Thankful Post

I didn't join in the 30 days of Thankfulness this year on FB. It wasn't because I'm not thankful, part of it is I'm growing tired of the drama associated with FB, but early on this month I decided I would rather put everything in a blog. This way on those days when I would rather complain than be grateful, I can pull the blog back up. I'm also finding it is an amazing way to reflect on what could be known as a rather unusual month. So here it is, my 30 days of thankfulness ;-) Word of Warning: Slightly Lengthy post ;-)

1. First and foremost I'm thankful for a Heavenly Daddy who loves me beyond my comprehension and Who demonstrates daily just how much He loves me and understands me!
2. Thankful for my earthly parents. The older I get the closer we grow. This season of life is one where I see them as friends. I'm thankful (most days) that I inherited my dad's love for technology. Now if only I had learned to cook like him ;-) I couldn't go in as many directions and have my hands in as many fires as I do without mom. She helps me stay sane. (During IEP season that isn't so easy). 
3. I'm thankful for opportunities. I see them now as open doors. God opens doors for us in seasons where He knows we can handle it. The enemy opens doors in seasons where our flesh wants it. There is a difference and I'm learning that. 2014 has held memories and professional opportunities that I never would have dreamed. 
4. I'm thankful to work where I do. It's been a rough start settling in, but I finally see how God has put the pieces together. It's not always easy, but the struggle is productive. I've grown more in the last few months, personally and professionally. I feel blessed to be able to teach in the community where I live. 
5. Thankful for friends who love me for me! 
6. Thankful for His word! I've read some passages lately with fresh eyes. Oh how He has poured out. Blogs to come soon ;-) 
7. Thankful for girls' nights and chances to relax after a crazy week! 
8. Thankful for my girls group at church. I had forgotten how much fun just telling others about being His Princess could be ;-) I am in awe of God opportunities and thankful to finally listen. 
9. Thankful for the chance to make a difference. I'll be honest I've struggled over the last couple of months and asked God more than once if I was doing what I was supposed to be doing, where He wanted me to be doing it at. I've wrestled with just wanting His peace on this. I found it when I slowed down and let Him show me the last couple of months through His eyes. We can get so caught up in busyness that we forget to just be who He made us to be. 
10. Thankful for rest....sleep and a chance to relax are wonderful things. 
11. Thankful for an awesome church family. I love our worship times at BBC. 
12. Thankful for dad's chicken and dressing. It's not Thanksgiving without this dish ;-) 
13. Thankful for Netflix. I know this may seem silly, but it was so nice to wake up and put Gilmore Girls on and just laugh. Laughter is good for the soul ;-) 
14. Thankful for the chance to pour into the lives of kids at school and church. It's a responsibility and a privilege I do not take lightly. God gave me a focus for the year this summer and I've tried to keep that focus the main thing. It's not always about what you teach, but how you teach. Show them they matter and they can make a difference, in turn you may be handing them the keys to change their world. 
15. Thankful for opportunities that mean stepping out of your comfort zone(i.e. presenting at an Assistant Principal's meeting or leading a Robotics club that is way above your techie comprehension). 
16. Thankful for sweet revelations and whispers from Him. I wish I could let you in on the sweet whispers He and I shared last night as I laid a lot of feelings and excuses on Him. He replied with His ever so sweet truths for each one. 
17. Thankful for Social Media....even with all of the drama and times I would love to just disconnect(and yes I've learned to do that some finally), it is nice to be able to stay connected to people you don't get to see as often as you would like. 
18. Thankful for closed windows. (Yep there is a blog there too!)
19. Thankful for books! I have reignited a passion for Reading. I had forgotten over the years how relaxing it can be just to read for FUN! (Thankful for an Overdrive app that lets me check out books from the library too.)
20. Thankful for memories. There are times when they bring smiles and times when they bring tears, but oh how priceless they are. 
21. Thankful for the opportunity to watch kiddos grow in their gifts at MMIS. The opportunity to see kiddos who I remember as little ones leading FCA is amazing. It is precious watching them grow in so many ways. 
22. Thankful for time in the nursery at church. Times when both sweet toddlers fall asleep in your arms. Priceless! 
23. Thankful for the chance to still stay in touch with kids I've taught over the years. 
24. Thankful for music. I love lyrics and I love when certain songs get in my Spirit. God uses songs to minister on many days. 
25. Thankful for Advocare! I would hate to see a day without my Spark. (For those of you who drink coffee...same difference) 
26. Thankful for my Nashville family. Family isn't always about blood, but about a Spirit that says You are Mine. I love these people more than words and am so thankful they love me! 
27. Thankful for Madison Academy. I grew up with some amazing teachers who taught me what being a teacher was all about. I'm the teacher I am today because of them. 
28. Thankful for Alabama Football and Kentucky Basketball! I never was a sports person growing up, but the older I have become the more I have grown to love watching these two sports and teams play! 
29. Thankful for the first journal I ever received from my middle school English teacher, whom I now call friend. It started a writing thing ;-) even though I didn't understand it then. 
30. Thankful for YOU! If you had asked me in high school if I thought I would have ever written a blog, I would have been quick to reply NO! My middle school and high school English teachers would actually have agreed with you, I was not a fan of writing assignments, but they both in their unique ways planted seeds in me that I didn't realize would one day be watered by Him. I'm still not the best at it yet, but I'm learning and letting Him lead this process. 

