Take the First Step

     As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"
     When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"
     "Yes, Lord," they replied.
     Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; and their sight was restored.

--Matthew 8:27-30b.


Yesterday I caught myself remembering a scene that I happened upon a few years back. A friend and I had just finished jogging up a mile long, slow climb that we affectionately referred to "the hill". The only good thing about making my way to the end of the longest mile in the middle of a desert is that it was a place and time to catch my breath before I began the second half of the route.

On most days, my friend and I wouldn't see anyone else at the top of the hill and thus be unmemorable.  However, there was one day, that while we were catching our breath, two young ladies were also at the top astride their horses. The girls were trying to take their horses across a horse gate into the desert. The first girl led her ride to the break in the fence and the horse just stood there, refusing to cross. No matter how much coaxing the girl attempted, the horse wouldn't budge. After a few minutes time, the second girl took her animal over in hopes of encouraging the first. This strategy also didn't work.

My friend and I ended up leaving the scene before a resolution came to pass. We don't know if the horse ever crossed over the gate or not. I like to think that the animal eventually overcame it's hesitation, put faith in its rider and took the first step into new territory.

I've always wondered why that horse didn't simply trust its rider. Was it a new horse/rider relationship and necessary trust hadn't been established? Did something happen to spook it? Or was the animal just plain ol' stubborn with a mind of its own?

I just got done reading a Lysa TerKeurst devotional where she relates that the reason why we don't see more miracles is because we don't put ourselves in a position to receive them. So this got me thinking: why don't we? Is it that we're new to God and haven't established that trust yet? Is it because we've prayed for miracles in the past, but what we wanted didn't come to pass? Or is that we haven't yet fully surrended to the Almighty and are bound and determined to make it on our own, not needing the help of God?

The two blind men in the scripture above put themselves in position to receive a miracle. They chose to trust a man that they had only heard about, but never saw. They chose to get over failed attempts at healing. They chose to take a step beyond their comfort zone, beyond their sphere of control and reach out to the only One who had any kind of real control of their circumstances.

These verses in Matthew state plainly that if we believe that our Savior is able to do it, our request will be heard and acted upon. There is no reason to not trust his lead. There is no need to be gun shy of our Savior. There is no reason to limit our circumstances to what we have control over. This world will let you down, but our Savior never will.

Believe, my friend, and take the first step to a whole new experience that God has prepared in advance for you. (Ephesians 2:10)

Stuck in El Paso

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. -- Psalm 27:14

 I'm sitting on a plane in El Paso, TX. My city of departure, Phoenix. My intended city of arrival, Dallas. But here I am nonetheless. Something to do with needing a mechanic at 9pm on a Friday night and having to wait 30-45 minutes for him to get here. Did I mention that my flight was already 60 minutes late leaving The Valley of the Sun?

I suppose that I might be a little less anxious, but I'm supposed to be seeing my man this weekend. Carrying on a long distance relationship hasn't been the easiest thing in the world and circumstances like this tempt me to want to pull out my hair. On second thought that might not be the best idea considering who I'll be visiting.

You see, I've waited a VERY long time to be in a relationship such as this and now I'm being asked to wait just a little bit longer.

About ten years ago I bought a book about God's timing compared to mine, especially in reference to finding Mr. Right. In these ten years God had definitely taught me some seriously tough lessons, but vital all the same.

Lesson #1: Develop a gut belief that God is God and that He is enough. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a God-centered home; however that didn't make me immune to having my own idols. Removing those strongholds has been the most difficult and freeing process. Through study of His Word and prayer I am thoroughly convinced that He is who He says He is.

Lesson #2: Be content in all things. You may be wondering how you can be content and still desiring at the same time and I did too. I was able to rectify this dichotomy by giving myself permission to find a quiet place and simply be. Oftentimes it's tempting to fill all the empty spaces of life because that's easier than dealing with the emptiness that we feel in our hearts. But my friend, this is where our God longs to reside. Reserving time alone with no music, no books, no interruptions helps me quiet my soul enough to be content in His fulfilling love.

Lesson #3: Rejoice in all things. I still honestly struggle with this at times, but I also know that if I don't practice rejoicing even in the most difficult of situations that I'm not experiencing the abundance that God has in store for me at that very moment. God's overflowing abundance is not a destination to long for, but is something to be consumed every moment we draw breath. So even if it's for the simplest of things, show your gratitude.

I'm curious to know what lessons you've learned during your times of waiting. Go ahead a drop me a line so we can be encouraged as we learn from one another.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, You call us Your daughters and so we long to believe that the promises You have spoken to our hearts will some day be realized. Fill us with the confidence and strength that can only come from You as we remain content and grateful in our times of waiting.

Shine Brighter

In the same way, let your light shine among men that they might see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
--Matthew 5:16

Last week as I was leaving a friend's home after an evening visit my car failed to start. Not being much of a mechanic, I was confused thinking, "What in the world?". So I attempted to turn my key in the ignition once more, ok, several more times, and got nothing. Only then did it occur to me that just maybe my car battery was shot. Thankfully, my friend is married to a very nice man who, when I knocked on their door, offered to help me take care of it.

It was when he was under the hood of my car that his wife brought out a Maglite flashlight so he could see better. I recalled that I had one as well and so I dug it out and had the two lights shining side by side. The difference between the two lights shining was striking. While my torch was also a Maglite brand, it wasn't a LED like my friends. In all actuality, we didn't even need my light, theirs was sufficient.

That got me to thinking about how brightly I am shining. Am I shining a dull light that does the job adequately or am I a beacon that shines beyond the immediate surroundings revealing the finer details of what a relationship with Jesus looks like? Have you ever wondered that or am I the only one?

If I am the former rather than the latter, what is making my life dull? Is there a behavior that needs adjusting? A habit broken? A relationship nurtured? A dream dusted off?

I think that this is where accountability with another individual can have a huge impact on how brightly I am shining. Every month I contact my discipleship coach and reflect on how the month is going. I love this relationship I have because it forces me to evaluate my behavior and thought patterns and adjust accordingly.

But I also like to hear the voices of my friends providing me feedback because they are the ones who watch me and interact with me on a more frequent basis. Their evaluation of me can be powerful too. I hope that I am just as good as mirror as some of my friends are with me.

Later on last week, a lovely friend graciously gave me a note said that she could "see Him" in my actions. It's this kind of encouragement that not only gives me a boost of confidence, but also challenges me to do the same for another. As a result my circle of friends and I will all shine brighter.

So here's my challenge to you...Evaluate yourself. Ask a trusted friend to listen to what you have to say; ask that friend to give you feedback too. Then grab a girlfriend and share with her a word or two of encouragement.

Let's shine brightly, together.

Amazing Love

Then have them make a sanctuary (holy place, set apart) for me, and I will dwell among them.
--Exodus 25:8

How amazing is God? He loves us. Of course He loves us; He made us! In fact, the sole reason why mankind was created was so that He could fellowship with us. So imagine His heartbreak when He had to banish His creation due to sin. How gut-wrenching was that? I've had friends with children describe the anguish they experience when they discipline their children. How much more so was it for God?  

But because of His amazing love for us, God found a way to reside and fellowship with His people. First, God's presence took up residence within the nomadic Tabernacle. Then He established a more premenant location within the Temple in Jerusalem. But that wasn't good enough. God had designed us to be in close, intimate relationship with him and so these temporary facilities had to be done away with. And so they were, once atonement for our sins was paid for by the death of Jesus on the cross. But the story doesn't end here. At some point in the future, we will again find ourselves, fully restored and renewed, and living in the Kingdom upon the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.