Every morning my windows grab my attention. They are a showcase of God’s glory. I retreat to my front porch to find rest in the beauty displayed in the Heavens. A word that keeps appearing in my mind the last few weeks is peace. Peace from bad thought patters, peace from my own self demands, peace from condemnation when I don’t measure up, peace from the noises and movement of a chaotic world and peace in my life to be free allowing the chips of life to fall as they may. The sky has been beckoning me out every morning and evening as to say, find peace here. There is peace in every sunset and sunrise. There is peace in the valleys and on the mountain tops, over the lakes and spanning the oceans. Peace is right here on my front porch, knocking and waiting for me to answer. There is peace within each one of us, sometimes it just needs to be rediscovered. May we pursue peace from our past, in our present and amongst our people. Get out and take a few moments to bask in the glow as the sun begins tucking in for the night, and as it begins awakening for the day. No where is God more visibly alive than in nature. Look for Him today, and let His characteristic of peace pause you from busyness and permeate you with blessings. May peace find you today, friends. #nofilter #onlygod
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The Presence of God Resides Here
And every night the heavens dip down to meet the Earth reminding us His existance is here. Looking down the perspective is darkness; looking up we see the beautiful light. Keep looking up tonight, friends. The presence of God resides here.
Prayer for Paris
God, please turn the chaos into calm in the city of Paris tonight. Be near to hearts that have been crushed and confused by the chaotic commotion that is taking place. People are scared Father. Fear permeates borders and rattles hearts and minds all over our world. Despite it all, 365 times Your word commands us to fear not. That seems impossible on days of destruction such as this. New wounds have been created while old, seeping wounds perforated. Turn us from the presence of panic to a posture of prayer, God. Remind shattered hearts tonight that when we have an assurance of our eternal destination it is possible to find respite in our existent situation. I know you are gently caressing every fallen tear. Nestle the hurting in Your healing hands tonight. I pray we, your children, do not let toxic terrorists prevent us from persisting. Help us to hold on to the truth that it is far better to die living in faith than to live dying from fear. May the lacerated feel Your lavish love tonight. Soothe our splintered hearts as we process the abundance of agony that is taking place. May we, the worn watchers, lay our heads down tonight with our palms in prayer for the persecuted, security in our souls of our salvation and praise for our people sleeping safely under shelter. Amen.
Helping Hands Harvest Hope
Some days the joy just is not there, or at least it seems that way. Circumstances, commitments and the casualties of this fallen world can take a toll. We feel empty and worn. It is on these days we have to press deeper into our faith with outstretched arms and wait expectantly on the Lord. I acknowledge some days, weeks months and years the fight is harder than others. Nevertheless, we have to resist self-pity and the temptation to hibernate because that would be a win for an enemy who desires to send us there; alone, tearful and hopeless.
How do we ignite joy when our tank is low? Prayer and praise are two good options. Another great avenue that turns parched into plenty is getting outside of ourselves and looking for needs of others that we can meet. We often think we are giving towards, but the truth is we are being given to. In giving, we are gaining a joy that money and circumstances cannot create. It is a beautiful thing.
When we are feeling empty, we have the choice to turn it into a grievance or a gift. The enemy is waiting to escort us down a gravel road of grief. God is waiting to walk us down a golden road of gifts that transform our absence into abundance.
When we choose the right road, emptiness can be framed as an opportunity to be filled with the transforming grace of a good God who seeks to fill searching hearts that although broken are still believing.
It is helping hands that harvest hope when the backdrop is heavy.
Much love on this Monday whether it be manic, mundane or somewhere in between.
Peace is Found in Purpose Not Perfection
Perfectionism. We all chase it. None of us will ever achieve it, but we often run ourselves into the ground trying.
Pursuing perfection is to deny what Jesus did for us.
He died an excruciating death not only to save us from our sins but also to impart His perfect righteousness to us. That means it is no secret we alone are inadequate. It is inevitable that we will fail as a parent, friend, spouse… Someone else will always do better that which we desire to do.
Why do we keep exhausting ourselves to obtain what has already been secured on our behalf? God made no mistakes when He created you or me. We all have different strengths and weaknesses. We either believe in his plan and find peace or we deny His sovereignty and continue striving.
Father, I ask that you help your children embrace the gifts given to us. When we accept who we were created to be and quit striving to be who we are not; we are free to find where our purpose intersects our passion, and it is then that we will impact the world; not in a perfect way but in your pre-planned way. Amen.
Less of Me, More of You, Lord
What am I going to do? How am I going to handle this? Several times over the last two weeks I have caught myself asking these questions. I didn’t realize there is a niche of narcissism hidden in my heart until exposed by my thought pattern.
Every time my mind defaulted to one of those questions, I received a question back. Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness! The responses to my questions were a unified theme-ME. “What are YOU going to do?” “How are YOU going to handle this?”
Do you see my problem here? I was exalting myself and excluding God.
Also, in those moments of fear, my first line of defense was panic instead of prayer. When I am under pressure, I easily forget the Source of my security. Control, micromanagement, and self-reliance are such insidious impostures that lead me down a path planned by my flesh instead of a passage paved by my Father.
I am grateful for the reminder that it was time for a self-demotion in exchange for a Savior promotion.
Life is so much lighter when I settle into my designed role as a child of a Father, who knows and controls all things. My planning hands rarely prosper, and life becomes futile; it is when I leave room for God to mold my purpose that living becomes fruitful.
