What is Your Fear?

What is your fear? Yes, you have something, even if it is so small, it is still real. Don't tell me "spiders and snakes." Get still and allow Holy Spirit to speak to you on your fear.  I had a moment earlier about my particular fear. I recognized how I move all around the issue instead of going into the storm.  And I recognized that is was not always that way. Quite a few disappointments have met me on my journey, yet quite a few awesome moments have carried me. 

My fear? Fear of failure, in certain situations. And so I place barriers between me and whatever or I word around. Come on. I don't think I'm the only one. Here is the issue, I move to a point and stop short. I know that is not real. The failing part of failure is that you give up, that you don't try. That is the messed up part, but that's how fear works.

Today we combat our fears. What does failure look like after all? It does not kill you! You try for a position and don't get it - failure. You have failed relationships - failure. You lose your financial standing- failure. You say hello to someone and they don't respond- failure. You get a bad grade- failure. You don't run because you don't think you can - failure. You are afraid to walk in your gifts in case they don't manifest- failure.

The sad part of failure is that its foundation is in ego. Yes it is. And ego edges God out. You think that it is on you, about you, but it is on God, about God. That should be a release right there. It is not about you. So when God says move, move. When God says, trust, trust. What is your fear? enough for now.

What Happens?

What happens when you miss? You know, when you miss saying, "thanks," when you miss saying, "I'm sorry." What happens? What happens when you miss a time of fellowship with a loved one, when you miss a place of peace for yourself, when you miss a time of commune with God. When you miss that time, that moment, don't fret, be ready for the next time; which may include that present moment. Don't give up, get it as soon as you can. Don't allow guilt to eat away at what you did not do, present it to God and keep going. enough for now.

Don't Get Boxed In

I talked to my son earlier and could hear some disappointment in his voice. He was to do a triathlon today, but arrived at the transition area one hour too late. When he told me about it, I saw it as an opportunity from God to pause and rest and hear. He felt bad because he is on top of all details, usually. But he is now in a time of 'unusual' for him. You see, he is recovering from a coughing cold, he is a medical student, and the triathlon is in a different time zone. Can you see it? Hold on.

As I sat down to my desk, I realize that I had little projects still open that I normally would have had done. As I started, I jumped from one to another. It was too much clutter on my desk, and I cannot function well like that. I felt boxed in. Not overwhelmed, but just boxed in. So, I paused to get direction and clarity from God. Then I could see my way. Did you hear it?

Many times we find ourselves boxed in with what we usually can handle or how we usually get things done. But God! Yes, but God. Even if our own drive, our own stubbornness to press through, our own pride in handling things, trip us up. . . God. We can pause and get clear directions. Even if we boxed ourselves in, God can open the box. Even when we get discouraged in what we could not accomplish, God can lift us and gift us proper footing.

For all you overachievers, underachievers, and those in between; don't allow yourself to get boxed in with what you once did, with how you use to do it, with how you thought you knew the correct formula for your success. Sometimes the formula changes. You must be ready to go with it. Sometimes the path takes a new turn. Go with it. Rest in what God is doing, i what God can do, in hat God will do. Trust Holy Spirit's lead and not your own. Don't get boxed in. enough for now.

Won't He Do It?

Oh, won't He do it? Yes, He will. Yes, He can. Yes, He does. Yes. Just when you feel at your wits end. Just when you think there is no hope left- God. Yes, He will do it. What is your 'it'? What is your last effort place? What is it that you are hanging onto for dear life? What is it? Let go and watch what God does. After all, you couldn't do it. It may be that you had to be here so you could see what God is doing. I don't know, but I can answer "Won't He do it?"  Yes.

Maybe you need help, maybe you need healing, maybe you need release from pain, heartache, or sorrow. Maybe you need peace. Oh yeah- peace, the shalom of God. We all need God's shalom. And we can receive it. Stop . . . let go . . . wait . . . rest . . . watch what God is doing. Yes, He will do it. enough for now.

These Three

Faith, family, and friends. These three. Community. These three keep you in community. These three strengthen you and when they are positive, they are uplifting. Your family and friends should be encouraging you and your faith walk. If not, somethng may be wrong. You see, sometimes you may have friends or family that are not positive. You should politely place them outside of your inner circle. Sometimes we link up with those that mean us no good, and constantly deplete our energy. You must get them out of your inner circle. Not sure how? Let Holy Spirit show you how to "walk away' from those that deplete your energy. And let Holy Spirit show you who is to be in your inner circle. 

