Unexpected Turns....

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” (Proverbs 3: 5-6)

Mom came for a visit. Family from overseas was going to arrive and we had our summer plans all in place. And then it happened. In a brief moment Mom fell on a bit of uneven ground. There was an ambulance, hip surgery and rehab for her and hospital visits, equipment gathering and rearranging of plans for me. The unexpected always takes us by surprise. And in it we have a choice to make.

As Mom settled her heart and accepted this unwelcome change of events she gave the entire situation to God. I had to choose to do the same. After all, we either trust our great God or we don’t – there really is no middle ground on that.

Wholehearted trust on our part promises God’s direction on His part. It’s a challenge to trust that He knows best when we have our own plans all in place. Yet, trust has no middle ground, and so we do as God’s word advises and lean not on our own understanding.

As Mom quieted her heart in the hospital bed and wholeheartedly trusted the God she has always found faithful through her 88 years, He used her there. The bed next to her stayed unusually empty for several days in that busy hospital. In the quiet of the evening, on several occasions, the night time nurses would talk to Mom.

One asked the general question, “Are you married?” When Mom said she had been for 63 years the nurse was amazed! She shared her own marriage experience with Mom, cried as Mom shared the importance of faith and willingly accepted Mom’s offer to pray for her right then and there. Others who came to her bedside lingered to hear her faith stories. Another mentioned the peace that surrounded Mom.

Mom’s healing is progressing and her spirit is rejoicing and at rest as she sees God at work.

God’s ways are not our ways. Unexpected turns on the pathway are annoying and frustrating when we have plans and agendas in place. Yet God sees the cry of lonely and empty hearts and we are His hands and feet and lips on this earth. As He uses us for His kingdom purposes a deep fulfillment rises up within us. We were made to be used of God. That is our highest calling and our place of deepest fulfillment.

As we trust God through the details of the changes, acknowledging Him in all of our ways, asking Him to go before us and smooth the details of the unexpected, He works on our behalf as well and He quiets our anxious hearts.

If you are experiencing an unexpected turn in life, invite God into it and rest in His deep care for you as you journey through the change of plans. Make this your prayer.

Father God,?

When life takes an unexpected turn for me I pray that You will remind me to quiet my heart and to fully trust You. I know my own heart generally gets impatient and frustrated when plans do not go as I have arranged. Fear of the unknown can be overwhelming. I want to trust You with my whole heart. Help me to remember to acknowledge You in every detail and every twist of the unexpected. Give me the peace and calm that comes from fully trusting You to direct my path through what sometimes seems a maze in life. Thank you for Your constant love and Your never- ending faithfulness. Thank you for Your guidance and Your peace. Thank you for Your light through the darkness and Your calm in the storm. I love you Lord and I ask that You would help my heart to remain steadfast in trusting You daily! In the strong name of Jesus’ I pray, amen.

For Purpose....

“To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Ephesians 3: 8, NKJV

The apostle Paul had a unique conversion experience. In I Corinthians 15:8 – 9, Paul made it clear that he was specially chosen by God. “Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” (NKJV)

Paul knew that he had received a special dispensation from God, as one “born out of due time”. Knowing how vehemently he had persecuted the Church, Paul had no doubt that he was blessed because of God’s grace. It becomes pretty obvious why Paul was so passionate about his mission.

Paul understood the purpose of the mystery of Christ, and he understood his purpose in unveiling that mystery to the Gentiles. Once he received his instructions, he very quickly got busy doing what he had been called to do.

We have no less reason than did Paul to be passionate about our purposes. God created us with a plan and it should be our life’s passion to fulfill that purpose. The number of believers who are “seeking” their calling amazes me. What has He called you to do? Quite often, it is tied directly to that one thing about which we are most passionate. Teaching, exhorting, praying, preaching, evangelizing and witnessing can all be callings. Whatever your calling is, there is at least one person who will not be helped unless you step and do what you were created to do.

You can’t wait until you feel you are qualified. Don’t think about your comfort level or worry too much about other people’s opinions. If God has placed a ministry or a cause or any calling on your heart, you owe it to Him (and to yourself) to get busy fulfilling it. Fulfill your purpose. Satisfy your passion. And give God the glory in the process!-PTC

“To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.” (Ephesians 3: 8-13, NKJV)

Father, Thank you for placing a passion for building Your kingdom into our spirits. We desire it, we have a yearning for it, now we seek You for the holy boldness to do it! We love You, and we want to glorify You so that others will come to know You. Help us to not allow circumstances and situations stand between us and the purpose for which You created us. Thank You, Lord! Amen

Who is the Boss....

