Most Wonderful Time ... ?

Happy Tuesday...

I pray your week is off to a great start. I thoroughly enjoyed my four-day weekend and even started decorating the house for Christmas. It was so enjoyable, I didn't even mind being back in the office yesterday. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

The songs are light and cheerful, people seem a little nicer. I mean, what other time of year do you find individuals buying gifts for people they don’t even like?!

There is the smell of pine [which I absolutely love!], the soft glow of the fireplace, the twinkling of the Christmas lights, the holiday gatherings and, of course, cookies and every delicious dessert to satisfy your pallet.

It seems for a few weeks that the earth is just a tad bit ‘kinder’

Yet, I am not naïve enough to presume that it is the most wonderful time of the year for all. No – for some – it is the most challenging time of the year.

§  The most stressful time of the year

§  The most isolated and lonely time of the year

§  The most frustrating time of the year

§  The most tearful time of the year

§  The most un-wonderful time of the year

Whether it is the financial pressures of all the gift giving of the season; the discomfort of forced gatherings with individuals where relationships are strained due to emotional distance or the disappointment of not being able to attend a family gathering due to geographical distance and travel challenges … the season can lose some of its wonder.

Perhaps it is someone’s first Christmas without that dear loved one. Perhaps it someone’s 2^nd or 3^rd or 5^th Christmas without that dear loved one – but the sting of sadness is every bit as painful as the first time.

Whatever the situation – understand this:

For some of our dear friends, family [and even strangers], there are just as many circumstances which can make this the worst time of year as there are joy-filled moments which can make it the most wonderful time of the year for others.

Therefore – I would like to make a special request of my friends hear at our Revive blog. Please do me this favor:

Pray that God would open your eyes;

To make you perceptive to the needs of those around you.

Pray that God would tenderize your heart;

To be compassionate regarding the plight of others

And then – be intentional about partnering with Him to be part of the solution

The amazing thing is that it is the little things that can go so far in touching someone’s heart this holiday season:

§  Send a text message to check-in

§  Pray for someone other than yourself … that does not cost anything, but time

§  Send a greeting card to let someone know you were especially thinking of them

§  Take time out to be available for someone who needs a listening ear; be that shoulder they can lean upon or those arms of fellowship, offering a much needed hug

Now, that last one is a stretch for me. You see, I am not one of those ‘touching/feeling’ types. I do not like to touch people and I really do not care for people to touch me. It is an area I have been working on for years.

However, I can tell you first hand the power of a hug. I recall a woman whose husband had recently passed away. We were at a Bible Study at someone's home but I did not know her. I had never seen her before and have never seen her since that day. However, on that particular evening, I felt a gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit saying ‘She needs a hug ... give her a hug’. Oddly enough, in that instant, her need transcended my comfort levels. So I asked if I could give her a hug. She said yes – and when I went to hug this newly-widowed woman, I knew I was exactly where God wanted me to be in that moment, doing exactly what He desired for me to do. About a week later, someone told me that lady was inquiring about me. She wanted to know who that woman was who had hugged her; she said it felt as if God Himself was giving her a hug and letting her know that He cared about her pain.

You never know the difference that you can make in someone’s life!

You may be the answer to the prayer that they have been whispering alone each night

Together – we can have a tremendous impact in our individual spheres of influence to bring some joy to others during this Christmas season. Let's all do our part in making this the most wonderful time of year for as many as possible.

Praying You Have a Blessed Day & Most Wonderful Week!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” II Corinthians 1:3-4

BLACK FRIDAY!

Good Morning Friends …

I know we have just finished Thanksgiving and it is still November. However – Black Friday is now here, officially marking the beginning of the Christmas Season [at least for retailers]. It is hard to believe how quickly this year has passed … but every day a blessing & today Black Friday blessings!

Traditionally, Black Friday has been one of the busiest shopping days of the year here in the United States. Historically, Black Friday has been a day when retailers [even if they have been experiencing financial setbacks or losses] have been presented an opportunity for economic gains to improve the bottom line of their business:

To move from the RED [a place of deficit]

To move to the BLACK [a place of profit]

For the shopper, Black Friday presents an opportunity to take advantage of some significant deals at bargain prices.

