Have you ever prayed and then wondered if God was going to answer? God has been reminding me for the last couple of weeks of some of those prayers. Oh He has a sense of humor some days, at least with me anyways. The latest came Wednesday night when what I blamed on short girl problems actually in turn was God answering one of those many prayers.
Short girl problems....I was putting a basket of toys away in the preschool area Wednesday night as the kids were cleaning up. The basket went on a shelf that was let's just say high and I'm not the tallest person out there. So I stood on my tip toes and put the basket up there. As I did, one of the cars rolled back and hit me on the head. I laughed it off that night and blamed on short girl problems, well this weekend God started reminding me of a prayer I had prayed. I asked God for a knock upside of the head or some peace about a couple of requests. I'd take the answer either way. Well I guess somewhere I missed the peace memo, because He chose to answer with the knock upside the head. Why oh why does it take that sometimes for us to listen? Why can't we just listen the first time and do it the easy way? When I figure that out, rest assured I'll have a blog I'm sure. God knows I need specifics I some days I guess. ;-)
I've always heard the saying/quote "Bloom where you are planted". Not really sure who started or who said it first, but I have quoted it before and God has used it more than once to redirect me. See sometimes we try to bloom where we aren't planted. By planted I mean, where God has given you seed, where He has called you to. If I had to put it in words, I think sometimes we get scared to bloom. We know where we are headed, part of His plan, His purpose for our lives yet fear keeps us still. Fear keeps us from moving forward and watering those seeds. Fear keeps us frozen and when we are frozen things do not bloom. Just like in winter, where things lie dormant, we can keep the seasons of our lives from moving if we do not listen. God has a Spring planted, a harvest to come, but He is waiting on us to take the next step. There is a time for Winter, for things to rest, and there is a time for Spring where things bloom. There is a time for Summer, to just enjoy this journey, and a time for Fall to get things planted and ready for harvest. Every season has a purpose in our lives.
So what are you asking for Him today? What has He brought to mind as you have prayed? I have been searching for the past six months or so, remembering back to a time when I knew I was on fire and wondering who put the fire out. (The answer for that would be really easy....me). God has a harvest ready, a time for me to see the flowers bloom from seeds that have been planted, but first I have to keep my focus. God took me a time and a place where the fire was lit and let me smile with sweet memories of a precious time. Then God and I had a serious talk about how to get back to that time. Back to the time when He spoke I listened, back to the time when if He said talk to someone I did, back to the time when He said jump and I said how high. Back to the time when I knew more than anything my steps were ordered by the One who held the puzzle lid. Sometimes we have to revisit those times just for Him to remind us of what changed. It wasn't Him, He never moved. He didn't change what He said to us, what He asked us to do, or where we were walking. We are the ones who moved. Sometimes we let life as it is get in the way of being the princess He made us to be. We let our careers become our lives when He never planned it that way. We let our time be dictated by the standards of the world. We try to climb a ladder not built by God. God wants to raise us up, but in His time and with His steps.
Start listening and doing what He says without question. If He says share with someone, share with them. If He says speak into someone's life, do it. If He says walk this way, don't ask right or left. Listen, He really does have all of the pieces and knows just where they fit.
Keep focused on this journey sweet readers! Ask Him for what you need, He will move on your behalf in ways you could hardly imagine.
~Melissa
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
Love them Like Jesus
Those that know me know my heart is bigger than my patience some days. Today would be one of those. Most understand the statement, it was a Monday, but for me God took this Monday to a whole new level. Today was a rough day, I would be amiss if I said otherwise. Only God can take our rough moments and turn them into diamonds. Only God can take a day where you are going, really, and answer with I'm just answering your prayer. Ouch let me just tell you that one hurt!
Stay with me a minute....how many times have we prayed to love someone like Jesus? Think about it for a minute or two. We've all been there. Someone in our daily life that we know we need to show His love to, so we ask God to love them like He would. Jesus loved everyone. He understood where they came from and He met them where they were at. That's what God is asking us to do. Yes it is hard because we don't want to move out of our comfort zone. It's also hard because some days are just physically exhausting, but God will always give back and restore to us what we give out to others for Him.
