A Joyful Mission

Heart and Mind

A heart that longs for Jesus and a mind that thinks and believes about Him…. that is the reality of a life spent pursuing God. He’s bigger than we’ve ever dreamed, yet simpler than what we want to believe. For those of you who know the story of Jesus is actually to know God, Himself.

So, what does that tell us about God? God loves us SO MUCH that He sent His Son, Jesus to live among us, teach us and then die for us. Why? He, who had NO SIN, took all of our sins, so that we could be with Him once we leave this place. What does He want in return? He just wants our hearts and our minds.

Our heart is not just an organ within our body, but we need to remember that the heart is the symbol of love and compassion and understanding that we have for things that are outside of ourselves. Our mind is not just an organ that belongs in our head, it is also something that we use to discern between good and evil, right and wrong.

When we give our hearts and our minds to God, we choose to turn away from evil and turn away from doing the things that bring hurt to others, of course, to the best of our ability. We choose to give our feelings and our thoughts to God so that we can be guided toward Him during our time here on earth and then to spend eternity with Him in Heaven.

Jesus came as a child. Has anyone ever figured out why that was? Why didn’t God send a warrior on a mighty steed to destroy all of our enemies like the Jewish people thought would happen?

Personally, I don’t think that it was time, then. I think that God sent Jesus to come as a child to show all of us that He needed us just as much as we needed Him and in the most basic, elemental of ways. Think about it…. God, in Jesus form, was totally dependent on humans for His every need. I think that He wanted to see if we would rise to the occasion and have the heart and mind to see Him as MORE than what He appeared to be on the surface.

So, what did I learn from this? I give so much credit to our God who loves us that much, that He came to live among us and died for us. Would we, or could we do the same for Him? Our God is truly an awesome God! There is none like Him! He fills up my soul and I know that He will never let me down. He’s patient and kind, firm and loving. He’s the very model of what a parent should be. I’m not worthy of his love and grace. I make lots of mistakes but I sing His praise because it is ONLY through Him that I am strong and whole. He MAKES me better!

What can you gain from this? I was an empty shell before knowing and loving God like I do now. The funny thing is, I’ve always known Him but now my reliance on Him is deeper. If you want to feel some of what I feel and those who love God feel, then start by trusting in that little Baby who came down, grew to become a Man and then died just because He loves you that much. No sin is so great that cannot be overcome by the love of our God. He just wants your heart and your mind. Will you trust Him with it?

An Act of Faith

Who can know God’s purpose in our lives? When we step out in faith and trust God’s will for us, we begin to realize that we can discover so many things about Him and even about ourselves.

Never, ever, ever did I foresee where I am today. I’ve also realized how much I have grown through the journey of my career and, very simply, my faith. When I was young, I could never see the path that He was leading me on, while I was on it. It was only in looking back that I can see the connections and the layers and how each one led to the next. God’s sneaky like that. He gives us free will but asks that we trust Him to guide us on the best path for us. It’s an act of faith. It’s that Letting Go and Letting God component that I’ve talked about before.

So many times before, I thought that there was something wrong with me. I’d ask myself why I wasn’t happy where I was. However, I recognize now that God was asking me to just be patient and learn what I needed to learn while I was on that path. You see, God takes all those little gems that we pick up as we grow in our faith and in our journeys through life. He wants us to use that knowledge for later when He puts us on a different path. So, in doing that, I have begun to realize that there was nothing wrong with me. At that moment in time, I was right where God needed me to be.

Remember…..

Life is all about the choices that we make. How we respond to those choices, what we do with those choices and what we learn from those choices are the keys to finding joy in this life. Yes, God gives us free will but I would rather give mine back to God. He certainly knows what to do with it.

So, what did I learn from this? I’m so much stronger now than when I was relying just on my own knowledge and interests. I also know that I am so much stronger with God as I travel each path. I have learned to truly put my faith in God for everything. I’ve grown as a person, a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother and as a faithful follower of a God who has never let me down. I am better because I trust in Him to guide me in this journey. Who knows what path He has for me next but guess what? I look forward to it because I know that it’s where He wants me to be.

