There is No One

(Flickr Creative Commons - epSos.de)

There is no one who loves me the way He loves me.

Even when I am unlovable. Even when I think I can make it without Him. Even when I am absent and far from Him. Even when I am rude and selfish and ugly and full of  pride. He loves me.

There is no one who knows me the way He knows me.

When I am lonely, He knows. When my heart is broken but my face still smiles, He knows. When I am overwhelmed or lost or afraid or discouraged. He knows every single thing about me, even when I don't say it out loud. He knows me better than I know myself.

There is no one who completes me the way He completes me.

No matter how hard I search, nothing I find will fulfill the place that was meant for Him. There is a place inside me created for His presence, His spirit. It is molded and shaped for His character and His love. Nothing else fits there the way He does. Completely. Wholly. Perfectly. When I am undone, He is my missing piece.

(Flickr Creative Commons - Nattu)

There is no one who will ever love you the way He loves you.

Jesus loves us so much that He died for us. He gave His life for us. Even in our sin, He loves and offers forgiveness. His love for us is unconditional. It is difficult to understand how someone could love us this much and never change. But He does. Even now, where you are at this very moment, near Him or far from Him...He. Loves. You.

"But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us." Romans 5:8

There is no one who will ever know you the way He knows you.

He knows every detail about your life. He knows your thoughts, your dreams, your hopes, your fears, your sins, your sadness, your loneliness. He. Knows. You. There is nothing that can be hidden from Him.

"O LORD, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me.
²You know my downsitting and my uprising; You understand my thought afar off.
³You sift and search out my path and my lying down, and You are acquainted with all my ways.
⁴For there is not a word in my tongue [still unuttered], but, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
⁵You have beset me and shut me in--behind and before, and You have laid Your hand upon me.
⁶Your [infinite] knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high above me, I cannot reach it.
⁷Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence?
⁸If I ascend up into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol (the place of the dead), behold, You are there.
⁹If I take the wings of the morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
¹⁰Even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.
¹¹If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me and the night shall be [the only] light about me,
¹²Even the darkness hides nothing from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.
¹³For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother's womb." Psalm 139:1-13

There is no one or nothing who will ever fulfill you the way He fulfills you.

He is your missing piece. He is what you've been searching for all this time. It's not your spouse, your boyfriend/girlfriend, your children, your job, more finances, a better car, a newer house, another drink, another party, more friends, your local church. It. Is. Him. If you are incomplete and unfulfilled, if there is an emptiness you can't seem to fill, He is what you've been looking for.

"Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth. It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone." Ephesians 1:7-12 (The Message)

God Still Speaks & I'm Making a Garden

I love how God created living things to reproduce and grow and display His majesty. And I love how He speaks through His creation.

I can hear praise when the birds sing. I can feel Him in the wind and see His glory in the clouds.

Sometimes I get overwhelmed with His presence and overcome with love and emotion and no words have even been spoken.

I love how He does that.

I love how He loves us.

And I love how He still speaks.

For years now, I have helped my dad with "the family" garden. I have watched him year after year work faithfully and diligently to bring forth a harvest to bless our family.

Today, my husband and I started the process of turning our daughter's retired hog pen area into our very own garden. We are going to start small, but we are so excited.

I know God is going to speak to us through this whole experience.

I am expecting to hear Him.

While we were pulling weeds, hoeing, and raking, Logan surprised us with some blackberries he found along the fence line and at the edge of the horse pasture. God is so good. Can't you smell the blackberry cobbler already? ;)

After a couple of hours of hard labor, we had our new garden area free of grass and roots. We are going to bring in some new soil and finish preparing our foundation. Once the foundation is complete, we are going to plant tomatoes (for canned salsa), various peppers (for canning, also), and cucumbers (for bread and butter pickles). We may add one or two more plants, but we aren't quite sure just yet.

I can't wait to post more pics as we go and share what God is speaking.

Do you have a garden? I would love to hear what you are growing and if you do any canning or freezing. :)

Blessings, my sweet friends!

xoxo
Shelly

Today I am linking with Jen and the Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood :)

Happy Easter!

Below are links to three Easter posts I wrote last year:

Day One: Crucify Him!

Day Two: Is Jesus Really Gone?

Day Three: Jesus Has Risen!

Happy Easter, friends!

Crucify Him!

I close my eyes and I can see the trail left in the dirt.

I can hear the shuffling of His feet.

The sun beating down, the crowd unrelenting.

"Crucify Him!"....(click here to read the rest of this post)

Dare to Be YOU

The other day I was considering my life in the moment. Isn't it funny how we go through seasons and stages and up and downs and failures and successes and sometimes never learn what God is trying to teach us?

