Silence

     Sometimes silence is birthed through discontentment. Shutting things down because what you see around you isn't what you want to carry with you. If you're not careful, it becomes like a shadow or a carefully placed residue on you.

    Have you ever had that happen? Spent time with someone who was in a horrid mood and when you departed from their presence, you felt amiss— to say the least? I don't want that in my life right now and I certainly don't need it either. I'm on a mission. And this mission will not be hindered or stopped.

    I've been taking an extended break, for the most part from social media. I'm still on Instagram and Pinterest because those places aren't overcome with disparity and wickedness. The fun has, in my eyes, for the most part been removed from other social media outlets. I'm not sad about my recent removal, It's been quite enlightening. I knew God was going to have a plan for this period of time and He most certainly has been faithful— as expected.

    Everyday is nothing short of miraculous, if you're looking for it. We woke up again today. We have another chance. Isn't that enough?

    I think of the movie Gladiator, where Maximus slays in the coliseum and yells to the crowd, "Are you not entertained?" Because they weren't. They were borderline bored. That's us, as a people. What entertains us? We seek to be entertained at every moment of the day. This mentality, has been a part of my mission, the un-doing of being a typical American and stepping into my rightful lineage of mighty woman of God. I feel it necessary to mention here that the only reason why it is my rightful lineage is because Jesus Christ died for me and became my Savior. He took the punishment for my sins and misgivings. And in turn, I'm set on yielding myself to His working within me. I will not stop. I will not be distracted by the things of the world because boy, they are dead set on keeping me from running this race!

     "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:24

    When God points out your next move, run! Run like you've never ran before. Don't stop for anything. Don't turn your face to the right or to the left, just keep on running. When you're on a mission, don't stop. The enemy will try and distract you if he hasn't already succeeded at stopping you. He's a savage, he doesn't care one bit about us. He has all the allure of a dead and rotting corpse. But don't cash in for his plan, which may sound nice or sounds like it will be a short cut to where you need to go. But you will not have completed your mission as God had originally set you forth to do.

    This world has a plethora of distractions. They come in the form of games; TV shows, apps, perceived needs, goals set forth by worldly wisdom. But what are we really achieving to unless it is for the furtherance of the Kingdom? Whatever we do that isn't in line with God's will for our lives will be cast into the fire. (Matt 7:19, Matt 3:10, John 15:6)

    So, what is it that I'm supposed to be doing with my time then? I'm coming to find it's a lot less complicated than I thought... This has been an interesting journey I've been on and it seems as though it's just beginning, really.

   "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself." Luke 10:27

   "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give." Matthew 10:8

    This is what normal should look like. This is what it is supposed to look like. This is what I strive to attain. This was the great commission, it was meant for you and I too. We may not have been standing there that day hearing it but it's just as valid today as it was then. Because: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8

    Nothing has changed, only our perception. If we regard the Bible as truth then this is our life. This is what we strive toward. This is God's will, bringing the Kingdom to earth— "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10 
     Because that's what Jesus did while He was here. If you're a Christian- a follower of Christ then this is what you do.

    Now that I've discovered that this really is supposed to be my reality too, I won't stop until it is. I don't stand condemned, nor should you. I feel a fire rising up within me to seek God more than ever and grow closer in communion and in friendship with Him than ever. He knows I'm a stubborn woman and He also knows He can use that to His glory and I am more than happy to lend myself to Him. I am more than happy to live for Him. Because He has made eternity possible for me. He has blessed me beyond measure. He has loved me more in one moment than anyone can manage in a lifetime. He is my heavenly Father.

    I hope this has encouraged you today. It has encouraged me in my seeking and my perceived silence in the virtual world of the internet. But I have been far from silent, I've been pressing in and asking questions that only my Father has answers to.

    My request today; let us stop wasting time screwing around with time wasters and momentary distractions and start doing things that move the heart of the Father. Let us live from a Kingdom minded standpoint. Let us love the way He loves and do as He does. Jesus did what He saw the Father doing and this too, was our directive because we follow after Him.

   Be blessed today friends, bless others.

