I am praying people in our country wake up. We have been lulled to sleep by entertainment, materialism, vanity, the American dream - and it's all going to crash and burn before our very eyes. Time is running out.
My husband has been prophesying today's financial headlines for years. Everyone thought he was an extremist or a doomsayer - but it's all coming to pass. Our economy is a house of cards and it will all come tumbling down, sooner or later.
We can pretend to bail out upside down companies in our nation but it won't hold for long - we only have debt or tax dollars to do so - that's over $2,000 per person (man, woman and child) to pay the debt of overextended corporations.
DEBT is BAD. SIMPLE is BETTER. LESS is MORE. WAKE UP!! Your American Dream is a virtual reality. It's a fantasy. You don't really have what you think you have. PAY CASH. GET OUT OF DEBT. PROTECT WHAT YOU HAVE.
I have a friend who is a well-educated, beautiful, talented woman and you know what she did? She got a job at McDonald's!! She worked her fanny off to get her family out of debt. And now, THEY ARE DEBT FREE! She WORKED. GO figure. Most people I know are too lazy or prideful to take the low road and actually do the WORK. I love to hear her talk about scrubbing the toilets. SHE is one of my heros. I am so sick of empty words and lofty thinking.
Let's get real. Let's do what it takes. Let's be smart and stop looking to the government to bail us out of our personal debt. God will come near to those who APPLY HIS WORD to their daily lives - those who walk in wisdom - those who are willing to do the hard things when HE asks them to - when it becomes obvious that a money tree is NOT growing in the backyard.
What ever happened to the patriotic spirit that birthed this FREE nation? LIFE, LIBERTY and the PURSUIT of HAPPINESS? We've become more like socialist than FREE men and women. I just want to scream FREEDOM!!! over our nation.
Wake up from this dream. See the beauty of a nation FREE to do what we are called do. Don't cave to allowing BIG BROTHER to take care of you.
GET READY. There is a shaking going on and coming soon that will not only wake people in the spiritual - but in the natural, financial, educational, medical arenas as well.
USE WISDOM. Where is wisdom? All I see is wisdom of the world, wisdom of men. I don't see God's wisdom. The book of Proverbs is a great place to start.
watch this video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5tZc8oH--o
Friday, September 26, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
powerless
As we get ready to begin our third day without power, I am reminded of what powerlessness really feels like. It’s not everyday that I have the opportunity or misfortune (depending on your point of view) to experience being truly “out of control.”
Being without power can be kinda scary. Not scary – like oh no, I’m afraid I’m going to die!… but it gives you a weird or unusual feeling. We are so conditioned to be in control of everything – from the lights in our home to every pre-meditated activity. On a daily basis, we get to choose what we want, when we want, how we want, for as long as we want, with whomever we want, where we want. As Americans we decide our daily destiny – we are in control. We have such freedom.
But today, I don’t get to choose. I am being affected by my life circumstances and I must adjust, react, respond accordingly. I can’t just “do” what I want. I must surrender to the situation around me and do what I need to do to survive.
Surrender… control… common themes in the life of a Christian. Themes that I think set us apart from other religions. As Christians, we are given power by God, who gave up everything for us, to FREELY CHOOSE to love Him. We are not forced to serve Him. We are not required to do anything. We have the power to choose… to choose love, or to turn away.
And as we use this choice, this power, this freedom to CHOOSE to love God, to choose to give our lives to Him, to choose to serve Him because of our overwhelming love for Him… we choose to ultimately surrender to Him, to His will for us, to His plan.
It’s seems crazy, almost ironic – but it’s perfect irony – God’s wisdom… that we are given this power, choice, freedom so we can be voluntary lovers of God – free to choose to give up our power – to give the power back to God and to rely on Him completely.
How amazing? That the God of the Universe loves us so much that He would give up everything for us and in response we would choose to give it all back to Him out of our true love and devotion. A beautiful love story.
As I sit in the dark with no power wondering how long the battery on my laptop will last, I’m experiencing a familiar feeling. A feeling I remember as a child when I would be resting in Daddy’s arms as he carried me in from the car. After a long car trip, late at night, I would always pretend to be in a deep sleep so he would carry me up to my bed. I loved the feeling of being carried. I was completely safe, without a care, resting in my father’s arms – knowing that I would end up secure in my cozy bed. I wasn’t worried about a thing. I wasn’t unsure that he’d make it or wonder if he’d get lost. I knew HE was a good daddy and that he would put me exactly where I needed to be.
I think that’s the key to truly surrendering to God – you have to know who you Daddy is. If we are unsure that He really has our best interest at heart – or if it’s impossible for us to trust Him (b/c of past hurts by our own dad), we will struggle to “stay asleep” in his arms. We will choose to keep our eyes wide open – choosing with our freedoms to lead our own lives and remain in complete control. A choice He gives us.
