First things first...

Recently, I dug out my old workbook copy of "Experiencing God". Simply put, this was the most life-changing study I've ever attempted. Ironically, I almost skipped it because the title sounded insincere to me, as if God was something to be manipulated. It turns out, though, my impressions were wrong. Quite the opposite from my initial assumption, it's not about a method or formula... sentence after sentence, it points you towards relationship with God.

As I was re-reading last night, I came across a section that caught my attention. At a time when I'm contemplating the coming new year & possible resolutions... it had special relevance and gave me a bit of new perspective.

(excerpt from section entitled "Walking with God")

"I hear many persons say, "I really struggle to have that time alone with God." If that is a problem you face, let me suggest something to you. Make the priority in your life to come to love Him with all your heart. That will solve most of your problem with quiet time. Your quiet time is because you know Him and, therefore, love Him, not only in order to learn about Him."

OK... this seriously hit home with me... because having a consistent "quiet time" is something I've always desired, but always struggled at maintaining. It usually degrades into a 'check-off' item... and soon, it just stops. So, his thought here is intriguing to me... that a "quiet time" with God isn't a means TO relationship... it is a product OF relationship... a love relationship!

Hmmm....

Looking at it in this light... I can definitely say that I have been attempting to accomplish this as a discipline, in my own power. Perhaps... just perhaps, I have it out of order. Look again at Blackaby's suggestion: "...Make the priority in your life to come to love Him with all your heart."

He is simply pointing us towards the "Great Commandment":

(Matt 22:36-38) "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment."

Most of us might be familiar with this verse... but can we honestly say we make it our life's priority? Day in, day out.... PRIORITY... FIRST? How is it that, calling myself a servant of Christ, I would not put first the very thing commanded as such.

So... here I sit once again, typing & learning. When I came to write out this little thought I was having... I felt sure I would be writing about renewing my dedication to a 'quiet time' as my new year's resolution. But, somewhere among the keystrokes... it has become very clear to me that I am being called to focus on something so much more fundamental, so much more important... something from which all other things will flow.

I am being called to put 'first things first'... and that is my new year's resolution.

'Tis the Season...

So... are you busy yet? It's that time of year! Decorating, shopping, children's performances, family gatherings... all on top of a weekly schedule that's already full.


Lately, I almost always *feel* like I live on the very edge of my capabilities and even the least little thing can cause it all to topple over. I *feel* like I'm just bouncing from one obligation to the next. Most of the time, I just *feel* overwhelmed by it all. To be honest, the last few months have been spent exactly this way!


But, occasionally... if I STOP & consider it objectively for a moment... I catch a fleeting glimpse of the illusion. You see, I'm busy... but, I don't think I'm really all *that* busy! In those rare moments, I can see that it's more of a state of mind than a reality.... sort of like a switch that just gets left 'on'.

I was reminded of this little saying recently: "If the devil can't keep you sinning, he'll keep you busy." OK - right off the bat - I see a problem with the implied idea that someone might be sinless... but that's not really the point of the phrase, so I'll move on. The point being made is that 'busy-ness' can be used as a tool by Satan. In the midst of my hectic mindset - it gave me a bit of a pause.

There's no denying that our culture today encourages a non-stop lifestyle. It's like a merry-go-round... always in motion, but never really reaching a destination. The ride may be nice for a little while... but honestly, after a couple of rounds, I'm feeling pretty sick. So, too, my days leave me when that rush switch gets left 'on'. I may actually only have a few things on my schedule, but because I'm always focusing on the NEXT thing.... "NOW" gets wasted. At the end of the day, I'm left with a sense of regret & remorse at the time that has slipped by.

So, is this Satan's handiwork? Or, is it simply the result of my own bad choices? I'm guessing it's somewhere in between... maybe a trap that is laid out before me, but definitely my choice that triggers it. I may not know the exact cause... but I'm pretty sure I know where to turn for a solution.

