When Circumstances Aren't About You!

There are moments in your life when God reminds you that what is occuring is not always necessarily about you. You are simply to obey His leading and to leave the results to Him.

Such is the case with a job application I submitted last month for a community college teaching position.

I felt sure that God had placed this opportunity in my path and I needed to apply for it. As part of the application process, wherein you seek out references, I reconnected with my previous boss. As we spoke, she brought me up to date on the status of my former co-workers. 

In the conversation, I found out a former friend and co-worker had been diagnosed with a lung disease and placed on the transplant waiting list. Upon hearing this bit of shocking news, I informed my boss that my sister, Marla, having undergone her own double lung transplant last year, would be a great resource.

Through only God (and the miracle of email), during the past month, Marla and my former co-worker began communicating and forming a friendship in which Marla began mentoring her through the waiting process for a lung transplant.

Then last Tuesday, my friend received the call for her transplant and her new lungs. (It was on the same day I found out I did not get the job.) Marla supported her family during surgery and will continue to do so during recovery too.

I thought I would be upset I didn't receive a job interview. I really thought this would be the one for me.

Yet, I am not upset. In fact, I am amazed at how everything occurred with such perfect timing. I also am humbled at how God used me as a conduit for His plan. 

Most of all, I am grateful God taught me two important lessons through this process. First - sometimes God withholds things from us for His greater good. And second - many times, the results of obeying Him are better than we ever imagined and in the end, not even about us.

Where Are You? Where I Am!

Recently, I have had several people ask "Where Are You?" They said they have not read a recent blog post or seen me speaking. I could only smile and tell them my answer to the question "Where Are You?" is simply "Where I Am!"

You see, I had naive dreams that writing Coffee with the Savior, speaking at out-of-state venues, and writing a regular blog would shoot me into Christian stardom. I tried. Oh yes, I tried with all my might to make my dream happen.

But God...

Instead of going to the places I wanted to go - Women of Faith Conferences, teaching at large churches, responding to large numbers of blog comments - God reminded me that HIS plan is greater.

So for the past six months, He has had me humbly serving, writing, and teaching to the most important crowd I could ever imagine. 

My own family.

I had days in which I thought I would write out amazing chapters to a new book. But God had me write simple notes on the bathroom mirror encouraging my husband and boys.

There were moments when I believed I would be speaking to large crowds of women about the faithfulness and love of our God. But God had me speaking words of love and faithfulness to the man I married.

I woke to mornings when I hoped to teach the truths of the Bible to women in a study of my book. But God showed me I needed to teach these truths to my boys through a daily study of The Book.

I can't say that I always have accepted God's detour with a willing heart. In fact, many mornings have been filled with some arguing and questioning with my Father. Yet, as each day has passed, I see the love of Jesus pouring through my family. I can't help but know God's ways are working.

I wouldn't trade it for the world, or my dreams!

So for those of you asking: Yes. I still want to speak and teach. I still hope to write. But...all in God's timing. For now, I know that "where I am" is where I am supposed to be.

A New Favorite

Hello Friends.

Sorry for the lack in consistent posting. I appreciate your understanding as I attempt to follow where God is leading me in ministry. Unfortunately that has meant less time online for me. Fortunately however, my face-to-face time with other women is growing.

With more drive time to meetings comes more listening time to awesome music. The song below is my new favorite. It always puts my mind and heart in a state of worship, focusing on the right Person.

Have a grace-filled day!

Welcome! Welcome!

A special welcome to the Women of Grace PCA. You may be visiting in order to find out about the speaker for your “Living By Letting Go” Women’s Retreat. In that case, let me be the first to say “Hello. I’m so glad you stopped by here.”

I understand your need to check out someone before meeting them. I know that I am guilty of even Googling a speaker before meeting her in person. Somehow, being able to peek into her life helps me connect with her more.

So who am I?

I am a completely real imperfect person - mom, wife, sister, aunt, speaker, and friend. I struggle with whiny people, busy schedules, never-ending laundry, monthly hormones, fattening food, and the constant question of "Am I normal?" I am not holier than you, nor do I falsely believe that I have all the answers to life’s questions. I simply am a woman who daily is seeking how to live this thing called “life” in the best way possible.

Most recently, I have learned that life is best lived by “letting go.”

Maybe you have never lived by “letting go.” Would you like to know what it feels like? Then let’s try a little experiment together:

Start by closing your eyes and then tense every single muscle in your body - from your forehead, through your face, to your arms, through your stomach, down your legs, and even to your toes. Now hold that tension for at least thirty seconds. Go ahead. You can even count with me (with clenched teeth, of course) – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6…29, 30.

Now release!

Take a deep breath. Refill your lungs. Exhale.

