Is God Calling YOU?

From the blog archives...









Moses was 80 years old when God called him out of a foreign land as a lonely, rejected shepherd, and on to bigger and better things. God revealed to Moses that he was sending him back to Canaan, but only after Moses spear-headed the charge rescuing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Odd story, I know, but God made a decision to appear to Moses in a burning bush.

Let me stop right there. A burning bush?

How scared do you think Moses was? There he was - tending his flock of sheep. Minding his own business. Satisfied with his life. Content. Perhaps even peaceful about where he was in his life. He was 80 years old. He was probably settled into his lifestyle. And then... one afternoon... everything changed. Everything changed.

The bible says that Moses was amazed (love that word) because the bush was engulfed in flames, but it didn't burn up.

I don't know about you - but if I went out to my backyard to tend to my dog and I witnessed a bush engulfed with flames but not burning up... I'd probably run for my life. I mean - I ask God for clarity and wisdom all the time... and to show me clearly His will for my life - but I've got to be honest with you here... I'm not sure I'd have stuck around long enough to discern if this sign was from God or not. I'd have been scared.

But thankfully Moses didn't run. Oh he might have been scared - but he didn't run. Instead the bible says in Exodus 3:4, "When the Lord saw that He had caught Moses' attention, God called to him from the bush, 'Moses, Moses!' 'Here I am!' Moses replied.'

Here I am! Don't miss that!

God goes on to explain to Moses that he's called him to a big task. Perhaps this was the opportunity of a lifetime. God saw the misery of the Israelites in Egypt. He heard their cries and was going to rescue them from slavery in this foreign land. And he was calling on Moses to go to Pharaoh to release God's people from suffering.

A big job. Why? A little back story (the cliffs notes version)...

Israelites were trapped in Egypt and were created as slaves.
Pharaoh was the king of Egypt.
Pharaoh instructed that all Hebrew sons born in Egypt be thrown into the Nile - only allowing the girls to live.
Moses was born as a Hebrew, hidden by his mother for 3 months.
She put Moses into the Nile in a basket - attempting to spare his life.
A daughter of Pharaoh found him and raised him as her own.
Moses lived a life of privilege with the Egyptians.
When Moses grew up he had a real heart for the Israelites and their mistreatment.
He witnessed an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew slave and he killed the Egyptian, burying his body in the sand.
Feeling badly for what he had done, and being threatened by the Pharaoh to be killed, he fled to Midian, built a new life with a wife and son.

And now God was appearing to Moses from a burning bush to ask him to do what? Quite possibly - the unthinkable. Go back to the land he fled, to fight with a new Pharaoh to release God's people from slavery.

I can just hear the confusion in Moses' voice when he says in Exodus 3:11, "But who am I to appear before Pharaoh? How can you expect me to lead the Israelites out?"

I like how Max Lucado describes this in his book, Cast of Characters... "Moses at 40 we like. But Moses at 80? No way. Too old. Too tired. Smells like a shepherd. Speaks like a foreigner. What impact could he have on Pharaoh? He's the wrong man for the job."

And I bet he thought so too.

As often times in the bible - the person God calls is first reluctant. But I like how God responds to Moses through Moses' uncertainty and doubt. He tells him, "I will be with you."

The story continues in Exodus, chapter 4, where we see Moses pleading with God, "Oh Lord, I'm not a good speaker. I never have been, and I'm not now. I'm clumsy with words." In verse 13 Moses begs, "Lord, please! Send someone else."

My commentary suggests that perhaps the reason Moses didn't want this particular assignment was because he had a speech impediment or that maybe all of his years in Midan made his Egyptian rusty. At any rate, he doubted his speaking ability - but God didn't. And as my commentary reads, "Perhaps what God desired was not eloquence or cleverness, but simplicity and directness - not the oily, false-compliment-dripping speech of a courtier, but the bluntness of a working man who hated oppression."

Have you ever been asked to do something that scares you to death? Takes you out (FAR out) of your comfort zone? Have you ever been asked to give your testimony or speak about something in front of a group of people and the idea of sitting in a dentist chair having your teeth drilled sounded far more enticing to you?

I've got to tell you that some of the BEST speeches I've heard in my life have come from unsuspecting speakers. Some of the most gut-wrenching, heart-breaking, life-altering stories have come from ordinary people filled with God's passion and purpose.

I was sitting in church a few Sunday's ago when a young man was invited to stand before the congregation to give his testimony. I could tell from the minute the boy arrived on the stage that he was nervous. Scared. Afraid. I can imagine the thoughts that were going through his mind when he began to tell his story, "Lord, why did I get up here to tell this story? I'm nobody special. I have no real gift in speaking." But as he left that podium that morning, there wasn't a dry-eye in the place. Was it his eloquence? No. Was it his well-crafted biography? No. Was it the music or the way the soft lighting hit the cross behind him on the stage or who his parents were or how much good he had done in his life? No, no, no and no. It was his sincerity. It was his authenticity. It was his willingness to step out of his comfort zone for the benefit of others who's lives might be touched by his transparency and openness.

I've heard a lot of speeches in my life. I've watched a lot of podcasts and I've been privy to a lot of rich talent, but I will NOT forget the audacity of a young man who didn't let fear of rejection, reputation or inadequacies stop him from answering the call of God.

When God called Moses to lead the people out of slavery in Egypt, He knew what He was doing. He called on Moses because he saw in Moses something Moses didn't even see! He saw a man who was faithful. Brave. Strong. Honest. He saw a man of integrity, who feared the Lord. Where Moses only saw PART of the picture (the HUGE request too big for one man to do alone), God saw the WHOLE picture.