Rarely satisfied and often discontented, we are unable to live our lives fully and take advantage of opportunities right in the palm of our hands. We compare ourselves to other people and yearn for what we don't have.

Yes, I do that sometimes.

We can get so caught up in who we are NOT that we forget who we ARE.

We can spend so much time thinking about what we DON'T have that we forget what we DO have..

I read this quote this morning:

"Most successful men have not achieved their distinction by having some new talent or opportunity presented to them. They have developed the opportunity that was at hand." ~Bruce Barton

What opportunities has God laid before you?

What are you holding in your hand, refusing to release?

Honor God today by using the gifts and talents you already have.

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us..." Romans 12:6a

Don't long to be like someone else, dare to be who God created YOU to be!

I'm rootin' for ya, sisters (and brothers)! But more than that, God is cheering you on!

And remember, God is always speaking. But if we are not listening, we won't hear Him. Position yourselves to hear from the King of Kings today! He longs to tell you great things!

Really, He does. :)

"Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
- Jeremiah 33:3

Photo credit: Ian Burt - Flickr Creative Commons

Won't You Join Me on the Swing?

Sixty whole minutes before time to pick Taylor up from the high school. I didn't want to drive home and have to come right back, so we headed to the city park. It would provide a much better waiting area than the school parking lot.

Logan bounced from the Tahoe and went straight for the playground and I, gifted with an hour of leisure (or so I thought), found the perfect spot on the grass for my blanket and books.

I tried to read a few sentences between glances at my wandering seven year old, but my mind had shifted into mama mode making it difficult to concentrate or retain any information other than what pertained to my little man. From the jungle gym to the monkey bars to the merry-go-round and finally to the swings.

Faster and higher and higher and higher.

As a kid, I remember swinging as high as the swing would go, pushing and stretching it to its limits and then jumping off. I remember the excitement and exhilaration I felt as I climbed as high as possible and then contemplated the exact time I should jump. I don't remember being afraid or even getting hurt.

But as I watched Logan do the same thing I did so many years ago, all I could think was, "Oh no, be careful! Not so high! Watch out!"

Where had my excitement gone? Where was the risk taker and girl who wanted to test limits and boundaries and gravitational force?

It seems part of growing up and "maturing" is learning to be afraid, learning to be safe, and learning to accept mediocrity. Now, I know there is an argument on the flip side about how all this is good, because certainly it is wise to be safe. But today, I am exploring the possibilities and opportunities often missed because we are too scared to move out of our comfort zone - our "norm" - and take a chance at greatness. We refuse to take risks because...what if...?

For me, attending my first writer's conference last summer was scary. Getting on a plane and traveling from Texas to North Carolina (without my hubby by my side), sharing meals and attending classes with six hundred women I had never met before, going face to face with two publishing houses for a fifteen minute pitch, sharing space with Lysa Terkeurst, Renee Swope, Ann Voskamp and countless others who are national and international speakers and published authors, having breakfast on the last day with two new friends and finding out one was working on her thirtieth book (yes, 3-0)...all this is a little intimidating.  Hang on I'm hyperventilating....be right back....

Ok.

Deep breath.

Sorry, I just remembered I'm signed up to attend again this summer and got a little anxious.

I also remembered I'm taking the speaker's track this year (plus writing classes and meetings) and will have to prepare two short speeches to be critiqued.

Have mercy.

When we refuse to break away from the norm (if God is asking us to do so) and live a dream, write a book, produce a CD, enter a contest, accept a speaking engagement, lead the local PTA or PIE at our child's school, facilitate a Bible study, start a business, coach a team, use our gifts as more than hobbies, change careers or accept another job, we could be missing out on God's plans and purposes.

God often asks us to do things outside of our own ability so His glory and strength and power can be known and displayed through our lives.

Don't listen to the voice that says you can't do it.

We may not all slay lions and fight giants and conquer cities or publish books, but He desires to use each of us to bring His glory to the earth and build His Kingdom (not our own) in one way or another. For some that may mean praying bold prayers and interceding for people you don't know, for others it may mean:

• raising Godly leaders for the next generation 
• being a voice in your community
• teaching children's church
• encouraging those who are hurting
• praying for someone in the grocery store
• going on a mission trip
• trying out for American Idol or The Voice - vote for Raelynn! :)

I haven't jumped off the swing yet, but I'm swinging. My stomach is queasy and I feel excitement building. I'm a little nervous, but I think that's ok. As long as I don't plant my feet in the ground and refuse to swing (I've been known to leave skidmarks).

Is God asking you to do something out of your comfort zone?

Is He asking you to move forward with something, to take action?

Let me take some pressure off and put your mind at ease. You can't do it. Nope. But He can do it through you. And that's exactly what He wants to do.