Do you feel the difference? Do you sense the peace? Do you notice the stillness?

Friend, while this is only an experiment to illustrate a point, Jesus does promise us His peace as we “let go” of everything and release it to Him.

Want to know more? Then please join me at the “Living By Letting Go” Women’s Retreat, April 13th and 14th. Together, let’s learn to release ourselves and our lives and to refill them with Jesus.

Still Faithful in the New Year?

I've received several emails lately describing yet another friend's struggles. Whether it's a wayward child, physical challenges, family discord, or many other things, each is wondering why 2012 isn't starting off differently. After all, a New Year means a new start, doesn't it?

I was reminded yesterday in church that Jesus never promised us an easy life, but He did promise us an easy answer - an answer that remains the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The answer is Him!

He is faithful to walk with us through the messiness of life. He is faithful to stay close, never leaving or forsaking. He never once lets us walk alone. Jesus is always here with us, whether we feel it or not.

Sing with me the truths in this song. While our circumstances may not change today, our outlook can. God is faithful - always and forever, no matter what!

Hugs to all of you.

Happy 2012!

Here's to a New Year of learning to release guilt and to receive grace.

May you find God's grace sufficient for all your wants and needs this year.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with your generous Spirit (Psalm 51:12 - NKJV).

Happy 2012!

Love at Christmas

The poem below has become one of my favorites at Christmas. I hope you enjoy the reminder too.

1st Corinthians 13 - The Christmas Version

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.
If I work at a soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels, and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the spouse.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love does not envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love does not yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love does not give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who cannot.

Love bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things, and
endures all things.
Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure.

Taken from Celebrating a Christ Centered Christmas by Sharon Jaynes.

My New Christmas Fav

Recently, I was fortunate to hear this Christmas song, "Jesus Is Alive," on our local listener supported Christian radio station (www.joyfmonline.org). The lyrics are amazing.

For me, the most powerful line of the song is "when You turned the stable into holy ground."

How often have I forgotten that the power of God can swoop into even the dirtiest, muckiest, most disheveled place and turn it into something holy. I find immense comfort in this truth as I approach situations both in my life and in my heart that seem hopelessly messy. I am eternally grateful that when I allow Jesus to enter into them, they too can become holy ground.

And all this, because Jesus is alive.

Enjoy the song.

What lyrics speak to you this Christmas?

A Stuffed Gray Mouse and a Green Sea Turtle

My husband and I recently decided that after eight years of living in the same home, we probably should update the paint and the furnishings. After spending time poring over paint chips, decorating websites, and watching my share of HGTV, I finally chose colors and began buying some new things. I especially wanted to focus on the master bedroom and the living room. After all these years, I wanted them to be “picture perfect.”

Now, before I go any further, let me tell you what an undertaking this is for a girl who does not like to shop or decorate. I know. I know. Call me abnormal. Call me crazy. But when God wired me, He left out that girly-girl part of me. Thank goodness, He provided some close friends with whom He did wire with the color-coordinating, no-that-does-not-go-with-that gene. Thank you friends. You know who you are.

Now, after a few months finding new furniture, pillows, bed coverings, I was going to have my HGTV rooms. (After all, I even used their line of paint colors.) My hubby helped me hang art. I placed everything where it needed to go. It looked almost “picture perfect.”

Then I noticed the problem.

In my neutral colored bedroom setting, what do you do with a stuffed gray mouse and a green sea turtle given to me by my son to sleep with when I am scared? Where do you place the brightly colored yellow cross made out of legos by my other son? Or where do you place the purple paper heart that reads in my child’s own handwriting, “Love cannot be defeated?” Or in the living room, now that it is close to Christmas, where do I set the paper Christmas tree that my son placed on a chair today "where we used to put the tree?" The magazines don’t show these items.

Then I realized that in the magazines and on the websites, the pictures we peruse are taken before the family comes inside. While the designer rooms may include the family’s photos, the spaces do not include their personal, never matching touches. They do not show the love of the family members shared through tokens that never were meant to match décor but instead, simply to communicate love.

Today, I am rethinking my decorating. As I step away from the once sought after perfection of a well-created space, I instead am learning to embrace the imperfect love of my family. I am learning to appreciate what no magazine or internet picture can capture fully. After all, how often do you see a mom in a picture sleeping with a stuffed gray mouse and a bright green sea turtle? How often do you really see the love?

What I Am Listening To Today

Ever had one of those days when your negative thoughts seem stronger than your positive ones?

Well, today was one of those days for me. Thank goodness, God dropped a song into my mind that we sang at church on Sunday. The lyrics were perfect to help me find my way to Truth.

Here it is for you. It is titled "Stronger," and it is performed by Hillsong.

What songs help you through difficult days?