CAROUSELS. TREADMILLS. MOUNTAIN HIKES.

After a close friend and I had a meaningful conversation about feeling like being on an exercise treadmill in her own spiritual life, I began to think about this concept further. This also caused me to deeply consider my own concerning feelings of being on a circus carousel/merry-go-round in some areas of my own life. I began to contemplate how one’s life could feel as though they are on a treadmill. Being on an exercise treadmill involves purposeful movement in the form of walking, jogging, or running. Energy is exerted through this exercise and doing so takes an intentional effort to step on the treadmill, turn it on, and then begin to move one’s body or face falling down on the sandpaper-like moving belt of the machine. More energy is needed for steeper inclines and/or a faster pace. Through consistent movement on a treadmill, one can grow in physical and mental strength and stamina; however, it can feel defeating when one is going nowhere because the equipment one is on is stationary and the progress seems to be hard to measure visually. In life, one can feel that they are on an exhausting treadmill of sorts. They can be intentionally choosing things in their life that get them moving spiritually, mentally/emotionally, and/or physically; and yet, feel that they aren’t really going anywhere in those areas of their life. Visually, it may seem that they are still in the exact same place or condition that they were in before; but, if the truth be told, they have actually gained in their strength or knowledge or endurance, or all of thee above. The real question is what is one to do if they are putting in the effort to grow but feeling like they are just going nowhere? And the next plausible question is, what is one to do if they find themselves in this challenging spot?

As mentioned previously, I have found myself feeling like I am on a circus carousel in some areas of my life. It seems that I keep circling around to some of the same issues that I have been struggling with my whole life, or at least my adulthood. A real life tender example of one of these areas that I find myself disappointingly circling around to again and again is a childhood memory that seems to keep resurfacing even though I have intentionally chosen to give forgiveness to the person that inflicted the life-changing wound, I have repeatedly talked with Jesus about this troublesome memory, and have even attempted multiple times to hand it over to Jesus. I experience some ups and some downs as if I were on one of those colorfully painted carousel horse. Things keep moving forward; so it seems, but then I find myself right back in that same wounded spot wondering why in the world I am ‘here’ again because I was so sure that I had already ‘been there and done that’ and worked through ‘it’ before. Each ride or trip around looks a little different with different co-riders on the merry-go-round but it is basically the same disappointing scenario every time. When I think about this, it reminds me of a carousel with its brightly colored horses and some bench seats for two. I think that these vibrantly colored bench seats are for those that would prefer to sit effortlessly for the spin around the circle. The basically stationary horses go up and down, up and down as the predictable ride continues to move seemingly forward; that is until the riders circle around to the same spot they were just moments before. The movement of the horse rider could appear to be of their own accord; however, the movement of the horses are purely mechanical and at the trained hands of someone else. In life, it may seem like we have all control or no control. The truth is that we have control of our choice whether or not to stay on the merry-go-round as it continues in it’s never-ending circular pattern.

In my deep contemplation of being on an exercise treadmill and/or a circus carousel, it occurred to me that there’s something more to consider in this arena. Mountains. Hiking up a mountain. Now I’m not a seasoned hiker and I have never hiked up a mountain; however, even with what little I know about mountain hiking, I can see some similarities between hiking up a grand mountain like Mount Everest and living ordinary life. In hiking up a mountain, the end goal is to successfully make it to the mountain’s peak alive and without physical injury. With the majestic beauty of mountains and all that is thriving along the way to the peak, I have to believe that part of hiking up a mountain is to enjoy the fabulous views along the way and from the very top of the mountain. Of course, the incredible sense of accomplishment could be a motivating driving force in reaching the destination. Hiking; or climbing, a mountain takes strength, endurance, determination, intentionality, and planning; not to mention the initial decision to do so. One doesn’t randomly wake up one morning and say, “I think I will go climb Mount Everest today.” It takes different types of training and conditioning to be able to spiritually, physically, and mentally/emotionally be capable to succeed in reaching the top of the mountain. There’s also a need for certain types of hiking and survival equipment and/or gear required to navigate the rough terrain of rocks, slopes, and uneven ground that one may find on their challenging journey upward. Because of the rough and unpredictable terrain of a mountain, it’s wise to hike with other experienced hikers; there truly is ‘safety in numbers.’

Ecclesiastes 4:9-11New International Version

⁹Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
¹⁰If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
¹¹Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?

