A Joyful Mission

Seeing the Potential

God sees us not as we are but as we can be. Isn’t that an awesome thing?!? As I talked about in my post The Faith-Fueled Journey, this is the third lesson that Much-Afraid (who later becomes Grace and Glory) in the book Hinds’ Feet in High Places by Hannah Hurnard.

Too many of us don’t view others in the same way. Too many times we only focus on the outside of the person. Yes, they may be beautiful in looks or popular or even famous but that is only the surface. God, however, looks and sees far ahead. He sees the potential that we have to be changed through our Joyful Acceptance by laying down our own will to follow Him. He also sees that when we forgive others then we can begin by Bringing Good Out of the Bad. God sees what we try to keep hidden. He sees what needs to be changed but can only be changed when we give all of ourselves to Him.

Will we still have painful moments in our life? Absolutely! Just because we are or even become believers, we still must always remember that our bodies are human and our minds are full of the many things that are happening in the world today. We can’t escape the pain of life but we can get through it with the help of God. However, we still should have a need to trust God’s purpose in our lives. We also need to realize that He knows what we are capable of by Staying positive, when it is SO easy to be negative. We need to try and be more like God in seeing the potential in ourselves as well as others. You just might be surprised at how much better you could see the world once you do that!

So, what did I learn from this? I like the thought that no one of us is on a straight course in this life. I used to think that there was something wrong with me because I never stayed at a job for long periods (15 years was the most). Looking back now, I can see that with each job that I had, God was preparing me for this moment. He knew my potential before I was even born! I couldn’t always see it but He could and that is a very humbling thing for me. This blog really exists not because of me but because of Him.

What can you learn from this? This is hard to say, but please don’t compare yourself to others! I know, I know…. we all do it, anyway. It’s human nature to find ourselves wanting when we compare ourselves to others. The best thing that we can do is to see the potential in ourselves that God sees in us. You never know what you could do because of it. Always remember, though, that God loves us right where we are. So, my advice? Begin to believe that all things are possible with God, even when your life seems to be at its bleakest. He has a plan for you too.

Bringing Good Out of the Bad

In my post, The Faith-Fueled Journey, I talked about the journeys that we all must go through. So, what can we learn from them? In Bringing Good Out of the Bad, we will discuss the second of five lessons that Much-Afraid (who becomes Grace and Glory) learned in the book Hinds’ Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard.

The second lesson was this, “She learned that she must forgive the harm that others have done to her so that she could receive power to bring good out of the evil.”

So, how can this be related to us, and how we can find our own power to find the good in life?

We know that there is evil in this world. How? We see people who are cruel to those who are weak or helpless. We see people who murder or destroy lives through stealing, etc. Yet, I have found that the hardest thing to do is to forgive those who have done something personally to you. It’s so hard at times to let go of the pain that they have caused us to have. However, when we let go of it and give it over to God then we are assured that He will give us His grace and glory. So, then we can do all the good things that He knows that we can accomplish when we turn over our will to Him. (Related post: Joyful Acceptance)

When you turn your will over to God, you are telling Him that you trust Him to take care of you as well as those who have hurt you. Remember the saying “no deed goes unpunished”? This can help us to remember that there are always consequences for our actions, especially for those who have committed evil acts. (Related post: The time for reckoning is now). We all need to be held accountable for what we do in this life, but when you choose to forgive others then you are freeing yourself from any grasp that they have over you and you can learn to live a better and more fulfilling life that you want to live.

So, what did I learn from this? I have become a better version of myself when I don’t let others dictate how I should act or tell me what I should do. Instead, I rely on God for my path and God will not and never has steered me wrong. Is it easy to Let Go and Let God? Absolutely not! The thing is, is that the path is not easy because there are things that I have to learn. I won’t learn those lessons if I never struggle. This better version of myself has only come about because of my struggles! It has allowed me to see God in a whole new and amazing way.