The Power to Crush

Luke 10:19 
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you

What does that verse mean exactly? It means as Christians we have authority to trample, crush, step on snakes and scorpions. How does this apply to our daily lives? It means that we have the power and the ability to step on and overcome the triggers, the rocks, the hurdles the enemy throws in our paths.  So many times we don't realize that the enemy is sneaky and will use our weaknesses to our own detriment(often times becomes we have told him what they were!) Let's get real and practical for a minute, I'll use some of my own examples ;-)  We have the power to not indulge ourselves and eat a Little Debbie cake just because we feel stressed. It's not even December and those Christmas tree cakes and I are already at war. Everything in moderation, but why do they have to taste so good? To each their own, but yes God and I did discuss Christmas tree cakes last night. We have the power to not react. If we would not play the what if game in our heads and the well if they would just, we would be a lot happier. God said love. God said rest. God didn't say burn yourself out trying to please everyone but Him. 

God has given us the power to say no to the things that our flesh would like to say yes to. Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. You know what is right and just for you, follow it and let others follow what He has told them to do. It's our own actions He will ask us about one day, not others. Put your feelings in His hands and watch Him do more than you could imagine. He doesn't waste a moment, trust me. If you will let Him, He can turn Eeyore days into diamond days. God has put the stones in our hand to slay the giants we face. Now do you believe in yourself as much as He does? 

One last thing.....God doesn't like excuses pure and simple. We can tell Him what we aren't all day long, but He has a truth for each and every one. He doesn't have time for us to sit there and be like Moses and tell Him we aren't the best speakers in the world. He knows where our weaknesses are, He put them there. He doesn't see them as excuses, He sees them as chances to shine through. Lay how you see yourself at His feet and pick up how He sees you. It will change your world when you finally(finally) let that truth sink in. No weapon formed against you shall prosper, so quit fighting against yourself.  

If this blog steps on your toes, remember He stepped on mine with it first ;-) Too good of a word not to share. 

Just my heart....