Won't you join me on the swings? I'll let you jump first. ;)

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

Linking with Jen and the Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood

Life-Ministry

Ministry... It has known various forms in my lifetime thus far. Youth ministry, women’s ministry, children’s ministry, writing ministry, Bible study leader, etc.

But aside from all the descriptive titles and positions held, isn’t LIFE just…ministry?

Life-ministry?

It’s all encompassing.

And it speaks truth more than words written or words spoken or name plaques sitting on desks.

Actions really do speak louder than words (Some clichés are worthy of repeating.)

This life-ministry of mine, of yours, has a message.

What is my life-message?

Is it the words I write, the words I speak, the words I live? Are they the same?

When I share Proverbs 15:1 with my children do my actions confirm my message?

Am I a friend who loves at all times?

When I encourage others to keep going when the job feels too big, do I take those words for myself?

When I write of putting our hope in God instead of other things, do I?

Do I live as though in all things God really does work for my good?

True belief birthed on the inside is lived on the outside.

At church.

At home.

In Wal-Mart.

This morning, Dennis Rainey shared great wisdom on the radio. "We cannot lie and then demand truth from our children (or anyone else). We cannot cheat and then discipline the cheater."

Ministry is not separate from life. It is life.

Christianity is not lived in the church. It is lived.

What is YOUR life message?

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Photo credit: Flickr creative commons - lhar

Just Give Up

"The thing that is really hard and really amazing is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself."

Anna Quindlen

When I found this quote I was in the middle of a raging, internal battle. After years of people-pleasing and doing what I thought I was supposed to do, I suddenly found myself tired, confused, unfulfilled, without direction, and distant from God. Upon the realization that I had lived a large part of my life trying to be who I thought people wanted me to be and trying to be perfect, I was forced to see me behind the masks.

But guess what?....(to finish reading this post, please join me at Teri's Place, Keeping it Personal, where I am her guest today.)

**Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commmons - Balaji B

Crowned World's Greatest Mother

(For the next couple of weeks I will be re-posting some of my previous posts to give me time to finish a writing project I am currently working on. This post is from November 3, 2010.)

Sorry ladies. I'm the greatest mom.

Logan said so, and he's one smart 5 year old. ;)

What on earth did I do to deserve this noble award, you might ask?

I simply made pancakes for breakfast and provided some warm comfy jogging pants for him to wear on this cold, rainy morning.

Not every morning can be this storybook perfect, though.

Some mornings, it seems that no matter what I do, I cannot please him. Getting up at 5:30 a.m. is not always easy for a 5 year old (or a thirty-something year old!!). On mornings like these I quickly find that I am in desperate need of an extra shot of grace with my coffee and a side of patience with my breakfast.

Why is it that even though I make breakfast every morning and have never sent him to school naked, my similar efforts are met with such different attitudes on any given morning?

This morning I was praised to the highest degree...crowned world's greatest mother and clothed in gratitude and appreciation!

Other times, not so much.

Sometimes my efforts, provision and love go unnoticed. There is no appreciation, no thanksgiving and definitely no crown to be found. Instead, I am met with all the reasons why he doesn't want to go to school, whining and complaining about how early it is and sometimes I even get a little feet stomping with arms crossed and lips pouting! ;)

I guess he sometimes forgets that I am the greatest mother.

How often do we - like our children with us - take for granted that God is going to provide for us and meet our every need? Or forgive us? Or heal us?

Do we just expect that His mercy is new every morning and think it's no big deal?

Has He become "common" and familiar to us?

Have we replaced praise, thanksgiving and gratitude with grumbling, complaining and whining?

Let us get up tomorrow with praise on our lips and thanksgiving in our heart for the One who is truly the greatest! Let us recognize His goodness and mercy in our life and remember that it really is a big deal. :)

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name, For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations." Psalm 100:4-5

Stand At Attention

(For the next couple of weeks I will be re-posting some of my previous posts to give me time to finish a writing project I am currently working on. This post is from March 22, 2011)

This weekend during our Sunday morning service the presence of the Lord could be felt from the very beginning. All through worship the holiness of God was proclaimed by those with hands lifted high, voices singing, sacrifices of praise offered to the King of Kings....the Holy Spirit moved down the aisles of the sanctuary tugging at heavy hearts and giving invitations to come.

Healing and restoration....free gifts to all who would have the courage to receive.

The order of service was changed more than once. I am grateful for a Pastor who hears and is not afraid to obey. And I am thankful to those who so bravely shared some of the most intimate details of their lives and allowed God to use their testimonies to bring encouragement, deliverance and renewal to so many.

The Bible tells us that one way the enemy is overcome is "by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of (our) testimony..." (Revelation 12:11).

