shan

shan

Monday, February 29, 2016

 
 
 
Some days (Mondays) are harder than others.
I've made peace with that.


Friday, February 19, 2016

Destination: Journey

 Are you comfortable with being alone? How about being alone for a long time? Resist the urge to answer immediately. 

Alone is a small word with mighty implications. It can be the best and worst thing to happen to you. It can be the ingredient that takes your life to another level, set you free, keep you stagnant, or set you back years. How many people put off life until they have the desired company? How many wait until they feel they will have the desired effect. Trips, ideas, businesses, obedience, charity, talents, feelings, dreams all placed on hold waiting for right time and the right person/people to come along. Even fitness goals are put off for lack of a workout partner, spousal or familial support. This baffles me. How does the mind allow us to take something individualistic in nature, and make it about having company? It does. Often.
I'd like to see that changed. Being alone is not exactly the same as being lonely. That could be part of it, but it's not the same thing. God created Eve because it wasn't good for man to be alone. Yet He, Jesus, often went alone to pray. What alone means and how it affects our lives depends largely on how it is used. 

Busy is in. We are surrounded by lots to see, do, and many "friends" to join us. I question the fullness of our schedules. How much of it is fluff? Are we trading great things for good things? Are we making time for what is truly important? Are we avoiding reality (assuming we know what that is) and escaping into foolishness? Are we trading "right now" waiting for the right people, time and circumstances?

For years, I was plagued by "right time" mentality. I wouldn't describe myself as patient ...yet I waited decades for the right moment to begin walking in my talents. For a long time I didn't even acknowledge them. Weird. I hate failure so I was waiting for the "right time" to try. I didn't really believe in my abilities so I waited on the right support. I didn't see how I could achieve the things I dreamed, so I waited  for the right connections. I was waiting doing nothing. Frozen. Life was passing. The right people weren't showing up. The timing was way off. In fact circumstances often produced a current that kept taking me further from my ideal scenarios. I was drifting away from the situations and people I felt I needed to make my life really happen. All around me, as far as I could see was open water. No life preservers of "right time," "right support," or "right connections" in sight. Recently, I got tired of the drift and determined I'd swim up stream- alone if I have to...for as long as I have to.  But I don't have to. I serve the God who walked on water. I believe He could have ran on it if He wanted to.That same power is still available to me.  Like Peter if I trust Him, I can walk on water too. 

Water. For years I had this reoccurring dream of standing on the rocks or shore, often overlooking cloudy, choppy waters, wondering if I should get in. I no longer wonder. They don't come often, but  now when I have those dreams, I'm in the water and venturing further from land.  I not sure where I'm going, but I'm purposely wading with God through life to what He's called me to in Him. I do not have the right circumstances. I pretty much have chaos. I do not have the right support.  Most people have no idea what I truly want to achieve. I'm sure they'd smile politely and cringe inwardly if they knew. No matter. However big or small, if God has led you to it, do it with all your might. Alone if you have to. 

So, do you feel alone? That has everything to do with how you live your life. Embedded in the belief that we are alone is power. It is the source of many lies, and can be the seed of defeat. The belief that we are alone is one of the greatest obstacles to trying anything. Actually, alone means no real reason to try. Alone means no accountability. Alone means no direction. Alone means little hope for a future. Alone means no one sees. No one cares. What does it matter? Why be faithful, persevere, walk in integrity? I could go on. 
The reason we do most things is to serve, impress, help or hurt somebody. Admit it or not, we are motivated by others. Not always, but more often than we think. Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. I rest my case. That is why you must hear this: You are not alone. You don't have to get comfortable with being alone at all! Never. Ever! It may appear no man genuinely stands with you, or near you for miles. God does. His company is better than armies of trillions. He stands with you and knows your potential in Him. Live what He has imagined for you. I'm not talking about something out of the realm of His will. I'm talking about God given ideas, the way you treat others, handle life's issues etc. In all of it, God has a will for you. This is the seed of dreams, doing life God's way. Obedience to what God has already shown you, unmasks God's dreams for you. It brings life's mission into focus. Clarity.
It's tempting to think that the dream is the culmination of an idea or final a destination. Think again. Often the dream is the foul stuff that gets worked out of us on journey. It is the truth we come to know, and trust and the lies we lay aside along the way. I don't believe God's dream is the destination. I believe God's dream for us, is the fruit we produce on a well traveled journey. His dream is who we can become in Him as a result of the journey. The destination is the reward for that journey.  

