ANYTHING, but...

We all have good intentions, don't we? I like to think that we all have good, clean hearts and decent motives.

In my opinion, a great example of communicating good intentions is during a crisis in one's life. Maybe it's a death of a loved one. Maybe it's a season of sickness someone is experiencing, a loss of a job, a fire in a home. An overwhelming situation... a difficult circumstance. We all have those people in our lives who say to us... "Let us know if there's anything we can do." Or, "Just say the word and we'll help you with that!"

Good intentions. Right motives. But has that become the "easy" or "predictable" thing to say? I'm not suggesting that we don't MEAN what we say. I think many of us truly desire to be of help to our friends and family in situations such as these. But offering to help... and doing something, are two totally different things. The talk is easier than the walk... would you agree?

I recently received an email from someone close to me who was expressing their genuine, heart-felt desire to help my family and I as we begin a journey involving an uncertain health care issue with my husband. Oh I believe that the heart behind the offering was sincere, however, it was the words that followed that left me a bit confused. The email went something like this... "I'd like to help if I can with ANYTHING you need, but....."

Following was a list of conditions that would prohibit this person from a full commitment of assistance.

I have to admit that I was a little upset over this. I mean, after all, it's hard enough for me to accept help when I need it, and now this? I've done so much for this person myself. I've helped during their time of need... and now... what about me? Now your helping me is only if it's convenient for you?

You see - inside my heart I knew that the motives were right, but the action steps that followed didn't feel so good. And creeping into my flesh once again, came that ugly me-mentality! What about me? Why not me? Can't they do something for me? Me, Me, Me!

And then it hit me. Almost like a ton of bricks! Isn't that how we are with God? I know I'm guilty of doing this quite often...

God... I will do ANYTHING for you BUT not that!

God, I will do ANYTHING you want, but don't ask me to serve THAT person!
God, I will do ANYTHING you want, but don't ask me to forgive Him/Her!
God, I will do ANYTHING you want, but don't send me to Africa for a year!
God, I will do ANYTHING you want, as long as it doesn't cause me pain.

Anything God...
As long as it doesn't cost me anything.
As long as it's peaceful.
As long as it doesn't bring suffering.
As long as it makes me look good.

We offer God our lives, but we're holding on for dear life praying that by offering anything it will virtually cost us nothing. But that is not an image of true sacrifice. That's living with a me-mentality. It's selfish and it will only cause me to miss out on the fullness of life that God created me to have!

If He's calling us to surrender our EVERYTHING to Him... and I believe He is... than we have to be willing to let go and allow Him to lead. Even if the road is uncertain. Even if we're scared. Even if we experience pain for a little while.

Why? Because Joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5), that's why!

We may be a little uncomfortable, but God didn't die for us to live a cozy little life with no trials. He died for us to have life and to have life in fullness. John 10:10 says "My purpose is to give life in all it's fullness." And I believe that living life to the fullness means offering your life as a sacrifice for God and for others ESPECIALLY when it doesn't feel good. Because THAT is true obedience. It's easy to give when we're feeling good. It's easy to give when we have abundance. It's easy to care for others when it lines up with what we have scheduled out for ourselves... but it's much harder to offer our lives when it costs us something. But this is where the blessing of God lives. And it's during these times He wants to teach us more about what it means to look more like Jesus.

If we are going to SAY we'll do anything for God, then we must be willing to DO anything He asks us to do. Period. That means when it's hard, when it's painful, when it's uncomfortable, when it's scary, when it's uncertain, when it's unclear, when it's challenging, when it's risky and when it's unpopular. If it lines up with the word of God and it's clearly something He's asking us to do, then we have to be willingly give up our desires for His. Because dying to self and being filled with Him is the only way we're going to experience the life Christ died to give us.

We need to get to the point in our lives where we are asking God to let us be the vehicle He drives around. Use me, God, to be the thing you use to draw people closer to you. When you say GO, let my feet be as ready as my mouth is!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Lessons In Trail Riding

Well we took to the trails with the ATV's this past weekend. What an experience! It was the perfect day... warm and breezy with clear blue skies! We set out early in the morning and rode for four and a half hours. It was a great day with the fam... a definite MUST DO trip again.

