Birthday Wisdom

06.28.19.  I almost typed 06.28.64. Today is my birthday! "Double nickles" is what a friend said when I told her I'm 55. You better believe this senior citizen asked for the 10% discount on the first purchase that offered it. 

Yesterday, in the EMBRACED book, Lysa TerKeurst asked the question, "What holds the key to your heart?" and I paused.

For the past two days, Ephesians 3:14-21 MSG has been my altar call. 

"God, I ask you strengthen me with Your glorious inner strength, Lord. Plant my feet firmly so that I can stand with others to fully experience the extravagance of Your faithful love to know its full height, depth and width and length. I ask for a full life that is full of You and fully Yours. I ask to see miracles and be part of miracles by Your Spirit working in me and through me." 

(cue the tune "Yes and Amen" by Jesus Culture)

Have you ever prayed the Word using each verse as your personal message to God and from Him to your soul? 

Every morning, my soul feels like that vibrant flower in need of a drink of cool, fresh water. Head and shoulders bowed just slightly from doing life in daily elements that spend her supply of energy until she thirsts for more of His Voice-Written-Down. Then, with face turning upward, she fills up with the goodness that strengthens her to fully and gloriously be who God created.

If you are looking for sage wisdom from an old, experienced one, this is it: I would encourage you to ask yourself Lysa's question and ask God to help you discover the answer as you pray His Word. He promises to hear our cry. 

Dinghy Tossing

06.20.19.  Two surgeries in three days. This is my momma. Originally, we had spaced out the surgeries over a couple of weeks to allow for healing and the courage to walk into another surgery center. 

Life happens. When it does, it sends out ripple effects in all directions tossing everyone in their dinghies. Some go overboard and some lower their center of gravity, hold on and roll with it. I would like to think my family has become quite adept at managing dinghy tossing waves. This week has been an ocean full of rolling waves and we are still in the boat!

We do extra things for our family members that we may not ask others to do, because we are family. And, because we are family we make room, make time, make allowances with or without gracious intentions.

For the days of both surgeries, Momma and I strategically coordinate our departure based on weather, location and traffic patterns, because one of the surgeries is on the other side of Nashville during drive-time. Then, there is the follow-up appointment on the day between both surgeries. And, my hubby makes the decision to travel to be with dear friends for the final service of a loved one. These friends are like family to us and one of us was going to be there to show our love. This means I am on-point for the transportation and care-giving for these three days.

The first surgical procedure is a snap with almost immediate results. We feel good with the direction the current pulls our dinghy. The second procedure is painful. There's no immediate reward. There's only a projected slow recovery with medications and stitches and gauze. In a way, our dinghy feels stalled and tossed at the same time, because other decisions have to be made. There's that ripple effect mentioned earlier. But, it's family and we love our family.

Before I read today's devotional in the EMBRACED book, I asked God for a quick nugget in my noggin that would partner with Lysa TerKeurst's thoughts. I penciled the following whisper of gold into my journal: Caring well for others reflects the love of God in our own hearts. 
In the Day 20 devo, Lysa recalls the focused attention of one young reporter (with a very public family) who interviewed the TerKeurst Family observing, "She stayed present in that role alone." Instantly, my brain picked up where God's golden nugget dropped. 

Schedules rearranged while maintaining other plans. Additional trips into town and back. Meals changed. All are waters to navigate, this week, to stay present in my role as a family member caring for a member of my household.

...

In 1 Timothy 5:8, Apostle Paul gets really focused in the letter as he admonishes young Preacher Tim regarding taking care of family members, "If a widow has family members to take care of her, let them learn that religion begins at their own doorstep and that they should pay back with gratitude some of what they have received. This pleases God immensely." 

With a zing he adds a stinger, "Anyone who neglects to care for family members in need repudiates the faith. That's worse than refusing to believe in the first place."

Point taken. To that end, I believe it's time to administer Momma's afternoon meds ...with extra care.

Are you still in your dinghy? Let me know.

Are the Pistols Loaded?

06.19.19.  In a few posts from the past, I have blogged about fear. Although fear manifests itself in different ways, they can all be traced back to that stubborn root. 

Although the paralyzing type of fear does not typically seize me, my spirit will lock down in an unhealthy pattern, sometimes, when an old insecurity tries to sneak its way into my thoughts. I am learning to flip on the porchlight to expose fear for what it is, an invader. 

If you tend to wrestle with fear (worry, anxiety, etc.), perhaps the following reference from Worry: The Big Scary Shadow may serve you:

1. Relax. Breathe.
2. Refrain from giving-in to this crippling shadow-monster.
3. Recognize you're in a negative thought mode and retrace your steps back to the source by asking, "Where did this start?"
4. Remind yourself of 2 Corinthians 10:5, "Casting down imaginations and every thing that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and taking captive (arresting, disabling) every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

In the EMBRACED Day 19 Devo, Lysa TerKeurst wrestles with this nemesis by reminding herself of other God-breathed words of strength found in Isaiah 43:1, Romans 8:38-39, 1 Peter 5:7 and, one of my faves, 2 Timothy 1:7.