I’m not saying that we don’t still have to make decisions and choices even after we surrender to God, of course we do. But I believe that if we surrender our lives to Him and willingly invite Him to carry us, we will have easier decisions and better outcomes than when we were carrying the full weight of our lives all by ourselves. And the best part is, that if we really trust Him, we can be confident that the decisions we make when we are surrendered to His will, will be better than we could ever imagine (maybe different - but for sure better.)
I love the scripture that I think illustrates this point - "Lean NOT on your OWN understanding, but in ALL your ways ACKNOWLEDGE Him and He will make your path STRAIGHT." Look to Him, surrender to His will and your life will be so much better than if you chose to do it your own way.
I think it’s good for me to be sitting here in the dark. Being without power can be a great time to rest in His arms. Jesus, I choose to surrender my life to you again – completely. Take control of me – every area of my heart and carry me wherever YOU want me to go. I trust you. I trust you want what’s best for me. I trust I will end up exactly where I need to be.
becoming powerless… by choice.
Being without power can be kinda scary. Not scary – like oh no, I’m afraid I’m going to die!… but it gives you a weird or unusual feeling. We are so conditioned to be in control of everything – from the lights in our home to every pre-meditated activity. On a daily basis, we get to choose what we want, when we want, how we want, for as long as we want, with whomever we want, where we want. As Americans we decide our daily destiny – we are in control. We have such freedom.
But today, I don’t get to choose. I am being affected by my life circumstances and I must adjust, react, respond accordingly. I can’t just “do” what I want. I must surrender to the situation around me and do what I need to do to survive.
Surrender… control… common themes in the life of a Christian. Themes that I think set us apart from other religions. As Christians, we are given power by God, who gave up everything for us, to FREELY CHOOSE to love Him. We are not forced to serve Him. We are not required to do anything. We have the power to choose… to choose love, or to turn away.
And as we use this choice, this power, this freedom to CHOOSE to love God, to choose to give our lives to Him, to choose to serve Him because of our overwhelming love for Him… we choose to ultimately surrender to Him, to His will for us, to His plan.
It’s seems crazy, almost ironic – but it’s perfect irony – God’s wisdom… that we are given this power, choice, freedom so we can be voluntary lovers of God – free to choose to give up our power – to give the power back to God and to rely on Him completely.
How amazing? That the God of the Universe loves us so much that He would give up everything for us and in response we would choose to give it all back to Him out of our true love and devotion. A beautiful love story.
As I sit in the dark with no power wondering how long the battery on my laptop will last, I’m experiencing a familiar feeling. A feeling I remember as a child when I would be resting in Daddy’s arms as he carried me in from the car. After a long car trip, late at night, I would always pretend to be in a deep sleep so he would carry me up to my bed. I loved the feeling of being carried. I was completely safe, without a care, resting in my father’s arms – knowing that I would end up secure in my cozy bed. I wasn’t worried about a thing. I wasn’t unsure that he’d make it or wonder if he’d get lost. I knew HE was a good daddy and that he would put me exactly where I needed to be.
I think that’s the key to truly surrendering to God – you have to know who you Daddy is. If we are unsure that He really has our best interest at heart – or if it’s impossible for us to trust Him (b/c of past hurts by our own dad), we will struggle to “stay asleep” in his arms. We will choose to keep our eyes wide open – choosing with our freedoms to lead our own lives and remain in complete control. A choice He gives us.
I’m not saying that we don’t still have to make decisions and choices even after we surrender to God, of course we do. But I believe that if we surrender our lives to Him and willingly invite Him to carry us, we will have easier decisions and better outcomes than when we were carrying the full weight of our lives all by ourselves. And the best part is, that if we really trust Him, we can be confident that the decisions we make when we are surrendered to His will, will be better than we could ever imagine (maybe different - but for sure better.)
I love the scripture that I think illustrates this point - "Lean NOT on your OWN understanding, but in ALL your ways ACKNOWLEDGE Him and He will make your path STRAIGHT." Look to Him, surrender to His will and your life will be so much better than if you chose to do it your own way.
I think it’s good for me to be sitting here in the dark. Being without power can be a great time to rest in His arms. Jesus, I choose to surrender my life to you again – completely. Take control of me – every area of my heart and carry me wherever YOU want me to go. I trust you. I trust you want what’s best for me. I trust I will end up exactly where I need to be.
becoming powerless… by choice.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
be a difference maker
I heard a really good message on Sunday from a good friend. He talked about embracing the “dare” God gives us to make a difference in this world. To do the radical, life-changing thing you’ve been called to do. It was great to be reminded that each one of us has the opportunity to affect and influence this world like no one else can. So, the question is... why aren't we?