I envision life as a climb up a grand majestic mountain with the ultimate mountain peak (destination) being Heaven; my eternal home. It takes all of one’s life to reach that heavenly destination; if they have accepted a relationship with Jesus Christ. Some lives are much shorter than others but the point remains that the mountain top of this life is obtained when one reaches their eternal destination.

The goal in hiking up a grand majestic mountain is to reach the peak; the pinnacle of the mountain. For those that have accepted Christ, the pinnacle is to enter Heaven as our eternal destination, and take as many souls with us as possible. In my consideration of feeling like one is on a life ‘treadmill’ or a life ‘carousel,’ it quickly occurred to me that even though being on one of these machines seems like one is moving in some way but also feeling like they are going nowhere; these times of stationary movement may actually be divinely appointed purposeful training and/or conditioning for the most arduous climb up the most extreme mountain with all those that one can take with them. The treadmill; albeit stationary, helps one to grow in strength, endurance, and patience in those trying seasons of feeling like one is going absolutely nowhere. The carousel; while moving forward and at the same time spinning in circles, allows one to peel back each layer of life experiences for healing and learning and growing from that life-altering ‘thing’ that seems to keep being resurfaced even in those times when it is thought that that old thing has been dealt with. I believe that the magnitude of the climb up the mountain of life gives one valleys to rest in, treadmills to train and become conditioned on, and carousels to ride for times of healing and strengthening. All of these seemingly ‘going nowhere’ times are actually the training and conditioning and growing ground needed to hike up the mountain, reach the destination, and take as many souls with us as possible.

#treadmill #carousel #mountainhiking #vision

Thoughts on Exodus: Getting Out of Egypt and Getting Egypt Out.

I have recently been reading through the Book of Exodus with fresh eyes and what I have encountered is another facet of the journey from God calling Moses to lead His people out of Egypt until the establishment of the Tabernacle; basically the whole book of Exodus. I have been contemplating sharing these thoughts for a couple of months now and today feel drawn to put them in type and share.

God is in control at all times! He will defeat all other gods!

God is patient!

The plagues in Egypt were not only for Pharaoh’s sake, but also for the Israelites. The Israelites; God’s people, had been under the reign of Egypt for a long time; long enough for Joseph to be forgotten by Egyptian rulers, maybe even the people of God. The Exodus generation had been fully raised and immersed in the Egyptian culture; even if they were still worshipping God, it is likely that they were also influenced by the Egyptian gods and culture.

God heard the cry of His people and knew what needed to happen for their freedom. I believe that the Israelites (and all people that would hear their story) needed to know God’s heart and character in a more real way; something very visible and memorable.

A hardened heart suffers great consequences that God allows for a purpose. I believe that Pharaoh’s and other Egyptian’s hardened hearts were the result of fear and self-centered thinking. The Egyptian’s didn’t want the Israelites to leave because that would mean a great loss of manual labor because there were so many of them. Because of the number of Israelites, the Egyptians were also fearful of what God’s people could do if they didn’t maintain control over them. The cost of a hardened heart starts small and grows to death of something and/or of someone valuable. Some people look at the verses in Exodus that say that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and wonder why God would do that. I wondered the same thing until this time of studying this passage of Scripture. In my NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, there’s a writing about the meaning of ‘God hardening’ Pharaoh’s heart. One thought that goes with Egyptian culture would point to God’s judging of Pharaoh’s heart. Another view that goes along with Egyptian expressions and could be a functional equivalent of the Biblical language could be a caustic satire of Egyptian ideas. The original term used in Scripture could mean a heart that grows hard, heavy, and strong which could be thought of as a positive thing in the Egyptian culture of the time; however, this could be God giving Pharaoh exactly what he wants or Pharaoh himself heaping guilt of wrongdoing upon himself, therefore dooming himself to punishment; along with his people. What it boils down to is that we don’t know positively what is meant by God hardening Pharoah’s heart, but we do know that God did not cause Pharaoh and his actions to come under judgement; he, the Egyptians, and their gods, had already come under judgement. The plagues were just giving them what they had already earned.

We will experience natural consequences to our choices.

God says what He means and means what He says. His yes is yes and His no is no.

God will defend His people against evil.

The plagues show the Israelites the true heart of Pharaoh, making the leaving easier. This may be the first step in getting the Egypt out of God’s people.

The process with Pharoah and the plagues shows what sin does in our own lives.

Pharaoh’s response to Moses/God is similar to that of the Israelites toward God. Let me explain a bit. The times of the plagues is a visual for the Israelites to see how they had been toward God. And in the end, He rescues them as He does all that accept Him through Jesus. It’s a heart issue!