What can you learn from this? This question may be better. “What do you want to learn from this?” I do know that we all have had struggles. Not one of us is immune to pain. However, the goal is to conquer it and then set it free so that we can then put God in control of our life in order to find the joy that He wants for us. So, what do you say? Do you want to give it a try?

Joyful Acceptance

If you read my previous post, The Faith-Fueled Journey then you know that I am going to talk further about the first of five lessons that Much-Afraid learned in Hannah Hurnard’s book titled Hinds’ Feet on High Places.

The first lesson that Much-Afraid (renamed Grace and Glory at the end of the story) learned was ” to accept all that has been done to her (in the past) and lay down her own will.” Let’s dig into this a little bit. Trust me, when I tell you it’s going to get a little deep because I will be sharing my own story and what led me to a deeper understanding of what this lesson means. This is only my interpretation. Your interpretation may be different than mine and that is okay.

So, at this moment in time, I had just recently turned 51. However, when I was approaching 50, I had begun to realize that it was such a milestone that it made me stop and think, “Hey, I’m getting close to being half of a century old! Holy cow!!!” That statement certainly can lead to some reevaluations of where you are in life. Yet, my story actually starts about 3 years before I turned 50. I had been a Special Education Teacher for 12 years at that time but started to feel “blah” (for a lack of a better word). The job just was starting to not be as much fun anymore. It’s somewhat deeper than that, but the main problem that I had had was I had assumed that I was going to continue with that job until I retired. So then 3 years later, I was still in the same predicament, essentially ignoring what I was feeling and trudging along. Then I switched schools and let’s just say, in a nice way, that the leadership there left a lot to be desired when it came to wanting to continue to work, period! Then I began to feel that God had a different plan in place for me, entirely. He had a different path that He wanted me to take. Boy was I scared! But when you’re miserable, it becomes very easy to jump off into the abyss and then hope that you can swim. It was actually, very much, like a leap of faith. I couldn’t change how some people had treated me so I had to learn to accept that, then I had to lay down my own will in order to follow the path that God had set for me. The joy has come in finding out that I am so much happier now than when I was doing what I thought that He wanted me to do for the rest of my life (or at least until I retired!).

We all have times in our lives when we need to let go of the pain of something or of what someone has done to us. If we don’t let it go then it just becomes an anchor that will continue to weigh us down. When we learn to cut those chains then we have learned to give our will over to a God who loves us and wants for us to be joyful in the span of our life on earth.

So, what did I learn from this? I’m not always joyful nor am I always accepting of what God wants from me. Yet, I know that He loves me regardless and I just had to have a deeper faith and trust in His path for me than I did before. God will knock on the door, but He won’t come in until we open it. I’ve always been a religious person, but once I opened that door more fully than ever before, then I’ve discovered that I have become so much better and happier with who I am and who He wants me to become. I closed my eyes and took that leap of faith and what a story that it has started to become! Actually, there is so much more to my story that I haven’t even shared yet! We’ll get to it, though…..eventually.

What can you gain from this? If you are struggling with something then I encourage you to find someone, anyone to talk to. Go get counseling in whatever form that works for you. That helped me, too and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. However, I also encourage you to open that door by getting on your knees and praying to God. He’s just waiting for you to understand that you need Him just as much as He wants and desires your love and respect, too. He’s just waiting for you to be ready to receive Him.

The Faith-Fueled Journey

All of us have gone on journeys to different places, but have you ever been on one where you don’t know the outcome or where you will end up? This is something that I have been going through in the past year. I have discovered that this particular journey has been more a journey of faith than any physical journey that any one of us can take. (Related post: Which is the better choice, the destination or the journey?)

