4 Letter Words

Isaiah 41:10 “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.”

Hebrews 11:1 “Now Faith is being sure we will get what we hope for.  I tis being sure of what we cannot see.”

When you think of the phrase “four letter words”, you think negative words and even profane words.  As I link arms with women on their wellness journey, I tell them, up front, that there are 2 four letter words that are not allowed in our discussions “DIET” (it is a lifestyle) and “CHEAT” (those meals/moments are just “relaxed” meals/moments).  Another four letter word that I love facing head on, wherever I am in the day, is FEAR!  

An acronym for FEAR is below:

False

Evidence

Appearing 

Real

My son has a difficult sleeping at night, at times.  He fears the dark.  He fears the unknown, the unseen.  Does that sound familiar?  Do you FEAR the unknown, the unseen.  If we focus on FEAR, we tend to see only that…FEAR.  It begins to have power that overtakes our life.  Fear is negative. 

Faith is positive.  Faith is turning on the light.  Faith is real.  You may not be able to see what is coming, but having FAITH that He is working and molding you for good keeps that light on.  

Regardless of what season we are in right at this moment, having a strong FAITH will help keep those FEARful thoughts untangled.  Giving those fears to Him makes your load a little lighter.  

Enjoy Jeremy Camp “Walk by Faith”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygyOECYwd-4&list=RDygyOECYwd-4#t=36

Be Blessed!

Snooze Button Wins

Psalms 46:10 “Be quiet and know that I am God…”

Romans 12:2  “…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 will do will be good and pleasing and perfect.”

So many of us reading this today, if not all of us, have hectic and busy schedules.  In fact today’s devotional is being written at 6:15 am.  I always look forward to sitting down on Wednesday nights to spend time and piece what God has been telling me throughout the week.  As I sat up in bed this morning, hitting snooze, debating on reading my own devotional, it hit me…today is Thursday.  Thoughtful Thursday has not been written!  I don’t know how many people actually read these little snippets, but what I do know is that I let the busy-ness of life get in the way of why I’m really here.  It was heartbreaking to think that I let the week slip by without being intentional on spending time with the one and only constant in my life. 

What does this mean?  Why did I let this happen?  I let life get in the way of what He is showing me.  I see the “light at the end of the tunnel” aka summer :)  but I need to take time to notice, to search for Him.  In my devotional this morning it stated, “Do not blindly follow your habitual route, or you will miss what I have prepared for you.” (Jesus Calling, 1946) So today, take time to break up that routine, take time to notice the little things.  Remember your purpose is to shine His light on others, but how can we do that if we don’t take the time to let His light shine on us.  Slow down, don’t let chaos get in the way…SOAK up the light, HIS LIGHT!

Enjoy this reminder by Jonny Diaz “Breathe”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnjeMwxFuBA

Be blessed!

Thank Goodness for Grace

Galatians 5:1  “Christ made us free.  Stay that way.  Do not get chained all over again in the Law and its kind of religious worship.”

Romans 12:2 “…Let God change your life.  First of all, let Him give you anew mind.  Then you will know what God wants you to do.  And the things you do will be good and pleasing and perfect.”

Romans 8:28 “We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are chosen to be a part of His plan.”

Mistakes…we all worry about mistakes.  I grade 90% of my assessments with my students.  I let them grow from their mistakes, learn from the problems they have gotten incorrect, and give them strategies to help overcome and understand the process of finding the correct answer.  Today, one of my young-ins’ asked me why I want them to correct their papers with me.  I didn’t answer the question, I asked the class if they knew the answer.  One little lady raised her hand and pointed to a sign posted in the classroom, “We learn from our mistakes.”  She then proceeded to explain that if we always got the answers wrong and never explored why we got them wrong, we would never grow.  

Thank goodness for God’s grace!  The mistakes I make daily are mistakes that help me grow to be the person He is wanting me to be.  We all make mistakes, but do we take the time to reflect, learn, and dig into the “why” of that mistake.  OR do we try to quickly forget that mistake, glossing over the details, and sometimes even pointing our fingers at others and blaming them for our mistakes.  Again, thank goodness for His Grace.  

Some of us tend to take another route…worry.  We worry about these mistakes.  We let the mistakes become shackles that tie and bind our hands together.  Worrying about mistakes can weigh us down.  We loose our focus on how to get out of the situation and becoming self-absorbed.  This drives us away from Him and His purpose for us.  

Give your mistakes to Him.  Spend time with Him, your teacher, asking Him to give you those strategies, asking Him to help you understand the process, and to gain the strength it takes to overcome that mistake, or mistakes, regardless of how minuscule it might be.   He doesn’t condemn us, He gives us conviction that encourages us and helps move forward.  Again, thank goodness for GRACE, because “GRACE WINS EVERY TIME.” 

Enjoy Matthew West and “Grace Wins” 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JXl1czvh7g

Be blessed!

Cloudy with a Chance of Sunshine

1 Peter 5:8-11 “Be self-controlled and vigilant always, for your enemy the devil is always about, prowling like a lion roaring for its prey. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and remember that the strain is the same for all your fellow-Christians in other parts of the world. And after you have borne these sufferings a very little while, God himself (from whom we receive all grace and who has called you to share his eternal splendor through Christ) will make you whole and secure and strong. All power is his for ever and ever, amen!”

Yesterday, the smallest things seemed to get under my skin.  My kids seemed to be irritating each other a little more, both my personal kids and my classroom kiddos.  The negative happenings seemed to jump out around every corner.  I found myself wanting to give into the “dark hole of negativity”.  The weather yesterday even fed this emotion, which leads easily to wanting to go home, put on my comfy clothes, and find some chocolate.  