While meditating on the events of our Sunday morning service, I felt like I heard the phrase "Stand At Attention." I knew this was a military term, but was prompted to look up its exact meaning. (All you military experts out there, give me some grace :)

• Standing upright with an assertive and correct posture: famously "chin up, chest out, shoulders back, stomach in".
• Arms fixed at the side, thumb or middle finger parallel to trouser or skirt seam, depending on military drill specifics.
• "Eyes front": head and eyes locked in a fixed forward posture. Ideally eyes unmoving fixated on a distant object. Blank facial expression.
• Keeping the heels together, toes apart
• No speech, facial or bodily movements except when as required by military drill
  (source)

When you look closely, the spiritual significance is obvious. 

We are the army of the Lord. 

God is calling us to STAND AT ATTENTION.

• We are to stand upright (raised or directed vertically or upward; righteous, honest and just), with an assertive (confidently aggressive or self assured) and correct posture. 1 Corinthians 16:13 ~ "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong."
• With our arms fixed at our side (removing all distractions of busyness)
• With our eyes locked forward (keeping our eyes on Him) and a blank facial expression (not literally , of course, but being unmoved and unaffected by our circumstances)
• Heels together, toes apart (He always has a certain order and way of doing things...although we may not understand or things may not always make sense, obedience is essential)
• Speaking and moving only as commanded (God, let us learn to move only when you say move and speak when you say speak...)

Another phrase I heard was "A Call to Arms." This is a command to war, to arm with weapons, a calling or grouping together to fight.

As we inch closer to the return of Christ, there is an enemy preparing to advance with intentions to kill and destroy.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of his world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).

The general orders are the same.

God is asking that we be ready. Stand at attention and be ready.

And in our waiting, righteousness calls and holiness commands obedience.

But our specific instructions will vary according to the gifts God has placed on the inside of us.

We wait for the signal to advance...just as those who came forward and shared their testimonies Sunday morning and just as those who were ready to pray for all who responded to the invitation.

The enemy is already being overcome.

Old systems of religion are being broken down.

His Kingdom is being established on the Earth.

Often, the battle may prove fierce, the enemy unrelenting, but our victory is certain if we answer the call.

We must resist the temptation to lay down our (spiritual) weapons.

"For the weapons of our warfare are not physical (weapons of flesh and blood), but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of stronghold.." 2 Corinthians 10:4 Amp).

Let our only thought of surrender be to the Captain of the Host, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the One Who has assured us we are not standing alone or fighting in our own strength.

Stand at attention. Be ready.

Hear the command.

Receive your instructions .

He is calling each of us to do our part.

"For You have girded me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me and caused to bow down those who rose up against me" (Psalm 18:39).

Photo Credit: Flickr creative commons: US Army Africa

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Linking today with Jen for Soli Deo Gloria and Michele for Hear it on Sunday Use it on Monday.

The Tragedy of the Unopened Gift

It's so easy to get complacent and comfortable and self-absorbed and stuck in our routines until we eventually just...exist. No plans, no vision, no purpose, no desire to make a difference.

God has given each of us specific gifts and talents and abilities. He has entrusted us with a sphere of influence, a people waiting to know God through our emptying. Through our pouring out what has been deposited, not only are we re-filled and refreshed and strengthened, but other hearts are mended and souls are restored because.

Those assigned to our sphere of influence are waiting for us to do something.

But the choice remains ours.

The Tragedy of the Unopened Gift

To sinful patterns of behavior that never get confronted and changed,
Abilities and gifts that never get cultivated and deployed,
Until weeks become months
And months turn into years
And one day you're looking back to a life of
Deep, intimate, gut-wrenchingly honest conversations you never had;
Great bold prayers you never prayed,
Exhilarating risks you never took,
Sacrificial gifts you never offered,
Lives you never touched,
And you're sitting in a recliner with a shriveled soul,
And forgotten dreams, and you realize there was a world of desperate need,
And a great God calling you to be part of something bigger than yourself-
You see the person you could have become but did not;
You never followed your calling.
You never got out of the boat.
-Gregg Levoy

A few years ago I was teaching a bible study in my home and I ran across this poem. I used it in our introductory session as a reminder that each of us have a purpose and can make a difference, but we also have the choice not to. We have to encourage ourselves (as David did) and live each day with purpose, take risks, love, remember our dreams, and open the gifts that God has placed on the inside of you (and me!)!!! Don't wait until the end of your life and see the person you COULD have become, be that person now.

Write that book.

Start that business or non-profit.

Paint those beautiful images God has given you.

Speak your testimony.

Sing. Act. Dance. Create.

Serve. Help. Exhort. Pray.

Do.

Something.

The gift has been given.

It's time to share it.

(Photo Source: Flickr Creative Commons: asenat29)
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Linking with Jen and the Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood. You should join the party :)

Also joining graceful Michelle :)

Will You Consider Your Influence?

