October 7, 2018

No Guarantees

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. -- Psalm 90:12

This is not the life he had planned. He had retired. His wife was soon to retire. They were going to travel and spoil their grandchildren and just enjoy themselves. And then she got sick and died.

Now he’s struggling to make sense of what’s left. He has to go on. He has to live what’s left of his life. But it will never look the way it would have looked had she lived.

Another friend is two months into unexpected widowhood. How could someone seemingly so healthy get sick and die within days? How does she reorder her life, care for her children, and look to the future when each day looks so bleak?

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. They were supposed to watch their children become adults, welcome grandchildren and retirement. They were supposed to grow old together. She feels cheated even as she seeks God’s will to go forward.

Should I go on? Another friend fought a hard battle for two years. Her son died. She will never be okay. She goes on. She’s got three other children. But how can she ever trust in tomorrow? How can she rid herself of this deep fear inside? One child died of cancer. Could she lose another?

We are people who plan. We fill our days with work and meetings and kids’ activities. We are busy people. We’ll get around to joy a little later. There will be plenty of time to rest when we’ve accomplished all that we’ve planned. We’ll have lots of time to spend with the kids then. We’ll all be glad of the nice home and all the stuff we’ve filled it with.

Until the day when life changes forever. If you’re lucky, you’ll get another chance to get it right. If you’re not, you’ll be left with deep regrets.

Another friend marked an unfortunate milestone last week. It had been exactly a year since her husband was involved in head-on collision. He is fine. The other driver, the one who swerved in front of him, died. She remembers the phone call, the frantic rush to the accident scene, then thankfulness that he would be okay. And the sorrow that someone they’d never met had died.

Life isn’t something to take for granted. We know that. So why do we live as though tomorrow is promised? It isn’t. Only God knows the number of our days. We should spend those days focused on what’s truly important.

If you died today what would your children remember about you? That you worked all the time? That your house was always spotless? Or would they remember how you played with them, helped them with homework, held them when they cried?

What would your friends remember? Would they consider you a hard worker and tough competitor? Or would they remember your kindness, your compassion, your laughter?

We don’t like to think of the day we’ll move on to our heavenly home. Oh, we want to go to heaven. Just not today. Or tomorrow. But that’s not our choice.

It’s always wise to plan for the future, to have savings and a good job and a welcoming home. But treat today as the treasure that it is. Be grateful for the time you have with those you love. Extend grace. Show mercy. Be kind. Today is a gift and tomorrow may never come. Live accordingly.

September 14, 2018

Reshape Your Priorities

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. – Proverbs 27:1

The sound of chopper blades filled the silent night. The helicopter landed on the football field as fans, players, coaches, medics, all looked on. There’s something about it that puts a high school football game in its proper perspective.

We don’t know what tomorrow might bring. We tell ourselves that. But do we really believe it? And, more importantly, do we live like we believe it?

I wasn’t at that high school game tonight. The game was between two teams nearby. Small schools. You know the kind. Everyone knows everyone else. Nothing truly bad is supposed to happen.

A friend posted photos and, then, videos of the helicopter landing and taking off. We’ve had no news yet about the player. We can only imagine his family’s anguish. We hurt for the other players and coaches. We pray fervently for a young man to please be alright.

I know about sudden changes. I understand how one minute everything is right in your world and in the next life has changed forever. I have felt that earth-shattering moment that you come to think of as a dividing line between before and after.

We are so focused on being in charge of our own lives. We make plans like we really know what’s going to happen. We act as though our life events are more important than, well, almost anything. Until something happens and we refocus on what’s really important.

Jesus. He’s what matters. Do you know Him? Do you serve Him? Or do you serve yourself and your own agenda?

Don’t make excuses. I’m not calling you out but I do want you to squirm. I want you to think about your days, your priorities, your values. How many times do you put off doing things for Jesus because you’ve got something “better” to do? How many times do you make excuses such as time, energy, money?

I pray that young man will be okay. I pray he will heal quickly and completely, with no lasting impact from tonight. And I pray that this opened the eyes and hearts of those who witnessed it. We don’t always have the time we think we have.

So, make your plans with loose fingers. Leave room for Jesus. He has a way of showing up when you least expect Him.

Update: The player has a sprained spine. No breaks. He should be okay. Thank you for your prayers.