The first scripture that comes to mind is the often quoted passage of Psalm 46:10: "Be still and know that I am God." I think we collectively yearn for this here in our hurried land... this call to "be still". I don't know about you... but to me it has a sound of greatly desired peace & tranquility. But, here's what I'm thinking: if I am having trouble finding the stillness, perhaps it's because I fail to heed the next few words... "know that I am God." You see, knowing that He is God means giving up my claim to being the god of my own little world. It means submitting daily (moment by moment, even) to His plan instead of charging ahead with my own. Knowing that He is God requires that I spend time in His Word & in prayer... not just seeking His guidance, but acting upon it, as well. If I take an honest look at my situation, I just might see that this hurried, hectic state of mind is the result of straying from God's lordship over my everyday life.

For the last couple of weeks, I've been bemoaning to a few of my friends the idea of another fast-paced Christmas season... wishing that I could find a way to make it more meaningful & truly joyous, but not quite sure how to make it happen.

As it turns out... maybe I do, after all!

Wishing you a Christmas season

filled with the blessings of

being still and knowing that He is God!

Appointments: a different perspective

In my last post, I tried to describe an experience I've been having lately. These little encounters with people where I get to see God working right in front of me... my spoken words, my physical presence - but His purpose, His power. I'm not describing some sort of "out of body" experience where I'm "taken over" by a supernatural force. No - it's just normal everyday kind of conversations, comments, gestures. Nothing brilliant or special on my part... but in His power, turned into something purposeful in someone else.

OK... so why am I exploring this again? Well, last night I was involved in just such an appointment. The difference being that I was on the receiving end! Let's see if I can do it any justice in explaining it...

Our Sunday evening church service was focused on the importance of testimony. I'll say without reservation that the three testimonies presented were POWERFUL! I was reminded just how important our personal witnesses are! We might hear testimonies from someone we don't know & be moved. But, how much more powerful to hear the straightforward, unpolished story of Christ's salvation in your neighbor's life! It was truly profound!

But, God wasn't finished. Our pastor then announced that we would *all* be sharing our testimony! I've spent my life carefully avoiding any such occasion... but I'll just say that God is doing a different work in me today. And, well... I'm slower. So, before I could make an escape - he asked us to reach out beside us & identify a testimony partner. As God would have it, I actually ended up without an immediate partner. But not far away I saw an acquaintance that was also without a partner - so I called out to her. Needless to say, God wasn't deterred in the least by the fact that we weren't sitting next to each other. Apparently, He was doing some appointment scheduling :)

Our assignment was to briefly share our testimony with each other. Truth be known, we have been working up to this on Sunday evenings & we were asked in previous weeks to begin writing out our testimony. In those seconds of getting situated with my partner, I was quite aware that I *should* have done that homework - because it now meant I would just be opening my mouth & hoping for something coherent to come out. Trust me, this is not my strength at all! Unlike my written words, spoken words lack the opportunity for review & edit - a process I dearly value! So... within seconds, I was talking - not sure exactly what would come forth. For me, that situation usually means too many words & disjointed thoughts come tumbling out. I am powerless to stop it!

I began to share with this sweet friend, trying to keep it as 'efficient' as possible. In a nutshell, my story is this: God has always been part of my awareness, someone I knew my family "believed" in... more as a matter of fact, not anything resembling relationship. Church attendance was sporadic & became more rare as I got older. But, what I know is this: At about age 12, alone, in my room one evening - I asked Jesus into my life. I have since spent much time questioning that experience - was it real? Was I really saved at that point? I can only tell you that I now have a firm & unshakable faith, that yes - I was saved at that point. But, I had no support system in which to grow & mature in my faith.

I went on to explain that although I accepted Christ's salvation at that early age - I spent over a decade living contrary to His lordship in my life. I made choice after choice (~sigh~ after choice!!) that could have (should have!) taken me into worldly strongholds. I was headed toward some of the very best pits the world has to offer. I don't think I ever completely forgot that God was there... I just chose to do things my own way. As I verbalized my thankfulness for His hand of protection during those years, I spoke aloud the long-standing question of my heart... why? I've marveled now for years that it was His hand protecting me... I've just never understood why! She was nodding, smiling... and said quietly: "because He loves you."