I believe what Moses struggled with - we struggle with. Don't we?

It's that little voice inside our heads saying things like:

You'll never be good enough.
You're not smart enough.
They really could care less about you.
You don't have what it takes.

But I believe with all my heart that if God is calling you to do something - He's already equipped you with everything you need to make that something happen! Period. Our only job is to obey Him. Even if we don't understand it all. Even if we don't feel good. Even if we're scared. Even if we think someone else should go instead of us. Our only job is to obey. If (and when) He says to go, we must go.

The choice of obedience is up to us. Will our answer be, "Here I am Lord, send me."? I'm praying every day that I will continue to yield to Him and respond in obedience to His calling on my life.

Philippians 1:6 says, "God began a good work in you, and I am sure He will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes back again."

Here I am, send me!

Balance

It is no longer just a good idea to develop a habit of spending time in prayer and preparation for our days... it is CRITICAL to the success of lives.





The following is my speech today at a women's luncheon. I was asked to share my vision for women of this county...



For seven years I served on staff at a local church full time. It was a dream come true for me as I was finally in a position where I was getting paid to do work that I REALLY REALLY loved to do. You see, I am a lover of people and I genuinely care about seeing people reach their highest potential. And what better place to use my gifts and talents in combination with my natural desire to help others grow. I was serving God. I was doing some great things. I was involved in the high calling of making a difference in the hearts and lives of other people. I was invested at a very deep level with Kingdom business, and it was fantastic. But I remember being asked a question in my 7th year of ministry by one of my office volunteers that would alter the course of my life in a pretty profound way. The question she asked me was this..

"When do you find time to do your quiet time with God?"

I have to admit that I was stopped right there in my tracks. How did she know? How could she possibly have known that it had been MONTHS... and I do mean MONTHS... since I could honestly say I was committed to a regular quiet time with God. Here I was fully immersed into full-time ministry working the hardest I had ever worked at anything in my entire life. I was working a minimum of 55 hours a week - not including the events I was serving in as a volunteer. I was attending meetings, facilitating meetings, organizing classes, conducting orientations and trainings, meeting with volunteers, managing an office, hosting events and providing direction for scores of volunteers serving in multiple areas of the church all while being a mom, wife and homemaker. To say I was busy is an understatement. I needed a calendar to keep track of my calendar.

And I'm not complaining. I truly loved every minute of it. I thrive on the busyness. I get the most accomplished when I am rushing headlong into a deadline. I enjoy the stress of the last minute race to fulfill a 3-page to do list. But what I didn't notice was that my life was WAY out of balance.

Oh the meetings and the community events and the classes... they were all really good things. I was RICHLY BLESSED to have been able to be a part of some amazing work with some pretty amazing people. But somewhere in the rushing and the hectic-ness of ministry, I had forgotten the most important aspect to the growth and success of the work I was doing. In my passion to serve God... I had... in essence, left Him out. This was His show... His production... and I had unknowingly and unpurposely left Him out. And it wasn't until my sweet friend asked me that question that I realized that some serious changes needed to happen in my life.

I think that many of you would agree with me when I say that balance in life is a hard thing. And let's face it - we, women, carry a heavy load these days. Many of us work full-time jobs outside of the home, we're involved in our communities, we serve in our churches, we volunteer at our local schools, we cook meals, we manage household finances, we clean toilets, we grocery shop, we organize the home calendar, we do dishes, we do laundry, we run errands, we remember birthdays, anniversaries, shop for Christmas presents, iron, vacuum, and take care of the pets... not to mention the other hats we wear - taxi cab driver, nurse, pharmacist, counselor, teacher... and somewhere in that chaos we're supposed to have time to be a loving wife, good friend and honorable, contributing society member.

I don't know about you - but even glancing over the list of the responsibilities us women have makes me exhausted! It's no wonder we're burned out... wasted... depleted of physical strength and stressed out to the point of seeking medical attention. It's no wonder divorce is on the rise, that anti-depression medication is being sought after by 1 in every 10 Americans... (having grown 400 percent between 1988 and 2008). It's no wonder we are tired and unbalanced. This is quite the juggling act we've become accustomed to.

But in all my experience of dealing with a full schedule, I've come to the understanding that I can NOT be the person God has called me to be without making time with Him the first and most important priority of my day. You see - I believe that somewhere in our translation of success and victory, we've become confused. In our evaluation of priorities we've become unbalanced. And as much as we desire to WIN in our professional life and in our home life, we have GOT to come to a place where we recognize our complete dependency on the Giver of life... the One in Whom all success is possible and graciously provided.

I truly believe that God's desire for us in regard to balance and priorities is more simple than we've made it out to be. I believe God's order of priorities for Christ-followers is this:

God first
then spouse, children, parents, extended family, brothers and sisters in Christ, and then the rest of the world.

But haven't we complicated this method? Haven't we made it all about us? Our children? The calendar? The next thing "to do"? The next race to the finish line?

And yet that is not what was intended for us.

Balance and priorities go hand and hand and so when I was asked to speak at this luncheon on my vision for women of Lenawee County it made best sense for me to speak on the one thing I have personally struggled with the most... balance and priorities.

And I wish I had a 3-step formula that would help all of us in our pursuit of order and balance - but I don't. I wish I could tell you that it's as simple as A-B-C... but that would not be accurate.

What I do know is that to obtain balance we must be willing to come to the end of ourselves... empty and prepared to be filled daily by God's power and strength.

