Perfectly Patient…Uh Oh

We recently added another dog to the mix.  Mocha, a chocolate lab, joined our family last Sunday and I could tell already that there are going to be a whole lot of lessons exchanged between us.  Adam the mailman, Bruce the UPS guy, her breeder, friends on Facebook  have all said she’s going to be big….”look at those paws, that head.”  Gulp!!!  She’s sweet and busy and nippy and vocal and stubborn and smart and teachable.  I’m all those things too so I’m up for the challenge.  Today I glanced over at her as she sleeping and twitching away and as I marveled at how big she was already at 9 weeks, I heard the Lord say, “don’t let the outside fool you, she’s just a baby…be patient.”

That comment resonated in my spirit.   Outward appearances can fool us.  That person who seemingly has it all together, is altogether wrecked and no one seems to notice and the ones who get close enough to know the deal, don’t want to know the details…be patient.  That daughter, whose outside screams that she’s a woman is still a child becoming a woman, subject to the same disappointments and feelings, but lacking the experience and knowledge to navigate her world…be patient; that church member, newly saved and knowing everything…uh, yeah…still a baby…be patient!  Even though Mocha is pretty big for her age…GULP; even though at 6 months…maybe even at 3 months, she’ll be strong enough to take me down, I can’t be moved (well I can, but not in that way)…I need to remember that she’s still a baby and while I must be firm and unbending where her training is concerned, I must also be patient.

The one thing I have learned about patience is that you don’t ask for it, unless you are prepared for  every devil in hell posing as your boss, your neighbor and your loved one to be unleashed against you to test it and, well, you just have to pass!!  You should also expect to be tested in traffic, at the grocery store…even your appliances and – ahem, your computer will play a role in your testing.  You can’t pass a test unless you’re tested, right?  I’ve been a pretty good student of patience.  I say student because I have witnessed the fruit of it, but can confidently say that I will always be minding that garden.  I’ve been able to clip the lip, but you should see what’s going on in my head…those “murderous thoughts,” (not really murder, maybe just inflicting injury); the toe tapping (yes, in my head); the white knuckling, lip biting, deep breathing, counting…1, 2, 3…you feel me?  James 1:4 says “But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be (people) perfectly and fully developed (with no defects), lacking in nothing.”  So, if I give patience permission to do its thing, I can expect to be perfectly developed, with no defects and lacking nothing and those around me from my puppy to that baby in church will greatly benefit and I will maintain my perfect peace because I’m perfectly patient!.

Lord, perfect my patience…Uh oh!

I just have to say…this the second time I wrote this blog.  The first one…”error message…deleted unretrievable.”  You see what I mean?  OY!!!!

Train Him Up, Watch Him Grow!

He was so happy that dad was coming home in six hours.  If I had any idea that he was counting the hours, I would have told him sooner that daddy is staying over another night.  His face fell when I broke the news and he silently slid into the front seat and stared out the window.  Bummer!  He had given up an opportunity to go to San Diego with his dad and sister to visit Aunt Edna.  There would be a stay at a hotel since dad is there on business, a trip to Sea World and the San Diego County Fair.  A tough trade off since all he gets to do is stay behind for a summer baseball tryout/conditioning camp which is going to eat up most of his summer.  As we drove I told him we’d go out for dinner and a Jamba or ice cream and he was so not enthused…no way I’d be able to compete with Shamu and elephants (and daddy, these days!)

I know he’s not really looking forward to a day in the valley heat…he was wiped yesterday.  This camp will increase the likelihood of him making the team in the fall on a super competitive high school baseball team; however, when it’s all said and done, will he have put in all this hard work and make the fall team?   My boy tends to seek our approval big time.  He loves when we’re happy and is ultra bummed when he knows he’s disappointed us.  I’m careful not to take advantage of that and to redirect him, telling him that there’s only one approval he should be seeking and if he pleases God, I know he’ll make great decisions and then we’ll be pleased.  As we approached the school, I said, “You know son, you don’t have to play baseball for me or dad; you don’t have to take piano, guitar or trumpet lessons for us either.  Our responsibility as parents is to nurture the gifts that the Lord blesses you with by presenting opportunities for you to bloom in those gifts.  If there is no desire on your part, well then it’s fruitless.  If there is a desire, then it’s your responsibility to take advantage of any opportunities presented and work hard to excel.”  His response:  ”thanks, Mom.”  I asked him once again, “Do you want to play baseball this summer.”  ”Yes!”

