It's a winter morning, and I am tired of the cold and the snow and what doesn't grow well in the winter- and that's my spunk and my zeal for living. I can do the "live it up" thing in the spring and summer: put sunglasses on, sip ice cold lemonade, go barefoot, and sing crazy songs. But in the winter, the best I can do is get on my stairmaster, in the morning, and exercise for 20 minutes while I blast some gospel music in the background. That's a big accomplishment and a big improvement in my day. Whooeee. Wow. But to take it a step further, I can leave my house, go out into the ice cold weather, and try to smile at grumpy shoppers and try to feel connected to mankind somehow. It doesn't work that well. It was so much easier to be sweet and spunky, even in December, back when we lived in North Carolina for a year.

I long for the Son shine. I need HIS light in me. I need to get my zeal for living turned up to full blast. I need to go onward and upward- even though I feel like I'm just plodding along. I gotta rejoice in hope, be patient in trials, and continue on, praying and growing and sharing what bit I know about living in His light.....
(Romans 12)

Don't Forget

Yesterday, September 11th, was a day we don't want to remember, but we can't forget.
It certainly isn't a day that builds faith, as it appears. It was a day when heroes were made that didn't want to be, but had to be; and a day when grief, darkness, and blood seemed to cover the city. And I wasn't even there- I only watched by television.

Today, the sun is out, and I could forget that sometimes evil temporarily prevails. I could forget how some still suffer longing and loneliness because of those they lost. Lost loved ones and lost dreams are the things that shake us to our soul. What can overcome such darkness?

"But may they who love You be like the sun when it rises in full strength" says Judges 5:31b.

We will arise. All those bowed down can rise up with wings as eagles, as it says in Isaiah. The sun comes out. And the Son can never be hidden- even in darkness- for He has overcome the world. We shall too.

There's something about becoming a warrior, when you didn't intend to- I think that's when you really start to live.

My School

It's the first day of school.My two kids are off, and the house is quiet. I'm chomping at the bit to explore, sift through some thoughts and dreams I have, and contemplate where I'm at. I'm full of thoughts and ideas.

I love Barbara Sher's interpretation of the gifted, multi-faceted learner she calls a Scanner. She looks at this type of person as someone who soaks up all the wonderful things the world has to offer. I understand completely when she says in her book Refuse to Choose, "I just loved learning and wanted to keep on doing it."

1 Peter 1:13 begins with "prepare your minds for action..." I'm preparing, alright.

I'm fueled up, ready to explore and expand my borders. Barbara concludes her intro with this:

"I can't wait to see what you will do with that lovely brain of yours once the gates are thrown open and you're finally free to stretch out to your full speed and explore this big world that you love so much."

Stretching out, gates thrown open, full speed- I like all those words. I feel like I'm off to the first day of school- but this is a new kind of school. This kind of school you get to learn, take chances, make mistakes (anybody remember Miss Frizzle?!)and explore to your heart's content.

This is My school- I'm the Principal, I'm the only student, and I'm even the teacher. My style of teaching is to say, when I'm asked a question (from myself)-

"I'm not sure of the answer, but boy are we going to have fun finding it out!"

I love it when Faith refuses to die. That's real victory. Grabbing hold of something and not letting go- like Jacob, who wrestled with God and said he wouldn't let go till he was blessed. That's a tenacious spirit. Call it the spirit of a warrior. Call it guts and hope mixed together. Call things that don't yet appear in physical reality as though they already exist. Faith.
I'm after that. I don't make any apologies about it. In a sense,I perceive myself as destitute if I don't have Faith. But with Faith, the life giving well of God's Spirit overflows in me, charges me, causes me to reach out and lay hold of bigger things, larger missions, impossible scenarios- to the human eye. But not to the eye of Faith.
I look out... and I see.

It's the middle of August, and the new school year looms before me: I've got pencils and notebooks to buy, new clothes and back packs must be bought, and this isn't even for me! My two kids are probably preparing for the future in a minimal way; I, on the other hand, am racing to get them prepared, thinking of what they need, picturing the homework load that will affect our whole family- because if they have homework, I have homework!

Yet, I am in school too- the school of life, the school of "make your dreams come true- because no one else will do it for you". It's true- I'm piloting the boat, riding the bull, walking the path- whatever metaphor you want to use- and I've got to move myself foward, intentionally, towards the reality I want to experience: fruitful, productive living with all gifts and talents used, ignited, blazing.