She had been a great 'active' listener... offering encouragement & expressing understanding words thus far. I continued with my testimony... detailing the point at which my life had taken a turn towards God, instead of continuing my path away from Him.

But, my thoughts were being pulled back to what she had just said... "because He loves you."

It began to flood my heart in a way that I just can't describe to you. It's a simple statement, right? I've had the privilege of hearing it hundreds (thousands?) of times, in many different ways... but in that moment, it was overwhelming in it's power. It was that missing piece to a puzzle... and, ironically, had been in full view all along. Why did He protect me during those 'desert years', as I like to call them?? Because He loves me! I am His child - as the father loved the prodigal son, so too does He love me... (and you, by the way!!) Undeserved, unmerited love!

So - now I'm not even sure what else I said... I think my mouth was on auto-pilot for the rest of my "turn". I was so focused on this revelation happening within my heart. And, even now I worry that you're thinking... "That's it?? She just said that God loves you?? All of *this* to just describe that someone said God loves you??"

Yep, that's pretty much it!

... but, that brings me back to the idea of "the appointment". I don't mean to underestimate my friend's contribution, but I suspect that it was just an unplanned little comment - nothing very deliberate - just part of the conversation. Four simple little words, uttered as encouragement... but God using them powerfully in someone else's heart.

"Appointment" defined!

Watching for the next appointment...

Do you ever get "stuck" on a word... one that just keeps popping up in your speech & in your thoughts? I don't mean the current popular "catch phrase" that you hear everywhere you go... I'm thinking more personal in nature. For me, this usually has a connection to a spiritual concept that is being built upon or worked out from within... a theme that just keeps showing up for a season of time. I attribute this to God's Holy Spirit at work - growing me, teaching me.

Right now, my word is "appointment". Usually, when I use the word 'appointment', it isn't within the context of something exciting... doctor appointment, car service appointment, dentist appointment, etc, etc. I suppose some of you out there may actually have *fun* appointments, but in my world - appointments are generally just something to check off the list, not something to look forward to.

But, lately the idea of an 'appointment' has taken on a really different feeling for me. I'm not sure where this use of the word first crept into my thought process, but I suspect it is from a book or bible study in my past. So, just for the record, I am not trying to pass this concept off as my own. The idea itself isn't new to me - just it's application in my own life.

You see, I've recently had the incredible privilege of having some God-scheduled "appointments" with people. Encounters where I get to see God working through me in a particular moment. I'm not the power at work, I am very simply the means of delivery. When electricity travels from it's source to turn on the light, the wiring doesn't really do anything... it's just there, right? Well, that's me: I'm not the power at work, I'm just there.

Now, don't get me wrong here... I haven't rescued anyone from a burning building or anything nearly so dramatic. What I have witnessed, though, is God at work through some normal, everyday kind of events: a conversation, an off-hand invitation to church, an email. In my own power, these are just "blips on the screen" in everyday life. But, in God's power?? It's an amazing transformation. He has taken my simple (most of the time, down-right clumsy!) words & actually used them to have meaning for someone else. It might be tempting to think of these as 'small' events - not worthy of much attention. But, our God is purposeful - His every act has value. To be included in even the 'smallest' way? What a tremendous blessing!

I want to be careful to say again that these are not MY appointments... the way I see it, my job is to just keep my eyes on Him. If I start trying to do it in my own power - like Peter, I'll just start sinking! So, I keep reminding myself that the "who, what, when, where" - those are all His details to handle. Honestly, that stuff is way too overwhelming for me anyway... I'm very thankful it's not my job to coordinate all of that. So, my prayer is very basic: that I will choose to make myself available by staying in prayer, that I will have eyes to see where He is leading me... and that I will choose to follow, even when it's not convenient or easy.

In the meantime, I will be waiting, watching & hoping for that next appointment...

Our Beautiful Texas Hill Country...

We really enjoyed our visit with our dearest friends this past weekend. They get to enjoy this beauty every day just by walking outside...

A New Season...

You may be thinking I'm a little off in my timing. Even though here in Texas, it *feels* like Fall has just begun... it's still practically mid-season on the calendar.

