What's Your Season?

Just the title brings a melody to mind. "To everything... turn, turn, turn. There is a season...." As I post to SHINE for the first time in over a year, these words come immediately to heart. If you have followed SHINE in the past, you know that I have been very open and honest about the joys, sorrows, triumphs, and struggles of my spiritual life. Abandoning SHINE or the ministry I know God has for me in it, has never been my intention. But of course, as Satan is the supreme accuser...my first thought would be of guilt and shame that I could not be consistent throughout this past year with SHINE. Thus, the song running through my head: "To everything.... there is a season."

PJ Party: Names of God

Ah... I am late getting to the party!! Nothing unusual! You would think that I could do better virtually. Learn how knowing the names of God can enhance your prayer life. I hope you all will share how knowing specific names of God help you in your prayer life as well.

OMG...New Thoughts on Old Habits

In this age of BRB, TTYL, and OMG we like to shorten any phrase we can to make it quicker and easier to express what we are truly wanting to say. But are we even thinking about what we are really saying with even our abbreviations? This week in our Prayer Journey we are talking about the first line of The Lord's Prayer... "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name."

Hallowed. We talked earlier that "hallowed" means to honor as holy, to be greatly revered or respected. As I was praying this morning, God nudged my heart about an old habit of mine and gave me some new thoughts on it. I am a computer buff! I love to IM, Facebok, and text to communicate with friends. I am quick to type BRB, TTYL and yes, OMG! But is OMG keeping God's name hollowed? Am I honoring God as holy by spitting out OMG, saying "gosh", or even "gee wiz"?

I have to say I never really gave much thought to those sayings, because I knew in my heart I wasn't trying to "take God's name in vain." But today, God really pricked my heart as to whether or not I was keeping His name hallowed.

You know we hear the verse I quoted all the time in reference to God's name. But I found a new verse today that set in the conviction of my old habit in an entirely new way. Psalm 139:20 says, "For they speak against You wickedly;Your enemies take Your name in vain." Oh my! I do not want to be an enemy of God. Do you?

Here is my thought for today as we learn more about prayer and learning who God is. If I am saying OMG.. even in texts, am I really and truly holding God's name as hallowed? And if using God's name in vain makes me an "enemy" of God... then how effective are my prayers? Ouch!

This is not going to be an easy habit to break, but I want to honor God and keep His name hallowed not just with my speech, but with my texting, IMing, and messaging as well. Our Father which art in heaven, help us keep your name hallowed today!

What's in Your Mouth?

What's in your mouth? Are you chewing on the right things today? Who are you letting feed you today? Read on as we share about letting God be the one to fill our mouths with His best...

I was praying about what God wanted me to post today. Honestly, I don't FEEL like being much of an encouragement today. I don't even FEEL very "Christian" today. I just want to gripe, complain, and pull the covers over my head so I don't see the things that need to be done. I am late for work, my mouth hurts from a dental procedure I had... OOPS! See?!?! There I go with the complaining!

While praying, God asked me, "What do YOU need today?" Now that is a thought, if I am in need of something from God today, maybe someone else might need that exact same thing today. My answer, "I just need some encouragement God!"

HE IS SO FAITHFUL! While praying over words to share today, God directed me to open my Bible. Right there, highlighted in yellow were these words in Jeremiah 1:5-9:

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

 "Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child."


 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.


Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth.

All we have to do is just ask God to place His words in our mouth. I look over even this morning and the words I used with my kids. Were they edifying? Did they build up? What am I professing? Is it victory? Or is it complaints?

What's in your mouth today? Are you claiming the power in being set apart by God before you were even formed in your mother's womb? There is power in words! Let that power be directly placed in your mouth by God today!

Do You Need a Talking To?

Don't you just love it when God give you a spiritual "talking to"? It's kind of like when a teacher would call you out in front of the class and point out something you were doing that you weren't supposed to? Or is it?