The challenge with Black Friday?

Often the deals, while significant, are subject to limited quantities and require the interested patron to brave the elements and the crowds in order to obtain these great deals.

NOW – I am somewhat of a unique.

I actually HATE shopping … and I really hate crowds. And, since I do not typically hate anything, my choice of the word selection should provide some indication of the level of my discomfort. I think – at least as relates to the crowds – I have my introverted personality to thank.

That being said – I actually LOVE Black Friday!  

However, my love of Black Friday is not for the reason one might suppose.

NOW – I know at this time of year, as we ready for Christmas, many people like to focus their attention on the birth of Christ. After all – it was both miraculous and marvelous!

HOWEVER – I can never bring myself to think about His birth at this time of year, without also thinking about His primary purpose or the tremendous and overwhelming act of love He came to perform.

You see – He, Jesus Christ, was born to die

Plain and Simple – that was His mission

On that Black Friday so many, many years ago

Jesus took us all from a place of DEFICIT to a place of overwhelming PROFIT.

“I have come that they might have life and life abundantly.” John 10:10

HOWEVER –

His Black Friday deal came by placing us in the RED

His blood shed a ransom for all;

It is the best deal ever and one we could never purchase if we tried.

YOU SEE –

He is the Only One who had the currency needed for the purchase

A PERFECT LIFE – FREELY & WILLINGLY GIVEN TO SAVE THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO COULD NOT SAVE THEMSELVES; TO FREE THEM FROM THE DRUDGERY OF DEATH, FROM THE GRIP OFF THE GRAVE – TO RECONCILE US TO PERFECT FELLOWSHIP WITH THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY

Such an amazing love He has for us!

And this is the best part –

-         You do not have to leave your house for this deal

-         You do not have to stand in lines

-         You do not have to fight the crowds [or store staff]

-         There is an unlimited supply on this deal

-         It is yours for the asking and may be received freely

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Jesus Christ, who gave Himself as a ransom for all people.” I Timothy 2:5-6

“And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” Acts 2:21

Now, that is a Black Friday deal if ever I saw one!

Praying You Have a Blessed Day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Good Morning Friends …

‘Give thanks to the LORD for He is good; His love endures forever’ Psalm 118:1

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!” Revelation 7:12

So thankful for time with my family today. I pray you will also enjoy some rest and relaxation with those closest to you.

Have a Blessed & Happy Thanksgiving!

grace ... grace ...

Good Afternoon Friends …

I pray your day has been great thus far. I am already working on a four day weekend – I left work early today. What a blessing!

And, as we all get ready for Thanksgiving – and head into weeks of holiday time – I wanted to take a couple of moments to talk about GRACE.

WHAT ABOUT GRACE?

Webster’s online dictionary has a number of definitions for that word GRACE. However, this is the one that I would like to focus on today:

 : disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency

An individual who is graceful would possess this quality. They would have a disposition [nature, character, temperament] towards kindness [thoughtfulness, compassion, gentleness], courtesy [consideration, politeness, civility] or clemency [MERCY & FORGIVENESS]

Grace is important because we live in a world where pain is inevitable

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about a love 'greater than pain ...'

In that post, I noted how “Inevitably, there will come a moment in every relationship where someone will do something, or you will do something that will cause a 'rift' in the relationship”

This season is famous for those situations occurring as there are multiplied opportunities for increased interactions with family, friends, used-to-be-friends, colleagues and strangers.

But why are there so many opportunities for things to go awry?

I believe it driven by two primary factors: ACTIONS and INTENTIONS

Our relationships are shaped by actions and intentions.

And, our responses to others are based upon our assessment of actions and intentions.