I was thinking today of the great ability we have to influence others. This tool that has been placed in our hands has super-power characteristics and super-natural capabilities. Within our own sphere of influence lies a variety of people: adults, children, teenagers, married couples, young singles, babies, recovering alcoholics, those on the verge of breakdown, those contemplating suicide, the abused, the abusers, those about to make a life-changing decision, those whose life will end tomorrow, etc.

What kind of influence are you having?

We come in contact with other people daily. Our words, our actions, our expressions, and even our attitude can have a profound effect on someone.

Is someone better, healthier, stronger because of their encounter with you?

Everywhere we go, someone’s life is hanging in the balance. A war is being waged against someone’s soul. A battle for eternity is at hand.

Do your words and your actions point them to Jesus or do they confirm the world’s values?

It’s easy to say what we believe, but when faced with certain situations, do we live those same beliefs?

If you were unable to speak, would your actions give the same message?

Do the photos and statuses you share on Facebook confirm your message?

What is your message?

In light of some tragic and life-changing events that have happened over the last couple of years in our community, I find myself asking more often what my influence is. Am I making a difference? Does my life speak of good without words? Do my words bring life or encourage death?

People young and old are watching. Men and women hurting and broken are searching. Teenagers misguided and alone are looking for examples. Children’s lives are being molded by their environment and the things they see and hear.

Will you consider your influence?

It’s affecting the world.

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Photo Credit: Anthony Kelly - flickr creative commons

What Are You Looking For?

(flickr creative commons - katieb50)

We’ve all heard the saying, “If it had been a snake, it would’ve bit you!”

The “it” referred to in this common cliché is the subject of our search, the thing or answer we are looking for but can’t seem to find, the understanding we desire but can’t seem to grasp.

And then when we do find “it,” we realize “it” had been practically right in front of our face.

Have you ever looked for something frantically only to be startled at its proximity to your original starting point?

Like the time I appeared as a mad woman searching my house for my cell phone while talking on it?

Or this morning, when I sat down quickly to apply my makeup and discovered my blush was missing…except it was sitting on my lap…right where I put it when I first sat down?

Sometimes what we are looking for is in plain sight but we don’t “see” it.

Maybe we are in a hurry and not paying attention.

Maybe we are not fully in the moment for whatever reason.

Or maybe we know it’s there but don’t acknowledge it as the answer to our question or the one thing that could satisfy our deepest longing.

And often the answer to our question or the solution to our problem lies waiting in our asking.

How can we receive an answer to a question we refuse to ask? How can we find something if we cannot see? Or how can we expect the right answer if we are asking the wrong person?

The Bible says in Hebrews 4: 16 (AMP), “Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].

What is it you long for today?

Do you have questions or anxieties or problems that need to  be answered?


Do you long to be loved unconditionally?

 

Do you have sins that need to be forgiven?

Still waiting for peace and comfort amidst your trying circumstances?

Maybe you’re looking in the wrong places.

Maybe what you’re searching for has been with you all along.

“… for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, “ Hebrews 13:5b.

“Keep on asking and it will be given you; [b] keep on seeking and you will find; [c]keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you,” Matthew 7:7.

How can I pray with you today, friends?

Five Creative Ways to Share the Love of God in February

When you think of Valentine's Day you probably have visions of cupid aiming his arrow, romantic dinners, bouquets of roses and candy hearts that say "I love you." But apart from all the hoopla and at the very center of it's message, February 14th is about showing someone you love them.

And since God IS LOVE, why not use the month of February to take extra time letting others know how much HE loves them?

Although there are countless numbers of ways to do this, I have listed five to help get the ideas flowing:

1. Make scripture "love notes" to pass out. Leave them for your waiter along with your tip, hand them to the cashier as you go through your favorite fast food place, leave on a co-worker's desk, pass to a stranger, etc.
2. Pay it forward. Do something nice for a stranger without expecting anything in return, only that they "pay it forward" and do something nice for someone else. Leave an encouraging note or scripture with your act of kindness.
3. Invite someone to lunch for the purpose of exhorting and encouraging them (think of someone who has had a bad week).
4. Send out a mass email offering to pray for any needs or requests for those who respond.
5. Play "Secret Santa" and give God the credit. Bless someone with a gift and leave an anonymous note that says, "Jesus loves you or God's thoughts of you today are too many to count."

Notice how each of these is used as a tool to remind people of the love of God (or maybe let them know for the first time). The purpose is not to bring glory or recognition to ourselves, but to Him alone.

Do you have any creative outreach ideas you'd like to share?

"I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another," (John 13:34).

Joining today with Jen and the Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood :)

Top Five Consequences of Over-planning

Courtney Dirks (flickr creative commons)

My last post, "Top Five Consequences of Poor Planning," has inevitably led me to this one.

