Laced With Grace

Sometimes I feel as if I’m the resident sunshine advisor here at Laced with Grace. My words sit before you once a week and, more often than not, leave you with a message to love yourself as God loves you. I tell you to forgive those who have hurt you and move beyond the pain they may have caused in your life, just as God would do. I ask you to accept those who may be difficult to love and to reach out and love them anyway. I remind you how easy it is to bring some joy, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, into someones life, just as God does for us on a daily basis.

Love. Forgive. Accept. Take action.

For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.
Romans 11:29 NLT

I feel the need to exemplify what I write here by backing it up with a personal example.

Sometimes I fret over the coming of Wednesday. I know I have a responsibility to our readers and my fellow Lace with Gracers to come up with something intelligent and inspirational to share here. Yesterday was one of those “what in the world am I going to say tomorrow?!?” days. And as He always does, God shows me His way.

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
1 Corninthians 14:1 NKJV

Last night I was up way beyond my normal bedtime and I began an email conversation with someone I have known online for many years. She shared with me something that she chooses not to share online about her personal life and it touched me a great deal. We started discussing a roadblock she had in her life regarding this situation and I spoke to her from my heart. I used my past experience as a mother and I shared with her my opinion of the decision she faced. When that portion of the conversation ended, she thanked me and told me how much I had helped her. She expressed how much my view of things meant to her, because of who I am (as a parent).

I felt joy knowing I had helped her deal with a troubled spot in her life. I do not know what decision this person will make, but I pray it will be the right one for her and for everyone involved. I would like to believe she will write the letter she questions and that single act will lead to great fulfillment for her and for the other people it affects. But that is my will, not necessarily His. I am satisfied to know my words helped. My experience enabled me to reach out and instill confidence and assurance in someone else. It was through God that I was able to bring some joy and ease the thoughts of one single friend. I thank God for working through me as He did.

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Phillipians 1:6 NKJV

Lord, I thank You for providing me with the words I struggled with for today. I thank You for showing me how You continue to work through my spirit and enable me to share Your love and kindness with others. I pray my mind and heart will continue to open up to Your love and draw me ever closer to You. May those who hurt find peace. May those who seek love find comfort. May those who need an ear find a late online friend to chat with.

This we ask in Jesus’ name!

When has Jesus worked through someone else to bring you one of His amazing gifts?

My Pink, Circa late ’70′s Huffy Dirt Bike was my ticket to freedom and suburban adventure. With it, I could fly. Miles slipped beneath my wheels. I could go anywhere, and do anything.

I was Wonder Woman, on a Pink Huffy, with coke-bottle glasses and a bad home perm.

A favorite adventure was riding to Prayer Baptist Church. It wasn’t for worship. The church was built on a hill. It had a long sloping driveway that led to the top of the hill and the front doors. The driveway wrapped all the way around to the back, to where the real parking was. You could really get going down that hill. Along side the driveway, there were equally long, equally sloping, steps. There were probably a hundred steps. We rode to the top of the driveway, jumped a small curb, and stopped on the sidewalk at the top of the steps. Then, we flew down. (Sometimes literally, OUCH) It was a tooth rattling, blur of pink joyride.

On my Pink Huffy, I was unstoppable. Invincible. Almost. Like all superheroes, I had a weakness, a nemesis. Mine, was RAILROAD TRACKS. They got me every time.

I tried everything I could to avoid them. I offered alternate routes. “How bout we ride to 7-11?” I lied: “My Mom said I’m not allowed to cross railroad tracks” In desperation, I’d offer bribes… “I’ll buy the slurpees!” Sometimes my avoidance techniques worked, mostly not.

Often, the bike rides ended (for me anyways) at the railroad tracks. Either, by me getting off to walk my bike across, to the taunts of my friends… “Chicken! Baby! Tracey’s gotta walk her bike!” , or, worse yet, by pitching over the handlebars and landing in the middle of the railroad tracks, convinced I was about to be run over by a train. (We never crossed when trains were coming, but I just figured that would be my luck.) Sometimes, if I was riding with a kinder, gentler friend, I heard encouragement to try, yet again. “Keep your eyes straight ahead! Don’t look down! Look at me! Keep your wheel straight, and just keep pedaling! Don’t slow down! ”

Eventually, I got the hang of it. My friend was right. The key was to keep my eyes straight ahead- keep my arms locked straight and just keep pedaling.

Through the years- I’ve noticed that there are things in my life that have also become like railroad tracks. It may be a crisis that I can see coming. You know- the kind you can see, but not stop from happening. Or, it may be a direction that God is calling me to follow Him, but one that involves struggle, bumps, frightening railroad tracks. They can cause me to freak out and pitch over my emotional handlebars, if I don’t work hard to keep my eyes on Christ, arms locked and wheel straight, pedaling like mad.

I do this by focusing on Him. Not the railroad track in my path. I focus then, even more on His word. On prayer, listening and leaning on Him, and on His people, the people that will encourage me to keep my eyes on him. Following.

Much like Peter did when Jesus called Him out to join Him, walking on the water. And, on the days, when I hear the wind whipping around me, or see the railroad tracks too late to focus my eyes on Him… or just plain get scared and don’t do what I know is better… I fall. Flying head first over my emotional handlebars, crying worrying and shouting all the way. On those days, I do what Peter did, as well, when he started to sink in the water. I cry out “Jesus! Help me!” And He does. He steadies the bike. If I land on the tracks, He lifts me back up. Puts me back on my bike, holding the seat and running beside me- much like my Dad did to teach me to ride. (However- Jesus doesn’t tire, and let go, or cough and wheeze from smoking too many Kool 100′s like my Dad did.)

Dear Lord, There are so many things that cause to fear and doubt. There are also things that cause us to consider turning to another path- even one of sin. Things that tempt us to find an alternate route, or that time and again cause us to pitch over the handle bars, landing in the middle of the railroad tracks, waiting for the train to hit. God- I pray that we’d keep our eyes focused on you, following you and your path, not turning to the right or to the left, but pedaling straight on, and finishing the race you’ve put before us.

2 Timothy 4:6-8
“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

Last Christmas I received a MP3 player from my Sweetheart. I have to say it is truly a blessing to me. Working in an office with 600+ employees can get very noisy. Sometimes I just get frustrated–and my thoughts are not very Christ-like. Believe me–they are not nice! Although I try to stay positive and see the good in people, my mind sometimes starts wandering—in the wrong direction…

At times like that, my MP3 player comes in handy. When I hear the people around me, being not nice to each other, I just tune out and turn up the volume. You see, all my MP3 player is ‘loaded’ with are sermons and Christian worship music. As you might know, Jars of Clay is my favorite group to listen to, especially their ‘Redemption Songs‘ CD. The first song on their album is called “Be Merciful to Me” which is based on Psalm 51…and usually the first song I tune in to when I get REALLY frustrated!

With my headphones on and listening to the lyrics get me focused on who I am in Him in this world…

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” ~
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (ESV
~ emphasis mine )

You see, through God’s grace and mercy, we have become His ambassadors. He has forgiven all our sins. Past, present and future. Just as we have been forgiven, so we need to forgive others, especially the ones who do not know Him yet in the way we do. If we start acting like the people around us, how can we be a light in this darkened world? I know that I need those little ‘aids’ to help me stay focused on what is true and pure…

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” ~ Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)

What aids do you use during the week to keep your focused when you can not read your Bible? Please do share…

Blessings on your day and as always…