I told someone recently that I would be quite pleased if I could simply add ONE more day to my current week - giving me just ONE extra day to get accomplished all that I need to get accomplished. Can you even imagine that? Asking for ONE MORE week day to an already jam-packed week? How insane does this sound? And it was in my complaining of needing one more day in my week that the thought crossed my mind... "And just WHAT would you do with that one more day?" Would I fill it up with more STUFF? Probably. Would I waste it worrying about the things I can't control? Perhaps. Just one more day. Just one more day.

John 10:10 says this, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Jesus came as the ultimate sacrifice that we might have a FULL life. Not a mediocre life. Not a life consisting of just getting by... but a FULL life. Some versions say an ABUNDANT life.

And "full" is not racing to the next thing. Attending the next meeting. Volunteering at one more sporting event. Full, in my opinion, is living the balanced life where God is the central component. Living the full, abundant life is yielding to God's order of priorities for His children. Living the full life is beginning each day with a confession of dependency to the one who grants us this one more day.

I read something recently that said, "What if you woke up tomorrow with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?"

WOW. Sadly, for some of us that wouldn't leave us with much.

I believe we are living in an amazing age where women are making a dynamic difference in the world. We are doctors, lawyers, teachers, scientists, marine biologists, chemists, bible study leaders, counselors, business owners, homemakers, nurses, interior decorators, pastors, web designers, chefs and accountants. And it doesn't matter which category you fall under - we have tremendous responsibility.

It is no longer just a good idea to develop a habit of spending time in prayer and preparation for our days... it is CRITICAL to the success of lives.

The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. The thief can be the thing that takes us away from our alone time with God. The thief can be the schedule that owns us. The thief can be those things that keep us from living the full life... the abundant life... that God desires for each of us to have. But Christ... He came to give us the full life... and I don't know about you - but that's the life that I want. The full life. The balanced life. The life centered around His goodness... and His mercy and His grace.

It has been said that we give the most attention to the things that we consider to be the most importance in our lives. And I believe that in order to live in the fullness and participate in the most important things of our lives, we must be willing to give our primary attention to the One from Whom all blessings flow from. To me - it is the KEY to living the balanced life.

And so I ask you the same question I was asked... ""When do you find time to do your quiet time with God?"

Maybe it's getting up an extra few minutes early in the morning.
Maybe it's turning the television off a half hour sooner at night.
Maybe it's sitting alone in your car on your lunch hour.
Maybe it's locking yourself in the bathroom with a sign taped to the door - Mom is unavailable for 15 minutes... do not disturb!

It is my prayer... my vision... for women of Lenawee County to recognize their full-potential in Christ. We CAN live the full life. We CAN make a difference in our community. We CAN change lives and we CAN leave a lasting legacy when God calls us home. We can do all things... only because it is Christ who gives us strength.

I urge you to call on Him. He is crazy about you and He longs to hear what You have to say! He's waiting to be the only strength you need to do all the amazing things you're going to do!

Press on women!! Press on!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,



www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Being Available

"My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.'”
Luke 10:39-42

I am a serious planner and a hard-core scheduler. Always have been. I plan EVERYTHING. I plan birthday parties, Christmas celebrations, get-togethers, family outings and reunions. I plan dinners typically the evening before, I plan out my morning time with God, I plan weekends by Tuesday nights and daily household chores. I consider it pure joy to sit down on a Sunday night with a pen and pad of paper to map out the events for the upcoming week.

I'm afraid to say I still lay Chloe's clothes out every day. And she's 11.

I suppose there's other words to describe this characteristic trait. Perhaps I'm a control freak?

I believe there is good in planning and organizing. I think God is honored when we take care of lives and find a good balance between all of our daily responsibilities. But I also think there's amazing peace and freedom to be found in allowing ourselves some wiggle room in our daily routines. I think it's as equally God-honoring when we allow ourselves flexibility in our schedules to make room for God to do His work in and through us. Let's call these... life interruptions.

It occurred to me the other morning when I was "busy" with my day. I had, literally, a laundry list of things I had to get accomplished. The usual stuff... do laundry, clean floors, make beds, run 306 errands and make dinner. I believe this was the same day I had also created a "back-up list" of things I wanted to get done if I found myself with some extra time. They consisted of the following: fix the light in the laundry room, sort through old photos, clean out old, dirty tubs in my basement, clean out my dogs treat cupboard, replace the light bulb on the front porch, finish cleaning out the garage from the garage sale, return all of the tables I'd borrowed for my garage sale and send 2 thank you notes and 4 birthday cards (mind you these birthday's were still several weeks out. Don't judge me... I'm a planner!) :) I had mapped out each event and found myself quite joyous to be able to cross them off my to-do list with a permanent marker when I'd completed a task. (Oh the joy of a completed task! A planners dream come true!)

But then it occurred to me. In all of my busy-ness... in all of my hectic-ness... did I allow room for God to use me? Completely? Was I leaving room for Him to take me to the places HE had prepared for me that day? Was I yielding to God and His divine plan for me?

See - a scheduler... a planner... is a person who truly doesn't appreciate when they or their schedule is interrupted. I find it most difficult to stop doing what I had planned to do and "do" something else. For instance...

A storm's arrival after I've planned an outdoor event or party.
A sick child during a long-planned vacation.
A husband who has to work late after I've prepared a big meal... his favorite... with dessert.

Priscilla Shirer describes these interruptions in her book Life Interrupted like this... "When the yellow-brick road of our lives veers off in some unexpected direction."

I don't like being interrupted. The feelings that it stirs within me include uneasiness, frustration, irritability and resentfulness. I don't "do" interruptions well. They are disturbing to my goals and plans and I don't like the loss of control I feel.