On the flip side to poor planning lies over-planning.

Some of you know this side quite well, as noted in the comments on my previous post (not naming any names but hers starts with J).

And yes, even I, the sometimes poor planner, can work myself right into over-planning. Actually, I'm quite good at it. So good at, in fact, the title of my book I am currently working on is Over-planned & Unfulfilled. It has guided much of my life, right up there with busy-ness (again, not naming any names but someone else knows about this one, too).

I know this is a little odd, that I am affected by not just one but both of these. Call it split personality or what you may, God certainly has His hands full with the likes of me.

The Bible clearly recognizes this problem of over-planning so I'm certain I'm not alone.

• Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps."

• And Proverbs 19:21 again exposes the issue, "There are many plans in a man’s heart," but reminds us that God is in control, "Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand."

God's call to surrender often requires that we let go of pre-made plans and ideas or solutions and remedies of our own making. If we hold on too tightly to those plans, trusting in our own ability and wisdom rather than relying fully on Him, we are certain to face some consequences.

• We have more stress and anxiety. When we rely on our own efforts to handle a problem or issue, we create undue stress and anxiety. Trust that no matter how big the problem is, God is in control, "...we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." 2 Chronicles 20:12.
• Our lives cannot declare His good works. How can we declare His works when we are trying to do all the work in our own strength? Psalms 73:28 says, "...it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works."
• Our strength, hope, and faith become small. We can wear ourselves out physically, mentally, and emotionally trying to do it all, have it all, and fix it all. Sometimes we need to let go and trust. "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint," Isaiah 40:31.
• We miss important instructions. God has given us wisdom and trusts us to make good decisions, but what if He wants to move in a different direction? What if He suddenly changes things up, opens a door, or interrupts your schedule? Can you lay down your plans for His? "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6.
• Our problems and circumstances appear bigger than God. Without complete surrender, we are sending the message that our problems are too big for God. When we choose to surrender and recognize His authority and strength He is able to move.

JosephPete (flickr creative commons)

There are a hundred other points I could list. Our inability to let go of our plans and embrace His truly affect every area of our lives (and not in a good way). We must remain flexible, willing to move, and surrendered.

Even when we don't want to.

Even when we don't understand.

Even when our idea is brilliant.

Even when His doesn't make sense.

Even when it hurts.

Even when _________________.

I am praying today you (and I) have the courage to kneel and the power to surrender. His plans are so much greater than ours, friends. love, Shelly

"Lead me in Your truth and teach me,


For You are the God of my salvation;


On You I wait all the day,"

Psalms 25:5.

Top Five Consequences of Poor Planning

Photo Credit - flickr

Poor planning can lead to all sorts of problems. And if you're anything like me, you have your own Top Five list from personal experience. These are mine:

• Missed Opportunities. Many times I have come across great opportunities with every intention of participating. But if I don't write them down or put them on my calendar, guess what? I miss out. Dates are forgotten and deadlines are missed. Who knows what could have happened?

• Miscommunication. I have found when everyone in our household knows exactly what is going on, what is planned for the week, and what is expected of them, things tend to run much smoother. Just because I think something doesn't mean everyone can read my mind and know my thoughts. If I make my plans known and each person is aware of the details (in other words, if I communicate), miscommunication can be avoided or lessened.

• Stress/Frustration/Anxiety. This could probably be a subpoint under any of the other four, but it is a biggee so I decided to give it it's own bullet. Having a plan eliminates a lot of mishaps and the stress, frustration, and anxiety that come with them. Simple.

• Unfinished projects. Part of good planning involves scheduling time to finish projects. I have started many days with the intention of completing an assignment but not having a plan or designated time to do such. When this happens, I find myself at the end of the day with a lot of wasted time and a project still needing attention.

• Financial Hardship. There is an notable difference in how far my money stretches on the weeks I plan meals and expenses verses the weeks I don't. Poor planning can leave one at the end of a pay period with no money for gas, not enough groceries, and an overdrawn bank account.

As I said, these are my top five from personal experience. There are many more I could add to the list and expand on including regrets, overbooking, disappointments, discouragement, etc.

The Bible says in Proverbs 21:5, "The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty." The word diligent is defined as constant in effort to accomplish something; attentive and persistent in doing anything. A commentary describes "everyone who is hasty" as someone who manages his affairs rashly (acting or tending to act too hastily or without due consideration).

My Top Five list sounds less like plenty and more like poverty.

It seems it would be wise for us to take note of the instructions found in our life manual. We should be constantly attentive and persistent in our planning, not doing anything hastily or without due consideration.

(I am preaching to myself here, in case you were wondering.) 

Have you suffered any consequences from poor planning (or no planning at all)?

A flip side to this post is: Top Five Consequences of Over-planning.