I have recently been reading a book by Hannah Hurnard, titled, Hinds Feet on High Places. This story is an allegory which according to Oxford Languages is defined as “a story, poem or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one”. In this story, the main character, Much-Afraid, has a desire to travel to the High Places to be with the Good Shepherd. However, to do that, she must develop hinds feet, but because she has deformed legs and a disfigured face, she will need two companions to help her on the way. Over the course of the journey, she will need to learn to overcome her own fears as she goes through many dangers. Once she has overcome all the dangers and reaches the High Places, she is given a new name. She is now called Grace and Glory.

So, what does this story have to do with having a faith-fueled journey? I have found that it is my journey as well. I have found that I can be so much like Much-Afraid (not yet, Grace and Glory). I have found that sometimes in making that commitment to take a step in a different direction or to follow a different path, can be very hard especially if you don’t know where the path that you are on is leading you! I have come to understand that it must take a lot of faith to step out of my comfort zone and to trust that God has my best interest at heart. (Related post: Why are we sometimes so resistant to change?)

At the end of the book, there are 5 lessons that Grace and Glory learned during her journey. In the next few posts, we will explore each of these lessons in further detail.

She learned to accept all that has been done to her (in the past) and lay down her own will.
She learned that she must forgive the harm that others have done to her so that she could receive power to bring good out of the evil.
She saw that the Lord/Shepherd saw her not as she was but as she could be.
Everything that is deformed and ugly can be transformed into good with love (when we choose to lay down our own will).
She knew that when we accept, bear and obey the Lord, nothing can separate us from His love.

So, what did I learn from this? Everyone is on a journey in life. When we reach for God to help us get through that journey, then we can more easily find our joy in the life that we are living. We can get rid of our old selves and be made new. We have become transformed and are fueled by our faith in a God who is ever-loving and welcoming. God will always love us where we are, but He will always, always, always welcome our willingness to change and be made better.

What can you gain from this? There is always some degree of pain when we go through changes. Just think about the struggles that a baby goes through when they are learning to walk. They frequently fall down and may hurt themselves at times, but they continue to practice even when it is hard! That is what faith is all about. You don’t know what you could gain if you never try, in the first place.

Having a hopeful heart in trying times

What a crazy couple of years it has been! At times, it has been super hard for me to have hope that things will eventually get better. I’m sure that many of you have had that same thought as well.

Then, I was listening to K-LOVE, a contemporary Christian radio station, in which they were asking their listeners what the meaning of “hope” was to them. Many people called in to give their thoughts describing it but what really struck me was that the DJ gave the actual definition then said that we need to have “a hopeful heart”.

What do you think that she meant by that?

So, I started thinking that “a hopeful heart” could mean that we know that something good will come that balances out the bad that happens, but sometimes we aren’t looking for it. We can’t “see” this hope because we have only been “seeing” the bad stuff that is happening in the world and in our own lives. We need to get back to trusting that our God has a purpose in all that He does. It’s just hard for us to discern that purpose because we have stopped believing or trusting that He wants the best for us. It is only through going through our lowest points that many of us begin to turn to Him. We need to see that God is with us through all of it, not just the bad stuff. (Related post: Traversing the hills and valleys of life with grace).

There are lessons to be learned and they can be very difficult for us to face. To me, it’s like God is giving us constructive criticism but we are being too stubborn and not wanting to hear Him trying to correct us. (Related post: The time for reckoning is now). We only have a finite time on earth in which to figure it out, so be very sure that you aren’t wasting precious minutes! Give all your struggles back to God and help your heart to heal through hope in His loving guidance.

So, what did I learn from this? Having hope actually gives me the courage to face my fears and to know that He gives me the power to overcome them. Do they go away? No, of course not! But I know that I am so much stronger when I know that God is on my side and that I am following the path that He wants me to follow. (Related post: Just going with the flow….)

What can you gain from this? Answer this question instead. Don’t you want to have hope instead of fear? Seems like a pretty simple thing to answer, but I can’t do that for you. You have to make that choice. Remember that God gives us free will, so my advice is to make those choices wisely.

