January 1, 2019

A New Day

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:19

“But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”

– Isaiah 52:12

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! – 2 Corinthians 5:17

What are your New Year’s resolutions? Did you giddily toast to your dreams? Are you determined to live differently this year? Did you make plans for good things?

Why do you think this year will be different than last year? Are you different? Are you more determined? Has life rocked you to the core and changed your direction?

We like to think of the first day of a new year as a new beginning. In many ways, it is. But it is only a new beginning if we are willing to make real changes in how we live our lives. Dreams are great but they don’t do anything unless we are willing to take action.

Sometimes we get so mired in the past that we lose our hope for today. We get so overwhelmed with where we are that we can’t seem to make ourselves take small steps toward who we want to be.

Our goals were so attainable in the giddiness of the New Year’s Eve celebration. We felt strong enough to conquer anything. And, maybe, for a day or two we bask in the glow of change.

The reality isn’t always so easy. There’s no way to lose weight without changing our eating habits and adding physical activity to our lives. No amount of dreaming or fad diet challenges will cause us to lose weight. We’ve got to actually step up and change.

The same is true with seeking a new job, changing relationships, living more determinedly for Christ. Jobs don’t happen without applications and networking. Relationships don’t change without time and effort. Living for Christ doesn’t happen without spending more time with Him and actually stepping up to serve.

Do you see the pattern? Are you willing to do the work necessary to live differently in 2019?

Don’t let the past overwhelm you. And don’t get caught up with how large that mountain looks. Every goal is reached by taking one step and then another. You don’t have to do it all at once. You simply must take one step toward it today.

Can you do that? Do you trust God enough to follow the dreams He’s planted deep inside of you? Can you move forward even when you quake in fear? Are you willing to follow the light?

God never leaves us alone. He never lets us to wander without reason. Seek His wisdom and move forward into the New Year. God has called you to great things but it’s up to you to take that first step.

May 20, 2018

Possibilities

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. – Acts 2:1-4

Today was Pentecost and Senior Day at church.  It was fitting really. There’s nothing quite like moving from high school into the adult world, leaving so many of the rules behind and going forward into a brand-new life. That’s much like Pentecost was for those who gathered behind closed doors to wait for the Spirit Jesus had promised.

There’s just so much possibility. Each of the students plans to head on to college but that’s where the similarities ended. Some are headed into the medical field, others education or even agriculture. The students are so diverse, just like their dreams.

How many will end up where they plan to go? It will be fun to watch that unfold. What we can guarantee, as our pastor noted, is that plans have a way of getting derailed when we least expect it. One thing we all learn is that God is in control, not us.

Can you imagine what the Apostles and others felt as they waited for Pentecost? The man they’d followed for three years had died a brutal death on a cross. They’d seen Him resurrected. They knew He was the Messiah. They’d spent time with Him and then He’d left again, promising the Holy Spirit.

They had to have been afraid. There were those who wanted to see them dead. So they did what all of us do when we have reached the end of ourselves. They prayed. Constantly. They prayed. Did they even know what they were praying for? Protection? Jesus’ promised gift? Strength and courage to face whatever came?

Life rarely turns out the way we planned. An illness shatters our normal. A job loss turns us in another direction. Marriage and children, or their lack, turns us around yet again. What we thought we’d enjoy turns out to be something that fills us with daily dread. The life we’d imagined isn’t at all what we’d planned.

The Apostles didn’t plan on Jesus dying. That was not something they could envision, no matter how many times Jesus tried to prepare them. Some things we just can’t understand until we’ve experienced it. Some things seem destined to destroy us until we get to the other side and realize that God truly did have a purpose for it all.

What happened on Pentecost? Everyone spoke in different languages and understood one another. Peter – the same Peter who denied Jesus three times – preached boldly. About three thousand heard the message and believed.

Everything changed that day. Their lives would never be the same. They were filled with a boldness – the Holy Spirit – and fear would no longer hold them captive. They finally got it. They finally understood that this was not the end, that Jesus was waiting for them in heaven, that they were placed on this earth to serve.

I looked over at the graduates and wondered if they truly understood what awaits them. I doubt it. Understanding comes from life experiences. Wisdom comes from failure probably more than success. They are filled with hope and dreams and that’s how it should be.

I pray they go boldly into their futures, refusing to let fear or doubters hold them back. I hope they cling tightly to the Holy Spirit, seeking guidance from the only One who truly knows the way. I pray they always remember this day filled with possibilities and live their lives boldly as they reach toward the dreams God has planted in their hearts.

