Giving Greedily

If you want a good kick in the butt, then try this...giving with a greedy mindset. It'll work every time. How many people have you blessed while thinking about how it will eventually benefit you? Can you honestly give blindly? Can we do it folks? Is it so hard for us to be generous to people without the background music in our heads playing "it'll come back to me, I believe, it'll come back to me".

I've gotten really frustrated especially with myself for giving with the thought that God will certainly reward me for it. Well so what! What if He chose not to reward me? Would I still be willing to give? Will my heart be compassionate to others and will I be moved to act, knowing there will be no return of the kindness? Will I be willing to give even when others are trying to take advantage of my generosity? Who am I really suppose to be blessing? Is it not Christ? Isn't He the one I should be offering to? I assure you, when we bless others with no thought of return benefits, we are truly making a priceless offering to Christ.

We cannot make the recipient be a good steward of their blessing. And that can be very frustrating, especially if you've been taught the lesson of stewardship, but know that God can and does His work very efficiently and precisely. He has taken your gift into His hands and will cradle it, smell it, smile at it, and feel lavished by it. If we've made our Lord feel honored...goal accomplished.

Let's do some blind giving this Christmas...It'll be the best giving you've ever experienced!

Happy Fall

Its already the end of October! I don't know where the time went! Things have been busy here on our side of town. Holidays are right here on us too. Johnny's upcoming trip to Vegas is upon us as well. Soo wish they would change his destination for this annual training but they've not decided to do that yet...until then, I'll wait to go with him elsewhere. I was not impressed with Vegas at all and have no aspirations to ever return. I think half of it was the lay over at the airport in Memphis for I can't remember how many hours, with me nauseous from pregnancy...not a great experience so I guess I got burned on that adventure pretty bad. I will miss my sweet hubby though. It'll be a busy week with decorating for the holidays so the time will be filled hopefully.

September and October have been crazy. The kids have had their first real fight with the flu..currently on its second round and its been ugly. I pray its over soon and will not return! Amber is enjoying her first taste of college life and hopefully when its time for her to transfer, we'll be able to adjust quickly. Its probably gonna be hardest on the boys because they depend on her to be there for so much of their lives. She's pretty attached to them as well! I'm really trying to commit to this new lifestyle of walking...its hard! Some days are better than others of course. I do feel better though and that's the reason I have to stick with it! We've got the pool taken down for the season and I sure hope we can have a more permanent one put in place soon...one that doesn't require removal and set-up every year! That my friend is a JOB!

That's my update. I'm glad its Fall. I like this time of year. It just seems right in every kind of way. I'm enjoying being 40...its a good time of life.

A Rebuke

"Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." We tend to hear what we want to hear, even if an enemy is the only one that will say it. A friend's advice, no matter how painful, is much better.-Proverbs 27:6 (Commentary taken from Life Application Study Bible/NIV)

Nobody likes to be rebuked. It's not fun, it's humbling, and it's embarrassing. But often necessary. It always makes me feel weak and disappointed in myself but it's also a jolt back to reality when we are misguided in our perceptions and endeavors. I think about the pastor here in Florida that is planning to burn the Quran today and I pray that somehow, someone will change his mind. He would not be a coward to back down from that plan; he would be smart. I hope a friend that He trusts in the Lord has been able to reach him and lead him to clearer vision. I trust he has a heart to follow God but our minds can be so easily misled...that's why we require rebukes. We are all flesh; we are not supernatural beings and we still make mistakes. I know it must break the heart of God for us to continue being so head strong in wrong doings yet He constantly shows mercy and great patience with us. What an amazing God we have for a daddy!!

Whatever you are faced with today, I hope you will not be narrow minded and think only of your own benefit. Please think of others and how your decisions might affect someone else. Learn from others mistakes too; be observant and listen because their situation could just as easily be your own. Surprise some folks in your world...show patience and love to them. Be a true friend and when it comes time for a rebuke, swallow hard and breathe a sigh of relief that it's coming from one that cares for you and wants to see you be a success. God loves you too much to watch you walk down a destructive road without calling your name and urging you to turn around.

