" Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9
Remember back in January when you made yourself a promise to do or become better in a specific way?
What happened?
Did you start out strong--determined that this time wouldn't be like all the others when you petered out?
Maybe you did go farther this time than others, but you still ended up losing sight of your goal. You didn't intend it to happen; you got busy, sidetracked, discouraged, or just lazy.
Whatever the reason, you still have time to make it! You still have six more months in this year to reach your goal. A time will come when it's too late to try again, but that day is not today.
Jesus spoke a parable of two sons who were told to do something (Matthew 21:28-31). One said he would, but didn't. The other said he wouldn't but changed his mind and did it. Then Jesus asked which one obeyed.
Your goal may not be a matter of obedience or disobedience, but the same principle applies: a late start has more horsepower than the shiniest good intention any day.
Who's to say you won't work better under the pressure of a late start? If God granted Samson his heart's desire on his last day alive, why would He not give you strength to start again mid-year?
No more moping about time lost. Start hoping and trying and doing.
How to Get Going Again
• Write down your realistic goal. Post it where you will see it everyday.
•Next, write specific steps for how you will get to the finish line. Steps create dots to connect so you know where you are in the process and what to do next.
•Then tell a friend who will cheer you on.
•Finally, ask The Lord, your biggest Cheerleader, to give you strength to accomplish the goal for His glory.
I'll share my reheated goal in the comments on this page. Feel free to join me by sharing yours!
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Thursday, June 19, 2014
How to Suffer
"Have this attitude in yourselves which also was in Christ Jesus...." (Philippians 2:5)
No one said it would be easy, but you're finding it harder than you expected "not easy" to be. Maybe you've been on this hard road a long time, and you're tired. Change seems to be so far up ahead you can't see it. You're not even sure it's there. Giving in is looking better than pressing on.
Maybe you just entered this hard road, and your tender feet are bleeding at every rock in the road. The short time you've been here feels like forever; your mind blacks out at the thought of going any farther.
You don't want to give up, but you don't want to keep struggling either. What other alternative is there?
Take encouragement from Coach Jesus. He knows about suffering.
While on the cross, His eyes looked beyond His present pain. He focused on the joy up ahead. (Hebrews 12:2). He remembered that pain doesn't last forever; it is a hallway with a door at the end. Better days are coming if you persevere, Dear Sister. God has a purpose for your pain. Giving up only produces regret. What's worse, you miss out on what God planned.
While Jesus suffered, His mind was on somebody other than Himself (Luke 23:34; John 19:26). Like a spoiled child pitching a fit, pain gets louder when you give all your attention to it. Find somebody to love on. Listen to them and look for ways to encourage them. Loving others is a wonderful pain reliever.
Finally, Jesus kept the lines of communication open while He suffered (Mark 15:34). Don't shut down just because you are hurting and don't understand why. Tell Him how you feel, cry on His shoulder, ask for His help daily. His mercies are new every morning so be there everyday to receive them. His faithfulness is great, so keep your heart open wide so He can load you up.
Yes, life is hard. There's no getting around it, but you can get through it.
Determine to suffer well the way Jesus did.
Follow His example, and don't give up!
No one said it would be easy, but you're finding it harder than you expected "not easy" to be. Maybe you've been on this hard road a long time, and you're tired. Change seems to be so far up ahead you can't see it. You're not even sure it's there. Giving in is looking better than pressing on.
Maybe you just entered this hard road, and your tender feet are bleeding at every rock in the road. The short time you've been here feels like forever; your mind blacks out at the thought of going any farther.
You don't want to give up, but you don't want to keep struggling either. What other alternative is there?
Take encouragement from Coach Jesus. He knows about suffering.
While on the cross, His eyes looked beyond His present pain. He focused on the joy up ahead. (Hebrews 12:2). He remembered that pain doesn't last forever; it is a hallway with a door at the end. Better days are coming if you persevere, Dear Sister. God has a purpose for your pain. Giving up only produces regret. What's worse, you miss out on what God planned.
While Jesus suffered, His mind was on somebody other than Himself (Luke 23:34; John 19:26). Like a spoiled child pitching a fit, pain gets louder when you give all your attention to it. Find somebody to love on. Listen to them and look for ways to encourage them. Loving others is a wonderful pain reliever.