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”(Colossians 3:23-24)

One of my favorite sitcoms as a child was “Who’s the Boss?” with Tony Danza and Judith Light. For those that are not familiar with the show, the basic premise was about a male housekeeper who worked for a professional woman and her family. During the late 1980’s and early 1990’s this was unusual to see a male housekeeper working for a woman. Although he was an employee, he definitely exercised a large amount of authority in the household. The show was very successful.

This scenario is all too familiar in our lives. We go to work each day trying to receive praise and accolades from our superiors. All of our activities are geared to results at work so that we can get the glory, whether by recognition or compensation. We are all trying to attain “The American Dream”. However, this is a skewed view of success.

Our true boss is the Lord! We are working for Him.God places us in positions so that He may get the glory. God gives you favor with men so that you can share how His goodness got you to where you are. No reward that you receive on earth can compare to the inheritance from the Lord.

We are supposed to strive to be the best at what God created us to be but often our motives are in the wrong place. God allowed you to be a receptionist so that you can greet everyone with the love of Jesus. He gave you favor and promotion at work so that you can extend grace to your subordinates. The Lord permitted you to be stationed in the Middle East to teach lost souls about Jesus Christ. You are working for a Heavenly host that has no layoffs; be glad about it!

Heavenly Father, we know that we have favor with You and that favor extends to men on earth. This favor and grace is granted so that we understand that You are our provider and our supervisor. No positions of power will be abused nor will any position of support be underachieved. In the Most Holy Name of Jesus, Amen

Stolen - Our Voice....

And He said, ‘What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.’”(Genesis 4:10, NKJV)

Are you someone who has “lost” your voice? Were you told that you had no opinion and that you should not talk back? In Jesus’ time man-made religious traditions were used to ostracize, segregate and punish people who were thought to be wrongdoers.

Jesus used His voice to speak up against man-made traditions and religious teachings. He used his voice to stand up for people who had no one to “fight” for them. He used His voice to bring God’s children back to Him by revealing the true nature of God. We too can use our voices we can accomplish great things for the Lord.

If you know you have lost your voice and want to find it again, return to the word of the Lord. Start proclaiming God’s word. Communicate your needs to God through prayer. When Satan hits you with his lies repeat the word of God to him. God’s word says if you resist the devil he will flee from you.

Sing praises to the Lord no matter what your reality looks like. Paul and Silas were in prison with shackles around their wrists and feet. They started singing and an earthquake so strong erupted that the chains that were holding them broke loose. What a mighty God we serve!

Start singing praises to God, make your needs known to Him and watch Him work. He is still a God of miracles. He said He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is our Father and He loves us with an immeasurable love. There is none like Him. You belong to the King of Kings!

“May the praise of God be in their mouths.” (Psalm 149:6)

Lord, I feel that I have lost my voice but you alone can redeem me. Thank you for always being near and for the reminder that you are the King of Kings and the God of miracles. Help me remember to praise you despite my circumstances. Thank you for working in my life and this situation. Amen

Creativity Given by Holy Spirit....

“See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills — to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.”(Exodus 31:2-5)

The New Testament provides instruction on the gifts of the Holy Spirit which God bestows on believers; gifts like wisdom, faith, prophecy, healing, teaching, helping and speaking in tongues. But this Old Testament story conveys a broader picture of the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

God, the originator of beauty and creativity, gives His creation – us – the ability to create. Listen to the words used to describe the artistic ability of these people:

• “See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel…and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts.” (Exodus 35:30-31)
• “And [God] has given both him and Oholiab…the ability to teach others.” (35:34)
• “[God] has filled them with skill” (35:35)
• “All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the LORD has commanded.” (35:10)

God chose them, filled them, gave them ability and then He called them to create beauty for His Tabernacle. Do you have the ability to paint or draw, build or design, sew or weave, write or act, sing or dance? God bestowed these talents on you. He put these skills in your life for you to use to bring glory to His name.

Joy and purpose flow through me at the thought that God gave me skills for a reason! How will you use what God has given you?