August 4, 2018

Surrender Plans to God

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

– Jeremiah 29:11-13

Sometimes it seems that the harder I try to get control of my life, the more my life is out of control. Anybody know what I’m talking about?

It’s all those little things that pop up, taking my plans and causing them to zig and zag until there’s no time left for what was on my to-do list. I try to laugh it off. Some days I even succeed. But there are those days when frustration gains a root hold that won’t seem to let go.

It helps to know that while I’m not in control, God surely is in control. Nothing surprises Him. God knew the cows would destroy the gate and take a section of fence down. He knew the dog would get sprayed by a skunk – again. God understood that I would need to prepare food, attend a funeral, visit a friend who just had surgery. He even knew I would have furniture orders to get done in this high-humidity week.

I gave up trying to predict the future several years ago. What was the point? I could never have predicted some of the things that have happened. It’s a good thing. I think God sometimes keeps us in the dark because He knows we’d never keep going if we knew what awaited us.

And, yet, when we surrender whatever it is to His will, God always uses it for our good and His glory. That’s the kind of loving Father God happens to be.

That’s the thing about trials. When there’s no place else to turn, we turn to God. When we’ve done all we can, we turn to God. When everything we once believed is crashing down around us, we turn to God. It’s in the valleys that we truly learn who He is.

Oh, but we want the mountaintop, don’t we? Sure, we do. But that’s not where we live. That’s not the real world. And while we enjoy those experiences immensely, life is messy and prone to disruptions. We think we’re headed in one direction and, almost without notice, we’ve changed course.

What happened? Life. Our plans are thrown out and we’re struggling to stay afloat and there is God. When everyone else seeks higher ground, there is God. When nothing seems to work, there is God.

A sweet friend said today that she’d finally found true happiness. But – and this is a big but – it didn’t happen until she’d surrendered it all to God. I’m not talking about salvation. She’s been a Christian for a long, long time. It’s about trying to live life, make choices, find happiness, without handing all your plans over to God first and trusting Him with all of it. Once she did that, everything fell into place.

The truth is we can’t predict how our days are going to turn out. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. We can plan, and make lists, and stubbornly hang onto our goals, but it’s God that determines our steps. And they are good steps. Don’t miss that. God wants good things for us.

I’m learning how to roll with things life throws my way. I’m getting better at trusting that God knows how it’s all going to play out and that He’ll work it out however is best for me and for Him. He’s got good plans for me and you. So seek His will and walk each step by faith, trusting that He’s got you no matter what the day might bring.

July 18, 2018

Don’t Wait for Tomorrow

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

– James 4:13-15

He’s not the sort of man you expect to see rushed to ICU. He’s young, healthy, active. He’s a man of deep faith. A man with a wife and kids and a job. Someone who volunteers and repeatedly gives of himself to others.

An infection. That’s the diagnosis. The brain bleed stopped on its own. He should have a full recovery. It was a very scary night for his family. Things like this aren’t supposed to happen. But they do. Every single day, they do.

We make plans. We love to make plans. It might be something as simple as planning to go to work or to the store. Maybe you’re planning to watch television or mow the lawn. We’ve always got something planned. Until the unthinkable happens.

His wife noted that 24 hours before she never would have expected to be sitting in ICU, not knowing if her very sick husband would be okay. That’s the thing about life. Sometimes it hits you with a wave that will almost sink you, until you remember that Jesus controls the storm.

I mentioned this man’s deep faith. It’s a strength and a comfort. Because if his life had ended – and we praise God that it didn’t – we know goodbye would only have been temporary. It would hurt, especially for his family, but there would be some comfort in knowing where he was.

Sometimes people put off their faith decision. They think they’ve got time. We all think we’ve got time. We’ve got plenty of time to take that trip, make that call, play with the children. Until we don’t.

A sweet friend once said her cancer diagnosis was one of the greatest gifts God ever gave to her. The reason? It made her let go of all the superficial things she thought was important and focus on what truly was important. Her relationship with God grew strong and deep. It wasn’t about doing what was expected – church attendance and tithing – but about her heart and reaching the lost.

Are you lost? If today were your last day on earth, do you know where you’d go? Because one day when you aren’t really expecting it, you’ll take your last breath. It doesn’t matter if you’re 17 or 80. No one really expects to die until we do.

Don’t wait to know Jesus. He’s pretty awesome and He’s right there waiting to save your soul. All you have to do is ask.