Unoffended

     With the political agenda's in full swing and the devil handily at work these days, it seems as though, everyone is easily offended. Watch the news or read the paper to see in full view the various marches taking place for "rights" that are already obtained or not even being threatened. It's been astonishing to watch the actions being taken that have led to destruction that could have other wise been avoided. And all the while, being so easily offended, no one has taken thought to the One who is likely the most offended, God.

    We take up offense more quickly than we consider and weight our reaction. Which, reaction isn't the thing that is needed right now, it's just God. We need more of God in this state we're in, we need a restoration of faith. We've been so fooled to think that our marches and protests will gain for us the thing that we think we want or deserve, clouding out our true need of God. God has been mistakenly tossed out of establishments and homes as being archaic and extreme. But tell me, if everyone lived as God calls us to, would we have the troubles we are seeing in the world today? Would there be murder? Would there be abuse? Would there be rivalry?

    "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear them from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

    Taking into account that God is real and that He does exist, what right do we have to take offense? Who do you think you are that you think you have the right to be so angry and boil over and act so poorly to others? Is it not our call to be loving to one another? Is it not in our best interest to treat others as better than ourselves? Is it not our declaration to speak only what will lift others up, rather than bring them down— because you "feel" offended...? It is not our right to be offended and display such terrible behavior because our "feelings" were hurt. Do you know what feeling are? They're temporary. That's all. I don't feel the same about things and people as I did 6 months ago. Feelings, much like today's sunrise and sunset, come and go.

    Being so easily offended is exalting ourselves above all else. Including God. Does that sting hearing that? It should. And if it does, we've struck a chord and that's good... Now we must get to work on being un-offendable.

    It isn't our job to bring to fruition the things of God in others, the things and virtues He plants within each of us. He is the one to make it grow, He is the gardener.

     "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in my that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful...... I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." John 15:1-2, 5-8

    We have two answers here, One; the Father is the gardener. Two; we are the branches that are to remain in Christ. Apart from Him we can do nothing. We're capable of living lives without Christ but it isn't of any eternal value.
 
    If we are to walk like Jesus every single day and keep our eyes fixed on Him, will we be offended? Will anything unkindly that anyone say or does even matter? You may have that one person at work that rubs you the wrong way. You may have that one person that has an answer for everything that is constantly interrupting you and others. You may have a spouse that storms about the house in a ridiculous display of childish behavior. Or an in-law that gets under your skin. Whatever the case may be, the answer is Jesus.

    Oh, I'm not sitting here telling you it's easy. It's takes an awful lot of yielding and restraint on our part but eventually it will be a success. It's hard not to pipe off at the mouth sometimes, I know. The humbling part about it... It's not our job to tell someone else that they're behaving poorly. I know, I know, but we want to. Somewhere within us, we want to tell them all the things they're said and done wrong but honestly, chances are, they won't listen anyhow.

     If I concern myself with only my walk with Christ (which should be my only end) then I am enabled to pay no mind nor take any offense to what others say and do. In the meantime, in regard to others, we can pray for them.

     "Father God, please tell this guy how much of a jerk he is and get him fired so no one has to deal with him anymore, he really makes my day and life miserable........" No, no, no... tempting but, no.

    Our obedience and change of heart lies within the recognition of grace bestowed upon us. The moment you realized how good God has been to you in spite of your behavior, you experienced His grace. It caused you to understand at least one small facet of His love for you, which is overwhelmingly endless. Pray for others? Pray that they would come to understand God's love for them, that He would lavish that love upon them in a tangible and unmistakable way. As for you dear reader, your involvement, continue to love them as Christ does. It isn't difficult if Jesus is doing it through us, it's a matter of us getting over ourselves, forgiving the offense and continuing to push forward in a loving and Christ like manner. Humility here is the key...