God gave us a spirit

not of fear but

of power and love and self-control. 

(2 Timothy 1:7 ESV)

Looking up other versions or translations of this scripture for those three gifts (power, love

and self-control), yielded words like bold, strong, loving, sensible, wise, and sound-judgment any of which could be inserted synonymously.

My response to fear or insecurity is action. Not the good action. Without thinking I attempt to control the situation or trust in my own strength. Sidenote, "without thinking" should be a warning to pause and regroup. Oh no, not me. I run forward with pistols that should be blazing, but in my haste, I didn't load the bullets. That's very bold, but not wise and definitely not recommended. 

Trusting myself is just that. Bold, not wise. I'm not intentionally being disobedient, but my startled reaction to fear or insecurity causes me to go rogue. My prayer is to be wise in the gifts He gave, boldness with love and wisdom. Wisdom reminds me to trust God with my weakness, instead of wrestling with Him. 

Are we alike in this? Aren't we all a work in progress?

Grace: Tolerance or Love?

06.04.19.  I confess I don't find all scripture uplifting.

Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy are the reasons my goal for reading through the year isn't well, yearly. The other reason is the Children of Israel frustrate me. Why couldn't they just remember all the amazing feats God provided? Miracle after miracle! Why did they keep messing up? 

I would much rather read practical Christianity tips in Ephesians and Romans. But, I chose for this year to be a read-through year and I'm in Judges. <sigh>

Pushing myself through these scriptures, I hear an annoying sound that reaches through to my brain making its way to my one, last nerve and bounces on it. It sounded like someone trying to start their car, but it just won't crank. It keeps on and on and on. 

mee-mee-mee-mee-me.  mee-mee-mee-mee-me.  mee-mee-mee-mee-me.

I look around to see if my neighbor is having car issues. Nothing. The sound stops. I turn back to the nagging failures of the tribes of Israel. 

mee-mee-mee-mee-me.  mee-mee-mee-mee-me.  mee-mee-mee-mee-me.

Once again, I look around for the irritating source. And, once again, the sounds stops.

Off and on for a couple of hours this noise filters through my focus as I work on the computer until focus cracks and I whip around to seek and destroy ...only to see absolutely nothing.

In Day 4 of Lysa TerKeurst's EMBRACE book of 100 devos, she writes about her quiet time with God each morning as a preparation and an invitation. This time spent with Him prepares her for the day at the invitation of Jesus "to do life with Him" and "to look for His activity" throughout the day as she redirects frustration to replace it with grace.

Grace looks like God's tolerance to me. I roll my eyes each time a verse begins with "The Israelites again did what was evil in the Lord's sight." He could have crushed them into the

sand they wandered around and complained in for 40 years. But, He did not, because they were His chosen children. With all the moaning and disobedience, He still chose them.

Grace looks like love to God. With all the moaning and disobedience, He still chose to love them and wanted them to choose Him. 

He still chooses to look at me with those same eyes of grace and love when I am frustrating and disobedient. My soul is deeply thankful Jesus is the rose-colored filter covering my sin and shame. 

"Before the world was created, God had Christ choose us to live with Him and to be His holy and innocent and loving people. God was loving and kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God's own adopted children. God was very kind to us because of the Son He dearly loves and so we should praise God." (Ephesians 1:4-6 CEV)

My hubby walked into the office about the same time I caught sight of a gigantic fly buzz in and circle around the office. Once I saw him, I knew the source of my frustrating noise, but it flew out the door before it could be silenced forever. 

If you need God to look at you through eyes of grace, I would love to invite to you consider a relationship with His Son, Jesus. If you have already experienced this love, say so, below.

REFIT LoveRules Challenge Day 15

LOVE RULE CHALLENGE DAY 15: 

DON'T ACCEPT. EMBRACE.

Don't get us wrong, acceptance is a good thing. In fact, it's such a good thing that ‪acceptance‬ is a key concept in the REFIT® community. But our‪#‎LoveRules‬ for today is asking you to go one...step...further...and EMBRACE.

Accepting different values, beliefs or ideas will bring people into the fold, but embracing those differences will KEEP them there. This is instrumental in building community. REALLY, THIS IS ALL ABOUT LOVE...EMBRACE THE PERSON!

Think about these two statements: 

"I accept your quirkiness."
"I embrace your quirkiness." 

Doesn't the latter statement feel much more empowering? Now, here's the hard question: What distinguishes "accepting" from "embracing"? Hoping you can help answer this...leave a comment below and share your thoughts!

Tuesday -June 16- @REFITREV will be LIVE on the ‪Periscope‬ App at 1pm CST discussing our thoughts on the differences between these two concepts. Be sure to follow REFIT® REVOLUTION (on facebook, twitter, periscope, instagram, blog) and join in on the discussion!