Over the last several years, I’ve been studying the soul – the spiritual side of us that's inborn. The soul is sometimes defined as our desires, tendencies, drives, emotions, feelings… WHO we are when we arrive on the planet and WHO we become as a result of our life experience and the nurturing we receive. In scripture, soul is also translated “heart”.
So, what does an understanding of our heart have to do with us making a difference in this world? Well, I think it does.
Lately I’ve been reflecting on how much God cares about WHO we are. After all, He made us. He created everyone in His image with incredible uniqueness and special features. Each one is fearfully and wonderfully made. I’ve also been thinking about how important it is to God that we KNOW ourselves. He really likes who He created and He cares very much that we get to know who we are. This matters to Him. AND, until we discover the fullness of who He created us to be, it’s impossible for us to live out our destiny - to do the unique thing He created us to do in this life - to really be a difference maker.
There are lots of ways to get to know your true self. One of the most adventurous it to ask others! Ask those who live with you; those who see the good, the bad and the ugly; those who will be painfully honest. This is one of the most courageous ways toward true self-realization. Just ASK.
Another way I’ve experienced self-discovery is to ask GOD. After all, He made us and He knows us better than we know ourselves. He wants to reveal our true selves to us – to show us the beauty of who He created us to be. Just ASK Him – He will show you some amazing things about yourself - things you never knew.
I also love to use personality tests to help reveal individual preferences and strengths. These are not always the clearest, most effective indicators, but sometimes these tests reveal things in our hearts that are hidden or latent (asleep) that God wants to wake in us. I’ve taken the Myers-Briggs, the DiSC and most recently the Strength-Finder. Each one of these tests confirmed in me what I already kinda knew about myself – yet they highlighted aspects of who I am that I wasn’t thinking about or even consciously aware of. These results gave me license to embrace my strengths and to be more fully who I was created to be.
Becoming self-aware is a journey. I think aging helps. (Actually it’s something I’ve been pursuing since I was young girl. I’ve always had this internal desire to understand who I was – to know my strengths and my weaknesses. At 12 years old I remember my dad was saying that I was “far too deep for my age" and by my sophomore year of high school my language teacher would comment on my introspective ways when she saw me reading Eric Fromm’s I’m OK, You’re OK. - Yeah, I know, kinda weird.)
Another way to confirm who you are is to have someone tell you the exact opposite! Oftentimes we are more sure of who we AREN'T than of who we ARE. Once when I was in church leadership I was operating in my weakness. I had become "militant" and overwhelmed. I was maxed out. During that time, I had a close friend tell me that maybe I was mainly administrative and not really a very relational person. WOW!! What a blow. That comment cut me to the quick. Not because it was necessarily mean-spirited, but because I knew it was the farthest thing from the truth. I was all about relationship. I love people. All I want to do is relate to people. How could she see the very opposite in me? I was operating out of my weaknesses. The role I was in was overwhelming me – wearing me out and taking so much emotional energy due to the intense administrative detail. I was becoming who I was not! It happens. Thank God that this comment was a wake up call for me and I stepped down from my position and took some time to just BE. God restored me, my heart, my relational soul and I moved on. And as a result, I am now even more convinced of who I truly AM and who God had created me to be.
How will this self-discovery process help us become a difference maker? Well, the more we know ourselves, our strengths, our weaknesses – the more we will have clarity on what we've been called to do to make an impact in the world. For example, I am certainly not called to make a difference by solving calculus problems or curing cancer. These challenges require a different type of person – someone who is gifted in ways I’m not.
Knowing who we truly are is a lifelong process – but so worth the effort. How many people have you seen wasting years of their life doing things that required them to spend their energy overcoming their weaknesses instead of operating out of their strengths? Far too many, I'm sure.
That's why I'm passionate about this topic. Understanding ourselves, our hearts, our calling is key to a successful life. We will live frustrated, unfulfilled lives if we refuse to see the truth about ourselves. We need to know where we are weak and where we are strong. We must embace our strengths, ask God to cover our weaknesses, and open ourselves up to be fully transformed by the love of Christ. That's the way to the abundant life Jesus offers us - the Way to a transformed, impactful, significant life.
AND, I LOVE doing what I’m good at. Who doesn’t? Who doesn’t get completely jazzed accomplishing some level of greatness or impact? However, this only comes when we move in our gifts – when we’ve worked to develop our natural strengths into real talent. And, we must first walk down that road of self-discovery for a few miles. We need to see the truth about who we are and who we aren’t. Not everyone can do everything WELL. And that’s ok. Sometimes effort is not ALL we need. God created each one different to fulfill a unique and special purpose in His world.
so now... who are you?
