Defeated, Helpless, and Hopeless

Isaiah 64:8New International Version (NIV)

8 

Yet you, Lord, are our Father.

    We are the clay, you are the potter;

    we are all the work of your hand.

Isaiah 43:18-19bNew International Version (NIV)

18 

“Forget the former things;

    do not dwell on the past.

19 

See, I am doing a new thing!

   

Hebrews 12:1b-2aGood News Translation (GNT)

1…So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us. 2 Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross!

Fixed vs Growth Mindset

Being Frustrated vs Being Enlightened

Looking into the eyes of a student who has given up on themselves can rip my heart in half.  They feel defeated.  They feel helpless.  They feel like a failure.  I will continue to believe in them and I will differentiate the instruction until I’m blue in the face, but unless they make the change within, no learning will occur.  They have a hardened heart.  I don’t give up on them.  I will continue to believe in them. I will continue to mold their minds pushing harder at times when they are ready to be pushed, but being very cautious when they are needing a delicate touch.  Because in those moments they are very fragile and can break.  

I came home after a day of being defeated and really had to sit and reflect.  I felt less than perfect.  I was frustrated and had a fixed mindset.  I had a choice to either stay that way, have a hardened heart OR I could reflect on why I was feeling this way.  In the midst of my reflection, because I chose not to sit and wallow, I realized that God wants me to grow.  He is molding me into HIS image.   He continues to believe in me.  He continues to mold my heart.  He continues to push when I need to bend and hold me delicately when I am fragile.  So, daily He is the potter who wets His hands, molds my heart, and creates me in His image.  He wants our hearts to grow and be enlightened.  Then we can reflect His beauty through us and our master piece we call life.  He is my teacher and I am His student.  

 Big Daddy Weave’s song “Jesus, I Believe” speaks belief on a deeper level than what I can put into words.  Even the impossible is HIS reality.

Be Blessed!

What if...

Mark 6:49-52New Life Version (NLV)

49 When the followers saw Him walking on the water, they thought it was a spirit and cried out with fear. 50 For they all saw Him and were afraid. At once Jesus talked to them. He said, “Take hope. It is I, do not be afraid.” 51 He came over to them and got into the boat. The wind stopped. They were very much surprised and wondered about it. 52 They had not learned what they should have learned from the loaves because their hearts were hard.

Proverbs 3:5-12The Message (MSG)

5-12 

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;

    don’t try to figure out everything on your own.

Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;

    he’s the one who will keep you on track

Fear can take over our minds so quickly.  When we have fear, we tend to be blinded so that we can’t see beyond the current moment.  Fear can harden our hearts to the point that we can’t see or feel what HE is wanting us to see or feel.  

In Mark, the storm that was surrounding the boat that the disciples where in, was fierce.  They were overcome with fear.  They had no control.  They were in a moment of uncertainty.  This caused anxiousness and fear to build up within them.  

Fear causes us to fight or flight.  Anxiousness is what causes us to start asking the “what if” questions.  If we trust and stay focused on HIM,  “He does not save us from outside our situation, but from within our situation.”  The disciples were scared by what they saw.  The fear welled up inside them due to what they were seeing.  Then anxiety fell into place when they thought, “What if we get swallowed up by the storm?”  

“Faith does not arise from external circumstances, but from internal circumstances. It might be sparked by events, but ultimately is something that wells up within us.”  

We have to stayed centered and focused even when life brings us storms.  Those storms can rage around us and cause us to loose focus so easily.  That is when we need to find extra time to just “be” and lay it at His feet.  

The quotes above were taken from https://www.sermonwriter.com/biblical-commentary/mark-645-52

Also, I’m excited about a new read that focuses on anxiety and fear.  This might find its way in my stocking ;)  Below is a trailer for Max Lucado’s new book Anxious for Nothing.  

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-iry-fullyhosted_011&hsimp=yhs-fullyhosted_011&hspart=iry&p=max+lucado+anxious+for+nothing#id=4&vid=065f476999379aace033cf760e5a557f&action=view

Be Blessed!

