As I was driving to Celebrate Recovery this evening, I almost took out a family of ducks. Anyone who knows me knows what an animal lover I am and would've been devestated if I had. Luckily, I swerved out of the way and was able to not snuff them out in ducky manslaughter.
I continued driving but in a slow manner keeping my eye on them in the rearview mirror to make sure they crossed the road safely and then, with my heart still beating and my mind still trying to grasp what had just happened, I prayed. Yes....I prayed for the little family of ducks to make it safely all they way to where they were going.
A lesson came to mind much later on in the evening while I was doing some grocery shopping. I kept thinking about these ducks and how the mama duck protected her young. There they were, minding their own business, trying to get across the way with this challenge of not getting run over. The mama duck was in front and her ducklings were close together behind her. She saw me coming and when she jumped back and ceased, so did the ducklings. When she saw it was safe to cross, she looked at her ducklings, gave the ok, and they followed their mama trusting they were safely going to cross that street. And not only did they follow her, they followed CLOSELY behind her.
God takes the lead in everything we do and He will get us safely to where we need to go as long as we follow closely behind Him. But at times we will be faced with and placed in some pretty potential harmful situations. Again...all we have to do is follow God's lead very closely and He will get us through safely. I could've easily hit any of those ducklings if they hadn't kept an eye on their mama and just kept going. If we don't keep an eye on God's lead, we run the risk of getting hit and recovery may be very difficult if not impossible.
"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8
Friday, September 28, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Tiny As A Mustard Seed....Mighty As A Mountain
I am doing a little Bible study in a book called Birds in My Mustard Tree. It's about having faith like a mustard seed and last night's lesson was about doing big things with very little. It brought up the parable of feeding the 5000 (which was ironic because my friend reminded me of this story last night no more than an hour or so before I studied this) and there was this part that really touched me.
"I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar." Mark 8:2-3
I laid there flat on my back on my bed, one dog with his head on my leg and the other sprawled on my Bible. I pondered this verse for a little while and thought, "How fitting."
We all have a journey. Some of us have come a long way and then are saved because Jesus takes compassion on us. But He certainly will not allow us to continue on the journey hungry for if we do no have enough to hold us over, we can falter, grow tired, angry, and finally just lie down somewhere to give up. So God gives us what we need to make it to our first stop and then some more to get us to the next stop and He continues to give as we go along so we do not give up the journey even when we are tired.
"So they ate and they were filled....." Mark 8:8
You may get hungry again but God will always be there to fill you up again. All we have to do is accept His gift and thank Him for His help to keep us going.
"I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar." Mark 8:2-3
I laid there flat on my back on my bed, one dog with his head on my leg and the other sprawled on my Bible. I pondered this verse for a little while and thought, "How fitting."
We all have a journey. Some of us have come a long way and then are saved because Jesus takes compassion on us. But He certainly will not allow us to continue on the journey hungry for if we do no have enough to hold us over, we can falter, grow tired, angry, and finally just lie down somewhere to give up. So God gives us what we need to make it to our first stop and then some more to get us to the next stop and He continues to give as we go along so we do not give up the journey even when we are tired.
"So they ate and they were filled....." Mark 8:8
You may get hungry again but God will always be there to fill you up again. All we have to do is accept His gift and thank Him for His help to keep us going.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Summertime in Florida means several things. Humidity, poofy hair because of humidity, the best fruit, many visits to the beach, uninvited buggy visitors, and grass growing like no tomorrow... especially the weeds.
I looked out into my little yard this evening and shook my head. "Didn't I just pull all those weeds?" It couldn't of been more than a few weeks and it already looks like a jungle out there! The dogs and I peered through the patio window in disbelief over the overgrown mess. A few hours later, we went outside for their nightly bathroom ritual and I looked around at all the work I have to do and then I started thinking....
Oh how sin can be so much like the weeds. At first it doesn't seem so bad but if you don't keep up with it and remove it, then before you know it you have a jungle full of sin and many hours ahead of you getting yourself cleaned back up. If we just spend a little time everyday with our "Gardner," He will keep us looking beautiful and clean.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
I looked out into my little yard this evening and shook my head. "Didn't I just pull all those weeds?" It couldn't of been more than a few weeks and it already looks like a jungle out there! The dogs and I peered through the patio window in disbelief over the overgrown mess. A few hours later, we went outside for their nightly bathroom ritual and I looked around at all the work I have to do and then I started thinking....
Oh how sin can be so much like the weeds. At first it doesn't seem so bad but if you don't keep up with it and remove it, then before you know it you have a jungle full of sin and many hours ahead of you getting yourself cleaned back up. If we just spend a little time everyday with our "Gardner," He will keep us looking beautiful and clean.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Black Out Praise
Today a friend and I went to the opening of a new church in Sarasota. As we were worshipping, the electricity decided to go out and the band did their best to keep the worship going. It was amazing how everyone in the crowd helped them along and kept singing despite the fact we were in the dark for a few moments.
