Communion

Communion is an act of participation, sharing, of uniting together in oneness. When we commune with nature, we enjoy being in nature. When we commune with God, we become one with Him. We become completely absorbed in Him.

I’m not talking about the ritual of communion that occurs in church. I’m talking about connecting, communicating, and getting caught up in the arms of God. This doesn’t happen for me in church or in any other group setting. It’s much easier for me to relate to God in private, intimate moments.

“When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing.” (John 15:5-8 MSG)

These moments of intimate, natural communion with God produces fruit. When we are disconnected from Him, we are useless.

 

I wish every moment was spent in union with God, but I guess that can’t happen in this life. All we can hope for are glimpses of Transcendence between the monotony of life on earth.

Poor Judgment

Recently, a U.S. general resigned because he had exercised ‘poor judgment’. Observe the people you encounter on any given day, and you will notice that poor judgment is one of the leading causes of self-destruction. 
 

The path towards poor judgment is just a subtle deviation from what is good and true. Have a few drinks, linger a bit longer, connect with someone online, take a few risks, indulge in self-justification--treat yourself…you deserve it…

Unfortunately, our bad choices have a ripple effect on those that love us and depend on us. Poor judgment leads to broken families, ruined reputations, loss of fortunes, and destroyed lives.  It demoralizes those that look up to us and depend on us. Our loved ones get sucked along into the huge abyss that was created by our weaknesses.

I’m always surprised when intelligent people show a lack of discernment. I expect certain traits like self-awareness, discipline, knowledge, wisdom, good judgment, and intuition to go together. Yet, this is rarely the case. Frequently, smart people make dumb choices.

I pray for the gift of discernment--for myself, and for everyone around me. I think this is one of the most under rated blessings. If we could all have good judgment, wisdom, understanding, if we all made good choices, so much of the world’s suffering could be avoided.

Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done. On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Clearing Spaces

“Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.” (2 Cor. 10-3:6 MSG)
 

Yesterday, when I read this verse, the phrase, ‘clearing the ground’ stood out for me.

I like clearing and organizing spaces. I routinely get rid of stuff I no longer use: old clothes, shoes, magazines, accessories, home-décor, pots and pans, electronics etc. I relish seeing an empty space where there was once clutter. Unfortunately, the space, somehow, gets filled up quickly with new junk.

When we clear ground for God, we have to be careful not to fill it with our own junk. Whether it is in our own lives or in the lives of others, we have to be comfortable with empty spaces. Emptiness is a prerequisite for God’s plans.

After clearing the ground, we are eager to start building according to our own vision of the future. We are too impatient to wait for the Architect’s plans. We fill in the emptiness with temporary structures that are bound to be torn down in a short time.

Don‘t be in a rush for self-fulfillment. Stay empty. Wait for God.

 

Christmas Toolbox

Let’s say, next Christmas morning, there is beautiful toolbox under the tree with your name on it. Now, I know some of you might not want a toolbox, but let’s assume this one is so nice that it would make even the least handy person excited.

Some of us may surmise that we deserve this wonderful gift because of how good we’ve been this year.  We might start making plans for all the projects we could do with this toolbox. Build this, fix that… We proceed to imagine the admiring applause when other’s notice all that we’ve accomplished.

 

God gifts us with tools that are meant to be used for His purposes.  Our health, wealth, intelligence, opportunities, friends, family, education, possessions, beauty, power, faith…all are granted by God. We are not given these blessings because we did something to deserve it. These are not meant to be used for our own building projects, which may lead to self-promotion and public admiration. When we are given tools, we must wait for the blueprint of God’s plans.

 

“The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.” (2 Cor. 10:3-6 MSG)

 

Prayer and Pace

My son recently started to drive.  The other day, when he was more than 10 minutes late coming home, I started to get concerned. I sent out a silent prayer and kept looking through the windows for his car. I was hesitant to call or text him because I didn’t want to distract him in case he was still driving. A friend of mine was with me at the time, and she was also praying, unbeknownst to me.  After a certain amount of time, pacing and praying, I thought I heard a noise in one of the rooms. Thinking it was just the dog, I opened the door to find my son, sitting safely, inside my house. He had come home when I was in the bathroom, and I hadn’t heard the front door opening.
 