Jesus loved those who hit Him, spit on Him, and called Him names. Jesus loved those who said things behind His back, who made up stories about Him, and who were just mean to Him. I can imagine it may not have been easy for Jesus to at some points, He was flesh at after all as well as God. He relied however on the same power and strength that we have as well today. He knew that the only way He could love someone like He was supposed to was with God's strength. That dear readers is how we will be able to show His love to others as well. We show God's love best when we love those that are not necessarily easy to love.
Honesty check.....today has been exhausting. The last thing I really wanted today was to have God interrupt my pity party, but God knows best. God took my moment where I would have been content and justified to have a pity party and moved it into a, this is about Me sweet child Not you. See God knew how today was going to go. He knew the only way to teach me how to love them like He would was to have the day like today was. Easy to love is not always the case, but loving God's way is. Loving them like He does also means showing grace. Tomorrow is a new day and today has become yesterday.
Life is short and time is precious. Do what you can do each day, and let Him do the rest. Love them like He would. Yes that may mean you are hit and spit on during the day, but He will give you the grace to bear through it. Those hits and spits may not always be physical, but they may be with words or deeds. This test hasn't been passed yet, but I'm in the process. Like a student in the classroom, I realized today the test had been passed out. I'm choosing not to turn it in just yet ;-) After all, I want to pass it now instead of having Him hand it back to me later.
Ask Him to give you the heart to love those you come in contact with like He would. His promises are true and His word will not return void. He will take care of His child walking in obedience.
Walking the journey with Him,
~Melissa
Stay with me a minute....how many times have we prayed to love someone like Jesus? Think about it for a minute or two. We've all been there. Someone in our daily life that we know we need to show His love to, so we ask God to love them like He would. Jesus loved everyone. He understood where they came from and He met them where they were at. That's what God is asking us to do. Yes it is hard because we don't want to move out of our comfort zone. It's also hard because some days are just physically exhausting, but God will always give back and restore to us what we give out to others for Him.
Jesus loved those who hit Him, spit on Him, and called Him names. Jesus loved those who said things behind His back, who made up stories about Him, and who were just mean to Him. I can imagine it may not have been easy for Jesus to at some points, He was flesh at after all as well as God. He relied however on the same power and strength that we have as well today. He knew that the only way He could love someone like He was supposed to was with God's strength. That dear readers is how we will be able to show His love to others as well. We show God's love best when we love those that are not necessarily easy to love.
Honesty check.....today has been exhausting. The last thing I really wanted today was to have God interrupt my pity party, but God knows best. God took my moment where I would have been content and justified to have a pity party and moved it into a, this is about Me sweet child Not you. See God knew how today was going to go. He knew the only way to teach me how to love them like He would was to have the day like today was. Easy to love is not always the case, but loving God's way is. Loving them like He does also means showing grace. Tomorrow is a new day and today has become yesterday.
Life is short and time is precious. Do what you can do each day, and let Him do the rest. Love them like He would. Yes that may mean you are hit and spit on during the day, but He will give you the grace to bear through it. Those hits and spits may not always be physical, but they may be with words or deeds. This test hasn't been passed yet, but I'm in the process. Like a student in the classroom, I realized today the test had been passed out. I'm choosing not to turn it in just yet ;-) After all, I want to pass it now instead of having Him hand it back to me later.
Ask Him to give you the heart to love those you come in contact with like He would. His promises are true and His word will not return void. He will take care of His child walking in obedience.
Walking the journey with Him,
~Melissa
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Peeling Back the Layers....
God's been working on my heart for the last couple of week or so. It's no fault of my own, I asked Him a couple of questions and He saw fit to oblige with me the answers. Wow is all I can say, not sure I was expecting what He revealed, but why should I have thought any less. I am just so thankful He loves me like He does, otherwise I would be in a mess.
I've known for some time that God had a call on my life(after all He does for every child of His), but for awhile I've tried to ignore it. I've tried to turn it into what I wanted it to be and what parts I wanted to have. God has a higher purpose than any of us could ever realize. The hardest part is that we let ourselves get in the way. We let what we feel we should be doing be what we think God says we should be doing. We let excuses and our feelings cause us to maybe not miss what God has planned, but delay it of course. We let what others say and tell us to do be what we think of ourselves instead of listening to what God says to do. I asked Him when would it be time to for the lid of this gift to come off, when would the next season come in to play. Yep I asked God when ;-) God's reply on when was when I got a few things in order that He had been telling me to do for awhile. Ouch....