I'm in the school of life, and it's not that I get a final grade at the end of my life (I do); it's that I also get a grade for each day I live. Today is going to be an A+ day- not because I won't make mistakes, or crumble momentarily; it's that I will not forget that all I do can be done in love, by grace, pardoned mercifully where I fail, and then touched by Him in such a way that I keep going, I keep riding the bull, holding on....for more than 8 seconds.

I have heard people say, at times, "I'm in a boatload of trouble." You can feel overwhelmed and beseiged by the burden of challenges and tasks that are above and beyond what you feel you are capable of. Rocky seas, a strong wind,and a storm-tossed boat do not make for a settled stomach and a peaceful mindset.

I don't like to feel like I'm in a sea of troubles or challenges, and I certainly don't like to feel alone in a boat. I love how Jesus' disciples in John 6:15-21 experienced the plight that is so common to us today- they were at sea, tossed by the wind, and waiting for Jesus to come to them. It was dark. We can feel like that- that all is dark and overwhelming and too much to handle. I don't think they were feeling faith-filled. But when you are in a boat load of trouble, you don't need feelings of faith, you just need FAITH that Jesus WILL come to you!

And He did. They saw Jesus walking on the sea. (Remember, nothing is too difficult for him!) They were overwhelmed and afraid. He was coming close to their boat, and He said "It is I; do not be afraid." But what happens next is the most reassuring faith-booster of all: they willingly received him, it says, and He gets into the boat, "and Immediately the boat was at the land where they were going." (Jn 6:21)In one instant, they go from storm tossed sea to dry land.

We can go from a sea of trouble, from being stuck in a boat in a storm, and if we invite Jesus into our situation, we can immediately be at peace-
Because He IS our peace.(Eph. 2:14)While we may have challenges still before us, we can immediately be on solid ground, because of Him.

If you are overwhelmed today by a task or a dream to fulfil something great for God's glory, be comforted, be assured, that if you invite Jesus into your situation, you can immediately BE THERE: your destination IS Him, after all.

Sail on.

A Mother's Day to Remember

Mother's Day was Sunday, yesterday. How does Faith work in terms of preparing for a celebration?

Some People actually need faith when it comes to holiday celebrations- because believe it or not, it requires faith to celebrate. Often an important holiday falls on a day when we don't quite feel "up to snuff." Maybe you don't feel like being joyful when you're singing "Joy to the World" on Christmas Day. Or you don't feel victorious- and it is Easter Sunday morning.

Sometimes our faith needs a bit of tweaking. And it can happen in the most quiet and unexpected ways.

I enjoyed my two children showing their love for me yesterday, on Mother's Day. But I often don't feel victorious in my mothering skills. I can be paranoid that I am ruining my children for life with each misstep I make in parenting a preteen and a teenager. I'm not sure if I've put enough "good" into them so that when they leave our nest, they really will be able to fly, so to speak.

One child showered me with gifts, expressive as her personality is. She let me know how much she loves me. I was touched.

By the end of the day, though, I had not heard much from my teenaged son. I was riddled with doubt and sadness inside- maybe I don't mean much to him anymore. I stopped in his room to check on him before he went to sleep; checked to see if he had a temperature, as he wasn't feeling well all day. As I leaned over him, suddenly he reached up and hugged me, tightly. My heart flooded with love...and renewed faith. He loves me, I thought, as I returned his hug.

And Faith flooded my soul: I can do this thing called Mothering, I thought.
Yes, I can.

Faith may move a mountain, but a mountain will not move you. You must take charge of lighting your ignition button. You decide to allow yourself to be motivated, to be moved by your passion for knowing God and seeing His hand in this world. The beauty of being a human is the gift of free will. Will you use your will, today, for good?

From the wilderness can come fruitful vineyards. From discouraging experiences, that could produce despair, can come dreams that endure even through the "valley of achor".
From trouble can come triumph.

Today, your "valley of achor"- your valley of trouble-can become "a door of hope".
(Hosea 2:14,15)

And "HOPE does not disappoint" (Romans 5:5)

So whether you see a wilderness before you, or you already see the beautiful vineyard,
look for, expect, and keep hoping! That's the way to stay fueled with faith.

I love Christmas, and especially Easter Sunday with its message of the power of the Resurrection. But I also LOVE New Year's Eve, and the creating of my Dreams/Plans/Goals for the coming year.