I knew the answer before I posed the question.  If he didn’t want to play, no way would he have allowed his dad to pull out of the driveway without him in that car; no way would he have had such an upbeat and pleasant attitude yesterday and again today.  Life is about choices and he’s getting a little taste of what it’s like to forego pleasure for work. I’m praying that his time on the field and in the weight room will be fruitful, filled with great laughs with new friends and opportunities to create awesome memories.  I’m especially praying that he won’t regret his decision to sweat away his summer.

Before he got out of the car, I laid my hands on him and prayed protection over him; I prayed for favor with man and strength to endure; I also prayed that if it’s God’s will, he would make that stinkin’ team!  I watched as my boy walked away carrying his frozen waters and dragging his heavy bag and I sighed!!!

A Chance Encounter…A Truth Revealed

I was excited as I entered the bakery prepared to order the cake for my goddaughter’s baby shower.  It had been a busy day as I checked off my to do list so I welcomed a break to chat up the cake decorator whose daughter attends school with mine.  During our conversation, she asked whether my daughter would be returning to FB for 8^th grade in light of all that was going on with the 7^th graders.  Huh?  I had no idea what she was talking about as my stomach did a roller coaster drop.  “Oh yeah,” she continued – “there are girls who have been cutting themselves and some who are no longer eating who have to be supervised during lunch hour so they can eat.”  My look of surprise caused her voice to drop and she drew back slightly which caused me to lean in and press the issue.  “Names…give me names,” I said.  And sadly she gave me two names I instantly recognized as close friends of my daughter.  My mind wandered to the times recently that my daughter has skipped a meal or two or has moved the food on her plate around leaving it mostly untouched.  I then recalled the many times she has come home from school a little sad or quiet and now I’m not alarmed…I’m irritated!  I’m not irritated with my daughter, I’m bothered by the administration at the school who bombards my mailbox with emails trumpeting the many instances of scabies, lice and the like, but fail to give parents a heads up regarding behavior that our girls are exhibiting which could affect (if not addressed) those girls who are not involved directly, but are on the sidelines being infected.  Ugggghh!!!  “Lord, help me handle this one.”

As I drive home I sensed a peace that my daughter is not directly involved and I am once again in awe of the Holy Spirit who has been showing me how to pray for my daughter all along; who had arranged that meeting at the bakery because He knew that I must take steps now to protect my girl, to gain her trust, to place a little separation between her and her friends as they continue to heal.  I ask the Lord for help.  I ask for His wisdom and peace as I approach my child with this new found information and I ask Him to guard me from being irritated with her for not sharing what she knows if she knows.

Since my children were around 3 or 4, I’ve been talking to them about bad touch, good touch, stranger danger, good secrets, bad secrets, etc.  I’ve talked extensively as they’ve matured about friends and trust; we’ve discussed the importance of knowing when to bring an adult into confidence for a situation that may be too big for them to figure out.  Clearly, my daughter needs a refresher course, I’m thinking.

The minute she gets in the car, I just about forget how I’ve prayed.  I tell her I’ve heard some disturbing news and then I blurt out…”what do you know about the girls who are cutting themselves and not eating.”  I know….smooth, right?  Her eyes get wide and tear up and I continue my smooth execution by asking her if she’s involved.  My heart is thumping in my ears as she turns over her wrists and shows me and says “no, mom.”  I hear the Holy Spirit screaming for me to shut up and so I do.

We get home and she follows me into the kitchen and as I take a deep breath, I hug her and remind her that I love her, am on her side and there is nothing she can do that can change my love for her.  I tell her that she needs to trust me so that I could help her.  She’s crying now and once again assures me that she is in no way involved; that the girls involved have been in this tailspin since early this year when the school found out.  All of the girls are being counseled, their parents are aware and the reason she has kept that secret is because she was being loyal to her friends who were ashamed and asked her not to tell anyone.

