The Open Door

Luke 11:10 (NIV)10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 

A couple of nights ago I was sitting on my deck and it looked like the door in my house was pushing open.  I guess from the light and the way I was sitting it appeared that way.  I remembered the verse from Luke 11:10 and that when we ask, seek and knock, the Lord will begin to work in our lives.   

As I was cleaning a church recently I hadn’t noticed the window behind a certain door.  It was this same verse on the stained glass window.  What a great reminder that when you knock, the door can be opened.  In that same night of cleaning I realized how much I enjoyed what I was doing and the task is somewhat easy once you get a routine.  Even though our routines are often times changed due to different circumstances, we all have a way of doing something on a daily basis. 

When life becomes routine for me, I start to wonder if this is all that God has for me.  Then I realize that I’m the one who has to go through doors that I might not be comfortable going through or new friends or trying something for the first time.  If we stay fearful of the future then we are not accomplishing what God is trying to teach or show us.   

Fear is so paralyzing.  Dictionary.com defines fear as the following:  a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.  Many times I have known fear and it held me back from a lot of good things and yet it kept me safe from bad things.  When you are one with Christ there is nothing to fear.  You have been chosen and are fully capable of doing anything that he has called you to do. 

In Haddon Robinson’s book, Decision Making By The Book, he states the following:  “God has given us the freedom to make good decisions, and we’re responsible for them.  It’s in making decisions according to God’s moral will that we become the kind of people God wants us to be.”   I can honestly say that I have not always made the right decisions in life.  Some were made in haste or impulsively.  In order to live the abundant life and one that is truly of God’s will, you have to wait and let him show you where he wants you to go and listen more than you ask.

Many times God closes doors that will ultimately hurt you or that will send you down the road that you are not supposed to be on.  I am glad for his discipline and his nudging in my spirit when things aren’t exactly what he wants for me to be doing.  It’s amazing how that churning or “just not right” feeling can come from within your belly or spirit and you know that things aren’t exactly the way they should be.  It is also comforting to be at peace when things are the way they should be also. 

My prayer for you today is that you look to the open doors and that you remember that God is always trying to show you something and that he will open and close the right doors for you if you’re willing to live by his will. 

 

Blind Faith

Psalm 85:9-11 (NIV) 

9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
       that his glory may dwell in our land.  

10 Love and faithfulness meet together;
       righteousness and peace kiss each other.  

11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
       and righteousness looks down from heaven.

 How many times have we stepped out into something in “blind faith” and really knew that it was something that God purposely had put into our lives? 

On a recent beach trip, my son, niece and I started walking to a small grocery store at night and we didn’t have a flashlight.  As we walked the short distance, we decided that we would just look straight ahead to the lights of the store and not look down at our feet.  I made the comment that “When we walk by faith, we don’t always walk by sight.”    We have to look straight ahead and know that our feet are doing what they are supposed to be doing in getting us to where we are going and that if we look down, we may stumble or run into something that we didn’t foresee ahead of us.

Same beach trip, another lesson learned…..  We are standing inside of the pier store and a man comes in with huge fishing rods and Jake is at the door.  He stands there seeing him coming but doesn’t realize he is the one to open the door, since he’s just a kid.  Each person is saying, “Open the door, Open the door” and he becomes confused and doesn’t know which direction to go.    Immediately I have to jump in and open the door to get him to safety as well as the man with the fishing gear, so he doesn’t mess up his lines and poles.   

How many times has God intervened in our behalf to jump into our lives and situations to help either us or another person in our lives?  My uncle was a fisherman and he absolutely loved the beach, the people and encouraging others.  He was a jolly man and had many friends of all kinds.  Our beach trip was a memorial service and one to release the ashes to the sea of our loved one.   

The pastor who gave a short service talked about how he believed that those in heaven look down at us and see us and that they would not want us to be sad, but happy that they are in heaven.  I truly believe that, due to the fact that we saw a beautiful rainbow above the town of Avon, NC minutes prior to my uncles service.  As we walked towards the end of the pier, the wind was pushing us to and fro and we were laughing about how our loved one was probably saying, “Look at those fools, they finally did something that I wanted them to do.”  Even though we were not sure of what would happen in the high winds, we knew that we would complete the journey that had been placed before us.   

As I retreated to the beach each morning to see what treasures I might find for my kindergarten children, I was also humbled by the sight of God’s awesome creation and beauty before me.  I could have sat there all day long and never moved and been totally happy with just spending time with the Lord.  You see, I too, love the beach much like my Father and Uncle and look forward to the day that I can retreat to the shores for retirement.  It’s a peaceful place and one that I feel so close to God’s own heart and hand. 

