TAKE THE PLUNGE

Have you ever felt like there is something more in life you need to do? Have you ever questioned your Divine Calling to the point you were willing to take the plunge into uncharted waters to find your purpose? If that sounds like you stay with me.

Statistics say many people view taking a risk as being dangerous or unwise. I agree. When I began this writing journey I walked straight into the unknown. I thought God was calling me to write even after numerous rejection slips. Something deep inside of me keeps saying..."Don't give up." Could it be the voice of Destiny?

T.D. Jakes, one of the nations top evangelists and best selling author says,"God has invested a great deal in you, and for all the Creator has put in you, there is only one thing He wants to know: "What will you do with what I gave you?" The bible tells us we are all given a gift by our Heavenly Father. The gift is given , not for us to hide, but for us to use to encourage and build each other up in faith.  Leo Buscaglia, the late motivational speaker explained it this way. "Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God."

 I'm at the place where I have to make a decision. What will I allow to define my life... my fears or my dreams. Maybe you're at the same place. We are never too young or too old to start realizing our potential. Contentment comes when we are cultivating and using the gifts God gives us. Our talents, dreams and desires are placed inside of us by our Creator. Like a seed waiting to burst forth we have a unique purpose in God's ultimate plan. I believe God wants us to cross the lines and limits of our excuses and live a fearless life. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." Hebrews 11:6

The first step I took to garnish some nerve was to re-frame risk in my mind as an opportunity to succeed and grow. A best seller is not just going to fall into my lap. Instead of assuming the worst I began to view risk as an adventure. When I challenge myself I'm pushed into leaving the safe and mundane experiences behind to pursue my destiny.

I decided to make fear work for me, like stepping stones toward my goals. No one ever realized their potential by sitting back and playing it safe. I might not ever see my name on the best sellers list but that is not as important to me as knowing I used the gift God gave me to the best of my ability.

Take the plunge with me. Allow God to lead us into our destiny.

SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY

Recently I found myself in a precarious situation. I'm not the type of woman that allows herself to get comfortable on temptations shore, but that was exactly where I found myself.

Beached. Marooned. Stranded. And liking it.
How did I end up on this particular island you may wonder. Let me explain.

I was cruising along in life following God when all of a sudden I found myself beached. At first my arrival on shore was pleasantly satisfying. I enjoyed procrastinating by telling myself I would eventually get to the task God assigned for me. But as time slipped by (about a year and a half) the refreshing beach began to get hot and uncomfortable. My mental paradise became a dry and thirsty wilderness.

I knew I was way off course. A believer can be marooned by any number of things.. For me it was an invisible villain, disobedience.  Over the past year I had cut many corners in my relationship with God. Don't get me wrong. I was doing all the right things like going to church, serving, giving and tithing. I didn't lie, steal, covet or kill but the one thing I believed God was asking of me I made daily excuses as to why I could not obey. It boiled down to whether I trusted God enough to move forward with my writing or forever sleep with the enemy.

 Fear of rejection and failure to produce worthwhile articles became constant friends. They fueled my thoughts with all the reasons why I should stay and rest awhile on this deserted shore. You're not good enough. You're to old. You're not educated...bla, bla. It felt so much easier to get cozy with my fear. Over time we became casual friends and were completely comfortable together.

I knew I had a problem but I kept hoping a big Cruise Ship would come along and rescue me. Finally, when I couldn't stand the ache in my heart to get back on course I cried out to God. My soul thirsts for you; my flesh longs for you. In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1) More than the temporary comfort my excuses gave me I hated the distance this subtle sin created between me and my God.

While I slept, disobedience became its own type of prison. The longer I procrastinated the greater my insecurities surfaced. I had a choice. I could sit back and wait for the enemy, Satan, to pick my bones like the buzzard he is or I could conquer my fears and resume my journey into the good things God has for me.

I knew my escape wouldn't be easy. The desert is symbolic of of all the obstacles and hardships that stand between people and their dreams. I would have to "do it afraid." I started with small steps like writing a bio and submitting a short story. My submission was accepted right away! I was thrilled but sorry that for such a long time I let Stinkin Thinkin keep me from God's best.

I learned a lot on that secluded island. For one thing I found that God never leaves us stranded, even when our own choices put us in bad situations. He loves us enough to gently lead us back to himself. Many of the great leaders of faith like Moses hid for a while in the desert. He was promoted by God when he finally came out of his desert hideaway and followed the Lord's leading. He did it afraid.