She then proceeded to name each girl and it broke my heart to see her cry as she shared the names.  I wrote each name down and my heart broke as I recognized each name.  She hesitated and said there’s one more and this time she put her hands over her face as I held my breath.  It was her best friend.  Her tears slipped through her fingers and I felt her body relax as I held her.  I’m sure she felt my body relax also.  She was finally able to let go of that secret and I was able to exhale.  I promised not to treat her friends differently and at that point I was not about to lecture her about anything.  I just held her and reminded her what a loyal friend she was.  I told her I wished she would have shared with me so that she did not have to carry this burden alone.  My blessed girl said she has been praying for her friends and begging God to heal them; that she never had a desire to hurt herself because she has no emotional issues and she also knows that her body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.  (I almost cried when I heard her say that.)  I took her hand in mine and we placed them over the names I had written down and I prayed for each girl by name.  As she dried her tears, she assured me that everyone was doing better.  She knew a lot about both disorders…no doubt had Googled about them, since she used some technical terms.  The times she had no appetite or was sad coming from school were times that her friends were struggling either at home or at the hand of their peers who were judging them.  I believe her.

I’m proud of my girl for standing up for and with her friends; for being loyal to them; for praying for them and acting as counselor; for not caring that she too was being judged by the “theys.”  It blesses me when I recall how over the top she celebrated her best friend for her birthday..how she emptied her piggy bank and dipped into my wallet in order to make her friend’s birthday special because she wanted to see her smile…she loves her smile!

My girl and I have spent the last week snuggled up, having tea and talks and many laughs.  She has told me on more than one occasion that she loves and trusts me and feels closer to me since she’s told me.  I’m grateful!

Once again, this piece points to the importance of the Holy Spirit’s leading in our lives.  He is our teacher, our guide, our comforter, our revealer, our wisdom, our peace.  I’m praying today for our youth…our daughters.  I pray a hedge of protection around them and pray that no weapon formed against them shall prosper; that they would be delivered from the hand of the enemy and set on a course which would be pleasing to the Lord; I pray that their appetites would be for that which honors God and that they would respect themselves and each other.  I pray that they would get a revelation of how much the Lord loves them; how they are fearfully and wonderfully made; how great their purpose is; how there is hope and peace in their future; I pray for their parents..for peace in their households; and a greater knowledge of and relationship with the Lord and their children….in Jesus’ name.  Amen and so be it!

Led by the Spirit Lifer

lif•er
n. Informal.
1. a person sentenced to or serving a term of life imprisonment.
2. a person committed to a professional lifetime career in the military.

Lifer…I’ve heard people use that expression as it relates to their careers and I’ve also heard it used at a church where I was once a member.   After reading the above definition, I’m not sure that I much care for that term, actually!!

Recently, my husband commented that he really thought we would be “lifers” at our last church…so did I.  Our family is faithful.  We tend to stick and stay…same doctors, same supermarket, same dog groomer, same hairstylist (for me), you get the picture!  We’re pretty stable and loyal once we find a place to “hang our hat.”  As far as church is concerned, we are super vigilant and purpose to be loyal, not only because it is right and for our own good, but because there are two sets of eyes watching our every move and recording every decision.  We’ve never been the sort to church hop…we don’t even do much church visiting and if we do, our first stop is always our home church.  That’s just how we do it.

Last week my daughter was traipsing down memory lane and asked me how long we attended our previous church and with my response I started wondering if we would ever be lifers at a ministry.  For a split second (and believe me it was just that fast) I wondered if something was wrong with uprooting the family after just a few years…(5 years and two weeks to be exact:).

This past weekend I gained a whole new perspective on that lifer business as we witnessed Pastor Mike welcome a batch of newbies to partner up with him and the church to make a difference in the world, to grow, to share their gifts in what he phrased as “this Jesus movement.”  I love how he phrased that and I especially loved how he prayed over them.  He said something in that prayer that caught my ear…he prayed that for however long they were partnered at this church (whether a few years or many) that they would grow in their knowledge and love for the Lord.  Pastor Mike apparently does not expect these partners to be “lifers;” however, he does pray that during the time at the church, that they grow up and go out strong in order to make a difference wherever they go.

This morning his prayer came to mind again and I sensed the Holy Spirit showing me that I am a lifer only in the sense that I am committed to my marriage for life.  I would imagine if one goes into any situation with a plan for life (other than marriage), they would be excluding the possibility of being led by the Holy Spirit, thereby being limited by their planning.