Know Your Enemy

In light of our recent discussions, there's something important I feel like we should focus on for a moment. We've gained some clarity about the types of seasons we go through as Christian believers so now let's go a step further. Does it ever feel like your season will never change? Your situation always the same ole struggle? There's a reason for that.

Genesis 24 tells us the story about a man named Laban, who was the brother of Rebekah. She had been chosen of God to be the wife of Issac, and look at the reaction of her brother. "This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has directed."(Gen.24:50) Well, it sounds good so far. But when they were prepared to leave the next morning, Laban and Rebekah's mom said "Let the girl remain with us ten days or so; then you may go." (24:55) Uh oh..."Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master." (24:56)

Thank God for a servant that knew when it was time to go! Look back at Laban here. He KNOWS there is no need in going against God's ultimate plan for his sister so he agrees this is from the Lord. However...he decides to just stall the process a bit. He is a tool of the enemy. He does not have the authority to stop the plan of God but he tries to persuade God's servant that it will be fine to stay there for a while longer instead of following hard after the things God has spoken. That is such familiar territory. Satan knows if he can get us to get deeper into the struggle of our current season, then he can stall our progress towards our final victory. And guess what else? He will bring reinforcements and very compelling ones.

We must remember these seasons we walk through are meant from the Lord to be a good thing...a stepping stone for us into a higher place. They are not meant to be a place of dwelling. It is not a place for us to settle down in. We have come to this place only for a time of learning/testing and now it is time to move on. Don't allow the enemy to keep you here longer than God intended. Know who your enemy is and be aware of his tactics or he will continue to compel you to stay where God is trying to lead you out. You can overcome him...but not just by the blood of Christ on your life. It takes the word of your testimony as well. YOU tell the enemy he can not detain you. Enough is enough! This season is over. The Master is waiting for you and I to come up higher!

Clarity

In the last few blogs we've talked about struggles and how they make us feel. Its not always our problem with God and why He does some things for us and not other things; I'm finding it has alot to do with my lack of understanding and my limited faith. Last night I visited a church to hear a wonderful minister share the Word and it was right on target for me. I wrote notes as fast as I could and want to include a highlight of Clint Brown's sermon for you. If you find yourself described in any of these scriptures, I pray you gain the clarity, the understanding, and the faith to move forward.

Six Types of People in the Church- (Habakkuk 3:17)

Though the fig tree does not bud...Fig leaves were used as a covering. Many Christians are coming to church week after week feeling like they have no covering. They are walking under the weight of past sins and not experiencing the liberty of Christ's love. Yes there has been sin but if we've been forgiven, then we are assured that Christ's love covers a multitude of sin. We don't have to remain weighed down with guilt, shame, and embarrassment any longer.

and there are no grapes on the vines...Grapes were crushed for wine to use during special ceremonies, especially communion. Too many people in church are feeling hurt and alone. They don't seem to have any understanding from the brothers, no covenant with one another, no one to connect with, to share their heart with. That's a problem for too many people including church leadership. If there is no connection, there is no evangelism, no discipleship, no moving forward.

though the olive crop fails...Olives are used to make anointing oil, which is used to pray for healing. There is a shortage of oil; none being poured on wounds to minister healing to the hurting. Jesus showed his scars first to those that had doubt and uncertainty. He does not want us to hang our heads in shame because of past sins and hurts. It will cause us to miss out on extending the healing oil to someone else that needs it desperately. We can use our experiences to help someone else.

and the fields produce no food...There are also those of us that have planted the right things in the kingdom but instead of getting a great harvest, we received issues in return. We have yet to receive the good we've sown. Oh I'm soo there! Yes we've been spoiled. And by none other than the Lord himself. He loves us so much and blesses us with all kinds of blessings so when He changes the direction of his hands over our lives for a little refining, we overreact and immediately think we've done something wrong.

though there are no sheep in the pen...This person finds that people you thought were trustworthy are not always as trusting as you thought. They've always been there for you! Until now. If you plan to move forward with the Lord, realize you will have to disengage yourself with people that refuse to move higher in God.

and no cattle in the stalls...No excess, no abundance to fall back on. No bail out for this situation. There is no possible way out of this as far as you can see so only God can make it happen. You no longer have any answers.

