As I've gotten more mature spiritually, I am noticing a repeating theme in my life that I hadn't recognized before. God will reveal a plan or direction for my life that is just so amazing...and then He makes me wait to deliver on that promise. I must be the most impatient person in the world because He can make me wait a LONG time on some of those promises! And waiting isn't a new thing, but I think I'm finally seeing it as a God thing over the past few years of my life and beginning to appreciate the wait and what it does in the time period.
This topic has been on my mind recently, and interestingly enough, in the past few weeks, everything I pick up and read, a devotion someone emails me, or a friend's blog all have the same topic...Why God Makes Us Wait! After the bombardment of material, I began to realize, I think this is something God wants me to sit down and reflect on and not ignore! There are some issues that I'm doing a lot of waiting on right now in my life, and for maybe even the first time, I see I am content in the waiting. I'm not throwing a tantrum or just rushing ahead of God's timing and forcing things to happen...I'm waiting. Novel concept for me in some ways. I did a search on youversion.com Bible with the keyword "waiting"...do you want to guess how many verses came up? 184...guess I'm not the only one who needs a little encouragement in this department!
In this fast-paced, have it your way, do-it-yourself, instant gratification, microwave society we live in today, I want to share a few things that waiting has done in my life over the past year.
1. Strengthened my faith: There's something to be said for waiting on a promise for the Lord, and then seeing that promise come to fruition. That causes your faith to shoot through the roof and the next time you wait, it becomes a little bit easier and you have a lot more confidence in God's perfect timing.
2. Disciplined me: I'm not saying I've been good at waiting every time, but as I've waited, I see it as a form of discipline and a part of being obedient to what God is telling me to do vs. the world.
3. Stripped me of self control: I think a big part of waiting is denying self and walking in the spirit. It has helped me to see that I for sure don't have all the answers, but I serve a God who does.
4. Developed my quiet time: Waiting and sticking to your guns involves a lot of prayer time and
reading of the Word to continue to seek direction and get assurance you are on the right path. That's been huge in my life and a precious time every day.
5. Slowed me down: In the waiting, I've become more...mellow. I'm not as wound up or highly stressed as I was and I crave a much slower pace. I say no to a lot more things now because I believe I'm more focused, not as easily distracted.
6. Quit caring about what others think: God has asked me to do some hard things, that really made me look like a fool some would say if they looked at the situation with worldly eyes. There's been so many lies, rumors and stories told about me that I don't know whether to laugh or cry when I hear them. But, I've learned, slowly at times, to not care what people of this world think. I serve one Master and if I'm doing what He's told me to, then to me, that's what matters. I'm not saying things don't hurt me, but I'm saying I don't allow them to sink in and stay with me. I know the truth, the Lord knows the truth, and at the end of the day, that's all that matters.
6. Look for the lessons: During the waiting, I've found there are ALWAYS lessons to be learned. I think if there wasn't, then there wouldn't be a waiting period! God uses that time to get our attention and teach us and then when we are ready, let us move on to the next step. Sometimes, we are just not ready to get to the Promise Land.
7. Be open to all possibilities: When God reveals a plan, many times He's not real specific on the how-to's of the plan, just the end result. I've learned to look for any open or shut doors to help me navigate and stay on course. Most of the time, the Lord's ways aren't necessarily my way, but I've got to be open and willing to take that step of faith.
8. Let Go: By waiting on God, I've learned to let go of past mistakes and stay in the present. Maybe I failed the waiting game last time, but that's not a reflection on how I wait this time around. Grabbing on to second chances as they present themselves is huge.
9. Victory and favor at the end of the wait: When you are finally on the other side of waiting, the rewards and the outcome are worth any agony that you went through during the process. Priceless.
Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.
I think Mark Batterson sums up why we wait best in his new book, Soulprint: "Your day will come. In the meantime, don't short-cirucit His plans and purposes by taking shortcuts. God is setting you up. He is making divine appointments. But the bigger the opportunity, the longer it takes. The reason we get frustrated is because we think big without thinking long. That is a recipe for disappointment. Reevaluate your timeline. And be encouraged when it takes longer than you exprected. That simply means that God wants to do something immeasurabley more than all you can ask or imagine."
