A Joyful Mission

“Tag….. You’re It!”

My sister, Kathy, is so much wiser than she believes that she is. We recently had a chance to sit down and talk about different things that are going on in both of our families and at the very end of our time together, she spoke about how life is like a wrestling match (not that either of us watched it!). Saying that what if we can imagine ourselves in the ring and that we’re getting pummeled by life and all the things that occur that can beat us up and bring us down. Outside of the ring is your partner, the one person, that if you can tag them, then that person can go into the ring and finish the match for you.

Kathy reminded me that Jesus is like that. He stands outside of the ring and encourages us to reach out to Him. He wants us to say “Tag….you’re it!” so that He can give us that respite that we need. He doesn’t promise that we will never have hardships or even discouragement in this life. What He does promise is that He will be the one to carry us through the fight and He will help us to get to the other side. (Related post: In confronting the darkness, we can begin to see the light…).

Another thing that Kathy reminded me of is that it’s okay to be mad at God about your situation just as long as you continue to talk to Him. Don’t shut the door or even close the window to that communication. Trust me, we really, really need Him to help us to get through this life. Just think about where we would be if we didn’t have Him to lean on?

So what did I learn from this? I can’t always say that I’m happy with what I’ve had to go through, but I’m understanding more and more that I didn’t choose this journey. God chose it for me. There’s a purpose that He has for me and I don’t need to always know where I’m going. I have to trust in Him to get me where He needs me to be. (Related post: Which is the better choice, the destination or the journey?). I’m also discovering that I have been able to look back and see what He wants me to see after I’ve gotten through it. And He might even be using me to help someone else. Isn’t that something?

What can you gain from this? God doesn’t give up on us even as shallow and unworthy as we can be, sometimes. Since God loves us, even despite that, we should know that we can open up ourselves to Him. He sees all the bad things about us and still He wants to take our burdens. He wants to give us hope for the future. We just have to be willing to say, “Tag…you’re it!”

Adonia: Name of God

According to http://www.dictionary.com, “The plural and capitalized Adonai is used because, according to beliefs, God is the lord of all humanity and this is the “lord of all lords.”” Our God is a God of many names because of who and what He represents to us. He is our Creator, Provider, Shephard, and Healer. He is our calm in a raging sea. He is our comforter in our deepest despair. He is our peace in a world of pain. Actually,

He is…….. our everything. (Related post: God’s Love Language)

God doesn’t pick or choose who He likes and dislikes. He loves all of us but dislikes the choices we make that take us further and further away from Him. He loves all of us but is saddened when we turn away from Him and choose the world over choosing Him. He loves all of us but is saddened when we decide to fight against each other instead of choosing to show love toward each other even despite our differences.

As a parent of 2 young men now, I understand only a small portion of what God goes through. While I only have 2 children, God has billions of children and He knows everything that we go through. He knows every thought that we have. He knows our joys and our sorrows. It’s humbling to me that we have a God who loves us that much. He keeps giving us chances to change and hopefully recognize that what we do on earth will impact our next stage. It’s never too late until it is too late. Don’t wait until the end of your life to finally begin to reevaluate it. (Related post: Always Room for Growth).

So, what did I learn from this? I am always humbled by our God. He shows us compassion in so many ways. I don’t always understand the path that God has for me, but sometimes I feel like I’m Peter in Matthew 14: 22-31 who was fearful and doubted Jesus as He walked on the water. It’s a constant battle but I know that I’m not alone. God knows me and loves all of me even when I’ve brought all of my baggage along on this journey. God loves me even when I insist on carrying that baggage when He’s told me to leave it behind. God sees who I am deep inside, warts and all… yet still loves me.

What can you gain from this? You can’t hide from God. God sees everything. That’s not meant to scare you but affirm that He sees the deepest, ugliest parts within all of us and still wants us to be with Him. He wants us to open up those closed parts and expose them to the Light. He wants us to cry out to Him and then we will know that He will always answer. God wants us to know that no matter where we go or what we do, He loves us. We just have to stop and acknowledge it and then return it to Him. God sent His Son, Jesus and Jesus already paid the price, so, now, the prize is free.

The Lost Sheep

Too often, lately, I have seen that there are many people who seem to have lost their way. They have chosen to only follow the laws of the land instead of the laws of God. They bow down before the opinion of others instead of bowing down to the guidance of our God.

