Who and How: Take the One Step

A few years ago Donnie McClurkin recorded a song that is so apropos-"Do you trust me"? Listen to it on YouTube if you have not heard it. But long before that, it was recorded in the Word, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Prov. 3:5 NIV). Trust - now we can get confused, upset, worried, angered about that word. Trust. We have trusted, been hurt; don't trust, got hurt; will never trust again, don't want to hurt anymore. Did you find yourself?

The problem is that we miss the most important key- it is who we trust and how. If we believe the Word, and we have been hurt by others, it may be that we miss who we are to trust and how.  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." Let's start. What does trust look like? Go ahead, don't define it. I know you will think about your past hurts, but I offer to push that out the way and press into what trust looks like and what you need in order to trust. . . . .Then turn away from your past pain and turn toward trusting in God. Yeah, this may be new for you. But for now, take one step - my parents use to tell my sister and me, "If you take one step, God will take two." Take the one step. Spend this day releasing the pain of hurt from others and taking the first step toward trusting in God. enough for now

Rest Prince

I didn't want to write yesterday about this. And just a little today.

Why do we hurt? Why do we allow ourselves to be hurt? Why can't we celebrate the gifts? Yes you have a gift- use it. For us, presently our hurt erupts in celebration for our musical icon, the purple gifted one- Prince. It is not about the "what happened"? but about the genius that is gone. And yes, Prince used his gifts. This is what it's like when doves cry- purple rain. Diamonds and pearls. Yeah, my three favorite. Rest now Prince.

We have more to do. Celebrate. Celebrate your life by using the gifts God gave you. Celebrate your life by loving on others. Celebrate your life. enough for now.

Go for It

"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." James Baldwin. Many times the fears, the lies that keep us bound are so overwhelming that we believe there is no way out. There is always a way out, but we must try. We must move past the fear that keeps us frozen in position. The fact that we move, that we try gives us a different perspective, and just may be what we need. 

My father taught me how to ride a bicycle. He ran beside me steadying the back wheel, and assuring me that I was doing good. . . and I rode. Until I realized that his voice was fainter and fainter. I turned to look and he was not there. I looked back and saw him standing there with his hands on his hips nodding his approval. I should have gone on, but panicked, turned the wheel to go back but ran into a bush. Daddy was right there getting me up and encouraging me to go again. And I did. 

Go again. Get up, step out, move out from where you are. Yes, you will get resistance sometimes, nothing is ever easy. Go recognizing that you are encouraged and if you fall . . . you can get back up. Go for it! enough for now.

Psalms

Commercial break. My new book is here! Notes from a Desert Place, Kingdom Living Publishers.  You can order from me or the Publisher. It is a book of inspiration to encourage you along the way. 

That's done. Another one of encouragement - take time to read the Psalms. Start at the first one and read out loud. You will find yourself in hymns of praise, of thanksgiving; you will lament with the psalmist and learn how to release. Read as any as you want us read at least one a day.  Blessings as you start. enough for now.

It is Okay

It is okay to grieve a loss. It is healthy. Of course- your loss may not look like my loss. I think we should recognize that and allow that proper grieving. Relationships are all different and we connect in different ways. Is there a loss that you have not grieved? And it has been weighing heavy on your heart? How do you feel about that loss? Take time to tell God how you feel. Take time to grieve it. enough for now.

Loss

What do you do when you lose someone? Your hurt, your pain is real. A friend that once read my blog is now gone. A relative that once had a good life with her position no longer has the position. Another friend who once lived as he wanted can no live that way due to health. All of these are losses.

You must grieve the loss. Any loss deserves a healthy period of grief. No one can tell you what that is. Whether you are grieving a loss of relationship, loss of job, loss of your dreams, loss of who you thought you were, loss of a life. Loss. Take time to grieve. Grief has stages just as healing has stages. You move from Loss-hurt > shock > numbness > denial > emotional outbursts > anger > fear > searching > disorganization > panic > loneliness > guilt - Now you may not experience all of this but some of it.

As you begin to adjust to you may feel isolation >  depression > trouble reentering > new relationships > new strengths > new patterns > hope > affirmation > helping others > loss adjustment. It is a process, allow Holy Spirit to walk with you. Allow others to walk with you. Take time to give your hurt your pain to God. enough for now.

This Day of Peace

Don't you love it when you feel the shalom of God?  Don't you love it when you realize that you are not alone? That God's promise never to leave nor forsake you is real? You are not forsaken you have not been forgotten, you are not alone. You are indeed God's Beloved. Yes, you, even in your broken human state. Even with the junk you are in and the junk you have gone through. You. You are special and there is so much more in store for you. Yes, even now.

What can you do now? Listen, do not give place to the lies. Do not fear. Ask Holy Spirit, "Is this true or a lie"? Holy Spirit is here as our guide, please seek guidance. Oh you will be surprised. That is part of your peace that is waiting. You don't have to fret on each problem, but allow yourself to hear the truth and then walk in it. Let this day be that day of peace because you listened. Oh I promise, you will want another and another. Listen- watch what God is doing in your life. enough for now.

This is Your Rest

I have been grieving with family as a member moves into hospice. Yesterday, I heard that a former coworker is in hospice with a week to live. This morning I saw something different. The first definition for hospice is a house of shelter or rest for pilgrims, strangers, and comes from the 1818, French hospice "rest house for travelers" and the Latin hospitum "guest house, hospitality." The sense of "home for the aged and terminally ill" is from 1893.  And we see where we are today with the medical term.

But let me go back to the place for house of shelter or rest for pilgrim, strangers.  I offer that we are all pilgrims journeying through this land. This is not our final place, but a stop on our journey. Celebrate your life and that Holy Spirit guides you though. Celebrate each up and each down. Celebrate that God loves you tremendously and cares for you enormously. Oh celebrate your life. This is your rest on the way to your destination. Love one another. enough for now.

What a Difference a Day Makes

"What a difference a day makes." Oh how true. This song made popular by Dinah Washington way back rings so true. Now of course I am using the term in a different way. I offer that when let God take the reins. When you give up your issue, whatever the issue is- then you can indeed breathe. There is that peace that comes from release.  Oh try it. Release today. 

I mean - give it to God this time. You see, last time you gave it but took it back. Last time you thought God couldn't handle it. Last time you thought you knew more than God. Last time you thought you had the answer. How did that work out for you? Yeah, that's what I thought. You see, it comes down to your trust issues. You don't trust God, but you cant trust yourself- you don't know enough about the issue. You don't, but God does. Yeah, God never works it the way we want, but we can't see the big picture. I offer if we could see the big picture we would lose our mind. We can't begin to know what we have been steered around, above, and sometimes through.  You call it mess, sh__, whatever.  

Go ahead, this time try it. Release.  What do you need to release? Ask Holy Spirit to guide. Sure you may have a lot, but let's get started. Oh, what a difference a day makes. Scripture says, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning" (Ps. 30:5b). Are you ready to rejoice? enough for now.

Peace

Peace. Walk in peace today. Let nothing disrupt that peace. enough for now.