But...

before this trip I have to admit that I considered myself a pretty decent ATV driver. I mean... I'd conquered those hills at our home. I'd driven through the trails that the hubs had strategically designed for us on our property and put in hours on the four wheeler prior to this excursion. But nothing.... and I do mean nothing, fully prepared me for REAL trail riding with steep hills, berms and twists. And although it was an amazing experience, this body is still reeling from the bouncing and thrashing it endured while navigating through - dare I say it? God's country! :)

While it WAS a beautiful trip and I DID conquer a full day of rough riding, there was a lesson to be learned here... Ah - there's always a lesson!

Trevor decided that he and Chloe would "lead the way" through the trails. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. It was good in that he's a much better map reader than I, but bad because... well... I suppose this picture speaks for itself...




















It was a pretty dirty ride. I didn't even realize I was getting that dirty UNTIL I removed my helmet. (The laughs from my family members gave it away that something was terribly wrong.)

Now I could have SWORN that I heard Trevor say before we left that these trails were one way only. To me, this would mean that there was only one way in and one way out and that all of the other ATV's were following the same path. To my understanding the reason we weren't passing very many other drivers was because they were either in front of us or behind us. In other words - it never DAWNED on me that there was a real threat of ONCOMING riders. It never occurred to me that there was actually danger up ahead that I couldn't see, because I was safely behind the lead driver in our little pack... my hubby.

You see - he could see far enough ahead to know what kind of danger we might be in. He was navigating. He was leading and he was guiding and he was protecting. If he saw a possible collision ahead, he would need to GUIDE his family to safety by pulling off into a different direction. And even though I couldn't see Him... even though I couldn't see what he saw - I trusted him and had faith in him... that he was taking care of us.

There were times that he got a little too far ahead of me. There were times that the dirt and dust became so thick that I couldn't see him. But I heard him. And I knew he was there. There were moments when he sped up too far ahead of me and I'd get a little nervous. "What was he doing?" I'd think to myself. And then I'd quickly discover that he was only making sure the path was clear enough. He was only making sure that his bride and his child were safe. He was directing my path... clearing a way for me... so that I could have a great riding experience.

Proverbs 3:6 says, "Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths."

My lesson in trail riding is this...

God is leading me. HE is directing my path. He has gone before me and He is orchestrating my journey. I may not be able to see Him. And sometimes I may not know where He's taking me... but I can trust that He is there.

Psalm 23:3 says that "He guides me along the right path."

Praise God for this!

I've discovered that I don't need to fear when God is directing my path. He's got this! He sees what I can't see and He is faithfully protecting me from a a definite head-on collision.

When we worry - we're forgetting that God is leading and directing our paths.
When we doubt - we're forgetting that it's God who's working out all things together for those who love Him.
When we try to control things - we're missing out on the opportunity for God to come through for us.

It's true - I could have decided that I didn't like the way Trevor was leading us on those trails in Leota, Michigan on that bright, sunny Saturday afternoon. I could have easily have decided that I wanted to go off into a direction on my own. Maybe I wanted to do some more sight-seeing. Perhaps I was tired of following all the time and I could have made my mind up to turn left or turn right and trust that I was going to end up in a safe location. But I didn't. Because I understood that I had someone who was willing to lead if I just let him. I trusted in someone who had my best interests in mind... someone who was going to lead me safely to the other side.

I believe it is God's desire for us to fulling yield to His leadership in our lives because He knows what is best for us. Oh - it might be painful for a season. It might be bumpy. It might be scary and the uncertainty might cause us to be, at times, uncomfortable, but His ways are always better than our own. You see, friends - He still has the WHOLE world in His hands. He sees the bigger picture. He is all-knowing and all-powerful. He's already at the end and He already sees the dangers that lie ahead. And as much as we want to do it on our own - His ways are always wiser.

