Heaven's Sign

"Let's rush down to Bethlehem right now! Let's see what's happening! Let's experience what the Lord has told us about!" the Shepherds in Luke 2:15

The Shepherds excitement is contagious. Their desire to experience the good news drove them out of the hills of the ordinary and right before the Royal babe in the manger. 

When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. the Magi in ‭Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭10-11‬

The joy of the Magi compelling. They traveled great distances from their homeland to fall on their knees in worship before the new King. 

The Shepherds had angels visit. The Magi saw the star. Heaven was communicating through a sign and their response was wholehearted abandonment of their present reality and an embrace of God's gift, heaven here on earth. 

Large or small, I think Heaven is always communicating with earth. Today, I consider the signs God is giving to me today: the gentle falling rain outside the window, the warmth of a child's hug, the air in my lungs. He is here. Found right here in the ordinary moment of the day, I fall on my knees and worship the great King. 

As you celebrate the birth of Jesus, may you find yourself running to experience Him as the Shepherds and overjoyed in worship as the Magi. 

Living in sync includes a response to the Divine. This is living life at its best. 

Merry Christmas!

Let the Bird Fly

The older I get, the more uncomfortable I am with captured & penned animals. I remember walking through a zoo about five years ago and really struggling with it. I am not sure what increased my awareness and sensitivity that day, but it's never gone away. Couldn't shake the thought that there's got to be more to their lives than this... 

And the same thought struck me recently about my own life. For whatever reasons, I felt like a caged bird on the inside. And I just wanted to swing open the door and fly. 

Why was there a cage? I think it was my way of organizing my life in such a way that everything could be well under control, predictable, safe, and successful. I wanted to build my own world and live there. 

However, the very things I thought would make me happy and secure, didn't. They became the cage that trapped me. The life I desired was domesticating me and robbing me of the adventure I was created for. 

I began to imagine life on the outside of the cage. Free to fly. Free to sing. Free to catch a breeze and soar. Free to nest in a great big oak. Clearly, this is living at its best for me.

As you pursue your life vision, be careful to build a nest, not a cage. It is easy to get caught up in designing and assembling a perfect life script, which becomes a trap rather than a launching pad. The alternative is the freedom to pursue new places, see new things, and be all that you were created to be.  

Living in sync is about self confidence, opportunities to grow, moments to share, and permission to live your life without self-restrictions. Let the bird fly. 

You Matter.

"Let him that would move the world, first move himself." Socrates

I recently had the pleasure of a canoe ride in the beautiful hill country of Texas. In the peaceful ride down the Frio River I saw the smallest duck swimming alongside. 

What struck me was the 'wake' his little body created, providing a distinct picture of where he had been as he progressed in where he was headed.

This duck reminded me that my presence makes a difference. That where I have been, where I am, and where I am going is noticeable.

You matter. Where you go, what you do, and who you are makes a difference. Your life, small as it may be leaves a 'wake' just as this little duck. 

How can you live & move in such a way that your 'wake' is for the good of yourself, those around you, and the world you live in? 

A few observations of friends who have left a powerful 'wake' in my life.... 

• Hug often.
• Smile big.
• Encourage lavishly.
• Laugh out loud.
• Learn names.
• Say thank you. 
• Lend a helping hand.
• Be real. 

Living life at its best is the power to control what you can control; and to intentionally move in sync with the design and purpose you were created for. There you will find a wake of freedom for yourself and encouragement for others. 

A Time to Remember

"I think it's God giving us some sunshine in the midst of the rain, Mom." says my daughter, Natalie. 

We had just opened an envelope with $50 in it. A surprise blessing. Of course it was Him. He has a way of pouring out His love and goodness in ways that capture my heart over and over again. 

And while, the money was timely for us and greatly appreciated; I think there was a bit more that the gift did for us. It reminded us of our Heavenly Father who is constantly watching over our lives and caring for us tenderly through our difficult times. It also reminded us of the people around us who love and care for us, who offer their lives as an incarnational reflection of Jesus here on the earth. 