May 11, 2016

Follow Your Dream

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. -- Galatians 5:1

What are you not doing because someone else doesn’t approve? I’m not talking about God. That’s approval you need. I’m talking about someone else in your life who is trying to impose their wishes on you.

I wonder how many opportunities we miss because someone else doesn’t want it for us. I wonder how many times we’ve failed to heed God’s call on our life because someone else thought we were being ridiculous.

The other day some friends and I were talking about prayer and the need to pray specifically for others. One man said he didn’t feel comfortable with that -- unless it was something like medical healing -- because he didn’t want to ask God for his will over someone else’s life.

I respect where he’s coming from but praying specifically for others isn’t about praying my will for them. It’s about asking specifically for God’s will in their life and for what they want.

An example: A sweet young woman has been trying for a year to be accepted as a student at the college of her choice. It is not my choice for her. She was accepted to my alma mater. I thought that’s where she should attend college. But her heart was somewhere else.

So I prayed for her. I prayed that God would grant her wish, not mine. I prayed for God’s will, of course, but I asked Him to let her dream come true. She got the acceptance letter she wanted so badly. She’s following her dream. I am happy for her.

We all have dreams. We imagine what our lives will be like. Sometimes life takes a detour and that’s okay. Well, maybe usually life takes a detour. But there are detours caused by something better or circumstances beyond our control -- such as an illness -- and there are detours caused by listening to others belittle our dreams.

A distant cousin has been a songwriter for much of his life. He is just now seeing some success. How long has he been following his dream? Twenty years? Probably longer. I have heard negative comments but never from his family. They have supported him unconditionally, have cheered him on, and done all they could to promote him. He is blessed to have them. Not everyone is so fortunate.

Here’s the thing: When God calls you to something, see it through. Don’t let anyone else’s opinion cause you to detour. That dream He placed in your heart is more valuable than gold because it came from God Almighty. Don’t let Him down.

April 7, 2014

This is one of the best columns I've read in quite some time. I wanted to save it for when I need a refresher course in courage and share it for those hesitating at the brink of something new.

Are you a dreamer waiting for a better day to do God's will? Or are you someone willing to step out of the boat and trust His vision for your life?

Are You Burying Your Talents?

 

I have many dreams. They vary anywhere from being a writer/speaker to owning my own children’s clothing consignment store. They are all over the map and I love talking about each of them. You’ll find me saying a lot, “One day I would love to…..” or “Wouldn’t it be great if some day…..”

Talking about my dreams is great, but doing something about them is a different story.

Ask me what I’m going to actually do to realize those dreams and all you will get from me is a blank stare.

The way to get started is to stop talking and start doing. (Walt Disney)

Taking action is risky.

There is usually too much involved and not enough time or money. I like safety and comfort, not risk and the unknown. So when God lays something on my heart that is out of my comfort zone, I stall. I make excuses and sometimes I outright ignore his nudges.

I recently heard a sermon on using our gifts and taking risks. The pastor said, “Discipleship doesn’t mean a safe harbor….venture out to what’s unknown and God will meet you there.” (<==Tweet that)

Did you know that most of the dreamers of this world took a risk  and ended up in a place different than they expected?

Take Christopher Columbus for instance.

Not once did he make his plans, set sail, and then land where he thought he would. He had vision though, and he wasn’t afraid of taking the risk.

Where there is no vision the people will perish… (Proverbs 29:18)

I believe Christians are called to be risk takers. One of my favorite writers/bloggers, Melanie Shankle had this to say about taking risk:

Because here’s the thing, it’s easier to sit on your couch than to risk failing. It’s easier to sit on your couch than to be out in the world where you’re vulnerable and open to being hurt or disappointed. But you know what happens while you sit on your couch playing Candy Crush and watching Tami Taylor? Life. Beautiful, gorgeous, fragile, heartbreaking, mind-blowing, life. God has a script written for each and every one of us, no matter who we are or what we’ve done or how much we feel completely ill-equipped for the adventure.(Big Mama aka Melanie Shankle)
 

In the parable of talents found in Matthew 25:14-30 we see a Master who gives his servants a certain number of talents according to their ability. The Master gave one servant five talents, which the servant doubled. The next servant was given two talents. He did the same. The last servant was given one talent and he buried it in the dirt.

He buried his talent in the dirt!

So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours. Matthew 25:25

Yikes! I would hate to have been that guy!

But aren’t we just like him? Don’t we too refuse to obey and following the call we know God is putting on our lives?

The bad servant played it safe.  He was afraid of the unknown, so he buried his talents. The servant expected his Master to be thankful for protecting the talent. Instead, the master was infuriated.

The Master trusted his servant with a little to see what he would do. And the servant did nothing.