Faith, family, friends. Let's look at that faith thing. You see, sometimes we have faith in the wrong person, place, or thing. And that causes us great harm. Have faith in God and in His promises to you.  Too often we blame God for our misplaced judgment, and that ain't cool. It is wasted energy, and it sets us off down a rabbit trail of misplaced trust; and the enemy loves that. You see, any distraction from Truth is a lie and will be used against you by the enemy. Afraid? Scripture says it takes faith the size of a mustard seed. "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you" (Matt. 17:20 NIV). Wow. If that is all it takes, look at what faith that is larger than a mustard seed can do. Oh how God loves us. But your faith must be in God. 

Faith, family, friends. Faith in God, loving family, supporting friends. Yes, it is possible to have a strong community. I know it to be so because Holy Spirit showed me this earlier. These three- it is possible to have because of the big Three- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yes, you can. Yes they will. Yes, to your life! enough for now.

Which Way?

TODAY. Today rest is offered to you - take it. Today peace is offered to you - receive it. Today you have a fresh start on an otherwise uneventful day. You see it is all new to you. Change your focus, change the way you look at the day. This is an adventure! Watch for what you will see differently. Watch for the newness in the ordinary. This day belongs to you! Watch what God is doing in your life, today. Watch and ask which way? enough for now.

Did I?

"I had to. . ." How many times have you used that term? How many times have you found yourself justifying your actions- even if you are justifying to yourself. It is used to explain away ill gotten advice, even sometimes advice from self based on incorrect or incomplete information. It happens. Unfortunately, we continue along the same lines with the ill gotten advice not knowing how to make it right, but answer, "I had to." "I had to do what I had to do."

This morning, after praying about a client and his breakthrough, the Lord showed me that too often we are stuck in bad decisions, with bad directions, from bad advice, and are afraid to move out, move away, because of lost time, of losing face. But when we can recognize what it really is, then we can move immediately. . . straightway. . .without haste.

How? By receiving right direction, by asking Holy Spirit, "which way?"  And then . . .  wait on it . . . waiting for right direction, and following. Yes, it is never what you think, no, it is not the way you choose, but it it the true way for you. And there is no need for justification. Go ahead, try it- "which way?" And when you get right direction, follow without worry about what others think. After all, they don't know your journey. enough for now.

Thank Him

I didn't do it yesterday, but I am still marveling at the joy that arrived in my life 47 years ago, yesterday- my son. I marvel that God trusted me- me, with something so precious. Wow. And through it all, God has kept him and guided him into places that he dreamed, and couldn't dream. I love you Marq. Thank you Lord for keeping Marq. Thank you for loving me, and trusting me.

How about you? God has trusted you with life. Wow, that is a big thing. Why don't you thank Him? enough for now.

Listen, and Follow

Think about how you react to everyday challenges. Has it changed at all? It should if you are growing. You should not be reacting to similar challenges the way you did even a year ago, if you are growing. Some may not now cause a reaction. You should be growing more into recognizing distractions in your life. That is what they are there for- to distract. So be still, and look at how you handle distractions, how quickly can you recognize them. Can you? You can if you are listening for Holy Spirit's guidance. Try it today. Listen, and follow. enough for now.

Try It

How often do you miss one little important aspect, or one little important piece? Hmm, let me do it another way. How many times have you assembled something and had one little screw, or one spring left? Or you were following a recipe and when you were done found that you had left out one ingredient? You don't even know where it was to go? Okay, did I get everybody? How many times? How many relationships have been harmed because you did not hear it all? or have all the facts? How many jobs have been lost because someone did not get all the facts?

How many times did you start out on a journey of bliss and when it got rocky you could not get your footing and gave up- whether it was relationships, friendships, jobs? Come on. How many times? We all have been there. And we may get there again if we do not learn how to offer everything we do to God. Yes. When we offer it - the situation, the activity, the person, place, or thing, to God, we resolve to follow Holy Spirit's guide. It is at that point we can see what we may missed earlier. Oh, try it. Oh you will not believe the peace. 

Breathe. Try it. enough for now.