When I was a kid there was a church a few miles from my house. The minister and his family, which for a while consisted of Him, his wife and the one child, would leave their house, drive to the church and worship. They did this every Sunday. During my early years my family would attend regularly.  As I got older, no one but the minster and his family went. That number could be as little as three, or as high as six. Still they went. From my house I could hear them over loud speakers praising God and preaching. I used to wonder "Why? Why go when no one attended but his family? Why not just have church at home?" It wasn't until a few months ago I understood why. This man lived as unto the Lord. He was faithful to the one who sees all. No one in my settlement will ever be able to say to God, "we had no church. No one told us about you." This man gave everyone a chance, every Sunday to choose God. He even preached in the streets. By all appearances He was served alone. He continues to do so to this day. He has been faithful to the call, but equally as important, faithful to the journey. Truth is it is impossible to fulfill any call/mission unless you are devoted to the path that takes you there. So many of us want the prize, but despise the path to it. If I'm honest, that's where I spent most of my adult life wanting the end results, of a hard fought battle, but not the battle. All the spoils for none of the war is childish. I had to grow up, and make peace with the path. Like the preacher, I had to accept struggles, and be committed to obedience in them.  Faith does that.
I have a feeling that there are rewards untold for those who are faithful, especially when they appear alone in their faithfulness. I could tell you of a few others, who walked alone. There are not many, but in my life God has placed a few. I believe He did so for such a time as this. Their past example is a road map to my present state, and perhaps to you. Alone is never alone. What you do when you feel that way matters most. I've had examples of what it means to be faithful. I too can be faithful.  They have taught me that failure is not proof that we are alone. Failure is an opportunity to persist in faith. Perseverance isn't really tested until you must continue on alone.  Resistance isn't proof that you are alone. It is where you determine what you really believe and who trust. It's where you find your truest friend, God Himself. Get "alone" with and discover what it means to truly walk with Him. He is the hope of hardness.

How many of you are standing on the shores of your talents and abilities?  Not sure you want to wade in the water of that, or go where it takes you? Do you love your comfortable shoreline? Is it your "sure thing?" So many people become observers of their own lives, watching the horizon, waiting for their ship to come in." Just remember "ships don't come in" unless they first leave the shores of somewhere. "Ships don't come in" unless someone has the tenacity to get on the water and sail or steer that thing into harbor. An unmanned vessel is a wreck waiting happen. Don't be a wreck! In the words of the old spiritual, "wade in the water children. Wade in the water!"







Thursday, February 11, 2016

Love's Got You
You are no accident. Nor is your visit to this page. You are reading these very words by supernatural design. They were given to me for you. True story. I asked God one day, "God what do I tell people about you?" "Love has them." Those were the words He gave me.  It's a strange message, but I instantly knew its meaning and implications.

When I was pregnant with my first child I was a micromanaging mess. I wanted so much for her. For me. For us. I was on the hunt for information. I read books. I poured over materials to make the best choices for her. I evaluated the safety of the things she'd use, car seats, diapers, doctors, pacifiers, strollers, clothing, cribs, fabric, detergent. Trust me the list is lengthy. I wanted to make sure she was safe. Even the meaning of her name echoes that desire. Samara we named her. It means protected by God. I was all about the details of this baby I had not met, but loved. Details. They speak of love. In fact, they scream it. Whether the smallest thoughtful gesture or some grand consideration, details matter.  That's what "love's got you" means. It means God's love has you covered even in the most minuscule details of your life. It means every facet of your life has been considered, planned, and counter-planned by a God who loves you. It means that nothing in your life surprises God. He says He knew you before the foundations of the world. That's a long time to plan. His love has considered the details of your life since then. It means don't worry. It means absolute rest.

