You Can't Get There From Here

Have you ever felt like that? Like God is calling you to some new place and you have no idea how to get there, especially from where you are now? 

We think we own our lives and we should have all the details worked out but that is not what God says.

Jeremiah 10:23 I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.

We are continually being called to new places in our walk with the Lord. The problem is we want all the directions before we leave. We want the future destination, the money for the trip and the exact directions of how we are going to get there before we decide if we will go. Unfortunately that is not how God works. He asks us to walk through the open door first, then He will provide the how, what, where and when.

The unknown is what will bring God all the glory, other wise we are still in control and there is no faith required for the trip. We have to trust God and be OK with not understanding How He does things.

Proverbs 20:24 A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?

Recently I was in New York and my brother and I were going to take a walk in the woods. The problem was we were in about 2 feet of snow and I was having trouble keeping up. Being the brilliant person I am I realized if I walked in his footsteps it was a lot easier. I didn't have to make a path.

The Lord spoke to me and said this is how it is with our spiritual walk. We meet up with Jesus and He has the way planned. He will go before us and protect us, we just have to trust He knows the best way.

We start off with Him but soon we can't handle not being in control and we go our own way.

I will share my latest testimony with you as an example.

I knew the Lord was telling me it was time to leave my current home so I started to pack. I had no job or new address lined up but I got my boxes.  A few weeks into my decision to move I began to feel anxious about all the uncertainty. Yes I am still human. 

It was Christmas Eve night and I decided to pray, again, for a job and my finances. I started praying financial prayers from the Bible over my life.  As I was praying out loud my phone rang. It was my sweet sister Roxanne asking if I knew anyone looking for a job. Seriously, it was Christmas Eve, who calls about jobs on Christmas Eve! Only God!  He was providing the next step.

You see Gems the first step is to decide you will follow God then He will move again. One of my favorite life verses is Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet,a light on my path.

It's OK to make plans after you hear from God BUT you have to be willing to move forward in the Lord's direction even when it doesn't make sense, especially when it doesn't make sense.

Proverbs 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails

Gems I don't know where the Lord might be leading you but I do know it can be a very scary place. I want to encourage you to say yes. Make the first step, decide, then He will show you the next step. 

The going part is your decision the how it happens is God's responsibility. He always provides provision for His purpose.

I may fall along the way and I may make some wrong turns but God will direct me. And He will direct you!  

Proverbs 3:6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

These scriptures are in the Bible because He knows we need them. Jesus knew we would need encouragement and coaxing and obviously so did the ones who went before us.

Isaiah 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

Jeremiah 42:3 Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do."

I have decided to follow Jesus and I know He will make my steps firm even when I'm having trouble keeping up. We will be OK because with Jesus we can get there  from where ever we are.

 Psalm 37:5-7 Commit your way to the Lord;trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,your vindication like the noonday sun.

Did You See Jesus In Me?

  This is yet another confession jewel....

What happened was my grandson was expecting something recently and of course I wanted him to have what he wanted and deserved.

 It involved another person and for whatever reason that person didn't come through, again. I was angry with the person for letting him down.  We were at an event and I decided to leave as soon as it was over because I was really mad and I didn't want to see them.

Well you know God, He decided He was going to give me a pop quiz.

So who do you think I run into as I'm trying to escape? You got it, UGH!

As we passed I kept my head low and said nothing.

I did say to the Lord “really! You had to have us pass each other!”

I of course thought I passed my test because I didn't DO anything. No ugly comments were passed, no slapping or even “the look” I just quietly passed by.

Honestly in my self righteous anger I felt I was doing right by my grandson to ignore this person.

Just when you think your in the clear the Holy Spirit teaches you something. First thing I learned was I failed the test.

A few days later my grandson and I are at his house and I'm in the kitchen with my back to him making something. He says “Nana, so and so told me they passed by you the other night and they said hello and you didn't say hello back.”

Now you have to read this with that tone, you know the one. It's the tone we use when we're reprimanding someone, which was what was happening in this scenario.

I'm glad my back was to him so he didn't see my face. My first thought was, ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!