What can you gain from this? There is a certain freedom in turning our own will over to God. It’s so uplifting and invigorating at the same time to know that you matter so much to God. He wants us to know Him. He wants us to love Him and mostly? He wants us to trust Him in ALL aspects of our lives, not just the times that we think we should. I’m just betting that you will begin to see it the same way too!

In Thanksgiving

We complain a lot, as humans. That’s something that we do. I was listening to K-Love in my area one morning on my way to work and a listener came on who stated how she had a child that had cancer. During a very difficult conversation when a doctor was trying to tell her something about her child, this listener said, “Thank you.” to this doctor. The lady then went on to say that the doctor just looked at her with shock and tears in her eyes. When the mom saw that, she asked the doctor if anyone had said that to her and she replied, “No.”

That got me thinking a lot. How many times do we fail to say thank you to someone who is doing a job? Too often we don’t. We fail to see them as individuals who have their own hopes and dreams. They also have their own heartaches and fears. It might not be their dream job but at least they are doing it. We don’t know what’s going on in their lives but they still deserve warmth and kindness from us. A simple thank you can go a long way in uplifting others. I also find that it can uplift ourselves as well while we go through our day.

Another thing that I thought of is that we have a God who appreciates the same courtesy that He wants us to show toward others. Next time that you wake up in the morning and have a job to go to, say, “Thank you!” Thank Him for the food on your table, the clothes that you wear, the clean water that you drink, the ability to have a say in important matters and all other things that are a part of who you are. Say thank you to God for the little things, the in-between things and the big things. We need to remember and understand that we also have a God who loves us very, very much and wants to be appreciated just the same as we can be to our fellow human beings.

The very, very best thing? It’s free and while it can be uplifting to them, it also can do something positive for you as well.

So, what did I learn from this? I’m better when I see others as God sees us. I have to take all that love that God freely gives me and share it. Will others always be receptive to it? No but I don’t give up. I just turn to prayer instead and pray for them. That’s also free. I can’t change them. Only God can do that but I want them to see God through me. I’m not perfect by any stretch of the imagination so I constantly have to work at it. It’s a process but I do know this… I can help someone else feel the love of God even if they don’t believe.

What can you gain from this? If you want to become a better person, then see all the wonderful opportunities around you. There are people all around who really, really could use some encouragement. Will you get knocked down some? Yes. Not everyone’s going to be receptive. However, that shouldn’t stop you from trying. After all, how hard is it to say something nice? It doesn’t take any effort, just initiative and a simple kindness under it all.

Jehovah-Nissi: Name of God

Agnus Dei, Church of the Holy Trinity by Maigheach-gheal is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

Jehovah-Nissi means, “Lord is my Banner” and was referenced in Exodus 17: 13-16 which is the name that was given to God by Moses after he built an alter to celebrate the defeat of the Amalekites and Rephidim. According to simplyvindblog.com, it states that, “By referring to God as the Banner over his life, Moses was acknowledging that his whole identity was found in and founded on God. His life’s purpose was to know God, understand things from His perspective, and do what God was calling him to do.”

When we call God Jehovah-Nissi then we are acknowledging that God is who we stand for and with. We are all called to be His children but we also called to a higher purpose as well. We are called to be His disciples and to go into the world and proclaim the Good News. It has been very refreshing to watch The Chosen (series that is about Jesus and His disciples), because even though some of it is guess work (on the writers part) when it comes to what the disciples were going through before and during the time that they came to know Jesus, it hits home for me. I began to understand that we ARE those disciples. We are going through some of the same things that the disciples were going through even though it is 2000 years later.

It helps me to know that I can stand on ALL of God’s promises from long ago until now. He has never changed and will continue to never change. We can stand on His principles and know that they are ALWAYS true and right even when the world tells us that we are wrong. It helps me to know that we have a God who empowers us to stand up and stand firm and that we will be rewarded by being with Him at the end of our time on Earth. So, thank you God for standing for me and all of your people. Amen!