But I wonder how much my life would change... your life would change... if we began seeing these interruptions as opportunities. If we truly changed the way we looked at these irritating disturbances and started seeing them as Divine Interventions. I wonder how seeing through this lens would change our perspective. We just might be opening ourselves up to the greatness that God has for us. Priscilla Shirer goes on to say that, "Believing that divine interruptions are a privilege not only will cause us to handle them differently but also to await them eagerly. Knowing that we have an opportunity to participate in God's purposes should cause us to sit on the edge of our seats in anticipation of divine interventions disguised as life's interruptions."

God has a plan and a purpose for our lives. And we have a choice to follow that plan and purpose or to be so wrapped up in and consumed by our own plan that we miss out on our calling completely. HIS calling.

God always has something better for us. Something far greater than we could even hope or dream for. Always.

You may have been late for that meeting, but you missed a car accident on the way that could have ended your life. A God appointed divine intervention.

You cringed when the phone rang from an unknown caller only to discover it was your best friend from college living out of state who desperately needed to hear your voice. You didn't have "time" to talk with her, but you soon discovered that she needed to hear your words of encouragement because after 20 years of marriage, her husband just told her he doesn't love her anymore and is filing for divorce. A God appointed divine intervention.

Your mother is ill. She was just diagnosed with Parkinson's and is going to require round-the-clock care for the end stages of her life. You instinctively want to offer your brothers home or your sisters home for her to stay. After all - you're busy. You have a life. You're too consumed by your own "things" to be disrupted. But after she moves in, you discover the blessing and joy of spending quality time with her every day... and consider these moments as some of the most precious times of your life. A gift. A God appointed divine intervention.

God does not exist for our comfort. He doesn't NEED us to complete His purposes, yet He still chooses us to partner with Him. As Priscilla eloquently writes in her book about a Life Interrupted, "His calling you means that He has chosen YOU above anyone else to do what He is asking. YOU are the one He singled out and pinpointed as His partner for a particular project."

There's a country song that's lyrics come to mind, "I could have missed the pain, but I'd of had to miss the dance."

In this case, the pain (at least for me) is the rescheduling. The realignment of my day. The course derailment. But the truth is that if we choose not to yield to the Father, then we could miss the thing that's intended to bring us the greatest joy.

Looking back on my journal from January 27, of this year, I find a prayer I wrote out. It says this...

"God - give me an open heart and an open mind to the things you are calling me to do for you. Prepare my heart to hear from you and prepare my feet to GO where you lead. Amen." In essence, I am asking God to change my desires to match His. I might have my plans... but God, teach me to want what you want!

Let's remember He still has the whole world in His hands... and He sees the bigger picture. We only see a small slice of the pie. Trust Him to lead. Trust Him to guide and direct. And He will do it!

Carol Kent says in her book, Becoming A Woman of Influence, "If we waited for formal teaching moments to make a difference in the lives of others, most of us would miss the opportunities to 'be Jesus' to the people we have the privilege of influencing."

When we yield to His divine interventions and surrender to His will for our lives, we give Him permission to use us in powerful ways!

Like Joyce Meyer says, "Don’t be so busy with your plan that you ignore God if He tries to change it."

Will you and I allow ourselves to be interrupted as God deems fit? Will we give up our tight grip of control so that He can use us for greater things? I pray we do! This world doesn't need Christians who are control freaks. This world needs Christians who have made their minds up to follow Christ with everything they have. And to surrender everything to Him, even their perfectly orchestrated schedules. We are telling His story... do others get to see His perfect power displayed in us?

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,



www.wendybender.blogspot.com

The Daily Discipline

My daughter has been on a "tooth brushing strike" here lately. Just this summer, really. She doesn't want to brush her teeth. She claims she's not certain why she has to do it and how it makes much of a difference. She's constantly making excuses for why she can't. I mean really. How much sense does it make that you shouldn't brush your teeth when you're just going to eat again and get them dirty?

I guess it's a phase that many girls her age go through. Maybe? Hopefully it's not just mine! TELL ME it's not just mine!

The other day we were talking about her next dental check-up. She asked me when it was and I told her it would be coming up this fall. I told her, "You don't want to have the dentist examine those teeth and get after you for having not brushed them, right? Because he will know!" Her response was, "He won't know. I can just brush them REALLY good the night before my appointment!" She then proceeded to "show" me how good she could fool him by grinning that big smile revealing her freshly cleaned teeth from just minutes before our conversation. "See mom! They're white and you'd never know I hadn't brushed them for a few days!"

Indeed... her teeth SMELLED fresh.
Indeed... I could tell that she had worked hard that evening to polish them up and get them to APPEAR healthy and well cared for... but the truth was it was a cover up for what was really happening on the inside of those teeth and gums.

And it got me thinking. Isn't this how we are a lot of the time with our faith and with our walk with God?

I see it countless times. We long for the healthy relationship with Him. We long for closeness and intimacy with the Father. But reality is that it takes some work, on our part, to make that happen.

We want things from God. We pray for things like healing, protection, strength, patience, mercy, balance and peace. But we forget that we have a role in this relationship. We want the benefits from a relationship with the Creator of the universe - but we are quick to forget that there are things God wants to teach us through our trust and obedience.

God longs to give us the desires of our hearts. He does. There's a biblical promise that proves this to us. Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." The word delight comes from the Hebrew word, anag, meaning “make yourself moldable and pliable”. He needs for us to make ourselves available to Him so that He can mold us into the person He created us to be. If we aren't able to keep in close relationship with Him and yield to His molding and plying, then He can't use us for the greatness He has called us to! And He certainly won't be able to give us the desires of our hearts.