Over the last several years, I’ve been studying the soul – the spiritual side of us that's inborn. The soul is sometimes defined as our desires, tendencies, drives, emotions, feelings… WHO we are when we arrive on the planet and WHO we become as a result of our life experience and the nurturing we receive. In scripture, soul is also translated “heart”.
So, what does an understanding of our heart have to do with us making a difference in this world? Well, I think it does.
Lately I’ve been reflecting on how much God cares about WHO we are. After all, He made us. He created everyone in His image with incredible uniqueness and special features. Each one is fearfully and wonderfully made. I’ve also been thinking about how important it is to God that we KNOW ourselves. He really likes who He created and He cares very much that we get to know who we are. This matters to Him. AND, until we discover the fullness of who He created us to be, it’s impossible for us to live out our destiny - to do the unique thing He created us to do in this life - to really be a difference maker.
There are lots of ways to get to know your true self. One of the most adventurous it to ask others! Ask those who live with you; those who see the good, the bad and the ugly; those who will be painfully honest. This is one of the most courageous ways toward true self-realization. Just ASK.
Another way I’ve experienced self-discovery is to ask GOD. After all, He made us and He knows us better than we know ourselves. He wants to reveal our true selves to us – to show us the beauty of who He created us to be. Just ASK Him – He will show you some amazing things about yourself - things you never knew.
I also love to use personality tests to help reveal individual preferences and strengths. These are not always the clearest, most effective indicators, but sometimes these tests reveal things in our hearts that are hidden or latent (asleep) that God wants to wake in us. I’ve taken the Myers-Briggs, the DiSC and most recently the Strength-Finder. Each one of these tests confirmed in me what I already kinda knew about myself – yet they highlighted aspects of who I am that I wasn’t thinking about or even consciously aware of. These results gave me license to embrace my strengths and to be more fully who I was created to be.
Becoming self-aware is a journey. I think aging helps. (Actually it’s something I’ve been pursuing since I was young girl. I’ve always had this internal desire to understand who I was – to know my strengths and my weaknesses. At 12 years old I remember my dad was saying that I was “far too deep for my age" and by my sophomore year of high school my language teacher would comment on my introspective ways when she saw me reading Eric Fromm’s I’m OK, You’re OK. - Yeah, I know, kinda weird.)
Another way to confirm who you are is to have someone tell you the exact opposite! Oftentimes we are more sure of who we AREN'T than of who we ARE. Once when I was in church leadership I was operating in my weakness. I had become "militant" and overwhelmed. I was maxed out. During that time, I had a close friend tell me that maybe I was mainly administrative and not really a very relational person. WOW!! What a blow. That comment cut me to the quick. Not because it was necessarily mean-spirited, but because I knew it was the farthest thing from the truth. I was all about relationship. I love people. All I want to do is relate to people. How could she see the very opposite in me? I was operating out of my weaknesses. The role I was in was overwhelming me – wearing me out and taking so much emotional energy due to the intense administrative detail. I was becoming who I was not! It happens. Thank God that this comment was a wake up call for me and I stepped down from my position and took some time to just BE. God restored me, my heart, my relational soul and I moved on. And as a result, I am now even more convinced of who I truly AM and who God had created me to be.
How will this self-discovery process help us become a difference maker? Well, the more we know ourselves, our strengths, our weaknesses – the more we will have clarity on what we've been called to do to make an impact in the world. For example, I am certainly not called to make a difference by solving calculus problems or curing cancer. These challenges require a different type of person – someone who is gifted in ways I’m not.
Knowing who we truly are is a lifelong process – but so worth the effort. How many people have you seen wasting years of their life doing things that required them to spend their energy overcoming their weaknesses instead of operating out of their strengths? Far too many, I'm sure.
That's why I'm passionate about this topic. Understanding ourselves, our hearts, our calling is key to a successful life. We will live frustrated, unfulfilled lives if we refuse to see the truth about ourselves. We need to know where we are weak and where we are strong. We must embace our strengths, ask God to cover our weaknesses, and open ourselves up to be fully transformed by the love of Christ. That's the way to the abundant life Jesus offers us - the Way to a transformed, impactful, significant life.
AND, I LOVE doing what I’m good at. Who doesn’t? Who doesn’t get completely jazzed accomplishing some level of greatness or impact? However, this only comes when we move in our gifts – when we’ve worked to develop our natural strengths into real talent. And, we must first walk down that road of self-discovery for a few miles. We need to see the truth about who we are and who we aren’t. Not everyone can do everything WELL. And that’s ok. Sometimes effort is not ALL we need. God created each one different to fulfill a unique and special purpose in His world.
so now... who are you?
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