Tonight when my girl comes home, I will explain this lifer deal to her and her brother so that they would understand the importance of being led by the Spirit of God…not emotions or people, or habit, etc.  I will reiterate that the Holy Spirit’s leading is always followed by peace and order and I will let them know that we will be officially making our new church our home church this summer.

I’m praying that we would hear the voice of the Lord and be led by His Spirit; that our decisions would be in line with His will, plan and purpose; that our intentions would always mirror His heart for those whom He places in our path and that He be glorified always and in every way…in Jesus’ name!!

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.
Psalm 37:23

Daisy, the Bait

Have you ever had something really random happen…something that you know the Lord is behind somehow, yet you’re not sure about the why of it all, so you just go with it?  Yesterday, my kids and I (and Daisy) were in the car waiting for dad.  The windows were rolled down, the radio blaring our favorite song as we were bobbing our heads to the beat.  Daisy was where she always hangs out…perched at the window waiting for whomever has exited the car to return.  In the process, she always draws attention…always makes friends.  Yesterday was no exception.  Her tail and wiggle alert me to an oncoming fan, whose oooh’s and aaah’s begin steps before she reaches Daisy.  She was a talkative sort, who in the span of 15 minutes spilled out her dog and cat history (complete with pictures), her daughter’s school and work history, her own work history (she was a hair dresser who specialized in curly hair…of course she did since we all have curly hair) and her family’s weekend plans.

During the course of the conversation, which  now includes  my husband who has since returned to the car and is patiently waiting for the conversation to wrap up, our new friend fires off some curse words and notices that my husband snickers at her choice words (he always does that when he’s uncomfortable, especially since the kids were present).  (Funny how I never felt the need to check her for her language…her exuberance was quite entertaining.)  Here’s the bizarre part of the story…She excused herself in order to grab a pen from her car so that  she could give me her information and while she was away my daughter asked me if I had ever met this woman before since we appeared to be chatting as though we were friends.  I said no and my daughter replied, “You don’t even know her name.  It’s probably Laura…she looks like a Laura.”  To that, I replied, “No, her name is Barbara.”  Our new friend returned to the car, handed me her card and I was startled as I glanced at it, looked at my daughter and placed it under my thigh.  We were ready to say our goodbyes when my husband asked her her name and my family wanted to fall out when she said “Barbara.”  She noticed our reaction and grew serious when I told her I guessed her name.  She asked me how I “did” that and then she told me she was psychic.  (I sort of picked up on a little tug of war in the spirit but I wasn’t gonna go there.)  We spoke for a few more minutes and this time when she was about to curse, she caught herself.  We wrapped up the conversation with her saying she enjoyed meeting us and as she walked away, I said “God bless you,” and her response….”thank you for that.”

Now I have no idea what the point to all of that was…why she lingered as long as she did; why the Holy Spirit revealed her name; why I felt peaceful, somehow knowing that I would see her again, so not feeling pressured to share the Gospel with her…just loving on her and listening.

This morning I prayed for Barbara and then I sent her a text telling her just that.  I prayed for her protection, for her peace and for her salvation.  I asked the Lord to let me know the purpose of that meeting….if He wanted to and promised to be open to His leading.  I’m just so stinkin’ curious about the randomness of it all!

Perhaps Daisy and I are evangelists in the making.  :)

Trust and True Sisterhood

For the last nine months I have been studying the book of Genesis with the greatest group of women in a neighborhood bible study.  I limped into Community Bible Study about a year and a half ago needing a place to congregate, really intending to just get lost in a crowd and spectate for a while after having been heavily entrenched in ministry.  Well, you know God always has other plans…you can kick and scream if you like, but once you quiet down, He’ll have His way in the end…you may walk away with stronger legs from all that kickin’ and a need to repent from all the screamin’, though!  Today I’m healthy and strong, enjoying a freedom I haven’t known for a long time.  I was asked to join CBS as a Core Leader in 2012 and in March of this year during my time at bat for devotion, I shared this little dittie on Trust.  Today, I share it with you…