I deserve...

Titus 2:11-12New Life Version (NLV)

11 God’s free gift of being saved is being given to everyone. 12 We are taught to have nothing to do with that which is against God. We are to have nothing to do with the desires of this world. We are to be wise and to be right with God. We are to live God-like lives in this world.

Galatians 5:22-24New Life Version (NLV)

22 But the fruit that comes from having the Holy Spirit in our lives is: love, joy, peace, not giving up, being kind, being good, having faith, 23 being gentle, and being the boss over our own desires. The Law is not against these things. 24 Those of us who belong to Christ have nailed our sinful old selves on His cross. Our sinful desires are now dead.

Ephesians 2:8-10New Life Version (NLV)

8 For by His loving-favor you have been saved from the punishment of sin through faith. It is not by anything you have done. It is a gift of God. 9 It is not given to you because you worked for it. If you could work for it, you would be proud. 10 We are His work. He has made us to belong to Christ Jesus so we can work for Him. He planned that we should do this.

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday… 

None of these are bad when you have complete self-control when shopping and spending.  Last Friday, Adam and I went on our annual, Christmas shopping excursion.  We always leave excited and have fun while walking through the first few stores, but by the end of the evening we find ourselves frustrated and ready to go home.  I will make the statement, “I really want a new…” When in all reality, I don’t really need anything.  But Adam telling me that I don’t need it, upsets me.  I then begin to think of why I “deserve” that item.  Then I fester until I start to boil over.  By the time we get home, I’m finding myself thankful that we only do that once a year.  

Except this year, I really sat and reflected on WHY we end our annual Christmas excursion this way.  Selfishness, lack of self control, wanting earthly desires to fulfill something empty inside…those are just a few reasons why I come home frustrated from those trips.  

God does not intend for us to live this way.  AND this season is not about GETTING, it is about GIVING (Something I tell my own children over and over again, but need to apply it myself.)  I don’t “deserve” these things because I work hard.  I don’t deserve the love that God gives me unconditionally either.  However, He gives that too us.  That is greater than any gift we can purchase in any store.  

So, I’m putting my blinders on when I go shopping.  I will go in and purchase what is on my list and then leave.  I will be the “boss” over my desires.  I will remember the REASON FOR THE SEASON.  I will do this by spending time with HIM and in HIS word.  Being disciplined in that area in my life, will pour over and influence my daily choices and emotions.  I need to only be satisfied with serving Him daily.  

Be Blessed!

Enjoy Natalie Grant - King Of The World (Official Lyric Video)

Mucky, Yucky Debris

Philippians 4:13New Life Version (NLV)

13 I can do all things because Christ gives me the strength.

1 Peter 5:10-11The Message (MSG)

He Gets the Last Word

8-11 Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.

James 1:2-4New Life Version (NLV)

Take Hope When Tests Come

2 My Christian brothers, you should be happy when you have all kinds of tests. 3 You know these prove your faith. It helps you not to give up. 4 Learn well how to wait so you will be strong and complete and in need of nothing.

Driving through Naples a little over a month ago we saw a lot of devastation and debris.  Trees that still stood, but looked broken and bare.  Slowly, over time, we have seen the debris being picked up.  We have seen damages being restored.  But the one thing that catches my eye and heart, is the new growth on those trees that I thought did not survive.  The debris had skewed my vision of this growth that was happening.  My eyes only focused on the dead muck that laid around.  My eyes were drawn to the mess.  Now that the mess and muck have been taken away, in the picture below, I see growth.  I see trees starting to grow new life.  I see HOPE.  

God intends on us seeing HIS beauty and wants us to see just that.  However, the muck and debris in our lives tend to hide HIS beauty and purpose.  If we let it sit too long, it starts to take over and stink up our lives.  If you are living in mucky waters, pray.  Pray that HE gives you strength, peace, and motivation to push through this hard season.  When caught in a moment of feeling overwhelmed with the smell, take hold of His message for our lives.  God is good and is always with us.  Even when we are drowning in mucky, yucky debris in our lives.  