If you read the whole chapter of Ezekial 34, you can see that God foretold of what He would do with those who cause His sheep to go astray. Yes, this is in David’s time before Jesus was born but I know that our God doesn’t stop with His promises just because it was long ago. Throughout the Bible, we are repeatedly warned of the consequences of our actions. We are warned about what we should do and what the consequences are for what we fail to do.

We need to remember that we only have a finite number of years on this earth. That’s a very short time when you consider the consequences. So ask yourself these questions and think about the answers carefully. 1) Do you want to spend your eternity (after this life on earth) in heaven? Do you want to be with a God where everything that is beautiful surrounds you and there is no pain or sorrow? or 2)Do you want to spend your eternity (after this life on earth) in hell? Do you want to spend eternity in a perpetual fire where those who are wicked (with their thoughts and deeds) are punished forever?

God calls on all of us to preach to and pray for those lost sheep. We aren’t to shame them but instead call them to Him with understanding and forgiveness. We have to show them the same love that God offers to us when we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Related post: Father, Forgive Me.). If we do that, then we can show them that God doesn’t take us to task for where we have been but instead wants us to follow a new path that leads to Him in the afterlife. (Related post: A Blessed Path)

So, what did I learn from this? I’m not perfect but I know the difference between what is right and what is wrong. I also know that I need to trust God and know that everyone will have a day of reckoning, from the richest to the poorest and from the most powerful to the weakest. I hate waiting but I know that God’s going to take care of them in the long term. My job? It’s to help all those that I can help and get them to a deeper understanding of God. That’s the part that I can control.

What can you gain from this? Our God doesn’t care about perfection. There is no one on earth today who is perfect. He just wants us to try our best. We only have to look within and see where we need to make changes. That’s never easy but it’s necessary in order to become a new person who follows a new path to redemption. Take those mistakes that you’ve made and help someone else to see their new path as well. Remember that God loves you just as you are. There are no qualifiers with God. It’s just straight and simple love, which we can also learn to do with others as well.

Keeping Christ in Christmas

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Too many of us lately have been worried about the wrong thing during the Christmas season. No, I do get it…..there is so much to do like decorating, getting the right gifts, dealing with traffic and bad tempers, in addition to getting those presents sent off on time (with the least amount of cost). Now it’s also about having enough extra money to even have much of a Christmas!

What I’m referring to is that we are so busy getting everything perfect, we forget what the season is truly about. If you know the story of Jesus then you should know that His birth was not a perfect storybook setting. Christmas is not about all the things that we tend to worry about; instead, it’s a beautiful story of redemption for us. Jesus’ birth is God’s gift to us so that we could be with Him at the end of our life if we only take the time to understand who Jesus is (the Son of God) and accept why Jesus was sent in the first place. Remember that according to John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

So, in all that time of rushing, worrying, planning and shopping, take a moment to thank a God who loved us and continues to love us that much in the first place. Of course, it also means that everything will not be perfect, and knowing in your heart that that’s still perfectly okay!

So what did I learn from this? When I tend to get overwhelmed, I try to step back and take a deep breath. I pray, talk to friends and read my bible to help myself get into focus. I try to do that in every season not just Christmas because let’s face it, life can get complicated pretty quickly. I also need to remember that I have my family and friends who love and appreciate me and sometimes that needs to be gift enough for the season when everything else gets overwhelming.

What can you gain from this? I get it. I know life is hard. Especially when things keep popping up that you weren’t expecting. Try to remember the reason for the season in the first place. This season is about Jesus and His reason for being sent here in the first place was because of His love for all of us. Remember that we have a God who loves us with all of our many, many failings. We’re so lucky that He loves us despite that! So, my thought…..give yourself a break. Find the fun in it and take a good laugh at yourself instead. Laughter is, after all, the best medicine for what ails you.

The Difficulty With Waiting

I think that one of the most challenging things that we have to do is wait. We’re not very patient folks, most times. My personal hardship with having to wait on something is when I can see how and why that something needs to be done a certain way, and I’m having to wait for others to figure it out. I have to watch them continue to repeat a pattern and not seem to learn that they have to change in order to fix it.

I also struggle with waiting when I know that God has something for me but I have to wait on His time instead of my own. My usual choice is to rush ahead, then stand there and tap my foot as I wait for Him to catch up.

However, it doesn’t work that way, does it?

We have to trust God’s timing. We have to trust the steps or hoops that we must go through to get to where He wants us to be. There’s a reason for everything. I can’t say that I’ve always been happy with some of the places that God has put me. Its value has only come after I can reflect and see the lessons He was trying to teach me in the first place. The point is, is that I did learn the lesson and, of course, I am STILL learning.