This made me think of how often I pray and pace.  I have a hard time sitting still when I’m anxious. To be honest, I have a hard time sitting still even when I’m NOT anxious. Pacing back and forth fills no purpose other than expending some of my nervous energy.  In times of stress, I wish I could just stay calm and trust God. 

My request was already answered before I even prayed. I just hadn‘t realized it yet.  God often takes care of our needs even before we ask.  Our failure to recognize His grace is what leads to anxious pacing.  When we become conscious of His love at a soul level, our approach shifts to one of prayer and praise.

Kitchen Utensils

"In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets--some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing." (2 Tim 2:20-21 MSG)

If I could choose my role in God’s kitchen, I’d like to be a fork. I enjoy being shiny and poking things. Plus, forks get used daily.

However, I think the utensil I most closely resemble is the colander. I’m full of holes. I fit awkwardly so it’s hard to find a spot for me. I’m difficult to clean. However my holes are useful for straining, sifting and separating. As life pours over me, like a sieve, I scrutinize and sort.

I have a friend who is more like a countertop in a kitchen. She holds people and situations up to the correct position so God can work on them. She supports, encourages and prays. Most of the time her role goes unnoticed, taken for granted. Imagine getting anything done in the kitchen if your counter tops were out of commission. She, herself, doesn’t realize how integral her role is.

We are not always given the roles we want. The resulting disappointment sometimes prevents us from accepting the roles we are assigned. Utensils don’t decide what they will be used for. Containers don’t tell the Chef what their purpose is. Whatever God has asked us to do today, let us do it with joyful acceptance.

Prayer Casseroles

When our friends are struggling with some sort of pain, what do we do? We take them casseroles. Taking food over to families who are suffering from an illness, or death of a family member, or any sort of loss, is customary in many cultures. However, here in the part of the world that I live, casseroles are the favored form of delivering comfort to those in pain.

Casseroles blend meat, vegetables, some sort of starch, and cheese all baked together and served in the same dish. It conveys love and support without being too invasive. This all in one dish envelopes you with sustenance and comfort. It allows a family to heal privately with out having to regurgitate their pain and listen to repetitious words of condolence.

A prayer casserole is my variation on this custom. When many friends blend their petitions together for a single cause, the resulting amalgam can be miraculously sustaining, strengthening and comforting.

"When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there." (Matt. 18:20 MSG)

When we unite in prayer, we can be sure that God's powerful presence is working on that situation. When several people commit to focused prayer for a specific person or family, we can expect supernatural grace. This prayer casserole, all combined together in one container, and offered up to God, is the most comforting gift you can give a grieving person.

Thanksgiving

Every year, we make a list of things for which we are thankful. It reminds us of the many things we take for granted. It's human nature to notice the troubles and challenges that we face daily, yet routinely overlook the blessings.

For example, I'm not fond of cleaning bathrooms. Today, I'm reminded to be thankful that I have bathrooms. I'm usually too tired to wash dishes after dinner. Today, I'm aware that we have food to put on those dishes. Sometimes I get frustrated about my relationships. Yet, today I'm just grateful to have these loved ones in my life.

I'm also thankful I don't live in Gaza, with bombs falling all around me. I'm grateful that my home wasn't swept away in a hurricane. I'm keenly aware of how many people around the world are suffering, while I'm safe and warm in my home.

Yet, it's not my circumstances, however favorable they may be, that bring me peace. It's knowing that God is navigating the boat I'm in, while we pass through murky waters filled with dangerous crocodiles. I'm aware of all the evil that surrounds me. However, I trust my Guide.

And, this is what I'm most thankful for...That God is my guide, my helper, my strength. In His grace, I simmer in contentment.

Circumstantial Faith

"Before I learned to answer you, I wandered all over the place" (Ps. 119:67 MSG)

My faith wavers depending on my circumstances. When things are going well in my life, I’m praising God, I love God, His plans are wonderful… Yet, when I hit a crisis, my attitude changes. I question God’s motives. His plans don’t seem well-thought out. I suspect He routinely puts HIS Interests above my agenda!

Circumstantial faith is all over the place. It is unfocused, undisciplined, unanchored. It floats like a paper boat on ocean waves. When the water is calm, it floats along prettily. However, it disappears under the first big wave.