April 30, 2018

Embrace the New Day

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

Blackie has a new calf this morning. A new life to celebrate even as we mourn the life that was lost last Saturday.

Nothing can change the past. We can cling to it. We can get so caught up in what-ifs that we miss this new beginning. Or we can move forward, with the lessons of yesterday tucked in our heart, cherishing this new opportunity.

Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. You’ve probably heard that old cliché many times. It doesn’t lesson the truth that it holds. We can’t go back and rewrite history. We can only go forward from this day, living a different life with renewed hope and purpose.

It’s not an easy journey. Don’t let anyone tell you it is. The past can leave painful scars that keep us from trusting, from hoping, from believing that today and all the todays to come will be different. But we can take a deep breath and step into the new life God is calling us to embrace.

We walk by faith. We know that. There are no guarantees that today won’t bring heartbreak. There are no protections from evil except for the strength of Christ that lives within us. He promises to never leave us alone. He guarantees that victory is found in His arms. But sometimes the journey hurts.

Have you made mistakes? We all have. Have you been hurt by people you trusted? We all have. Have you felt the sting of lies and accusations that bore no truth? We all have. But we don’t have to live amidst the rubbish. We can rise above it and move into the plans God has called us to, the good plans He has promised.

It’s easy to get caught up in the what-ifs. It’s easy to want retribution, vindication, revenge on those who did us wrong. It’s easy to want to rewrite the past. But it isn’t what God wants. Revenge belongs to Him. God is clear on that. We are to forgive, to do good, and to move on. He’ll take care of the rest.

We can’t move forward, we can’t embrace this new beginning, while we are clinging to the past. We can’t become new while we are dirty from the last skirmish with the devil. We are in a Spiritual War and Satan is trying to control our minds, our thoughts, our hearts. We must resist and cause him to flee. The Bible tells us so.

The new calf is perfect in every way. He is shiny and new as he stumbles into his first steps of life. His mama is ever watchful, ready to assist but knowing she can’t do it for him. God is like that. He watches over us, never leaving us alone. But we have to take those first steps on our own. We have to reach out, grasp His hand, and walk in faith.

Don’t let the past keep you shrouded in darkness. Move forward into the light of a bright new future, a future God has called you to live.

March 21, 2018

God Determines Our Path

The heart of a man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.

– Proverbs 16:9

We’re a lot alike, she and I. We’ve known each other more years than either of us publicly admits. In our 20s, we had dreams. Oh, the plans we made. Neither of us have the life we imagined.

Both of us remained single, without children. I never expected that to happen. Neither did she. How does time pass so quickly? What happened to the person we always thought we’d be?

It hasn’t been a bad life. Well, except for the hard times that is. Everyone has those. Illness doesn’t excuse anyone from her tirade. Broken hearts and bad choices abound. But mostly I think we just got busy and assumed we had plenty of time.

I never expected to be nearing the end of my life without a husband and children by my side. God had a different plan.

A dear friend still mourns his much-younger wife. She was the love of his life. They raised a son and created memories and were enjoying the grandchildren they adored. He always assumed he’d be the first to go. Age is supposed to determine those things. ALS is a cruel disease. She was gone way too soon.

Another friend expected to grow old with her husband. She was so in love. They’d created what she thought was a perfect family, complete with two young children. Until the day he told her he wanted out of their marriage. He just didn’t love her anymore.

We hold tightly to jobs we think we’ll have forever, to bank accounts we think give us security, to people who can be fickle and unkind, to a lifestyle we believe gives us status and worth. Then one day it is all gone. Our plans lay shredded all around us. We are numb with the shock, uncertain of the next step. We had such plans!

I’ve come to understand that God truly is the only One is trustworthy in all things at all times. Oh, I have some wonderful friends and family who have stood beside me in both devastating and joyful seasons of life. But nobody can be everything to someone else. It is God alone who has carried me through the dark nights and celebrated the seemingly small successes of my days.

He knows best. I’m so thankful for His protection. I’m thankful He didn’t always say yes. I’m even thankful He led me into the storm because it drew me closer to His side. God made a way when I never saw it coming. I am just so grateful for His Presence and protection.

A sweet friend talked about the plans she’d had for her life. Business. She wanted to be in business. She’s an elementary school teacher. She loves it! Her students are so blessed. She has the right amount of toughness mingled with a quick smile and genuine love for “her” kids. God knew where she needed to be, where she would make the most difference by touching the lives of young children.