I'm learning the hard way, how to serve a crock-pot vs a microwave God. It can be very easy to sit here and write about it but a whole different thing to live it. So for those of you out there waiting, keep up the good fight. Don't give up or give in...let the Lord bring about His desired purpose in your life. You will be so glad you did! Waiting is hard, even when you trust in God's timing, but I've learned that anything worth waiting for, is totally worth that wait.
JOY
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
I Just Thought I Was There to Shop!
I once read a quote by Rick Warren that said, "the most dangerous prayer that you can pray is GOD USE ME!" I have to say, I agree with him! Through my journey, that has been my cry to the Lord...use my struggles and my pain to glorify the Lord for His purposes. And you know, He most certainly has...doors have been opened for me to share what God has done in my life and speak about His grace and mercy over and over. Sometimes, this happens in a conventional way but at other times, the circumstances are random and very unusual. This weekend, I had one of those unusual, "chance" event type of experiences.
I was in Dallas running errands with some friends. I was in a store (that I wasn't even supposed to go in by the way...again, a random turn of events) and I had been helped but was waiting for the employee to get back to me. I was leaned up against a counter and a lady started commenting on how much she liked my purse, then my boots and then my jewelery...and from that, we struck up a conversation. I have a very nice, expensive purse and I joked to her that it was my "divorce present" to myself. Which then caused her to blurt out, "Are you happy?" And I answered back, "Yes, happier than I've ever been, but it has nothing to do with me or a divorce, but everything to do with God and what He has done in my life. I can take no credit for that happiness". No sooner than the words had left my mouth, big ol' tears started pouring down her face and I KNEW...this was God ordained and I was about to learn why I was really in this store. She proceeded to tell me that she couldn't even talk to her friends and tell them what she was telling me and no idea why she was telling me this but...she opened her heart and shared with me all about her marriage struggles and of course, by no coincidence, I had walked a very similar path and could relate with her hurts and disappointments and very real fears.
As I told her of God's redemptive work in my life through a situation that was similar and out of my control, she began to question me, not in a defensive way but in a searching way. She brought up these three points:
As I turned around, my friend was standing there with her mouth wide open wondering what the heck just happened. It was one of those surreal, God moments that you just can't make up. I even had to ask, "Did that just happen???" Yep, it did.
I've thought about that situation since and I realize over and over that nothing in this world is by chance. God placed me in her path for a very specific reason. I planted a seed and I will most likely never know what happens next. I prayed for her later that night for God to start to stir in her heart so she would come to find Him in her time of need. The funny thing is I had some tough things I had to do that day that I had been dreading, and I had prayed that morning for God to work it all out and for the day to be a success. I had confidence He was going to work out all the details, which He did...but I just didn't know that wouldn't be the best thing to happen to me during the day!
Every day, we have chances to speak to people and share our stories in just regular places, but we have to be open and looking for those moments. God wants to use ordinary people like me to carry His extraordinary message. It's the greatest pay it forward system in the world! Every single one of us has a story to tell but we must be open and honest and always looking for those divine opportunities. They are there, but often times we are just too busy to stop and give someone the time of the day, much less strike up a conversation with them. I could have easily said, "Thanks for the compliment", and turned my back on a complete stranger...so glad I didn't. Because in the end, I was blessed too and my faith was strengthened because I felt honored that God used me in that moment. He's watching and He's listening and He's answering my prayers. How cool is that?!
I knew there was a reason I bought that purse!!!
JOY
I was in Dallas running errands with some friends. I was in a store (that I wasn't even supposed to go in by the way...again, a random turn of events) and I had been helped but was waiting for the employee to get back to me. I was leaned up against a counter and a lady started commenting on how much she liked my purse, then my boots and then my jewelery...and from that, we struck up a conversation. I have a very nice, expensive purse and I joked to her that it was my "divorce present" to myself. Which then caused her to blurt out, "Are you happy?" And I answered back, "Yes, happier than I've ever been, but it has nothing to do with me or a divorce, but everything to do with God and what He has done in my life. I can take no credit for that happiness". No sooner than the words had left my mouth, big ol' tears started pouring down her face and I KNEW...this was God ordained and I was about to learn why I was really in this store. She proceeded to tell me that she couldn't even talk to her friends and tell them what she was telling me and no idea why she was telling me this but...she opened her heart and shared with me all about her marriage struggles and of course, by no coincidence, I had walked a very similar path and could relate with her hurts and disappointments and very real fears.