Holy God, You created us to create. Fill me with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge. May I use what You have given me for Your glory. Amen

Dare to Compare....

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)

We are raised to compare things. Find the objects in this picture that are not in the others. What makes an orange different from an apple? And way too often, we are asked the question, “Why are they different fromus?”

Lately the Compare Bear has been growling in the back of my brain. A friend goes on the same weight loss program as me and loses 22 pounds. I gain six. A sibling finds a job in four days, whereas I have not been able to find one in three years—thus I am a struggling, full-time writer. A fellow author lands an agent after writing for six months, and I have had 15 rejections in three years, even though many people who purchased the novel I self-published say it’s the best they have read in a long, long time.

I feel like crying out to God, “Why do I always fail?Why can’t something good happen to me for a change?” No one said life is fair, but I’d like a fair break— just once.

I was recently brought to my knees by the daily Bible verse app on my smart phone. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”(Proverbs 3:5). In studying the Bible I have learnt that everyone has his or her own wilderness journey in which God provides just enough manna along the way. At times, it’s hard to see that other people besides me have these wilderness experiences.

For instance, a dear woman, whom I thought had the perfect marriage, confessed how controlling her husband, really is. Another friend, who is so pretty she could be a model, was diagnosed with a malignant tumor for the third time in five years. In a period of three days God told me over and over not to compare because I can’t see the whole picture—only snippets here and there. I have been concentrating on individual trees when He tends the entire forest. Once again, I bow my head and promise to trust His wisdom in my life. I tell the Compare Bear to slither away and leave me alone.

My mom was always a “glass is half-full” sort of person. I was raised with a Pollyanna attitude. But somewhere along the way, I began to slip and slide down the hill of compare into the mire of jealousy. Lately, I have been staring into my glass of blessings and whining because it is not overflowing, when really is it more than I can swallow.

Do I believe God is in control? Yes. Do I believe He loves me? Of course. Then why am I so worried about others’ timelines? This is not a competition. This is a life lived to the glory of God. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said not to be anxious about anything but to seek first the kingdom. Then all that I need will be given to me. (Matthew 6:25,33)

If I truly believe the above verse, then God has this all planned out. I may never get an agent, but my novel may save a marriage or win a soul for Christ. I may not find a job, but I am eking by and to be honest, I love working out of my house. And what about my weight? Perhaps I need to count my blessings more than I am counting calories. Perhaps I need to concentrate more on daily ingesting His Word than what food choices I make, lest I turn dieting into an idol.

Compare Bear, crawl back into the woods. My Lord is leading me to green pastures and still waters. Along the way, He will provide. - PTC

Heavenly Lord, Thank you for loving us so dearly. Thank you that You know exactly what we need, when we need it. Forgive us when we do not thank You or take what You give begrudgingly and compare it to what we think someone else has. Help us to once again realize You have no favorites. We are each the apple of your eye, and Your Son died for each of us so we might live in You and You in us. Give us joy in this journey called our lives, and let us see evidence of Your blessings each and every day. Amen.

Think Different....

“And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the a good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2, NKJV)

What does it really take to see our prayers answered? Without a doubt we have all seen those times when (to our surprise!) God just moves quickly and miraculously, and we know He has heard our request. However, there are other times when it just seems like nothing is happening and we just keep bumping into the same old problem.

I have found that this concept of “renewing our minds” is a major key to seeing answers to many of these issues. Often the main reason we are having a problem is because we are out of alignment with God’s way of doing something, and we are simply reaping what we are sowing.

This could relate to anything from marriage issues, to farming, to running a country! Maybe you don’t really need a miracle; maybe you just need to see from a different perspective. In other words, we could be angry and asking God why He doesn’t do something, and He could be asking us the same question.

The word of God is an instruction book for life, and you can find instruction there on pretty much anything if you take the time to look. Not only do we need to find out what the word says on a given subject, but we need to get our minds so soaked in it that we literally have a change of thinking that becomes our “new normal.” This leads to new behaviors, which leads to answered prayer as we sow good seed and prove true the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for you souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NKJV)

Lord, I thank-you that your word is a light to my path and that it will continue to renew my mind as I meditate on it. I ask that you would align me under your perfect will and understanding of my life. I trust you and commit my own understanding into your loving care. In Jesus’ name I