Finally, Jesus kept the lines of communication open while He suffered (Mark 15:34). Don't shut down just because you are hurting and don't understand why. Tell Him how you feel, cry on His shoulder, ask for His help daily. His mercies are new every morning so be there everyday to receive them. His faithfulness is great, so keep your heart open wide so He can load you up.
Yes, life is hard. There's no getting around it, but you can get through it.
Determine to suffer well the way Jesus did.
Follow His example, and don't give up!
Friday, May 30, 2014
When The Future Is Scary
"I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!" Psalm 139:7,(NLT)
God has graced you with many blessings but the ability to see the future from His window is not one of them.
He describes in His Word the future consequences attached to today's decisions, but much of the not-yet life waits in the shadows of His sovereignty, and that can be scary.
You tend to feel more confident if you know what's coming. You like to be prepared because it makes you feel more in control, but perhaps you are facing something that has never cast a shadow in your path before. Maybe there is a health diagnosis, an empty place a loved one once filled, or even a new responsibility that feels way too big. How will you make it through? Will you make it through?
Take courage, Daughter of God. Everything is not riding on you. Actually you are the one doing the riding. Jesus said, "Without me, you can do nothing." (John 15:5) The strength you need to face the unknown is powered with supernatural fuel. The future is frightening when you look at it with your natural eyes.
But wait, take another look.
Wipe the fog of fear off your lenses.
Can you see now?
There are two instead of one up ahead.
The first has your own silhouette. The other looks like the Son of God. The path still looks dark, but each step is cushioned by the red carpet of His presence. He never sends you into the darkness to tough it out on your own. He always travels with you--sometimes you hear Him speaking, sometimes He is silent, but He is never absent.
Do you think you need more than that? Is His presence shy of what you hope for?
It is enough!
His presence is like an icon that contains more than you realize. "Click" on it, and you'll find amazing comfort, surprising joy, indescribable peace, and many more gifts lovingly hidden on the trail waiting for you to discover.
Step out, Princess Bride. Take the Lord's hand and walk into the uncertainty. No, you still have no control, but with Him as your constant companion, you don't need it!
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Let Them Taste and See
"Taste and see that The Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." Psalm 34:8
I love trying new foods! They testify to how vastly creative God is and how generous He is to give our tastebuds so many adventures to experience. Every culture has something unique to them in the way of food, and I love flying to a new place from a seat at a restaurant instead of an airplane.
Sometimes tasting something new can be scarey, can't it? You don't know if you will like it, or if the texture will be agreeable, or whether the whole thing will make you sick. We tend to consider all the things that could go wrong and as a result, we often pass up a chance to broaden our food base.
There is a food you and I enjoy everyday that much of the world knows nothing about. It's the sweeter-than-honey, bone-deep delicious, soul-satisfying love of God. It's strange and exotic to most people. They have never experienced it, and when they hear someone describe it, they suspect it's too good to be true.
Sometimes, to get a person to try an exotic food, they need to hear that it tastes like something familiar to them. (I was reluctant to try frog legs till my Asian friend said it tastes like chicken.) This is where you come in. Your kindness to a misfit, your forgiveness to an offender, or your patience toward one needing extra time to get it right can be just the sample they need to encourage them to taste and see that the Lord is good.
The heart is the hungriest part of any person. Will you allow God to use you to be the bread crumbs that lead them to the cross and throne of Christ? Can someone say the love of God tastes like (your name) doing or being what their heart is hungry to feed on? You don't have to manufacture this love. You can't! You are simply a distributor of what God has placed in you. (Romans 5:5; 1John 4:19). He is your supplier.
You get the joy of serving up His love using your own unique recipe. How does God usually shine through you? Is it through your gift of giving? Is hospitality your thing? Maybe you are great at providing a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on. Whatever it is, nobody does it quite like you. Serve it up and don't be shy!
Warning: your lovees may be suspicious at first. Likely, every dish of kindness they ever tasted has been laced with selfish ulterior motives and has left a bad taste. Give them time. Keep loving them in the way God has gifted you. The aroma of Christ in you will be hard to resist, but in time that aroma may may break down their defenses and draw them to His table of mercy.