We can talk all day long about our dreams, but at the end of the day, talk is cheap and leads nowhere.

 God doesn’t play it safe, He took risks (look at creation). And I think He expects the same of us.

How have you played it safe? What is one thing you’ve been holding back on because you’re afraid take a risk?

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

Photo Credit: Wessex Archaeology via Compfight cc

Photo Credit: stuant63 via Compfight cc

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

God Plants Dreams In Our Hearts

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. -- Romans 5:5

What are your hopes and dreams? What have you given up on? Where has hope died? What dreams have you lost along your life’s journey?

Many of us have secret dreams that reside deep inside of us. Or we have dreams that we believe are lost forever. We tell ourselves they don’t matter anymore. We are determined to be content where we are. But there’s an ache deep inside us for what will never be.

Lisa Harper, in her women’s Bible study on Malachi, suggests that we create a top 10 list of all those dreams we’ve almost stopped hoping for. Think about it. Really. Take a few minutes and consider your dreams -- or what’s left of them.

Yeah. What’s left of them. Because somewhere along the days of your life you have likely lost a few dreams. Some are gone because they simply ceased to be your dreams anymore. Others are gone because people and circumstances destroyed your faith in their possibilities.

I always smile when I think of childhood dreams that seem so silly now. A boy we adored and wanted forever. A career that never was right for us. A fantasy life that could never be real and would be boring if it was. We don’t want those dreams anymore.

But there are the lost dreams, the ones that reside deep in our hearts, but that we never allow to surface. We wouldn’t dare share them, not anymore anyway, because they are too fragile to withstand the glare of naysayers who sometimes surround us.

Harper suggests praying over those secret dreams and asking God to show us which ones might actually be our longing for the gifts God wants to give us. Perhaps our dreams involve special talents, given up for more practical concerns. Perhaps our dreams involve lifestyle changes that will lead us to greater fulfillment and God’s real calling on our lives.

God doesn’t plant dreams in our hearts without a reason. What we need to discern is whether those dreams are from God or merely a trap the evil one has set to lead us away from our real purpose. That’s why we need to pray and listen for God’s voice.

God loves us beyond anything we could ever imagine. He wants good things for us. And He plants seeds within our hearts that allow us to dream beyond what is obvious and reach for His perfect plan for our lives. Don’t give up on those dreams before taking them to your Father and asking Him to reveal His will to you.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

What Are You Waiting For?

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

-- Hebrews 11:8

The other day I came across a reporter’s notebook. It wasn’t one of those flimsy things newspapers doled out back in the day. This one was nice, with a hard cover and lines that were spread far enough apart that you could actually see what you wrote.

It was, no doubt, a gift. One I treasured so much that I’ve kept it all these years. One that I’ve held on to, waiting for the perfect story, the perfect moment, to use it. As I flipped thru those pages filled with nothing, I realized that a perfect moment would never come because ir doesn’t exist. And I’ve wasted an opportunity to use something I cherished because I waited too long.

I think we view the gifts God gives us like that notebook someone gave me. We treasure it. We hold it close. We marvel in gratitude at the rightness of that perfect gift. And we never use it because we’re waiting for a perfect time that’s never going to happen.

Many of us had childhood dreams of a glorious adult life. Some lucky ones, people who followed their call, reached the mountaintop. Others, like me, waited for a better day. And now I look back, amazed at the years that have passed while I’ve waited for a perfect time.

The simple truth is that critics will always abound. Their names may change but their voices are the same. I’ve got to move toward God’s call on my life despite the negative comments and putdowns.

I will never have enough time to do all the things I long to do. Not because the longing isn’t there. And not because I don’t work hard. But because for every thing I do, there are 10 other things that pop up on that long to do list. The list keeps getting longer and my time keeps getting shorter.

Why is it that we wait to live until it is almost time to die? What are we so very afraid of? Because fear is at the root of procrastination. We could call it a million other names. Laziness, busyness, practicality, steadiness. We don’t want to leave the comfort of what we know for the dream that may never be. We’re more afraid of failure than of remaining the same.

Abraham didn’t know where he was going when he followed God’s call. He didn’t need to know. Abraham trusted God. He believed in God’s character. He knew that God could do anything and that God would keep His promises. Abraham had faith. What about you?

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Follow God’s Plan For Your Life

Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

-- Mark 6:1-3

No matter what we dream, there will always be someone there to tell us it either can’t be done or that we can’t do it. No matter what we accomplish there will always be someone there to scoff at it and tell us it really was no big deal after all.

Frequently those who do so are the ones closest to us. It hurts. It causes us to doubt ourselves, our dreams and our accomplishments.