You know, when God has an assignment for you, every force in nature (at times in the form of people), comes against you in order to make you stumble, retreat or even give up.  I can’t even begin to properly express how much I have gleaned from our  journey through the book of Genesis – how much the lives of these people – their faith, their obedience, their trials, their drama, their failures, their victories has reminded me of my journey with Jesus.  I have been Abraham, leaving my home and family to come to California in support of my husband’s dreams; I have been Sarah, longing for a baby, sadly watching as friends around me added to their families while my arms remained empty, overjoyed when God finally said yes; I have been Hagar in my own times in the wilderness, feeling apart from God needing to know that He sees me…He hears me.  I’ve been Esau, deceived and lied to and I’ve been Jacob, operating in fear, making plans without first consulting God and then praying for His help.

Most of our failures and victories all surround TRUST.  Who you believe, what you believe, where you place your trust and with whom.  Proverbs 4:23 instructs us to “Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.”  But did you know that you can put your heart on lock down where you choose not to trust anymore; you cash in your chips and decide isolation is the best place to be when in fact it’s the most dangerous place to be, for the enemy works best when we isolate ourselves…somehow he talks more and louder and actually sounds believable.  It’s in that dark, lonely place that we really get pummeled. 

I think WOMAN really is God’s most amazing masterpiece.  We are machines….such contradictions…tender but tough; too weak to lift heavy machinery, but strong enough to carry another life and then push it through a key hole.  We are healers, nurturers, encouragers, life givers and much more, but we can also be the opposite of anything good and uplifting.

I arrived at CBS as a wounded warrior… bruised, but refusing to be broken.  Once again my trust had been breached by women and the last thing I wanted to do was be in the company of women, but here I was in the company of women.  After day one of my circle time as I drove home, I said out loud “I won’t be participating.  I’ll just sit and listen.” (My way of keeping walls up.)  That declaration was followed by a loud “OH YES YOU WILL PARTICIPATE,” rising from within.  Huh?  Hmm!! I got home and my husband asked me about CBS and I replied, ”I won’t be going back…it’s not for me.”  Two days later I was at my desk doing my lesson.  As I released my grip on MY will for me, God got to work establishing HIS.  You see, you must release in order to receive.

I sat under the leadership of Carol, a dear, powerful woman of God, and as my heart thawed out I witnessed quiet strength in action; I witnessed God’s grace and His gentleness operate through Carol as I, and the other ladies, responded…and yes I opened my mouth – probably more and louder than most.  And in my yapping I divulged to someone that during this season I wanted to receive ONLY, so imagine my surprise when I received a call from Carol asking me to pray about whether I would be interested in being considered for Core Leadership the following year.  I was honored (while we were on the phone) and as I hung up I was horrified and once again I felt that wall creeping  up only to have it kicked down by my husband who quickly responded positively to the opportunity to re-engage.  (I wonder if he really wanted me out of his hair already!!)

After praying and seeking God for His will, I felt released to accept the opportunity and waited for the next step, which was a call from Cindy…the “interview!”  As I recall, there was only one spot remaining and more than one “lady in waiting” poised to occupy that spot.  We had a candid conversation and I remember as I spoke, I heard that still small voice….SCREAMING!!!! “YOU’RE TALKING TOO MUCH…YOU’RE TALKING WAY TOO MUCH…OKAY, YOU BLEW IT NOW!” I felt like I was laying it all out there honestly to her, half hoping that she would turn me away — only to have Cindy push back by saying something like, ”you are exactly the type of leader the women will respond to because you have been through something.”  Those words cut through the wall I had built around my heart and jump started my process of healing.   That day I had a Jericho experience – that wall came a tumbling down!!  I made a choice to position my heart to receive and to trust again.

So what would I have missed had I not turned around and returned to CBS…had MY will been done and not God’s?

 I would have missed witnessing grace under pressure; strength in a storm; God’s hand of healing; love in action (with no strings attached); humility; encouragement; support; kindness; tenderness; respect; generosity; sincerity; transparency; unity.

I would have missed experiencing true sisterhood; comfort; a feeling of belonging to something special but not exclusive; I would have missed experiencing unspeakable joy and barrels of laughter; opportunities to connect and engage; to refresh and be refreshed.

I would have missed an opportunity to witness God’s daughters behaving and interacting the way God intends. 