'Tis the Season for Self-Control

Titus 2:11-12New International Version (NIV)

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

1 Corinthians 9:25Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

25 Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown that will fade away, but we a crown that will never fade away.

2 Peter 1:5-8New Life Version (NLV)

5 Do your best to add holy living to your faith. Then add to this a better understanding. 6 As you have a better understanding, be able to say no when you need to. Do not give up. And as you wait and do not give up, live God-like. 7 As you live God-like, be kind to Christian brothers and love them. 8 If you have all these things and keep growing in them, they will keep you from being of no use and from having no fruit when it comes to knowing our Lord Jesus Christ.

Piecing the underlined words together from the verses above seems to be a prayer that I find myself praying frequently.  

“For the grace of God has come to us, and He teaches us to say ‘NO’.  He guides us to live and exercise a self-controlled, holy life.  Living in and through our faith to have a better understanding on why we need to say ‘No’ to earthly passions.  We need to live God-like, not giving up, but growing; growing in our faith and love in and through Him.  With this comes fruit, fruit that we will be fed in our eternal home above.”  

We all have weaknesses.  The two that get me the most are emotionally eating - my sweet tooth gets the best of me - and getting “googly” eyed over material things for myself, my kids, and our home.  When I discovered Pinterest a few years back, I began to pin things and recipes that were not going to do anything other than thicken my waist line and thin out my wallet.  Discipline was something I struggled with consistently.  I would give up and give in so easily.  It snowballs so quickly in the wrong direction.  I still have these weaknesses and these self-control issues, but find myself really able to discipline myself more and say “No”.   Why?  I am in a season where my faith cannot be broken and I’m driven to be more for my family and others around me.  

What are your weaknesses?  What are you pinning these days on Pinterest?  What is causing you to snowball in the wrong direction?  Reflect on and pray over these questions, not for anyone else other than for yourself.  

Be Blessed!

The Big Picture

I pray that your hearts will be able to understand. I pray that you will know about the hope given by God’s call. I pray that you will see how great the things are that He has promised to those who belong to Him.

Ephesians 1:18 NLV

Isaiah 46:10New Life Version (NLV)

10 I tell from the beginning what will happen in the end. And from times long ago I tell of things which have not been done, saying, ‘My Word will stand. And I will do all that pleases Me.’

Ephesians 2:10New Life Version (NLV)

10 We are His work. He has made us to belong to Christ Jesus so we can work for Him. He planned that we should do this.

I have said this in the past, but I love how God weaves a theme throughout my week so that I can share what He has been directing me to put into these weekly devotionals.  

This week I kept getting caught up in “Earthly” emotions and feelings.  Sadness for others loosing loved ones, feeling overwhelmed with things that need to be done a work, wishing and wanting something I don’t have in my possession.  Then at church on Sunday I wrote this in my journal, “Minds set on Earthly things is dangerous - it can take over like weeds.”  That night I sat down to read, my current read, which is Never Go Back - 10 Things You’ll Never Do Again by Dr. Henry Cloud.  The chapter I was reading was titled, “Never again, take your eyes off the big picture”.  It discusses how there are “thrivers” in life and “strugglers”.  Those that thrive don’t live without mistakes, but live through their mistakes learning from each moment.  They know that they are not living for that moment, but for something bigger.  They go about it thinking, “My life here is not about this event, it is about what we are building.”  What that translated to me was that I need to stop really looking at my life as a moment, but really look at it as a small piece to a larger puzzle that He is putting together.  

The students that I have this year struggle academically.  I know that they are in my room for a reason.  I may never know that reason, but what I do know is that I can put my smile on daily, roll up my sleeves, get to work, and be the best that I can be for them.  With these actions, I’m reflecting His love that He has for them.  I want them to do the best they can in my classroom, but I want them to do even more beyond my classroom.  I don’t know what that looks like and I will not see their pieces of their puzzle fall into place.  However, I will help make this piece of their life glow full of God’s goodness so that it spreads to other parts of their puzzle pieces.  