My trust in God must be able to withstand the storms and tsunamis of life. My faith must be anchored deep enough that it isn’t destroyed by circumstances. I wish I could be cocooned close enough to God that nothing in this life swayed my love for Him.

God is Enough

I’ve been reading the same daily devotional for the past few years--My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers. Sometimes, I find notes in the margins from previous years. It’s always fascinating to observe how I reacted to something in the past. Today, I came across the following note:

"Do you believe I am enough?"

I looked this up on an online Bible concordance, but I couldn’t find a verse that matched. I’m not sure where this sentence came from, but I feel compelled to take a closer look at it.

Do I believe that God is enough?

Well…it depends. I believe theoretically, but I don’t necessarily live as if I am committed to this theory. If I believed whole heartedly that God is enough, then I wouldn’t be concerned about anything else. Every time a worry popped up in my mind, I would be able to dismiss it.

Some of us may believe that God is capable of solving our problems. However, our issues are of little significance unless they happen to be God’s concerns as well. And if it is God’s concern, then we don’t need to be worried about it.

Is God enough? Do we need more? Do we want more? Can we find contentment in God alone? Can we detach ourselves from everything else and cling to this truth?

Challenging The Teacher

Teaching is difficult job. Some students are slow-learners, some are apathetic, and then there’s always the few who think they are smarter than the teacher.

God is my Teacher, and I routinely question His teaching methods.

Do I have to do all these problems? Isn’t there a simpler way to learn this? I think You are making this unnecessarily complicated. Are you sure about this answer?


Do I really think, I’m smarter than The Teacher? Who am I to challenge God’s judgment?

"I can see now, GOD, that your decisions are right;
Your testing has taught me what’s true and right." (Ps.119:75 MSG)

I have a hard time acknowledging that God knows what He is doing. He knows my weaknesses. He has an individualized lesson plan that fits my learning pattern. I need to humbly submit. God’s decisions are always right and His testing will lead me to the Truth.

Hyphenated Names

When women get married, they have the choice of keeping their last names, changing to their husband’s last name, or blending both names to form a hyphenated last name.

Similarly, when we commit to a life with Christ, we have some choices to make. Some of us choose to keep our names unaltered while others merely add on Christ to their existing identity. Most of us are hesitant to give up our identity and take on Christ’s name.

The more we feel like we’ve accomplished in our own power, the harder it is to surrender our egos. The longer we’ve lived on our own terms, the more hesitant we are to give up our self-hood.

"I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:19-21 MSG)

When we are completely committed to Christ, our egos, are no longer relevant. We are not recognized by hyphenated names. Our identity is in Christ alone.

Capitalizing on the Weak

The strong have always held power over the weak. Strong nations have conquered and occupied weaker ones, sometimes wiping out their social and cultural foundations. Historical examples include, the Inquisition, slavery, the forced relocation of Native Americans into reservations, Japanese internment camps, segregation of minorities, and the Holocaust.

Unfortunately, the mighty still prey on the powerless. Those that are wealthy profit from the helplessness of the poor. Many of us that are intelligent or educated control those who are not. Those of us who have rights exploit those who have few. Those of us who have much take advantage of those who have little. Bullying is not just isolated to juveniles in school yards.

This bothers me.

What do I do about it?

“O Lord, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O Lord, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!” (2 Chronicles 14:11 NLT)

Molded by Love

Since I first met my husband, 25 years ago, my life has been shaped by my love for him. Every decision I make is molded by the thought, “How is this going to impact him?” 17 years ago, I became a mother. Since then, my love for my son has also shaped my life. A few years ago, we got a dog. Now, our travel plans are formed around our dog!
 

Our life is molded by love. The people and things we love influence our daily decisions. The love of money, status, pleasure, and power may drive some people, while others may be motivated by their relationships.

“Let your love, God, shape my life…”(Ps.119:41 MSG)

Once we are drawn into a life with God, His love shapes our every thought and every action. It’s not our love for God, but HIS love for us that molds us. While our love is like trickling water that is just absorbed by the ground, God’s love is similar to a raging flood, molding canyons and changing landscapes.

Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.

(Hymn by Daniel Iverson)

Senioritis

My son is a senior in high-school. I can see signs of senioritis--restlessness, lack of motivation, a readiness to be done with this stage and move on to the next.

