Looking TOO Far Ahead...

As long as I am on the freeway by 8:40 in the morning, I am good.  I have plenty of time to get to work and even stop to get some coffee or check my P.O Box.  There aren't usually many hiccups to my morning plans for which I am very thankful.  But this morning was different.  The difference about this morning compared to every other weekday morning that I am headed  up the 5 was that there was a little fog on the freeway.  When I say a little fog, I mean just a little fog.  I am not saying it in a sarcastic "these people need to get over it" tone either.  I literally mean a tiny bit, un poco...hardly any. Then the brake lights started, tires screeched, and traffic began coming to a halt...all this panic over tiny bit of fog. What was the big deal? When I stayed focused on what was a few miles in front of me it was all clear, but when I tried to see beyond that it was fuzzy, this little bit of fog was obstructing my view.  The uncertainty of what was ahead was making  people behind the wheel panic, the unknown was causing delays.  Then it all made sense...

When I keep my eyes on Jesus for my today, for my now, I have peace and clarity but when I start to look into my future the unknown has the power to cause me panic and doubt.  He is the God of my yesterday & my tomorrow yet He asks me to trust Him today, to seek Him today, to walk with Him today.  He tells me in His word not to worry about tomorrow, but to acknowledge Him in all of my ways and He will direct my paths (Matthew 6:34 & Proverbs 3:5-6).  When I look beyond today my vision is obstructed, I see everything else except Jesus.  Purposing in my heart to keep my eyes on Jesus and live in today, even though I don't know what it holds, gives me a peace that surpasses all understanding.  

You may not know what will happen tomorrow, but you can be confident knowing Who holds it in His sovereign hands.  Don't look ahead trying figure it out on your own, live now, seek Him today, worship Him today and let Him take care of the rest!

Can you relate?

What Does God See When He Looks At Me?

Someone came into our church office this week, they were not sure why but they just felt the need to come in.  The basic, nonchalant conversation that we were having turned into something more divine.  God used this person to bless, encourage and confirm things to His little girl and as we both watched this play out, we were in tears.  One thing that they reminded me of and that I want to encourage you with is to never forget how the Lord sees you.

Life causes scars, hardened hearts and wrinkles.  We get older, our bodies are not what they used to be, we  become jaded and our child-like innocence turns into adult reality.  No matter what has happened in your life or what is to come, God still and will continue to see you as He always has, as His precious child.  It was suggested to me to get a picture of myself of when I was a little girl and place it in my Bible. This is the one that I picked..

When days get tough and my mind wants to doubt, I can open up my Bible and remind myself of what He sees when He looks at me.  He knows we are vulnerable, that we need Him to provide for us, to strengthen us, to comfort us and even for our daily breath.  We need Him for everything.  He knows.  Just the way you look at your daughter or son when they come to you with tears in their eyes from hurt feelings or boo-boos and worries or fears is the exact same way God looks at you when you come to Him. 

So get a picture and put it in your Bible, purse or wallet and when you need a reminder pull it out and let God remind you of His daddy's heart towards you.

Xoxo,

Tamara

Commitment-Phobe?

I have no problem committing to things.  Special dates, get togethers with friends, dinners, birthday parties...I'm there!  The calendar in my cell phone is chalked full of events that I without hesitation R.S.V.P'd to, set with alarms to remind me days and sometimes hours before these things go down.  Why wouldn't I make myself available to spend time with friends and the people that I love?  When things or people mean something to you it is easy to commit, sometimes you don't even think twice.  I wish I could say that I am always the same way when it comes to my commitment to the One who should mean the most to me above all else, above everyone else.

Yes, I have a special relationship with God and yes, I have committed my life to Him...but am I 100% committed in all of my ways? Not always.  I was challenged tonight to set aside a certain amount of time to seek Him and His wisdom. To diligently and purposefully set in my heart to pursue Him, beyond my normal quiet time, beyond the ways that I have grown accustom to.  To lay my desires and my time tables completely at His feet, putting everything else on the back burner, forgetting the "how I used to's" & "oh Lord, I think I can take it from here" and just trust.  I was hesitant. I know, I know...it sounds bad doesn't it?  I mean, who gets nervous about making a vow like this to an Almighty God?  We all do at some point in our lives.  We probably do it more times than we would even care to admit. Relinquishing control, resting and waiting on the Lord goes directly against our flesh and though I desire to be the type of Christian who quickly and flawlessly lays it all down at His nail scarred feet never to look back or pick it back up again, it doesn't always play out that way.

"But Lord, what if I give it to You and You never give it back?"  Yup that is a possibility,  but I know that the godly desires that I have in my heart have been given to me by His loving hand.  "Looord! What if something comes up or I miss out on something or..or..or.." I can come up with a thousand of reasons why I can't and not to mention the enemy of my soul that so subtly slides in and helps me come up with new ways to doubt the goodness of my God.  He quietly replies to my heart, "Am I not more important than these? Have I ever let you down before? Don't you remember that your times are in My hand? That nothing can thwart My plans for you? That I have plans for you bigger than you could ever dream of and I established them before you were even thought of?" *SIGH*  Being reminded of His goodness and His faithfulness leave me speechless.  He promises in His Word that if I seek Him with my whole heart I will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13) and that He will always guide me in the way I should go (Isaiah 58:11).  And you know what?  If God says it, I will purpose in my heart and mind to believe it. That settles it. So here goes..



"Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths." -Proverbs 3:5&6 (AMP)

We all remember the old school version of the Footprints in the Sand poem, right?  Well, check out this one...

New version of
Footprints in the Sand

Imagine you and the Lord Jesus walking down the road together. For much of the way, the Lord's footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying the pace. But your prints are a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures and returns. For much of the way it seems to go like this. But gradually, your footprints come more in line with the Lord's, soon paralleling His consistently. You and Jesus are walking as true friends.

This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: your footprints that once etched the sand next to the Master's are now walking precisely in His steps. Inside His larger footprints is the small 'sand print', safely enclosed. You and Jesus are becoming one.

This goes on for many miles. But gradually you notice another change. The footprint inside the larger footprint seems to grow larger. Eventually it disappears altogether. There is only one set of footprints. They have become one.

Again, this goes on for a long time. But then something awful happens. The second set of footprints is back. And this time it seems even worse. Zigzags all over the place. Stops. Starts. Deep gashes in the sand. A veritable mess of prints. You're amazed and shocked. But this is the end of your dream.

Now you speak. "Lord, I understand the first scene with the zigzags and fits and starts and so on. I was a new Christian, just learning. But You walked on through the storm and helped me learn to walk with you."

"That is correct."

"Yes, and when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps. I followed You very closely."

"Very good. You have understood everything so far."

"Then the smaller footprints grew and eventually filled in with Yours. I suppose that I was actually growing so much that I was becoming like you in every way."

"Precisely."

"But this is my question. Lord.. Was there a regression or something? The footprints went back to two, and this time it was worse than the first."

The Lord smiles, then laughs. "You didn't know?" 

He says. "That was when we danced."

By Mark Littleton
© 1990

Yep, that's my heart. It's on my sleeve.

I wear my heart on my sleeve. Seriously, my face can't hide what my heart is feeling no matter how hard I try. But I have not always been this way.  Sadly, prior to the last four years of my life, I could have been the reigning champion in the annual "Hidden Feelings" competition. Even expressing my emotions was so foreign to me that just the thought of it made my heart beat hard inside of my chest and I felt like I would keel over from fear. I learned as a young girl that no matter how I was feeling, what was happening to me or what was going on around me,  that if I smiled no one would be the wiser.  They would think that everything was okay.  So that is exactly what I did!  I smiled.  The bigger the smile, the happier I appeared...right?!  Not saying that I never had a reason to smile, but instead of using what God gave me to express joy...I also used it to hide behind.  Accepting the lie, I hid behind my smile, jokes and even whit to protect my extremely sensitive heart.


Without even realizing it, I re-entered my relationship with Jesus the same way.  Instead of telling Him how I really felt, I would act as if I was okay even when I wasn't.  When I would kneel down to pray to my God, a wall would automatically go up because I was afraid.  Afraid to be real, to admit my fears, my hurts, my short comings, my dreams & my desires to the one Who created my heart. The crazy thing is that I didn't even realize that was what I was doing.  I was so used to being a certain way, that I thought it was the only way to be.  Then little by little Jesus so lovingly opened my eyes to the prison of protection that I had built around my heart and how if was keeping me from being free to be real with Him.


God has taught me that He desires to know my inward parts, I mean it is not like He doesn't know them already,  He just wants me to trust Him enough to let Him knock down those walls that I had once created for myself.  His word is true, where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom! (2 Corinthians 3:17)  Being vulnerable and open is scary, but knowing Who goes before me and fights on my behalf makes it so worth it!  To be very honest, there are times where I desire to go back to what was comfortable, my old ways of self-protection and try to hide my heart, but He won't let me. Literally, He won't allow it and I cannot thank Him enough!  It is as if He has erased that part of me, the person that I once was and placed wisdom and peace where fear once resided.  He is continually making me new!  You know what else is awesome?  That He won't stop His work in us until it is complete! 


"And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you." -Philippians 1:6 (AMP)

Changing Seasons!

This morning finally felt like fall to me!  I don't know if it is just because it's the first of November or because Thanksgiving is literally coming around the corner (Yay for family & Thanksgiving food!!)  but either way I was excited!! I was excited for the change of seasons!  Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.  I am never this excited or expectant when God changes my seasons.  I actually turn into a heavyweight grappling champion.  Wrestling, kicking and fighting to hang on to what I am most comfortable.  Wearing myself out leads to submission and my submission brings a peace that surpasses all understanding, though everything else around me still seems to be in uproar.

Change is frightening.  The unknown is not a place most willingly run to.   Changes in our weather seasons bring rest, restoration and beauty that enrich our earth.  God uses our personal seasons to do the same for our lives.   Though not all enjoyable or easy, there is a purpose for everything that He allows and we can trust that it is only for our good. He is good! Let's be real, He cares more about our character than He does our comfort and I am so thankful for that!

Seasons change. Things adjust. God prunes and plants.  But in order to get to the next season that God has waiting for you, you need to go through this one.  He knows exactly what He is doing and only He knows how you need to be prepared for what He has in store!  So enjoy it and seek the Lord in it, because before you know it you will be walking through the door to your new season.




1 Peter 1
⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.