The world tells us that our families and close friends are our greatest cheerleaders. We are told to listen to the advice and wisdom of those who know us best. Look to others, some say, so you can best determine your strengths and your weaknesses, your skills and your gifts.

Actually, the only place you should turn is to God. Oh, sure, listen to what others say but take time to pray about it. Listen to what God has to say and follow Him rather than those around you.

Several years ago I felt God leading me on a different path. I felt a tug toward teaching. At the time, I was coordinating Children’s Church but I felt that my time there was over and I needed to move to an older audience.

The church was desperate for Sunday school teachers. Those on that committee said so publicly. So I offered my services. I didn’t request a specific age. I vowed silently to be open to what they offered.

And they did offer. The three year old class that no one else would take. I was offended, though I doubt they ever knew. And I just said no. I knew with certainty that it wasn’t what God had in mind. I was disappointed too. Because these wonderful folks couldn’t see me as anyone they could ever learn anything from.

God had a different plan. He had a different purpose for my life. Not long after this, He led me to a different church with a different mindset. Today I lead a Sunday school class of adults about my age, give or take 15 years or so. We have lively discussions as folks from different places and different political viewpoints come together to learn and grown in Christ. Each Sunday I ask God for words and wisdom and He gives both in abundance.

During the school year I lead a ladies bible study. Our numbers have grown and we all have grown closer as we bond over shared learning and the love of Jesus in our hearts.

God called me to walk a path some thought I couldn’t travel. I followed God and I’ll be forever grateful that I did.

Friday, June 15, 2012

Replace Lies With God’s Words

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will. -- Romans 12:2

What are you not doing today because someone said you couldn’t do it? What are you doing today because of past labels that turned you into who they wanted you to be?

We are the products of our own desires, yes, but also we are influenced and directed by the many opinions of those around us. Someone decides while we are young that we are brainy or athletic or not too bright. And so we become because someone older and “wiser” said we were.

By the time we’re old enough to have dreams and aspirations for ourselves, the past labels are ingrained in us and those around us. So we follow the predicable path. We let others tell us how to live our lives. We quash our dreams in favor of more “realistic” goals, which is just another word for what others want us to do.

Where is God in all this? Is He in the labels others have pinned on us? Is He in favor of following the path others laid out for us? And do we even bother to ask God what He wants us to do with our lives?

Somehow it just seems easier to go along to get along, as the old cliché goes. But if God gave us a desire for something more, something different, something else than where we’ve been, then who are we to take a different path? And who are those around us to think that they know better than God?

It gets back to each of us having unique and special gifts that we are intended to use for God’s glory. No two people are exactly alike, including my identical twin cousins who were as different as they were similar. God has touched the heart of each of us, drawing us down a path of His choosing.

So how do we fight the expectations of others? How do we withstand the criticisms and putdowns that come when you select a different course? By renewing your mind so that God’s Words replace the criticisms and judgments of those around you.

Easy? Not even close. Psychologists call it “cognitive therapy.” We are called to confront the lies of our past and replace them with God’s truth. When we turn away from the world’s hold on our lives, God lights a path that clearly reflects His will for our lives.

Stop limiting yourself to the expectations of others. Your Heavenly Father created everything and He will help you do anything He calls you to do. What has He called you to do? Follow Him and let yourself soar to unimaginable heights.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

What Are Your Dreams?

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” -- John 20:29

What are your dreams? Are they all about the seemingly impossible? Or are they more goals than dreams? Maybe you want something with all your heart, but you just can’t see it happening.

I can’t imagine how Jesus’ followers felt when He died on that cross. Though He had tried to explain to them what would happen, honestly, they didn’t have a clue. How could they? Even now, all these years later, I marvel at the sacrifice, the pain and suffering, that Jesus endured for me.

Their dreams died on that cross. Or so they thought. Their leader was dead. Their friend was gone. What do you do when everything you’ve ever worked for is suddenly, and tragically, taken away? How do you even begin to rebuild your life when everything you’d planned for your future is gone?

The disciples believed Jesus but they didn’t understand. At least not until He returned. Because of Jesus, we know that this life isn’t the end. As believers, we know that heaven awaits. It’s not a dream. It’s a goal. A future. A promise.

We often give up our dreams before we even get started. We live in defeat because the world, or maybe past mistakes, are still dictating to us what we can achieve. We forget the power of the cross as we try to live under the power of ourselves. And fail. Again and again.

Jesus didn’t come to lead us to defeat. He came to lead us to victory. He came in love because God is love. I know. It’s impossible for us to truly understand how great is the love that He has for us. But He does. He loves us. No matter what. No matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done. Nothing can change His love for us.