I always had a hard time understanding the concept of praising God even in the darkest moments and today it finally sunk in. We were literally praising God in the dark today and I now see I need to be praising Him in the dark moments of my life. The electricity was only out for but a brief moment and we were able to continue singing and worshipping like nothing had happened. Life works the same way....one moment you are moving along fine and then something happens that leaves you in the dark for a little bit. Fortunately, the lights aren't out forever and God works to turn our electricity back on so that we may continue on.
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
.....even in the dark.
I always had a hard time understanding the concept of praising God even in the darkest moments and today it finally sunk in. We were literally praising God in the dark today and I now see I need to be praising Him in the dark moments of my life. The electricity was only out for but a brief moment and we were able to continue singing and worshipping like nothing had happened. Life works the same way....one moment you are moving along fine and then something happens that leaves you in the dark for a little bit. Fortunately, the lights aren't out forever and God works to turn our electricity back on so that we may continue on.
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
.....even in the dark.
Monday, September 3, 2012
And One Day He Did
Saturday evening I attended church service and my lovely friend gave a sermon titled, "One Day." Her sermon was based upon the story of the man who was unable to walk and hung out near the gate called Beautiful begging for money until one day, Jesus healed him and he was finally able to walk after so many years. He went about the town praising with glee and many were amazed by what they saw.
This sermon has stayed in my head and this evening I was brought back to my "One Day." In a few months, it will be two years that I sat in my apartment alone, lost, and confused....crying out to God He had one last chance to fix it all. And One Day He did.
Just like the crippled man, I was crippled by my past, my fears, my shortcoming, my anger, my guilt, my shame and my sin. Jesus brought me to the place where I would find forgiveness and freedom and I too danced with glee for all to see what He has done for me. But somewhere along the way, my praise fizzled out and I became lost again. I was half in the light and half in the dark. I had this new found freedom but just like a captive animal set free....I wasn't sure where to go or what to do. Along the way, I have had my moments where I was able to share my story....but for some reason, it didn't seem enough. Although in the moment I was applaused for my transparency, I still felt overlooked. But the truth was, I wasn't the one that was overlooked. It was God. And I was the one walking past Him.
The things I have done so far weren't enough because I hadn't made God enough. What more did I and do I really need? In January of 2011, I opened my heart long enough for God to come in and start a power in me that would take over and take me away from the old me that was living in misery and pain and bring me to place of love and opportunity. In One Day and in One Moment, He took over for I didn't have enough strength to continue...and I knew it. And even when I felt the moment fizzle out, God continued Everyday to save me, wait for me, and follow me around so that I may find who I really am.
"It is in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for." Ephesians 1:11
Ministry isn't something we do or a place we have to be at. It's something that lies within us. Something that we allow out so others may take notice and desire what we have.
Do I question my purpose? All the time, but I have come to the point where I have no need to worry about such a thing. He has already used me so I doubt He is finished with me.
"...It's a wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." Phillipians 4:6-7
This sermon has stayed in my head and this evening I was brought back to my "One Day." In a few months, it will be two years that I sat in my apartment alone, lost, and confused....crying out to God He had one last chance to fix it all. And One Day He did.
Just like the crippled man, I was crippled by my past, my fears, my shortcoming, my anger, my guilt, my shame and my sin. Jesus brought me to the place where I would find forgiveness and freedom and I too danced with glee for all to see what He has done for me. But somewhere along the way, my praise fizzled out and I became lost again. I was half in the light and half in the dark. I had this new found freedom but just like a captive animal set free....I wasn't sure where to go or what to do. Along the way, I have had my moments where I was able to share my story....but for some reason, it didn't seem enough. Although in the moment I was applaused for my transparency, I still felt overlooked. But the truth was, I wasn't the one that was overlooked. It was God. And I was the one walking past Him.
The things I have done so far weren't enough because I hadn't made God enough. What more did I and do I really need? In January of 2011, I opened my heart long enough for God to come in and start a power in me that would take over and take me away from the old me that was living in misery and pain and bring me to place of love and opportunity. In One Day and in One Moment, He took over for I didn't have enough strength to continue...and I knew it. And even when I felt the moment fizzle out, God continued Everyday to save me, wait for me, and follow me around so that I may find who I really am.
"It is in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for." Ephesians 1:11
Ministry isn't something we do or a place we have to be at. It's something that lies within us. Something that we allow out so others may take notice and desire what we have.
Do I question my purpose? All the time, but I have come to the point where I have no need to worry about such a thing. He has already used me so I doubt He is finished with me.
"...It's a wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." Phillipians 4:6-7
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