Father, remind all your children who need to remember when we are prone to fighting for ourselves that Jesus’ victory belongs to us. In all the ways, we deceive ourselves into believing we are in control, whisper that peaceful word that is too elusive in our hearts and minds-rest. May we lay down all our plans, schemes and weapons intended to forge our plans for life and remember that You have already written our entire story with Your Sovereign Hands. Father, I confess, I get overwhelmed by demanding days; tempting me to maximize myself and minimize you. When I do this, chaos becomes my company, fear becomes my friend and anxiety becomes my advisor. Quickly convict my heart and direct me back to Your promises, the only resivor of rest for riddled ragamuffins like me. Amen.
The Real Trinity
What trinity are you operating under today?
I opened one of my books this morning and read this: In nothing be anxious. ~Philippians 4:6
That is a tall order for me most days. In really difficult and threatening situations, it is much easier to be a victim than a victor. It is common to profess to live under the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, in the refining heat of life’s challenges it is effortless to become a casualty of the wrong trinity; fear, anxiety and worry.
What is easier can insidiously become a place of comfort. When getting honest, the wrong trinity can mascarade as a self-southing blanket of safety. This is one of the enemy’s biggest lies. He wants you and me operating under the wrong authority.
Walking in the shadow of Father, Son and Holy Spirit as our compass is not the effortless way, but it is the effective way. We are not called members of God’s army metaphorically; but literally because we are in a battle with the forces that are always preying on our hearts.
As 1 Corinthians 16:13 says, we must always be on alert; standing firm with strength and courage in our faith. May we all pray for sufficient grace to live that command every day, because we cannot do it out of our strength.
Be encouraged friends, the presence of fear, anxiety and worry does not mean we have no faith; it means because of the fall we need faith.
Twice or thrice a day, look to see if your heart is not disquieted about something; and if you find that it is, take care forthwith to restore it to calm. ~Francis De Sales
Sin Does Not Justify Sin
One of the hardest lessons The Lord very intentionally worked on with me as I grew was that someone else’s sin was not justification for mine. Have I mastered this; no, but I am very aware of it.
Life is messy. We all get hurt. People wound us and sometimes shatter our lives as we knew them. It is very normal to feel outrage towards our offenders. Our temper, however, must be disciplined not destructive.
When someone hurts you, or someone you love; don’t let their sin justify yours. Bridling our emotions does not mean we forget, and all is fine; it means we are free.
It is not our responsibility to punish or judge others. Galatians 6:7 says ~Don’t be misled–you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. We are only responsible for our actions and reactions, not those of others. Self-control is hard, but it is holy. As far as I know God is still God and he is not taking applications for His successor.
Working Harder is a Lie
Are you trying hard? Maybe you are trying to be better, be happier, be a better parent, spouse or friend? Are you exhausting yourself working to figure it all out? I often forget that I am inadequate and not in control! I can get myself so spun up trying to figure circumstances out.
There is good news for people like me, and maybe you. The notion that trying harder will get us where we want to be or bring clarity to problems is a lie from the enemy that we frequently feed ourselves. Trying harder is based on our sufficiency and strength. If I am the best I have, I am in trouble.
We were not created to figure life out. Jesus controls when or if we find out. Working harder does not make you happier, a better person a better (fill in the blank).
The secret is not in striving but surrendering.
Our Father Is Bigger
The last month The LORD has been working a lot in my heart. Specifically in two ways I am aware of and probably in others that I am unconsciously aware, too. Life is hard! Parenting is hard. Marriage is hard. Relationships are hard. Life is hard!
Recently we have been dealing with a difficult issue that broke my heart for all parties involved that arose from gossip. I think we all forget, gossip is a sin. I know I have to be very mindful of it. A very knowledgeable friend gave me the best advice I have ever received regarding gossip; ”If you are not part of the problem or the solution, then you should not be talking.” That is very sound counsel that I try to use as a filter for my words before I speak. I am imperfect. I am also vulnerable to the devastation of gossip, as is everyone breathing.
As I have been reeling in pain lately, an older, wiser friend reminded me, “D’Anna, God your Father is much greater than you a mother, spouse, daughter, friend…” At that moment, her words were the balm for my aching soul. Although I was deeply affected by what happened, I was reminded I was not, and never am fully in charge of anyone’s well-being, even my children. God is in charge, and His ways are always perfect, although sometimes very painful!
The second way the Lord has been refining me is that I did not realize how much responsibility I was carrying for people’s actions around me. I am quick to forget that I am only responsible for myself, and while I may play a role in how people act, I am not responsible. They are! Taking responsibility has been a tremendous amount of weight I have been bearing.
Recently when I was sitting in quiet reflection, these words became audible in my head. “No matter how someone acts, it should not affect how you are called to react.” Does that mean I do not respond at all? No. It simply means God originally designed me to react in a manner that is pleasing to Him, not me. Also, I am not responsible for the actions of others–they are. Friends, starting to understand that concept is the beginning of a large dose of freedom. Practicing this has allowed me to love better and live bolder. It is like getting a haircut, having a thorough house cleaning or getting all the laundry done. You just feel lighter!
Taking on the responsibility for the actions of others crushes us and allows the enemy to win. He does not want us delivered; he wants us defeated. Taking the liability for your prodigal child, your struggling spouse, your suffering friend or whomever in your life that you are enmeshed with creates insanity. We definitely have a role in the lives and circumstances of the people we love, but NOT ultimate responsibility. God The Father is much bigger than we the (fill in the blank.) Who are you bearing responsibility for today? Lay them at the feet of Jesus and pray for them because YOU cannot perfect them. May you all be free to let your Father be in charge today and every day.