So here we are. The suffering of the cross is now a memory. Jesus stands before us, offering us eternal life. We are to go forward and make new disciples. We are to love others, including our enemies. We are to do good to those who harm us. We are to care for widows and orphans. We are to show others that we belong to Him by how we live our lives.

Not in defeat. Not in shame for a past we cannot change. Not focused on regrets and sorrow. But with our heads high and our eyes wide open as we boldly reach for our dreams. Those same dreams we thought were out of our reach until we realized they were planted deep in our souls by the very one who loved us enough to send His Son to die for us.

What are your dreams? What has God called you to do?

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Choose To Inspire Others

So they come pretending to be sincere and sit before you listening. But they have no intention of doing what I tell them. They express love with their mouths, but their hearts seek only after money. -- Ezekiel 33:31

He’s a good man. At least, I keep telling myself that. He can be kind and considerate and giving. But mostly he’s a ruthless businessman focused on money and self. His uneven personality keeps his employees on edge and drives others away.

God is God and there can be no other before Him. We know that -- at least we claim to know that. But every time we put money before God, every time we place power before kindness, every time we treat someone harshly without cause, we deny God. Because how can He live within us unless we care for those around us?

None of us are perfect. We all occasionally make bad choices. Sometime we’re irritable and snap at someone who doesn’t deserve it. So we apologize and try to fix our mess. We turn to God for guidance.

But when it becomes a daily thing, it’s way past time to reevaluate our lives. Because life isn’t meant to be focused on things rather than people.

Oh, we’ve all seen or experienced the stereotype businessman who is so focused on work, and the long hours that come with climbing that corporate ladder, that he misses out on his children’s lives. So he makes more money that someone who might work only 40 hours per week. So what? His kids have an absentee father when they really need someone there to cheer them on, guide them and just listen to them.

A number of years ago I lost a dear friend suddenly. He had spent many years working, climbing the corporate ladder, and investing in the company he worked for. The company went bankrupt and he lost everything he thought he valued.

But he gained an opportunity to do things differently. Oh, he still worked hard. But he took time to go out to eat with friends. To visit his family. To take dreamed of vacations. When he died, he’d done many of the things he’d dreamed of doing. I was grateful for that.

It seems kind of cheesy to ask yourself what you’d regret if you died tomorrow but, really, it’s a question we all should ask ourselves. Would we regret the hours spent working, the sharp comments, the focus on things rather than people? Most of us would.

Because in the end it’s all about relationships: our relationship with God and with those whose lives we touch. We have an opportunity to do good, to lead and inspire those we encounter each day. We also have the opportunity to blow it. Your life. Your choice. Which will it be?

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Give God Your Dreams

Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. -- Psalm 37:5

What aren’t you doing today because you don’t believe you can? What are you holding back? What have you given up? What makes you sad? What dream do you believe is long dead?

The thing about God is that He can make anything happen. No matter who tells you something won’t work. No matter how many people shoot down your dreams. No matter how impossible something seems. If you commit what you’re doing to God, He can make it happen.

Facing the Giants is one of my favorite movies. The characters overcome incredible odds but clearly show that lives dedicated to God and living for Him can overcome impossible odds. Who could ever imagine that a church in Albany, Georgia, could make such a powerful movie? God did. He planted the seeds and His people trusted Him to use them and make it happen.

They prepared for Him. That’s the key. You can have all the dreams in the world, but if you don’t do the work those dreams aren’t going to happen. It’s not like God is going to wave a magic wand over you and suddenly you’ll have a business, or a new ministry, or a home of your own. You have to do your part so that God can do His.

One scene in the movie involves a former soccer player turned field goal kicker. At the very end, he’s called to kick the winning field goal. It’s way further than he’s ever kicked. He’s convinced he can’t do it. He goes onto the field wearing defeat before he’s even tried. He’s given up.

The coach asks his player if the player believes God could kick that field goal. Silly question. Of course God could kick the field goal! Well, the coach tells him, just give it his best effort and let God do the rest. Naturally, the field goal makes it and the team wins. Because God can do anything. He only asks that we give Him our best. That we show up. That we trust Him.

This doesn’t mean that God is going to give us everything we want. But if we seek His will, follow His path, He will help us. Trust Him. Again and again in the Bible we are told to trust God. In all things. At all times. He won’t fail us. Ever.

So brush off those dreams. Rethink those plans. Talk to God about what you truly want to do. Then listen to what He has to say. Maybe what you always believed was out of reach, isn’t so impossible after all.