So many times God tells us what to do and we listen politely, but never put it into action. Even worse we may put it into action for a couple of days, weeks and then it's back to what we want and how we feel. This morning God gave me a list, He knows I like specifics, and well He didn't hold anything back. Now to start moving forward on what He said to do and finally this time letting His way be my way. I want when others see me to see Him. I want to make a difference for Him. I didn't realize until this morning how much of a preparation time the past few months have been. It's hard to put into words, but I have a sense of excitement of what God has in store and only He knows what it is.
Be patient when you ask God for a question, and make sure you are listening. He is always willing to answer His child, but we have to truly be listening to hear it. Listening with our God ears and not our ears will allow us not to miss any part. Then after you listen with your God ears, listen with your heart which will cause your feet to listen. Only after we listen with our God ears, can we listen with our heart and feet and put into action what He says to do.
God has a special plan for each and every one of us. It may be that He has just where He wants us doing what He has called us to do, but we have to get ourselves out of the way to realize that. It also may be that this season is preparing us for the next one, but the next one will only come if plant everything we need to in this season. Some seasons are for planting, some for growth, and some for harvesting what has grown. Be patient with the season you are in and finish the work for that season. The next one will be here soon enough.
Love where you are, speak only His words, and keep Him first always. God gives us people that go from season to season and some are only for a certain season. Learn from them all and treasure the part they have played in your life/still play in your life. Give back to those you have in your life, you don't know the part you play in their seasons as well.
Moving forward on this journey,
~Melissa
I've known for some time that God had a call on my life(after all He does for every child of His), but for awhile I've tried to ignore it. I've tried to turn it into what I wanted it to be and what parts I wanted to have. God has a higher purpose than any of us could ever realize. The hardest part is that we let ourselves get in the way. We let what we feel we should be doing be what we think God says we should be doing. We let excuses and our feelings cause us to maybe not miss what God has planned, but delay it of course. We let what others say and tell us to do be what we think of ourselves instead of listening to what God says to do. I asked Him when would it be time to for the lid of this gift to come off, when would the next season come in to play. Yep I asked God when ;-) God's reply on when was when I got a few things in order that He had been telling me to do for awhile. Ouch....
So many times God tells us what to do and we listen politely, but never put it into action. Even worse we may put it into action for a couple of days, weeks and then it's back to what we want and how we feel. This morning God gave me a list, He knows I like specifics, and well He didn't hold anything back. Now to start moving forward on what He said to do and finally this time letting His way be my way. I want when others see me to see Him. I want to make a difference for Him. I didn't realize until this morning how much of a preparation time the past few months have been. It's hard to put into words, but I have a sense of excitement of what God has in store and only He knows what it is.
Be patient when you ask God for a question, and make sure you are listening. He is always willing to answer His child, but we have to truly be listening to hear it. Listening with our God ears and not our ears will allow us not to miss any part. Then after you listen with your God ears, listen with your heart which will cause your feet to listen. Only after we listen with our God ears, can we listen with our heart and feet and put into action what He says to do.
God has a special plan for each and every one of us. It may be that He has just where He wants us doing what He has called us to do, but we have to get ourselves out of the way to realize that. It also may be that this season is preparing us for the next one, but the next one will only come if plant everything we need to in this season. Some seasons are for planting, some for growth, and some for harvesting what has grown. Be patient with the season you are in and finish the work for that season. The next one will be here soon enough.
Love where you are, speak only His words, and keep Him first always. God gives us people that go from season to season and some are only for a certain season. Learn from them all and treasure the part they have played in your life/still play in your life. Give back to those you have in your life, you don't know the part you play in their seasons as well.
Moving forward on this journey,
~Melissa
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Chains....
This post may not make sense if you have never heard Tasha Cobb's song "Break Every Chain", but I'll include the video down at the end of the post.
This song has rocked my world since I heard her sing it live at the Dove Awards last Fall. However the past couple of weeks, it has become a theme. A couple of weeks ago, the song came on twice while in my car and I had a little church while driving to an appointment. That's when God started really getting the message of the song into my spirit.
"I hear those chains falling": Whatever has been holding you back, God has given you the keys to unlock them. I hear chains falling all around me. The question now is are you going to step forward and walk out of them or are you going to stay frozen in fear because you don't know what to do?
