A Week of Challenge

At my former church we celebrated this week as "The Week of Challenge."  We walked this week considering Jesus' last walk on earth.  That is a great way to consider this week for us.  Let me give it a little twist, "What is your challenge?  What keeps you from communing more with God?  What keeps you from accepting God's love?"  Try walking this time considering these issues.  Consider a spiritual discipline for this week.  There are a few- I suggest, silence, solitude, fasting, or study.  Give it a try.  Consider your issues and see what God has in store for you. type to you later.

Rejoice

As we embark upon the Palm Sunday celebration I rejoice for so many reasons.  I am clear that "my Father is rich in houses and land," I am His beloved child - He just decreased my allowance.  Enjoy all that God has planned for you TODAY.  Seek His will for your life.  You have tried it your way and you know how that turned out.  Try for the next 30 days to strive to hear God, to watch His moves in your life.  You will be so surprised to see how peace is waiting, even in the day to day stuff.  That is that shalom of God.  If you are not clear-ask, if you can't see or hear-call, if you feel rushed-wait.  Try it.  type to you later.

Let Nothing Disrupt

Yesterday I allowed a schedule to disrupt me.  Think about it.  The schedule was printed on a piece of paper by people who have no concern for me.  It should have never been printed; yet I was UPSET- about something printed on a piece of paper. I allowed something printed to disrupt my life.  Can you feel me? 

When I calmed down I started laughing.   Me, God's Beloved, upset about man's planned disruption of my plans. How absurd!  I forgot for a moment who was really in charge.  Now let me say it another way.  How often are we bent out of shape because someone threw an obstacle in our path?  And instead of working around it we stop and cry - never progressing any farther?

And the word? Keep in mind that no one, nothing, can stop God's plan.  You can hinder yourself by forgetting who you are.  Do not allow others to dictate your path. Allow yourself the freedom to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Stay focused, move on, move around, move over.   type to you later.

Brand New Day

Everybody look around

'Cause there's a reason to rejoice you see
Everybody come out
And let's commence to singing joyfully
Everybody look up
And feel the hope that we've been waiting for

Everybody's glad
Because our silent fear and dread is gone
Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully
Just look about
You owe it to yourself to check it out

Can't you feel a brand new day?
Can't you feel a brand new day?
Can't you feel a brand new day?
Can't you feel a brand new day?


The lyrics are from "A Brand New Day" from the movie, The Wiz.   The munchkins were freed from the wicked witch, and that was a reason to rejoice.  But what about us?  We are freed everyday from the clutches of evil. 

Why do we not rejoice at the small but oh so important things?  Look at it!  It is a brand new day, each day is overflowing with God's mercies.  Rejoice! Find your joy in the new mercies everyday and you will enjoy peace. type to you later.

This Time

We make everything so complicated, so difficult, when the best things are so very simple.  It's like reducing it to the least common denominator.  Remember that from school?  I invite you today to try a simple mantra that the Lord showed me yesterday for a client. See yourself standing up as you repeat it.  See yourself coming out, moving around, walking toward.  See yourself believing and holding on to it.  Say it and believe it.   "This time, I'm going to live the life God has given me."   Let me hear you. 
How can you start?  "Glad you asked," as F.G. Sampson used to say.   At every move check in with Holy Spirit.  Ask Him to show you how, what and where.  Watch God move in your life.  Try it- go ahead.   type to you later.

No More

I had just worked with someone on how she boxed in her relationship with God.  And today, I must admit, I boxed myself in.  I made the boundaries out an unfounded loyalty to people or institutions who are not loyal to me.  No more.  I will stretch out and away.  And it feels good to understand that boundaries are what people place in order to control, to manipulate others.  God allows us a sense of who we are and that is a creative resourceful leaping, flying creature.  Break them down. type to you later.

Find the Path

Do you know how easily you can become distracted from your path, your assignment?  And it usually appears just a little off from what you have been directed. It usually falls into that 'reach out' realm.  I had a great conversation with my sister on an issue that I was trying to help remedy for a group of people.  It is not mine to remedy, but to listen for my instructions from Holy Spirit.  It definitely is not near my mission statement, nor my mission.  Soooo, I had to get back to my path.  

You see, so many times I feel I can bring E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E along to help them when many times it is for me to go alone.  So there you have it.  Search your heart, check yourself.  Have you strayed from your path?  You can't pick every flower, care for every stray animal (smile).   Find your path, and follow it.  And when your path crosses the path of others, make sure you follow your path when it separates.  I think that is where too many get confused. 

Today- on Fat Tuesday- eat it up, let it go, get ready.  May I suggest that you try any one of the Spiritual Disciplines during this Lenten Season?  You see, the disciplines are to allow you a closer communication with God.  Too often, people 'give up' something they care about, such as sweets, only to pick it back up on Easter.  But if you choose something that comes between you and God - that would be a great thing to consider.  If you choose something that hinders your health, that would be a great thing.  Ask Holy Spirit what hinders your spiritual growth, your participation in connecting to His will.   Then work toward giving that up, or taking something on.   

Soooo.  While you are considering the option, I say choose a discipline: Prayer, fasting, solitude, silence, study, meditation, service, simplicity.  These are a only a few.  Two great books to study during this season would be, "A Celebration of Discipline,"  and "Prayer, Finding the Hearts True Home," both by Richard Foster. 

Use this Lenten season to get back on your path.  Can't find it?  Then get still, and listen.  Can't hear, then wait.  Not sure?  Try a spiritual discipline.  type to you later.