My God is so tender and loving. When He admonishes me, it is so direct (cause He knows that is the kind of girl I am), yet so loving and kind! This morning as I was praying about my day and some areas where I have really been struggling to accept the actions of other people, He once again, gently spoke to remap my thinking.

"Do you know the plans I have for ___________? Could it be that you are secretly wanting them to fail?"

"OH NO GOD! That isn't what I meant at all. It's just that why do things work out for those that seem to constantly be doing wrong or messing up? It just doesn't seem fair!" (Do you detect my little bit of whining there? I didn't until I just typed it!)

"My baby girl! Was it fair that I let you come back to me after the things YOU did? Is it fair that I am making a ministry out of YOUR failed life? You do not know the scheme of my plans. You do not know how I am going to gain glory. You don't know that I have planted you here for a VERY SPECIFIC purpose. Sometimes the gain of those who don't deserve it can be the gain of those who do."

Ouch!!!

BIG OUCH!!

Sometimes God has us planted in places we don't understand. I think of a plant I have sitting in my kitchen window. You know I haven't even really planted it yet. It is sitting in a mason jar of water. I can't tell you HOW long it has been there. But I have left it in that jar, partly because I am ADD. But the other reason is that I am looking for JUST THE RIGHT pot to put it in. I want to keep it in the window. I want to see it every day as I wake up. But, I want to find just the right pot that is made especially for THAT plant.

The roots on that plant have grown, just as my roots have been growing...but... it isn't root bound yet. There is still room to grow.

Are you looking at other people and thinking it isn't fair that they seem to keep screwing up and STILL reaping rewards? Is there someone you know who is really making some BAD spiritual choices, and deep down, it "gets your goat" to see those choices seem to somehow pay off for them? Or maybe you feel like you are ready for your pot?

Remember, Isaiah 58:8 says, "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither your ways my ways,' declares the Lord." He has a bigger plan. We have no idea the scheme of things in His plan.

What to Wear? The Daily Saga

It doesn't matter how full my closet is, it seems like every morning I enter the same saga...WHAT TO WEAR? Maybe part of the problem is that I have too many blouses hanging in my closet, or not enough pants to have variety. It might be because I feel too fat, or look too slouchy. Whatever the reason, it seems the "what to wear" dilemma  faces me most every morning.

How many mornings have you left out the door with a pile of clothes on the end of your bed that you spent 30 minutes putting on and taking off only to find you have NOTHING to wear? I know you all aren't like that. Some of you are decisive and can rattle off your entire wardrobe "menu", and others of you, one I can think of in particular (smiles, cause you know who you are), that will pull out whatever is clean and hanging in front of your eyes. No matter what, our wardrobe in generally important to us all. From the jewelry we wear to the shoes on our feet... we take great care to look good. I don't know many ladies who don't WANT to look good.

I received a promise verse at the She Speaks training that I went to a few weeks ago. My goal is to memorize it, and you would think I would have/ could have done that by now.. but anyway. I have been chewing on this verse for a while now and it just hit me tonight how much I spend on my physical wardrobe in comparison to my spiritual one.

The verse was Colossians 3:11-12, "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others."

What am I wearing? Mercy? Kindness? Humility? Gentleness? Patience? Forgiveness? I must say, I don't look in the mirror every morning looking to see if those things are in the right place like I do my wardrobe. Are they looking good on me? Or a little sloppy? Am I accessorizing kindness by handing the  lady at the drive-thru an extra $5 so she can buy her lunch? Am I adorning my hands with gentleness by tenderly kissing my sleeping children on the foreheads? Am I sliding my feet into humility as I let the man behind me in the grocery store go first because he looks like he has had a bad day? Am I throwing forgiveness over my shoulder and stuffing all the hurt into God's designer bag to carry for me?

If only, I made it a habit to spend the same amount of time, put the same amount of care, invest the same amount of money into putting on these spiritual clothes!