I know it's the week of Thanksgiving, and I'll get to that post later on this week, but for a moment I just need to blog my heart. I've felt my way through the last couple of weeks, in fact probably the last month and a half. It's not a fun place to be. What I know has become clouded with what I feel simply because I allowed what I feel to become louder than what I know. God doesn't call us to feel our way through the day, He calls us to feel His way through the day. Easier said than done...just being honest. We all want to be a part of the group and to be included. We all want to know what we are doing is appreciated and/or matters to someone. We all have the fleshly need to hear job well done. Sometimes though God calls us to a place of just hearing Him say well done. He calls us to a season where the encouragement we seek can only can from Him. This is a season of preparation. A season where we at some point we wake up and realize the stone to knock our Goliath down has been in our hands all along. A season where we not only realize we have the stone, but we put it in the sling and launch it. The enemy isn't worried about us learning we have the stone in our hand as long as we never figure out we have the strength to launch it. It's time to knock the Goliath down. It's time to put aside the comments of others and walk in the anointing and the calling you know God has placed on your life. It's time to quit letting others put you in a box and it's time for the fire that has been smoldering to burn brightly. It's time to quit straddling the line and the fence and basically being lukewarm. Lukewarm happens when you stop caring. Lukewarm happens when you start caring more about what others say than what God says. Lukewarm happens when you please people and forget to love people. Lukewarm happens when you put yourself on the bottom of the list and forget it's all about balance. God took a day to rest and renew, there is a balance to the way He designed life to be. Lukewarm happens when feelings become your thoughts and therefore become your words. Lukewarm happens when you plaster that smile on your face, ignore the true feelings inside, and play the part in the script someone else handed you. Lukewarm happens when you quit being You. God designed you to feel a certain way, be a certain way, and do a certain way. He designed you to be you, not the you others tell you are, but the you He told you that you are.  Lukewarm happens when we go through the motions because we don't want to feel what He wants us to feel, but instead feel what others want us to feel. 

Have you given God all of you? Think carefully before you quickly answer yes. Do you still feel the way you want to feel about things or the way He wants you to feel about things? At some point in our journeys with Him, we realize that we hid some of those feelings deep down hoping that we could hold on to them for awhile. When He said give Him everything, He meant it all. He knows we aren't perfect, but in His hands He can mold us into a masterpiece that He already sees. It's time we look in His mirror. 

One step at a time along this journey of mine,

~Melissa 

Lessons from the Week...A little heart and a lot of Him

Oh me I've been from the woodshed to His feet this week. I've laid it down, picked it back up again, and realized how heavy it was so I laid it down again. (Praying I remember to leave it alone this time). I've had Him ask me some very blunt questions, re-ignite a fire I had let burn out again, and I've found that the best source of encouragement can sometimes be my God and me time.

Lesson 1: The enemy is out there roaring and looking for you. The brighter the fire the more he seems to seek. Thursday I was headed out the door and seemed to miss the bottom step. Mind you, I've gone down that same step for 20 years now, but some how on this day I missed it. I gracefully floated down (Thanks to my teacher bag) so the fall was kind of easy. I went on and headed to work, but as the day went on I wished I had gone back to bed. It was one thing after another Thursday and by the end of it I felt worn. On my drive back from home bound student, God got really plain. So many times we fall down however easy it may feel at the time, but the hardest part seems to be getting back up and pressing on. The enemy would have loved for me to have crawled back in bed, pulled the covers over my head, and called it a day. So he did what he could to keep trying to knock me down inside during the day. I wish I could say it didn't work, but there were tears at one point. God's faithful though. I learned through that day, God had a plan in that struggle and it was to shake loose of some stuff. I woke up the next day with a new song in my Spirit and a smile on my face. Mountain them wasn't going to defeat me. (Looking back now I also can see the closer we get to where He has planned for us to be, the more the enemy tries to knock us down. Wednesday I had one of those days where I knew I was right where He wants me for this season.)

Lesson 2: Out of balance adjustments needed.....I finally made my way to a chiropractor last week. This will be a blog in itself at some point, but I never realized how much my physical life represented my spiritual life as well. The chiropractor was amazed at how out of balance I was and in need of an adjustment. God's been taking the truth and writing on it all week. I'll share more about that soon.