Another friend got her call to teaching while she labored away in the medical field. She refused the first offer. The second time she was ready. Scared, I might add, but ready. Her high school students win awards all over the state. They gravitate toward her honesty and kindness. She doesn’t put up with any bad behavior but she is quick to forgive, quick to help, quick to defend those she calls her own. She never saw this career coming but she is so very thankful that it did.

God knows where we need to be to make the most difference in this world. God knows what has been and what is to come. He sees deep inside our hearts. My friend from so many years ago? Because she didn’t have her own family, she was able to spend 8 years caring for her invalid father. She also helped raise her brother’s children after their mother abandoned them. She has had a full life, filled with love. Just not the life she imagined.

As for me, well, I’m back where I belong, telling stories and teaching people about Jesus and caring for those who have no one else. It isn’t the life I would have chosen but it sure is the right life for me.

May 24, 2016

God Stands Faithful

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. -- James 1:12

I hate surprises. I do. Almost every surprise I have ever had in my life has been bad news. Today was no exception.

We think we have our lives planned out and then someone else makes a decision and everything gets shifted around. It’s that simple and that complicated.

Sometimes it seems that the harder I try to plan, the harder Satan works to knock those plans down. I am reminded that there really is a war going on and Satan is trying to derail every Christian from doing God’s work and proclaiming His glory.

Last year I participated in a Priscilla Shirer Bible study. She noted that when she agreed to film War Room she was warned to expect an attack from Satan. And she got it. Full force. She obviously persevered and the movie is wonderful.

That’s just how life is. When Satan sees you doing something good, he will do all he can to change your direction. It’s just so important to pray in those times. It’s so important to ask God for guidance and protection. Remember that nothing can touch you without God’s allowing it.

That doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen. They will. It just means that our strength and courage will come form God. We have but to ask. We are His children. He loves us. He will fight for us if we will but stand still.

I didn’t even know what to pray today. I didn’t know what to say, what to ask for or what is the best path. God knows. The Holy Spirit also knows what to ask. The Bible tells us that the Spirit will intercede for us. I am thankful for that.

I have no idea what will happen in the days and weeks to come. I do know that God is in control and that He will work this out for my good and His glory. He promised and God always keeps His promises.

On days like this, when yet another surprise has sent me down another road I didn’t plan to travel, I am so thankful that He is someone I can depend on.

April 28, 2016

Trust Jesus To Provide

15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. -- Matthew 14:15-18

The other day we were heading South when we spotted some teenagers waving signs to advertise a yard sale. Have I mentioned I love yard sales? We did a U-turn and headed back to the church.

The people were wonderful. Teenagers were everywhere helping, right along with the adults. Prices were reasonable. We were happy to buy more items we didn’t need.

They were raising money to send their youth to summer camp several states away. They collect items all year and have one large yard sale. They do it every year. One man noted that they always have enough money, with a little left over.

God provides. Always. We ask for His guidance. We work hard. And we leave the results to Him.

The disciples lived with Jesus day after day. They watched Him perform miracles. They saw Him interact with others. They heard Him teaching again and again. And, yet, their first plan was to send the people away to get food.

They didn’t have enough. They weren’t enough. And they didn’t think to ask Jesus to provide. They did what we all do. They did what was reasonable. They came up with a plan and presented it to Jesus, expecting Him to go along with it.

Just like we do.

I wonder what would happen to our lives if we simply gave Jesus all we had and expected Him to provide the rest? I wonder how our lives would change if we really understood we could count on Him to provide everything we need to follow His plan?

They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. -- Matthew 14:20

Amazing what Jesus can do if we only trust Him to provide what we need.

April 26, 2016

Life Detours Plans

In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps

 -- Proverbs 16:9

It was going to be a busy day at the start of a really busy week. I wasn’t sure how I could possibly fit everything in but I had a plan.

Well, you know how it is with plans.

The doctors appointment ran late, then there was lunch and a surprise stop. But another doctors appointment never materialized. That freed up time for work. Which I was doing. Until I heard it.

You know what I’m talking about. In my case, it was the dogs barking ferociously. This wasn’t one of those chasing a squirrel barks. This was much bigger and I knew something was dreadfully wrong.

I threw down my wire cutters and ran. Sammy had killed the copperhead snake before I arrived. I cut the snake’s head off to be sure. After a quick check, I raced to the vet with Sammy. And there went my afternoon.