Talk About It: Did anyone lead you to Christ by loving you first? If so, who and how?
Please consider subscribing to this blog. It will come to your email address and it's free!
I love trying new foods! They testify to how vastly creative God is and how generous He is to give our tastebuds so many adventures to experience. Every culture has something unique to them in the way of food, and I love flying to a new place from a seat at a restaurant instead of an airplane.
Sometimes tasting something new can be scarey, can't it? You don't know if you will like it, or if the texture will be agreeable, or whether the whole thing will make you sick. We tend to consider all the things that could go wrong and as a result, we often pass up a chance to broaden our food base.
There is a food you and I enjoy everyday that much of the world knows nothing about. It's the sweeter-than-honey, bone-deep delicious, soul-satisfying love of God. It's strange and exotic to most people. They have never experienced it, and when they hear someone describe it, they suspect it's too good to be true.
Sometimes, to get a person to try an exotic food, they need to hear that it tastes like something familiar to them. (I was reluctant to try frog legs till my Asian friend said it tastes like chicken.) This is where you come in. Your kindness to a misfit, your forgiveness to an offender, or your patience toward one needing extra time to get it right can be just the sample they need to encourage them to taste and see that the Lord is good.
The heart is the hungriest part of any person. Will you allow God to use you to be the bread crumbs that lead them to the cross and throne of Christ? Can someone say the love of God tastes like (your name) doing or being what their heart is hungry to feed on? You don't have to manufacture this love. You can't! You are simply a distributor of what God has placed in you. (Romans 5:5; 1John 4:19). He is your supplier.
You get the joy of serving up His love using your own unique recipe. How does God usually shine through you? Is it through your gift of giving? Is hospitality your thing? Maybe you are great at providing a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on. Whatever it is, nobody does it quite like you. Serve it up and don't be shy!
Warning: your lovees may be suspicious at first. Likely, every dish of kindness they ever tasted has been laced with selfish ulterior motives and has left a bad taste. Give them time. Keep loving them in the way God has gifted you. The aroma of Christ in you will be hard to resist, but in time that aroma may may break down their defenses and draw them to His table of mercy.
Talk About It: Did anyone lead you to Christ by loving you first? If so, who and how?
Please consider subscribing to this blog. It will come to your email address and it's free!
Friday, May 16, 2014
Wanted: Gray Hairs And Wrinkles
"The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old." Proverbs 20:29
"Though good advice lies deep within the heart, a person with understanding will draw it out. " Proverbs 20:5
When I have a problem and need to find answers, I've learned the value of consulting older believers.
Our culture does not place much value on aged folks. They aren't sexy or charismatic. Their weaker bodies are assumed to house weak minds and dusty, irrelavent memories. Even those who respect the elderly can seem to do so with an undercurrent of patronizing condescension at times. They defer to older people out of manners, and that's ok, but I wish people would see silver hair as a tiara to treasure and wrinkled skin as a garment of honor.
Like a badge on a policeman indicates he or she received training for her duties, gray hair says, "Ask me, I've been there."
Wrinkles should not be a turn-off, but a magnet that pulls you close enough to to find confident answers that trump educated guesses any day.
As a good lasagna becomes better after a night in the fridge, so the older woman has been seasoned by life, and her aroma is sweet like the Jesus Who brought her this far. She has not always been as peaceful and God-assured as she is now. Those virtues were forged in the kiln of time. She's ripe for the asking. So, please, ask her!
Many, however, do not ask. They reinvent the wheel and waste valuable time duplicating mistakes rather than learning from hers.
Of course wisdom does not always accompany old age. You must consider an individual's worldview and whether she has stayed on God's easel. She doesn't have to be perfect for you to recognize God's workmanship.
All I am saying is this: you and I would do well to drink deeply of the wellspring of wisdom hiding under heads of gray and covered by crinkles and lines. The Word of God provides a map for every life, but an older sister in the faith can be a precious guide for how to walk out those instructions in the hard places, the gray areas, and the jagged terrain of real life.
Talk About It: Who are the older people in your life who can provide godly guidance for you?