In close examination of the the second action word in this verse, give, we learn the Hebrew word, nathan, means, "to ascribe or write, add, and apply." You see - God has already provided for us everything we need for this life. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." If we were created in His image, and we were, then all nine of these characteristics are true about us. We have been given all that we need to survive this battle here on earth and it's God's desire to release these to us, but we have to be willing to come before Him broken, availavle and ready to do the work required to fulfill our end of the bargain.

All too often I hear other Christians say things like, "Where was God when this was happening?" And, "I'm just not hearing from God." I hear things like, "God must have forgotten about me", "My life is a mess", "I can't get on the right track" and, "I can't feel this 'joy' that others talk about." And my response to them is almost always the same, "What are you doing to cultivate your relationship with God?"

You see - it's not a one-way street... this relationship with God. In fact, a relationship is never a one-way street. It's a shared road of responsibility. I have to give something in order to get something. It's just the way it works. Galatians 6:7 says, "Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow." Like those teeth that Chloe has been ignoring. If she continues to ignore the health of her teeth, it will only produce a poor check-up at the dentists office this fall. Our spiritual lives are the same way. If we neglect the health of our relationship with God, we will produce a harvest of "decay and death." (Gal 6:8 NLT)

We must get to the place where we are fully and completely dependent on Him. Realizing that apart from Him we can do nothing. We must develop a daily discipline of loving Him apart from what He can do for us. Instead of focusing on Him only when we are at the end of our rope, we need to throw Him the rope and let Him lead us to the greatness He has prepared in advance for us.

Spending time... quality time... with God daily is essential for our well being. It isn't a suggestion or an option.. it is a necessity. Just like tooth brushing daily is necessary for the health of our teeth, spending time with God with praise and gratitude, studying His word and meditating on His promises daily is essential for the health of our spiritual bodies.

In my Daily Devotional book entitled "Jesus Calling", Sarah Young writes about our walk with the Father this way,

"Keep walking with Me along the path I have chosen for you. Your desire to live close to Me is a delight to My heart. I could instantly grant you the spiritual riches you desire, but that is not My way for you. Together we will forge a pathway up the high mountain. The journey is arduous at times, and you are weak. All I require of you is to take the next step, clinging to My hand for strength and direction. Though the path is difficult and the scenery dull at the moment, there are sparkling surprises just around the bend. Stay on the path I have selected for you. It is truly the path of life."

I encourage you to stay with it. Stay in constant communion with God and see what He can and will do FOR you and THROUGH you. Remember - if we DELIGHT (make ourselves moldable and pliable) ourselves in the Lord, He will GIVE (add and apply) us the desires of our hearts.

Psalm 37:23-24, "The steps of the Godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand."

He's ready. Are you?

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,



www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Code Blue

Recently my family and I went through a pretty scary event. My husband had major surgery on June 17 and I must admit that many of us were fearful of the outcome. We knew God was in control. We knew that we had many (MANY) people who were fervently praying for us. And still, we were scared.

As I've said many times on this blog, my prayer daily is that God would make me a blessing to others. That God would use me in a powerful way. Every single day I pray that God will empty me of me and fill me with more of Him. Yet I found myself in a place where if using me to be a blessing to others caused me to have to give up the love of my life, my husband, well... then maybe I wasn't as ready as I thought I was.

During the first couple hours of his surgery a loud voice came over the intercom system at the hospital. We had been used to these announcements for a while now... paging this doctor and that doctor. But this one was different. We knew this one was different. Perhaps it was the urgency in her voice. Maybe it was how THIS announcement was more crystal clear than any other one we'd heard that morning. And so... at a table surrounded by people I love the most in this life... we listened. Intently. And here is what it said...

"Attention Hospital... CODE BLUE on surgical floor 2. Attention... we have a CODE BLUE on surgical floor 2."

THIS was my husband's floor! I felt my knees go weak. I felt my heart sink deep into my chest. For a minute I lost it. I felt hot all over. Sick to my stomach and more fearful than I've ever been in my life. And then these thoughts came over me... WHY isn't anyone at my table talking? Could it be that they are as worried as I am? WHY would God take Him from me? This can NOT be happening.

Was this what Paul meant when he talked about suffering for Christ in the New Testament?
Was this this kind of suffering Romans teaches that produces perseverance?
Was this the suffering of Christ?
Was this God's design?
Was this God's purpose of using me to be... a blessing?

For several minutes I was frozen in fear. Unable to talk. Paralyzed.

And then the news came. It wasn't him. Praise GOD!
Thank you Jesus!
Our sighs of relief were heavy in the room.
We were grateful.
Thankful.

But...

Even though the Code Blue didn't belong to our loved one... it belonged to someone. Another family. Someone else's suffering. Their pain had just begun. Our relief was their reality. And thus, once again, my heart was heavy for these who were... left behind.

My husband came out of surgery 8 hours later and we were PRAISING GOD for His protection and His provision... for tremendous surgeons, wonderful doctors and phenomenal nurses who took care of my husband during some of the scariest hours of our lives.

But that family... the one who had lost their loved one on that day.. June 17th. They were still heavy on my mind.

And it got me thinking...

We will all face our own Code Blue one day.
All of us.
Not one of us is exempt.

There will be a time when we will all face our final days. Our final hours. The day that God will call us from this earth to begin an eternity in one of two places.

It's coming.
Our own Code Blue.
It could be today. It could be tomorrow. It could be next year, or it could be 25 years from now.
But we can be sure of one thing. It will come. One day.

So... it got me thinking even further. How are we living today? What kind of life are we living today that will make a difference for tomorrow? How are we allowing God to use us for His glory?