We have to open ourselves up, which is a risk, I know. However, when we open up to God then we can start to see the benefits of waiting. According to www.lifehack.org, there are 10 benefits to waiting. They are 1) Priorities become clear; 2) Develop perseverance; 3) (develop) Productive habits; 4)Understanding yourself; 5) Rest and regroup; 6) Patience; 7)Resourcefulness; 8) Tolerance and empathy; 9) Capacity and 10) Gratitude. I highly recommend that you go to the link and read how each benefit is explained in further detail and then think about how it can help you in the long run. I think that you will become pleasantly surprised at what you discover about yourself!

So, what did I learn from this? If anything, I can say that I am certainly humbled! This waiting thing can be for the pits, but…… then I get it. I start to understand the purpose. It was never to punish me but to teach me. I also learned that God has immeasurable patience with me (and all of us, for that matter). I’m growing and becoming better although still far from perfect. I’m also finding that I like myself more and the person that God wants me to become. Yeah, so even though it is extremely difficult to wait to learn His purpose for me, I’m learning that I can be okay with that (for the most part 🙂 !!) (Related post: Always Room for Growth)

What can you gain from this? It’s amazing the growth that you can go through when you learn the benefits of waiting. There is a purpose behind it. You don’t have to understand it completely but trust that the answers will come in time and at a time when God knows that you are ready to see it.

Speaking Truths

I have found that honesty is one of the most challenging problems that humans have. Do you ever get the feeling that some people seem to feel that if they don’t say it out loud, then it isn’t really true? We may also realize that these are the same people who may believe that if they don’t admit it, then it can’t possibly be true! We have a whole lot of people in this world today who seem to be having that very problem! Of course, some of these people are the ones who seem to be holding the largest bullhorns! Some of these same people are the ones who may hold positions of power in our government, our media, and even some of our entertainers (whose only purpose is to entertain us, not give us lectures on right and wrong!).

The problem that I see is that they tend to think too highly of themselves. Perhaps they think that because they have some power, their opinion should matter over what we know and can decide about our own lives and what we choose for our own families.

So, how do we combat that mindset?

We speak the truth to ourselves and each other. We acknowledge that honesty is ALWAYS the best policy. We understand that while these are people in power, they will hear our voices when we continue to speak up and out about the changes that we want to see in our world. We vote with our conscious and with a clear mind toward the outcome that we want to happen. (Related posts: Correcting Our Course and The Value of Truth). Change can only happen when we take the initiative!

So, what did I learn from this? It’s never easy to admit fault; however, I have found that it is very freeing to do so. Yes, I can be and also have been humbled by my admission of being wrong, but I have also discovered that I learn so much more about myself as well during the process. I’m not perfect. None of us are. That’s what makes us human. I also think that it just makes us more likable in the long run.

What can you gain from this? You can gain freedom! When you’re honest with yourself then you begin to shed everything that weighs you down. Nobody is perfect. We need to start seeing those “really important people” as someone who has no value in our life unless they are there to help improve our lot in life. We need to see them for who and what they truly are and then act accordingly. Don’t put them on a pedal stool. They’re not that important!

El Shaddai: Name of God

Growing up, I did not always listen to Contemporary Christian music. However, there was a song that really struck a chord with me that was written by Michael Card and John Thompson, and sung by Amy Grant in 1982, which was aptly called “El Shaddai”. El Shaddai in Hebrew means, “The All-Sufficient One.”

According to Oxford Languages, the word sufficient means, “enough, adequate.” I know that other dictionaries give more information on the definition but to me, the first definition tells us that God is more than able to fulfill all of our needs.

So often we look for people or things to make ourselves feel happy or fulfilled. Unfortunately, we can’t use people because they can be challenging. Each person that we meet has their own baggage and won’t complete us in a positive way like God will. Trust me, though, when I say that indeed there are good people out there, but none can match God and what He can do for us.

If we are looking at things to make us happy, we need to realize that while we can have all the money and fame, and luxury in the world, it can be gone tomorrow. God is who gives us what we need even here. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having money but it’s just a thing that needs to be valued by how you can help others with it not just for what you can gain from it.

When I was younger, about 30 years ago or so, I noticed that while everything in my life was going well at that time, I realized that I wasn’t very happy. There was no logical reason for why I was feeling that way until I realized that of all the things that were going on with my life, I had relegated God to the “back burner” of my life. I had become so focused on life in general that I had stopped showing God my appreciation for what I had been given. Once I changed my thinking, everything became right with my world again.