I can sense similar feelings in myself. I’m ready to be finished with home schooling, to move on to the next phase of my life.  I’m eager to focus on my interests and passions that have been shelved for the last 2 decades.

My parents are also suffering from senioritis. As senior citizens, they too feel restless, unsure of what’s next, seeking purpose and meaning as they enter into a more limited season of life.

It’s like we’ve all outgrown our homes. The phases that have contained us for so long, now feel uncomfortable. The roles that have covered us for all these years, no longer fit. Dissatisfaction creeps in. We are ready to move. We just don’t know how, or where, or when.

Senioritis can be dangerous. Discontentment and lack of a clear vision can spiral into impulsive, destructive choices.  Decisions made during these transitions can have a huge impact on the rest of our life. We are eager to be free of the constrictions, but is it really freedom that awaits us in the next stage? We still have a lot to learn before we graduate from this phase, and the next chapter holds even more lessons.  The cure for senioritis is to focus on each day’s lesson. Ultimately, every period is about learning, until we graduate from this life to the next.

 

Posting Signs

“Barricade the road that goes Nowhere;
grace me with your clear revelation.
I choose the true road to Somewhere,
I post your road signs at every curve and corner.
(Ps. 119:25-32 MSG)

God blocks off dead-end roads that lead nowhere. Sometimes we ignore these warnings and decide to go down those paths anyway. At best, we just waste a lot of time and energy. At worst, we fall into dangerous holes that are self-destructive and impacts others that are close to us as well.

God directs us in pathways that lead to Him.  Sometimes, we choose to follow God’s directions and stay on course.  This isn’t easy.

 

The Psalmist says, “I post your road signs at every curve and corner.” This line made an impression on me.  Is it really our role to post God’s road signs at every curve and corner?  Are we part of the road maintenance crew as well as being travelers?

 

My husband writes reviews on the Tripadvisor website. Every time we visit a new place, he writes his opinions about the restaurants, hotels and attractions along with other useful information that he has gathered from his experience.  He also reads reviews written by other travelers before each trip. He recently read that taxi drivers in Vegas routinely take out-of-town guests through a tunnel and then charge the passengers a higher fare. Experienced travelers have suggested that passengers can avoid being duped by saying, “no tunneling” as soon as they enter a cab.

Maybe those of us who have been following Christ for a while should post useful information for fellow travelers. Don’t venture into this alley, watch out for this trap, stop awhile at this rest area, replenish your supplies before you leave this region, eat this, not that, don’t be duped into taking the tunnels… 

Functional Foods

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Functional foods are foods that have a potentially positive effect on health beyond basic nutrition.”

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/functional-foods/AN02088

Examples of functional foods include oatmeal (or anything with fiber), ginger, turmeric, green leafy vegetables, beans, green tea, yogurt and kefir. These foods are not going to give you the same pleasure as eating a plate of french fries. 

All foods are functional to some degree in that they help keep you alive in the short run. In the middle of a famine, nobody is going to be checking nutritional labels.

 

If you happen to live in an area that allows you to choose what you eat, then it might be a good idea to consume foods that keep your vital organs running in the long term. If you are building a house, wouldn’t you choose materials that are known to be durable?  Would you knowingly build your house with diluted concrete or sub-standard, toxic materials?

Consider what we stuff our minds and our days with. Are we filling ourselves with pursuits that are functional in the long run?  Or do we satiate our hunger with temporary comforts?

 

Formulaic Faith

I’m still thinking about what I wrote yesterday concerning working out one’s faith.

In mathematics and science, formulae are integral in expressing relationships between variables. Textbooks usually show how a formula is derived by giving a detailed proof. I confess that I mostly just glance at these proofs. I’m glad that someone has worked out these formulae. I’m not really interested in how they were derived. I’d rather just memorize a formula and use it to quickly solve the problem at hand. Because of this approach, I don’t have a thorough understanding of certain complex concepts.

It’s tempting to follow a formula for faith. Someone else has already worked it out. You just have to plug in the variables and you get quick answers. However, this leads to a superficial understanding of God.

