveness we don’t deserve.

6. Forgiveness IS a command (Colossians 3:13; Matthew 18:21–22; Luke 17:3–4). 

I'll wrap it up with this.  If Jesus can grant forgiveness, after being flogged, spit upon, and beat beyond recognition, I can forgive a person leaving me multiple times.  I can see past the sin and root causes of those leavings, and I can love through them to forgive a person I love deeply.

People are worth saving.  Jesus showed us that.

I can forgive people I love (and, honestly, those I don't) because Jesus did it first, and more importantly, because He told me to.

I don't know when Jesus will heal my heart completely.  I am still in love with a man I had planned to marry and grow old with.  In time, Jesus will reveal the path and plan for my life.  The road is pretty painful right now, but when I sit down to read Scripture or pray, my heart and mind are filled with so much HOPE.

And I love that.

Dear Lord, You have given me so much love and forgiveness. I don’t deserve it. I want to be obedient to Your command to forgive. You ask, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say” (Luke 6:46 NKJV)? I need help, Lord. Allow my head and heart to align. My head knows I’m called to forgive, but my heart still hurts. Please reveal any root of bitterness and heal my hurting heart. Please help me to be kind and tenderhearted, just like You. Amen.

JOY: The Second Fruit of the Spirit

 

Each day, I start off with, "Lord, please let me embrace positivity, joy, & happiness today.  And please manifest in me the Fruits of the Spirit."

I have never been too good at memorizing the list of the Fruits of the Spirit, but at 57 years old, I am still learning new things.  And in this time of "growth opportunity," as Lysa Terkeurst likes to say, I am working through the list of fruits and trying to apply them to my life.

This morning, I woke up from a "nightmare," so to speak.  I could see me sitting at a dinner table across from a woman that is not fond of me.  She was saying some things that were not complimentary or nice.  It was so vivid and real.  Her image; her voice.

I laid in bed and prayed, "Oh Lord, please remove this dream and thought from my head.  Why did you allow that dream to come through?"

As I prayed that prayer, God gave me a simple message.  "Write her.  Wish her JOY and happiness."

Um, what?  I don't think so Lord.  Not a chance.

Again, "Write everyone in that circle and wish them JOY."

So, I did.

At 57 years old, I have learned not to argue with the Lord and His Spirit when they talk.

I quickly deleted the text thread after the message was sent, so it would not be a distraction or temptation to look for replies.  That was not my mission.  My mission was to simply, "...wish JOY."

This morning, my heart is tender.  There are four women in my life who are struggling with life right now.  Hurts so much bigger than my own.  There are also some issues within my family circle that are bigger than my hurt.  My heart is tender.

As I clicked to read today's devotion on JOY, I said to myself, "I'm just not getting anything out of this study like I did from the study on LOVE. Sigh..."

And then.

I read today's devotion; I just broke down into tears.  I'm not even going to try and summarize it here today.  I'm just going to copy and paste.

FOR ME, this lesson on JOY was so powerful.  It doesn't matter if one family out of the entire world doesn't like me.  Jesus does.  It doesn't matter if I spend Christmas day alone. Jesus will always be here beside me - holding me up, loving me unconditionally.

As Paul writes in Philippians 3, "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”

Having true JOY comes from Jesus and possessing the Fruits of the Spirit.  It doesn't come from who likes you or who doesn't.  It doesn't come from days filled with people or days spent alone.  It doesn't come from all the things you surround yourself with.  True JOY comes from knowing Jesus personally, accepting His gift of salvation, and manifesting the Holy Spirit.

Here is what I read today.  I pray it has the same impact on you as it did for me.  I am so thankful for all the GIFTS God gives us as fruit of His Holy Spirit.  I choose JOY, positivity, and happiness daily - minute by minute; hour by hour.  All the rest, as Paul said, is garbage.

Happy Saturday my friends.  May your season be filled with Jesus, all the magic of the holidays, and above all else - JOY.

"Everything in this life and world is meaningless and worthless apart from a relationship with Jesus. I cannot stress these words enough. Let me show you . . .