Isaiah 52:12 says that "The Lord will go ahead of you."

He will go ahead of you and will prepare a path that is safe for you if you'll simply let Him.

I love the promise in Deuteronomy 31:8... "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Did you catch that? It says that the Lord will PERSONALLY go ahead of you! What an amazing promise. I don't know about you, but it gives me comfort to know that He is personally leading! That means He's protecting me and that He wants the best for my life.

It's a choice we have to make. Are we going to let Him lead the way... knowing He has our best interest in mind? Are we going to fully trust in a God we can't see so that we can experience the beauty He intends for us to enjoy?

After all... I believe He wants us to have a great riding experience!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,



www.wendybender.blogspot.com

The Words We Say

So... I came across the following piece of scripture the other morning during my quiet time:

Luke 6:45, "... whatever is in your heart determines what you say."

I've read that verse at least 50 times before. I've heard it referenced in sermons. I've studied the book of Luke. But for some reason... on this particular day... Luke 6:45 literally leaped off the page at me. But, then again, God has a way of doing that, doesn't He?

I will never forget the incident that happened last summer. It was a bright and sunny day. Chloe and I were just headed back home from a great day of swimming. {Now, let me first preface this story with a little fact about me I'm not proud of... I have a tendency toward road rage. I know, I know, it's not the most flattering of characteristics - but some drivers... well... they don't always make it easy for me when trying to show the love of Christ.} We were only minutes away from our home when to my left I noticed a car speeding out of a side street. I was forced to swerve widely to avoid a certain collision. The driver, who impatiently waited for me to gain enough speed to get back into the lane he'd forced me to leave in the first place, decided it would be wise to ride my bumper for the remaining stretch of road that led to our street. All the while throwing his hands into the air and yelling out profanities of which included lovely hand gestures as well.

"WHO IS THIS IDIOT?!" I remember yelling out loud as I pulled over letting this barbaric man pass me. "Are you CRAZY or something?"

And then - there we were. With eyes locked and teeth clenched emerged low grunting sounds from the drivers seats of both vehicles. Adults... raging war on the other. As he slowly made his way around my car he rolled his window down and yelled boldly, "Are you some kind of idiot!! Watch where you're going!"

Watch where I'M going? I thought to myself. Me? What did I do?

And then it happened. I said it. The two most profound words of defense in the English language. Yep - I said it.... "SHUT UP!"

Wow. That was deep. Intense. I probably really scared the guy with that one!

And it's not what I said in that moment... to that man. It's what came pouring out of my mouth seconds later that was the most powerful. And deadly.

I wish I could say that I prayed for the guy. I wish I could say that I was as calm as could be as I explained to my sweet daughter the many reasons Christ asks us not to behave like that. I wish I'd have been a better representative of Christ. But that was not the case. The words that followed this incident seconds... minutes... and even hours later... were damaging. Oh not to the man who I let ruin our perfectly peaceful afternoon... but to myself. To my daughter. And to anyone within ear-shot of my fit that day. The only good thing I can say about that day's ordeal was that the Holy Spirit must have been working on me. I could have said much worse than "Shut up", which just so happened to be the only two words my brain registered long enough to get out in the heat of the moment! Thank God for that!

How we react to certain situations speaks volumes about the person we really are, doesn't it? And words are more powerful than we give them credit for! We have a choice, daily, to speak life or to speak death to others and even to ourselves!

Do you ever wish you could go back in time and erase some of the words you said to someone else? I sure do!

When I was about 8 years old I remember being at the dinner table with my family. For some reason on this particular night we were in a hurry... all of us were pretty tired and pretty cranky. I remember looking up at my dad and saying to him, "Gosh - you're eating like a pig!" NOT the best thing to say and certainly not my heart. I didn't think he actually RESEMBLED a pig... but it came out as such. I wish I could take that back.