This trip was bittersweet, but also a pleasant reminder of my place in God’s kingdom.  Every where you go, you should smile and be kind to others and that you are a working for the Lord every day.  Even with your own families, you have to learn to be patient, considerate and compensating of others feelings and wishes.  It truly isn’t about me or you, it’s about what God has given to us to “borrow” and to use in service to him. 

My prayer for you is that you find out what God really wants you to do in service for him.  That you enjoy where you are and that you find, what you’ve been searching for all your life, and be happy with God’s provisions. 

 

It’s All About Him

1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”  

I have been reading Denise Jackson’s book, It’s All About Him, and based on the cover you might think it’s a book about she and Alan Jackson’s life together.  Yes, in some ways it is, but it’s ultimately about her relationship with God.    One of my favorite parts of the book is where she makes the following statements, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart,” Jeremiah 29:13 says, “I will be found by you.”  (v.14)  “Even after times in my life when I had given my attention to other things, like fame, money, and looking good in other people’s eyes, God’s promises for me came true.   

Even the rich and famous eventually come to know that there is more to life than money, good looks and fame.  Denise Jackson had known Jesus since she was a small child much like the rest of us.  Most of us have had parents who raised us in church and we have had the foundation from the very beginning.  I can say that I have such fond memories of the churches I attended as a small child.  We had to move several times since my Dad was a supervisor for Klopman Mills/Burlington Industries.  What is ironic is that many of the people I have grown up with in different churches are still in my life today in different areas or have come around in different times of my life.   

In Denise’s book she makes this statement:  “Years ago, if I had a free hour in the afternoon, I would have read a magazine or played tennis or perhaps eaten cheesecake and then gotten on the treadmill.  Now, though I still love tennis, reading and cheesecake (not necessarily in that order), I’m drawn like a magnet to spend more time with God.”  Sometimes we have to make time to be with God or to take a ride in the country and admire his creations or to sit by the river and listen to the sounds of the water he created or to read the living words that are so present in our Bible.  His word is alive if you just read it and see where it applies to your life. 

My son and I love to ride ATV’s.  We take turns driving and he is quite impressed that his Mother can handle a four-wheeler.  I have always had a curiosity with speed and driving fast, ask those who know me best and they will say, “Don’t ride with her.”  My 91 year old grandmother just renewed her driver’s license and probably drives much better than I do. 

Several years ago I was fortunate enough to drive a Legends race car at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway.  There is a small track within the perimeters of the complex and what an awesome experience.  I was one of the only females driving that day and was able to meet NASCAR driver Ernie Irvan.   Ernie was impressed with my ability to drive just as well as the men did.  You see, you can drive a Legends car in high heels, I know, because I have done it.  The clutch is little trickier but it was a fun story to share with my son.  One of my cars as a young woman was a Blue 3-speed Camaro.  So, I am definitely not afraid of going fast.   

Just as Denise Jackson has lived life in the fast lane, she has also found out what life is really all about.  She found a renewed relationship with her husband and her Lord.    In the final chapters of her book she says this:  “In a world so full of troubles and turns on life’s road, prayer really is the believer’s key to peace with God.  For me, it’s the only way I can continue to stay in the passenger seat, where I belong, and make sure that Jesus is at the wheel of my life.”   

My prayer for you today is that you find Jesus at the wheel of your life.  That he is in control and that everything else will fall into place if you will truly seek him and ask him to make things clearer to you each day. 

 

Providing For Your Needs

1 Peter 4:11 (New International Version)

11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 

What are the provisions that you are seeking from the Lord?  Are you in need of food, shelter, clothing, a job, a companion/s or serving others?  When you come to the Lord in prayer you are to ask him for provisions.  Sometimes we are given things that don’t seem to be what we’ve specifically asked for, but they are what the Lord himself knows that you need.

Many times we think we know what we need and it should be given by our standards.  What we come to realize is that God knows exactly what we need and he will provide in his way.  What may seem like the perfect job in our eyes may not be where God wants to use us for his glory.  We are to serve with a grateful heart, and know that it is what he wants us to do.  We are to look at the “glass half full instead of half empty.”

In my own life I can see where I’ve stepped ahead of the Lord and thought I knew what was best for me, when I should have listened and waited patiently for his provisions.  When we are not in God’s will, he will pretty quickly show us that we need to step back and wait on him.  Some things will require us to do something out of the ordinary, and we must know that he has a perfect plan.

In receiving what the Lord wants to give you, it is the very best.  He will not give us something and not equip us to do it.  He will give us his strength to meet the task ahead or to serve in the area that he has called us.

My prayer for you today is that you look to the Lord for the provisions that you need and that you can see the “glass half full instead of half empty.”