Vrs 18,19- yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.
Even though you may feel some or all of these ways described above, I hope you choose to rejoice in the Lord. Oh I pray you can bring yourself to do this. You won't regret it! The Lord will use our rejoicing to take us higher...to see over our situations and issues to where He has planned for us in the distance. When all the supports we've depended on go away and we're left to simply trust AND OBEY, that's where we will find the higher places in God. Its not about our situations, its about our understanding and how that understanding affects our faith. You are not a wimp! YOU ARE A WARRIOR!

When There's No One

Are your words falling on deaf ears? Do you seem to be invisible to people around you? No one there to pick up the mantle and run the next part of the course with you? No one seem interested in hearing what you have to say and no intention of following your suggestions?

One encouraging thought is knowing we are not traveling this road alone. Joseph traveled it long before we did and he was victorious. This guy was literally thrown away, left to die...by his own brothers! From being thrown in the cistern, sold into slavery, faced with sexual temptation, a victim of lies, thrown into jail and punished for doing the right thing, ignored and forgotten by those that benefited from his wisdom, and finally to Pharaoh's palace; he endured a lot of pain and frustration for several years before seeing any real substance come from all his efforts. During this time as God patiently worked on Joseph's pride issues, Joseph remained positive to those around him. And it won him great favor with God. In every single situation, God caused him to prosper in one way or another. Even though Joseph had not reached the divine place God had appointed for him, the Lord remained faithful to Joseph and blessed him everywhere he went.

How can we say God's not good to us? How dare we think such a thing! He has blessed us so much, we are spoiled. We think if life is hard in any manner, we have been forsaken. That is not the case. We are being tested. We are being refined for a greater day, an hour of divine appointment we've not yet reached. Sometimes I wonder if I'll EVER get there...feeling like I'm spinning my wheels in the same place. I imagine Joseph felt the same way too, but God wants warriors and warriors need training. SO WHAT if no one wants to listen. Joseph kept talking...he didn't stop advising. His personal integrity made the difference and when God finished chiseling that pride, he had just enough confidence to make the kind of decisions that would help an entire nation survive and prosper. Don't you imagine he had days when he felt like he had no one to lead, yet he knew from his childhood that he was born to do great things, to be a great leader. The dreams of his youth were not some silly fantasy. They were of a spiritual birth and a confirmation that God indeed had plans for this man's life.

For I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.(Jeremiah 29:11) God does have a plan for you. He might be on the last round of chiseling and about to turn you around so quick, all the heartache will become a blur. The hardships made Joseph a better man. I'm in the same boat with you in feeling like enough is enough with all the hardships, but if it leads me to be the person God intended, so be it. With Jesus I can take it, with Him I know I can stand. No matter what may come my way, my life is in your hands.

Personal Prayers

I really desire your prayers. I've been deeply stirred in my spirit about some things I've wanted to do for years and haven't felt the avenues open to do them. I need direction from the Lord. I'm left with the feeling of being close to the end of a pregnancy and not knowing what to expect. No real answers...just anticipation, wonder and uncertainty. Faith walking is hard...not sometimes, always. My flesh fights it with more gusto than I knew I possessed. Its funny how things work with our christian walk. You think you're ready to do something so great for God and it doesn't happen (at least not the way you imagined). So you put those dreams aside, thinking its not meant to be. Then suddenly years later, something happens to awaken those dreams and you realize they haven't gone anywhere. They've just been buried, or maybe not even buried..maybe in a cocoon or womb. And now that they've been awakened, I'm uncertain about the dreams altogether. I wonder if I'm really ready or if I'm just on some unseen trip that leads back to the womb. Oh I hope you understand my dilemma. If not, then you KNOW to pray! If you do understand, you also KNOW to pray!

Summer Days

Wow, I can't believe how fast summer is progressing. Its already time to shop for school clothes and we've not even taken an official vacation as a family. July has been a little of a blur. Its been so much fun with the kids.:) We've gone to the park, Chuck E Cheese, LOTS of pool time, out to the beach, Nana/Papa's farm, Ma's house, church, movies, oh and managed to sleep late most days! Now that's summer!!