I prepared for my child with as much wisdom as my human mind could understand. I still do. I pray for her. I give her advice about anything I can think of to prepare her heart and mind for this world. I try to consider the details that would spare her the most pain and make her life better. You'd probably call what I'm doing "taking responsibility." Afterall, I brought this child into the world. My planning and preparation for her life is my obligation. Don't you think God is a better parent than I am? Wouldn't He be more prepared than I could  be? Don't you think He's wiser and more powerful? I can tell you without hesitation there is no comparison. He is the only true Father. A perfect parent. He created you. If you trust Him, He has an obligation to take care of you. God forbid, my child decides not to listen to me. If she leaves my house, and chooses another family, she is lost to me. The relationship cannot be repaired unless she decides to come back. But because she is still my daughter, I'd still leave the door of reconnection open. I'd still hold her share of inheritance pending her return. If I, a severely imperfect creation can do this for my child, how much more would God the Father do? I'm telling you, He'd do and has done more than we'd think or imagine to reach His children.  It is then wise, safe, and in your best interest to trust Him. He knows you, and the plans He has for you. He will get you through and to where He intends you to be. Got problem you can't solve? God's got a solution, designed by Him for you, especially for that problem, and at this time. He knew it was coming. Got a path you are not sure you should take? He's the ultimate guide. What would your life look like if you lived as though you were greatly loved and considered? Can you even imagine it? What would your life be like if you lived as though love is aware of every detail in it? How would you change if you believed love has made great plans for you with the details of you in mind? Personality. Gifts. Family. Country. Likes. Relationships. Dislikes. Imagine all of you, all considered, all the time, all planned, and loved.

God is love. It is WHO He is. He cannot act outside of who He is. Often we believe God is our judge. It's true. He is our judge, but our judge is love. Literally LOVE is our judge. That's huge! It's a major detail that we miss. It keeps us from loving God. It keeps us from trusting Him. How do you love and serve someone you don't trust? We can't.
The other day my daughter, said something that had me laughing hysterically. She recounted an experience with a group of people. The presence of God was there. She was supposed to be taking pictures. She didn't, because the moment felt sacred. She then added, "I had a feeling if I did, Jesus would hit the smite button 20 times over." This is often our view of God. He's warmed up, waiting, and ready to pounce. Then why create us? Why sacrifice yourself for us? Just to play the "smite" game? Despite what we believe the answer is no. I have life. I gave life.  Life has a way of wanting to create life. It's a beautiful thing. He is life and that is what He intended. His original plan had us experiencing life fully, never questioning we were loved because we lived and walked with Love Himself.
That plan was affected by our enemy. Satan. He's the one that's waiting to pounce. He falsely accuses and condemns. Interestingly enough we say of him, "the devil is in the details." Nope, he is not! He didn't create. He was created. His attention to details is limited a best. That is why his plan is to always to steal, kill, and destroy. God's plan gives life. Life is a constant generator of details, because it has anticipated that things are constantly growing and changing.  Not so with destruction. Destruction only brings death. The avenues to it, are often the same, lack of self control, lust, and pride. Pride being the root of it all. It is pushes the lie that we know how to run and control our lack of control, lust filled lives. See the problem there? We are depending on the our flesh to control our flesh.  Crazy, isn't it! The enemy twists and decieves us into whoppers like these. He wants us to miss the many small and mighty details of God's great love.

Sunday is Valentine's Day. We'll celebrate the way we love people in details. Flowers. Notes. Candy. Songs. Whatever. Wherever you are, I hope you will pause to remember Love Himself. God, our creator. He is the most detailed lover of them all. You are His, or you can be if you choose. You are in His sight wherever you are or whoever you belong to. Whether you view yourself as good or bad, you are redeemable. He planned your redemption, just like He planned this moment.  Stop. Listen and think.  Life can be without the fruitless effort of worry. It's not popular, but it's still true. God has that for you. It's
His plan.  It's yours, if you trust the details of your now, to the one who knows how to handle them all. Happy Valentines Day. May you KNOW the only true love- the love of God.


Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Finding Faith


Certain words carry baggage. Gay. Race. God. Vote. Male. Female. It's a shame really, because those words are beautiful and innocent. They have profound meanings and implications, yet they are indistinguishable from the connotations and drama they evoke. The reactions to them are often immediate, passionate, and extreme. Whether an extremely sluggish reaction, an overreaction, silence or screams, there is hardly ever objective listening taking place once certain words are mentioned. Depending on your point of view, you almost instantly want to smack, praise, turn off or tune out the speaker.
Faith is that kind of a word. Did you instantly shut down when you read it? Don't. Let go of the baggage. Hear me out. Faith is more than church a word. Faith belongs in the public square. It affects, and infects us all. We all have it, we were born that way. Where we place that faith is the source of our differences, but we all have faith in something. We may not call it faith. It often masquerades as devotion, loyalty, dedication, hope, trust. Still, those things are usually a ruse for the measure of innate faith we all possess. Where we spend our time, and invest our thoughts is often the area we've esteemed most faith worthy. It could be in ourselves, our relationships, our gods, our finances, abilities, goals, activities, career and more. It could be invested in one main source, or spread thinly over several sources.
The latter is what most people do. They place faith in all the pots in their lives, no matter how shallow. Our money. Our jobs. Our relationships. Ourselves. It is a combination of a little here, a little there, tucked in away in what we feel will help us most in a time of need.
Untold is that a little faith in many places amounts to no real faith at all. If a thing is truly worthy of faith, it requires a total investment. All in. That's what God wants. He wants all our faith. He deserves it. In fact, we are told that "without faith it is impossible to please Him." Furthermore, Jesus marveled at one thing and one thing only: faith. Remember how He said that all the commandments hinged on two: love God and love others? Likewise, all He told us to do here hinges on at least one thing: faith in Him. Jesus said mustard seed sized faith can move mountains. Mountains.
Faith is the currency of Heaven. I believe it is why Jesus did works when He walked the earth, not to increase His faith. He already knew He could heal the sick, raise the dead, walk on water, curse a fig tree, and all the rest. He did it to increase our faith, the faith of those who followed Him, and would one day follow Him. Yes, He wants our works, but only as a product of faith.
Jesus, God, is also the only one being honest about it. Everything and everyone in your life wants your faith. They just won't say so. Every commercial you see wants you to put some faith in the words you heard and in the product being sold. Every relationship you have is conditioned on the amount trust/faith you have in a person. Remove faith from your life and you'd do and have very little.
The faith of a person determines control. Destiny. This is why its placement is important. It needs to be in something eternally secure. Immutable. God is the only one who guarantees He does not change. To invest in any other but God is to invest in the uncontrollable, the random, the change. It is to pursue insecurity, to partner with inconsistency, and align oneself with the unfaithful.
Faith in other sources leaves us bound to the unstable and with a product that can fall apart, shake, change and shift just like its source. It is subject to the powers, or lack of power of the one, or thing that possesses our faith. This is why God must have our faith, and why He proved He is love. Perfect. All good. If He were not, He's no more deserving of our faith than any unstable, selfish person/thing which bends, breaks, shifts, and changes. God's proven, perfect love is the collateral for our faith. His faithfulness secures our own faith. He can be entrusted with our faith, because He has done everything to earn it.
If you place your faith on other areas, you can be successful, you can fail, or be misled, but you will also be controlled. Faith in anyone or anything, gives it power and control. That is why you must put your faith in something or someone who doesn't seek to selfishly control you, but one who knows you, loves you, and wants to complete you. Despite what you've been told, or feel, God's love does not seek to control you. If He did, He would not need your permission or consent to do so. Instead, your creator seeks to fulfill you, to make you whole. That will not change. You can trust Him with your faith.
God knows and does what's best for us. He wants us to be able to withstand the storms of life. He doesn't want us to be shifted, carried away with every wind. He wants us to be stable not tossed by the waves. In and on Him, is the only solid place to stand. He's the only foundation that cannot change. He is flawless. Forever. Perfection needs no improvements, and so He is constant. Everything and everyone else must change. Always. Thus, faith in anyone or anything else leaves us subject to their change. To invest elsewhere is to invite a shift. It is investment in instability. When the shift comes will you be able to withstand it?
How many people are affected when the stock market corrects itself, a child strays, a spouse leaves, someone dies etc.? Those are hard things. They hurt. They also reveal the true location and whereabouts of our faith. In Him is the only place we can invest faith and have a guaranteed return and growth no matter happens in our environment . He promised to those who have, more will be added. In exchange for you faith you will get more faith. It's a "win win."