I don’t think we need to re-invent the wheel each time. The best approach is to carefully study how the formula was derived. Then try to work it out on your own. Apply what you’ve learned to solve several problems. This leads to a deeper knowledge of the concept than simply memorizing and following a formula.
 
I learn a lot by studying the writings of great thinkers from the past. These intellectual giants have wrestled with the same questions that I have. Some have found peace and strength through their struggles. I try to work out my faith by following their example. I’m hoping that further practice leads to a deeper understanding of ultimate truth.

Accepting Faith

My son told me something funny that he saw on Facebook:

“What is the most common lie told nowadays?”

“I Accept”

Whenever I sign up for anything online, there is usually a pop-up with a long disclaimer filled with legal mumbo-jumbo. At first, I used to read through the legalese. These days, I just scroll to the bottom and press the button that says, “I Accept”. For all I know, I could be accepting membership to a cult and agreeing to give them my life savings!

How often do we accept things that we don’t really understand?

When we claim to accept Christ, do we know what we are getting into? Most of us don’t take the time to get to know Him. Why not? Is it that we can’t be bothered? Are we just interested in the blessings that come after we sign-up?

Each person has to work out his own faith. This involves mental contemplation, as well as emotional struggle. We must wrestle with ourselves before we can truly accept our faith.
 
“Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.” (Phil. 2:12-13 MSG)

Revelation Sense

Does saving for retirement show a lack of trust in God? How about having more than our daily requirement of food in our refrigerator or pantry? How about collecting emergency supplies before a storm?

I don’t know the answer. Common sense nudges us to be prepared for the future. Faith spurs us to trust God for our daily bread.

“Faith in active opposition to common sense is mistaken enthusiasm and narrow-mindedness, and common sense in opposition to faith demonstrates a mistaken reliance on reason as the basis for truth. The life of faith brings the two of these into the proper relationship. Common sense and faith are as different from each other as the natural life is from the spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration. Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense, and is complete, whereas common sense falls short.” (My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers)

Faith without common sense maybe naïve. However, common sense without faith is like betting all your money on the wrong horse. Oswald Chambers comes up this amalgam of faith and common sense that he calls ‘revelation sense’. He implies that God-given common sense compels us to take care of our families by gathering and storing what God has supplied in due season. In contrast, hoarding, while others go hungry, is not godly.

I’m reminded of the story of Joseph in Genesis 41. Joseph was given divine revelation sense to store up grain during the years of plenty, so that his family, his country, as well as neighboring countries could all be fed during the years of famine.

Lord, give us revelation sense, so we might know how to take care of ourselves and others.

Singing

My family goes to a church that is predominantly filled with college students. Most of these young people are beautiful, fashionable, and appear confident. We have an exuberant choir of young people with a famous musical director. When the choir is not traveling around the nation, they perform for the congregation. They have choreographed moves, matching outfits, and alternating solos. Most Sundays, the musical director announces that their CD’s are on sale in the church lobby.

I stopped singing in church a long time ago, mostly because I’m insecure about my musical abilities. I like to sing, but I don’t know much about pitch or keys. I used to sing because it brought me joy, but now I’m self-conscious about my imperfections. I’m afraid I’ll make a mistake and others around me will cringe.
 
Yesterday, in church, I had the privilege of sitting in front of an older couple who sang along with every hymn . The husband had a deep, low tone, and the wife had a sweet, clear voice. They sang with sincerity, without artifice, with abandon. Their singing brought me joy. I wish I could sing without worrying about how it will be received by others. I just listened to them and tuned out the choir. I still didn’t have the guts to open up a hymn book and sing along. I wondered if a few years from now, I could have what they have…this level of self-assurance.

I’ve been writing for decades. However, I’m not good at editing. Because of this, I’ve been hesitant to allow others to read my writing. This year, a very supportive friend agreed to edit my writing. This has given me the courage to let others read my thoughts.

I was inspired by the singing couple in church. As I get older, I hope to be more like them--to not care about public opinion, to do what brings me joy, and to live with abandon.

Country Roads

We have two major roads that lead from our house to the city. Old 218 is a country road that goes by the river and passes through picturesque farmland. Since it’s a two-lane road with lots of curves, you can’t drive very fast on it.