As I told her of God's redemptive work in my life through a situation that was similar and out of my control, she began to question me, not in a defensive way but in a searching way. She brought up these three points:
- I'm afraid of God and I don't think He likes me very much.
- I know a lot of people who go to church and they are NOT nice people.
- I don't understand why God allows bad things to happen to good people.
As I turned around, my friend was standing there with her mouth wide open wondering what the heck just happened. It was one of those surreal, God moments that you just can't make up. I even had to ask, "Did that just happen???" Yep, it did.
I've thought about that situation since and I realize over and over that nothing in this world is by chance. God placed me in her path for a very specific reason. I planted a seed and I will most likely never know what happens next. I prayed for her later that night for God to start to stir in her heart so she would come to find Him in her time of need. The funny thing is I had some tough things I had to do that day that I had been dreading, and I had prayed that morning for God to work it all out and for the day to be a success. I had confidence He was going to work out all the details, which He did...but I just didn't know that wouldn't be the best thing to happen to me during the day!
Every day, we have chances to speak to people and share our stories in just regular places, but we have to be open and looking for those moments. God wants to use ordinary people like me to carry His extraordinary message. It's the greatest pay it forward system in the world! Every single one of us has a story to tell but we must be open and honest and always looking for those divine opportunities. They are there, but often times we are just too busy to stop and give someone the time of the day, much less strike up a conversation with them. I could have easily said, "Thanks for the compliment", and turned my back on a complete stranger...so glad I didn't. Because in the end, I was blessed too and my faith was strengthened because I felt honored that God used me in that moment. He's watching and He's listening and He's answering my prayers. How cool is that?!
I knew there was a reason I bought that purse!!!
JOY
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Breakthroughs on a Caffeine Withdrawal
Recently, I went on an 21 day Daniel fast for a few reasons. One, I wanted to clear my mind and draw nearer to the Lord and seek some direction for issues in my life but two, I knew I needed to detoxify my body and be healthier. I wasn't as legalistic as an all out Daniel fast, which is basically a vegan diet, but during this period, I did give up meat, any sweets, caffeine (coffee, I really missed you!), fast foods, and alcohol, so for me, that's pretty restrictive. I wasn't perfect and I slipped a couple of times but all in all, I was on board. In the process of this fast, I was sick...to the point I just had no energy and was in bed or on the couch much of the time. I mean I was coming home and sleeping during my lunch break, because I was that zapped (so if you were a client that came in that week, excuse the bed head I must have been rockin' in the afternoons!) And on top of that, the weather was horribly cold at the same time. Do you know how hard it was to NOT have coffee, hot tea or hot chocolate when it is 20 degrees outside and you are coughing up a lung? Agony!
I know...I'm whining...! You can probably guess that my focus wasn't where it should have been by the way I'm moaning above. But there is a point to all of this, I promise!
I was discussing this fast with a friend and saying, "you know I haven't gotten as much out of it as I have when I've done an all out three day fast in the past". But in saying that, I had to think, had I really been as submitted and all in as I have before and really seeking God? The answer, sadly, would have to be no. I couldn't really expect to be hearing the voice of God when I'm laying on the couch watching movies, now could I? So, I was more than a little disappointed with myself but I thought, I'm going to finish strong. All is not lost! I then began to read a devotion regarding the fast and the message got my attention. I'm going to post some here for you to read:
I know...I'm whining...! You can probably guess that my focus wasn't where it should have been by the way I'm moaning above. But there is a point to all of this, I promise!
I was discussing this fast with a friend and saying, "you know I haven't gotten as much out of it as I have when I've done an all out three day fast in the past". But in saying that, I had to think, had I really been as submitted and all in as I have before and really seeking God? The answer, sadly, would have to be no. I couldn't really expect to be hearing the voice of God when I'm laying on the couch watching movies, now could I? So, I was more than a little disappointed with myself but I thought, I'm going to finish strong. All is not lost! I then began to read a devotion regarding the fast and the message got my attention. I'm going to post some here for you to read:
Food is a source of comfort for many. Pray that the God of compassion and all comfort will become your primary source of comfort. Ask Him to use this experience with suffering to remove anything in your life that has taken the Holy Spirit's place as your Comforter.