God meets you where are. He's not waiting on someone else to see the diamond that you are, He's waiting on you to see it. So many times we let what others say about us and how they want us to be cloud how we see ourselves. I know I have struggled with this for awhile. Each time though He has been faithful to remind me who He says that I am and pick me back up again. God's stretched my faith over the last year or so, by stretching me. So many times we get comfortable that we forget to get up and walk forward. The changing of seasons is never easy(hello I want summer/fall back), but there is beauty to be found in each new period. God knows where our hearts lie and He is faithful to send us what we need when we need it. Just as the Israelites got the manna they needed for each day, He gives us what we need for the day at hand. Worrying about tomorrow, only results in spoiled manna because you aren't taking time to enjoy today. Quit apologizing for the diamond that's inside of you and walk out the calling He called you to. Shine and let Him take care of the rest. You dim your only light by worrying what others think and how they are going to react. You alone know what God has called you to do and who He has called you to be. Also got a few reminders this week of some of those windows He told me to shut that I opened back up again. Windows God wants shut need to be locked and not just closed for a season. He shuts them for a reason, but when we open them we let in those things He didn't plan for our day. (stress, worry etc.). Most of all this week I've been reminded of the truth He wrote on my heart so long ago, You are stronger than you think you are...remember I made you! So many times we question our own strength, but we forget to rely on the One inside of us. With Him we can move mountains!

Blessings this week as you stay focused on the journey,
~Melissa

Trust....

God just took Proverbs 3:5-6 and about did an upside down number on me. Not that I should be surprised after the amazing Sunday this has been....but something tells me this is something I've been told before, but for the first time I heard it. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

6 

in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will make your paths straight

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart(even the part you think you gave Him, but you took back when someone gave it to you). 

and lean not on your own understanding (Don't rely on how you feel. Overwhelmed, stressed are just feelings. If you truly believe God's got it because He has you.....then smile and move on!) 

in all your ways submit to him (Give it ALL to Him....even the part you just tried to reason with Him about....is it really more important than what He thinks anyway?)

and he will make your paths straight (He will show you where to step at every turn...)

Words for today: Trust Him with what He has told you to do. He knows your heart better than anyone else. Quit analyzing everything, stressing about the details, and let the feeling of overwhelm run your thoughts. Life happens, the world gets in the way a lot of the times, but He is greater than any thought the world can slide in to your video screen. He didn't call you to be overwhelmed and even though you may feel that way, it's okay. Feed the truth that God is working everything for your good and is giving you what you need to take care of what comes your way instead of feeding the feeling of how am I ever going to get all of this finished. Do what He has called you to do, be who He has called you to be, and trust that He is responsible for putting the rest in place. 

Too many times we let the expectations of the world drown out the truth of His word. We let the lists of man drive us more than the lists of God. He said love people not please them. There is a difference. 

At some point He plainly says to us, "You say you trust me with words, now show me. Let me handle the this and that that are troubling you.  Come to me when you start to feel overwhelmed and let me feed your soul."  (So many times we run to others be in person or on social media and all they do is feed our feelings instead of feeding the truth we know in our hearts. We go seeking encouragement from man, but God whispers the best encouragement of all...."I've got you!". ) 

Where ever you are at today, He knows your heart. Let Him speak to those places that only you and He know about it. He knows the words you have poured out in your journal and are on the tablet of your heart. Trust Him with those feelings and watch Him show you just how much He loves you! 

Be You....

Alright time for one of those heart to heart posts because well I've been to the woodshed with God over the last couple of days. He was nice, but rather blunt.  October was a revelation month. It was a time of taking in, listening, and thinking about changes that I needed to make for me. I wanted to start putting those into place for November, but how many know when you start to take it to the next level with God, the enemy gets mad? So the same old rocks that I knew I was strong enough to step over and/or walk on got thrown in my path again. Important truth....our thoughts lead to our feelings. If we continue to think about things that are going to lead us to feeling stressed....guess what, we end up stressed. If we think about things that are going to lead us to feeling worried...guess what, we end up worried. Get the picture....let it sink in. It takes time....

I'm thankful He loves me. I'm thankful He smiles through all of my tears, my doubts, and my questions. I'm thankful He loves me like He does and trusts me more than I trust myself. I'm thankful He knows how strong I am (even when I seem to not get the message). I'm thankful He forgives the pity parties, panic moments, and the people pleasing worry phases.