The story with Pharaoh is similar to the Pharisees in the New Testament. (I will let you consider this on your own.)

Israelites. God spares their firstborns and takes the firstborn of the Egyptians; this to save His people. Jesus. God sacrifices His firstborn to save all His people through all eternity.

Each person’s ‘me-ology’ is incomplete and unable to have control over every aspect of one’s life because there are too many variables.

King ‘Me’ will be overthrown by the King of kings.

Getting the Israelites out of Egypt took less time than getting the Egypt out of the Israelites; as it is with Christ-followers getting the sinful patterns out of our lives and wounds healed. Walking out of our old lives takes less time than getting our old lives walked out of us. Putting ourselves in the Hands of God is the first step to His shaping us into the Masterpiece that He has created us to be. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Creating a masterpiece takes time; chipping away at what doesn’t belong (ouch!), and intentionality.

God is patient!

The Israelites gave from what they had for the building of the Tabernacle and it was more than enough. In our time, people look to the church to supply for their needs.

The Israelites were willing to offer their skills and abilities for the building of the Tabernacle and the priestly garments.

The building of the Tabernacle seemed to keep the Israelites busy doing what God had asked of them so they weren’t idol and doing things on their own.

From the beginning of time, God’s people have desired to have a physical representation of Him. Without that, mankind tends to seek their own manmade gods that lead to worshipping gods other than the one True God.

THOUGHTS ON WAITING

Have you ever spent so much time thinking about, praying about, stewing about, talking about, journaling about, and pondering about something that you end up not doing anything; you basically just sit and stare at a cold dead fire because you aren’t moving in any direction? This has been me for the past five plus months! I desire so much to make sure that I move in the so-called ‘right’ direction that I am not really moving in any direction. I have prayed for God to help me to see where my next step is and I thoroughly believe that He’s actually repeatedly came right out and told me what my next step is; however, because I have a tendency to doubt that I could possibly be understanding Him correctly, I started to take a step in that direction, only to retrack my step because I thought that I couldn’t possibly be any good at doing what I sensed Him leading me towards. I mean, I believe that my fear of failure has taken over and pulled my forward step backward a step; or ten. My doubts have led to me being a sitting duck on opening duck hunting day and the duck hunter has distracted me from what I truly know that I need to do, to get out of the swamp with my life. Distractions. Over-thinking. Not trusting my instincts. In some cases, waiting is the ‘right’ thing to do; like waiting on God, instead of flying off into the air into the line of fire and hoping that God will surround me and be my bullet-proof surroundings. In some cases, it’s vital that I wait on God’s next move and then the flight path will be drawn out and my protection secure.

I feel that I may be being too vague in my sharing. About five and a half months ago I had a change in my employment status and found myself praying about what my next step would be for employment; I began to ask God and myself questions like: What area do I explore for a position or job? Do I look for another job or do I take some time to seek God’s will and direction? Do I forget about what I have been doing and seek another avenue altogether, for work? And most of all, God what do I do now??? Over the course of a couple of months, I continued to seek God for direction and next steps, I applied for several jobs, had a few interviews, worked one week at a job, and for the past few months I have been watching my grand Littles three to four days a work for their mama to be able to work and not have a huge child care expense. What I haven’t mentioned yet, is that for the past probably five months, every time I ask God what He wants me to focus on or do; He very promptly tells me to write; or specifically, to write for healing or wellness. I started to make ‘my’ plans of how this would work and found myself with several distractions; some of which I caved to and I really haven’t been working towards writing much at all. It is very easy for me to spend a lot of time doing good things and not necessarily the ‘best’ thing that God may be directing me to.

Recently, I have felt convicted over not being obedient to God’s promptings to write and I now am seriously pursuing His plans instead of my own. Is this easy? Absolutely not! The distractions continue to come my way. The doubts continue to surface in my mind. The obstacles continue; and actually, seem to be larger than before.

Sometimes, waiting is good; when the waiting is for God to say it’s time to … . However, waiting is not good when it’s actually stalling in moving forward with God’s Will or more extreme; when the waiting is in open defiance of what God is leading His child to do. Over the years, I have learned that God will allow us to stay in a ‘waiting’ space (holding pattern) for a season because He is trying to strengthen us for what He has next for us. Through patience; and even trials in these seasons, we grow closer to God, learn more about His character and ourselves, and grow in our spiritual journey towards God. These waiting seasons can be an amazing time of learning, worship, and quiet time with our Heavenly Father; how great these times can be! But also, these seasons can be excruciatingly painful! The pain can come from not knowing what’s next; it can also come from the trials and testing that can come during these times. In these times, the greatest thing to me is knowing that I am not alone in my journey because I know from Scripture that God is so close to me that He is aware of my every thought, breath, and fear.

