A Joyful Mission

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.

Okay God……We need to talk

It may sound strange, but, sometimes, when I want to have a conversation with God, I will start typically with “Okay God….”. I’m not sure why there are times that I like to talk to God that way. Maybe it’s because even though I know that He is the maker of Heaven and Earth and my Father in Heaven, I have also found that He is my friend. I can speak frankly to Him and I feel as though He’s not going to be angry because of how I want to have the conversation. Personally, I think that He is glad that I want to have the conversation with Him in the first place.

Too many people may want to see God only as a foreboding being who sits up on His throne in Heaven just looking for something to strike us down for. Maybe that’s how He had to be in the beginning, but not now.

Think of it this way…..

In the beginning as parents, we can’t be our child’s friend. Instead, they need to see us as having authority over them in order for them to learn that we have a better knowledge of right and wrong to teach them. They need to see us as the people who will give them their roots in the beginning of their lives through the teaching of values. Then when it is needed, in due time, we give them their wings so that they can go off and, hopefully, contribute in a positive way to society. That is our role as parents. The time for friendship should come after they have “left the nest”, although the need for a parent hasn’t changed, it has just been redefined.

For me, I see that with God as well. He has to establish Himself as Father first, so that we come to Him with humble hearts and a willingness to learn. As we grow in our faith and devotion to Him, then He can become a friend. He is and always will be our Father in Heaven, but we now know that He is our friend as well.

Consider this…..

Faith has many levels. It comes to us as wonder and awe, exploring, questioning, growing, honoring and developing the skills that we have learned and are still learning. What’s the saying we’ve heard….. “God’s not done with me yet.” He always wants us to come to Him in whatever way that we can. He also wants us to know that He is our Father but also a friend when we need it. Won’t you consider Him as a friend, too?

So, what have I learned from this? I will always see God as my Father in Heaven and those are the times that my prayers to Him are spoken in a reverent and humble manner. Then there are the times that I need Him as my Friend to help me instead. Remember that God sent His Son, Jesus, to walk among us and talk to us, listen to us and, ultimately best of all, to teach us. Who better to know how we feel, than the One who made us and then saved us from our sins?

What can you gain from this? Nobody can have too many friends. Right?! When we speak to God, He listens. However, how often do you take the time to listen to Him? (Related post: In the Pursuit of Thankfulness). He doesn’t always answer in the way that we think that He could or even should. Sometimes, if we are quiet enough, then we can see His work as well as His answers. He whispers, He sends and He always delivers.

Actions speak so much louder than words ever can

Don’t get me wrong, words do matter! They can heal or they can hurt. However, I have found that what we do, whatever that is, speaks volumes as well. It tells others the type of person that we are. It tells them whether we are trustworthy, honest, dangerous, inept……. you get the picture.

There are people out there that say one thing yet do something else that is the exact opposite of what they said. We call these people hypocrites. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a hypocrite is 1) a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion; 2) a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.

So, how do you know that they are a hypocrite? (Related post: Beware! There is DANGER, ahead!!). It is hard but you do need to trust your instincts. My best advice is to take some time to carefully observe that person around others. Ask yourself some questions like, “How do they treat others?” “How do they treat animals?” “Do they follow through with what they said they would do?” And I think most importantly, “Do they take responsibility for their actions or the consequences of their actions?”

If you don’t like the answers that you see, then they are indeed a hypocrite! Don’t be like them. Choose to look at your own behavior and see where you may need to change some things so that you can be better than that. (Related post: Are you being THE BEST YOU, that you want others to see? and The choices that you make in this lifetime can define you.). Not a one of us is perfect! We must continue to seek to grow and become a better version of ourselves, constantly.

The rule that I try to follow is if more than 2 people tell you something about yourself, then it is a sure bet that you most likely need to make a change. It’s hard but you can do it! It just takes a little courage.

So, what did I gain from this? I have to be careful that my actions match the words that I say. I can’t help anybody else if I’m not true to myself. Sometimes, I am terribly hard on myself but luckily I know that each time that I change, then I change it for a better version of me. And, yes, that is another win-win!

What can you gain from this? Let’s see….. that would be a better version of yourself! Who wouldn’t want that!?!

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