Maybe God wants to promote you. Maybe he is just waiting for you to take the first step out of the wilderness and toward freedom. Don't wait till you find yourself sleeping with the enemy. Grab your canteen of living water and move to higher ground.

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19 ESV)












 

BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO WALKS WITH A LIMP

When we read the Bible there are some passages that are hard to digest. That was how I felt when I read the story of Jacob and his encounter with a Man who challenged him to a wrestling match.

We are told this Man (God) wrestled with Jacob till daybreak. When the Man saw that he couldn't get the best of Jacob as they wrestled He deliberately threw his hip out of joint. The Man said, "let me go it's daybreak." Jacob said "No! Not until you bless me." Genesis 32:24-26

 God cares so much about the condition of the human heart that He will challenge our choices when necessary. Jacob lived life on his own terms, rarely stopping long enough to check in with God. He lied, cheated, and manipulated his way through life until God intervened. During the course of the struggle, Jacob confessed his failures, his weakness, his sins and faced God. No more lies.

"What is your name?" The Man asked. (V27) The patriarch replied, "Jacob."  His name meant trickster or supplanter but God used this encounter to change Jacob's name.  God said to Jacob "Your name will no longer be Jacob but Israel." (v28)

For some of us, our bad decisions will take us to a place where God will meet us for an unexpected wrestling match. God wants our devotion. He wants to see changed men and women living with purpose. He is patient with us, but he also disciplines those he loves.

Jacob was determined to allow God to change his life. He was no different than you or me. He wrestled with God and obtained the blessing he so desperately wanted. He emerged with a new name, a cleansed heart and "spiritually speaking" a limp, to remind him of his victory.

We would all do well to wrestle with God. Blessed is the man who walks with a limp.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

2018 PEACE vs fear

No matter how optimistic we may be about 2018, there is always that fear of "What If" lurking in the back of our minds. We can't deny the reality of unprecedented violence erupting on our streets, increased hatred toward anyone who does not share our personal point of view and growing political unrest and tyranny all over the world.

How can we possible stay calm in the face of so much trouble?

On the night before Jesus was crucified he gave us a gift. "Peace I leave to you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives peace."

Let's be honest. What a strange thing for him to say on the eve of his death. Unless of course there is something more to this peace he gives.

We define peace differently than He intended. We think peace should be the absence of trouble. We like to see our problems tied up in nice little bows so we can FEEL comfortable. We think peace should be passive, polite and settled.

That idea is not even close to our Saviors gift to us. His peace is aggressive and fearless. John 16:33 states "I tell you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." We can't be victimized by events because we know God is with us. His peace enables us to be calm in the most wildly fearful circumstances. The peace Jesus gives is Supernatural Peace and doesn't make sense to our human mind because it's the peace that passes understanding.

So how do we get some of this good stuff? 

Simply put, we need to start trusting God with every detail of our lives and commit the outcome to Him. Trust and peace go hand in hand. He said..."Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." He doesn't promise us a trouble free life but he does promise to walk through life with us. "I will never leave you or forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

It takes practice to trust God and allow Him to fill us with faith. He is patient with us and will guide us as we let go of fear and embrace peace. Instead of worrying about the "What If's" in life let Jesus' gift give you tranquility in danger, composure in trouble and freedom from fear and anxiety.

Whatever may come in 2018 we will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:2

APPROVED AND ACCEPTED

We are all created to be winners in life. We are born with a need for love, acceptance and a sense of purpose. Yet it doesn't take long before we  experience a 'Goose Egg', a zero on our personal scoreboard. We learn quickly that the approval we seek is based on our performance and that idea spills over into our relationships and every area of our lives.

If we score high we get the job, the promotion, the marriage proposal etc. In this fast paced unforgiving world our self worth depends on our ability to stay on top. We are judged on our accomplishments and when they fail to measure up we lose favor in the worlds eyes and in our own estimation.

Babe Ruth was once baseball's home run king. But did you know he was also the all -time strikeout champion? He struck out almost twice as often as he hit home runs. I guess that means he was booed twice as often as he was applauded. If he let all those discouraging thoughts fill his mind he would have thrown down his bat in defeat. Instead he kept on swinging. Just like sports fans, we tend to cheer ourselves on when we are doing well, but how quickly we criticize ourselves when we fall into a slump.