In the above passage, Paul explains when he came to Christ, the things he saw as valuable were worthless. Everything he once put his security in, everything he believed would bring him fulfillment, everything he found himself striving so hard to achieve and have and be, all the accolades, accomplishments, possessions, morality, and religion, were empty and meaningless.

Even deeper, Paul says, “I consider them garbage.” The English translators were being a little soft when they translated this word. The word for garbage actually translated as refuse or dung. In the most basic of modern translations, Paul is saying, “I consider everything in this world as a poop emoji” in comparison to the surpassing, superior, excellent worth of knowing Jesus.

Consider the things we so highly value on a daily basis. For some, it’s our appearance: our physique, muscles, hair, clothes, or shoes. For some, it’s money. What’s my portfolio looking like? What’s my net worth? What does my reputation, job, grades, family, friends, possessions, and pleasures look like?

Now, are all these things bad? No, of course not! But consider the wisdom found in the Book of Ecclesiastes for a second: “Meaningless! Meaningless . . . Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:2 NIV).

Wisdom? Pleasures? Work? Advancement? Riches? Meaningless. King Solomon comes to the conclusion that without God, there is no meaning to life.

Friends, I pray you walk away from today’s devotion knowing that Jesus is everything! There is no greater joy in this life and nothing more valuable than knowing and living in relationship with Jesus, and everything in life is greater and full of joy in light of a relationship with Jesus!

Wisdom finds true meaning in light of knowing Jesus. Pleasures such as food, nature, and art become more vibrant and beautiful in Jesus and cause us to give thanks to God for making beautiful things. Work, advancement, and riches find purpose and calling in Jesus. Our relationships, families, marriages, etc. are all made richer and more fulfilling in Jesus and draw us deeper into relationship with Him.

Everything we could ever hope to have, do, enjoy, or gain in this world falls short of and is made better by the eternal, priceless, immeasurable gain of knowing Jesus.

Look at what the psalmist declares in Psalm 16:11 (ESV): “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Friends, everything we’re looking for and longing for in this life can be found in Christ. If you seek to find joy in the things of this world, it will always be elusive, just out of reach, and unattainable. But when you press into the grace of God in Christ and put your hope, security, and purpose in Him, you’ll find true joy, you’ll see those things for what they truly are, and you’ll actually enjoy them in light of knowing Jesus!"

 

It's Not Impossible

 

This week, I had lunch with a college friend.  We then spent the afternoon together exploring her beautiful little city's Main Street.

I met Cheryl in college at probably 18 or 19 years old back in 1984.  We lived together for a brief (very brief) moment in time before each moving back home, getting married, and having children.

We now live an hour away from each other, but after reconnecting at friend's funeral recently, we made the conscious decision to stay in touch.

I love my friend.  She is kind.  She is gentle.  She is beautiful.  If I could morph into anyone, it would be Cheryl.

As Cheryl drove us around this week, we talked about our lives - our children in particular.  How our now older selves can look back on the younger versions of us and see (maybe) how naïve we were as Moms and maybe some things we would have and could have done differently.  Still, here we are today.  

Many of our children have chosen paths for themselves outside our belief system or are living in a way we feel could be improved upon.  STILL, they are our babies.  God gave them to us, and we love them with everything fierce inside us.

We realize God will take whatever decisions we have made in life and give us the path He wants for us.  The glorious thing about God is that He creates the people He loves with free will, something not everyone can grasp or understand.  God didn't create us to do everything perfectly.  If He had, he would have just created robots, not humans with feelings and emotions.

And that's why we love our babies and our families fiercely.  Because, just as God loves us so much, He also loves our family members with that same love.  No matter what they choose to believe or the path they chose to walk, God is silently there beside them.  Waiting.  Giving them opportunities to meet Him they aren't even aware of (yet).

So, today's devotion strikes me especially tender and at my heart's core because it talks about the things Cheryl and I rambled on about together (as girlfriends do) while sipping Black Bear coffee together (in that adorable little Main Street coffee shop, full of vintage floors, ceilings, and charm).