So, what did I learn from this? Sometimes I’m down about things but more recently I’ve been more up because even as screwed up as the world is, I know that I can count on God. He’s always been consistent. I may not understand or want to wait on His timing but I know in my heart that it will be perfect when He chooses to show me what my purpose is. I just have to continue to be patient (of course, it’s not always my strong suit!). (Related post: The Difficulty With Waiting)

What can you gain from this? It’s hard at first to give anything and everything that you are going through over to God. We have this tendency to want to handle things ourselves. I get it. That’s called self-reliance. However, here is the thing, we don’t have to do it all by ourselves. We have a God who wants and desires to take away our sorrows. He just asks that we trust Him as we are going through the process because He will show us a better way in the end and that will make all the wait worthwhile.

The God of Everything

I recently was laid off (uh, actually fired) from my job that I had enjoyed. I was actually blind-sided really. The reasons that she put doesn’t hold a lot of water because when I was talking to some of friends, who are also my references, they laughed. My boss had said that I couldn’t work with others and that I didn’t have the right judgement to work with teens and adults with disabilities. Hmmmm, let me unpack that for a minute. I was a Special Ed teacher for 15.5 years. I worked with ALL kinds of people in order to help each child reach their potential. I had nonverbal students starting to talk and non-readers begin to read fluently. I was tough but fair and loving. Each of my students knew that they could always get hugs and high fives and praise at any time. I did nothing different when I worked with teens and adults with disabilities. However, I really think that letting me go was a ploy to hire someone else to my spot but I’m actually starting to be okay with it. Why? I know that God’s got this. (Related post: God’s Got This)

So, what does what I’m going through with have to do with us having a God who knows us inside and out? Apparently, everything, actually.

Let’s go to the beginning (or the Old Testament, if you will). In the beginning God formed everything around us and then He formed man and woman to have dominion over everything that He had made. In the Old Testament, God seemed more distant to His people. Oh, don’t get me wrong, they knew that they were His chosen people but He was up there and, well, we were down here on Earth. The connection was there but it was like talking and writing to someone that you’ve never laid eyes on.

Then, in the New Testament, God came to Earth in the form of His Son, Jesus. He was present here among us. He walked and talked with us. He laughed and cried like us. He felt joy and sorrow like us. He felt encouragement and anger like us. So, we go from a God who was loving but seemed distant to a God who loved us enough to BE with us in human form and He also experienced everything that we as human do. Then, of course, we can’t forget that He also suffered and died for us so that we can be with Him in Heaven when our time on Earth is done. That’s a TRULY loving God, for sure.

So, going back to my story of recent happening, I spoke of that so that you can understand and know that we have a God who is with us in every single aspect of our lives: the good, the bad and the ugly. He’s got this for me just like He has anything and everything that you are going through as well. He really is in the details of our lives. (Related post: God’s in the Details)

So, what did I learn from this? Everything. I’ve learned and am still learning that God has a purpose and a path for me. Now, the path that I thought that He wanted me on has changed. During this process, I’m learning to really, really, really LET GO and LET GOD. I’m learning to have absolute trust (I’m human, so make that actually 95% trust and 5% worry) in Him. I can say with certainty that I’ve come a long, long way with knowing that God has this and I’m just along for the ride. He has a plan. I’ve never doubted that. I’m also realizing and understanding that our God never fails to show up on time.

What can you learn from this? God truly understands and loves us but He wants us to trust Him in our journey in life. It’s never the straight line that we sometimes think that it should be. Sometimes we’re in the hills of life then we will go down to the valleys. (Related post: Traversing the hills and valleys of life with grace). He’s with us in both. He’s with us in each hill and valley that we encounter. He’s in the everything that life throws our way. So, my advice? Trust yourself to Him. Trust me, as scary as this time is for me? I’m starting to develop more peace than I had before this happened. Crazy, huh? So, I pray that what I’m going through helps make whatever you’re going through, not seem so bad. Know that God loves you and He will get you where you need to be. Trust Him in the process. You might just be really, really surprised at the results!