When I was in high school I got mixed up with the wrong crowd for a season. They were bullies and I craved so desperately to belong that I went along with their bullying of a particular girl who was new to our school that year. She had braces and her family was struggling financially and I remember making fun of her. Over 22 years later even though I can't recall the exact words I said that most likely destroyed her confidence, I am sick with guilt when I consider my actions. It wasn't my heart. It wasn't who I wanted to be. I wish I could take that back.

True story, when Trevor and I were just married I was a very jealous person. Oh, I'm not proud of it, but my insecurities were at an all-time high even in the midst of an overwhelmingly blissful wedding celebration. I remember feeling so confident that Trevor had made a mistake by taking me as his bride... I told him so. I was sure that one day he'd wake up and realize he'd married the wrong woman. That I was never going to be good enough for him and that he should not have wasted his time on me. All of my personal struggles with insignificance came flooding in and I made incredibly irresponsible word choices during what should have been the happiest time of our lives! It wasn't my heart. It's not what I wanted to say. I was so in love but so afraid to give myself completely to the man who'd just made a vow to love me 'till death do us part! I wish I could take that back.

But here's the thing. I can't take those things back. Words once spoken are out there. Forever. I can ask for and be granted forgiveness, but those words will always remain.

Ephesians 4:9 says, "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

And in Proverbs 18:21a the bible says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue..."

You see - we have a choice to make every day. We can choose to speak life or death. We can choose to love people by building them up and encouraging them. Or we can speak death and destruction to people by tearing them down and discouraging them.

The bible is pretty clear that we were created to worship the Father. Isaiah 43:7 describes us as, "Whom I created for my glory." We are here for God's glory. Not to make us famous - but to make Him famous. And part of glorifying Him... making Him famous... is choosing and using our words wisely.

James 3:10 puts it this way, "Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be." How can we praise God and curse our neighbor at the same time? We can't. How can we say we honor God and worship Him on Sunday and then come Monday morning we're cursing the driver who pulls out in front of us? We can't.

We can't? We do it all the time. I know I do!

And what about the things we say to others about someone else? Gossiping? What about the things we say about even our own family members to other family members. Like, "Can you believe she did that!" Or, "What was he thinking marrying HER?" These things may be said in private, but they are as equally destructive, don't you think?

I read recently that "Character is doing what is right when no one else is looking."

Ouch!

So is this just actions... or does this means words too?

Proverbs 12:18 says, "The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

We have a choice. To bring healing with our words. To speak life into another life. To uplift. To encourage. To motivate. To bring joy and peace and freedom. Because the words that come from our lips are a mere reflection of our hearts. What is in our hearts... will eventually make it to our lips and out of our mouth. And for some of us - that evokes some fear.

You see - I want to live a life that is most pleasing to the Father.. but in order to do that I must examine my heart so that my motives are in check so that my words will reflect who I am on the inside.

I heard something recently that has stuck with me ever since. Joyce Meyer says this... "You may be saved, but is your mouth saved?"

Wow!

We have to begin to think how God thinks, talk like God talks and act like God acts. And it's not easy to do... but it's a conscious choice we need to make every single day if we want to be more like the Father.

Proverbs 13:3 says, "Careful words make for a careful life; careless talk may ruin everything."

May ruin everything.

Words are pretty powerful!

Romans 12:21 says this, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." So the next time someone pulls out in front of you, you can overcome by choosing to speak life instead of death. Chances are pretty darn good that Christ died for him just as much as He died for you and I! And he may never know the choice you're making to speak life and not death, but God will.

Is our mouth saved? Do we sound saved?

Less of me, Father, more of You!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Scripture Memory: May 15

Hey friends - - how is your scripture memorization going??? I'd love to hear! Don't forget to comment here on the blog! I love hearing from you!

Here is my verse for May 15:

Deut. 31:8 (NLT)
"Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Don't you just love that verse? I have decided on one that really speaks to me as I go through some personally challenging times in my life. I LOVE to remind myself that God is with me - not matter what!

What's the verse YOU'VE chosen for May 15??