I started writing this top portion last week and I couldn't understand why God wouldn't let me finish last week. I know now. As humans, we like to be comfortable. We like to live with what we know, what feels right, and what makes sense. Living life God's way, doesn't always make sense, and that can be frustrating. We ask God for something, but want the answer on our timetable not His. We start to walk forward and when we don't "feel" right or see anything happening we run backwards. Those chains are comfortable, they are familiar, and sadly they "feel" right. The older I get the more I realize I can't live my life based on my feelings.
I'm hard headed and stubborn, God knows that and loves me anyway. God knows I need some help at times to see the next step. God also knows I have a fear of stepping out of what is "comfortable" and that I have a HUGE tendency to question myself at every turn. See I trust Him completely, it's myself I don't necessarily trust. With every layer He has peeled back over the last few months, He has shown me I may not always feel like I trust myself but I can trust the One inside of me. I can't do anything without Him. Sometimes I fall short and I mess up(we all do), He loves me the same and still trusts me. I have told Him multiple times when something happens that He trusts me way more than I trust myself. God didn't ask you to feel like taking a step, He said take a step.
"There is an army rising up": It's time for Christians to leave the chains and to walk forward. Chains are different for each one, ask Him to show you yours. Trust me He will. Then as He starts to break each of them, leave them at His feet, and take that first step.
Anyone that knows me, knows I can be hard on myself. God is breaking that chain each day, by giving me opportunities to rely on Him and forget about what I can do. Freedom doesn't mean we will never be tempted, it means we will rely on the One inside of us to defeat it instead of relying on our flesh(feelings etc.). Trust me listen to God the first time when He tells you something. His word never returns void, He will make sure you listen, so you may as well do it the easy way. Then once you hear it, put it into action. Obedience unlocks the more than we could ever imagine life that God promised for His children.
Not sure where you are at on your journey, but wherever it is God knows exactly where you are. Spend some time just listening to what He has planned for your life. It may not make sense, chances are it won't at first. However, if you are patient God will give you a moment where He turns over the puzzle box lid and says see this is what I'm doing. I'll be honest I've had to ask Him a lot of questions on my journey, but He has been faithful to take the time to answer each one in His own way. He will answer yours as well. Chains are not comfortable even though they may feel like they are. Let Him break all of your chains........
Until Next time
~Melissa
This song has rocked my world since I heard her sing it live at the Dove Awards last Fall. However the past couple of weeks, it has become a theme. A couple of weeks ago, the song came on twice while in my car and I had a little church while driving to an appointment. That's when God started really getting the message of the song into my spirit.
"I hear those chains falling": Whatever has been holding you back, God has given you the keys to unlock them. I hear chains falling all around me. The question now is are you going to step forward and walk out of them or are you going to stay frozen in fear because you don't know what to do?
I started writing this top portion last week and I couldn't understand why God wouldn't let me finish last week. I know now. As humans, we like to be comfortable. We like to live with what we know, what feels right, and what makes sense. Living life God's way, doesn't always make sense, and that can be frustrating. We ask God for something, but want the answer on our timetable not His. We start to walk forward and when we don't "feel" right or see anything happening we run backwards. Those chains are comfortable, they are familiar, and sadly they "feel" right. The older I get the more I realize I can't live my life based on my feelings.
I'm hard headed and stubborn, God knows that and loves me anyway. God knows I need some help at times to see the next step. God also knows I have a fear of stepping out of what is "comfortable" and that I have a HUGE tendency to question myself at every turn. See I trust Him completely, it's myself I don't necessarily trust. With every layer He has peeled back over the last few months, He has shown me I may not always feel like I trust myself but I can trust the One inside of me. I can't do anything without Him. Sometimes I fall short and I mess up(we all do), He loves me the same and still trusts me. I have told Him multiple times when something happens that He trusts me way more than I trust myself. God didn't ask you to feel like taking a step, He said take a step.
"There is an army rising up": It's time for Christians to leave the chains and to walk forward. Chains are different for each one, ask Him to show you yours. Trust me He will. Then as He starts to break each of them, leave them at His feet, and take that first step.
Anyone that knows me, knows I can be hard on myself. God is breaking that chain each day, by giving me opportunities to rely on Him and forget about what I can do. Freedom doesn't mean we will never be tempted, it means we will rely on the One inside of us to defeat it instead of relying on our flesh(feelings etc.). Trust me listen to God the first time when He tells you something. His word never returns void, He will make sure you listen, so you may as well do it the easy way. Then once you hear it, put it into action. Obedience unlocks the more than we could ever imagine life that God promised for His children.