I would have missed an opportunity to learn to trust again.

The Amplified version of Proverbs 3:5-6 says it best…”Lean on, trust in and be confident IN THE LORD with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.  In all your ways know, recognize and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.”

I came across a great quote recently that said, “You could run from your past or you can embrace it and learn from it.  You can let it hold you back or you can move forward and have a better future.”

I’m so glad I embraced it and learned from it; that I moved forward to a better future, one which included CBS and all of  my beautiful sisters.

Oh and as a footnote…

I knew this was a sisterhood when on Day 1 of orientation, I was approached by another Carol who said “I have panties that match your dress exactly.”  “You do?” (What an icebreaker, I thought!)  She continued, “Yes, would you like them?”  “Do you have them on now?” I asked.  “No,” she said as she laughed…”I’ll bring them tomorrow.” – It was then that I knew I was home!

God has a plan and a purpose for each and every one of us, but His plan cannot be enacted until we yield to His voice and respond to His calling in order for that purpose to be revealed.  How amazing is our God and how great is the journey.  It doesn’t always make sense at the time, in fact it’s downright aggravating, but in the end if we don’t grow weary, if we don’t give up, it all makes sense…every bit of it!

*Community Bible Study  (a bible study where many churches are represented by women of all ages and stages in their walk).  Find a study in a city near you at www.communitybiblestudy.org/ There are co-ed studies too:)  Ours is a ladies only affair….a whole lotta tissue slinging, I tell you!

Once Upon a Time…

One of my favorite things about Jesus is that He remained consistent.  The other favorite thing is that He was not a respecter of persons.  Try as I may to convince others that I am His favorite, the fact remains quite clear that He wasn’t given to partiality…He loved everyone the same; wasn’t fazed by titles and never allowed riches to cloud His judgment.   He was busy doing the Father’s bidding…head down, ears open, forging ahead, all the while knowing what was to come and still He poured out to those who would ultimately deny Him and even turn on Him.

This post has been roaming around in my head for some time now and today I remembered the scripture found in John 16:32 (Amplified) “But take notice, the hour is coming, and it has arrived, when you will all be dispersed and scattered, every man to his own home, leaving Me alone.  Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.”

Notice her crown came right off too. Ha! I found that sucker:)
I AM Arlene the Queen!!!

Once upon a time there was a girl after God’s own heart.  A girl who had witnessed the power of God…who had been blessed mightily, healed miraculously…who in exchange for all that He had done for her, promised to know Him deeper, serve Him gladly and share Him unselfishly and so she set out to do just that…head down, heart open, forging ahead.  It took no time for this girl to be noticed and it seemed that just the “right” people were noticing and soon the wooing began.  She heard of praises from the “it” people targeting her and soon the invitations to draw near began as she kept her head down, heart open and forged ahead.  She became pretty well known in that circle and her reputation was in tact as she kept her head down, heart open and forged ahead.  There were many who reached out for her insight, her prayers; many were the invites and overwhelming were the praises and amazingly she was able to keep her head down and forge ahead.  Unfortunately her heart was a bit too open.

And then one day…poof, the grace had lifted, the favor seemed to be gone and with it all of the invitations and acknowledgements silenced, along with the praises…silenced.  “Friends” and acquaintances scattered; weapons formed against her, stories told…she was even unfriended and blocked by a few.  Her response?  She lifted her head up, she guarded her heart and forged ahead, explained nothing to the “theys” and moved on.

I hear Jesus’ words so clearly….they left me alone, yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

I will forever be grateful for lessons learned.  I believe that every single occurrence in our lives should leave us well aware, better equipped, stronger and wiser.  I thank God for every bruise, every scar, every war wound sustained in my journey.  I thank God for strength in His word and a deep knowing that nothing can separate me from His love.  Yes, I had fallen from grace, but I landed in a soft place, a better place.

How about you? Have you taken a tumble off of your pedestal…have you fallen from grace?  Have you been betrayed, come against or hurt in any way?  Let me remind you that there are better days ahead, the worst is over, the past is just that….passed!  Don’t you get left behind too!