Be Blessed!

Clear as Water

Proverbs 13:20New Life Version (NLV)

20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the one who walks with fools will be destroyed.

Romans 12:2New Life Version (NLV)

2 Do not act like the sinful people of the world. Let God change your life. First of all, let Him give you a new mind. Then you will know what God wants you to do. And the things you do will be good and pleasing and perfect.

Proverbs 27:17New Life Version (NLV)

17 Iron is made sharp with iron, and one man is made sharp by a friend.

Ecclesiastes 3:12-14New Life Version (NLV)

12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and to do good as long as they live. 13 And I know that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his work. It is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will last forever. There is nothing to add to it, and nothing to take from it. God works so that men will honor Him with fear.

Our minds, hearts, and souls are very similar to a clear glass.  You can fill that glass with pure, clean water and you will see just that, pure, clean water.  If you fill that glass with muddy, stagnant water, you will have a hard time looking through that glass.  The same goes with our minds…If we fill our brains with pure clean entertainment, friends, work that empowers us, and activities, things that are from HIM, we will be filled with life that is pure and from HIM.  If we fill our minds with “junk”, whether it be what we listen too on the radio, watch on TV, or even the people we hang around, we won’t be able to see HIM clearly.  We will loose focus on what HE is wanting us to accomplish.  

This is easier said than done.  Living in a world that is exploding in sin, we can’t avoid it. So what can we do to keep the pure, clean water flowing fluidly through our glass?  We have control over several factors in our lives.  Do what you can to stay pure to HIS word and mission. 

Be Blessed! 

Stretching...It's not just for the gym.

Hebrews 11:6New Life Version (NLV)

6 A man cannot please God unless he has faith. Anyone who comes to God must believe that He is. That one must also know that God gives what is promised to the one who keeps on looking for Him. 

Jeremiah 29:11New Life Version (NLV)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for well-being and not for trouble, to give you a future and a hope.

Our bodies are very much like a rubber band.  The Law of the Rubber Band, states that "Growth Stops When You Lose the Tension Between Where You Are and Where You Could Be.”  

When at the gym, I stretch before and after a workout so that I get the full potential that I can get from a workout.  If there is no stretching, I’m not growing and most likely I will feel pain.  If you feel more pain, then you will be less likely to move.  If you are less likely to move, you will stop challenging yourself.  You will potentially stop growing.  

In life, we have situations that we know, without a doubt, we are being stretched.  We may also be in a season of life where we don’t feel the tension, but feel a slight tug pulling us to learn something new.  Below is a list of ways God may want you to stretch your faith today:  

• God may want you to DO something.

• God may want you to STOP DOING something.

• God may want you to GIVE something.

• God may want you to SAY something.

• God may want you to STOP SAYING something.

• God may want you to SELL something.

• God may want you to BUY something. (presumably for a person or ministry in need)

• God may want you to START something.

• God may want you to END something.

• God may want you to LOVE someone.

(taken from http://www.biblestudytools.com/blogs/chris-russell/10-ways-god-may-want-to-stretch-your-faith-today.html)

So are you taking time to stretch your faith, grow to your highest potential, and being more for others around you?  It is time to get your Spiritual Fitness a good stretch!

Be Blessed!

The Stinch in Life

Lamentations 3The Message (MSG)

22-24 

God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,

    his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.

They’re created new every morning.

    How great your faithfulness!

I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).

    He’s all I’ve got left.

25-27 

God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,

    to the woman who diligently seeks.

It’s a good thing to quietly hope,

    quietly hope for help from God.

It’s a good thing when you’re young

    to stick it out through the hard times.

28-30 

When life is heavy and hard to take,

    go off by yourself. Enter the silence.

Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions:

    Wait for hope to appear.

Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face.

    The “worst” is never the worst.