Where there is faith, there must also be works

Faith and works go hand-in-hand. In the Bible, we were told in the Letter by Saint James in James 2:18, to which he states, “Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.”

You see, it’s not enough to just have faith. We need to demonstrate that faith through the works that we do for His people. The works that we do can also help to increase our own faith in God even when it may seem like an impossible task. (Relate post: Why is it SO difficult to have faith, when we are faced with SO many things to fear?)

There are a lot of people on this earth who are lost and need to be found. Can we save all of them? No. However, we can try through showing them the love of God that they are missing. We can pray for them in the hopes that they may begin to see that the direction that they are heading is wrong and detrimental to their everlasting life. According to Revelations 22:12, which states, “Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense to each according to his deeds.” (Related post: The time for reckoning is now)

The mistake that I think that some Christians make is in how they approach people who aren’t believers. People, generally, don’t like to be yelled at and told that they are going to Hell. That is a surefire way to not get people to come to God. It’s not our place to judge them (which sure is difficult, to say the least), but that’s Gods job and I think that He’s pretty capable of handling it. If, instead, we can just use compassion and show care and concern to guide them toward God, then we have been doing something.

So, what would that actually look like? Sometimes, it’s just a kind comment or laugh with someone. It could be giving out food to a hungry person. It could be sharing of your time and money. It looks like a helping hand toward another person. It’s making a connection that may brighten someone else’s day. It’s whatever works for you but you need to remember that when people are lost from God, they don’t want to be scared into coming to Him. They need to see what God shows to each of us. After all, think about what made you want to become a Christian. We need to show God to others through our kindness and through giving a helping hand when we see that someone is in need. We need to listen to their journey through life with an open mind and compassion for what they have gone through. This is what God does. In fact, we have the very best role model in the way that Jesus taught his disciples. We should do no less for those around us who are lost and wandering.

So, what did I learn from this? In giving, I have been receiving as well. There’s a fullness in my heart that opens me up even more to God’s promises. I just have to be open to the opportunities that arise. Am I always successful? No, of course not, but that doesn’t keep me from trying! I have also found that I’ve gotten more successes than failures at this point. In doing God’s work, I have found that my faith in Him has gotten stronger.

What can you gain from this? Joy can be very contagious. If you’ve heard someone give a good strong laugh, then, you should know, that it’s very hard not to laugh or smile along with them. Just that, can start a lightening of your own mood and could help you on your own journey in life as well.

The Seasons of Change

I love the change in seasons! It’s one of those things that can invigorate you and make you see things in new and different ways. Yes, there are the same four seasons but can we really say that they really stay the same?

Each season of our life has the chance to bring change as well. Just as the flowers that grow and bloom, only then to fade away before repeating the cycle, it is then that we realize that the flowers themselves aren’t inconsequential. They have a purpose from the food that they provide in nature to the pollination and new growth that continues year after year. There is and was a meaning to their existence.

As a people, we can see that life has the same ebb and flow, but there are instances in that ebb and flow that we can be or are changed. Some of those changes are difficult and hard to fathom, like the needless loss of life or a destructive weather pattern that causes massive damage or the suffering of an illness that changes the pattern of our lives. However, some of those changes can also be rewarding and beautiful like a well-matched couple getting married, the saving of or addition of a life or a miraculous moment that leads a conversion of faith or a person who goes out of their way to help another person in their time of need. This list can go on and on in either direction.

I bring this up because I think that we need to see that change is not always a bad thing and can lead to wonderful paths that we never thought that we would have gone down otherwise. (Related post: Which is the better choice, the destination or the journey?). Does it have it’s challenges? Absolutely! However, we need to realize that sometimes we get stuck in a rut and can’t see that we needed the change. We begin to go through the motions of life without really living it. We’ve stopped seeing the beauty of the changes and where it can, ultimately, lead us.

So……….

I challenge you to see things that happen in your life not as an ending but, instead, see it as a new beginning that just may take you down a different path. (Related post: Just going with the flow….)