Remember - don't get discouraged. This memorization journey is not intended to frustrate or overwhelm you. It's intended to grow you closer to God through His word. If you find yourself needing to do a verse over again... then do it! There are no rules here. :)

I am praying for you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Spring Cleaning

It's springtime here in Michigan. And I just love spring. It's such a beautiful time of the year. A time for new beginning, fresh starts. Everything smells good. The trees are starting to bud, the flowers are beginning to bloom. Days are longer... afternoons are warm and nights are crisp. And I know I may be weird - but one thing I enjoy every spring is a good deep spring clean. I know, I know - I'm really not right - but of all the gifts and talents God didn't bless me with - cleaning IS one of them He DID bless me with. And I've always prided myself on my ability to clean. I keep a pretty clean house... I vacuum almost daily, I scrub floors, I dust tables, I do the laundry, I do the dishes... and for the most part, our home is generally clean. Now I didn't say that my house is clutter-free, that's a different story (as my husband would say), but I am a pretty good house cleaner.

Last week I decided that as part of my spring cleaning routine, I would clean our refrigerator out. Completely. And so it began pretty early that morning. Everything came out and every shelf was cleaned. No - scrubbed. I remember stepping back after I was all finished to marvel at my work. A clean fridge. One more thing to check off my list. And so I began putting the food items back into the refrigerator. But then it dawned on me... some of these items are expired. As I carefully placed each item back onto the shelves, I realized that some of the items were rotten. Spoiled. And needed to be tossed out. I'm ashamed to admit that some of these items had expired months ago - which only proved that it had been SOME time... too long as a matter of fact... since I had done a good deep clean of my fridge. And the number of things that needed to be purged into the trash that morning were mind-blowing. And what started out as a pretty full fridge, ended with a need to make an emergency trip to my local grocery store!

In Matthew 5, Jesus, referred here in scripture as the Rabbi, was gathered up the mountainside with His disciples to teach the crowds that had gathered. What he taught them has become known as the Sermon on The Mount. Here, Jesus taught on The Beatitudes. Beatitudes are known as supreme blessings. Blessings meaning "happy, fortunate and blissful." The Beatitudes demonstrated that the way to heavenly blessedness is opposite of the worldly path people normally follow to find happiness. In the beatitudes, Jesus describes the character of true faith.

In Matthew 5:8 Jesus says this, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." I love the way this passage of scripture is written in the Message version... "You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world."

What is Jesus saying here? How do we have pure hearts? What does that look like and how is that lived out?

I think Jesus is asking us to make sure that our insides are in check.

You see - I think we can fool just about anyone. But we can't fool God.
People around us - they see what's on the outside, but God sees the heart. And I believe that it's the heart, not the head that we need to be most concerned about.

Oh we're good pretenders. We can fool anyone into believing that we have it all together. We go to church, we put on make-up, we do our hair, we brush our teeth, we say the right words of encouragement to neighbors and friends, we dress our kids nicely, we kiss our spouses in public... but behind closed doors - we're a mess. Just like my refrigerator, I was fooling everyone. My kitchen looked clean. My counters looked neat, even the outside door to my refrigerator was wiped down and shiny - but inside... inside that refrigerator was some rotten, spoiled stuff that needed to be tossed out!

My prayer every day of my life is this, "Jesus, fill me up with your presence today. Less of me, Father, more of You." But folks, the only way can have a pure heart - a heart like His - is to begin acting like Jesus. To begin asking Him to remove the junk from my life so that I can have a pure heart.

Jesus teaches that even though we are in the world - we are not to be part of this world. This world is not our home... we are to be set apart. We are to look different. Every day as Christians, we have an opportunity to minister to those who don't have a relationship with Christ. We have a calling on our lives to show the love of Jesus to those who don't yet know Him... the question is will others scratch their heads and say, "They have something different - I want what they have!"

That "something different" starts with a pure heart.

It's not what we do - it's who we are. God is concerned with our hearts - not how smart we are - not what kind of cars we drive - not what kind of houses we live in - not how good we can act or how much we can smile - He is concerned with our character and what's on the inside of us.