Maybe that’s something that you are doing as well and aren’t really conscious about it. So…… change it! Give credit where credit is due not only for what you have now but for what God has given you in the past and even what He can give you in the future. You might just be pleasantly surprised at the results. (Related post: Our God Waits)

So, what did I learn from this? I have days where I’m not so appreciative of what I have. However, it always helps me to remember that we have a God who never changes. He never stops loving me even when I’m not being very loving back. It humbles me. This ever-abiding love that God has for me just continues to fill up all the hollow parts of me and makes me become a better person. It’s nothing that I deserve but He gives to me nonetheless. How can I not try to do my very best with that sort of love?

What can you gain from this? Take a moment to think about your life at this moment. Ask yourself if you are happy, then ask yourself why or why not. Listen carefully, think completely, and answer honestly. It might be that you too had put God on the “back burner” of your life. When you are honest with yourself then you will become a much happier version of yourself that you can then give to others. (Related post: Finding the Strength Within Our Struggles)

A New Chapter in the Book of Life

I’m not sure if I had heard or read this statement about having a new chapter in the book that we call our life, but I really liked the sound of it. It brings to mind that this statement is all about change.

So, think about it this way…..

According to the website, antimaximalist.com, “Closing a chapter in life is a metaphorical phrase that means to move on from a specific time period.” I think of it sometimes more as having a change in your life that may cause us some stress or makes us look at our life in a different way. That’s also how I view life. Life is about changes and adapting to those changes. Some of those changes can be great, like a marriage or the birth of a child. However, some of those changes can knock us for a loop and get us out of our routine. Those are the changes that can bring about stress and tension. We don’t know what to do about them because those changes may have caused us to do something different or got us out of the routine that we were in.

Here is an example of what I’m talking about: I recently had a coworker who has an elderly parent who fell and broke her hip. Her mother does not live close by (in Alabama, actually) and the other sisters had decided that it was her turn to bring her mom here (to Louisiana) so that she could deal with everything involving her mom’s care. Understandably, this was a change to her routine or a new chapter of her life that she was going to be helping her mom to deal with. It also caused her understandable stress since that because her mom doesn’t live in this state so she would need to set up here with new doctors, etc. I could tell that she was feeling stressed so I recommended that she get a notebook/journal and create a list of what she would need to do. She told me that over that weekend, what started out as a list then turned into just a flood of all the things that she was feeling about the whole situation and how it came about. She told me that it was amazing how just writing her feelings down, cleared up a lot of what was tangling up inside of her. It helped her to begin to focus on that next chapter in her life.

Realize that you need to feel all of those emotions. You need to allow them to come out, but do it in a positive manner. See a therapist or, gosh, just write them down. They are your feelings and you are entitled to them! Just promise that you won’t bury them and pretend they don’t exist. Those feelings will only fester if you don’t let them out in a positive way. Healing only comes with dealing with your emotions. Then, you too can begin that next chapter, as well.

So, what did I learn from this? It’s the reason why I write this blog. Everything that I’m feeling gets written down here. Part of it is reaching out to others and showing them that I understand and can emphasize with what they are going through, but the other reason is to show that God has played a HUGE part in me becoming the joyful person that I am today. Yes, it was difficult at the time to go to a new chapter each time. It’s only now that I can look back and see that I needed to learn something in order to get to this point. (Related post: Just going with the flow….)

What can you gain from this? There is a purpose in this journey that you are on. It’s hard to see it now. You may have to re-examine the paths that you took or even were compelled to take. God was at work there. He knows what we want before we even know what we want. He then gives us what we need so that we can be productive and happy people. Life is still about choices. It always has been and always will be. However, when you ask God for help, He will deliver you to a much better place than you were before. It’s not always easy to go through but it will always put you in a better place than you were before.

Reasonings

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The first time that I was ever published was in the year 2000. It was in a book titled America at the Millenium: The Best Poems and Poets of the 20th Century. It was titled “Reasonings”. Here it is:

Without God…Comes doubt; With doubt….Comes uncertainty; With uncertainty….Comes fear; With fear….Comes anger; With anger….Comes war; With war….Comes destruction.

But, With God….Comes faith; With faith….Comes acceptance; With acceptance….Comes love; With love….Comes peace; With peace…Comes worship; With worship…Comes eternal life.