So, what did I learn from this? I’ve been going through my own journey and have learned a lot about myself through my own journey. And what I’ve learned most is that, I’ve still got a lot more to learn! That’s okay because I’m finding that it’s part of the process of being human and following a plan that has all the earmarks of Gods purpose for my life. So again, I’m just going with the flow because I have to trust Him and what He wants ultimately for me.

What can you gain from this? My advice is to take a fresh look at all the changes that have happened in your life. Try to see each one in a new light and also as a way to learn something more about yourself. You might just become really surprised at what you learn and become a happier, more joyful you!

The time for reckoning is now

In the Bible, Jesus taught in Matthew 8: 13-14, that we must “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life and those who find it are few.” In the passage, Jesus is saying that we need to pay attention that our words and and our actions are evenly matched and compliment one another and that we are following a path that leads to God. We need to “reckon” with our actions and words if you want to live a life everlasting with our maker in Heaven. (Related post: Actions speak so much louder than words ever can).

I’ve also always said that actions have consequences. So, in my title, the word reckoning is used as a noun according to wordtype.org. The meaning of reckoning in the title is, “An opinion or judgement. The working out of consequences or retribution for one’s actions.”

When I say that the time of reckoning is now, it means that no one ever knows our life timeline, except God of course! I feel that the time that we have on earth is the time that we have to adjust our behavior and use that time to examine what we need to change so that we can be with God in Heaven when it is our time to die. Unfortunately, too many people wait until it is too late or don’t see any problem with their behavior at all.

So, let’s consider this…..

There is a politician (I’m not naming names, folks) that says that they are Catholic in their faith but believe that killing an unborn baby is okay. In fact, they say that the baby is just actually a bunch of cells or like to say “My body, my choice”. They are not taking into account that those two statements are on opposite ends of the spectrum and they do not mesh with the teachings of Jesus or what God says in the Bible. Our God and His Son, Jesus, valued all of life, from the one in the womb, all the way to the tomb.

My advice…… don’t wait to examine where you need to make adjustments in your life. Yes, it is your life, but from everything that I’ve read and heard, Hell is not a comfortable place in which to spend eternity! (And you can’t get a do over either once you are there!!!)

So, what did I learn from this? Have I made mistakes? Absolutely!!!! But I can’t woulda, shoulda, coulda my past. (Related post: My dad always said that “You can’t woulda, shoulda, coulda…..”). I will say that I’ve learned from those mistakes and grown to be a better version of myself. I will even let you in on a little secret……I’m still learning and growing and will do so until that time that I can be with God. I’m not scared to die, especially because I know the path that I’m on, leads me to Him.

What can you gain from this? Hello?!? Can we say, “Everlasting life in a very happy place?” Seems pretty self-explanatory to me! But, if you want to be in a place where pain and suffering is your thing, then go right ahead. You are the only one who can decide which way you want to go…… so think very, very, VERY carefully on how it could possibly turn out if you decide to keep going down the path that you may be headed especially before it is too late.

Just going with the flow….

How many times have any us thought, “Surely, this is the path that I am meant to be on!”. Then life has a way of changing that. The difference is that I don’t think that it has anything to do with life. Instead, I think that God has a path for each of us that He would like us to follow. We just have to be receptive to heeding that call.

Yet, just think, of how difficult it is for us to just go along while we wait to see what He has in store for us.

Remember, though, that life is all about choices. We can always decide if we want to follow our own path or trust God to show us the path that He knows is the best for us. (Related post: The choices that you make in this lifetime can define you.)

So, how many of us would choose to Let Go and Let God take the reins? (Related post: Why are we sometimes so resistant to change?) I can tell you from experience that that is one of the hardest things that we humans can do. Why? We like to be in control, and because, after all, God did give us free will. However, when you let it go and give it over to God, then you are choosing to trust God. You are saying to God that you know He has a purpose for you. You are also saying, “Not my will, but Your will be done.” just as Jesus said before He died on the cross.