Pictures Courtesy of Coffee Camper FB page.

Today's devotion reflects on how God works.  We, as believers, just keep praying and walking and believing.  It's what we do, and eventually, God's love will work its way through to those in our paths.

I know we're not perfect.  I fail daily.

But I love this sweet story of two sisters.  It shows that even in our failures, God is there.  He is always there and waiting.

I hope you enjoy this devotion; it is a gentle reminder that God is good and hope is always there, even when we can't see it.

Thank you Cheryl for always being so kind and so sweet.  I wish I possessed a tenth of who you are.  I love you, and I will always love our time together.

"Praying for the Impossible

I sat beside my youngest sister and listened as she boldly rejected my views of God. She’s always been a free spirit, much too unconventional for traditional religion.

“Good thing I’m not into religion,” I gently replied.

She twisted her face and took exception, “But you are religious.”

I laid my head against the back of the lounge chair, closed my eyes to the sun now washing over me and simply replied, “Nope.”

When she asked me to clarify, I explained that I follow God, not a list of rules. I am passionate about getting into the Bible—God’s teachings—and I let my feelings and experiences be evaluated in light of God’s Word.

I took my sister’s hand and told her I’d be praying for God to mess with her in ways too bold for her to deny.

Fast-forward five years. My sister walked into her professor’s office and saw one of my books. And it messed with her.

She went home, poked around my blog and listened to my testimony. God’s Word messed with her so much that she let the possibility that God exists slip into her heart.

A few days later she went and had Jeremiah 29:11 tattooed on the back of her neck. And she called, wanting to talk to me about life, tattoos and God.

Then one day, I stood in the middle of the Atlanta airport praying for this precious girl. She called. She asked. That’s the miracle of our Jesus. He is the God of the impossible.

Let’s dare to ask God for the impossible a little more often."

Speaking Over Life

 

"Lord, You are always at work to redeem, and I want to be used by You. I give my words to You. Teach me to be a godly woman who speaks up in godly ways. In Jesus’ Name, Amen."

Wow.  What a prayer today from yesterday's Proverbs 31 ministries morning devotion!

"I give my words to You.  TEACH ME to be a godly woman who speaks up in godly ways."

That'll preach and hit you right in the heart.

We all want to be used by God.  But somehow, we keep getting in our own way don't we?

I have been dealing with (as you have read) what I feel is an addiction within my own family walls.  I feel, if it's not an addiction, it is something that is blinding.

I feel I have authority over this coupled with knowledge because I have walked where this family member is walking, and I hear their words - I see their actions - and I RECOGNIZE them.  I am scared for them ... and for MYSELF.

I want to compromise and meet them half way, but now, after vocalizing that compromise, I feel sick to my stomach when I see them engaging in this circle of activity and I am just not at peace with it.

Will I have to go back on my word and my compromise?  I need some godly wisdom, and I need to be taught how to speak with wisdom from Heaven.

Sometimes being silent with our words is good.  Maybe we should hold our tongue and listen more.  Maybe we should be silent to learn more.  But then ... there are times when being silent isn't good.

Are we being silent because we feel inferior in knowledge?  Are we being silent because we feel our opinion is outnumbered or will be mocked in the conversation circle we are sitting in?

Being silent is a double-edged sword.  We must pray, pray, and pray some more!  Let our silence be laced with wisdom - not fear of losing in some manner.

Today, as you read the Proverbs 31 morning devotion with your cup of coffee in hand, think about your silence and how you wield it.

"God has a purpose for our voices! He’s calling us to use words of wisdom and faithful instruction. Let’s follow the examples of godly women in Scripture and choose to be women who speak up in godly ways. We can all learn to use our words as conduits of His redemption."

Proverbs 31 (in Scripture, not the ministry) calls us to speak with wisdom and faithful instruction. Let's enter into our Saturday meditating on this chapter and ask God how he would have us to speak today.

God has already laid out your Saturday.  How we handle that path is a matter of prayer and wisdom.

My friends, may your Saturday be peaceful and blessed.  Until next time,