Change Just Means You Aren't Running Around With a Flat Tire

We don't seem to be creatures who welcome change. I don't know what it is about us, but we tend to like the predictability of the normal, expected, the usual. It is easier to plan when you know the routine. There is security in knowing what will come next. Even when things are always going wrong, there is stability in things remaining that way... cause it is familiar.

I started writing this post to talk about some of the changes that I hope to implement for SHINE and all the sudden, God started turning in the direction of speaking o this matter of change. You see, I know from experience how easy it is to get into a rut and run around on a "flat." Some call it "victim mentality" other's call it a "string of bad luck" and then there is the one popular in my family, "family curse." No matter what you call it, so many of us have this tendency to get comfortable in our negative circumstances that we can't make the changes necessary to bring success back into our lives.

I know, I know... many of you may argue that what I am saying is insane. There is no way that anyone in their right mind would want to run around with the proverbial "flat".. or is there? Sometimes the attention that comes from staying in the same rut, is more satisfying than the upheaval of making the needed change. Running around with a flat brings much more attention than a vehicle with a new set of tires... and it gets more sympathy too.

What am I saying? Sometimes change is good. Sometimes it is the needed accountability to make a difference in life. If you are running around with a flat tire, then you have an excuse for not completing your journey, but when you have new tires, full or air, then there are NO excuses for not getting to your destination.

So, it is time for some changes. No more excuses for not trying! It's time to fill up our tires and get moving on this journey. God doesn't get any glory from those of us sitting on the side of the road looking for someone to "pump us up". His glory comes when we let HIM be the air in our tires and wheels to our journey.

And oh, about those changes. Guess I will save that for another post. Enjoy the journey today my dear sisters!

A Fervent Prayer

I woke up with God speaking these words to me..."A fervent prayer availeth much." I have heard those words for years. But have I really listened to and discovered what they mean?

As always I went to the dictionary. "Fervent" means having or displaying a passionate intensity. "Passionate" means showing or caused by strong belief. "Intensity" means highly concentrated. "Concentrated" means wholly directed to one thing. "Avail" means to take advantage of an opportunity or available resource. So let's paraphrase this verse...

"A wholly directed prayer of highly strong belief takes advantage of many opportunities and resources."

Boy.. now that makes you think...right? First thing this tells me is that there are many opportunities and resources available to me. Isn't that true with God? He has so many resources available to us, yet so many times we just don't even open our eyes wide enough to see them... or maybe we are just too busy or even lazy to take advantage of them.

The second thing that shows me is that our prayers need to be wholly (entirely, fully) directed. So many times our prayers are whispered as we run out the door, drive to work, sit in the waiting room, finish a phone call. But are our prayers "wholly" directed? Do we put full attention to the prayers we are offering up? Or, are we thinking about what to fix for supper and where we are going to find the money to pay the next bill? I am so guilty of not having "wholly directed" prayers.

The third thing God showed me is the part about it being a prayer of "strong belief." One definition of strong is "of, relating to, or denoting the strongest of the known kinds of force." And "belief" means "an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists." So in other words, a prayer we believe strongly in is a prayer that we know is true, that we know exists and it isn't just knowing a little.. it isn't just having hope it will happen or might exist...it is knowing with the strongest kind of force that it is true and the resources ARE there and they ARE available to us.

How many of us are really praying with that kind of power? Girls, a fervent prayer availeth much!!!! Maybe we need to start taking advantage of our prayer lives more and calling out the power and believing more so that we can take full advantage of what is already provided for us.

You know the coolest thing about this verse other than it's full meaning?.... It is the second part of James 5:16, the foundational verse of SHINE. "Confess your sins one to another so that you may be healed." And right after that is where the fervent prayer comes in. We need to start being passionate about what we are doing, how we are praying and what we are believing. If we can take up this challenge, I think we will see HUGE changes in our life.

I think the thing that is resonating with me is BELIEVING. My prayers don't carry much belief sometimes. Why waste time saying a prayer and finishing it up by making a statement to a friend that the issues "will never change"? You know what I am talking about..."It will always be this way." "He will never change." "That's just the way it is."