Did I mention I didn't slap anyone! I had every right not to respond, I was protecting you! I was being mad for you! I was being loyal.

Did you notice all the “I's” in these thoughts.

I heard the Holy Spirit say “choose your next words wisely.”

I took a deep breath, exhaled slowly and said “you're right... I didn't say hello. I was mad they had disappointed you BUT I should have said hello. I'm sorry.”

Huge gulp.....

Gems the Lord showed me my grandson expected a certain behavior from this person, even if it hurt him BUT he also expected a certain behavior from ME. He expected me to do the right thing. How I responded apparently bothered him more than his own disappointment in the situation.

The Holy Sirit showed me if I was really thinking of my grandson I would have put my feelings aside and done the right thing by God's standards not how I felt about it.

Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

Gems the world is watching to see how we respond, both the Christian and the non Christian. This was a valuable reminder to me about putting my Christianity where my mouth is because what we don't say is just as harmful at times as what we do say.

I have tried to teach my children and grand children to “choose their words wisely” hmmmm where have I heard that recently?

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

My grandson had someone tell him a situation where they didn't see Jesus in me or hear Jesus for that matter. Pretty much they were telling on me for their own motives but God used it for His motives.

My grandson heard me repent and say I'm sorry. He was reminded that Nana ain't perfect and I'm glad he knew he could call me on it. 

I think we both grew in our walk that day. I pray this story will help us all to ask ourselves, whether we are right or not, did you see Jesus in me?
Thank you Lucas for keeping Nana in check.
 

Merry Christmas

Wisdom from Dream Coat to Prison Ware to Dream Coat

I'm going to give you the Gena version of a guy named Joseph. As always I will encourage you to read your Bible to get the accurate history.

Joseph is one of 12 boys whose father is Jacob. Even though as parents we aren't supposed to have favorites, Jacob openly shows Joseph is his. 

He has a multicolored coat made especially for Joseph which Joseph not only wears but makes sure his siblings know he is the favorite.

His brothers get sick of him and decide to get rid of their "favored" brother Joseph. They sell him to slave traders, take his special coat from dad, dip it in goats blood and tell their father his beloved son was killed by a wild beast.

Yikes! And you think your family is dysfunctional?

When Joseph was  younger God showed him in a dream that he indeed would be a great ruler one day, however, where we will pick up his life story he was a slave for at least 13 years and in prison for at least 2.

While he's in prison, for a crime he didn't commit I might add, he meets 2 guys that work for the king. They both have a dream they don't understand and Joseph interprets the dreams for them.

Basically he tells the king's Cup Bearer he will go back to work for Pharaoh and the Baker, well his future was not as bright.

Joseph asks the Cup Bearer to remember him when he gets out and hopes he'll ask the king to release Joseph as well.

As disappointing as it must have been for Joseph it does appear it was part of God's plan for him to be in prison.

TWO YEARS later the King himself has a dream he can't interpret and the Cup Bearer finally remembers Joseph and tells the King about him. 
 
Here's what I find interesting. When Pharaoh sent for Joseph, he didn't waste any time by telling Pharaoh how he was arrested on false charges and was sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. 
Instead he listens to Pharaoh's dream and tells him God has the answer.
“Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.’
‘I cannot do it,’ Joseph replied to Pharaoh, ‘but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.’” (Genesis 41:15–16)
Gems don't you find it amazing that in spite of the fact Joseph has had years of suffering and being in prison he still trust God!
Would I? Would you?

Pharaoh had plenty of men that could interpret dreams but he didn't have anyone with the wisdom to interpret a revelation from God.

The same way Pharaoh knew Joseph was filled with the spirit of wisdom by the explanation of his dream, it should be evident to believers around us that we receive supernatural wisdom.

Now you may be saying “that's a pretty conceded statement” but you would be wrong.

The word of God promises us wisdom.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)

I have been in my own spiritual prison with some circumstances with my children. I am really trying not to react in the natural but want to use wisdom.

How I do that is by asking God to give me wisdom than reading the Bible to find answers. 

Sometimes we use our knowledge but that is not always a great idea. There is a big difference between wisdom and knowledge.