Not sure where you are at on your journey, but wherever it is God knows exactly where you are. Spend some time just listening to what He has planned for your life. It may not make sense, chances are it won't at first. However, if you are patient God will give you a moment where He turns over the puzzle box lid and says see this is what I'm doing. I'll be honest I've had to ask Him a lot of questions on my journey, but He has been faithful to take the time to answer each one in His own way. He will answer yours as well. Chains are not comfortable even though they may feel like they are. Let Him break all of your chains........
Until Next time
~Melissa
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Doors....
Doors are interesting things. Doors can serve as a passageway or a boundary. Either way we all have seen a closed door and an open door at some times in our lives. So God woke me up with doors on the mind this morning. I don't know how you are with doors, but I can handle the ones I close and open. It's the ones God close that I tend to want to try and make sure they are "closed" or even try to open them again. I've had some doors close lately, some God closed and some I have closed. One of the doors I closed was closed because of feelings and once I realized that I reopened it. We have to pay attention to the doors we close. Are they closed because of a truth God lead us to? or Are they closed because we got hurt/mad/disappointed and didn't feel like leaving it open anymore? Know the difference, because feelings could cause you to miss out on the timing of something God has planned.
On to doors God closes.....those are not so easy to leave alone. For some reason we spend a lot of time and energy trying to reopen a door God has closed. Trying to open the door only causes frustration and stress. I am thankful God loves as much as He does. If He didn't, He would open that door and let us see why He closed it. He doesn't work that way and we need to trust Him that it's closed for a reason.
Sometimes He closes the door of a friendship, the door of a season, or even the door of a habit. We hold on to things God said to let go of because they are comfortable. We try to pull the past into the present with us, but it only weigh us down.
Some of what God has shown me over the last two months, as He has peeled back the layers of my heart are the doors He has closed. Friendships for one reason or another are not a part of this season. Habits that have got to go and stay gone. (How many times do we commit to eat right only to have that sweet thing open that door again?). What if's and past regrets that are just that in the past and have no room walking forward. God didn't design us to walk forward carrying anything. That's why He said I'll carry the load.
Think back over your last couple of months, weeks, or maybe even days. What doors has God closed? What doors have you closed? If God closed the door, leave it alone. He has a reason for shutting the door and it is not ours to question. If you closed the door, ask Him if it is for the right reason. Make sure the doors you shut are done so because of truth and not feelings(fear, anxiety, hurt etc.). Seasons are a part of a life and a part of His plan. Just as we are all anticipating spring after this cold winter, look forward to the next season God has planned for you as well. It may just be your Spring soon and time for what has been planted to bloom.
Until next time,
~Melissa
On to doors God closes.....those are not so easy to leave alone. For some reason we spend a lot of time and energy trying to reopen a door God has closed. Trying to open the door only causes frustration and stress. I am thankful God loves as much as He does. If He didn't, He would open that door and let us see why He closed it. He doesn't work that way and we need to trust Him that it's closed for a reason.
Sometimes He closes the door of a friendship, the door of a season, or even the door of a habit. We hold on to things God said to let go of because they are comfortable. We try to pull the past into the present with us, but it only weigh us down.
Some of what God has shown me over the last two months, as He has peeled back the layers of my heart are the doors He has closed. Friendships for one reason or another are not a part of this season. Habits that have got to go and stay gone. (How many times do we commit to eat right only to have that sweet thing open that door again?). What if's and past regrets that are just that in the past and have no room walking forward. God didn't design us to walk forward carrying anything. That's why He said I'll carry the load.
Think back over your last couple of months, weeks, or maybe even days. What doors has God closed? What doors have you closed? If God closed the door, leave it alone. He has a reason for shutting the door and it is not ours to question. If you closed the door, ask Him if it is for the right reason. Make sure the doors you shut are done so because of truth and not feelings(fear, anxiety, hurt etc.). Seasons are a part of a life and a part of His plan. Just as we are all anticipating spring after this cold winter, look forward to the next season God has planned for you as well. It may just be your Spring soon and time for what has been planted to bloom.
Until next time,
~Melissa
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)