I’m praying that you not remain in a “pause” position; that you not allow anyone to stop your forward motion; that you run to and not away from the One who knows you the best and loves you the most; that you are able to forgive and release those who have hurt you and place the memory of the hurt where it belongs…in your past and not allow it to keep you enslaved.  I’m praying that you would be strengthened in your inner man and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be wiser, stronger, more anointed; that you live life filled with joy and loud!  Loud for Him!  Head up, heart open, ears in tune to one voice…now, forge ahead!!

There is one other thing I’d like to point out, even though I can’t seem to find it anywhere in the word….

I AM HIS FAVORITE! I AM HIS FAVORITE! I AM HIS FAVORITE!!!

Psalm 91…Fear’s Panacea

“What you fear reveals what you value the most; what you fear reveals where you trust God the least.” Soul Detox Reading Plan (YouVersion)

Man, that quote is sobering. I read it and re-read it a few times in order to grasp its meaning and then did some soul searching. Fear is paralyzing…it is debilitating. It stops you cold and though we hear, yes we know that God has not given us that spirit, somehow being told that does not lessen its impact nor does it stamp out what causes the fear. Healing from what causes you fear is a process…it involves an intention to unmask the lie, exposing it and then dealing with it, facing it until it loses its power, and keeping it captive lest it prove to be disobedient!! So what to do? Face your enemy of fear and kick sand in its face. Then cast down any imagination/reasoning/lie that exalts itself above the knowledge of God’s word. Darkness cannot remain where light is present. In light of last week’s happenings back east and evil’s reminder that this world is getting darker by the moment, I thought I’d take a whack at fear and remind the enemy who’s the boss!!

Tonight as I was having my selah moment, I turned over to Psalm 91 and within it I saw that it was brimming with conditions, declarations, instructions, reminders and so many promises. My prayer is that you receive and apply the many promises contained therein, as you yield to their conditions. I broke it down and personalized it as follows.

Psalm 91

Condition: Those who live in the shelter of the Most High

Promise: will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty

Declaration:

• You alone are my refuge, my place of safety; You are my God, and I trust You
• You will rescue me from every trap and protect me from deadly disease
• You will cover me – Your huge, outstretched arms protect me – under them I am perfectly safe; Your arms fend off all harm

Instruction: Daughter…

Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness; nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

Promise: Though a thousand fall at my side, though ten thousand are dying around me, these evils will not touch me

Condition: IF I make You my shelter

Promise: no evil will come near my home

Promises:

• For You will order Your angels to protect me wherever I go
• They will hold me up with their hands so I won’t even hurt my foot on a stone
• I will trample upon lions and cobras; I will crush fierce lions and serpents under my feet
• You will rescue those who love You (I love you)
• You will protect those who trust in Your name (I do)
• When I call on You, You will answer
• You will be with me in trouble
• You will rescue and honor me
• You will reward me with a long life and give me Your salvation

Now, go ahead…Selah!

Why “Why” Is So Important – A Lesson in Communication

Communication (from Latin “communis“, meaning to share) is the activity of conveying information through the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, visuals, signals, writing, or behavior.

We’ll be adding a dog to our family this summer so I’ve been preparing and part of that preparation entails locating a training program for our puppy.  I’m liking the idea of a training program which includes other dogs who are also being trained.  I was referred to a place and so this week I spent two days auditing different classes.

One of the handlers took some time with me to answer questions and explain the process.  She was very helpful.   It was play time at the end of one of the classes…a time when some of the pups were selected to “fellowship” in the center of the room.  One of the pups was not having it and kept running over to where my husband and I were sitting.  I naturally gave her love each time she came over, at one point comforting her since she was shaking.  The head trainer was a bit exasperated and whispered something to one of the handlers, who then brought out a covered gate and plopped it down in front of us, blocking the pup’s access to us, and unfortunately blocking our view of the proceedings.  The handler said, “don’t feel bad, it’s not you.”  How could I not feel bad?  I got the impression that I had done something wrong, but wasn’t sure what.  What a missed opportunity to communicate and thus teach a prospective client about protocol.

Now, I’m not too touchy, so I wasn’t at all offended or even bothered by the incident, but I did want to know what, if anything I had done wrong and how I could have avoided that barrier.  I got my answer today while watching Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer dude, explain that when you reward a dog while it is in a “state” other than calm or submissive, you are rewarding that behavior, thus giving it the okay to continue in that behavior.  What I should have done was ignore the dog’s request for comfort while it was in a fearful state.  Makes perfect sense why the trainer was irritated with my response to the runaway pup.