That smacked me right between the eyes! I've always known that I'm a stress eater and like comfort foods, as many do, BUT when you put it in that light, it made me take a step back. Why on earth would I try to replace the comfort of the Holy Spirit with food or anything else for that matter? That's absurb...but I see through this fast that's exactly what I've been doing at times. And to expand on that with an even broader stroke, how many times do we do anything BUT allow the Holy Spirit to comfort us? We work harder, longer hours, drink or smoke, some even do drugs, while others party, some have computer/TV addictions...basically anything but sitting still and allowing that peace that passes all understanding to wash over us.
Even Jesus relied on the Holy Spirit while tempted here on earth:
Luke 4:1-2
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
By following Jesus' lead (which by the way is always a good thing to do!), we see He had to rely on the Holy Spirit to get him through a VERY trying time (40 days without food? Be still my heart!) of physical and spiritual temptation. There's the example to follow.
Even Jesus relied on the Holy Spirit while tempted here on earth:
Luke 4:1-2
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
By following Jesus' lead (which by the way is always a good thing to do!), we see He had to rely on the Holy Spirit to get him through a VERY trying time (40 days without food? Be still my heart!) of physical and spiritual temptation. There's the example to follow.
Breakthrough!!! Guess clearing my brain of all that coffee did shake something loose finally. It may seem like a very basic thing but for me, it was a big eye opener. Once again, I'm doing the job and trying to run the show, but instead I should be allowing the Holy Spirit that control. Instead of self medicating with food or drink, I need to rely on the Great Comforter. If I'm tired, I don't need a jolt of caffeine...I need an infusion of the Holy Spirit! Why should I rely on me, myself and I, when I've got someone far greater to lean upon? It sounds so simplistic I know...but denying the flesh and walking in the Spirit can be really tough. Of course, the enemy is all too good to lead us in to some sort of temptation to numb ourselves and prevent us from turning to the Lord and tapping in to a real source of strength, power, and comfort that will last and not be fleeting. We walk around so many times just as zombies, never realizing what we are doing to our bodies, and even more specifically, WHY we are doing it in the first place.
Once again, even though my heart wasn't in the perfect place and I hadn't been perfect in my carrying out of the original plan, I'm so glad that God still used the experience to show me something very important and personal...even though it wasn't what I expected! That's grace people.
And by the way, who wants to buy me a steak?! :)
JOY
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Basketball and Life...How You Win
If you know me, you know I am an avid basketball fan. And, to add to that I'm a huge Dallas Mavericks basketball fan so I go to a lot of games and follow them closely. They've had a great start this season and have played so well that people had already started the whispers about "championship"...until last week. Last week, their star MVP forward, Dirk Nowitzki, went out of the game with what turned out to be a knee strain. He hasn't suited up since and he has been relegated to cheering the team on from the sidelines (and last night throwing out Tshirts!). And to add insult to injury, in the same week, they lost another star forward, Caron Butler, for the season due to a patellar tendon rupture that required surgery. There were also a few other players that missed a game here or there due to minor injuries. They even had to pull a player up out of the D League to suit up and play because they were that short on players. So all in all, a rough week for the ol' Mavs. They lost three games in a row that they should have won when they had only lost five games the ENTIRE season. I mean, that is a blow to your pride and ego whether you are a player, coach, owner or a fan. I'm sure that locker room was not a fun place to be after those games. Naysayers started saying that Dallas can't win without Dirk. But you know what happened? After a few losses, and I'm sure a lot of intense practices, the guys started to gel again and become a new team and hit a new stride. They've won the last two in a row and that's a huge boost to their morale.
Why do I write all of this? It's because I started thinking about basketball and how it relates to life and I've been drawing some parallels. That team could've easily said, "It's over, they are right...we can't win without Dirk or Caron". But instead, they regrouped, they didn't listen to the negative speak and they came out with a Can-Do attitude...even after some tough back-to-back losses. What doesn't beat you makes you stronger, right?! That's what being a team is all about and that's how champions are made...it's not one guy (although one really awesome guy helps!) that wins it, but it is a whole team. Championships aren't handed over but they are earned and many times won through some adversity along the way that caused real growth for the team. It's about positive attitude, picking yourself up when the chips are down, and turning a deaf ear to the negative attitude of the world. It's about flat refusing to be beat. It's about heart. It's about believing you can win. I predict that at the end of the season, they will look back and say not having Dirk in these few games was the best thing that could've happened to this team. Other guys have stepped up and done an outstanding job. When Dirk is back, that's just going to mean a much stronger team across the board.