If you are feeling discouraged today let me give you some great news! You can make a comeback. All you need is the proper encouragement from the right source. From my own experience I can tell you that Jesus never rejects us, no matter how many times we strike out. He actually cheers us on and encourages us to keep swinging.  Our success is His ultimate desire and he is infinitely patient with us. He told us in the Bible  His love for us is unconditional. That means there are no strings attached. Our good or bad performance has nothing to do with His acceptance and approval of us.

God provided the total acceptance we crave because we believe in Jesus. We don't deserve it, we can't earn it, and we can't mess it up! All we need to do is accept it by faith. Your circumstances and your feelings might doubt what the Bible tells you so you have to make a choice.

Will you continue to listen to negative voices of failure and rejection or will you believe God has great things planned for your life because He loves, accepts, and approves of you unconditionally. 

You don't need to hit a home run everyday to be accepted by God. He approves of you just as you are...imperfections and all. Trust Him. His love for you is unchanging, unconditional, and eternal.

Scripture verses:
Romans 5:8  But God shows His love for us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Ephesians 2:8  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God.

Jeremiah 29:11  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you."

What does unconditional love mean?   It's when someone loves us without expecting anything in return.

TRUE GRIT

Remember how exciting it was at the beginning of the new year when you were faced with a fresh beginning! You probably made a list of goals and dreams you wanted to accomplish and exploded out of the gate full of optimistic plans and a heart bursting with anticipation. I believe God gives each one of us these longing to provide purpose and direction for our lives.Yet with the mid year mile marker in our sights, we might begin to focus on how hard and long the road to success is and let our enthusiasm fizzle.

If this sounds like you...CONGRATULATIONS!! YOU'VE MADE IT TO THE CROSSROADS OF YOUR JOURNEY. The middle of every project is where we begin to feel the stress and strain of our progress meet opposition of many kinds. Even the strongest athletes are not safe as the race turns tough and the finish line is still far off. This is NOT the time to quit!

 It's time to regroup. The worst thing you can do is beat yourself up for being human. Lift up your head for a moment and BELIEVE if God planted these goals, visions, and desires in your heart He will help you reach your Summit. "My God will meet all my needs according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

Now it's time for you to make a decision. Will you let another year come and go without giving it your best shot? Or will you get up and resume the climb to the finish line. Dig deep within your psyche and you will find that gritty person you were created to be. Fuel your passion and take small steps forward despite issues, problems, setbacks and failures. Do whatever you need to do to keep a fresh vision of your goals. No matter how far behind you have fallen...be positive. Cling to the path you are traveling with everything you've got. You're not alone. Stay focused on God's strength, not your weakness. Nothing is impossible with God.

I'll see you at the finish line!

FREEDOM FROM TOXIC OVERLOAD

In about 340 BC, Hippocrates said,
" Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."

Seems the "Father of Medicine" was spot on. Within the last 15 years there has been a shift toward nutritional research. Academic clinicians now believe food is the original medicine. Dr. Brenda Rea from the Loma Linda University says, "What people eat can be medicine or poison. As a physician, I now realize nutrition is one of the most powerful lifestyle changes you can make to reverse the effects of chronic disease." There is also growing evidence that regular detox/cleanse regiments help us rid our body of toxic residue that builds up over time in our vital organs. These toxins, due in large part to an increasingly toxic world, are poisoning our bodies, causing disease, and in extreme cases premature death. The good news... doing a cleanse is like hitting a reset button for your body. Detox drinks can be whipped up in your kitchen without a doctors prescription, and without laying out big bucks. A little bit of prevention goes a long way to boost energy, cleans the liver, aid weight loss, reduce inflammation and promote healing.

But why stop here when you can experience a cleanse at a deeper level, with eternal results? The Great Physician, Jesus Christ, explained over 2,500 years ago, the secret of inner peace and spiritual  healing. The word of God tells us to get rid of malice, envy, deceit, and slander of every kind. Science has proven that when we hold onto anger, hatred, bitterness, and unforgiveness we poison our minds, and the devastating results eventually take a toll on our overall health. Our merciful God gave us the recipe to detox our mind, body and spirit. All we need is a quiet place to sit, one on one with our creator, and let it all out. "If we confess our sins , he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."( 1 John 1:9 NIV)  If we release these toxic emotions to God, the purifying waters of his mercy will free us to experience His forgiveness, love and healing. Confession is the medicine placed in our fragile hands to help us attain peace, joy and health.