God’s in the Details

According to http://www.artsandculture.google.com this saying, “God is in the details.” is a quote by German-American Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1996) “It means that when attention is paid to the small things it can have the biggest rewards and that the details matter.”

So, how can this be important for us? We must remember that we have a God who knows EACH of us intimately and fully. He knows our individual tragedies and our triumphs. He sees the best that we are and the worst of what we do. When we trust God with every detail of our life then we are saying that He alone can guide us where we need to be or even in what can help us to find that fulfillment that we always are looking for. Our God NEVER uses it to control us. It’s within us so that we can give the reins of our free will to Him who always loves and cherishes us.

It’s hard to do, I get it. I actually know that God gets it too. How? We need to remember that God was FULLY human (in the form of His Son, Jesus) and still FULLY God. He understands us, not only because He formed us and knows each of us by name but because we are His. Yeah, I would certainly say that He’s in the details of life, for sure!

So, what did I learn from this? We never know the turns that our path will take in life. We can try to control it but that’s an impossible task. We would worry ourselves to death. Trust me, I know! I’m a champion worrier!! It’s taken a lot for me to get to this point in my life and let go of the hurt and pain. Does that mean that I don’t worry at all? No, not a bit. What I do know is that I have to give it to God and trust that He will help me to become a better person in the long run as I go through it. Also, it helps me to always remember that He holds me in the palms of His hands through it all. (Related posts: God’s Got This and God’s Promise)

So, what can you learn from this? You may already know and love God, but have a hard time with the letting go of the pain that you have in life. It’s really, really hard the first time. Then, you do it (give Him your trust, fully) and then you find that the pain is lessened somewhat. Then you try it again with another problem and it’s just a little bit easier then, too. Each time, it’s like that. You will get to the point where you begin to SEE God in those prayers when you asked for something. So….. when that happens and He answered, be SURE and tell Him, “Thank you!” when it happens, whichever way it turns out. He likes your acknowledgement of His help just like we all do.

We are ALL called to be His Church

There are so many of us who call ourselves Christians, yet we’re still divided on what the Church should look like. Let’s think about that for a minute. We divide ourselves into different denominations of the same faith or we can think about it this way instead, we are all pieces to the same puzzle, but we can’t see the full picture until we put all the pieces together. Hmmm…. What do you think that I mean by that? According to http://www.thegospelcoalition.org, “the unity of the church is rooted in the deep conviction that God’s people in spite of all their differences are united to Him by faith in Jesus Christ.”

According to http://www.apostolicfaith.org, the question was asked, “What is unity between believers?” and was answered in the following way: “They should recognize that unity between believers is vital in the work of the Lord. Unity implies the oneness of the spirit, aims, interests, and feelings of diverse individuals, and is necessary in order to receive God’s blessing and to see much accomplished for Christ.”

If we are all pieces to the same puzzle, why don’t we try to find out how we fit together versus how different we all think about God? When I talk with my beautiful friend, Paula, I see where there are things that she sees that I haven’t and I hope vice versa. We are different in how we look at our faith in God but what unites us is that we have faith in God. It’s only when we have put all the pieces together, then a beautiful picture begins to emerge. It is vital that we remember that we are God’s Church, not the buildings that we go to, to worship. When we begin to see that, then we can begin to see that our role as Christians is so much bigger than a church service or, especially, the denomination of faith that we belong to. It’s how we treat others when we aren’t there (in a building), that is what God sees in us and how he wants to unite us in this world. (Related post: Pieces of the Same Puzzle)

So, what did I learn from this? God has a place for me. Right now, He’s still shaping me. As hard as it is sometimes to Let Go and Let God take the reins to my life, I know that He will not harm me and will only do what He does to help me to prosper. He’s helping me to fit into His church on earth (notice I didn’t say “the church”!). How do I do that? I lean sharply on my faith and trust in something that I cannot see but I know that God sees. I also know that He sends me the tools, His word as well as friends and family, to help see me through.