Isn't that how life works when you think about it? We all go through tough times but it is very interesting how people handle perhaps the very same situation. Person #1 takes it all in stride and makes a bad situation a defining moment for them and a real touchstone in their life. They can look back and see that situation is what it took to make them who they are and they are better for it. Person #2, gives up, becomes negative and bitter and just loses hope and let's face it....never recover and they become a miserable person. They listen to those naysayers and they believe the negative and therefore it becomes true. What's the difference in the two? Because in this life, we are never promised an easy ride (and if you've bought that lie, you might want to ask for a return!)...in fact, quite the opposite. It all comes down to attitude, mental toughness and thinking Christ-like thoughts that I believe makes the difference. I believe your attitude can make you or break you as a person. I believe through hardships and trials, no matter how tough they are, that if you keep your identity in Christ and keep that positive attitude and don't give up, that you can and will grow through adversity. It's not easy and it's not fun and there will be some really tough, uphill days...but when you get to top of that mountain, how much sweeter the victory will be!
So with a New Year comes new attitudes and I want to encourage everyone to maybe make an attitude adjustment right now! Fill your mind with positive thoughts and beliefs and surround yourselves with those that do the same. Don't listen to the lies of the world but keep your thoughts Christ-centered. I believe...no I KNOW...it makes all the difference. Do you want to be Person #1 or Person #2? The choice is yours.
Attitude Is Everything!
JOY
PS GO MAVS!
Why do I write all of this? It's because I started thinking about basketball and how it relates to life and I've been drawing some parallels. That team could've easily said, "It's over, they are right...we can't win without Dirk or Caron". But instead, they regrouped, they didn't listen to the negative speak and they came out with a Can-Do attitude...even after some tough back-to-back losses. What doesn't beat you makes you stronger, right?! That's what being a team is all about and that's how champions are made...it's not one guy (although one really awesome guy helps!) that wins it, but it is a whole team. Championships aren't handed over but they are earned and many times won through some adversity along the way that caused real growth for the team. It's about positive attitude, picking yourself up when the chips are down, and turning a deaf ear to the negative attitude of the world. It's about flat refusing to be beat. It's about heart. It's about believing you can win. I predict that at the end of the season, they will look back and say not having Dirk in these few games was the best thing that could've happened to this team. Other guys have stepped up and done an outstanding job. When Dirk is back, that's just going to mean a much stronger team across the board.
Isn't that how life works when you think about it? We all go through tough times but it is very interesting how people handle perhaps the very same situation. Person #1 takes it all in stride and makes a bad situation a defining moment for them and a real touchstone in their life. They can look back and see that situation is what it took to make them who they are and they are better for it. Person #2, gives up, becomes negative and bitter and just loses hope and let's face it....never recover and they become a miserable person. They listen to those naysayers and they believe the negative and therefore it becomes true. What's the difference in the two? Because in this life, we are never promised an easy ride (and if you've bought that lie, you might want to ask for a return!)...in fact, quite the opposite. It all comes down to attitude, mental toughness and thinking Christ-like thoughts that I believe makes the difference. I believe your attitude can make you or break you as a person. I believe through hardships and trials, no matter how tough they are, that if you keep your identity in Christ and keep that positive attitude and don't give up, that you can and will grow through adversity. It's not easy and it's not fun and there will be some really tough, uphill days...but when you get to top of that mountain, how much sweeter the victory will be!
So with a New Year comes new attitudes and I want to encourage everyone to maybe make an attitude adjustment right now! Fill your mind with positive thoughts and beliefs and surround yourselves with those that do the same. Don't listen to the lies of the world but keep your thoughts Christ-centered. I believe...no I KNOW...it makes all the difference. Do you want to be Person #1 or Person #2? The choice is yours.
Attitude Is Everything!
JOY
PS GO MAVS!
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