Are you having trouble figuring out what to wear spiritually? It shouldn't be a saga, it should be a delight. You know, I think every little girl wants to be a model at some point in her life, but very few of us have the ability (or the beauty) to do so.. but we can all still be models. Be a model for God. Walk down the runway of life with your head held high and strutting the beautiful clothing from the ultimate designer. Talking about BRAND NAME!!!

When you wake up in the morning, clothe yourself with more than just those trendy, or comfy clothes hanging in your closet. Put on your tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness. Then, look in the mirror and see the shining star God has made you to be. Strut your stuff girl! God is watching, and so is someone who needs to see Him through you!

Progress..Where Does It Need to Be?

Progress! It is a good thing. Yet, so often we are so down on ourselves that we are blinded to our own progress. Do you think maybe it is because we are striving so badly for perfection instead? Do you think that we are looking so deeply for perfection that the progress just becomes oversight?

Let me just give you an example. I have been so discouraged that my posts to SHINE haven't been more frequent. I know I have a busy schedule, etc., but I just feel so inconsistent. I want to do it ALL right. So as I was looking around on the blog to make some the changes that need to be made, I realized that I have made 65 posts since 2008. That doesn't seem like much, but the cool part of it was that the number has increased. It hasn't been a lot... but it has been more each year.

2008= 20 posts

2009= 24 posts

2010= 25 posts... and the year isn't over yet.

You see, God so generously showed me that I AM MAKING PROGRESS!

Now, there are a million things that I need to grow in. I need to be more disciplined. I need better motivation. I need more energy. I need to be better organized. Oh yes, I have made progress in each of those areas, I see now... but I haven't attained a level I where am content yet. And, each of those areas spill over into my spiritual life.

Here is something God showed me the other day. We get so busy trying to do EVERYTHING that we never focus on one thing long enough to master it. We are all so should I say, "spiritually ADD," that we hop from one area to another without ever finding victory in any.

The one area I think God wants me to work on is consistency... isn't that funny considering my worries with this blog! However, I prayed that God would show me the one area that needs work where all the other areas will fall into place... and CONSISTENCY was it for me.

So, here is my request as well as a challenge for you. Please lift me up in this area. THE REQUEST: When you think of me, see me, see a post, see the word SHINE anywhere... lift up a prayer that God will help me find consistency. THE CHALLENGE: Ask God what the one area is that you need to focus on. Then, when you figure it out, post it here so that we can keep each other lifted up in prayer.

I would love for us all to look back at this post at the end of the year and be able to use it as a measuring tool of the progress God has done in our lives! What is your need? Let's lift each other up and remember that it isn't about perfection, it's about the progress!

Apple of God's Eye

You're the apple of my eye! You've heard it before. And if you have grown up in church I know you have been told that you are the apple of God's eye as well. But what does that really mean? We al know from the context of how the phrase has been used over and over again that it represents favor. But why?

If you were able to attend the last SHINE event, you already have some insight on this phrase. We were amazed the more and more we learned about this old phrase as it gave us a new meaning to God's love for us. Let me just share...

Moses talks to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 32:10 as he tells them how God has cared for them. Then, in Psalm 17:8 David asks God to keep him as the "apple of the eye" and guard him. And in Proverbs 7:2 we are told to keep God's commandments as the apple of our own eyes.

So what exactly is the apple of the eye? The Greek word used for "apple" is actually the same word for pupil. So when God tells us to guard his commandments like the apple of our eye, that means as we would protect our pupil.

Let's look and see what is so important about the pupil and why we need to protect it. Look at these interesting facts and spiritual symbolisms for the pupil.

• The pupil gets wider in the dark, but narrower in the light.
• When we are walking in the light (of Jesus) our path becomes narrower, but when we are walking in darkness... the way is wide.

• The larger the pupil, the more light can enter.
• The "larger" we grow in Christ, the more His light is able to enter.