When I think about Godly character and a man who's heart was pure, I think about King David of the Old Testament. David was a man of many colors. Pulled from the comforts of his life as a shepherd boy, the youngest and smallest child in a family of 7 sons, David was possibly the least likely to become King of Israel. David - the least likely to succeed was the same man who slayed Goliath and would later go on to make His heavenly Father proud of Him. However, at close examination of David's life, he made some mistakes. Somewhere along the way, he got off track and encountered a dark side - human sin. David painfully proved the depths to which one can fall after reaching such heights, but even still in Acts, chapter 13, verse 22, God called David, "A man after my own heart."

Max Lucado wrote a book entitled, "A Cast of Characters". In this book, Max talks about common people in the hands of an uncommon God and has written a chapter on David. Here's what he has to say about King David:

"God called him 'a man after my own heart'. He gave the appellation to no one else. Not Abraham or Moses or Joseph. He called Paul an apostle, John his beloved, but neither was tagged a man after God's own heart. One might read David's story and wonder what God saw in him. The fellow fell as often as he stood, stumbled as often as he conquered. He stared down Goliath, yet ogled at Bathsheba; defied God-mockers in the valley, yet joined them in the wilderness. An Eagle Scout one day. Chumming with the Mafia the next. He could lead armies, but couldn't manage a family. Raging David. Weeping David. Bloodthirsty. God-hungry. Eight wives. One God. A man after God's own heart? That God saw him as such gives hope to us all. David's life has little to offer the unstained saint. Straight A souls find David's story disappointing. The rest of us find it reassuring. We ride the same roller coaster. We alternate between swan dives and belly flops, souffles and burnt toast. In David's good moments, no one was better. In his bad moments, could one be worse? The heart of God was a checkered one!"

In Psalms 139:23-24 David pleads with God by saying, "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting."

This should be our prayer daily. Asking for God to search us - to examine our hearts - to test us and know our thoughts. Having pure hearts means trusting in a God who is filled with grace and mercy. What is impossible for man (including having the purest of hearts) has been made possible by God.

In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul says, "So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God." THAT, my friends, is keeping a pure heart!

Having a pure heart is evidenced by the way we live our lives. Do we live with good intentions or do we live with intentionality and pureness of heart? How are we living out pure hearts...

It's in the doing for others, it's in our obedience to God, it's reading His word, it's asking Him for guidance and direction, it's forgiving, it's being thankful not for all circumstances, but IN and THROUGH all circumstances, it's being kind, it's cheerfully giving of our time, talents and resources.

One of the things that has helped me over the years is getting an accountability partner. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 tells us that "Two are better than one". When one man stumbles, and trust me we're gonna stumble, the other can pick him up. Accountability partners are an excellent choice if your desire is to have and keep a pure heart before God. We all need someone in our lives to pull us back. To help us up. To dust us off and set us back on track. God created us to be relational beings and we desperately need one another.

At the end of the day it's this.. Jesus knew what kind of person I was going to be... the kind of person you were going to be... and all the silly mistakes we were going to make - and yet He still chose to go to the cross and die a miserable, painful death anyway! If that doesn't bring joy and peace and comfort - I don't know what will.

My prayer for all of you tonight (including myself) is that we would begin asking God to give us a pure heart. To make us more like Jesus. That God would use our messes, our mistakes and our brokenness, for His glory. That what lives on the inside of us would be revealed on the outside. That what we feel begins to be how we live and how we live begins to be that which pleases God. That we would not just have good intentions to live pleasing and faithful lives, but that we become passion-filled people most concerned about what God sees in us that He wants to use to build His kingdom.

A man after my own heart. Oh how I want to come to the end of my life with God saying that Wendy is a woman after my own heart!

We serve an amazing God of second chances. A God who sees what's on the inside and loves deeply, compassionately and faithfully.

Your story isn't over yet... in fact, it's just beginning. Allow God access to your heart and watch the transformation unfold.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Refocusing

Last week was a rough week.