Who's lives are we touching?
Who are we lifting up in prayer?
How are we serving our spouse?
Is our focus on earthly possessions that will pass away or on things of eternity that will last forever?
How are our relationships?
When others see us - do they see the love of the Father?
Do we forgive those who've wronged us?

Life is short. We're only here for a while. Passing through this life. Our goal this side of heaven should be focused on shining for His glory and drawing people to Himself. When others look at us - they should see Jesus and all He died for us to have.

As Gloria Gaither says, "Jesus intended for us to be overwhelmed by the blessings of regular days. He said it was the reason He had come: 'I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.'"

These are the regular days we're living now. But they're the reason Jesus came. The reason He died on a cross. So that we could experience life abundantly. To live fully. To make each day count. Because the bottom line is - no one knows when the end is coming.

John 9:4 (HCSB) says, "We must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work."

In a devotional book called A Heart of Forgiveness (100 Devotions for a Woman's Heart), day 81 has this to offer about making each day count...

"The words of John 9:4 remind us that "night" is coming for all of us. But until then, God gives us each day and fills it to the brim with possibilities. The day is presented to us fresh and clean at midnight, free of charge, but we must beware: Today is a non-renewable resource - once it's gone, it's gone forever. Our responsibility, of course, it to use this day in the service of God's will and in accordance with His commandments. Today is a priceless gift that has been given to you by God - don't waste it! Don't stand on the sidelines as life's parade passes you by. Instead, search for the hidden possibilities that God has placed along your path. This day is a one-of-a-kind treasure that can be put to good use - or not. Your challenge is to use this day joyfully and productively. And while you're at it, encourage others to do likewise. After all, night is coming when no one can work..."

I know from experience that often times we focus on things that don't matter. We worry about things we can't control. We spend our days focused on things that won't matter a week from now, let alone in eternity. What matters most to God is that we spend every second of our lives worshiping Him and bringing Him honor and glory. Every day belongs to Him and every breath is a gift from a God who loves us more than we could ever imagine (Eph 1:4, "Long ago, even before He made the world God loved us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.").

How are we living our lives? How are we making each day count? How are we pleasing the Father with our passion for His creation and how are we displaying His love to His children?

Night is coming. Our code blue will be here one day... there's urgency in deciding NOW how we are going to live for Him!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,



www.wendybender.blogspot.com

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,

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,

Is God Calling You?

Moses was 80 years old when God called him out of a foreign land as a lonely, rejected shepherd, and on to bigger and better things. God revealed to Moses that he was sending him back to Canaan, but only after Moses spear-headed the charge rescuing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Odd story, I know, but God made a decision to appear to Moses in a burning bush.

Let me stop right there. A burning bush?

How scared do you think Moses was? There he was - tending his flock of sheep. Minding his own business. Satisfied with his life. Content. Perhaps even peaceful about where he was in his life. He was 80 years old. He was probably settled into his lifestyle. And then... one afternoon... everything changed. Everything changed.

The bible says that Moses was amazed (love that word) because the bush was engulfed in flames, but it didn't burn up.

I don't know about you - but if I went out to my backyard to tend to my dog and I witnessed a bush engulfed with flames but not burning up... I'd probably run for my life. I mean - I ask God for clarity and wisdom all the time... and to show me clearly His will for my life - but I've got to be honest with you here... I'm not sure I'd have stuck around long enough to discern if this sign was from God or not. I'd have been scared.

But thankfully Moses didn't run. Oh he might have been scared - but he didn't run. Instead the bible says in Exodus 3:4, "When the Lord saw that He had caught Moses' attention, God called to him from the bush, 'Moses, Moses!' 'Here I am!' Moses replied.'

Here I am! Don't miss that!

God goes on to explain to Moses that he's called him to a big task. Perhaps this was the opportunity of a lifetime. God saw the misery of the Israelites in Egypt. He heard their cries and was going to rescue them from slavery in this foreign land. And he was calling on Moses to go to Pharaoh to release God's people from suffering.

A big job. Why? A little back story (the cliffs notes version)...

Israelites were trapped in Egypt and were created as slaves.
Pharaoh was the king of Egypt.
Pharaoh instructed that all Hebrew sons born in Egypt be thrown into the Nile - only allowing the girls to live.
Moses was born as a Hebrew, hidden by his mother for 3 months.
She put Moses into the Nile in a basket - attempting to spare his life.
A daughter of Pharaoh found him and raised him as her own.
Moses lived a life of privilege with the Egyptians.
When Moses grew up he had a real heart for the Israelites and their mistreatment.
He witnessed an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew slave and he killed the Egyptian, burying his body in the sand.
Feeling badly for what he had done, and being threatened by the Pharaoh to be killed, he fled to Midian, built a new life with a wife and son.

And now God was appearing to Moses from a burning bush to ask him to do what? Quite possibly - the unthinkable. Go back to the land he fled, to fight with a new Pharaoh to release God's people from slavery.

I can just hear the confusion in Moses' voice when he says in Exodus 3:11, "But who am I to appear before Pharaoh? How can you expect me to lead the Israelites out?"

I like how Max Lucado describes this in his book, Cast of Characters... "Moses at 40 we like. But Moses at 80? No way. Too old. Too tired. Smells like a shepherd. Speaks like a foreigner. What impact could he have on Pharaoh? He's the wrong man for the job."

And I bet he thought so too.

As often times in the bible - the person God calls is first reluctant. But I like how God responds to Moses through Moses' uncertainty and doubt. He tells him, "I will be with you."

The story continues in Exodus, chapter 4, where we see Moses pleading with God, "Oh Lord, I'm not a good speaker. I never have been, and I'm not now. I'm clumsy with words." In verse 13 Moses begs, "Lord, please! Send someone else."

