Something Bigger, Something Better
A young 19 year old marries a 25 year old man with no job, no home and no plans for future education. My friend asks me, “Isn’t he planning to support her? And what will their lives look like in 6 years, when she has 6 kids, no job, no money, no education, and no future?” It’s interesting how we can look at her situation and see into the future, wishing we could shake this young woman and tell her, “You could be so much more; you have so much potential! Your life could rise out of the poverty cycle and move beyond this small farm town into a bigger world.”
And yet, if I’m honest with myself, this young woman’s plight mirrors my own life sometimes. I allow myself to stay mired in the everyday routines of life, with my eyes only on the pavement in front of my feet. I don’t lift my eyes up and see the world around me and see God’ bigger purposes and His greater plans for me or those I love. I can get into a cycle of spiritual poverty, because I don’t know how to get out.
Does that happen to you sometimes? Are you trapped in a cycle of repeating the same broken behaviors over and over again, following along in the same ruts you’ve created over time? Maybe it’s your anger that keeps getting the best of you, or your pessimistic attitude about everything at work, at home, in the world? Do you return time after time to behaviors you know aren’t healthy like watching hours of meaningless television or turning to substances to calm you , help you “make it through the day,” or wasting time on the internet instead of investing it in your family?
I heard an amazing story yesterday in church about a missionary wife who died on the field, never knowing how her sacrifice changed a village. One little boy was saved and when he grew up, he built a school and through that school, the village came to Christ. It was a reminder to me that God’s purposes are so much bigger than my circumstances.
God’s purposes are BIGGER than your circumstances!
And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
He has something BIGGER, something BETTER for you and me to do and to become in this life. He says that He doesn’t just want to save us from the brink of eternal extermination in hell, hanging on in this life by the skin of our teeth. He doesn’t just want to give us a ticket to heaven and a promise of better next life. He has plans for something better NOW. He wants to work through our lives and in our lives to make us a person whose life shines His glory.
God wants to rescue us out of the cycles of spiritual poverty we live in. When we turn to Him and lift our eyes beyond our limited vision of only what we see surrounding us, He will show us His BIGGER plans. He is at work, changing lives, making things new, and moving in amazing ways and we can be a part of it.
POSTCARD FROM GOD
Dawn is our guest writer today. You can find her penning her thoughts over at http://www.everydayordinarydawnings.blogspot.com/. Today, she shared the following devo with us:
Forty-eight hours of non-stop catching up make for a weary woman. There’s checkbook balancing at 11:00 pm, an application and a portfolio for a daughter’s art audition to a summer arts consortium, and nothing defrosted for supper when it’s 5:45. My son’s book bag zipper is broken for yet another day of school, and the stacked mail on the counter reveals the need for a follow-up mammogram – another phone call, another appointment, and another concern. It’s a race to keep up with life’s unfolding, and the clock ticks like a bomb.
On the way to the dog groomers, I notice it. Just noticing is a beautiful thing because I don’t have time right now for noticing. After all, right now there are half packed bags for a youth retreat in the hallway upstairs, last night’s dishes in my sink, and a cold, forgotten-but-longed-for cup of coffee in my microwave.
But there it was, at my favorite little red barn on the corner of my daily comings and goings: a postcard from God. And I noticed.
On this cold winter morning that wasn’t grey for a change, two horses, the pony, and the donkey — all the co-habitants together — were sun-bathing. They were stark still in the small sliver of barnyard that didn’t fall in dawn’s shadow. They weren’t huddled, but they each had carefully crowded in to stand in the sun.
My Dear Child, Today
When a family’s agenda crowds a life, when to do lists grow tails, when a life’s grown cold, just stop and stand in the warmth. Position yourself to feel My presence and take it in, slow and still. No need to fret, the world will spin without your help. The sun always rises.
With My hugs and kisses, barnyard animals and sunrise,
Abba Father
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. ~Matthew 6:33-34 (NASB)
You can find more of Dawn’s writings by checking out her blog:
http://www.everydayordinarydawnings.blogspot.com/
Read MoreRelentless Love
Have you ever felt like the world was pressing down on you like a jack hammer?
The daily pressures of life. The loss of a spouse, child, parent. Grief. Financial crisis. Worry. Anxiety. Guilt. Unforgiveness. Fear. Shame. Harsh words. Bitterness.
Blasting. Pounding. Noise. Chipping. Drilling. Blasting away, trying to destroy you and turn your faith into a pile of ruin and rubble.
It’s relentless.
The shaking soul cries out. ”God, are You there? Do You hear me?”
But even more relentless than the jack hammer pressing down on you is the relentless love of God.
Do you know that you, yes YOU, are loved by the Beloved of all creation, the Lord of love Himself, with an everlasting, relentless love?
He is the author of all things, including love.
He’s the Giver of life and all good and perfect gifts. Sometimes His love is encapsulated in the pain, but it’s there none the less. He’s with you even as life is pressing in. The good to be found is His nearness, His promise to be with you no matter what. Psalm 73:28
Hope on to that truth. Hold it close to your heart, but also fly it high as a banner of love over your head. Let that banner draw hurting, searching souls to that love they see over you by your attitude of mercy. Extend a hand of forgiveness, just as His arms were stretched and His hands nailed to a cross for your forgiveness.