• The pupil of the eye is the hole or the opening of the iris, through which the rays of light pass, and falling upon the retina, there depict every object in its natural color, as upon a piece of white paper.
• The more we allow God's light to shine on our life, the more we are able to see things as they really are (in their natural color).

• The pupil allows light to the retina where the image of the visual world is. The retina is like a film camera.
• What is showing on the films of your life? How much of God's light are you letting in?

• The pupil dilates in response to extreme emotional situations like fear and pain.
• Isn't it easy to shrink in our faith/confidence in God when we are dealing with extreme emotional situations as well?

There are many other facts that we discovered and shared about the pupil, but the one most interesting fact was found after our event. It is so interesting and such an example of God's love for us, that I have to share it.

The original Hebrew for this idiom was 'iyshown 'ayin (אישון עין), and can be literally translated as "Little Man of the Eye." This is a reference to the tiny reflection of yourself that you can see in other people's pupils.

[You are the Apple of God's Eye:

You are the Little Man(or Woman) of His Eye]

When God Looks at You, He Sees the reflection of himself! That was His plan. That is what it means when you hear that you are the apple of His eye. Now here is the hard question... ARE YOU? Can He see His reflection on your life? Are you mirroring Jesus?

God loves us so much. We are the apples of His eye.. but He also wants us to hold His commands as the apple of our eyes as well. Let's think about the wonderful love God has for us and learn to have a love relationship with Him. He promises to love and protect us as the apple of His eye, and we must love right back by protecting His commands as the apple of ours.

Looking Back

Hello everyone. It has been quite sometime since my last post and I have REALLY been struggling with knowing what to post. Part of the problem, I am sure, is because I have personally been going through some trials. Today has especially been a hard day for me. I have just been in prayer all day for God to remind me of what it is HE wants for me. You know when you are down, that is when Satan just wants to kick you in the stomach and keep you there. Whatever it is that Satan is trying to use for defeat in your life right now, God is ready to use for victory!

So, in the neat way God works, I stumbled over an old blog I wrote. I forgot I even had it. I have copied and pasted what I wrote back in July of 2008. For some reason I felt like it wasn't only something I needed today, but maybe you can benefit from it as well... God bless!

Late Night Temptations

God has really been working in my life. He has given me strength to overcome and mercy when I have not been successful. Lately I have been so excited about the misitry God is putting together through me that I can hardly stand it.

It is really neat to think that this ministry isn't a hand-me-down. It isn't something handed over to me from someone who didn't want it. It isn't something I would rather not accept. It isn't something to hide in the corner. It is something that God made.. brand new... just for me to use to serve Him. As each piece to the puzzle comes together, I seem to grow more and more in strength. The temptations that used to cause my emotions to knock me down and control me are not nearly as "tempting" as they used to be.

Don't get me wrong. Temptation is just as strong. The difference is that I am becoming more aware. I am seeing the better side of doing what God wants rather than what I want. I am seeing the benefits of waiting on His timing rather than my own. I am growing.

I was so proud of myself last night over a very wise decision I had made. It was a choice to avoid the opportunity for temptation. It was a choice that I didn't necessarily want to make, but knew there was a better reason for it. Some things are worth waiting for. I was able to put away Satan's offer to entice and put me in a situation where I may weak. I know that really BITES for him! LOL

You know, if Satan can't defeat you while you are fully awake when you are at your best, he tried to catch you off guard. Nothing like a late night phone call to get the temptations rising. Satan is smart and sneaks up on you. In my half asleep state, normally I would have fallen right into the temptation... willingly. But God gave me stregnth! Not only was I able to avoid temptation, but I used the time of interrupted sleep to spend some extra time with God.

What Satan wanted to use for defeat, God turned into victory! What can be better than that!

How Do You Feel?