And it's still pretty rocky this week. We have lots of things, personally, that we are facing. Some unknown roads ahead. And it's a little scary.

I'd like to THANK those who have emailed, called, visited, made meals or sent kind words to us last week. They mean more to us than we could ever say. In a time of uncertainly, there is one thing I know for sure... we have been blessed with some pretty incredible family and friends! I can't imagine my life without you. Thank you for loving us!

Last Friday night I had an opportunity to chaperone a sleepover for my daughter's fifth grade class. Having won a reading contest in March against the boys, the girls got to choose a "reward" for their success. And anyone who knows 10 and 11 year-old girls well, knows that there could only be ONE reward... a slumber party. What made this sleepover unique is that it was AT THE SCHOOL. I will say that I had an awesome time! We ate pizza, played games, watched some of the Royal Wedding, told stories, went swimming, painted nails and listened to music. You know, GIRLIE stuff. I can't even say that I missed my sleep much even though we might have gotten three or four hours in. By the way - can anyone explain to me WHY we call them sleepover's when there's really NOT much sleep involved?

I learned something this past weekend. If you want a sure-fire way to escape from your troubles for a time, simply hang out with some fifth grade girls for a night! It's true. You can't NOT laugh. You can't NOT giggle. It's simply impossible. And if there's one thing I needed Friday night... it was time spent with girls who KNOW how to have fun! It was nice to escape from my reality for a while... to be in the moment with young ladies with pure hearts and genuine joy!

So I got to thinking. Perhaps the BEST way to alleviate the pain, the doubt, the frustration or the fear, is to REFOCUS. My one prayer that never changes is this, "Lord... fill me up with YOU. Rid myself of ME. Less of me, more of You!" So maybe, just maybe, this is what He's using to show me how to make this happen. It's in the refocusing. By shifting my focus from myself to OTHERS brings me closer to the Father. To look more like Jesus requires me to be more OTHERS focused. More mindful on the fact that we are ALL on this journey together. Battling... together. Experiencing loss... together. Wrestling with pain, anger, sadness and hurt... together.

Doing for others frees me up to love unselfishly. With pure motives and authenticity.
Doing for others makes me happy.
Doing for others reminds me that I'm not alone.
Doing for others gives me something to smile about, even when I don't feel like it.
Doing for others demonstrates love.
Doing for others allows me to let go of the hurt, even if it's for a while.
Doing for others generates positive energy that is contagious.
Doing for others helps me to forgive.
Doing for others is being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Doing for others offers hope.
Doing for others helps us focus on what really matters.
Doing for others brings peace.

And I want to be happy. I want joy. I want to know I'm not alone. I want to demonstrate love. I want my joy to be contagious. I want to forgive. I want to be the hands and feet of Christ. I want to show hope. I want peace.

So maybe the joy... the real, true, authentic, selfless joy... comes in doing for OTHERS.

Christ lived for OTHERS. He taught for OTHERS. He shared for OTHERS. He gave for OTHERS. And He died for OTHERS. Our greatest example comes from a man who sacrificed all He had for OTHERS. And pleased the Father most of all.

Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 10:24... "Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others." OTHERS focused.

And again in Galatians 6:2 Paul writes... "Share each other’s burdens..." OTHERS focused.

I love the way Acts 10:38 portrays Jesus by saying... "Then Jesus went around doing good." The message version says He was ready for action. LOVE that! OTHERS focused.

Jesus was about doing for others. And if I want to LOOK more like Jesus, this is ONE thing I have to fully understand and begin living out.

I thank God for the opportunities I have to reflect and refocus.

Less of me, Father, MORE of You!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Scripture Memory: May 1

Hey Friends!!

I can hardly believe that we are already on memory verse # 9!!! THANK you for those of you who are on this journey with me to knowing God's word better! I pray this has been a real encouraging time for you as it has been for me!

Here is my verse for May 1:

Phil 3:8 (NLT)
"Everything else is worthless when compared to the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord."

Your turn! What's the verse YOU'VE chosen for May 1??

Praying for you daily!!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,