Happy Memorial Day

I’m taking the week off. Look forward to sharing with you next week as well as reading all your wonderful blogs. 

If you missed my Guest Post on Finding God’s Vision for your Life on Lead to Impact you can check it out by clicking here. 

My June Newsletter will be coming out soon. If you haven’t signed up, I encourage you to. Each quarter I have a Featured Blogger and info you won’t find on my blog.

You can sign up here. Don’t forget to confirm it through your email.
In this edition I'm asking for Guest Posts on the topic of Home Schooling. But I'm also open to sharing with my readers about your decision to send your kids to private school or public school. If you're interested in Guest Posting on this topic please email me. 

One last thing, if you haven’t read my book, The Precipice: When Everything We Know Ends, you can pick up a copy here. If you enjoy it, a review on Amazon would be greatly appreciated (as would telling others to buy it- wink).

Have a blessed week!

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17 NIV

How Lacking Imagination Hinders Following God’s Vision

I'm Guest Posting today at Lead to Impact. Thanks, Bernard, for the honor. Here's a preview of the post!


                  How Lacking Imagination Hinders Following God’s Vision

“How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” Psalm 104:24 NIV

 

I used to think I was pretty creative.

But the more I learn about God, the more I realize how false that is. 

He is creative! Not me.

My wildest imagination doesn’t compare to His vast ingenuity.

In fact, I’m beginning to grasp how my limited creativity, paired with my false sense of grandeur, impairs my ability to follow God.

I tend to put Him in a box.

I think He can only work in one way. Only answer prayers according to my ability to postulate the means of them being answered. 

To finish reading, click here.

Thanks and have a blessed weekend.

The One NOT Chosen

“So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.” Acts 1:23-26 NIV

I paused as I read this.

Two men were singled out. 

One man was chosen. Chosen by God to replace Judas.

How did the other man feel?

What did he think about God’s decision?

According to previous Scriptures, both men were good candidates—with equal qualifications. 

Yet only one was chosen.

 

I can’t help but wonder how Joseph, called Barsabbas, felt.

I know how I would have felt- how I have felt when I wasn’t chosen for a position I was qualified for.

I felt upset. Angry. Cheated. 

I also felt rejected. Like I wasn’t good enough. I wonder what was wrong with me. I wondered if I’d upset God somehow. I wondered why I wasn’t found worthy.

Even when I was happy for the person who was chosen, I wondered, “Why wasn’t it me? What more must I do?” 

It’s taken the past five years for me to realize that just because I can do something doesn’t mean I should. It also doesn’t mean that it’s what God wants for me or from me. (please twee).

I may have similar gifting, and even more experience than someone else, but that doesn’t mean God intends me to do a certain job.

He picks and chooses everyone. Even people we think are less qualified. He does this because He has a plan and purpose for us all. 

We don’t have to understand the plan, or even like it.

But we need to accept it.

It’s only in accepting His plan that we find peace, grow, and can be used by Him in the future.

We aren’t told how Joseph felt about not being chosen.

Maybe he was relieved. Maybe it was a job he didn’t really want. 

Perhaps he was more mature than me and was able to accept the decision with a grace I’m still learning about.

Or maybe he was like me. Maybe it ate at him that he wasn’t chosen- but I don’t think it did, or if it did, he moved past it.

Fact is, we can speculate all we want. We don’t know what he thought or how he felt, but we can be certain that God had a purpose in NOT choosing him for that position. 

Though we are not told the “why” we do know that Joseph continued to serve God. While Matthias isn’t mentioned again in Scripture, the one NOT chosen is. 

God had a plan for Joseph, called Barsabas, that didn’t involve taking a leadership position at that time.

Later he was used to further God’s Kingdom by helping Paul. Scripture says he was a leading man among the brethren (Acts 15:22). 

Even though he wasn’t chosen previously, he was chosen later because he remained open to being used by God. He remained God’s servant.

God knows what each of us need and can handle.

We must trust Him.

And we mustn’t let our hearts get hard if we aren’t chosen for something.

We can’t give into our emotions.

We must remember that God has chosen us. We are a royal priesthood. 

God has a plan for you. And He knows the best time to let things come to pass in your life.

So no matter if you’re chosen today or tomorrow, remain a leader. Remain open to God using you in any capacity He sees fit…even if that means you’re chosen last.

Have peace my friend, you are a winner, even if you don’t feel like it.

Unintentionally Self-Righteous

I’ve come to realize Church people (AKA Christians) often unintentionally hurt people.

I say unintentionally because I truly believe they mean well. 

I’m currently in a strange place in my life and walk with God.

He is doing something in me and my family that I don’t understand. Yet, I know we are obeying Him. We seek Him daily about this situation and yet many of our close friends doubt what God is telling us.

We are currently without a church home. Have been for a few months. Yep, we don’t go to church.

In fact, the more we try to find a church to call “home”, the more it seems God is instructing us to stay home.

This seems completely contrary to His Word about not neglecting Christian fellowship and all sorts of Scriptural references about raising kids up "right" (believe me, I’ve had many quoted to me lately).

And as well meaning as peoples intentions are, there are times I've felt really bad because of them. I’ve felt as if I’m a bad parent. That I’m not devoted to Christ. That I’m selfish. That I’m being too picky (after all there’s no perfect church, but going to any church must be better than staying home).

But here’s the catch. 

I know this is God’s will for us at this time.

I don’t understand the why, nor do I know how long this will take.

My heart aches to attend a church, to be part of the family of God, to worship with other believers, to pray for others, to learn more about God’s Word…but God is showing me that I don’t need a building or a “church home” for any of this to happen. I am the temple of God because He lives in me. Everywhere I am can be ‘church’.  (Click to Tweet).

Also, NOT having a church home is causing me and my husband to be even MORE INTENTIONAL about seeking God. It’s amazing how much we can become dependent upon the church and let it take the place of God Himself directing us, sustaining us, fellowshipping with us. 

Daily, God is showing me more about Himself. To be honest, I’m not sure I would be learning this if I were dedicated to a church body.

This may not make any sense to you. You may be tempted to judge me…go ahead. So many of my closest friends are. 

They mean well. They want to see us in church. They truly believe our son is missing out by NOT going.

But I know, and God knows, we pray with our son everyday, we talk to him about God daily, and he is learning Scripture. We don’t need a church for him to learn about having a relationship with God, we simply must live it before him. 

This has been a great learning experience. And throughout this journey I've had to remind myself that emotions are not reality. Likewise, I've had to keep my heart soft and not get upset at the people who care so much for me and my family.

Now you might be wondering why I’m telling you all this. 

Here’s the reason: I realize I’m guilty of being “well meaning” but hurting others. I’m guilty of being self righteous and judgmental because I think God can only work in one way or that I know what He is telling you better than you know. 

I want to apologize. 

I’m not God and I’m sorry if I’ve ever made you feel bad. 

I don’t want to be a “know it all”. I don’t want to assume anything.

I am not perfect.

I don’t have it all figured out.

I’m just here to share with you what God is doing in my life. I pray you will be blessed by it and that God speaks to you- not me. 

I’m His servant, even when it doesn’t make sense (click to tweet).

Have a blessed week.