What can you gain from this? Open yourself up to what God can do. Listen to each other and try not to be so quick to judge someone else’s journey. Remember what unites us and then try to listen with a whole heart. I think that it’s only then that you can see how God can work and has worked in others as well as yourself. God knows that we are not perfect but, what we are? We are His. He loves us just as we are and He has called us to do the same with others.

For the Love of Our Soul

We have a God who cares about where we end up when this life on Earth is done. We have one of two choices. The first choice is to go through the narrow gate that leads to Heaven. In this narrow gate, I believe that God knows that while we aren’t perfect (by any stretch of the imagination, by the way), He also stated that if we believe that God sent His Son, Jesus, to Earth to die for our sins AND do our absolute best not to INTENTIONALLY sin then we will be welcome into His Glorious Kingdom. The second choice is to travel the wide path that leads to Hell. I’ve never been there but I have heard enough to know that it’s not a fun place to be FOREVER (sort of like jail, but much, MUCH worse and no hope of parole either, if you need that visual!)….. Let that sink in.

There has been stories, which I believe to be absolute truth, of people who have died and some have been sent to Heaven and some that have been sent to Hell. In each of these cases, they are sent back here and tell us what happened to them. Why do you think that we are shown these glimpses of both? I’ll tell you what I think…. God’s trying to save our souls. God wants us to choose Him and all that that entails. His way leads to all things beautiful and where we can be surrounded by love and kindness.

The devil doesn’t want you to know the truth. He whispers in your ear that if what you are doing feels good then why not keep doing it? He doesn’t tell you that the place where he lives is a fiery abyss where all the lost souls are screaming in pain and terror FOREVER without ceasing. Hmmm….

So, God shows us what we are choosing. When we choose to do the right thing, then He rewards us. He also shows us what could happen when we choose to do the wrong things and continually turn away from Him. Remember that we only have a FINITE time on this Earth to decide which path that we want to take. At some point, it’ll come to the point where your choices are null and void and there are no more chances to save your soul from eternal damnation. So, my advice? Choose very, very wisely…… (Related post: Speaking Truths and The Path to Redemption)

So, what did I learn from this? I choose God. I want to be with Him in Heaven. The more that I discover about Him the happier that I am. He also tasks us with helping others to get there too. I also know that that is my purpose here when I write my blog. The end of time will come (I happen to think soon) but we need to do what we can now while we have the time to change. Any day could be our last, so I make a conscious effort to live each day to the fullest, thanking God for everything that He sends my way and l look forward to the day that I can be with Him.

What can you gain from this? Trust me, when I say that God knows where your heart and soul is and He knows which way you could go. Do you really want to rely on a roll of the dice? Do you really want to take the chance that it might not be where YOU think you should be when you die? The choice has always been yours. God gives us free will but, my friend, let me tell you, it’s not worth it if you choose to allow others and the devil to dictate what’s right and what’s wrong. When you decide that you want to win (with God), then the devil loses.

Jehovah M’Kaddesh-Name of God

Photo by Paulo Mu00e1rcio Dos Santos on Pexels.com

Jehovah M’Kaddesh means, “The God who Sanctifies”. According to todaydevotional.com, an article stated that, “In Exodus 31 we learn that Yahweh Mekoddishkem, “the LORD who Sanctifies you,” had made His people holy. Mekoddishkem comes from the Hebrew word qadash, meaning “set apart, consecrated, sanctified, prepared, dedicated, hallowed, made holy.”

We know that God’s people in the Old Testament was primarily the Jewish people but as we read in the New Testament, we know that God sent Jesus who is the Son of God and the natural “heir” of His Father for this worldly Kingdom. When we believe in God and His Son then we all have become co-heirs to God’s Kingdom. It’s not just one group of people that can only be called by God. It’s all of us as a whole. We have all become sanctified and, yes, set apart from others as God’s children. It doesn’t mean that we are better, not by any stretch of the imagination. It does mean that we have been called to a higher purpose set forth for us by God.

Let’s think about this further…..