Our Lord and Savior never gossips, never, lies, never points a finger in harsh judgement against His own. You can trust Him with Your deepest thoughts.
Don’t listen to the voices of the culture. They desire to lead you away from Perfect Love and down the path of shallow love. His is the voice we are to listen to.
Listen to what He says,
“I love You with an everlasting love. I draw you to myself continually in lovingkindness and faithfulness. Jeremiah 31:3 Abide in Me and evil words will not, cannot destroy you and rejection cannot tear you down. You have My love. What else do you need?
Come to Me.”
God Will Make A Way
“But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you;” (Isaiah 43:1-5a NIV)
There is a beautiful song that Don Moen wrote that has always touched my heart. It is a song that I have quoted on many occasions to encourage others who are suffering, struggling with certain issues or even doubting that God is true to His Word. The song is, God Will Make A Way. Below is the chorus I would quote:
God will make a way,
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way.
As my husband ministers to the church we are attending, he has chosen this song as the “theme song” for the month of February to go along with his sermons. By his second sermon the Lord had convicted me and challenged me if I truly believe the message of this song. For the past six months I have been struggling with a decision I had made. I felt that God was not moving quickly enough and that I truly needed this life saving solution to my problem; so I took matters into my own hands and “bent” the law to take care of the much needed ongoing problem. Even though “my” solution was “taking care of” the problem, I continued to struggle within my heart as to the “legalities” of “my” solution.
Taking matters into my own hands had even come between my family and me as I would try to encourage them through their struggles by telling them that “God Will Make a Way” – “God Will Provide”. They would even throw back into my face what I was doing. In other words, they were saying “practice what you preach!”
So the day after the Lord convicted me – (more like hit me on the head with a ton of bricks!), I contacted the authorities to let them know my situation has changed and I am now fully placing this ongoing problem into the Lord’s most capable hands -trusting that He will make a way.
God knows my situation – even better than me; He knows my every need- so why should I doubt that He will make a way?
Are you struggling with an issue and wondering if God will make a way? Are you thinking about stepping in to take the issue into your own hands because you think God is not moving fast enough? Instead, let us pray for one another as we faithfully place our lives in God’s most capable hands and fully trust that God- Will –Make- a -Way.
To view the video of this beautiful song please click link below:
God Will Make A Way
Why Does It Feel Like I’m Never Enough?
Do you ever feel like a nine year old at an amusement park? You want to ride with the big kids on the “Big” rides but you just don’t measure up.
Not tall enough.
I think everyone of us struggles with …. Not enough.
Not smart enough.
Not enough courage to say no to a demanding family member.
Not enough confidence to take a risk and trust God.
Not pretty or sexy enough for our spouse.
Not witty enough.
Not strong enough.
Not happy enough.
Not enough.
You know where I think that we feel the most insecurity in our “not enough?” I think right in our very own church family.
I have to tell you that some of the harshest criticism I received from my writing online hasn’t come from my unbelieving souse or another atheist debating my beliefs. No, some of the most painful and soul wrenching criticisms come from those who I hold in high esteem and who are Christian. Sometimes it’s believers who contribute most to our self-doubt.
That’s why it’s difficult to be truly authentic when writing or teaching in any area of effective service to the Kingdom. To bring real and lasting healing requires you to “get real” about issues and living life.
It’s a risk.
But, I have discovered a few of God’s promises which brought me freedom to teach with authenticity. And it’s authenticity that is what our Lord desires from our lives. It’s authentic living that compels others to see Jesus.
First.
“Not enough” is a lie from the pit of hell.
If you are a child of the Most High, you are enough. In fact, you are more than enough. And the more brokenness you have overcome through the power and love of Jesus, the more powerful and effective witness you are to the world.
Satan wants to keep you believing the lie that your past secrets and failures will keep you from serving the Lord. So right now say out loud, “I reject the lie of the enemy. I am more than enough.”
Second.
Your past is exactly what God will use to perfect your future. In fact, God brings about your healing and then in the most stunning of events, He will display you to the world as His trophy. You are that valued and that important to Him. He delights in your life surrendered to Him and it speaks louder than words to a broken and lost world.
Third.
You may not be enough “in the eyes of the world.” So pay the world no mind because in the eyes of God you are complete. Nothing is more beautiful or priceless to our Creator.
“Hear me now.”
“I am the Lord your God. I have chosen you from millions of people living on this earth. I adore you. I have fantastic plans for you. I will raise you to be my trophy that the world will know that there is a God of the universe and that I love my people of authenticity.
“You will always be enough for Me.”
Be blessed, Lynn
Please join me today at Winninghimwithoutwords.com and enter the drawing for the marriage basket, a $300 value.
Read More
Connect With Us
Online Bible Study ~ Galatians
Study Tools
Network Blog
Recommended Resource
You Cared To Share