Get it Out

I am amazed at how a good cry out to the Lord puts everything in proper perspective. It just clears things up. I think it is when we recognize that we are totally reliant upon Him and that He does have a plan for our life. It is release. I may be a good lament that leads to a great praise and then resolve. Don't hold things twirling in your head. You can't work it out alone, no, you don't have to work it out alone. Your load is bearable because you are yoke with Jesus. Go ahead, let it out, release, resolve, and then watch what God is doing. enough for now.

What is Yours?

Why are we content to follow on everything when we are made to lead on some things? Yes, we all can't lead all the time, but there are times when your gift, your expertise is in demand. It is then that you lead. When the situation calls for a different gift a different level of expertise, then you step back. Everyone has something to contribute. What is yours? enough for now.

Shut the Noise

Do you realize how hard it is to shut down the chatter of everyone and everything and listen to God? Oh it can happen but it is hard. Let's be real. We allow so much clutter in our head, our heart, that we must shut the noise. And then when we are in the quiet we must not be afraid. That is an awesome place to be. Go ahead- try it. enough for now.

Telling/Not telling

I have been contemplating John 4 and the woman at the well. I am amazed at how we are consistently trying to do for self when God has everything we need. Yeah, we do. We figure it all out from what time a day we should get up to get to the well, when it is best for us. On how we are going to act with anyone who approaches us. We already have our excuses made. Just want to get what we want and get back to safety. We try to take care of self through out own craziness, through our own dysfunctional behaviors. Oh but Jesus. You see Jesus offers us freshness, realness, living water that sustains. And that prompts us to tell somebody about what we have received from Him.

Hmm, could it be that people in the churches are not telling because they are not receiving? Could it be that you have not received that sustaining life. It starts with us, you know. You receive and you tell somebody, then that body tells somebody, and it goes on. Bear in mind, you tell verbally, but it holds true in your actions. Receive that living water, that new life, and then run saying, "come see a man." enough for now.

Where?

I am amazed at how soon we can be distracted. See, just that quick, I paused to think about that statement and became distracted. Paused to hear where you are being distracted. Allow Holy Spirit to show you and then come back. enough for now.

Keep on Walking

Walking with your limp. I have been stuck on Jonathan Butler's song, "Walking with my limp." I like it, but I see some other things. Let me see if I can go there. There are things that hinder us, that cause us to 'limp'. And while we are limping, we may not recognize that we are. It could be that we have become accustomed to a dysfunctional walk that "it is what it is." Oh but, it does not have to be. We first recognize what it is that causes us to limp from tripping over, from being caught by the same stupid the same way over and over again. Go ahead - think about it. Let Holy Spirit direct you.

Look at what that limp has caused you in your life. Write it down. Relationships, jobs, friendships, life, health, peace. What has it cost you? . . . Wow! That is quite a bit. Can you afford that dreadful cost? If not, then let's get started. Give that limp to God, give what it has cost you, give what you feel about it. This is your life. You deserve more than that. Now rest. When you are rested, walk. Yes, you may have a limp, but a smaller limp. Keep walking, and when you hear "you are still limping," you say no, but God. Keep walking, allow that movement to be more of a strengthening for you. If God has you walking away from what caused you to limp, walk away. Keep walking.

You are not walking alone but walking with Holy Spirit, and that right there gives you what you need to walk.  Keep walking, you will find yourself walking and not limping. It is a process, it is is doable. enough for now.

Nothing but God

I just returned from the White Coat ceremony for my son. He is now in medical school after years of living, and his dream remained intact. And even when he had to resign from his 14 years of high school science teaching for going into premed- he prayed and he did. Just a few years prior, he began running and biking, and swimming more. He is now a triathlete. Why am I saying this? Oh yes, I am a proud mother- but more than that. As we talked the day before the ceremony he shared that he saw all along how God kept this in his view, and how he placed people and situations in his path for him to learn. He said it has been nothing but God. Nothing but God!

Yesterday was Marq's first class. He texted me this morning and said it was a long day. And I smiled, because it will be nothing but God. Did you see it? Did you hear it? Nothing but God. Family members have said that Marq is an inspiration- he is, because of God's hand on his life.

Take time today to access where you are. Allow Holy Spirit to walk with you showing you places where you were guided toward who you are. Yes, you are being guided, but you must follow. Blessings of awareness as you contemplate your journey to this point. And when you see God's hand give thanks, praise Him for your precious life. You have not seen it all yet. Nothing but God. enough for now.