My personal life journey has has included several ‘waiting’ seasons that were full of tests and trials. While I have struggled more than once through these seasons, I have continually grown in so many ways because of them and I have taken comfort in knowing that my Abba Father is as close to me as He can possibly be, so I never have to walk the journey alone or be a ‘sitting duck’ out in the swamp wondering if I will make it out with my life. My life is not my own, it’s God’s and wherever this next step takes me will be taken by someone stronger than she was in the last step.

I was just reading about the calling of the prophet Elisha (1 Kings 19:19-21) and he is an example of someone so focused on being obedient to God’s Will for his next step that when the prophet Elijah threw his own cloak over the shoulders of Elisha; which signaled a transfer of power from Elijah to Elisha, Elisha immediately responded. When Elijah approached Elisha, he was plowing in the field with his 12 pair of oxen. Once Elijah threw his cloak over Elisha shoulders, the newly called prophet slaughtered his oxen, burned the equipment to cook the meat, gave the meat to the people, and off he went to be the attendant of Elijah. Elisha didn’t wait, he responded right away. I want to be a child of my Abba who does that! I am striving towards that!

The journey ahead begins with one step forward; no waiting, unless it’s waiting on God!

#waitingonGodornotatall

Signs of Life… In the Snow

Looking out the window behind my desk, I have a wide open view of part of my back yard. Right outside my window, I see an antique metal children’s wagon that I use as a flower bed; and when I look up from there to further back in my yard, I have a great view of our propane tank. Not glamorous, right? No, it’s not but it is real life and a view that I have the privilege to see often. Beyond the propane tank, I have an old galvanized horse trough that is the future home of a garden bed. Hanging over the horse trough, are two shepherd’s hooks with metal watering cans that give the appearance of them pouring constant water into the horse trough. Why do I share with you my view out my desk window? Good question; I am sure I will get to that. Not much more than a week ago, my view was that of wet brown/green grass and dead flowers. Then the snow happened. I then had a beautiful view of a thick blanket of pure bright white snow that was; not only beautiful, but also a brightener to my spirit. Some may say that I have lost it because snow is horrible. Well, I may have lost it; however, I also prefer the bright white reminder of the purity of Christ and the blanket of love that He showers over me!

I enjoyed many moments looking out at the beautiful white snow that had no tracks in it, no leaves scattered through it, and no mud mixed into it; and then, I had the great idea of spending time with my grand Littles (3 years and 1 1/2 years old) out in the wonderful snow. I had no preconceived ideas of what our time outside would be like but I just wanted to spend some time with my Littles having some fun in the snow. This is not where I say that it ended up being horrible and that I regretted the thought; actually, it was one of the best ideas that I have had in a very long time. Not only did my Littles laugh and have lots of fun, but God met me outside and encouraged me to throw my frustrations at our six foot wooden fence, in the form of snow balls. That was invigorating! I taught the kiddos how to make snow angels; and yes, I made one or two myself because why let the kiddos have all the fun. The kiddos and I threw unpacked snow globs at each other and we made an interesting snow sculpture on papa’s car trailer. It was a great half hour that I wouldn’t trade for anything! The younger of the two wasn’t crazy about laying in the snow to make a snow angel; however, once I showed the older kiddo how to make one, he kept making them. The hardest part was getting them to go back into the house.

After the kiddos and I played outside in the snow, my view out my desk window wasn’t visually as pretty; however, it was still beautiful for my spirit because all the footprints and snow angels were a reminder of some life lived and some memories made with my grand Littles. How sweet those memories are!

A day or two after my Littles and I enjoyed playing in the snow, I looked out at my front deck and saw the undisturbed blanket of snow and admired it’s beauty; I also felt that it showed no signs of life lived through it. I decided that it was time to walk through that fresh snow and allow myself to think like a child; just for a few moments. Kicking up the snow and walking through it’s 12 or so inches of cold whiteness was refreshing.