Knowledge is knowing that the street is one way, wisdom is looking both directions anyways. ~ Anonymous.

Gems I don't always understand why certain things happen in our lives. I'm sure Joseph didn't understand why he was sold by his brothers or ended up in prison.  I do know we need wisdom to make good decisions. 

   
Unfortunately the only way to get wisdom is to go through stuff you would rather avoid.

Ecclesiastes 1:18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.

The only way I will get wisdom to pass on to someone else is to go through the grief myself. 

In my opinion the only thing that would be worse than the grief would be to not share the wisdom with someone else.

So whoever this current wisdom is for all I can say is UGH!!

I pray I will be out of this wisdom training prison soon and when I open my mouth I will have supernatural words to share. 

Gems let's ask God for supernatural wisdom that He promises and let's help turn prison ware into dream coats.

Bible vs Sex In The City

I turned on my TV today, I don't have cable so there's not a lot to choose from but my intent was to watch my daily Bible teaching. As I scanned the channels Sex in The City was on and I stayed there a few minutes. 

It's one of those shows that at times actually have a good story line, you just have to get past all the premarital sex and list of other things that offend God. 

Never the less I parked there for a minute then realized the irony of the situation chuckled and changed the channel.

I remember when I used to watch this show. My justification (I am queen of justification) was like I said earlier, this show can have some really good story lines. I bought into this lie until I realized if one of my kids came into the room I immediately changed the channel. 

Hmmmmm

I could no longer in clear conscience watch the show but here it was today years later appealing to my sinful nature.

Earlier in the day I was out walking. I was listening to praise music, thank God there was no chiwawa in this story, but a lesson none the less.

I was thinking the only time I'm close to having a clean heart is when I'm worshiping because it's then I have my thoughts more on Jesus than me. 

 

Gems I'm just being real here I make a lot of life about me. I don't mean to, I didn't start thinking about myself as I was walking but when I started thinking about worship I thought about how I looked to God instead of thinking how God should look to me.

Of course the Holy Spirit didn't leave me there too long. I went from thinking how humble I must look before God to noticing a Christmas decoration of a Nut Cracker in someones yard.

 

This image sent my thoughts to a little wooden man incense burner my aunt gave me and my ex-husband years ago from Austria that he kept.

From here I went to “I can't believe he didn't give me that back after our divorce. I gave him all his family stuff back.” Mind you this divorce took place 17 years ago.

My final thought your really going to love. 

“Would it be wrong to go to his house and just take it back without him knowing? It's not like he'll miss it.”

I know none of you have ever had these kind of thoughts. 

You're probably rethinking ever having me over for a visit or at least thinking you should hide your family heirlooms.

The Holy Spirit asked me at this moment was I still in worship mode?

Honestly Gems I don't know how that happens. Obviously that junk is still in me.

Luke 6:45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

This is exactly why when I'm given the choice of Sex In The City or something like it, OR a show I can watch in front of a five year old, or dare I say Jesus Himself, I go with the latter.

Not because I'm holier than thou but because I might be eviler than thou. 
The good news is every time some of that junk comes out it makes my heart a little cleaner.

How do I keep from putting more junk in? Good question! 

We do that by changing the channel. Not going to the gross movies, listening to better music and for the best cure of all, meditating on Gods word.

Isaiah 23:3 You will keep him in perfect peace,Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

Psalms 119:15 I will meditate on Your precepts,
And contemplate Your ways.

So there you go Gems, confession #526,987,542. Feel free to join me on my journey from Sex In The City to Bible verses In The City. 

Here Comes the Bride

Well Gems I had an yet another amazing experience in this journey I call my life. 

On November 9, 2012 my son Nathanael married a beautiful daughter of the King, Alex.

The wedding was small, personal and filled with love.

One of the moments I want to share with you is what they called “the first look.” The moment the groom sees his bride for the first time.

Because Nathanael and Alex had an evening wedding their pictures had to be taken before the ceremony so Nathanael wanted a private moment when he would see his bride and she would see her groom in their wedding attire for the first time.

I walked up to Nathanael just before the big moment. He was so incredibly handsome in his tuxedo. There before me was my little boy all grown up into a full grown man.