My commentary suggests that perhaps the reason Moses didn't want this particular assignment was because he had a speech impediment or that maybe all of his years in Midan made his Egyptian rusty. At any rate, he doubted his speaking ability - but God didn't. And as my commentary reads, "Perhaps what God desired was not eloquence or cleverness, but simplicity and directness - not the oily, false-compliment-dripping speech of a courtier, but the bluntness of a working man who hated oppression."

Have you ever been asked to do something that scares you to death? Takes you out (FAR out) of your comfort zone? Have you ever been asked to give your testimony or speak about something in front of a group of people and the idea of sitting in a dentist chair having your teeth drilled sounded far more enticing to you?

I've got to tell you that some of the BEST speeches I've heard in my life have come from unsuspecting speakers. Some of the most gut-wrenching, heart-breaking, life-altering stories have come from ordinary people filled with God's passion and purpose.

I was sitting in church a few Sunday's ago when a young man was invited to stand before the congregation to give his testimony. I could tell from the minute the boy arrived on the stage that he was nervous. Scared. Afraid. I can imagine the thoughts that were going through his mind when he began to tell his story, "Lord, why did I get up here to tell this story? I'm nobody special. I have no real gift in speaking." But as he left that podium that morning, there wasn't a dry-eye in the place. Was it his eloquence? No. Was it his well-crafted biography? No. Was it the music or the way the soft lighting hit the cross behind him on the stage or who his parents were or how much good he had done in his life? No, no, no and no. It was his sincerity. It was his authenticity. It was his willingness to step out of his comfort zone for the benefit of others who's lives might be touched by his transparency and openness.

I've heard a lot of speeches in my life. I've watched a lot of podcasts and I've been privy to a lot of rich talent, but I will NOT forget the audacity of a young man who didn't let fear of rejection, reputation or inadequacies stop him from answering the call of God.

When God called Moses to lead the people out of slavery in Egypt, He knew what He was doing. He called on Moses because he saw in Moses something Moses didn't even see! He saw a man who was faithful. Brave. Strong. Honest. He saw a man of integrity, who feared the Lord. Where Moses only saw PART of the picture (the HUGE request too big for one man to do alone), God saw the WHOLE picture.

I believe what Moses struggled with - we struggle with. Don't we?

It's that little voice inside our heads saying things like:

You'll never be good enough.
You're not smart enough.
They really could care less about you.
You don't have what it takes.

But I believe with all my heart that if God is calling you to do something - He's already equipped you with everything you need to make that something happen! Period. Our only job is to obey Him. Even if we don't understand it all. Even if we don't feel good. Even if we're scared. Even if we think someone else should go instead of us. Our only job is to obey. If (and when) He says to go, we must go.

The choice of obedience is up to us. Will our answer be, "Here I am Lord, send me."? I'm praying every day that I will continue to yield to Him and respond in obedience to His calling on my life.

Philippians 1:6 says, "God began a good work in you, and I am sure He will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes back again."

Here I am, send me!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Encouragement

"But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." Hebrews 3:13

I love the new year. There's just something about it... it's like a fresh start, a do-over, a new beginning. Since I am a person who likes to set goals and measureables, make lists and seize the moment for change, the new year tends to be one of my favorite times of the year!

As 2010 was nearing an end, I began thinking through some of my "new year's resolutions.". I only have 2 main ones, but they're pretty challenging to say the least. I'm going to share one of them with you today.

I have a sticky note that I've place on my refrigerator to remind me of my commitment and help me to stay on track. It says... rather simply... WHO have you encouraged today?

As Christians, I believe the love we have for others ought to naturally flow out of the love we have for the Father. We have an amazing opportunity to lavishly pour out love and encouragement to others because of God's unfailing love for us. To allow ourselves to selfishly hoard that love and not freely give it away is robbing others from experiencing God's love, mercy and grace. By loving other and encouraging each other daily, we are being the hands and feet of Jesus. We are sharing Christ with others and we are pleasing our Father.

My goal for 2011, is to not let a day go by without encouraging someone. It doesn't have to huge. I've discovered that encouragement comes in all shapes and sizes. Encouragement could be...

Sending a card
Making a meal
Giving a ride
Paying a visit
Providing a hug
Smiling
Sending flowers
Expressing how proud you are of an accomplishment
Baking cookies
Shoveling a driveway
Cleaning a house
Offering childcare

The possibilities for encouraging (and loving) one another are endless!

My prayer for my life is that I will be an encouragement to everyone I see. That my words would be uplifting and bring honor and glory to Him. That God would use me to be His hands and feet to a world that so desperately needs Him!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

Sun Stand Still Book Review

Wow! I just finished an AMAZING book! It's entitled Sun Stand Still, written by Steven Furtick. Steven is the lead pastor of a church called Elevation in Charlotte, N.C. The book is a MUST READ for anyone willing to step out in faith and ask God for the impossible.

This book challenges readers to consider living with what he calls Audacious Faith. It's explained this way... "What you consider possible for your life will expand beyond anything you've ever imagined. Radically, suddenly and irreversibly."