How do you feel? Do you feel like a Christian? I woke up this morning and I don't really "feel" like a Christian. What is a Christian supposed to feel like? I guess that is a pretty good question. Shouldn't a Christian "feel" happy and joyful? Maybe a Christian should "feel" successful, animated, ready to tackle the world? Is it ok for a Christian to "feel" tired and lifeless? Can a Christian "feel" depressed? What's wrong with me if I am having those feelings? What's wrong with you if you are having those "feelings"? Does it really even mean something IS wrong?

I can honestly tell you that I don't know the answer to most of those questions. GASP!!! I know someone in ministry that doesn't know the answer to the questions we have. (Feel my sarcasm there.) As I was praying over that question, I decided to do a search on the word "feel" in the Bible. I checked my trusty BibleGateway and searched for the word "feel" or derivatives of it in the NIV. Do you know I only found the word "feel" 26 times? And the amazing thing about it is, I checked the word "know" as well... it was listed 1161 times!!

So what does that have to do with anything? I think it is something for us to think about. We get so hung up on "feeling" like a Christian.. or NOT feeling like a Christian, that we forget it isn't about how we feel, but what we know. 2 Timothy 1:12 puts it all in perspective for us. It says:

"...I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day."

Are you feeling BLAH today? Are you questioning your salvation because Satan is sitting there lying to you? Are you hearing a whisper in your ear that says, "A Christian shouldn't be THAT tired!" or "A Christian wouldn't be depressed."? WHAT DOES A CHRISTIAN FEEL LIKE? Quit worrying about how you should feel and bank on what you KNOW! If you have asked God to forgive you for your sins; if you believe in Him and that Jesus died on the cross for you; if you want to hand your life over to the control of the Holy Spirit... then just rest in KNOWING that you are a Christian. KNOW in whom you BELIEVE and be CONVINCED that HE is able to GUARD what you have entrusted to HIM. You may feel bad, but you can KNOW He is in control of your life today! Don't rest in what you FEEL, rest in what you KNOW!

The Intricacies of God

Can I just start out by saying how wonderful God is?!?!? I have been so blessed over the past few weekends to allow God use me at the SHINE event and then speaking at my home church in WV's mother/daughter banquet. Now I am having my cup filled up at the Women of Joy Conference in Charleston, SC. WHAT A BLESSING!!!

We so easily forget the way God works when we have stopped letting Him have full control and try to take things into our own hands. But... my, oh my how wonderful it is to watch Him remind us of the power He has to work in the most unexpected ways! I still can't figure out why I am so amazed when God does something miraculous. Isn't that the mere essence of who He is?

This morning was a beautiful, wonderful service. Travis Cottrill (forgive me if I spelled it wrong) has been leading the worship services and he will just blow you away with his voice. But the coolest thing about this man hasn't been his musical abilities, it has been his openness to the movement of the Holy Spirit and his obedience as the Spirit moves.

Today we had an altar call mid-service and it was beautiful!!! He challenged us to be REAL before God and just bring the burdens to the feet of Jesus. I have been so lucky to sit in the second row. (I will post pictures when I get home.) I was honored and privileged to have a lady and her mother stand right beside me in the aisle and kneel in prayer. I just was moved to kneel and pray with her as well.

Guys, when God tells you to do something DO IT! God spoke and directed for me to just lay my hands on this complete stranger and pray. I share this with you only as a testimony to the intricacies of God, because that is all it is about, not me. (I just wanted to emphasize that!) Anyway, God's Spirit was so thick at that place it was just amazing! Hundreds of women kneeling at the feet of Jesus... and I saw God directly answer this young ladies request! As we were praying her phone went off, she raised it in tears and showed her mother what it said. They cried, let me rephrase that, they wept together. I of course had NO idea what was going on, but felt it had something to do with her husband as God had been directing me how to pray.

As we went to stand up, the girl hugged me and told me that her husband was in Afghanistan and had texted her mid prayer, "I love you!" Yes ladies! I am bawling as I write this. I knew her pain.. I could relate to her, out of the thousands of women in that coliseum, God had me pray with her. I quickly gave her a few details of how I could relate and hugged her deeply with a few words from a "been there, done that" stand point and just encouraged her to let God love her in her husband's absence.