 

Paper Towels

Numbers 14:8 (New International Version)

8 If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 

Do you ever look at what design is on your paper towels?  Do you buy a certain kind or certain design for your kitchen?  In a recent purchase of paper towels, I hurriedly picked up some cheap ones.  I had sat down at my computer to start writing and I was drawn to the designs on my paper towel in which I had used to for a sandwich.  There are butterflies, dragonflies and honey bees on this particular kind. 

I began to look up each insect to see what I might find on Wikipedia.com and these were interesting facts.  Dragonflies are a symbol of renewal after a great time of hardship, courage, strength, happiness or pure water.  Butterflies attract attention, are the personification of one’s soul, and are symbols of rebirth into a new life.   Honey Bees are a symbol of resurrection and immorality.  Diamond is the hardest known natural material.  How amazing that you could find such information on a paper towel!  I guess when you really look at life, you can begin to see where God can show you many things even in a simple paper towel. 

Did you know that paper towels were invented in 1907 by a school teacher in Philadelphia as a response to so many children having colds, she cut small squares of towels for the children to use and dispose of.  Scott Paper Company found out about it and made the paper towels and toilet paper available.  The diamond design helps to hold the moisture. 

I have always said that I am a butterfly of sorts.  I love to meet new people and I seem to attract all kinds of people, and that I am a free spirit of sorts.  I have been reborn into the kingdom of God and that I don’t necessarily conform to the ways of others.   My birthday is in April, so I have the diamond as a birthstone.  I guess you could categorize me as the following:  A free spirit or a natural gem.  I have never really thought of myself that way but I remembered something that someone had once said to me, “You are such a social butterfly and a diamond of a friend to those who know you.” How funny!  

As much as I love to write, sometimes I have writers block.  There’s nothing to put on the page and then….a simple paper towel can make all the difference in your perspective of the world or certain situations. 

Freedom, that’s what we all long for.  Freedom to be who we are, freedom to be loved and cherished, freedom to be with the person we are called to love, freedom to just step out and do something different and radical in this lifetime.  I have found freedom and am as one person says, “Exciting, Uninhibited, and Fun.”  Well that’s what God made us for, to enjoy life!   

My prayer for you today is that you find time to see something different in your day, to venture out into unknown waters and that you take time to look at the “paper towels” of life. 

 

The Proverbs 31 Woman

Proverbs 31:17 (NIV)

 17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. 

The Proverbs 31 woman is one who is strong.  She doesn’t give in to the enemy.  Many a day has gone by and I have been tempted to give in to the enemy.  When the Lord knew that I had grown tired of the corporate life, he gave me the much needed rest I so desired.  And in doing so, he has given me a time of replenishing of the spirit and he has also taught me many things in regards to people and a renewed sense of wanting to help people again. 

On my desk calendar for the month of August there is a saying, “Don’t ask for an easier life; ask to be a stronger person.”  I hadn’t really thought much about that until just now.  I considered myself to be a strong person, but when the trials of life come crashing down one day and you realize that you have no more energy or strength to fight, then it’s time for a “makeover.” 

I used to be a person who would never say, “No” to anyone who asked me to do something.  I used to be a person who thought that her occupation or her job title made her the person she was.  I used to think that all I had to offer was a pretty face.  Thanks to nudging of a stronger woman, I have had time to reflect and see where I needed to change and where I needed to find myself and realize exactly who I am and what I have been called to do in this life.

As a princess of Jesus, I don’t have to settle for second best.  I don’t have to think that I don’t measure up.  I don’t have to look at my outer self to know what lies within.  I can make decisions regarding my life with a much clearer perception of where I want to go and who I want to become.  I can pray and wait for a clear sign from God and know that all is well.  I can focus on being the Mother I truly want to be without the outside noise of other people telling me what to do.  Jesus takes perfect care of me.

My dear friend Helen always said, “When Jesus is first in your life, then everything else will fall into place.”  She died last year of a heart attack at the age of 50.  She was a marvelous woman who loved the Lord and had a passion for life like no one else I have ever known.  She wasn’t concerned with what the world thought, she just did what she knew she had been called to do by her God.  In her last hours of her life, I knew that she was ready to go and that she would always be with me in spirit.  She was my inspiration on many days when the clouds seemed the darkest and the hours the longest of a season of disaster called divorce.  She always had a smile and always said, “God will make a way as long as you are faithful to him.”  There are many days that I long to hear her voice and to hear her laughter, but I know that I will see her again some day.  When you saw Helen, you saw Jesus.

My prayer for you today is that you focus on where God wants you to be and how you can serve him in your own way.  He will give you the directions if you’re looking and listening.