The book is based around and Old Testament story that we all know probably from Sunday School "back in the day". The story is of Joshua tucked away in Joshua 10 and tells about this type of audacious faith. "As the chapter opens, we read that five opposing Amorite armies were planing to attack. Having decided to strike first, Joshua led the entire army toward the Amorites on an all-night march. Sometime during that march, God spoke to Joshua. He told him, 'Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.'" "Victory wasn't complete, and once it got dark the rest of the Amorites would slip away... but Joshua was determined to fight on." There's more to the story that I am leaving out, but what's most important to this section of the book is that Joshua wasn't like most people. He realized that the enemy must be destroyed and even though the sun was going down - he was determined to keep fighting until he won. This is where his audacious faith began. As the book reads, "Joshua sized up the situation, summoned all his available courage, and delivered one of the most gloriously unorthodox prayers in the entire bible:

'O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.' (verse 12)

Joshua had the audacity to ask God to make the sun actually stand sill... to freeze time on behalf of his people. And guess what? God did just that:

'The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since... Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!' (verses 13-14)

I'm telling you that I believe this single book has the potential to change the way we look at our faith, our prayer life AND the amazing plans God has for our lives!

Here are some my personal favorites. I'll admit there's a LOT. I think I highlighted more in this book than in any other book I own and I guarantee it will be re-read over and over again. I hope you enjoy...

"If you're not daring to believe God for the impossible, you're sleeping through some of the best parts of your Christian life."

"If the size of your vision for your life isn't intimidating to you, there's a good chance it's insulting to God."

"If you want to experience God's blessings, audacious faith is not optional."

"Accomplishing the impossible is all about seeing the invisible."

"When God speaks, He does not stutter."

"How would your general outlook shift if you woke up every morning, not just to a to-do list, but to goals and activities that flowed from your vision?"

"Extraordinary moves of God begin with ordinary acts of obedience."

In regard to God igniting a vision in you... "Stop waiting around for the big bang. Pay attention to the subtle clues and the still, small voice (of God). God lives in that place too."

"If God is calling you to make a big difference, he usually starts in a small way - a flaming bush that only you will notice."

"God longs to pour out on all of us if only we'll get serious about using everything we've got for His glory."

"But when you give all you've got for the cause of the One who gave it to you in the first place, the effects of your investment will literally reach the heavens."

"Before you swim out any further, be sure that God is the One leading you out into the deep waters."

"A lot of times, out greatest fears are rooted in personal insecurities. The perspective of faith enables us to see who we truly are in Christ. God is on our side. Through Jesus, we are righteous. We are cleaned. We're accepted."

"Audacity isn't the absence of uncertainty and ambiguity. Audacity is believing that God's promise is bigger than my perhaps."

"Hearing from God is terrifying. If He wrote His will in the sky with fire, and airlifted you through the clouds to the completion of your assignment, obedience would be natural. But then faith wouldn't be necessary, would it?"

"When you reflect on God's vision for your life, you should be overwhelmed."

"The great things God will do through you are going to grow in the soil of persistence, obedience, and sacrifice."

"Before God can bring His promises to pass in your life, He has to strip away all the stuff that keeps you from trusting Him wholeheartedly."

"When God takes something or someone out of your life, He's just clearing space on your hard drive for an upgrade."

"The key to unlocking your audacity is not to take the most bizarre risk you can think of, then blame the outcome on God. The key is getting a clear and correct view of God, believing that God is actually who He says He is. And that He can do what He says He can do."

"I've noticed that most of us don't have a hard time believing that God's grace is real - we just have a hard time believing that it's really available to us."

"Many people would say God can still use you despite your failures. I want to take it a step further. God's grace is so audacious that He will use the failure itself to show off just how capable He is."

"Nothing you've ever done is so repulsive that God can't redeem your potential and love you through it."

"Audacious faith does not guarantee a crisis-free life. But audacious faith does enable you to seize the opportunity to see God's glory in the midst of every crisis in your life."

"The glory of God often shines the brightest when the sun goes down... and we keep our eyes on Jesus anyway."

"You'd never see how strong God is if there were no opponent for Him to overcome in your life."

"God didn't send Jesus to throw in the towel and call off all our fights. God sent Jesus to step into the ring and fight our battles."

"Sometimes God lets the sun go down so that He can be our only light."

"Maybe the greatest Sun Stand Still prayers God will answer over the course of your life will be the audacious prayers of faith you pray for others."

"If you're going to have the audacity to ask God for something, you'd better be ready to act!"... "No wonder so many of our prayers aren't answered. We pray for a miracle, but we fail to make a MOVE!"

"Hope is a desire. Faith is a demonstration. Hope wants it to happen. Faith causes it to happen and acts as if it's already done."

"Vision begins when you hear the sound of God's voice speaking something to your heart."

"What God has done among us is so big that there's nobody to blame but Him!"

Now.. go. Get the book. You won't be disappointed!




http://www.amazon.com/Sun-Stand-Still-Happens-Impossible/dp/1601423225/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293473228&sr=8-1

Living with Passion

This has to be one of the best posts I've ever read (if not the best!) God doesn't want us to be luke warm when it comes to our faith and trusting in Him - - - He wants us to live out passion-filled lives! He desires for us to live with passion for what is right. In my opinion, this is what the world lacks - PASSION and enthusiasm.

I have been accused of being many things over the course of my life and being passionate is one of them. But I'm not going to apologize for that passion. When I work - I do it with passion. When I play - I do it with passion. When I devote myself to anything - I do it with passion. And I want to be a person who is accused of living with that same passion for Christ. I truly, passionately, desire to be all that God has called me to be. I'm not apologizing for that. This is my favorite part of the above post: "...the world needs churches with men and women FULL of passion, who actually believe that God loves people and sent His Son Jesus to prove it…and do EVERYTHING it takes to get that message out!" Jesus had passion for what He came to this earth to do and with every ounce of my being - I want to live out that same kind of passion for Him.

So the next time someone accuses you of being too passionate about what you feel God has called you to do, turn to them and say, "Thank you." My guess is that this will leave them scratching their heads.