God Gives

Psalm 23:1 says because the Lord is our Shepherd, we have all that we need.

All we need is in God. 

Do you need something?  You'll find the answer IN God. 

God gives and we receive. 

Papa

Talking to Papa is more about the state of your heart that about what words you want to say.  When you lay your head on Papa’s chest and you put your hand on His heart, you let Him touch your heart.  When you do that you are inviting Him see what you are feeling and what’s important to you.  There’s also a moment of surrender that is involved…that if you ask for anything that isn’t “of” him, you are willing to let that fall away.  You come to realize that if Papa says ‘no’ it’s because He has something better for you.

It’s always about what is best for you.  Papa knows best.  

When you hurt, crawl into Papa’s lap – put your hand on his heart. 

When you are so happy you think you’ll burst, jump into Papa’s lap and share that with Him as well.

Put your hand on Papa’s heart…invite Him to touch your heart.  It changes everything.

Relax, Receive, Realize

Sometimes the most difficult task of all is to "stop striving" and relax. 

I am learning to dance...west coast swing to be precise, and more than one partner has said to me, "you're over-thinking this - just listen to the music".

I think, "what do you mean I'm over-thinking?"  Then I think some more.

LOL

Okay, so I get it.  I just need to relax and enjoy the ride.

Sometimes I think that's what God wants more than anything for me.  Just relax, receive, and realize His love.

How about you?

Darkness and Light

The darkest times in my life have in many ways been the most illuminating.  It strange that when I've been in the middle of a really dark time, I feel like I am surrounded with darkness and there's no way out, except...I wasn't really in the dark and there was a way.  I just wasn't able to see it at the time.

When I look back, I can see the light.

The darkness helped me to know the difference between the dark and the light.  If I hadn't known the darkness, I would not be so aware of the light.  I would also not appreciate the light as much as I do.

I would not have been able to see the bright tones of the light. 

Being in darkness made me appreciate the light. 

Love the light.

Seek the light.

Turn TO the light.

Today.  

Remembering

I remember the time I danced.  It was with my dad, and he was a great dancer.

There were steps I couldn't get right, and there were times I had no idea what I was doing, but none of that mattered.  I thought it was cool that I was learning to dance.

Since that time my life took another turn and I haven't danced, that is till tonight.  I am learning again...how to dance.  (That is a metaphor in case you're wondering).

The Spirit is teaching me how to dance. 

Truth

Kids to a certain age (5-6) don't know anything but truth, and then somewhere along the way they decide they need to protect themselves from getting in trouble and they try their hand at not telling the truth.

The funny thing is, you can tell when they aren't telling the truth.  Ever notice that people exhibit specific "signs" when they aren't telling the whole truth?  Yea, my kids used to ask me how I KNEW!

It was actually it was because they gave clear signals. 

The same is true of us.  We give clear signals when we are withholding information.  Often we don't lie, we just don't tell everything we know. 

I think Jesus told everything.  with a smile on his face.  always pointing us back to the Father. not concerned about how he looked or what people thought of Him.  It was always about God's love. 

The truth.

Fun on the Journey

I was recently filling out a profile about myself and that involved deciding what it important to me.

For one particular question I was asked to list the five things that are most important to me. 

I did okay with the first 4, but when I got to the last one, I had three choices left.  Then, suddenly I realized it has "fun".  It wasn't my job or my home.  It was to have fun in my life.

What 5 things would you choose?  Would fun be one of them?  Is fun an important part of your journey? 

Don know bout you, but laughter can turn around any day...fast!

God IN Church

I love children.  I also love praying. 

Praying with children is an incredible experience.  What I've noticed is that children don't over-think prayer.  They believe because no-one has convinced then not to believe. 

God wants us to believe in what He wants to give us.  He loves it when we embrace all that He has for us. 

That's exactly what children do.

I remember when one of my sons was three years old and we went to visit a church.  At our church the pastor didn't wear a robe and at this church the pastor had a robe and the pulpit was lifted high on the platform.  I heard my son gasp and then he said, "Mom...it's God!" 

I tried to explain that it was the pastor, but he wouldn't hear of it.  Throughout the whole service he watched every move the pastor made, and his eyes were as big as saucers.  He hardly closed his mouth. 

From that day on, I think he was forever convinced that God lived in the church. 

He believed.  

It doesn't get more awesome than that. 

Telling Truth

I remember talking to my kids a lot when they were small about "telling the truth".  There were times they would look at me like, "haven't we heard this 1000 times before?"

I know, I would think.  You're going to hear it again.

Today, my children are truth tellers.  Straight up.  Outright.  No hiding.  That's the way it is.

The 1000 + times paid off.