So many of us still grapple with those same thoughts and feelings today. It hasn’t changed! When we look at our lives through the lens of us being with God and also being without God, we can see where it can lead. Yes, it can be difficult to believe in something that you can’t see or can’t prove with scientific data. Faith is believing even without seeing. Faith is knowing without having data points in a scientific study. Faith is trusting that there is something out there that is bigger than the whole universe combined. Faith is seeing the wonder of that something and realizing that we have a God who loves us and wants to be with us. When you only look at Him scientifically then you will miss out on the wonder that is this world.

We have choices in this world. We can either live a life that is perpetually in conflict or we can live a life of joy. This poem reminds me of one of the two mottos that I try to live my life by. One motto is to “Let Go and Let God” which reminds us that if we want God to work in our life then we have to give Him the reigns. The other motto is based on Proverbs 31: 25 which states: “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs at the days to come.” I want to be that person that finds joy in life. I want to be that person who sees God in EVERYTHING around me. I want to know that when I die, I will know where I’m going and that I was able to help others along the way. I think that that is a pretty good reason to get up and go each day! (Related post: Knowing and Believing)

So, what did I learn from this? Joy can be contagious. I know that I can’t change everyone, but my hope is that I can, at least, give them a small glimpse of God through who I’m choosing to be on a daily basis. Am I always successful? Nope! Sometimes I need my own daily dose of joy and encouragement as well. It’s part of being human. God didn’t make us so that we always have all the answers to the questions that there are in life. He made us to be a companion to Him and also to each other.

What can you gain from this? Instead, ask yourself this question. Would you rather have war or would you rather have peace? Yes, sometimes you still need to fight for your rights because there are always those who wish to steal your power of how you choose to worship. There are those who want to tell you how and what to believe and how and what to think. Those are the times that you must stand up and fight. However, the war that I’m also talking about is the one that comes from doubt and uncertainty and fear and anger. I know which one I choose. Wouldn’t you rather choose a life with God as well?

Jehovah: Name of God

The second of the sixteen names that God has is Jehovah. Jehovah means “The Unchangeable, Intimate God”.

First, let’s look at the word unchangeable which according to Oxford Languages means, “not liable to variation or able to be altered”. In the bible, to be unchangeable means something that remains the same. So what we know about God is that He stays consistent all the time.

With God, we know that He does not change. He’s never wishy-washy like us humans are. He’s consistent and also, guess what? He’s been that way from the beginning of time!! We never have to guess where we stand with Him. All we have to do is read the bible, have faith in Him, and follow the path that He has for us to live. We have to trust that He will get us where He knows we can and should be if we want to lead happy and fulfilling lives!

Now, let’s look at the word intimate, which according to Oxford Languages means, “1) closely acquainted; familiar, close and 2) private and personal”. So let’s think about this further. God knows everything about us. He knew us before we were even formed in our mother’s womb! Wow!! That means He knows EVERYTHING about us. We can’t hide from God. He is intimately there to support us in our journey even when we don’t know what we want.

God is what we need for that moment and every other moment, as well. Sometimes He’s firm and gives us that nudge that gets us going in a certain direction. Sometimes, He’s gentle and carries us when we need to be soothed. However, we must know that He always, always, always loves us. I think of it as how it is to be a parent. I love my children but I don’t always like their behavior. I always made that distinction with them. That is how God is for us. He loves us constantly but I’m pretty sure that He doesn’t always like us when it comes to our behavior.

The good news? We have time to fix ourselves. We have time to change. The other good news? He can also see when we just try to do better or when we make that effort. He doesn’t expect perfection. So, make the very best choice today and do your best. Trust me, He’ll know it.

So, what did I learn from this? All I can do is try. That’s all that God wants from me. He wants me to do my best. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fail. However, I have learned some lessons from my failures and that is part of my growing to be a better version of myself. (Related post: Accepting failure is actually the key to success). I don’t need to impress anybody. I just need to show God who I am and who I want to become. Learning to “Let Go and Let God” is never easy in the beginning but it does get easier as I’ve realized that God’s path for me is the best path for me. Giving my will to Him has certainly opened my eyes to a lot of things that I never saw or understood before. So, that just makes this journey so much more interesting for me!

What can you gain from this? Know that you have a God who loves you for you. The world will try to put labels on you or pull you down. Don’t let them. It’s not about them anyway. This journey that you are on? It’s between you and God! Once you feel more confident in that love, then share it, just like Ms. Paula and I do. (Related post: Not always right but, instead, righteous!) Find others whom you can speak to and share with them your joy of having God in your life. Surround yourself with positives and shed the negatives that want to try and beat you down. There will still be times that you get down. Everyone does. So, what can you do about it? Give it to God in prayer. Trust me, He’s Jehovah and He knows you well!

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