I was discussing this with a co-worker of mine this week. She was sharing a situation where someone said something to her that caused an occasion for offense. In listening to what she said, I acknowledged the pain it likely inflicted. However, I also took the opportunity to share my understanding of how it could happen so easily. And here it is:

WE OFTEN JUDGE OURSELVES BY OUR INTENTIONS, AND OTHERS BY THEIR ACTIONS

We’ll pardon ourselves when we have offended someone by reminding ourselves that we had the best intentions. Yet, we will become hurt and irate with others based upon their actions – giving little or no thought to the intentions behind their words or deeds. I then asked my co-worker to think about our own friendship when she has said something to me that [while well-intentioned] did not produce a great result. I reminded her that she likely had the best of intentions – just like the person who gave her cause to be offended.

HOWEVER –

There are times when the best of intentions can still create the worst of outcomes

And wouldn’t you know it, two days after talking to my friend, I had the exact same situation – only I was the cause of the offense. Best of intentions – worst outcome

And while I apologized swiftly – because I would never want to be the cause for even a moment of discomfort in the life of another person – it has to be understood that you cannot always repair the damage which has been done.

As I thought about my own situation, my thoughts gravitated toward Peter. You see Peter was famous in the area of actions and intentions. He was bold, and passionate and impulsive, well-intentioned but often missing the mark. That is probably why he is one of my favorite disciples. I identify with him in many respects. Yet, despite his great intentions, he often ended up with a horrible outcome.

HERE’S THE THING –

Despite Peter’s well-intentioned declaration of commitment to Christ (Mk. 14:29) and his bold actions in the garden of cutting off a soldier’s ear (Jn. 18:10) to protect Jesus, it still resulted in his ultimate denial of Christ (Jn. 18:15-27) – the worst possible outcome ... especially since his actions caused great pain to someone he loved deeply.

BUT GOD –

I am so thankful for all of the ‘But God …’ situations and circumstances in the Word and in life. What I love about being in relationship with the LORD, though, is that the end is never the end.

You the LORD is the master of reconciliation. And Jesus came and basically gave Peter a ‘do over’ and restored him to fellowship. (John 21:15-25) That is what I love about Jesus!

JESUS EXTENDED MERCY AND GRACE

YET WE –

You and I are flawed and we may not always have the opportunity or the ability to set things right. Therefore – take the opportunity in advance of acting or reacting, speaking or responding to: SLOW DOWN

To assist toward that end, I would like to close by sharing two phrases that I try [not always successfully] to keep in the forefront of my mind:

§  All truth is good … but not all truth is good to say

§  Just because you can do a thing … it does not mean that you should

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Better to avoid the occasions for offense altogether than to try to repair them.

HOWEVER –

Should there be an offense, try to presume the best intentions [and not the worst]

Should you be the offense [or cause of it], don’t make excuses that the other person is too sensitive ...  APOLOGIZE

And, in all matters, as you have occasion – EXTEND GRACE

To others when they have wronged you and to yourself when you’ve missed the mark

During this weekend of Thanksgiving … let’s also do some gracegiving

Praying that all your relationships, interactions and gatherings will be grace-filled…

Have a Wonderful Evening and a Happy Thanksgiving!

greater than pain ...

Good Morning!

I pray your day is off to a great start. Once I post this message, I will be off and running.
Interesting thing is ... this post has been in DRAFT for SIX YEARS!

So what is this message that took six years to publish?

There is a love which is greater than pain ...

As I sat in my living room yesterday, suddenly I was overwhelmed with this thought. There is a love which recognizes that offenses are a part of life. After all, Jesus Himself said, 'it is impossible but that offenses will come' (Lk. 17:1). The God of 'all things possible' said it is impossible to be in this earth without circumstances of offense coming our way: husbands and wives, children and parents, brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors.

Inevitably, there will come a moment in every relationship where someone will do something, or you will do something that will cause a 'rift' in the relationship. I have experienced deep hurts at the hands of a child, a love, a spouse (-ex), a sibling, a church member, a co-worker and a stranger.

YET -
I have finally reached a place where I realize that my love is greater than the pain. My desire for continued fellowship is greater than my need to be right, my need to receive vindication, my need for an apology and greater than the pain that was inflicted. It is not to say that the hurt was not real - but the love ushers in a greater reality. The LORD is teaching me to love others and to love Him beyond what my flesh might desire.