Naturally, this explanation got me to thinking about the value of communication and how leaving a question unanswered, assuming that someone knows better, or responding with nonverbal communication can lead to confusion, hurt feelings and missed opportunities for establishing new relationships or building and maintaining strong ones.  Perhaps if we learned to communicate effectively, we would lessen the likelihood of those pesky barriers!!

Being someone all about the “why” of a thing, I can’t get over how the Lord so knows that about me and never misses an opportunity to school me in order to make me better, not bitter!

Who knows, if we do select that puppy training school for our dog this summer, I may be in a position to train the trainer a bit on communicating with humans!  Keep calm and submissive and carry on!

Be Humble or Be Humbled!

Through every season of our lives as parents, the one thing my husband and I have remained consistent with has been our love and loyalty to Jesus…a vow I made to the Lord when I got born again and began believing Him for a child – promising Him that we would raise our child in the Word, by the Word.  At times during this journey, we’ve been accused of being no earthly good due to our heavenly mindedness, and we’ve also been accused of being everything from boring to fanatics, as well as crazy and in need of a crutch.  We’ve never blinked or waivered in our beliefs or in our decision to raise our children in a crazy, crutch infested, fanatic filled glory cloud …hehehe

This morning my husband and I were encouraging one another for the choices we have made as a couple and as parents.  We talked about the sacrifices we’ve made and are making and during that exchange he complimented me on how recently he’s been tuning in to various conversations I have been having with our kids.  I listened as he gave God the glory for his wife and family as he recounted the difficulty a family we know is having with their children.  With all my heart I know he was not comparing our families or the way we have chosen to raise our children; however, my mind went to the story in Luke 18 where Jesus spoke of the two men (a Pharisee and a tax collector) whose prayers were heard in the temple…the Pharisee thanking God that he (the Pharisee) was not like “others”…the robbers, evildoers, adulterers and even the other man in the temple, the tax collector.  He placed himself over these people judging himself by all the good works he commits.  (Sound familiar?) The tax collector (a “sinner” in a category all by himself); on the other hand, prayed and asked God to have mercy on him, a sinner.

I quickly reminded my husband that every good decision we have made has never been our own, but one led by the Spirit of God.  He has been the One who has led the way in our household as we have yielded to Him.  He has been the One giving us parenting tips and tipping us off to situations that have needed our attention.  The times we have tripped or slipped have been times that we have disconnected from our power source.  “Don’t get it twisted,” I said…”apart from Him we can do nothing.”  And here is where I inserted a warning, lest we think ourselves untouchable.

We all have heard of those families who have provided a wonderful, Christian example in their households; who have cared for, provided for, entertained, schooled, trained and equipped their children in such a way that would seemingly point to a bright future, only to have their child lift their leg on all that is good and instead choose their own way.  That’s reality folks.

I am not so out of touch that I do not realize that each time my children leave this house they are bombarded with all of the tantalizing things that this world has to offer them.  I’m not dumb enough to think that they are not influenced by their peers or by media.  I’ve not been blind during the times that they have attempted to pull a fast one, quickly reminding them that I was born at night, but not LAST NIGHT!

Where am I going with this?  Let’s pray for one another, for our children, for our children’s friends.  Let’s remain vigilant, steadfast and wide awake.  Let’s be merciful with one another, for at some point we might need a little mercy! Let’s remember that if not for the grace of God, that one who is suffering could just be one of us.  Let’s not get so comfortable that we find ourselves praying like the Pharisee, thinking that just because we are good little Christians, trouble won’t find us!  Let’s remember to be humble by choice so that we are not humbled by force.

Lord, that Your grace not be lifted; that we remain attached to the Vine, in tune with Your voice, our steps ordered and directed by You.  We pray a hedge of protection around our children and declare that no weapon shall be formed against them that would prosper; that their appetite for that which the world offers decreases while their desire for that which pleases You increases.  We pray that they would be that light that would draw those in darkness to You, Lord.  I pray for Your peace, Your wisdom, discernment and insight into Your ways as we train up this next generation.