At some point last night when God and I were discussing(well He was talking, I was listening) about my day....He plainly said "Do you trust me or not sweet girl?" At some point, He wants us to move past the words of I trust you to the actions of I trust you. At some point in our journey, we have to take our faith up a notch and let some things go. At some point in our journey being who He has called us to be and made us to be becomes more important than being who we think others want us to be.

It's not easy going to God's woodshed, but it always brings about revelation. God created us for a calling and a purpose. He desires for us to trust Him to show us that when it's time, and then once we know to walk it out. I'm sure He grows tired(at least He does with me) of when I continue to compare myself with others. Lesson: Comparing yourself with others only brings condemnation and that's not from God.  Be who He made you to be and be happy with that. God gave you the heart He did for a reason, quit apologizing for it. Our part is to be who He made us to be. As long as we do that, He takes care of the rest. That dear readers is a truth that once comprehended is life changing.


Stay focused on the journey,
~Melissa

Uncomfortable?

It would take multiple blog posts to put into words everything He has spoken into my life over the last few months, particularly this past month. So many times I think we find ourselves in an uncomfortable situation, be it us or the situation, and we ask Him for a way out. We stake our ground and plant our feet and say that's it God I'm standing until you move. When all along God's already given us what we need to not only find our way out of this situation, but through it. In short, uncomfortable is not always a bad thing. At some point on this faith journey, it finally clicks. It finally makes sense that we grow stronger through some "things" than if He were to take us out of them altogether. Our Heavenly Daddy knows what we need. He knows if He needs to speak to our storms or to speak to His child. Trust comes in at this point. Trust is taking on step even when you aren't sure where to step after that. Trust is walking knowing He hold the flashlight in one hand and yours in the other.

Trust is more than words. It's action behind those words. Are we trusting when we complain or worry? He's hit me upside the head with this one. So many times we think we are just sharing our burdens with someone or seeking "advice. Honesty check: He bluntly asked me how do you feel after your sharing session? This doesn't mean you can't confide in someone if you need just need to vent or need someone to listen, but know who you are venting to. Too many times we seek for those who will feed our flesh and join in the complaint, instead of running to those who feed our soul and join us in prayer. Know the difference and keep that door closed to the enemy.

I've learned knowing God's plan and knowing His timing are two different things. Sometimes God reveals His plan for our lives and wants us to just trust Him for the timing. Don't jump ahead of God just because you feel uncomfortable somewhere. It may turn out God has you right where He wants you for this season of your journey.  He knows my heart's desire. At some point I finally realized, I was holding on to that piece still and had to let it go. There is a freedom that comes when we let go of what we know our heart desires and we know He has called us to do, and let Him write out the details. We can be focused on making His plan work for our future, that we miss the beauty of His plan of today.

Seasons are changing around us now. Fall is in the air (although this weekend it felt like Winter). I love watching the trees go through the season change. Despite the changes on the outside, the roots and foundation of the tree remain secure. If you have ever watched a Bradford Pear in a wind storm or tornado, you know that the stronger the foundation(trunk) of a tree, the better they can withstand the changing of seasons.  You may be in a season right now where it seems like the leaves are changing colors, but remember with the season changes comes growth. The seasons changing indicate time passing.

This past week I learned the beauty in disconnecting. I know I made God laugh when I complained(whined) about an email and He said...you have the power to fix that. So many times we take on more than He ever intended for us to carry simply because we forget who He made us to be. He made us to live our lives to please an audience of One...Him. When we lose sight of that, our focus shifts and we start to sink.

God has called us all. It may be that you are still trying to find the details of your calling, but be patient. He will reveal them in time. It may be that you have found out what He has called you to do, armor up. The more we see God's view on our day and our lives, the more the enemy tries to throw a rock or hurdle in our path. I am more than convinced that the more we walk in our calling despite the rocks and hurdles, the more the enemy gets nervous. Don't forget that as a child of the Most High, you have the power inside of you to tell the devil to be quiet. Pay attention to the gift of discernment and protect your heart. God has incredible plans in store!

Focused on the journey,
~Melissa