   I write these things not because I have already mastered them myself, it is because it is something God is working in me to accomplish as well. My walk with Jesus is a marathon not a sprint and I'm learning something new every single day. I am often reminded to keep my mouth shut so that I can yield to Him. I am reminded:

    "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

     "But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgement for every empty word that have spoken." Matthew 12:36

    Ask the Holy Spirit to work into you wholesome speech and to only speak things that will lift others up. We as a people need to get over ourselves and our feelings and get back to what is most important and that is God. Paying attention only to our walk with God and not what others are doing or how they've offended us. God is the only One who can change a person and in their own time, not on our time line. It can be discouraging and frustrating to be subject to poor behavior, especially from someone close to you. I know it hurts. But this is the call to pray that much harder and more fervently for them and for your situation. It's also a call to press into God even more. He is the only One who can accomplish anything in this life.

   Much love and blessings to you all.

Waiting..........

   

  Waiting... When I think of waiting I picture myself in a line that isn't moving. My legs are getting tired; I'm getting restless, I'm hungry and I'm beginning to lose my patience. I'm ready to turn around and walk out the door and come back another time. But you know what, we wait— all the time in our lives. We're standing still while our lives are passing us by. And you know what else, God called us to a life filled with action, not a life filled with impatient passivity. Watching the days pass by, as we wait for something that we really want.

    For anyone who knows me, you know that I struggle with winter's, a lot. It isn't just the snow or the cold, it wreaks havoc on my body. I'm in a great deal of pain, every single day. It's tempting for me to just muddle through the winter months that pass, holding onto the hope of spring- with no care of the time in between. I've done it before and I've found that I missed out on my life. There was an entire block of time I wasn't actually present in, I wasn't engaged, I was too busy waiting.

   Waiting can keep you busy, even as some part of you is standing still- you're still busy. You're fixated on your chosen focal point and not paying much mind to what is going on around you. The days blur and run one right into the next. You wake up and do things and you go to bed, unfulfilled, waiting for the next day to come because hopefully, it will be better. I think it's easy to get into this frame of mind when you do suffer from chronic pain, whether it be physical or emotional. We're always holding out hope in the mean time.

   I came to the realization that while waiting for the better days to come, I wasn't living my life. I was accomplishing tasks but not living. I was getting the things I needed to get done for the day but not actually living my life. It wasn't fulfilling. It wasn't satisfying. It wasn't godly.

    "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God' love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5:1-5

    "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:24

    "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." Philippians 3:12

    We can't run this race, standing still... Life is a race. The life we have been called to, is a race. There is an element of peace and rest that is always available to us through Christ Jesus our Lord, it can only be accomplished through Him. But the life we are called to isn't accomplished through our indignant complacency. When we're impatiently waiting for "the next best thing" we are essentially saying— I don't care about all this other stuff, I just want to get to the thing I have my eyes on. And that my friends, isn't living.

    God is in the small stuff. He's in the ordinary stuff. He's in the everyday stuff and we'll be remiss to see Him if we're focusing on something far off in the future. I know there are souls out there who feel as though God doesn't speak to them but my question is, are you listening or are you somewhere else?

   Pain sucks, we want to escape it. Uncomfortable situations are miserable. Heart break is awful. Winter (for me) is absolute misery. Dealing with difficult circumstances really begins to wear on you. I get it. I truly do. But as another birthday comes and goes and you look in the mirror and see that you've more wrinkles or see a new gray hair, realize that your life is passing by as you wait. Stop waiting! Your life is right now! It is here, in this place, doing the things you're doing, with the people you're with. Don't go to bed with the to-do list checked off anymore, live through it. Don't merely survive the days, live through them. As difficult as some days may be but be encouraged that the Lord is always with you. He truly is. We can't see Him if we're looking forward to a day somewhere off in the future because He is here now.

    "This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

     Live your life now, stop waiting. Even if this life that you currently have isn't what you wanted, there is always a hope for the future. But to take hold of that future life, we must persevere through the life at hand, and do it with a joy filled heart. God is in today, He is all around us— just look for Him. We can't afford to take up a position of standing still within the recesses of our hearts when we're called to a race. Envision the finish line but enjoy and participate in the race as you travel along, it will be well worth the journey, to one day arrive before the Father and hear- "Well done, good and faithful servant." Oh those words are enough, to know I made my Father proud, living my life in full capacity. He is the only one I want to please, He is the only one whose opinion matters.

    Be blessed today friends.