I am not complaining. It could have been much, much worse. He’s going to be fine. I am thankful.

But here’s the thing: We all make plans for our days. We do. Even if it’s as simple as get up, have a cup of coffee and head to the beach. We make plans as though somehow we know what’s going to happen. We don’t.

I’m a big planner. I always have been. And I get frustrated when those plans get derailed. But this is life and life isn’t about plans. It’s about living our moments to the fullest and following God with all our hearts.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our “to do” list that we forget to enjoy the process. Did you notice the sunset yesterday? Did you see the beautiful flowers blooming this spring? Did you throw a ball with your dog? Did you read a book to your child?

When did we get so busy that we can’t enjoy our moments? When did we fill our days with so many tasks that we forget to enjoy the journey? When did we stop realizing it’s about loving God and loving people?

Sometimes life takes us on a detour to remind us of what’s important. Pay attention to the lesson.

April 6, 2016

Enjoy This Season

4 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” -- Jeremiah 29:4-9

Where did the day go? I had plans and, once again, what I planned didn’t come to pass because of the many things I didn’t plan that came up along the way. Do you ever travel that road? It can be so frustrating!

But God always gives us what we need and I needed these verses from Jeremiah. I’ve read them before, of course, but this time the writer pointed out that this is what God told His people BEFORE He told them about the good plans He had for them.

Why is that so significant? Because God was telling His people to plant gardens where they were going to be in exile for 70 years. THEN came the good plans.

I am not good at waiting. I’ve said that many times before. Yet sometimes we don’t have a choice. God puts us where He wants us and tells us to stay until it’s time to move on.

At that point, we can choose how we handle where He’s placed us. Do we let our hearts fill with bitterness and impatience or do we open ourselves up to serve and be His hands and feet where we are? The choice belongs to us.

Waiting isn’t passive. It’s active and full of things to do. I think that’s where we sometimes get off track. We think that waiting means we allow our lives to become stagnant and that’s not what it means at all.

We all have seasons in our lives. There are seasons for being children, for advanced learning, for marriage and children and working day after day. I am in the season of caregiving. I cherish this time, yet it is stressful and emotional.

What season are you in? Did you plan it or did life intervene? And are you okay with it? That’s a big one. Learning to be okay where you are, planting a garden and watching it grow and bloom, makes the seasons seem worthwhile.

God has good plans for us. It just may take a while to see them come to fruition. Enjoy the journey.

March 12, 2016

God Directs Our Steps

In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.

-- Proverbs 16:9

Last night at dinner I heard a young man of maybe 15 telling his family about a friend from school. The young man was in love with his girlfriend of three weeks. He already had their future planned, right down to where they would live and how many children they would have.

Now this young man thought his friend was nuts. How can he know after only three weeks, he asked his family. Answer: He can’t.

I don’t know your age or where you are in life, but those young dreams seem so long ago. I had such plans. It all seems so silly now but at the time I knew with everything in me that those dreams would come true.

Life has a way of taking you down a road you never planned, to a destination you never would have chosen. Very few people end up where they planned to go. I’ve learned that along the way. It is a bittersweet lesson, if you know what I mean.

One thing I have learned is that God knows best and that His will always prevails. That’s a good thing. I have thanked Him many times for prayer requests He denied. I also have thanked Him for those times He gave me more than I could ever have imagined.

I joke about wanting a map with detailed instructions for this life. I like things to be orderly and with a certain routine. Somehow it frees me to be more creative and more productive in my life.

What I have found is that I can’t predict the actions of others. I can’t control what happens around me and that means I really can’t control my own steps. I am forever reacting to the choices of others. Do I resent that? Yes. But I’ve reached an age when I know it’s just part of life.

This young man who dreamed such wonderful dreams will likely learn that life rarely turns out the way we planned. But if we give it over to God and let Him guide our steps we will end up much wiser and happier than we ever could have imagined.

January 14, 2016

God Directs Our Steps

 

In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.

-- Proverbs 16:9

Before my feet hit the floor this morning, I had my day planned. I knew what needed to be done and when. It was going to be a jam-packed day but there’s nothing new about that.

And there’s nothing new about having my plans completely shoved aside. Things happen. People get sick. Someone else makes a decision and everything in my life gets shifted around.

