biz's blog

the things of this world.

 

Lately, I have been reminded that I have lost my focus a bit.  There was a time when I was wiling to rid my life of unnecessary things, things that are considered "luxury", things that don't have Kingdom or eternal impact.  I've noticed, however, that my thoughts have traveled elsewhere as of late.  I have become worried with "stuff" and my ownership (or lack thereof) of this "stuff".

Time to get back on track.

Time to realize that God's provision and blessings are not always monetary.  In fact, MOST of the time they are not monetary.  And I never want to become dependent on believing that they are.  I struggle with the whole concept that God's favor is expressed monetarily.  I don't believe that is a Biblical concept.  After spending time in Africa and seeing faithful, joyful, happy people who have literally nothing, I "GOT" it.  I just forgot that I "got" it.

And now it's time to get back on track.

Over and over throughout the Bible, God tells us, shows us, imparts to us wisdom and truth.  That, to me, is the TRUE blessing of God.  It is not something that can be purchased or earned.  It is something we, by faith, have to take and digest and apply to our lives.

Dig in!

my Refuge

"God, the one and only - I'll wait as long as he says. Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not? He's solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, an impregnable castle: I'm set for life.

My help and glory are in God--granite-strength and safe-harbor--God.  So trust him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for him. God is a safe place to be."

Psalm 62:5-8

There's so much to take from that.  I love how The Message phrases it..."why not?"  Seems so easy.  Wish it were...trying to make it a bit easier by continually trusting and hoping.

Just some words of encouragement for us all today!

these are the times.

Yeah!  I am now a working girl...and I LOVE what I am doing!!!  For those of you that have asked (and those of you that could care less), I am working for a management/development/speaker's bureau.  Basically, we get authors booked on speaking tours...and other stuff.  I am REALLY fortunate to be working with some great authors and am SO excited about the upcoming Fall tour we are working on for Donald Miller.

Anyhoooooo....that is what's going on in the job world.  As far as the rest of the world, life is great...really!!!  I've been doing this 6 week exercise challenge (4.5 weeks in) and I feel better than I have in a VERRRRRRY long time.  I've managed to reduce the inches on my body, start running again, and just feel good about myself.  Yeah for getting in shape!!!  I still have a bit to go, but hopefully will knock that out before Fall!  Crazy!!!

I've also managed to start wrapping my mind around the fact that God DOES know what He's doing and what He's got going on.  THAT really blows my mind.

Life is good.

Oh, and I dyed my hair black...I like it.  For now.

So, THAT'S why you do that!

 

I have been doing some reading, reflecting and researching this morning....yes, it's Thurrrrrrsday. As I'm sitting here, though, my dogs have decided that they would do everything in their power to get me off focus. "HA HA, pups! You only served to teach me a lesson!" (Yes, my dogs and I have learning and sharing moments.)

So, as I'm sitting here trying to read, Indigo (the 8 month old pup) begins crying. I look down and see that she is fervently staring at Midi Lou (the 9 year old mature free-thinker) while said crying is taking place. It turns out that Midi has Indi Bear's nylabone...and that just doesn't fly in our house. Not only does Midi have the bone, she is just laying with it in between her front legs. Normally, Midi Lousky Lou won't have anything to do with such "dog-like" things such as nylabones, but I have noticed that since Indigo has entered our lives, she tends to take an interest. At first, I thought it might be because she saw how much fun Indigo was having while chewing or that she realized her teeth needed a good cleaning. But, I have come to discover that Midi takes the bones just to keep them away from Indigo...even if she doesn't want to chew on them. What a bratty thing to do!

And then I started thinking about my life...cue the learning/sharing moments with my dogs...and wondered how many times I have fallen victim to this same type of behavior. More specifically, how many times do I take things from others just so they can't have them? I'm not talking about physical things, per se, but more of joy, hope, peace, laughter, happiness, grace, love, life...fill in the blanks.  Do I get so caught up in how my life is going, where I am headed, how I can get there, who is going with me, that I fail to see the harm and hurt I am causing others by my callous nature and selfish behavior?