Telling the truth to God is important as well.  Sometimes, we don't want to face the truth of who we are and why we aren't trusting Him with our truth, our failures, our misgivings.

God knows anyway, sees our heart, and it blesses Him when we TELL Him the whole truth.

God patiently tells me...just come to me and tell me.  You are forgiven. 

100000000+ times.  You are forgiven.  Already.  Done. 

Having but not Receiving

How can you have something you have not received?

Allow me to give you an example...

Take your story. Did you just breath?  Of course you did.  Even without thinking of it you do it.

You have air and you receive it, right?


Let's take food.  Y, ou can have it but not receive it.

Water.  You can have, but not receive.

What about God.

Can you have God but not receive?

Unfortunately, yes.  You always have God.  Always.  God is always present.  However, we don't always receive God. 

Your story will change if you receive more of what you already have. 

French Fries

Today I had to go do an errand during lunch (which was really dinner) and after my errand was done, I decided I was pretty hungry for something special. 

While they aren't the healthiest food on the planet, I was really hungry for something hot and seasoned, and curly.  I could almost smell them before they were in my hands.  I didn't eat many and I saved some for my friends back at work (bought three boxes). 

Before long everybody was munching on curly fries. 

What a simple joy.  Tasty.  Hot.  I love it that God have us cool tastebuds!

Greatest Act of Caring

The greatest act of caring the new Christians in the 1st Century gave was to care for the sick.  The plague was all around them, and the Romans would simply section off homes where the plague existed and leave people there to die.  Often, no one would care for them or feed them. 

The new Christians gained a reputation for going into their homes and giving a cup of water, some bread, cleaning their brows, and praying for their healing.  Interestingly enough, their reputation quickly spread..."oh how they love."  Many were healed. 

A simple act of caring became the greatest gift they could have offered. 

Others also noticed that many of the Christians did not catch the plague even though they were certainly sure they would. 

Others began to wonder what kind of power does this God Jesus have? 

The Giving Tree

I love the book The Giving Tree  by Shel Silverstein because no matter what the boy does, the tree just keeps on giving.

John 15:5 says "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches". 

We receive from Jesus.

Your story connects to the vine.  As you connect to the vine, receive God's love and make that 'part' of your story. 

First Grief

The first time I lost someone I really loved I was 12 years old.  What was so difficult for me to understand is how it happened so quickly.  Without warning one warm Saturday morning my mom's dad showed up at our house and picked us up in his Rambler (what can I say, it was 1965).  What was weird about it is that my Grampa didn't ever come get us.  I didn't know why, but I don't remember asking questions.  I don't remember my big brother asking questions, either. I remember being confused and scared.  I didn't know why nobody would tell me what was going on.

After being at their house for a while, Gramma said Grampa was going to take us to my other Grandmother's house (my dad's mom).  When we got there my dad met us in the driveway and he told us his dad had a stroke that morning and he passed away.  I remember thinking, "that can't be!  It can't be true."  We just saw Grampa and he was fine.  He was 60 years old.  He wasn't old enough to die, especially suddenly without warning. I didn't even get to talk to him. My dad talked with us about Jesus being with us at this time. Before we went into the house he explained that his mom was really sad that Grampa was gone. 

From that moment on, everything changed.  Gramma cried all the time.  I cried too, mostly because I was confused.  I didn't understand how everything could be fine one moment and so sad the next. 

So it is with grief.  Whether you lose a job, a spouse, a parent, child, marriage, home...it's still the same.  One moment things seem okay and the next moment everything in your life is changed.

That first time of experiencing heart wrenching grief was a long time ago.  Looking back I realize that even though I didn't fully understand it, Jesus was right there with me.  I had gone to church all my life and Jesus was part of my life, but I didn't realize when we hurt, He hurts, too.

I had to learn that tears are part of life, and that eventually when the grieving is done we will remember fondly.  We will even be able to laugh again.  I do remember my Grampa fondly.  

Years later, my dad died when he was 60.  My daughter was 12.  She grieved terribly for her Grampa, and I grieved for my dad. I told my daughter that Jesus was with us.  By now I understood what that really means.  With...IN...around and through.  When we suffer, Jesus suffers with us, IN us, is all around us, and gets us through the nightmare. 

When we weep, Jesus is right there. 

Always. 

Love

Not only does loving others make all the difference in the world, Jesus told his disciples in John 13:35 others would know we were his disciples by how we loved each other.

Love is contagious.  (aren't you drawn to people who love you?)

Love is portable (it will be part of you through eternity).

Love is powerful.  (it erases a multitude of mistakes).

Spend time drinking in God's love and pass it on to others.  It's the best gift you'll give!