God’s not asking us to die on a cross, because He took care of that for us through His Son, Jesus. No, He’s simply asking us to trust Him to get us where we need to be, in order to be the very best that we can be. Remember, this journey can and will change you for the better in the long run. So, the question is, will you be receptive to it and just learn to go with the flow?

So, what did I learn from this? As I have lived my life, I have discovered that it is much easier, in the long run, to learn to go with the flow that God has determined for my life. Although, I can tell you it isn’t always the easiest path, I have realized that I am always learning something more about myself through it. I think that it makes me a better version of myself. I’ll also let you know what happens when God fully reveals His plan to me. Right now, I can only see parts. Although, guess what? I’m liking what He is showing me so far. It feels like it’s going to be BIG!

What can you gain from this? There is an openness to giving control over to God. It means that you are trusting Him and the pressure is off of you to explain to anyone the path that you are on. (Related post: Why is it SO difficult to have faith, when we are faced with SO many things to fear?) He has amazing things to show you and you can reap the benefits of peace and joy. Come on, I dare you! Give it a try!! After all, what do you have to lose?

Learning to accept the challenges of life

Of everything that I have had to deal with in my life, I think that learning to accept the challenges that life has thrown at me, sometimes, has been the hardest thing for me to wrap my brain around. I kind of view it like a roller coaster ride. Some people LOVE those things. Me? I can’t stand them. It didn’t use to be that way, though. When I was younger, I’d ride them without a problem. Now? Not on your life. That is also a “Not no, but HELL NO!!!!”

Also, as I’ve gotten older, I have found that “grace” is NOT my middle name! (And, yes. My husband and children tease me about it as well!) So, things that require climbing or going over obstacles are a challenge that I’d rather not do. I like the straight shot, but life isn’t like that, is it? Life is filled with all sorts of hills and valleys that we have to cross through and go over to get to the reward at the end. (Related post: Traversing the hills and valleys of life with grace). It doesn’t mean that I have to like it. I just have to learn to accept that I have to get through that valley and over that hill. Along the way, I tend to learn something about myself and about who I ultimately want to be at the end of my lifetime.

So, what kind of challenges are we talking about? I’m very sure that you can name a few but I will list some here as well. It can be the death of a loved one, divorce, troubled child/children, a difficult job, sickness, gee, a hurricane that causes major destruction…..and the list can go on and on and on. Those are our valleys in life that can define how we are able to deal with the hill on the other side. And it’s not to say that the hill isn’t going to be difficult either. Sometimes, that hill looks more like a straight shot up a very steep mountain. It’s times like that, that makes you wonder how you can get through the struggles.

The thing is….. you aren’t going through it alone. God is right there by your side. (Related post: In confronting the darkness, we can begin to see the light…). We don’t always see Him or feel Him but He is there. Also, don’t forget that your family and friends want to know what’s going on with you, too. I know that counseling can help as well. Don’t forget that you are never alone and you don’t ever need to go through it by yourself.

So, what did I learn from this? I need to take my own advice, which isn’t always the easiest thing to do. I have also found that I have a need to write this blog because it helps me to see things in a clearer manner. In doing so, I also hope that I can help someone else too. I’ve said it before, life is NEVER easy but it doesn’t have to ALWAYS be hard, either. Instead, maybe it’s a matter of attitude and finding joy in daily living even when those circumstances around you tend to stink.

What can you gain from this? I think that the more important question to ask is, “What do I want to gain from the knowledge that I don’t have to carry this burden by myself?” I love the resiliency of the human spirit. The problem that we have is that we have the tools in our toolbelt but we sometimes forget how to use them or to even use them at all. So, hopefully, what you want to gain is simply the peace and joy that comes from living a life well-lived, even if the circumstances that you find yourself in aren’t always easy to bear.

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