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
When You Feel Overwhelmed
"Two are better than one...if either of them falls down, the other can help him up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to lift him up." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
Did you know the Bible uses the same word for overwhelmed as for drowning?
What are you drowning in today?
Got too many things to do? Wishing you could clone yourself to get it all done?
Maybe your list is just fine, but grief, discouragement, conflict, fear, or just plain not knowing what to do have grabbed you by the ankles and threatened to yank you to the ocean floor.
You have too much to lose if you just give up, so what other options do you have?
Cry for help!
You were never meant to go it alone. Enlist the help of dependable people to divide the list, share the heartache, offer advice, or just stand with you. Friendship is God's lifesaver against drowning in discouragement. Grab it! Call a friend. See a counselor. Reach out till you find someone.
Of course you need to call on The Lord for help. If He doesn't pull you out of the water, He'll jump in with you! Trade yokes and swap burdens with Him. His are easier and lighter, and He tends to throw in a bonus of peace in the exchange. He loves you so much, Dear Friend.
Don't assume you are crying out to Him just because you're crying. Direct your prayers to Him intentionally. Don't stop till He sends comfort.
It's possible to drown in your own head. You need to get to higher ground where a different perspective can fill you with life-giving encouragement. If you are overwhelmed, you don't have to stay that way. Cry for help and listen for it. Help is on the way. God is faithful to dispatch a friend or He'll come Himself by His Spirit.
Talk About It: Don't drown in discouragement, tell us how we can pray for you.
Overwhelmed. Have you been there?
Did you know the Bible uses the same word for overwhelmed as for drowning?
What are you drowning in today?
Got too many things to do? Wishing you could clone yourself to get it all done?
Maybe your list is just fine, but grief, discouragement, conflict, fear, or just plain not knowing what to do have grabbed you by the ankles and threatened to yank you to the ocean floor.
You have too much to lose if you just give up, so what other options do you have?
Cry for help!
You were never meant to go it alone. Enlist the help of dependable people to divide the list, share the heartache, offer advice, or just stand with you. Friendship is God's lifesaver against drowning in discouragement. Grab it! Call a friend. See a counselor. Reach out till you find someone.
Of course you need to call on The Lord for help. If He doesn't pull you out of the water, He'll jump in with you! Trade yokes and swap burdens with Him. His are easier and lighter, and He tends to throw in a bonus of peace in the exchange. He loves you so much, Dear Friend.
Don't assume you are crying out to Him just because you're crying. Direct your prayers to Him intentionally. Don't stop till He sends comfort.
It's possible to drown in your own head. You need to get to higher ground where a different perspective can fill you with life-giving encouragement. If you are overwhelmed, you don't have to stay that way. Cry for help and listen for it. Help is on the way. God is faithful to dispatch a friend or He'll come Himself by His Spirit.
Talk About It: Don't drown in discouragement, tell us how we can pray for you.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
It's OK To Say It!
"Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful." (1 Corinthians 4:2)
If you had an open yard, and you put up a fence, would you feel guilty?
If your hairstylist put foil on the parts of your hair you don't want colored, would you feel the need to make excuses for those unchanged hairs?
Of course you wouldn't!
Why not? Fences and hair foil are about protection, that's why not.
Why the guilt, then, when you use one of God's greatest protection tools- the word "no"?
It's not a dirty word, it's actually a gift.
When you say no, you are freeing yourself up for God's agenda instead of your own or someone else's.
Someone makes a request of your time (Would you like to volunteer for the Monster Ministry project?) or your money (Will you support the American Hangnail Society today?) or whatever. To avoid appearing selfish or stingy, you say yes when you should say no.
What's wrong with that?
You create stress for yourself, and worst of all, you embezzle time and resources God earmarked for something else.
Everyday, He entrusts you with whatever you have. You are His steward.
Everyday, someone or something will ask you to expend those whatevers. I encourage you not to be too quick to say yes without considering what Your Father planned for what's being requested.
At times, yes will be the right answer.
When you must say no, guilt is not appropriate. Like hair foil and fences, saying no protects what should not be touched. It's part of being a faithful steward.
"No"---it's ok to say it.
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