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Today's post is linked with Jen and the Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood.

Still Persevering, Still Learning, Still Overcoming

Things have been a little quiet on my blog this week.

My apologies.

I have stepped back to get some things in order at home and in ME.

It's good to do that sometimes.

• Remind yourself where you're going and why you booked the trip.
• Make sure your laundry is washed, folded, and put away before you go.
• Reorganize your suitcase to make sure you have all you need.

I'm not talking about an actual trip, of course (unless someone wants to send me on a paid vacation).  I'm talking about this life journey once again.

Have I stayed the course?

Have I been sidetracked by detours, bad weather, or road hazards?

Does my car need to be serviced?

Does my GPS display the correct destination?

One of the things I am doing is reading more (still writing, but just not posting everything yet). I am doing two book/Bible studies, decluttering and organizing my home, working on a companion study guide for my Pastor, continuing to learn the craft of writing, and still working on two projects of my own (my book for traditional publishing and a short ebook).

One of the studies I have joined is an online study for A Confident Heart by Renee Swope (I actually met Renee at a conference last year where I picked up a copy of her book). I've read part of it before but I could read it over and over again. It speaks to the very center of me. It challenges me, reminds me, and encourages me. We are just on Chapter One this week, so if you'd like to join, there is still time.

Today, she asked us to reread Chapter One: Discovering the Shadow of My Doubts. In it, she compares self-doubt and uncertainty to an actual shadow on the wall.

• "...I turned around to put my makeup bag in my suitcase, which was on the floor. That's when I noticed a huge nine-foot shadow on the wall. I was surprised by how much bigger my shadow was than my five-foot-two-inch frame."
• "It was distorting my image on the wall by making my body look bigger than it really was. All of a sudden, it dawned on me. My uncertainty had created a huge shadow of doubt. Just like my shadow on the wall was distorting my shape, my doubt was distorting my thoughts and overpowering my emotions with confusion and questions."

This makes perfect sense to me. I can look back and see times in my life (and even now) where the shadow created by my own self-doubt distorted my thoughts while confusing and discouraging me.

I remember last year when I signed up for my first Writer's Conference, She Speaks. Boy, was that a huge thing for me. Once upon a time I had a little more courage and gumption, but these years as a stay at mom have become quite the comfortable norm for me. Traveling many states away to a conference where I did not know anyone took a little effort.

As I reflect on my pre-conference jitters, I can recognize the distorted images in my head:

• Why are YOU going? You are not qualified. Surely everyone there is a professional while you are just a stay at home mom.
• No one wants to network with you. What do YOU have to offer?
• You are not a writer, you are just a blogger who makes no difference.
• You never even finished college. How do expect to write a book?
• And speaking? That's funny. Don't embarrass yourself. Those girls at She Speaks are so much better.
• Just don't get on the plane. You will be relieved you didn't.

Yes, those are some actual thoughts I had. And even as I am preparing to register for this year and continuing to write, I hear some of them trying to revisit.

I am reminding myself of this week's memory verse:

"But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the lord their hope and confidence" (Jeremiah 17:7).

I am reminding myself that these words DO make a difference and I AM a writer.

Is there an area where the shadow of doubt has distorted your thoughts, overpowered your emotions and caused confusion?

Remind yourself of God's word. Remind yourself of the gifts and talents He has placed within you. And remind yourself He chose to use you as a vessel to bring His glory to the earth.

As Renee said in Chapter One, "We will find our heart's confidence in Christ as we learn how to rely on the power of His promises in our everyday lives."

Put your hope and confidence in the One who won't let you down.

I am.

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised" (Hebrews 10:35-36).

A Place Called Wit's End

Photo Credit

My Pastor preached a sermon last summer titled:  A Place Called Wit's End. 

Have you ever been there?

Psalm 107:23-27 speaks of a group of mariners who have found themselves in the middle of the ocean in a dangerous storm. Their ship is being tossed to and fro, carried up and down and pounded by the waves brought on by fierce winds.  Their courage is failing and they have no way of being rescued.  It appears they have met their fate as their death seems imminent.  The storm is unrelenting, powerful and shows no mercy.  I can imagine the feeling in the pit of their stomach.  In fact, I know the feeling. 

Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a storm....tossed around and bruised by circumstances and negative, discouraging news that offers no hope? Have you been in a place so dark that you felt there was no way out? 

Maybe you're there now.

God is not surprised or caught off guard by our troubles.  In fact, verse 25 says it is God who commanded the storm and the wind and the waves.  He allowed the sailors to come to the end of themselves....as vs. 27 says...they were at their wit's end.  All their wisdom had come to nothing and there was no way they could help themselves or each other.  The possibility for human intervention and deliverance did not exist.

The options were: surrender the circumstances to God or succumb to the storm.