While I love doing lots of things and going places, I realize it's still the simple things that make life so enjoyable...like the afternoon the kids played in the rain, the racetrack the boys made in the sand and played with their cars until Michael decided it was time to destroy it with his bike, the restaurant the boys set up in the computer room and the entire family came and ordered food that was really plastic toys but their dad still tipped them with real money, opening the front door to see wonderful magazines sitting there from my sweet neighbor, the fan bought for my husband's bedside that makes napping a divine pleasure, taking down the crib for what is probably the last time until grand kids come along and realizing its okay to feel a little sad and excited at the same time, well, I'll stop there. A couple other things in mind for the summer is taking the boys fishing and to the local arcade/bowling alley. And at some point I'd like to finish digging up that huge plant between two perfectly suited trees in the backyard that would support a wonderful hammock for the Fall...see where I'm going with that? Outside naps! Just no bird poop though.

I do hope your summer is going so good. May you find time to relax and enjoy all things in your life and all the people that make your world such a wonderful place!

Did I miss something?

I guess a little confessing is in order. I've done that quite a bit today with God and I just wish I was done already but there's more to be dealt with I'm sure. My heart is an ugly place alot of times so it makes me nervous when God starts talking to me about it.
And sometimes I'm slow to see clues but this can't be a coincidence. First, I felt to read a portion of scripture in Haggai. It seemed a bit unclear to me, not something I wanted to blog about so I just flipped to Psalms thinking I'd find something more interesting. Turns out the scripture I flipped to was the very same subject matter as Haggai. Well, back to the confessing part.

I've given my life to ministry...felt God calling me a long time ago to forsake other plans I'd dreamed of in order to give myself to the work of the Lord. Alot of the time, its been a great struggle, although its felt like the best decision I'd ever made. As I look back over the past 7 years, so much has taken place in my life, and now it seems my heart has changed toward ministry. I was telling God today how I felt like I was cheating and being unfaithful to Him because I no longer had the same passion, the same zeal to work, nor the patience to weather more struggles within ministry. Struggles outside of ministry seems too much at times but I'm no idiot either. I know life happens and accept that life is full of hard times and good times and we learn to appreciate both. However, for the sake of the call, I've been long-suffering.

To simplify this: I'm tired. I've known it for a long time and have had moments of refreshing that pulled me through, in which I am so grateful to God. He continues to support me even though I want to bow out and exit stage right. Upon my talking with Him about this today, He said this:" Honor me and I will honor you."
(Haggai 2:15-23 and Psalms 132:1-5) I hope you decide to read these scriptures. I can't seem to get the words "Now give careful thought to this, from this day on..." God is eager to bless us. He does not wish for our lives to be hindered by sin and regrets. And He doesn't wait for us to clean up our act before He gives to us incredibly. I love Him so much for being faithful to me even when I've lost step with Him and forgot to turn around to look in His eyes for strength and wisdom.

What Faith Can Do

Dunno if you're a fan or not but the words to this song are undeniably strong and appropriate concerning our faith. Even if you don't listen to the song on the playlist below, I encourage you to take a moment and read the words. I consider them to be from God's heart to ours. I hope you will too.


Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you're stronger, stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It’ll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

Overcome the odds when
You don't have a chance
(That’s what faith can do)
When the world says you can’t
It’ll tell you that you can!

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
That's what faith can do!

Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise
- Lyrics/Music by Kutless