He was so nervous. I just held him for a moment and reminded him of how proud I was.

Then it was time, his bride was ready and standing behind him.

Alex was breath taking in her wedding dress, it was perfect. It seemed the person who made it some how knew she would be the one wearing it. Her makeup was lightly applied to enhance her already beautiful features. Her beautiful long auburn hair was a cascade of curls flowing from her head. Her nails were painted and sparkled almost as much as her eyes. Her veil in place and flowers in hand she was ready to meet her groom.

We all walked away so they would only see each other when Nathanael turned to burn this vision into his heart and mind. 

They wept as they looked lovingly into each others eyes. It was one of the most romantic moments I have ever been blessed to witness.

I don't think two people are any more in love than at that moment. The moment they realize they are about to marry.

It was then the Holy Spirit said to me “this is how you, the bride of Christ, look to Jesus.”

Jesus often refers to the church as His bride and Him the groom.

John 3:29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom.

Revelation 21:9 "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."

He relates our relationship with Him as the intimate relationship between a man and wife. but I never actually thought about the wedding ceremony.

Gems we are all brides of Christ. He loves us so much and just like all brides get ready for their physical wedding we should be getting ready for our spiritual one.

Revelation 19:7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

Making sure you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is how you make yourself ready.

A day is coming when Christ will return for His Bride. At that moment we will see each other face to face for the first time.

We will be wearing white and he will be riding on a horse.

Revelation 19 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.

Gems it doesn't get any more romantic than that. God loved us so much he asked us to marry His son Jesus and all we have to do is say yes.

And with that said you too can say “here comes the bride!”

You Can’t Put a Leash on a Butterfly

I said these very words to my friend Sonya as I was pouring my heart out to her the other day.

Our job is to raise our children but as you know there are no directions that come with your baby. Even if there were they would only work on the first child as every one is different. 

The Bible tells us to train up our children.

Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

My dilemma is the "go" part. 

The place I find myself in is what do you do when you trained them and they left or are leaving? There are no directions for this part of your journey either.

Some call it the empty nest syndrome so if you would indulge me I would like to expand on that a bit more.

My oldest daughter Amanda has been a challenge from the day she was born. She has always known what she liked and what she didn’t like. She wanted to be comforted when she was out of sorts but not necessarily held….

I had to figure out what that meant. As a baby when Amanda was “cranky” I would put her in her carriage and park her in front of the stereo speaker with classical music playing.This only worked for her not the other three.

We have to figure out how to love and walk with each of our children and as you know this alone is a full time job.

 Jessica was the fourth child and she was less challenging but still had her own assembly instructions that needed to be figured out.

You spend 16 full time years pouring into your children then at 17 something happens.

They no longer need you. They have established friends, hobbies and jobs. They are driving and hopefully finding their way with God and you are not “needed.” 

This is a very natural progression and if you have some what succeeded the next leg of the journey.

But why is success so painful?

I was sharing all this with Sonya who gave me comforting advice that I will now share with you Gems.

She said that my children are able to move forward in their lives and ministries because of the years I have poured into them. The encouragement I gave them to sore and the permission I gave them to be their own person. That the Lord was able to move through me into them.

 Because I love butterflies I of course got this mental picture of them coming out of their cocoons and emerging into the beautiful butterflies they are.

We know you can’t help a butterfly emerge from their cocoon because they need to force the fluid into their wings to stretch and open them so they can fly.

We are so used to helping and it’s an unfamiliar place to wait and let the process unfold on its own. We need to leave our children with their Creator and know they were always His.

He chose us to raise them and teach them but they were never ours. We were and are a temporary cocoon.

We can watch them fly and be there for them should they ask us but we can’t put a leash on them any more then we could a real butterfly. 

A butterfly is not created to be taken on a walk it's created to fly to the places God alone has already determined.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9 

I will have to join other spectator parents and put away my leash and emerge from yet another cocoon of my own life. 

So to my butterflies I wish you well as you go from walking to taking your own personal flights I will love and pray for your solo flights cause you just can't put a leash on a butterfly!