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Are you Living as a Sprinter or a Long Distance Runner?

17 Nov

Are you living your life as a sprinter or a long distance runner?

My husband and I used to go for long walks on the canal system in Phoenix for exercise.   Towards the end of one of our walks, I challenged Greg to a race.  He agreed and before he knew it, I’d dashed ahead.  The sprint wasn’t a long distance and so I was able to beat him to the finish line.  We laugh about it to this day.  I have to admit that if the distance had been much longer, I would never have won that race.

It’s almost like walking by faith.

Walking by faith requires perseverance.  

Let me ask you a few questions about your faith walk.

  • Do you always feel the presence of the Lord in your life?
  • Do you see your prayers answered promptly?
  • Do your emotions line up with what you know about what God’s Word says?
Yes, there are times when I really feel God’s presence.  I am so thankful for those times as they can be like mountaintop experiences.  And they carry me through the times when I know that God is with me but I don’t FEEL it.

 

Yes, I’ve seen Him answer my prayers.  But there are times when I wait and wait and don’t see an answer.  I know that He hears me and I ask believing but still …no answer.  Those are the times when I must be persistent but also be open to a ‘no’ answer or a ‘not now’ or ‘I have something better in mind’.  I believe that the Lord has my best interests and His glory in mind. So I learn to trust Him.

 

I have to admit that there are times when my emotions don’t align with what I know to be true from God’s Word.  This often happens when I’m tired or stressed.  But I choose to go the distance.  I take out the Scriptures I’ve written on 3×5 cards to help me remember the Truth of what I know.

 

Reading through Hebrews 11, I see a long list of Bible heroes.  Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses are among those included.  Verses 39-40 say:
“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”
They had to walk by faith, believing God, even when they didn’t get to see the end in their lifetime on earth.
Hebrews 12: 1-3 goes on to say:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
I don’t know about you but this motivates me to never give up.  There are times when my faith walk goes smoothly.  God is alive and active in my life and I get to see it.  But there are more times when things are rocky and life doesn’t go smoothly.

 

Perseverance is required to run the distance in a life of faith.

 

Will you choose to trust God through those tough times?  Will you choose to pray and read your Bible even when you don’t feel like doing it?  Will you praise Him in the good times and in the seemingly bad times?  Will you commit to go the distance and not give up?

 

Blessings and love,

Photo Credit: Ambro Freedigitalimages.net

A Cup of Encouragement

18 Oct

 

Have you offered a cup of encouragement to someone recently?

 

With all of the dismal news lately, it can be easy to become discouraged.  I can recall moments when I felt overwhelmed with circumstances and became discouraged.  There was so much uncertainty in my life and I was learning to trust God in all things.

But offering a cup of encouragement?  What exactly is encouragement?

The Visual Thesaurus describes encouragement as:

  •  the act of giving hope or support to someone
  • the expression of approval and support
  • the feeling of being encouraged

During a time of discouragement, I was so thankful to be on the receiving end of encouragement.  I was shown support in many ways.  A card in the mail with a message that I was not forgotten and was being prayed for gave me hope.  A phone call or a simple hug was encouraging.  Reading kind comments after spending time writing a blog post became a wonderful source of encouragement for me.

But I want to offer you a cup of encouragement that I find in the Bible.

Philippians 1:6 says:

“being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Let me remind you that Paul was writing this book of the Bible under inspiration from the Holy Spirit.  He was in prison in Rome.  His circumstances were far from perfect, I’d say.  But here he is writing a letter to the believers in Philippi; reaching out to others when I’m sure it would be easy to understand if he felt depressed and discouraged.

But Paul knew something very important.  He knew he was in God’s will and so he was able to reach out to others and to even pray with joy for the Philippians.

Paul was confident that God had a plan for his life, even if it involved imprisonment.

My life circumstances somehow don’t seem as huge when I get this.  After all, God has a plan for my life too.

  • I know there’s a purpose in my trials
  • I know that God has His hand on my life
  • I know that He who began a good work in me will complete it
This gives me hope and …encouragement.  My job is to trust and believe.

I need to get my ‘self’ out of the way and  …step out in obedience even though I may feel scared.

This is a cup of encouragement to me.

Will you receive this cup of encouragement for yourself?

“being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

And then turn around and remind someone else of this too.  We all need to be reminded from time to time.

And don’t forget that a phone call or a hug or a card are always wonderful ways to offer a cup of encouragement to someone who is hurting or alone.

What about you?  What ways do you offer a cup of encouragement?

 Blessings and love,

Are You Thirsty?

16 Sep


Are you thirsty?  Have you ever had an unquenchable thirst?

Your throat becomes so dry and you can’t seem to drink enough water to satisfy that thirst.

Living in the desert of Phoenix, I’m familiar with this kind of thirst.

I’ve gone for long hikes in the mountains.  Even though I always carry my water bottle with me I still return home thirsty.

Since I began working at a private school, one of my daily duties includes assisting with gate duty at the end of the school day.  This involves matching up each child with the proper ride home from school.  At this time of year it’s still very hot.  Phoenix has a dry heat but I can tell you that after only one hour I’m so hot and …very thirsty.

It takes me quite a while to rehydrate myself and recover from the heat.  As I drink my bottled water, it often feels like I can never get enough.  Have you ever felt that way?

It reminds me of this verse from the book of John.  Jesus was speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well.  He told her about living water and she asked where she could get this.

John 4:13-14 (NIV)

“Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  

This woman came to the well to draw water.  But she ended up with so much more.

John 4:15 (NIV)

“The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

The Samaritan woman met Jesus and her life would never be the same.  Verse 39 says that many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of this woman’s testimony.

What about you?  If you’re a believer, you have the Holy Spirit within you.  He is the living water.

And yet how often do we quench that Spirit and live our lives in our own strength?

I know that as I’ve been going through a difficult season in my life, I’m learning to rely on the Lord more and more.  Only He can truly provide what I need.  Only He can quench my thirst.

Are you going through a dry season?  Are you thirsty for more of God?  Spend time in His Word.  Ask Him to help you to surrender control of your life  and allow Him to work in you and through you?

May we never thirst again but instead go to the One Source who can totally satisfy us.

Blessings and love,

Heart Choices 

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