But, the calendar season isn't what I mean. I'm referring to a season of God's work in my community, my church, my family, and my own heart. Much like the fall just seems to 'suddenly arrive' each year... this spiritual season has caught me almost by surprise.

Each year, as I begin to notice those vibrant reds & oranges of falltime - they always seem 'new' somehow... like they have never been quite *that* color! So, too, am I seeing God's work around me... it almost seems like it's never been quite *that* perfect in it's orchestration.

But, I remind myself... His work has always been perfect, and it will always be so. His work is not new. He does not change.

But, oh! How thankful I am that He brings change in ME! And, today, I am thankful for this refreshed appreciation of His unchanging nature. Just like the crisp, cool breeze I felt outside today - this "new" adoration of Him is not generated by me. It is purely His work... His gift!

And, what a sweet, sweet gift... not only getting to witness His work around me & in me, but adding that extra touch of appreciative joy to accompany it ... it's almost like seeing His work for the first time.

I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart and tell about the wonders you have worked.

God Most High, I will rejoice; I will celebrate and sing because of you. (Psalm 9:1-2)

Filling a space...

I'll just go ahead & admit it now... this blogging thing, it just might be a little more difficult than I first thought. I fancied that there were layers & layers of witty ideas & insights sitting just below the surface of my everyday life - just waiting to be shared. Ideas & insights that were... well... insightful! (Note the creative juices there just oozing out!)

I mention it just to point out that, while I still have lots of 'growing room' in my own blogs, I have found some here that are REALLY GOOD! Over at "LESS of me", Luanne does a great job of using her everyday life as a springboard into meaningful discussion of spiritual principles. Here's one I was particularly drawn to.


Luanne finds meaning & inspiration in her plastic containers! Now that really speaks to me!! Let's not ponder too long on what exactly that says about me... but, I was thinking, if Luanne can share about plastic containers - I could share with you this idea that was inspired by my purse.

I have this new purse. Much to my husband's relief, I do not have expensive tastes in handbags. I have good friends that do - and don't get me wrong - some of those bags are nice! It's not that I feel deprived by not having one - it's just simply not my thing. Even so, I often feel compelled to share with my husband just how lucky he is in this regard. I mean, if he's so blessed to have such a wife, he should at least know it! From time to time, I will casually mention to him the approximate price of a handbag I see someone carrying... just so he can be properly appreciative. Just my little way of being helpful.

But, I digress...

Ok, my purse... it's rather nondescript as far as handbags go, but my particular attraction to it was it's efficiency: lots of pockets, sections & extra space.... it's the Container Store of purses! For those of you that might share in my borderline-obsession with organizational items, I know you'll understand. A place for everything - gotta love that! As I transferred my items over into it, I did note the leftover, empty space with a bit of caution. I already know this principle: many things (or people!) tend to g-r-o-w to fill the environment they are placed in. I made a mental note to resist this tendency inside my bag. Problem solved, right?

Of course not! I just went to check - it now weighs right at 5 pounds! I'll confess, I thought it would be more - but I did just clean it out a couple of days ago ;) Now you've invested this much time in reading about my purse - you're ready for the great insight, right?

It's simple, really... as I thought about this principle of "filling the allotted environment", the ultimate picture of this came to me:
God, too, will fill the space that we purposefully choose to give Him. This thought flooded my mind with possibilities...

Dedicate time for reading His Word: He will fill it!
Set aside a time of prayer & praise: He will fill it!
Dedicate time for serving others in His name: He will fill it!
Set aside (empty) your heart from self-driven motives: He will fill it!

It's really endless when you start thinking about it.

I believe our God is all about 'choice'. He could have created robot-creatures, but He didn't. He gave us free will... choice! We may choose to invite Him in or choose not to (but, make no mistake here - it's a choice either way!) I believe when we choose with a humble, servant's heart to ask Him into our 'space', He fills it in a way that we couldn't imagine.

Today, I'll challenge you (and myself!) to find even one small space in your day, in your life... and choose to set it aside specifically for Him! My prayer for you is this:

(Romans 15:13) May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.