I wonder why I bother making plans at all. It’s like I can’t seem to help myself. Deep inside, I want things to be orderly. I don’t like surprises. That’s an understatement. I hate surprises. Most surprises in my life have been bad. So I make plans that usually don’t work out.

God is a God of surprises. Good surprises. He is a God that blesses my messy life with His Presence. And He is the God who lights my path when the way seems so dark.

His plan prevails. Always and thankfully. I never could have imagined this season of life. But He knew. He’s got this. So when my plans fall apart, I can laugh and go with it, knowing everything will work out for His glory in His time.

January 1, 2016

Every Day Is A New Day

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

-- 2 Corinthians 5:17

There’s something about January 1^st that fills us with possibilities. It’s a new start. A fresh day. We set goals. We make plans. Our hearts are filled with joy at what might be.

Then the next day comes and things aren’t quite as bright. We slept in and didn’t spend time with God before our day started. We judged someone without knowing that person’s situation. We yelled at our spouse -- again.

Life isn’t perfect and it rarely fits into our grandiose plans. Our dreams are usually quite big. Nothing wrong with that. They rarely include specific small steps that are actually achievable. And sometimes, maybe most times, we’ve neglected to put God first.



It’s easy to talk about what we’re going to do. But how often do we ask God if our dreams are in line with His will for us? We’re so busy asking God to bless our plans and our hopes that we neglect to seek Him until after we’ve got all our goals in place.

Plans are awesome things. It’s important to have goals and to strive to better ourselves. But the Bible clearly tells us to seek God first. Not second and certainly not last.

What does God want you to do this year? Spend more time with Him. Focus on showing others His love. Living your life for Him. Doing what is right even in the face of evil.

Stop making excuses. If you want to grow closer to God, make spending time with Him a priority. Get up earlier. Stay up later. Carve out time each day for Him. Write it down. Put it on your calendar. God is more important than anything else.

Take small steps if you must. Read a Bible verse and devotional every day. You’ll soon want to do more. A little bit of God is never enough.

Then give yourself a break. Seriously. We all mess up. We all fall short of what we want from ourselves. And we all fail God every single day. Falling short today, or even this week, isn’t an excuse to quit.

Every day is a new day. Not just January 1^st. Every day. So do the very best you can, striving always to put God first and be the person He has called you to be. And when you fail -- and you will -- ask for forgiveness, learn from it, and go on.

Fill yourself with the hope that is in Christ Jesus. Live your life focused on eternity. Be true to the unique person that you are. Trust God to take care of the rest.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

God Determines Our Path

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. -- Proverbs 16:9

Several years ago there was a country music song that had a line I’ve always remembered. I don’t remember the song title or the band but that line just contained such truth. It said, “If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.”

I’ve repeated that line many times, usually because whatever I’ve planned either didn’t happen or didn’t go as I’d expected. That’s what happens when we go our own way, expecting God to agree, instead of asking God what He wants and then following His lead.

In all fairness to God, He’s always right. Many times He’s let me get my own way and I’ve lived to regret it. He never says “I told you so” like the rest of us would be tempted to do. He just picks me up, dusts me off, and sets me on the right path again.

We have many clichés that talk about life: Life is what you make it; Life is what happens when you’re making plans; Seize life. You know them all, I’m sure. But nothing happens without God first determining our steps. We tend to forget that.

I never planned to live where I live now. I never planned to teach Sunday school. I never planned to be an artist. I never planned to be single or childless.

Instead, I was a dreamer who thought I could conquer the world no matter what obstacles stood before me. I naively thought I could overcome scars by sheer willpower and that I could make my life fit the dreams I carried deep inside. Foolish, I now know. Time teaches us what we refused to learn through prayer.

I’m not sure what God originally had in mind for me. I never asked. In my own defense, I was too new at loving Him and just so lost that I didn’t have a clue. I wish someone had mentored me. I wished someone had brought me in and taught me how to rely on God.

Fortunately, He had a plan for me that included drawing me closer to Him. I’m grateful that He never gave up and never let me go.

I still don’t know what His plan is for me. I try to take it day by day and trust that God will always do what is best. I know that God will determine my steps, wherever He decides I should go. He’ll open doors or close them. He’ll grant me favor or carry me through a dark valley. God will hold me close no matter the path. I will walk by faith and trust His plan.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

One Instant Destroys Plans

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

-- James 4:14-15

We are a people who make a lot of plans. We’re always planning to go somewhere or do something. We plan when we are to wake up and when we are to go to sleep. We fill our days with scheduled activities, whether it‘s school or a job, golf or shopping, kids‘ soccer games or a movie. We sure are an organized bunch of folks.