Most drivers around these parts prefer to drive on ‘New 218’. This new expressway runs parallel to the old road. It’s a 4-lane, divided highway on which most people maintain speeds of close to 75 miles per hour. It’s a much more efficient way to get places than the old road.

Frequently, I think God’s prescribed route for me is on a slow and winding road. I can see others on the new, efficient highway that runs parallel to my path. They are going places and getting there quickly. Occasionally, I’m tempted to get off my country road and get on the expressway. I don’t feel like ‘staying the course’.

“You’re blessed when you stay on course,
Walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
You’re blessed when you follow his directions,
Doing your best to find him.
That’s right--You don’t go off on your own,
You walk straight along the road he set.
(Ps. 119:1-3 MSG)

I need to stay the course on the path that God has chosen for me, even if everyone else is on the expressway running alongside it.

To-Do List

I’m a list maker. Every morning I make a list of things I want to accomplish. Sometimes I do things that are not on the list, but I write them down after I doing them and then cross them out. At the end of the day, I like to look at the list and see if I’ve had a productive day. Most of my time goes to housework. By the end of the day, the food has been eaten, the house is back in disarray, and all I have left to show for my efforts is a sink full of dirty pots and pans and this list with crossed-out tasks. I wish I were doing more for God, but, for now, my daily service mainly benefits my family.

“Not what you do for God but what God does for you--that’s the agenda for rejoicing.” (Luke 10:20 MSG)

I wonder if God keeps a list of daily encounters with me. If He does, then yesterday’s list might have looked like this:

Whispered wisdom into her ears in the morning
Helped her stay calm during her conversation with her parents
Pulled her out of despair
Prompted a friend to call her with encouragement
Nudged her to listen, rather than talk
Gave her the energy to clean 3 bathrooms
Provided her with food for her family’s needs
Urged her to pray several times
Kept her safe
Kept her healthy
Kept her close by MY Side.

My ‘To-do list’ is of no significance to God. Whether I’m cleaning bathrooms, or calling a friend, He uses every opportunity to build His relationship with me. It is not what I do for God, but what God does in me that brings contentment, peace and joy.

Holding Back

About six years ago, I had this urge to make some monumental changes in my life. I hatched a plan that seemed good to me. I knew the rest of the family would have to make some adjustments to accommodate my ambitions, but I decided it would be a good growth opportunity for them as well as me.

I have several wise friends, and I’m in the habit of running everything by them. So, as usual, I decided to divulge my excellent idea to a close friend and mentor. I remember we were sitting in the front seat of my car when I laid out my plan to her. She listened carefully while I prattled on excitedly. Once I was finished, she said something like--I don’t think it’s a good idea right now. She went on to explain her reasons. They made sense. However, I was a bit disappointed. I thought she would go along with me and rubber stamp my plans. Instead, she had the sincerity to tell me what I didn’t want to hear at that time. This is the sign of a true friend.

Not many of us would be willing to take the risk that she did. Even when we are uncomfortable with a friend’s choices, we rarely speak up. It’s much more pleasant to be a cheerleader than a voice of reason. We enjoy encouraging others, but we hold back words of warning. Our desire to be liked by our friends outweighs our concern for their welfare. We don’t want to be known as the one who holds back anyone from reaching for their dreams.

I’m really glad this friend didn’t hold back her input. She took a risk and stuck her neck out. I grudgingly listened to her advice. It changed the trajectory of my family’s life.

“The right word at the right time
is like a custom-made piece of jewelry,
And a wise friend’s timely reprimand
is like a gold ring slipped on your finger.”

(Proverbs 25:11-12 MSG)

Pushed or Pulled?

“The source of our inspiration in our service for God is behind us, not ahead of us. The tendency today is to put the inspiration out in front--to sweep everything together in front of us and make it conform to our definition of success.” (My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers)

Most of us are inspired to do great things by our vision of the future. We strive to be useful, to make a difference, to meet the needs of the world. This pull to make an impact, to be significant is what motivates us.

This is NOT how it should be. It’s ridiculous to put the cause before the source. Our inspiration should come from our desire to align with God’s plan. We are propelled by God’s power. We are pushed forward by His Spirit.

When making decisions about the future, we shouldn’t be so concerned about how the world will remember us. Instead, simply focus on God’s breath on the back of your neck, His hands pushing you forward.