Before the Promise Comes

It never fails, something takes place that reminds me of what I've been promised and encourages me to hang on a little longer. The Holy Spirit is such a sweetheart when He does that!:) There are things I will never fully know or understand until Heaven but there are certain promises we are given that is meant for us to have while on Earth. If this reading hits a spot in your heart and connects with your spirit, then know God is sending a message to you as well as myself. He cares for us! He has NOT forgotten the promise! I see it coming. And its coming in a big way. Help us Holy Spirit not to be prideful upon its reception or haughty once in our grasp. And help us to remain thankful and keep a grateful attitude as we celebrate.
I'm telling you its on the way. IT IS COMING! Look at something with me a moment. Something has to take place before the promise comes...and that is order. God has an order about things and the way He operates. One of the greatest promises ever given by our Lord Jesus was that of the Holy Spirit, yet it did not come until order was set in the disciples. Judas had betrayed Jesus, then went and committed suicide. Notice how Peter stated the importance of his being replaced as an apostle...he knew scripture stated that another must take Judas's place of leadership.(Acts 1:12-26) Peter also knew how important it was for the replacement to come from one that had been with them from the beginning, one full of commitment to Jesus. He knew they needed a strong witness on their team. Oh how encouraging that is! Those who've been waiting and still hold on to a thread of faith, wondering if God's forgotten or changed His mind, I assure you He has not. This promise is for you. God is working an order in our lives. He is preparing us for the promise. We will not receive the same gifts because we all don't share the same desires and dreams. But we will receive. And that's what matters. I want you to be encouraged! Now is not the time to give up. We are almost ready. Be alert and aware of the things happening in your world. Notice God's hands working in your life, making things line up with your being able to receive that promise.
Look what happened when order was set in the early church...The Holy Spirit descended on them, the day of Pentecost! Awesomeness! SUDDENLY a sound from Heaven came and they were all filled and saw tongues of fire resting on each one of them. Oh my! Those men and women were changed forever! And the promises you and I receive will also change us forever and we know it. We know its no small thing. That's why its been in God's hands all this time...we have been trusting Him to make it happen. Honey He is doing the work! And He is telling us to be ready, be alert, have a thankful song in our heart, hold on to what He said to us because it will be manifested, and HE will receive glory through it! I'm not giving up. I don't want you to give up either. There's a promise coming down that dusty road and I refuse to let it pass me by. I've waited too long to miss this.

What, When, and How

I just had the pleasure of attending the Extraordinary Women's Conference here in Pensacola with some close friends. I kept telling myself I should take notes while listening to all these different speakers but I just sat there, resolving to be a sponge and take it all in without the writing. It was fun but boy do I miss those notes I should have taken!! I tried to create a summation of everything I learned during the weekend and hope this recap will bless your heart and renew your mind as you read.

We were asked some important questions regarding this year's theme, "Powerful Peace". What is it really? When does it come? How do we get it? Everybody knows what peace is and we all claim to walk in it. But what about peace that transcends our loneliness, our depression, and those things that slowly vex our hearts without our knowledge? We come to realize its harder to do the devotions, harder to commit to attending regular worship services, harder to pray for anything that doesn't involve us directly. We claim peace but are not experiencing it on a personal level. What then are we to do? First, we learn...

Peace is a fruit of the spirit. It is birthed out of your continual relationship with God the Father. Its like any other fruit planted. It starts with a seed, grows with the right care, and brings us nourishment when fully ripe. And like any seed, it can wither to nothing if ignored. Myself? I need peace for today, tomorrow, and all other days that follow. I need it for all the moments I have throughout a single day, every step, every breath, every word, every smile, every frustration, every doubt. I simply cannot function at full capacity without its nourishment.

When can I depend on it to be there for me? I can tell you this, it won't be there in a ripe state ready to eat if you've ignored its care all week. John 15: 4-10 states it like this: If you've ever needed to remain in anything, its God. You will do nothing with any lasting effect if you do not remain in Him. If you do remain in your relationship with the Father, you have the assurance of the fruit of peace for every moment of your life. I've realized I can't live without it. I'd pull my hair out! Go insane! Bring road rage to a new level without it! I have to have this peace!! How do I get it then? Fight for it honey! With everything in you, hold your head up to the enemy and proclaim your right to its power in your life. You have been given authority over Satan so its time to use it if you want the smile on your face to reach your heart. It doesn't have to be plastered on anymore or a struggle to even get it to form; it will be there from a heart that's renewed and knows with confidence who is in charge. Second, always run to God. Don't put your every hope in people. They can't be your source of peace. They don't have the wisdom God possesses so run to the source that has all you need. He likes you more than they do anyway so run into His loving arms without even thinking twice! Finally, enjoy living in the Father's love. I miss my dad more than I speak of but he never loved me like my Father in heaven. And I never expected him to. That would be asking too much of anyone to fill the shoes of God. God's love is complete. It never lacks anything. You have nothing to lose here; its a win-win situation when you trust and enjoy God's love. Let it kiss you everyday like the warmth of the sunshine on your face after winter has lingered too long. His love will keep you strong and vibrant! There will be no need for botox with a love that filling. :)