God knows every hair on our head. Indeed, He knew us before we were even born! He knows what He has called us to do in His name here on Earth. The beauty of it is…. God always gives us a choice. We can accept the gift or reject it. I believe that knowing you were chosen by God for a specific purpose should be enough to encourage you to accept this wonderfully, beautiful gift from God! Also when we accept this gift, we come to realize that we must act more as God wants us to act towards His people, with loving kindness and gentle guidance. We are called to be a better version of ourselves. Not just Sunday people of faith but everyday people of faith. We are called to be those who live and breath the words of God through our actions toward others. Being God’s co-heirs to His Kingdom is not always easy. It means that at times we also have to stand up and stand firm in our convictions and in our faith when others want to tear us down. Remember that the devil doesn’t want us to succeed, but with God’s belief in us in what we can do in His name as well as our trust in Him, we can overcome any adversity that the devil tries to throw our way!

So, what did I learn from this? I am wonderfully and beautifully made. I am made in the image of my Heavenly Father. I am blessed and I am tasked with helping others to see Him as I see Him. God has put many, many supportive family and friends in my path that have helped me on my journey to get where I am now. I also realize that each stumbling block that I have faced has become a stone that I can use, not to impede my path but to help me reach new heights.

What can you gain from this? You are also beautifully and wonderfully made. God made you for a purpose. It’s hard, but don’t let doubt keep you from seeing that. Doubt is the devil’s tool that he uses. Throw that away and know that God loves each of us and knows each and every one of our flaws. The beauty of it? He doesn’t hold our flaws against us and, in fact, I’m almost positive that He wants us to use our flaws to help others in their own journey. Remember that He has sanctified you and set you apart just for that purpose.

The Path to Redemption

The Fall and Redemption of Man: The Raising of the Cross by Albrecht Altdorfer (German, c. 1480u20131538) is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

It’s hard not to sin. We must make a conscious effort to stop and think about what we choose to do. The other problem is that we must look at who we surround ourselves with. These so-called, “friends” encourage us to sin. I put quotations around the word friends because as soon as you try to do something that’s different than what they want you to do then they start cutting you off or even cutting you down with insults. Of course, by now, you start to realize that they aren’t your true friends at all. It can seem to become like a lonely road when you’re on this path to redemption. So how do you deal with it?

I’ll give you some big hints….. you need to make some better friends! Of course, the first friend that you need to turn to is God. He’s always been there. He’s just been waiting for you to realize that as well. God knows that we’re going to sin but the difference now is you. You see, God sent His Son, Jesus, to us. He lived among us and taught us many, many things but the best thing that He did? He died on the cross and took ALL of our sins on His shoulders so that we can go and be with Him at the end of our time on earth. That path to redemption just takes a few things from us.

Believe (and confess) that God loved us so much that He sent His Son to us to die on the cross and save us from our sins. (John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave us His Son so that whoever should believe in Him will not die but have eternal life.”)
Confess that you are a sinner and need to be saved.
Surround yourself with better friends. Find people who will support you in your new journey. Join a church, Bible Group, or whatever place you can find that will help you to grow and become a better version of yourself than you were before.

It seems pretty easy though it’s not always going to be. You will have to contend with those who doubt you or make fun of you. However, the peace that you will be feeling will overcome all of that. God has a purpose for you but He can’t put you on that path until you take the step toward Him first. You have to trust Him. Trust me, I know. He’s got this! (Related post: God’s Got This and God’s Promise).

So, what did I learn from this? I am stronger because I know that God’s got a plan for me. He knew me before I was even born and waited for me to turn to Him with all of my pain and suffering. He knew that I can use that pain and suffering to help others too. I’m not perfect. In fact, I’m full of flaws but God sees past all of that to what’s in my heart. And guess what? He loves me just the way that I am. Our God truly is an awesome God!!

What can you gain from this? God doesn’t judge us like humans do. He’s way more forgiving than even humans could EVER be. So, what do I think you can gain from following a different path? 1) Redemption (upon releasing all of who you are to God) and 2) Release (from the constant heartbreak and sadness that you may feel now) and 3) Renewed (you have become a new creation in God, in which the old you is no more). God sees you in a different and brighter light. It’s time that you start to do that too.

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