Isn't that how God works? He plans where we are supposed to be so that HE can use us how HE wants... all we have to do is listen and be obedient!

Another little example of God working this weekend is that our scheduled speaker got stuck with no plane service in Texas. The speaker that was able to fill in for her was actually the original speaker they wanted for this weekend, but she was supposed to be in South Africa today. To say the least plans left her in the states today and she was able to drive all night to get here and fill in for the speaker on the schedule. And let me tell you, GOD WANTED HER HERE. So, HE worked out all the intricacies that had stood in the way before.

You have heard, "Don't sweat the small stuff!" Well, that is it, don't sweat it. God is in control! Just be obedient to Him today. You might miss a great blessing if you don't!

Love you 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!!!

Beautiful Christian Woman

I got an email this morning and it so encompassed what I believe we want to portray at SHINE, that I thought I would share it with you.



We are all at different places in our walk, but one thing women need to realize is that we are ALL beautiful to God. This is really great! I hope you not only consider what it says about your own life; but think about it as you are examining the lives of those around you. Sometimes we get so caught up in what people AREN'T doing that they are supposed to, that we forget to realize we have the exact same tendencies.

A Beautiful Christian Woman

When I say that I am a Christian,

I am not shouting that I am clean living.

I'm whispering,

"I was lost, but now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say that I am a Christian,

I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble

and I need Christ to be my guide.

When I say that I am a Christian,

I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak

and need His strength to carry on.

When I say that I am a Christian,

I'm not claiming to be perfect.

I have my share of headaches,

so I call upon His name.

When I say that I am a Christian,

I am not holier than thou,

I'm just a simple sinner

who received God's good grace, somehow!

Pretty is as Pretty does,
but Beautiful is just plain Beautiful.

What a wonderful way to look at our testimony. Unfortunately so many times these days when someone says they are a Christian, we look for perfection in the person, rather than the reflection of Christ and what He has truly accomplished in their lives.

Have a wonderful day today.. and be beautiful!

Hiding Out

I don't care where it is... but I am ready to go hide out somewhere! It's been one of those days, and I know you have them too. Maybe today is one of those days for you. Want to join me? Let's just go hide out somewhere!

Why in the world am I wanting to hide so badly? Well, let me just fill you in a little. EVERYTHING is going wrong!!! Ok ok, that may be a BIT of an exaggeration, but it feels like more and more is turning out wrong than right.

Amongst the kids whining in the mornings, learning to communicate effectively in a new relationship, deadlines at work... and of course a computer that has decided to "not respond" after 2 hours of tediously editing a document and being stupid enough not to safe it somewhere along the way....(You know exactly what I am talking about, don't you? Stop laughing!)...I just want to throw my hands up in the air and give up. Find me a bushel and I am going to go hide under it! Actually, just for the record... instead of hiding, I am just going to blog this on my lunch break. :O)

Isn't that the way Satan works? Right when you are about ready to take your life and let your light SHINE (no matter how big or small), Satan comes in pushes you till you want to go hide out. See, that is so clever. If Satan just came in and snuffed out our fire, then we could blame our failures on him. But NOOOOOO!!!! He IS a sly old devil. IF he can convince us to go hide out, go find a bushel and hide under it; he has accomplished two purposes:

1. No one can see our light if it is under a bushel. If we lift our hands and run to hide out, we are missing our opportunity to SHINE in our situation. We lose the opportunity to let Jesus SHINE through our imperfections and humanity.
2. If we go hide our light under a bushel, we will eventually run out of air and not only will we suffocate, but our light will burn out as well. See... if WE make the decision to go hide, WE are the ones that snuffed out the fire, not Satan. There is nothing worse than someone sitting in pity and self condemnation. Satan wants to hinder our ability to SHINE and defeat our self-confidence as well.