Behind The Scenes

Things aren’t always what they seem
You’re only seeing part of me
There’s more than you could ever know
Behind the scenes...
I’m incomplete and I’m undone
But I suppose like everyone
There’s so much more that’s going on
Behind the scenes
-Lyrics,"Paper Heart" Francesca Battistelli

Father,
I ask you to help my blindness. I don't always see beyond the surface so I find that I've made assumptions and judgments that don't line up with your heart and the way you see. I'm not always as sensitive as I dream of being...and I fail to recognize the pain and insecurities of others too many times, therefore asking you often for second chances, opportunities to make things right. I need and ask for Your wisdom and love to flow through my life so I can not just tell folks about You but I can show them Your life through mine. There's soo much more involved with others than I could ever know but I desire to see beyond the surface, into the heart where You make all the difference, where things really matter. I am reminded that in Your life, I see light and it will embrace those who enter...Thank you so much for loving me! In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Life

When life brings us the roller coaster of emotions that its so famous for and its too hard to see past the most difficult days, let's all try to remember words like these and know there is hope.

Life Begins

Putrid smells of burning Earth
assault me as I wander,
as rotting flesh and wicked mirth
invade the thoughts I ponder.

Blackened dirt and blackened sky,
smothered by death's embrace,
bring out every rat and fly,
swarming at a devilish pace.

Stars look crimson in the light
from the river of flowing blood-
but in the horror of the night,
I stumble upon a bud.

A single growing shoot of green,
after years of barren land.
Is this real, what I have seen
and cradled in my hand?

I see it, touch it, and smell its leaves
to determine if its true-
that every dawn the dark recedes,
and life begins...anew.

written by: Amber Fortune

Feeling the BURN!

In recent conversation with a minister friend, we were discussing the effects of burn out in ministry. Boy did I have alot to say about that subject! Been there, done that doesn't even wipe the surface. I think all of the ministers I've known personally, including minister wives, have experienced this awful feeling. We make ourselves work through it, muster a smile for everybody, while our hearts scream within us to take a break already...and we do this all for the sake of the call, right? Wrong! We tell ourselves we are doing it for the sake of the call but most times I've found that I continued on because of a sense of duty to others, guilt for dropping responsibilities (which if truth be known, too many on my plate to begin with), thoughts of things falling apart in my absence (yeah, self righteous or what!). When will we ever learn to say a simple "No, I'm not available for that" or how about a "Not interested"?

Its like the minister's wife is expected to carry any position of the church that someone else won't fill...not so my friend. That is not her purpose. She has been called first to be a help to her husband, whether that's through prayer support or other support she can give. This woman of God has been gifted to be a blessing to the congregation and she simply cannot do that if she is pulled here and there, pushed into duties she shouldn't be doing, or trying to prove she's some superwoman to the skeptics. If she does this for very long, the burn out will be inevitable. It might take years for it to appear but once it does surface, watch out folks! A word of advice to all that love this wonderful person...please allow them the freedom of saying no without the guilt games, manipulation tactics, and pity stories. A word of advice to the lovely soul that really needs a break and won't take it...pack your bags honey, get in the car without a second look around (unless of course you forgot to pack underwear), and head out of town! Maybe, just maybe, some things will resolve themselves in your absence and if they don't, believe me you will hear the same ole song when you return...so TAKE A BREAK!

The spiritual burn out you feel is for a reason. It is your warning sign that you are being affected or should I say infected. Its time to change things so you can remain effective! If you have found yourself feeling the things you once loved and enjoyed are now mere chores, then your diagnosis is pretty simple. Or if you're saying, wait a minute, I just took a break...well, obviously your break wasn't quite long enough my friend. Sometimes we need a sabbatical and its okay to take one. We haven't failed God or gone back on our commitment to His call on our lives. He knows we need rest and He tells us as our Shepherd that He will lead us beside quiet waters and make us lie down in green pastures; a place of rest and peace where we can rejuvenate, re-evaluate, renew, and be restored to health and vitality for His service. Its important for you to be a part of God's Army but He won't be able to count on you to command and reinforce if you are unhealthy and in need when its time to fight. You're not putting the armor in the trash; you're handing it to the armor bearer for a time of intimacy with your Father.