A wise man builds his house on a rock. When the elements test it, there is no movement of him in the storm, because there is no movement in his God. Indeed the elements come to reveal the location of our faith. Trial is an opportunity to examine and correct any faulty faith investments. Are we steadfast, and immovable? That's He wants for us. It's the power of faith in Him. Even in the hardest times, it will cause us thrive in Him. Only in Him. He is the only one not affected by circumstance. He's a sure foundation. Of all the areas we can place our faith, God, is easily the best offer out there.
I dream of living on a farm. No mortgage, I'm also a fan of being prepared. I wouldn't say that I'm a prepper, but I'd love to dabble. If I'm not careful, that's a dream that could steal my faith. Perhaps that is why God has me living on a patch of land in the city. It would be ever so easy to put faith in my food supply, and financial supply.
If you loose your life for my sake you'll find it. That is His promise. So, even my beautiful country dream pales in comparison to the offer of the cross. If I "find my life" in my fortified house, and my food supply over God's provisions and protection, I've lost my only true security.
Faith in ability has led many to overcome adversity and achieve dreams. Faith in a cause has led others to set people free. Faith in finances have led many to wealth, and poverty. Faith is effective. Potent. That's true no matter what your faith is in. Faith or the lack of thereof, is also the driving force behind the work of our lives. Faith in ourselves, our money, our abilities causes us to work in and on those areas, because faith without works is dead. Wherever you place your faith, your works will follow. That's true no matter what our faith is in.
This is why I believe that faith in anyone or anything but God is pointless. Ultimately, it will result in the death of both the faith and the works because it is an inferior, degenerating alternative. It doesn't give life. I can't recall the amount of stories I've heard of dying millionaires asking for more time. I believe the wisdom of years taught them and invaluable lesson: It is not what you have that matters, it is what you do with what you have. This lesson perfectly relates to faith, because what you do in life flows from your system of faith/beliefs. What these people are really asking for is the time to correct errors in their faith that will bring a change to their actions, how they work and spend their years.
So, what do you believe in? What do you know from your soul? You will work all your days based on those beliefs. Do you really want to be working your entire life thinking financial security, or a relationship is the answer, only to find out you were deeply wrong?
I think we all know that faith in unstable things is not wise. Yet, faith in other sources comes easily to us. I believe the enemy makes this so. He keeps us distracted. He hides truth. He offers us shiny things to blind us to the substantive things of God. He makes fear to arise in everything and causes faith to feel impossible. Unattainable. He is still a liar. Faith in God is still our greatest defense against Him.
Faith is not a magic pill. It is a choice to believe God over all else. It is the decision to believe God despite what is seen. It is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Fortunately, it is not a feeling, or we'd never have any. It is an invitation to choose. It is the choice to believe and act on God's wisdom, vision, power. It is a belief in GOD"S way over all else come what may. That is what the enemy doesn't want us to have and know. He doesn't care if we are gifted, he can use that. He doesn't care if we are loved, he can use that. The only thing that he cannot use or have is anything completely given to God. That is especially true of our faith in God. Once you give your faith to God you have in one action surrendered everything to God. Satan cannot take back what belongs to God. He cannot use our faith in God. He tries, but faith in God cannot be overcome. He tries instead to get us not to have it, to doubt, to fear, and mainly to waste our days placing it elsewhere.
It's a run out the clock situation. He doesn't mind if we have a little faith in God, PLUS other things. As long as we don't place all our faith in Jesus, Hell wins. Our enemy knows it's best to keep us from ever getting to a place of surrendering total faith in God, because once we do the entire Kingdom of Heaven is unleashed in us on earth. We become unstoppable, and cause others to follow...and He'll be on the run. Powerless over us. So, he keeps us circling the field of faith, looking over the fence and admiring the fine building faith can build, but never entering. How tragic to stay in the field of but never enter and build the house of faith! Many live this way, with the power at their fingers, but fail to press go. Straddling the fence on any issue isn't really neutral. It's being neutralized. No power. He who straddles the fence is uncomfortable. Be filled to overflowing I beg you, don't settle for scraps when you can a full and wonderful meal.
Paul said He lived by the faith of the Son of God. Can you imagine that? Was Jesus ever defeated? To live by that kind of faith is to live worry free. Anxiety free. Victorious. Don't you want that? You can have that. Trust but God. Make that decision now. Give Him ALL your faith. Don't take it back. He doesn't take back the cross. Will things get hard? Guaranteed! Choose to believe especially then. Forget what you feel. Learn what God said. Live by it. That's truth. Trust it. Your enemy speaks to flesh. Flesh runs on how it feels. The spirit has power over the flesh. Believe in your heart all of it, all of what God says. God loves you. He died for you. He gave you the riches of Heaven. Experience them here. Faith unlocks that experience. Live free. Live by faith in Him. Live!