There is POWER in ANTICIPATION. Anticipating good is equivalent, practically, to running a mile. It's good for your heart, and helpful if you want a healthy mindset.
"The expectation of the righteous is ONLY good" it says in Proverbs. Whether you use the word "hope" or "expectation" in that verse, remember to expect, always, good from God.

When I was little, my Dad, who is a coach (once a coach, always a coach) used to yell out to his players on the field "Anticipate!!" Shame on you if you weren't ready for, and expecting, the ball!

I am anticpating a good year, a year of challenge, and dreams and goals fulfilled. Of course there will be problems and trials in 2006, but my eyes are on the good that I am expecting. After all, "the expectation of the righteous is ONLY GOOD"

"Now faith is the evidence of things hoped for..."
Hebrews

hoping, hoping, hoping...

that's what the world was doing, without it even knowing it...
hoping for an answer...and it came

"And this shall be a sign unto you...."

Did you find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger?

I'm looking for a sign, a kind of heavenly nudge. I don't want to be too blind or God may have to shake me up a bit so I can see better- as if I were one of those snow globes that after shaking, the snow settles down and all is clear again. I'd like to be clear thinking, but not too sane, if you know what I mean. Sane thinking can be too benign and boring. Outrageous thinking is what I'm after. So perhaps I'll need an outrageous sign. The world got that kind of sign when Jesus was born, settling into a hay encrusted manger. Outrageous humility.

"Sign, sign, every where a sign...do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?" Who wrote that song? It's true, though. There are signs form God everywhere.

I'm off...to read the signs.

Are you seeking a sign?

"And this shall be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." Luke 2:12

When God announces good news to you, to the world, He makes it plain and clear. He isn't interested in playing Hide N Seek, and having you search in frustration and fear.His motive is that you FIND what you're looking for, what He has caused you to look for.

If you're looking for a way to fulfil your dream, a way to carry out your destiny, God is WITH you on this. He'll provide a sign, a way to see and discern His presence, without charge. It's free. It's available.

This holy season is a time of wonder- or it should be. We should be marveling at the way God not only brought the Savior into the world, but HOW He directed us all to this fact. There were signs. There have always been signs and wonders.

Open your eyes. The sign is before you.

Your Dream

We do our BEST work out of Motivation, not frustration. And motivation has to do with something that bursts within you, something that flames inside and compels you onward. Motivation has to do with what you're anointed for.

Part of the combustible mixture of FAITH FUEL is the ingredient of anointing. Even the Savior, Himself, identified the ingredient of being intrinsically motivated, rather than externally compelled, in the outpouring of His ministry. The prophetic passage in Isaiah 61:1 begins "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings..."

When you're anointed to do something significant in this life, you sense a call of being set apart for something. In the Old Testament, to anoint a priest they would smear him with sacred oil. You could smell this fragrant oil. You could tell when someone was anointed.

People should be able to tell that you're anointed for something. Maybe not in a visible, obvious way, but there should be something they "sense" about you. Significant key people in your life, whom you uphold and respect- these key people might identify something about you, even if they can't quite put it into words.

NOTICE when someone is drawn to you for positive reasons. Notice when you are asked to do certain things more often than other things. Start to discern what God's anointing on your life is about. It will show up in the area of your giftings and talents, but not necessarily in the most dramatic and obvious of ways. After all, Jesus came into this world as a helpless baby, and spent years in almost obscurity before He evidenced who He was and what His calling and anointing were all about.

The thing that has motivated you since you were a child may be dormant in you. It may have gotten pushed to the side if you had desperate other needs that related to being extrinsically motivated, rather than internally motivated from the flame that God has put inside you.

Our best and highest motivation should have to do with works of good in this life. As in Jesus' calling, we too have a calling that has to do with sharing good news, helping heal the brokenhearted, bringing about liberty of the oppressed, comforting, consoling, giving.... These actions are all identified in the Isaiah 61 passage, and they should be identified in our lives as well.

Your Dream should have this quality to it. Not only will you be exploring and pressing onward in the area of your gifting and vision, but you will also be pressing onward and higher for the sake of those you've been called to help.

Help comes in many ways. You may be helping in a direct way, or helping as a role model and inspiration to many. Don't decide before hand how this will take place. Just know that the Dream inside you, if from God, will never be just about you and your needs, your abilities.

It's much bigger than that.