Girls... let's start believing! Let's start praying! Let's start taking advantage of the resources already given to us! A fervent prayer availeth much!!!

Failure

My son failed to walk. Yes... he did! He failed! He is 14 years old, but he failed to walk.

If you know me, that sounds insane. I have a healthy, handsome, intelligent.....WALKING... fourteen year old son that is gracefully walking into manhood and can walk perfectly fine. So WHY would I say he failed to walk?

My son started walking at a VERY young age. We were in the process of moving when he took his first steps at 7 months old. YES>>> he really did start that early. But... he would take a step or two and then fall. Take a step, fall! Take two steps, fall! Take a step, fall! Take three steps, fall! I think you get the idea. The fact that we were moving and had boxes stacked throughout the house made it a little easier for him because he had a box to garb onto every few steps he took.

BUT.... as I mentioned before... HE FAILED AT WALKING! Yes... you are right, that comment is completely insane. My son walks perfectly now! So why in the world would I say he failed to walk?

I want you to get a good visual on a lesson that I recently learned. I beat myself up over being a failure. Look there God, I screwed up! Oh man... Jesus I fell in that area. There are constantly things that come up in my life where I fail. I started walking.. and FAILED!!!

"Failure isn't messing up...failure is not getting back up!" You see, my son didn't fail at walking. YES, he fell many times. At one point he completely stopped walking after a hard fall and didn't start back until he was nine months old. BUT.... HE GOT BACK UP ONE DAY and started walking again!

Stop looking at the falls in your life as failure. God is being a patient parent. He is letting you take baby steps until you learn how to master that area of your life. You aren't failing until you refuse to get back up.

How refreshing! If we can take on this mindset, how many of us will have the power to stand up to Satan when he accuses us of failure? Will you choose to rebuke Satan when he condemns you with failure? Don't stop walking... don't stop trying! Remember, failure isn't falling, it is refusing to get back up!

Back to School... with Plenty to Learn

I don't know about you, but today is the first day back to school for the kids around here. Buses are lighting up the streets with their blue flashing lights and kids are sporting new shoes and crisp uniforms. It is a time for a fresh start for many starting their first day of high school or Kindergarten. Excitement and anticipation seems to fill the air like the humidity before the first spring shower.

As I started a new schedule with the kids this morning, I decided that they aren't the only ones with plenty to learn this year. Those of you following my blog... as sporadic as it has been.. know that consistency is not my strong suit. The 90 day reading challenge pretty much turned into a flop for me. In general, I feel like I let not only myself down, but everyone (or THE one) that actually read.

I am listening to a song as I write called "Daily Bread." The words are saying, "My hands are meant to serve you, my voice to sing your praises." It is time that I learn to let God be my DAILY bread. Obviously you can see from my blog that I have not been letting God's Word be my DAILY bread. I think as my kids start their new schedules and have plenty to learn, I need to learn as well.

Take a few minutes this morning and ask God what it is that you need to learn. There is SO much we just overlook. I have no excuse for not keeping up with at least a regular posting to this ministry blog. I may not do it every day, but there shouldn't be weeks and months between posts. IF this is the ministry God has told me it needs to be, then I need to show up. I would throw a fit if my kids missed turning in an assignment, like I miss my assignments from God.

Think about your daily time with God as well. As you expect your kids to attend classes every day so that they can learn as much as possible to better themselves... how much MORE important is it that we show up to class with God. We need to show up EVERY day to get our daily bread from Him. We need to "study to show ourselves approved"! Maybe reading through the Bible in 90 days is beyond your ability, but it isn't the quantity of the education, but the quality... RIGHT?

As each of us start this new school year, let's try to think of some ways to be more accountable in our own education opportunities. When you ask your kids in the evening if they have finished their homework...HAVE YOU FINISHED YOUR HOMEWORK... time with God? When we expect them to get up in time to have breakfast before they catch the bus... HAVE YOU ATE YOUR DAILY BREAD AND READ GOD'S WORD? Think of the expectations you have on your children... and ponder... WHAT DOES GOD EXPECT OF YOU... and ME?

I have PLENTY to learn... How about you?