Here I am again, looking out of my window and enjoying the latest blanket of white fluffiness. The blanket of snow is not smooth and seamless as it was prior to our playing outside; it bares a reminder of the fun memories of playing outside in the snow with my Littles, because it is bumpy and wavy. There’s still a clump or two of snow on the fence that reminds me of the frustration release that I experienced as I threw snow balls at the fence. I thought that I would get back around to why I shared with you about the view out my desk window; and I did. 🙂

I recently heard someone say that the world wants us to be less foolish and I can’t help but agree with that statement. What’s so wrong about being a little silly or foolish; in a healthy way, once in a while? We might just be happier. We might find a little more joy. We also may just be a little healthier if we play outside in the snow sometimes and make snow angels or throw snow balls. This is the silliness and foolishness that I am referring to. Who cares if the neighbors see you playing like a kid; heck, maybe they will give it a try as well. If my neighbors ever happen to see in my picture windows where my living room is, they will likely see me dancing like a monkey or a dinosaur with my grand Littles as we get some exercise before they take their nap. This type of foolishness is not only a great habit for them to get into but also great exercise for their grammy. I want to encourage you to go make angels in the snow or dance like a monkey, just live life in a healthy way; you could start a healthy trend!

#livinglifeinthesnow #besillyandlivelife

OUT OF FEAR…QUESTIONS & EXCUSES

3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ²There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. ³So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

⁴When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”

⁵“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” ⁶Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

⁷The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. ⁸So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. ⁹And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. ¹⁰So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

¹¹But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

¹²And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

¹³Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

¹⁴God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

¹⁵God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’

“This is my name forever,
the name you shall call me
from generation to generation.

¹⁶“Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. ¹⁷And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’

¹⁸“The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’ ¹⁹But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. ²⁰So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.

²¹“And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. ²²Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.”

4 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”

²Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

“A staff,” he replied.

³The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. ⁴Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. ⁵“This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

⁶Then the Lord said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.

⁷“Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.

⁸Then the Lord said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second. ⁹But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.”

¹⁰Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

¹¹The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? ¹²Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

¹³But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”

¹⁴Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. ¹⁵You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. ¹⁶He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. ¹⁷But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.” (Exodus 3:1-22; 4:1-17 NIV) This is a long passage of Scripture to include in this post; however, I felt it helpful to include for understanding what I am sharing with you today.

Have you ever read a passage of Scripture and immediately felt the righteous conviction of the Holy Spirit? For me, this has happened many times; including recently, after reading the above passage from Exodus. Upon finishing my read up to Exodus 4:17, I realized that I have responded to God in a way similar to Moses. When God gave Moses his ‘mission’ and even shared with him the response that he would get, Moses replied respectfully to God with the reasons why he wasn’t ‘the man for the job.’

NOTE: My goal here is not to compare myself to Moses, but to share what has been laid on my heart that my own responses have been to God; over the years, when He has given my my own ‘mission.’ To simplify these similarities I am sharing them in a chart format.

God/I AM	Moses	Myself
God shows Himself to Moses in a non-consuming burning bush; God tell Moses that he’s standing on Holy Ground
God declares that He’s the God of Moses’ father and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob	Moses responds by hiding his face	Over and over again; in my life, God has shown me His presence in my life, His provision, His faithfulness, and His divine Love.
God gives Moses his mission to bring the Israelites out of Egypt with detailed instructions	Moses questions God: “Who am I?”	God revealed to me a formal calling of going into pastoral ministry. I believed my husbands dreams were more important than my own calling and I pushed back saying yes to God until I couldn’t say ‘no’ any longer (about 5 years). I also believed the lie, “Who am I that God could use ‘me’ ?”
God reassures Moses that He will be with him and that he will succeed	Moses questions God: “What if people ask for God’s name?”	Through the years of serving in ministry, God has shown me that He is with me; however, I have also offered God many ‘What If’ questions. What if someone asks my a Bible question or a question about God and I don’t know how to answer.
God responds to Moses’ question: I AM (the One who creates or brings into being); the God of your fathers; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; God gives detailed instructions in meeting with the Israelite elders and assures Moses that they will listen; and taking the elders to the king of Egypt, including what to tell him, what it would take for the king to listen; and that the Egyptians would give the Israelites much, including gold & silver	Moses questions God: “What if they don’t believe me or listen to me?”	Again with ‘What if ‘ questions; What if someone questions what I say; What if people ignore me; and so on.
God responds to Moses’ question with the gift of three signs: the staff, the leprous hand, and river water turned to blood	Moses gives God the excuse that he has slow speech and tongue.	There’s been many times where I have bulked at God’s prompting for me to speak before others because I am not a dynamic charismatic speaker or someone that draws others to them. My insecurity becomes my excuse, until God pushes me forward.
God responds to Moses’ excuse with questions of who gave…, who makes…, who gives… Then God says ‘now go and I will help you and teach you what to say’	Moses offers God a soft refusal by saying; “Please send someone else.”	I don’t recall coming out and saying ‘Please send someone else’ to God or telling Him that I won’t do what He’s prompting me to do; however, by not stepping out in faith and by allowing my doubts and insecurities make my decisions for me, I am basically telling God to send someone else.
God responds to Moses’ soft refusal with adding in Moses’ brother Aaron and a reminder to take the staff for the signs to perform	Moses goes.	God’s enlightening me with these similarities has been an eye-opener for me in stepping out in faith and trusting that God knows and is in control of the outcomes in what He’s asking me to do. Now I will respond, “Here I am, Lord; please send me, Your servant is listening.”