Until the day we wake up and realize that all those plans were worthless. Because sometimes when we’re just out living our lives, something happens that shatters everything we knew as reality. We are faced with a new world, a new order to our days, a new disorder to our lives.

Yesterday I learned that a former co-worker suffered a massive heart attack. He’s lying in a hospital bed in ICU and the doctors don’t expect him to make it. Another young woman was in a car wreck and airlifted to a hospital three hours away. A close friend had a freak motorcycle wreck that has left her with leg and hand injuries she’ll be dealing with for months.

They all had plans. Those plans didn’t include lengthy hospital stays or death. A recent widow noted her first anniversary without her husband. They’d planned to return to the site of their honeymoon 29 years before. They hadn’t planned to be separated so soon in life. They had too much to do and too much laughter to share.

We all make plans. It’s what life is all about. What would we be without hopes and dreams, schedules and destinations? But James was right when he told her to understand that God’s will could alter those plans in a heartbeat.

Please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. God doesn’t cause bad things to happen to us. But God has given us all free will to choose to our own paths. Sometimes our bodies have heart attacks or develop cancer. Sometimes our vehicles crash, either from our errors, the errors of someone else or just a slick spot in the road. Sometimes the people we love are suddenly gone, suddenly facing a catastrophic illness, or suddenly in dire need.

We can either step up and help, or sit back and watch. We can either alter our plans and put people first, or stand there and let needs go unmet. We can either do what Jesus called us to do, or decide that our faith doesn’t extend from good intentions to good deeds.

Sooner or later everyone encounters a moment when everything they had planned lies destroyed. We’re fortunate if God uses those around us to hold us up until we can stand alone again. And if we’re especially blessed if we’re the ones God calls to help our family and friends through the crisis that destroyed all their plans.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Check Plans With God

Look here, you people who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog -- it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

-- James 4:13-15

Are you one of those people who like to have a plan? Do you organize your day, check off your to do list, schedule appointments with precision? How does that work for you? Because it really doesn’t work well for me. At least not any more.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I used to be that time-crunched executive with too much to do even with hose 80-hour work weeks. Factor in a life, and it’s a wonder I ever got any sleep. I know some people just like that today. Some work way too many hours. Some juggle jobs, kids, home and life. It’s like a roller coaster going at full speed and you just never know if you’ll ever get off.

Then something happens. A crisis usually. Perspectives change. Priorities shift. As a nation, we experienced that on 9/11. As individuals, it’s a lot more personal. It could be a child getting sick. It could be a job loss. Or losing a parent. Or a spouse. Maybe a close friend dies unexpectedly. Something changes and suddenly that to do list just doesn’t seem so important anymore.

Of course, some changes are just about the people in your life. I have “more time” now so that my life can revolve around elderly parents. My life has ceased to become my own. There’s a country music song with a line that I truly love: “If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.” That suits me most days.

I know. I know. I’m lucky to have them. I know that most days. Other days I just know I’ll soon be bald because I’ve pulled all my hair out in frustration. You probably know what I mean. Most people have times like those. Just ask a mother with a baby who is teething. Or a single parent with three young children.

The truth is none of know what the day will bring -- or even if we’ll be around at the end of it. I’m not trying to sound morbid or freak you out. It’s simply the truth. None of us can predict the future. We can plan and organize all we want. But we really can’t control the world around us.

James was right. God is in control. So go ahead and plan -- just remember to ask God if it’s okay. Because God’s will will be done, whether it’s on your to do list or not.

Friday, September 2, 2011

God Builds A Worthy Future

For every house has a builder, but God is the one who made everything. -- Hebrews 3:4

This year has been a difficult season in my life. It has been filled with broken promises and plans that were blown apart by others -- again and again. I’ve clung to my Rock but I am most definitely wind tossed and drenched from the waves crashing against me.

I realized just how shaken I was the other night when I spoke with a friend. She wanted to plan which fall craft shows we would be heading out to over the next few months. It’s something we both enjoy. I told her I was afraid to plan my day, much less activities weeks or months from now. The truth of that was really sad.