If someone needs prayer, do I think more about them or more about how much MORE I need prayer? If someone is hurting, do my thoughts go towards helping in whatever way I can or do I think about the pain in my own life? Do I let my lack interfere with my giving?

So, I probably stretched that analogy too far, but it has me thinking and reflecting as I begin the day...

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me."  Phillipians 2.1-18

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i read this the other day...

...and thought it was a good reminder of grace.

Here you go:

TODAY'S VERSE: "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." II Corinthians 12:8-10 (NIV) "Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."' Matthew 16:24 (NIV)

TODAY'S THOUGHT: I don't understand suffering. Pain, heartache, sadness seem so antithetical to the love, joy and peace that we claim is the Christian experience. I don't understand why our first and only stop isn't Heaven instead of earth. But here we are and in this world we do have tribulation. All of us have crosses to bear. In his book, "Desiring God's Will", Dr. Benner writes, "We experience good and bad in our childhood. But Jesus' invitation is to accept the givens of our life and follow Him. We experience love and betrayal in our marriages and friendships. But Jesus' invitation remains the same, to accept the givens and follow Him. - We want to either fight against the suffering or ignore it. What Jesus asks is something quite different. - We can choose to acknowledge the suffering rather than ignore it. And while holding it, we can choose to look toward God. If we do, we discover God looking toward us." The mystery in all of this is God's grace. Grace stands between us and our pain. It is the salve for our breaking heart. It is the presence of God in the midst of our darkness. It is the strength in our weakness. God promises it will be sufficient. He promises. Today, don't turn away. Quit running. Lay down your burden and follow Christ. He is sufficient.

TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I come to You. Only You can be my strength. Only You can give me the grace I need. I look to You dear God for You promised Your grace will be sufficient.

(taken from "A one minute e-votional from Ron Ovitt")

growing in grace

I have been reminded lately that each day is another opportunity to continue to grow in grace. I love Peter's words in 2 Peter...

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if any of you do not have them, you are nearsighted and blind, and you have forgotten that you have been cleansed from your past sins.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

What powerful promises and incredibly bold statements!  Somehow, though, I choose to forget them more often than remember them and live my life in timidity and fear of what the world has for me.  Today, though, I am remembering the grace of God...His hand in my life...His calling and election...and am going to add to my faith.

dear future:

I don't know what you hold. I am almost to the point where I have stopped trying to figure you out.

Your friend, the past, has some interesting things to show me. I like that they all come in "to go" boxes and I don't have to spend a ton of time with him.  For the most part, it was a good run and I learned a lot of valuable lessons.

Today, though, that is where I really want to dwell. I don't want to get caught up in the "to-do list" of life. I would always like to be a student of intention and intrigue, but not at the expense of missing out on the moment.

Dear Future...you are in the Right Hands.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

 

I'm done with being authentic.

Well, at least the version of authentic...authenticity...that we seem to be tossing around these days.

Do you get what I'm saying?

I find myself at a place where I have managed to create this ideal me...in my head...who I want to be, who I think God wants me to be. And, I used to be able to paint that picture for anyone who asked, all with the spin of being "authentic" and with just the right touch of the world thrown in.

And I find that it is all a bunch of crap.

I, by myself, suck. I always have and I always will. And I don't say that in a, "Look at me, I'm horrible, I'll never be good enough," kind of way.  It's just the reality of living in a fallen, sinful world.  God has been drawing my heart and mind to 1 Corinthians 13 and the concept of His love and I realize I am the very opposite of that most days in my life. I am not: patient, kind, truthful, a truth-rejoicer, protecting, trusting, hopeful, perserving.  I am: envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, a record-keeper of wrongs, and a delighter in evil.  I fail.

But the good news is, and always has been, that I am completely covered in the grace and mercy of God.  (Ephesians 2:8-9)  THAT gets a big Hallelujah and AMEN from me!  And it reminds me that ALL I need in this world is Jesus.  Through Him, everything else is possible...and Who better to equip me to be exactly who I NEED to be...not just who I think I want to be?

So, my first Love.