I can tell you this day will probably end up worse before it does better. Quite honestly, I know Satan well enough to know he is going to be on the attack because I am being obedient and finally conquering my fears. Our first SHINE luncheon is in 2 weeks and I will be speaking at a Mother-Daughter banquet the week after. I am nervous, scared, and insecure. There is nothing better Satan would like to do than to defeat me before I even get started. I am about to SHINE and hopefully spark some light in a few people around me. If Satan can put my light out now... he won't have to worry about the FIRE that God has promised to create from my obedience.

Quit hiding under a bushel today! Don't let Satan convince you to put out your own light! Don't let him suffocate you today!

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine! Let it SHINE! Let it SHINE! Let it SHINE!"

"Arise, shine, for YOUR light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon you." -Isaiah 60:1 Remember, when you raise up to shine... you have the promise of God raising up with you. He's got your back, so quit hiding out!

Another God Name: Coach

I am a Facebookaholic. My favorite way to keep up with friend is to go to my home page and see what everyone is doing. Many times this not only helps me stay in touch with my friends but know how to pray for them. Often I will get encouragements from a quote or inspiration someone has posted.

Yesterday my heart was blessed as I watched our pastor sending posts every 15 minutes or so on how his daughter was doing through labor. He was the picture of a proud father and soon to be grandfather. He was making updates via twitter. This is a rundown of how it went:

“I'm at the hospital now. Worth, my grandson will be here soon. Pushing starts any minute now.”

“The Dr. just came in and said she would come back in 30 mins and have her start pushing then.”

“Pushing is on but the Dr is trying to decide if she will continue or take a break. More to come...”

“I'm so proud of my girl! She's doing awesome!! And Coach Mel is rockin' too.”

“It is on like Donkey Kong! He'll be here soon.”

“7lbs, 2oz, 21 inches long with a head full of hair.”

“Check out my grandson!” with a link to his twitter photo account.

You could just hear the excitement and pride in his voice. Obviously he was there right by his daughter’s side every step of the way. As I read his posts God gave me a vision of how He is with us.

You see, I have seen our pastor’s daughter over the past few weeks and she has been the typical “ready to pop” woman in expectancy. I remember those days.. just waiting! And then the moment for delivery comes.. so exciting, but a true effort. Painful! Exciting! Exhausting! At some points you just want to quit and have the pain over. If I hadn’t had coaching while I was in labor, I don’t know I could have made it through so successfully.

Now back to my point, as I saw our pastor’s excitement, I was reminded of God’s excitement and pride in us, His children. When He births something in us, sometimes the process is long and exhausting. Sometimes we just want to give up. But our FATHER... our COACH... is right there by our side giving us strength. Sending out updates to those who care about us so they can remember us in prayer. He is excited as we PUSH through toward His calling. He is proud as we birth the beautiful gifts He has given us. He is RIGHT BY OUR SIDE every step of the way giving us encouragement.

What are you about to birth? What has been developing inside of you? Is it time to PUSH and let God hold your hand as you labor toward delivering the beautiful gift inside of you? Let God hold your hand. Let Him be your Coach. And let Him brag on his child and the wonderful job you are doing!

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!

Just a Flicker

What kind of light do you have that can shine? What light are you spreading?

Do you have a HUGE sun that is fiery and constantly burning? Do you have a city full of lights like NYC on New Year's Eve? Do you have a fluorescent light shining in a department store? Do you have a lamp shining on the bedside table? Do you have a flashlight casting light to the path ahead? Do you have a candle burning to the wick's end? Do you have a match that is ready to light a flame anywhere?

God reminded me tonight that to SHINE for Him, doesn't mean I have to be burning like fire. It doesn't mean I have to have this HUGE program reaching thousands of people. As I finished a phone call in prayer with dear friend going through a trial, God so gently reminded me what it means to truly SHINE for Him.