I don’t want to sound the gong of doom. God has blessed me in incredible ways. I now teach a wonderful Sunday school class. It was something I hadn’t planned that God personally delivered. It’s been an awesome experience. I’ll soon be the facilitator of a new women’s bible study. That, too, is a gift hand-delivered from God.

But for every step forward, it seems that someone else has appeared to knock me down. I’ve had orders that have never been picked up. I’ve got furniture pieces waiting for their owner to bring the rest or pick up what she’s already brought. It’s been a year and I’ve moved those drawers around one time too many.

I’ve made plans that got waylaid because someone else changed her mind at the last minute. I’ve been lied about and to. Repeatedly. I sound like a broken record even to myself. I guess you could say I’m just tired and the bruises keep coming.

And now I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.

-- Philippians 1:6

I am so grateful that my God never breaks His promises. I am so grateful that He never lies to me or misleads me or kicks me down again and again. My God is loving and kind. He has great things planned for me. He won’t leave me in this place of fear and discouragement.

So I take my cares and worries to Him. I lay them at His feet, confident that He will turn this season of turmoil into a season of thanksgiving and joy. I know that He will prosper me and guide me. I know that He will continue to grow me and use me for His purpose.

God hears my prayers. His peace descends. With a deep breath, I step forward to the future He has planned for me.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Be Victorious In Him!

"May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests." -- Psalm 20:4-5

All good things come from God in the form of blessings. It is so easy to say "I did this" or "My hard work accomplished that." We don't want to acknowledge that all good things come from God. That includes our homes, cars, food and on and on. May we always give Him the glory instead of taking credit for those blessings. May we praise Him in all circumstances, waiting patiently for His good timing with the firm belief that we will see victory in Him.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

God Does The Unexpected

"For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel," -- Luke 2:30-32

Jesus wasn't what anyone expected. The Jewish people were looking for someone a little more, shall we say, regal. You know. Bring out the gold crown, rally the mighty warriors, destroy everyone without a Jewish pedigree. What they got was a baby born in a manger to a family who were a long way from wealthy.

Simeon recognized Jesus when Mary and Joseph brought the baby to the temple to be consecrated to God. The Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that he wouldn't die before he'd seen the Messiah. Simeon, no doubt prompted by the Holy Spirit, recognized the tiny baby who would save us all. Others were so focused on what they expected that they failed to see what God had planned.

Sometimes we do that with our own lives. We have a plan. A good plan, we think. And we expect God to go along with it. More than that, we want Him to support us and bless us in the exact way we've planned. We get all bent out of shape if He doesn't go along with us. We're so focused on what we want -- or think we want -- that we can't see the wonderful things He has planned for us.

We don't think of this as a control issue. Not us. We've got goals and dreams and, well, you know, we have plans for our lives. It's normal. It's just that sometimes we're so focused on our plans that we forget to ask God about His plans. Big mistake.

God loves us and wants wonderful things for us. It's just that He's looking at the big picture and it's not all about you or me. Really. We're going to have peaks and valleys as we go through life. And sometimes the roads we travel aren't at all what we planned. That's okay. Sometimes those roads are way better than anything we could even have imagined.

God rarely acts in ways we expect. He is awesome and amazing. And sometimes He does something we were not even expecting -- like sending a tiny baby to one day save us all.
 

Friday, October, 8, 2010

God Is Awesome

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

-- Jeremiah 29:11

Yesterday morning I got up early in anticipation of the big craft show I do each October. I was nervous. I prayed and I prayed that I would do well but I also wanted God's will to be done. I've learned -- sometimes the hard way -- that God always knows best. Still, it's an expensive show and I knew it would be a financial blow if it was a bust.

What I love most about this show are the people. It's a major fundraiser for Wiregrass Covenant Hospice, which is such a wonderful organization. The people who are involved are such strong Christians. They even call all the vendors together each morning for devotion and prayer. No other show does that. It just makes me feel blessed before the doors ever open.

I knew that it would be okay no matter what. At least, I told myself that. I was trying real hard to trust God to handle things but I was worried and praying so hard that I wouldn't worry. So I opened my little devotional and there was Jeremiah 29:11. It was like God took my by the hand and told me, "Child. Child. Trust Me. I have such good plans for you."

And He does and He did. I have met the most amazing people. I have sold my products. I have laughed. And I have prayed with awesome people who love God just like I do. God is more than I can ever imagine and His love is greater than I will ever fully understand. I am, once again, humbled and grateful for His blessings and His Presence in my life.