THAT BEING SAID - 
I am fully committed to living a  life that please God
Even if it means living a life that is not pleasing to me

NOW - 
Some will take that statement at face value (and entirely out of context) and leap to the conclusion that it is the declaration of someone who has much maturing to do in Christ.
And they might be correct on some level.

HOWEVER - 
I am honest enough to recognize that not everything that is pleasing in the Father's sight is pleasing [enjoyable, comfortable and pleasurable] to me ... at least not immediately.

While it is pleasing to me to please God, it is not always pleasing to me the situations and circumstances that He will allow in order to accommodate my living that life.

LOVE THAT IS GREATER THAN PAIN
LOVING BEYOND WHAT THE FLESH DESIRES
I am so thankful the LORD is teaching me to love Him, love others and love life in this way

SIX YEARS IN DRAFT ... 
Sometimes it takes that long to grow and mature into the word the LORD gives you

Have a Blessed Day!

HE AIN'T MAD!

Now - before I say anything else

Please allow me to apologize

I know ‘ain’t’ is not proper grammar 

And grammar is a HUGE thing in my house

YET – sometimes, there is no other way to aptly communicate what you would like to say; there is no other way to fully capture what I hope to convey

SO – with that being said …

Good Morning!

I pray your day, your weekend and your November are all off to a great start

Last week this time, I was attending day two of our Womanhood Redefined 2018 Women’s Conference. During that conference, we had several amazing speakers. Among them was Kim Dailey from Calvary Church in Irving Texas.  She shared such an honest, touching and relatable message. It was powerful! 

During this talk she quoted sections of scripture found in Psalm 18.

You see verses 7-15 note the fury of God, the smoke from His nostrils, fire from His mouth, hailstones and lightning & thundering from heaven ... just to name a few descriptors

‘He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy’ Ps. 18:14

But then the speaker focused on verses 16-19 which note how God rescued the psalmist.

‘He brought me out into a spacious place;

He rescued me because He delighted in me.’ Ps. 18:19

He was mad at sin, and at the enemy 

But He DELIGHTED in the psalmist!

When I went back to read for myself [and you should always go back to read for yourself],

I noticed something else...

Further down in the text, the psalmist recalls how he has kept the laws of the LORD, how he is blameless and has kept his feet from sin

INTERESTING - 

I have no doubt that the psalmist was sincere in his self-assessment and communication

HOWEVER - 

The perspective of the psalmist may require some adjustment or tweaking 

THE DILEMMA IS THIS:

Many people gauge their goodness by their adherence to all or most of the Ten Commandments 

YET WE KNOW FROM SCRIPTURE:

There are NONE who are good (Romans 3:10)

ALL have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

Those Ten Commandments: I have violated most of them

BUT STILL HE RESCUES ME

AND STILL HE LOVES ME …

WHO DOES THAT?

There is this song from a group called Sidewalk Prophets – You Love Me Anyway

The lyrics are genius and there is one section which perfectly captures the plight of the sinner. 

BUT HE LOVED US ANYWAY 

HE LOVES US ANYWAY 

There is a section in Psalm 18 where the psalmist notes:

‘To the faithful you show yourself faithful,

To the blameless you show yourself blameless,

To the pure you show yourself pure’

Yet the truth of the matter is:

To the unfaithful - He shows Himself FAITHFUL

To those deserving blame - He presents blamelessness

To the impure - He shows Himself pure, holy, merciful and LOVING

HE DELIGHTS IN HIS CREATION!

BUT WHY?

Why does He delight in me?

It is not because of anything I have done or any special skill that I possess

When He looks at me, He is reminded of the redemptive price which was paid

HE SEES JESUS

When He gazes into my eyes, He recognizes a reflection of Himself, the Helper who has consented to dwell within me

HE SEES HIS HOLY SPIRIT

He AIN’T MAD!!!

He loves you with an EVERLASTING LOVE 

He loves us - all of us - with an EVERLASTING LOVE 

Meditate on that for a while.

Let it truly sink in how great, how vast and how deep the love is that God has for us

Simply Amazing!

Have a Blessed Day and an Amazing Weekend!