When we are in the midst of something heavy in our lives we can easily be distracted and loose focus.  An analogy that comes to mind is the following: 

Imagine you are coming home from a long day at work. You look forward to walking in your front door, taking off your shoes, and just breathing (for most of us it is very brief, but it happens).  As you walk into your home, you take in a deep breath and immediately realize that something truly stinks, literally STINKS!  You check the garbage, refrigerator, the garbage in the garage, the kids rooms, your dirty clothes hamper…NOTHING!  It is at that time you start to investigate all possibilities.  You rack your brain trying to figure out what is setting off this repulsive smell.  If you are like me, you won’t give up until you find the culprit.  It consumes your mind and activity.  

Now, take that analogy and replace it with an event that has been heavy for you.  God is faithful!  He doesn’t leave you alone to deal with that “stinch”.  He walks with you hand-in-hand.   He will face this head on with you.  You just have to pray, be patient, and be quiet while listening to Him.  Horrible situations will consume you, take you over until you are racking your brain to come up with a solution.  Or they will consume you to the point of where you start to sink into a dark place in life.  God didn’t create us to come up with solutions on our own or to sit alone in darkness.  God is what we have, and God is all we ever have that is guaranteed.  He does not leave our side!  

Be Blessed!

Jesus Glasses

 1 Samuel 16:7New Life Version (NLV)

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at the way he looks on the outside or how tall he is, because I have not chosen him. For the Lord does not look at the things man looks at. A man looks at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Isaiah 6:10New Life Version (NLV)

10 Make the hearts of these people hard. May their ears hear little and their eyes see little. Or they will see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts, and turn again and be healed.”

X-Ray vision is a super power.  I am not one to want to possess this super power.  However, I do wish that I would be reminded that I need to have the super power of being a noticer.  What I mean by that, is just simply stop being so wrapped up in my feelings and pay more attention to others and the hurting world around me.  My eyes distort things around me making it impossible to see what HE sees.  I just wish I could purchase some “Jesus Glasses” that would give me His vision.    

Jesus lived a perfect life, modeling how we should treat one another.  He didn’t look at one person any different than the next.  His love was pure and whole.  He didn’t just see the outside of the person, but what that person carried on the inside.  

Today I passed a sweet friend and noticed that her eyes were heavier than normal.  She didn’t look tired, but she looked worn.  Worn from stress that is eating inside of her.  Just stopping to ask how she was, took a brief second.  However, I feel that she needed more than just a brief moment in my time.  So tomorrow, I am going to make it a point to reach out and make sure that she feels God’s love for her through me.  

Be a noticer.  Be someone who takes the anger, hurt, sad, etc. and helps in a way that He would want us to be.  We are his disciples, doing His work for Him in a dark world.  Be the light that this world needs.  

Be Blessed!

The Rollercoaster

Matthew 6:33

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Isaiah 41:10New Life Version (NLV)

10 Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will give you strength, and for sure I will help you. Yes, I will hold you up with My right hand that is right and good.

It amazes me how quickly we can loose sight of HIM and His purpose for our lives.  Over the past 3 weeks, there has been an emotional rollercoaster that many of us have been riding.  We all have so much to be grateful for, but the rollercoaster ride is exhausting.  Being out of a normal routine can be exhausting and confusing.  By the time “normal” rolls around, I seem to have lost my way and my purpose in a never ending fog.  I want to curl up with a bowl of ice cream and Oreos, binge watch a new series on Netflix, and do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.  So, none of that actually happened, although the ice cream and Oreos would have been nice, but I was lost.  I usually have my husband to help me snap out of the “funk”, but he was out of town.  Why did I feel lost?  Because I wasn’t truly leaning on HIM.   

God doesn’t intend on us to go through the valleys alone.   When we are at our weakest or feel the most broken, He is fighting hard for us.  He doesn’t, and won’t ever, leave us.  I know all of this, but so quickly I forget.  I think I have the attention span of a fly when it comes to relying on Him and regaining my strength in and through Him.  So no matter what rollercoaster you are riding, know that God is taking care of each and every one of the ups/downs/dips/turns.  

Be Blessed!