It is just one little light... it is just one little light that can make the difference. As that thought crossed my mind I looked up and saw my living room chandelier that has been having "technical difficulties" for the past few weeks. Some days, there is only one little light that is shining. I didn't even realize so many bulbs needed changed until the power flickered the other day. When it flickered, suddenly the other lights came on and the room suddenly became brighter.

Where is God wanting you to flicker today? Yes, we are to SHINE.. because light to a dark world is a testimony to God's goodness. BUT... if you don't have the energy or the confidence to SHINE... don't sweat it yet. God will be building you into the light He wants you to become. Be satisfied to be just a flicker today. When you flicker... someone will see what they have been missing. When you share a little flicker with them... even just for a moment, it will be a reminder of God's awesome power in your life... and it will give someone... a little flicker of hope.

If God be for us?

Isn't it a shame that we even have to ask, "if God be for us"? Although I think that question in the scripture is meant more as a rhetorical question, I believe many of us waste too much time wondering if God is really for us.

A dear friend started off my new year right by sending me this passage of scripture and told me to meditate on it. I challenge you to do the same:

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. "

-Romans 8:31-39

I am making this my passage of verses for 2009. When struggles come..."Who can separate us from the love of Christ?" No matter what we are going through, Christ's love is always surrounding us. I am determined that this year I will not ask... IF Christ is for me. I have decided to pull out this scripture through any time of doubt. I am determined to be reminded that "neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing" will be able to separate me from God's love.

Won't you take a look at this scripture today and ask God to show you this year how HE IS for you!

Clean Slate

As a new year begins, we all want to start over with a clean slate. Forget about the things in the past year that we screwed up on. It is time to create a new record, a new way of living. On the new year, we each resolve to change all the areas that need improvement. If only all the things we have done wrong over the past year could actually be wiped clean and forgotten!!

If you are like me, sometimes it is hard to press toward new and better goals for the haunting of all the things I have done wrong. At times, it is so much easier to look at all the areas in life where I have failed. Yes the last year has had many great strides in my personal, professional, and spiritual life... but for some reason, the failures are what stay impressed at the forefront of my memory.

One of my favorite scriptures is found in Isaiah. I love the way The Message just spits it out in such plain English:

"...you're my servant. I made you, shaped you: You're my servant... I'll never forget you. I've wiped the slate of all your wrongdoings. There's nothing left of your sins. Come back to me, come back. I've redeemed you." -Isaiah 44:21-22

Oh how wonderful to think that my slate has been wiped clean!! All I have to do is ask. Jesus has redeemed me and I can start over any time I need to. He is right there creating a clean slate for me to start walking in the right direction.

Yes, I have messed up many times over the past year. I could write you a list right there on that little chalkboard... but...LOOK... it has already been wiped clean!!! Let's take the clean slate God has given us today and begin writing a story to be proud of. God bless you this new year!

Are You Listening?

My kids get home and it is non-stop chattering hitting me from all directions. I am overwhelmed and tired from my day and their incessant talking just seems to slip from three individual conversations to one HUGE chaotic annoyance. I can't tell you how many times they have looked at me and said, "Are you listening?" At that point I have to stop, focus, and really create a desire in myself to know what they are saying. And boy! Do they know the difference when I am really listening, rather than nodding my head in acknowledgment they are speaking, but not really paying attention to what their true desires, feelings and experiences of the day have been.

Are you listening? Are you hearing what is going on around you? Do you hear chaos? Or do you hear GOD today?

I know that just a few minutes ago, God really spoke to me about just listening. I was making my mental list of all I need to do... where I should be... what the week has ahead for me. But God wants my undivided attention today. Take this day and just LISTEN to GOD. Whatever it is your doing, open your ears and listen to God as you go through your day today. He has already shown me so wonderful insights just because I decided to focus my attention on listening to Him today. I am sure he will do the same for you today.

LISTEN TO GOD TODAY!