#TheLordProvides #TheLordSees #TheLordisThere

JOURNEY TO WELLNESS

I have been thinking a lot about what it will take for me; as a Christ-Follower, to get to a point where I have whole-being wellness. As I walk my life journey, I find that I am craving this whole-being wellness and I have a desire to share what I discover with others that have an interest in the same. Whole-being wellness encompasses; first and foremost, spiritual wellness, then mindful (mental & emotional) wellness, and physical wellness. This topic of whole-being wellness is a library’s worth of research, information, and application plans; however, I want to mind dump today on a piece of this that has occurred to me recently.

As a Follower of Christ, I have noticed and experienced that there are different types of battle that I have encountered; all of which I need to suit up with God’s perfect Armor that He has provided for me. In my humanness, I tend to wear my own faulty armor with all of it’s battle holes, dents, weaknesses, and shortcomings; and then wonder why I am struggling so much with life stuff. I have experienced battles in my spiritual life, battles in my mind that impacts my emotions and mental state, and I have experienced battles in my physical body; which, by the way have been related to the spiritual and mindful battles. The best plan of action for all the battles I face is to put on God’s perfect Armor that He has provided for me. This armor includes surrounding myself with God’s Truth and living in His Truth; putting on Christ’s righteousness that He has provided; linking arms in Faith with other Christ Followers (there really is strength in numbers); walking in and sharing Christ’s Peace with others; covering my mind with thoughts of the Salvation; and all that it entails, that Jesus has provided for me; and becoming one with the sacred Word of God so that I can verbalize it in times of battle with the enemy.

In considering other aspects of whole-being wellness, the thought of my body being a ‘temple of the Holy Spirit,’ came to mind so I looked at the passage in Scripture that talks about this.

” “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:12-20 NIV)

This passage; most obviously, is referencing sexuality; however, in considering this passage, I have begun to see that it could potentially be related to other areas of life. While being sexually connected to a person makes ‘two become one flesh,’ I can see that when I connect or accept as Truth something from the world (evil), I am joining in my mental state and my emotions with the world and becoming as one with it. Also, if I accept worldly spiritual things and connect with them, I am becoming one with them which impacts my spiritual life with the Holy Spirit because I would then be trying to worship God and other gods at the same time; which doesn’t work well, as we read in the Ten Commandments. Becoming one with the things of the world; even in thought, can; and probably will, derail my efforts in becoming well in my whole being. As is also true if I become one with the world in a physical sense.

How does all of this come together? I am thinking through this; however, I can see a couple really important aspects that I HAVE to be consistently persistent on if I am going to continue to pursue whole-being wellness. First, every day must begin with putting on the perfect Armor of my God and Creator. And second, I must reject worldly things and become one with only the things of God.

As you consider these thoughts for yourself, I would really like to hear your feedback; in a positive manner, please.

soulcarecoach.amy@gmail.com

#wholebeingwellness

HAVE YOU EVER . . .

Have you ever . . .

Have you ever considered that we plant grass seed, fertilize it, water it, and then cut it; only to water it more and then have to cut it again, and again, and again?

Have you ever considered that we park in a driveway and drive in a parkway?

Have you ever considered the fact that many other people in this world struggle with some of the same things that you struggle with?

Have you ever considered what makes you smile also makes other people smile?

Have you ever considered how much your kids truly understand you; even if you think you have hidden those things from them, they see them?

Have you ever trusted someone so much that you let them in on your biggest hurts in life?

Have you ever trusted someone, told them vulnerable things and then they used them against you? Have you ever forgiven them? (God has.)

Have you ever known that freedom from those things that bind you, can really be yours?

Have you ever looked so deep into someone’s eyes that you felt their pain and wanted to help them to heal?