Photo Credit

In their desperation, the sailors cried out to God and He rescued them. He calmed the storm and the waves stood still (vs. 28-29).

This storm is all too familiar to me. No ship, no waves, no ocean, but I have known the storm. Maybe you have too? 

Though the circumstances and details of our storms may vary, they are the same. Financial difficulties. Cancer. An unfaithful husband. Divorce. Children in rebellion. Death of loved one.

Why would God cause or allow this storm to manifest and threaten the very lives of these sailors? Why would God allow us to go through something that threatens to leave us with no hope?

There are times when we all feel the waves and the wind and the uncertainty.

But we also all have a God who is unrelenting in His love for us.

Our hope can remain secure.

Our faith in the God who never changes can keep us from going under.

And we can be certain that He will calm the storm.

Photo Credit

Sometimes our greatest victory comes at the end of our greatest challenge. Sometimes when we come to the end of ourselves, we find more of God than we've ever known.

Times like these cause us to draw nearer to Him. And the Bible says when we draw near to God, He draws near to us. Times like these make us desperate for the only One who can truly save us.

When we come to end of ourselves, when we surrender wholly and completely, when we finally trust that His plan is greater even when we don't understand, we find peace in whatever storm is brewing.  And we realize a greater knowing that He is God and He. is. still. good.

"God is life, and love, and blessing, and power, and infinite beauty, and God delights to communicate Himself to every child who is prepared to receive Him; but ah! this one lack of absolute surrender is just the thing that hinders God" (Andrew Murray, Absolute Surrender).

Surrender all.

Surrender those hard, sometimes painful, often-don't-understand-why, difficult circumstances to God.

Surrender wholly.

And watch God prepare you as a vessel, as an instrument of His glory to be poured out on the earth.

No Brilliant, Guaranteed Plan Yet

It's natural at the end of every year and the beginning of the next to do a year-in-review of our life, highlighting the lows and highs, remembering moments that touched our hearts, and racking our brains to come up with a brilliant  plan sure to guarantee monumental success and achievements in the next 365 days.

I hate to disappoint, but no brilliant, guaranteed plan yet.

(In fact, I feel like my brain has been on vacation for a month and just writing this post is a little challenging.)

But, as I browsed through my posts from the beginning of 2011, I found myself in a similar place.

• Hearing God's call to arise and go over (and part 2),
• trying to find balance in the middle of my chaos, 
• and still learning total surrender.

I also resolved to do something waaaay out of my comfort zone in 2011 and actually followed though:

• I stepped out of the boat and registered for my first writer's conference.
• As I prepared for the conference, I learned some lessons and  made some confessions (Confession #1 and Confession #2)

The conference was amazing and I hope to attend again this year. I made a lot of new friends, gained confidence in my writing, had my first two publisher meetings, and downloaded a lot of valuable information that is helping to push me forward (still have lots to learn and apply).

In 2011, I also made a lot of plans that didn't happen and started some things I didn't finish. For 2012, I am resolving to finish some of those projects.

I am excited about new opportunities and what sometimes seems like a blank canvas before me. God is moving and I am choosing to move with Him. What about you?

There are some areas I am (still) working on and (by faith) changing in order to put my best foot forward.

• Time Management
• Discipline (which goes hand in hand with #1)
• Organization (which goes hand in hand with #2)
• Focus (which goes hand in hand with #3)
• and Efficiency & Productivity (which will be a direct result of all of the above)

For Christmas, God answered a prayer by providing a new computer (free of charge) for my writing through the generosity of some sweet friends. And when Santa filled my stocking, he included the kitchen timer I've been needing (for my time management, ever heard of the Pomodoro Technique?) so I must get busy before the buzzer sounds.

With the kids going back to school tomorrow, I am hoping to finish a plan of action by the end of the week. Next week, the coffee breaks will be fewer and the alarm will ring early. I am ready for the challenge this New Year will surely bring (I am, really).

So, I don't really have a list of resolutions, just some things to finish and the desire to be better. As I said in my last post, "We are all on a journey to becoming." Becoming more like Him...becoming less of us. That doesn't take a list of impossible resolutions or unreachable goals. It takes acknowledging that we can't do this thing called life without the Life Giver Himself. It takes humility to recognize when and where we are wrong. And it takes willingness to change.

And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18.

Prayer:
Father, Thank you for the gift of another year to serve You. A new beginning, a fresh slate, a blank canvas. Give us courage to trust You to write this chapter of our story. Open our eyes to see areas displeasing to You and give us a desire to change so that we might become more like Your Son, Jesus. Show us the tools you've already placed in our hands and teach us how to use them. Let everything we do this year bring glory and honor to You. Thank you for grace as we sit on this potter's wheel, being shaped and molded and transfigured into Your very own image. Amen.