Why do we have days, or even seasons, like this in our lives?  We tend to lose focus and then our judgement and clarity is “clouded”.  Our lives begin to look like the carnival mirrors and out of sorts.  Who is standing behind the curtain that is weaving these feelings and events into our lives?  Pull the curtain back and it is revealed…the enemy is orchestrating this madness.  The enemy knows our weaknesses and the easiest way to attack.  

Put on your 3D glasses and see the full picture.  God doesn’t want us to be attacking one another.  He doesn’t want us pointing fingers or blaming.  He created us to work together for His good.  

So how do we put these 3D glasses on and see the thorns that are being strategically placed?  We have to put on our armor that God provides us.  Reading the word daily, praying, giving all the negativity to Him, and letting your faith drive your actions.  

By the way, my day didn’t end up in sweat pants eating chocolate before dinner.  (HA…take that big guy!!!)  My amazing husband came to pick up the kids smiling and encouraging me to go to the gym.  My daughter decided to give me her Mother’s day gift a few days early.  A beautiful group of women encouraged me while working out my frustrations at the gym.  My son begged me to read to him a little longer as I was putting him to bed.  I thank God, as I write this, that those last little bits of sunshine shine the brightest, even on a cloudy day.  Find your beams of sunshine and let those be what drive your actions daily.  

Be Blessed!

Loosing Focus

Hebrews 12:1-3  “All these many people who have had faith in God are around us like a cloud.  Let us put every thing out of our lives that keeps us from doing we should.  Let us keep running in the race that God has planned for us.  Let us keep looking to Jesus.  Our faith comes from Him and He is the One Who makes it perfect.  He did not give up when he had to suffer shame and die on a cross.  He knew of the joy that would be His later.  Now is sitting at the right side of God.”  

James 2:4 “Sailing ships are driven by strong winds.  But a small rudder turns large ship whatever way the man at the wheel wants the ship to go.”

Focus.  The word “focus” has multiple meanings.  For the teachers reading this, it is what the kids are lacking as the days draw closer to summer.  Having a strong focus while learning something new is important, in order to complete that task.  Focus on goals can be challenging and almost seem impossible.  However, the focus, I want to “focus” on is similar to going and getting an eye exam.   “Is your vision better with 1 or 2?”  

Where is your focus?  How are you viewing life?  You can focus on 1 - the positive in situations - or - 2 - the negative.  What are you letting in?  Jealousy, anger, envy, having an “its about me” outlook.  Your vision is connected directly to your heart.  Our perspective of what is around us drives us on a daily basis.  “If you gaze too long at your circumstances, you will be come dizzy and confused.” (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young).  The choices we make with our focus drive our thinking and then directly influence our actions.  

What if you are in a season that just keeps running you ragged?  Give it to Him.  Dig deeper into the word and into prayer.  Find someone that makes you stronger and helps you stay focused.  We aren’t put here to be conformed, but to be “transformed”.  

Alan Jackson “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO4uIyz_d90

Be Blessed!

My Beautiful Hot Mess

Matthew 6:34  “Do Not worry about tomorrow.  Tomorrow will have its own worries.  The troubles we have in a day are enough for one day.”

Proverbs 12:25 “Worry in the heart of a man weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.”

We are our worst critics.  We reflect on our actions daily.  “What could I have done better today?” “Am I 100% in all areas?”  Then we proceed to let those thoughts weigh heavy on our shoulders.  We critic our journeys, beat ourselves up mentally, and exhaust resources to make ourselves better.  At times it feels like we are swimming in a deep pool, trying to keep the cinder block in our arms above water.  

For the educators reading this, we are evaluated through a system we all know too well.  When an administrator comes in with iPad in hand, the nerves start to build up, we tend to highlight the best in the room, and sweep the little imperfect pieces under the carpet in hopes that they won’t be revealed.  

Well, thank goodness God doesn’t walk into our lives with an evaluation system.  Thank goodness He can see the good and the bad then love us unconditionally.  No matter what, His love is never changing.  We can be a huge success, and He loves us.  We can be a huge failure, and He loves us.  

Please don’t read this thinking that you need to find a “comfort zone” and just feel God’s love.  God doesn’t want us to have a stagnant life, He wants us to have an active life.  A life that reflects His unconditional love to others.  So, if today is one big “hot mess”, rest knowing that He doesn’t see it as a “hot chaotic mess”, He sees it as a “beautiful hot mess”.  

Lauren Daigle “Here’s My Heart Lord”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTDoDA-1lsE

Pruning Season

John 15:1-4  “I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer.  He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes.  And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more.  You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.  Live in me.  Make your home in me just as I do in you.  In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only being joined to the fine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.”

At dinner tonight, my son asked about a hat that was sitting on the other side of the room.  This hat has been in that same spot for a while, but he wasn’t sure who it belonged too.  I told him that it was “Papa’s” hat (my father).  

In 2007, my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the age of 57.  I won’t go into detail the emotional rollercoaster that journey dealt, but it was both mentally and physically exhausting.  I questioned God, my faith, and life.  However, He always would wrap me back in and love me relentlessly.  I am telling you this because through that difficult period of time, God was pruning my heart.  This was a pruning season that continued a year after my dad gained his angel wings.  

We go through pruning seasons, blooming seasons, and a season in which we bear fruit.  God is the vine that keeps us intact.  The moment that we start to wander, seem lost, or hopeless, God wraps Himself around us and draws us nearer.  A vine does the exact same thing,  grabs whatever is near it and then proceeds to curl itself around that object providing stability and life.  

So that hat, yes it represents a life that was lived by an amazing man, but it also represents the fruit that has come from that period of time.  Fruit that none of my family would have seen possible during those dark moments.  Whatever season you are in, rest in knowing that He is always there and will wrap Himself around you.  Stay strong and know that you will see fruit again. 

Be Blessed!