Have you ever struggled in this world and wondered why???

Have you ever wondered what your purpose is for your life journey?

Have you ever put your security in someone or something else only to realize they let you down; or even hurt you?

Have you ever started a gratitude journal?

Have you ever looked so deep within yourself that you saw God’s heart?

Have you ever; while talking to another person, tried to picture yourself in that person’s experience so that you could understand them better?

Have you ever; while reading Scripture, tried to picture yourself in that time so that you could get a better grasp on God’s story?

Have you ever wanted to start something new but felt you don’t have what it takes to accomplish it?

Have you ever grown tired of the everyday stuff and just wanted more than the world has to offer?

Have you ever experienced the presence of God? (WOW)

Have you ever given your life to Jesus? I pray that you have so that we can meet in Heaven.

HAVE YOU EVER . . . ??? I could go on for a long time but I think that you get the picture. I pray that you consider the things of God and find yourself in His loving Hands!

#Coaching#SoulCare#CreatorGod

Mystery Flight

As I soar up here, way up high;

I look down to see where the past has taken me by.

The past is there, I see it well;

There’s much in the story I have yet to tell.

The past I see shows me so much;

If I reach out to feel it, I cannot touch.

Experience taught me so much in life,

I always wanted to avoid strife.

Hiding in that closed off shell;

I thought it would protect but it was more like hell.

As I gaze down over my present days,

I struggle to see through all the haze.

Clarity is what I desire,

Searching for it only makes me tire.

The future has much to do;

If only it would come into view.

I sense the joy,

That those days will bring;

I know it’s important to cut that string.

What will it be like,

Only God shall know;

What will it feel like,

As love will grow?

Where will this journey take me,

Only God can see,

Where this journey will take me.

For now, I will look to see

Only what’s before me.

WHAT AND WHY

For most of my life; no probably all off my life, music has been a very important part of my life. From growing up in the 70’s and 80’s listening to my mom’s music and the rock bands of the 80’s, I have identified so much with music. I have those certain songs; that when I hear them, it takes me back to a time and a place and a memory, maybe even a big life event. I will admit that a lot of the music that I grew up listening to wasn’t the best for me to be influenced and listening to it now can completely change my mood and perspective; that is why I have chosen to not listen to; and there by be influenced by, the hair bands of the 80’s. Some would speak against that statement; however, while I know that there is some classic music from those times, I know where my thoughts and perspective goes when I listen to it and therefore choose to avoid listening to it. The music from the 80’s is a trigger for me.

In this season of my life; and I dare say, for the rest of my life life, I choose to listen to music that brings me closer to the God I love and triggers me in a positive direction. Music is still so much a part of my life and has great influence on my thoughts and perspective. This morning while listening to I will Carry You by Ellie Holcomb (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBGb5jG5v3Y), I was reminded of why I can trust Jesus with; not only my life, but also every cell, every organ, every detail of my life.

These are the lyrics of the song that struck me so profoundly this morning:

I Will Carry You by Ellie Holcomb

I know you’re tired, I see it in your eyes
All that anxiety that rules your mind
I’ll be your shield when you don’t feel like
You’ve got strength enough to fight
I’ll stand by your side

I will carry you
Through your darkest night
When you’re terrified
I will carry you
When the waters rise
When your hope runs dry
I will carry you

You are not the sum of your mistakes
You don’t have to hide the parts of you that ache
I choose you as you are a million times
‘Cause I am not ashamed of you
I won’t walk away from you

I will carry you
Through your darkest night
When you’re terrified
I will carry you
When the waters rise
When your hope runs dry
I will carry you

Up and over the mountains
Valley deep as the ocean
When you can’t keep going
I will shoulder your burdens
Up and over the mountains
Valley deep as the ocean
When you can’t keep going
I will shoulder your burdens

