Let My Life Be A Testimony

Lately, I have been glued to social media. I think I am watching it more than I do television…and that is BIG for me. I am just so blown away by all of the creativity out there. Many folks are taking advantage of the time to learn new skills, or teach someone else how to do what they have always loved to do. 

I have seen professional comedians, actors, and singers work together to provide online concerts. I have even seen those who have always aspired to do those things, and maybe never pursued it for whatever reason, take that leap on social media. I have even been going on Facebook myself to tell my family funny stories about the crazy things that happen to me in my everyday life.  

Whatever you have ever wanted to try…now is the time to do it. God has given each one of us at least one thing we can use to not only bless others, but to honor Him. When we use the gifts God has given us, I believe it makes Him smile. He wants us to use e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. I emphasize that because I have heard people look down on their gifts. Comparing ourselves to others is so unproductive, and it says to God that He basically messed up…everything He did wasn’t good. God doesn’t make mistakes. We may not understand it or even like it, but it was necessary for His purpose. We just have to trust Him.

Sometimes it’s just a matter of discovering what that thing is, and we can only do that through knowing what God says about us. And the best way to do that is to spend time getting to know Him. I know I say it a lot, but God’s word is our road map to every situation we will ever face. Read it with your heart wide open, and watch Him work.

Until next time…

Be blessed

This is the perfect time for us to start something new. A new way of living or learning or just being. This really is a new season, and we are seeing and hearing things that we never have before. Not all of them are positive or good, but mostly everything has changed. For the most part, even our thinking has changed. Most of us never thought we would live to see the day when it would be against the rules…maybe even illegal, to gather together–even in our homes.

What most of us saw as normal has changed. Of course, normal has always been different for each of us. What “seems” normal to you, may be crazy and out of the box for me. And in this season, we have the opportunity to redefine how we feel about what “normal” really means to us. 

I am trying hard not to waste a lot of time on wishing the coronavirus had never happened or wishing our leadership had made better choices. That’s just unproductive, and it basically gets me nowhere. I am working hard to embrace this new space I am finding myself in, and really trying to focus on what God is speaking to me. I am spending more time just loving myself for a change, and I’m learning things about myself that I believe are going to make me better and stronger.

I have to admit, I still get caught up in those conversations where we just complain about our current circumstances. But, they are beginning to be fewer and fewer as time goes on. I prefer to stay focused on the positive things that are happening around me. Like, hearing about a pastor who purchased Mother’s Day cards to donate to people who had not purchased their cards yet, or the story I saw online that showed someone posting sticky notes of encouragement on people’s doors, or the guy who just drove up to the drive-in windows to give people money.

I am excited and encouraged by the great things that are happening around the world. It just helps to make the bad things that are still happening a little more bearable.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Today, I want to first honor mothers all over the world. This is the day that the world has set aside to appreciate women for their AMAZING contribution. Take advantage of it. Put your feet up and let someone take care of you for a change. 

I also want to send out a message to all of the women who are not mothers or for whatever reason can’t be with their mothers today. God. Sees. You. He knows what you are feeling today, and He loves you so much. He has made it so that even on days like today you can find something to still smile about. Look for it. Don’t let the enemy cause you to dwell on the things you don’t have. Remember all of the good things that you do have. Your life may not be what you had hoped it would be, but you have life, and if you have life–you have hope. 

Our hope is not in the things of this world–our hope is in the one true and living God. He makes things that seem unbearable…bearable. He will go before us and make all those crooked places straight. He has promised that He will always be there; that He will never leave us, and that He will be our comforter and friend. Even when we don’t feel Him; even when He doesn’t answer the way we think He should, and even in the middle of a pandemic…He is there. Keep trusting and believing. God hears, He knows and He cares.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Lately, there has been a lot of talk about relaxing the restrictions around being out in public. Now, I’m just speaking for myself here, but I can be pretty stubborn when it comes to doing what I want to do. And I definitely don’t like people making decisions for me, but this time, I want to make sure that I am using wisdom…and not boredom.

People want to get back to their lives. I get it. I am all for getting our lives back, but I don’t want to move so fast that I miss the lesson–and there is always a lesson. Recently, I came across something that I wrote a few years ago that seems appropriate right now. 

“I am a firm believer that God looks for ways to bless us. Why wouldn’t He? He loves us and just like any good father, He wants to see His children prosper and succeed. He says so in His word. God knows us and He knows exactly what we need…even though sometimes we believe He moves a little too slow.”

Second Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  I believe that God has given us this time to get it together; to get our priorities in line with His. He wants to give us every opportunity to come to Him…willingly. My prayer is that we don’t miss it. 

God is not slow about anything He does. He’s purposeful. We may not always like what He does, or understand what He does, but He really does want what’s best for us. We just have to slow down long enough to take advantage of it.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Our world right now is a little topsy turvy. Things that used to seem logical, now seem illogical. People who appeared to have all the answers are lost for words. And we all are feeling…different. Many of the things we had planned have mostly had to be cancelled or rescheduled, and it remains to be seen if anything we planned will happen at all this year.  And then God. 

He has a way of helping us look for a bright side.

Many of the things we thought were so important are not so important after all. Most of us never thought we would be dreaming about the day we could get back to work, or go to the laundromat, or even go outside without a mask. We just want to get back to what feels…normal. But what feels like the worst thing that could ever happen is actually teaching us to appreciate life more.

I know for me…maybe for the first time ever, I am learning to really be still. I am learning to not only hear God’s voice, but to hear my own. And I am learning to stop leaning on what is good to me, instead of leaning on what God wants for me. I sometimes think about things way too long, hoping to get confirmation; when all I need to do is trust what God is showing me. If nothing else comes of this “sheltering in place,” I have learned that there is always a bright side to every situation even when it doesn’t feel like it. We just have to look for it.

Until next time…

Be blessed