Love Creation

David, my 4 yr old, burst into my room with his arms and hands outstretched in front of him just slightly apart and carrying the biggest smile on his face. He immediately told me he had a special helmet for me to wear today so I bent down to let him put it on me. Of course it was invisible so I asked him the color...He said "oh mom"(as if almost annoyed)"its all your favorite colors". Then he brought in the knee pads, elbow pads (all imaginary) so I pretended to put them on. After getting on the "skates" he asked what my favorite animal was. I told him and he said, "well, their picture is now on all of your stuff". He walked over for a high five seeing I was all ready for his special event and said "I have 6 sets of these for the whole family!" He was so excited. So we skated for a few minutes right there in my room until he bounded out the door for a different adventure. But his words left such an impression on my heart. They were so full of faith even though he was playing. What was invisible to me was visible to him, and what I needed to see was sharing his moment of fun allowed me insight into how God views our faith declarations. He came in declaring everything I would need to enjoy our skating adventure, but with extras included...all my favorite colors and my favorite animal. My little David was trying to think of everything that would ensure my happiness. Oh what a lesson of love from the Lord! As He has reminded me so much this month, we are a love creation, born to create. God is so in love with us and He takes great steps to ensure we are not only taken care of, but we are lavished with special blessings. Look how a simple prayer gave Hezekiah 15 more years of life. Why can't we create things from our faith declarations...Jesus did. And He says we can do greater works than He.

We CAN speak those things that are not yet visible as though they are. And we CAN believe those things will simply become because of that spoken faith. It is power, dunamis, supernatural ability given from the Lord to us his children. I've seen it happen for the lady that wanted to have a son but with no possible way of bearing children in her own body. But it happened anyway when she declared her faith. Its too real of a thing not to believe it. So many of us want to believe but we think how silly of us to hold onto something so pre-school. Come on, don't you want to see if it will work, really work in your life? Why not put the "skates" on and add some rocket packs too? I could deal with a little flying above the mire! There are too many promises in God's Word for me to be encouraged rather than dismayed. I want to see some things become....no I declare those things to become, to create in Jesus name!

You see figs? Say what??

"Figs," I answered. "The good ones are very good, but the poor ones are so bad they cannot be eaten." I do hope you decide to read this little chapter in Jeremiah later. It is totally awesome in every kind of way that I can see. I am so prone to second guessing myself when things are chaotic and I feel like I've disappointed the Lord. It hurts me so much to think I've hurt Him. But this scripture is an eye popper when it comes to making judgments on how we've perceived our current situation or another person's situation. Oh my! Don't we always want to think the worst of someone that seemingly is being punished from a higher power? We wonder what they could have possibly done when we don't know the real facts. But in looking at things from a different view, maybe we can begin to see the greater plan of God in our lives when things are out of order. This is what the Lord says: "Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians...I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know me...for they will return to me with all their heart." (taken from Jeremiah 24)

Did you get that? God stated in black and white for all to see that He, THE most holy one alive, regarded the folks He sent to captivity as good. Not the ones He allowed to stay in freedom and in their own homes. Yeah, I had to take another look at that one too. I thought why would He do that? Why not take the bad away and allow the good to stay in freedom and enjoy the lives they had established? But see our freedoms as we know and enjoy might not be 'all that' after all. We could be living a false freedom, behind our false walls of security and our false sense of pleasure. These people taken away were not sinless by any stretch but they were the good guys. They were the ones whose hearts were pliable and responsive to God's call. The bad figs/folks were doomed to destruction regardless of their location. And the Lord went on to tell of their fate in the rest of the chapter.

So to sum it up, the ups and downs we face may not be as they seem. The downs might be that captivity that saves us in the end. Lets hope God doesn't leave us to ourselves to wander around in all our falsehoods until we completely waste away. If God sees that I need to be taken from my comforts and placed in unfamiliar territory...if He sees that it will ultimately lead to restored relationship with Him, then captive I must go. May I not assume life is blessed when all is well and cursed when all is not. My troubles are my blessing when they lead me to Christ and make me stronger. And prosperity is my curse if it pulls me away from Christ. I want to grow strong from troubles and adversities and use the prosperous seasons for His glory and the benefit of His kingdom. Man I hope I don't dream bout figs tonight.:)