Why can I trust Jesus with my whole being, my whole heart, my whole everything? Because He will carry me through the good, the bad, and the everything in between. Now this is the best way to start my day; with a great reminder of the extent to which Jesus has gone for me and will go for me because of His beyond-my-comprehension love! A little while later; as I was on my morning walk, Holy Spirit began to put some things together for me. He first reminded me of the ‘why’ I can trust Jesus; and then He reminded me of the ‘what’ He is asking me to do by reminding me of a great song (of course) from quite a few years ago called Welcome Home by Shawn Groves (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPZtQGZUyMk). I will share the lyrics of this powerful song but first I want to share that this song reveals what Jesus is calling His followers to do; what God is calling His people to do; what Holy Spirit is leading and teaching us to do. Now I am a task-oriented person so I can get all wrapped up in the doing side of things; this is a weakness of mine, I tend to get so caught up in the doing that I miss out on the being with those around me. I don’t recommend this as a habit or hobby. God wants us to BE with Him first and foremost as we read in Psalm 46:10; I would look it up if you don’t already know what it says, I love this verse! Anyway, what God is asking us to ‘do’ comes out of our ‘BEING’ with Him; spending time with Him, talking with Him constantly, sharing His love with others, but most of all; as the words of Welcome Home remind us, God wants to be invited into every space of our being with nooooo exceptions. And when we invite Jesus into every cell and every detail of our lives, what a relationship we can have with the Lover of our souls!

Welcome Home by Shawn Groves

Take, me, make me
All You want me to be
That’s all I’m asking, all I’m asking

Welcome to this heart of mine
I’ve buried under prideful vines
Grown to hide the mess I’ve made
Inside of me
Come decorate, Lord
Open up the creaking door
And walk upon the dusty floor
Scrape away the guilty stains
Until no sin or shame remain
Spread Your love upon the walls
And occupy the empty halls
Until the man I am has faded
No more doors are barricaded

Come inside this heart of mine
It’s not my own
Make it home
Come and take this heart and make it
All Your own
Welcome home

Take a seat, pull up a chair
Forgive me for the disrepair
And the souvenirs from floor to ceiling
Gathered on my search for meaning
Every closet’s filled with clutter
Messes yet to be discovered
I’m overwhelmed, I understand
I can’t make this place all that You can

I took the space that You placed in me
Redecorated in shades of greed
And I made sure every door stayed locked
Every window blocked, and still You knocked

Come inside this heart of mine
It’s not my own
Make it home
Come and take this heart and make it
All Your own
Welcome home

Take me, make me
All You want me to be
That’s all I’m asking, all I’m asking

What is God asking of His people? To be invited into every space of our lives; yes, even the messy difficult spaces that we think that we have to hold onto because only we know how to take care of them. Yes, even that one thing that just came to your mind. Yes, even that space that is surrounded by those protective walls; please let me share with you that those protective walls aren’t protecting you, they are holding you prisoner to the pain of that thing and to the enemy of your soul that keeps lying to you by telling you; in a voice that sounds like your own, that these walls will protect you. It’s all lies!

Why can we trust God with these spaces? Because He knows our every cell; our every minute; our every thought. And you know what, He made you; He’s crazy in love with you; and He will carry you!!!

A prayer from Jesus from John 17:26: “I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)

What are the spaces that Jesus hasn’t been invited into? Why hasn’t He been invited?

You are so loved!

SOARING

“Look up into the heavens.
    Who created all the stars?
He brings them out like an army, one after another,
    calling each by its name.
Because of his great power and incomparable strength,
    not a single one is missing.
²⁷O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?
    O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?
²⁸Have you never heard?
    Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
²⁹He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
³⁰Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
³¹But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.

God’s Help for Israel

41 “Listen in silence before me, you lands beyond the sea.”
Isaiah 40:26-41:1a NLT

Have you ever found yourself so emotionally drained that you just wanted to sleep for a day; maybe two? Have you ever found yourself wondering why this journey of life seems so hard? Have you ever just wondered why you are where you are in this world? Have you ever wondered if anyone else struggles with the same things that you are struggling with? Have you ever believed that isolating yourself from other people is the safe way to journey through this life? Have you ever felt so alone that you believe that if you weren’t around no one would miss you?

Have you ever looked at these thoughts and realized that they aren’t of our Creator God Elohim? God created the stars and gave them each a name. He created each person and gave us each a name and a purpose; and this before time as we know it. “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

³¹But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

Close your eyes and envision yourself soaring on the wings of an eagle as if you were soaring with God, in the protection of His wings. What are you seeing as you look around? What are you smelling? What are you feeling? Do you taste anything? What do you hear? Are you at peace or in a state of anxiety? Allow yourself to be present in that moment before you move on.

When you are ready; look ahead in the distance, do you see where you are headed? Where is it? How do you feel about where you are headed? What do you see? How do you feel in the moment? What do you smell? Is there a taste? What do you hear? Are you at peace with what you are experiencing?

What do you see between where you are and where you are going? Where is God in that in-between space?

God’s timing is perfect and His plan is perfect. Trust in His plan. May you be blessed!

Hope's Table

What do we do with Life Experiences?

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