"The Lord is for me among those who help me." Psalm 118:7

As we approach the Thanksgiving season, may we take time to remember Him and those around us who have shown us great love. And may we be an offering of His love to the people around us. 

Quite possibly, this is the greatest gift you will ever receive and the most worthy calling you will ever live. 

Heaven's Embrace

Eden. A picture of God's design for us. One of life, beauty, friendship, fruitfulness and purpose. Heaven on earth. The good life we all innately long for. 

As we know, this earthly paradise was marred & broken by sin; and no longer habitable by humankind. And before we get too uptight and angry at Adam & Eve, let's consider this... 

"We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us." Ephesians 2:3-4 

As you read on in Ephesians, we see what the embrace of Heaven means:

• life in Christ
• adoption as sons & daughters
• grace and kindness
• peace
• seating with Christ in heavenly places
• an invitation to join in His work
• a place in his family 
• glorious power
• explorations of heights, depths, lengths, and widths of his immense love

And the list goes on and on. Read it yourself! 

Now, back to Eden. It would seem to me, that Jesus brought Heaven to earth once again. And while it is not a physical garden to live in; he now creates Eden in our hearts. 

Life, beauty, goodness, friendships & purpose.. the good life is not something out of reach. And as we see here, not something we attain or reach anyway. It's a surrender to heaven's embrace. A big hug from your Creator that makes all things right. 

Where do you desire Heaven's embrace today? 

Need kindness, peace or power? Open up your heart to Him and feel the warmth of His enormous hug around you. 

May you find that Eden is right here within you.

Don't Go It Alone

“I do believe; help my unbelief.” 

Words spoken from a desperate father seeking a miracle for his son in Mark 9:24. 

Ever been there? You believe, and simultaneously shutter with unbelief. Usually occurs right in the moment when a miracle is needed most. We desperately try to hold it all together. And the more we grasp for it, the more we realize how much we fall short and it slips through our fingers. We believe; yet we don't. 

The quandary of faith is a wrestling match and seldom won alone. I've found that many times when I'm at my weakest; it's a friend's faith that pulls me through, not my own. Maybe I'm the only one who is fiercely independent and buys into the ridiculously proud idea that somehow I'll be able to perfect myself enough to believe on my own every time. And maybe at times I think my world is small enough to go at it alone, and why should I bother others with it. 

Whatever the reasons, in my wrestling matches I discover over and over again one simple truth.... My greatest strength lies not within me, but within the community surrounding me.

Living life at it's best is one where you have what you need, when you need it. At the critical times, that most often comes through the hands, words, and love of good friends. Cultivate those friendships, and be there for them when they need you too. 

You-nique Impressions

If not here, where? 
If not now, when? 
If not you, who?  

I have found that most of us are pretty good at qualifying and disqualifying ourselves in various aspects of life. Areas we feel secure about quickly become qualifications that others should just as quickly recognize and praise. And the areas we feel more insecure are immediate deadends and disqualifications; ignored, hidden, and riddled with excuses - or possibly insufficiencies we pour our energies into fixing. 


"Follow me and I will make you fish for people..." Mark 1:17

In scriptures we see that when Jesus called His disciples, the command "follow me" was connected with a promise "I will make you." 

The command to "follow me" is a clear invitation for relationship, which is where Jesus begins with all of us. 

The promise "will make" is clearly focused on Jesus' activity, not ours. The word "make" is translated from the Greek verb poieo, which is the root of the words "poem" and "poetry". He is forming and crafting our lives as an author writes a story. 

He doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies the called. 

How has God written a story through your life? 

Are you still disqualifying yourself? Or are you following and letting Him do the making?

"... you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God." II Cor. 3:3-5

Make A Way

/ Audacity / Recklessly bold. Eager. Daring. Disregard of normal restraints. 

Some men arrived carrying a paraplegic on a stretcher. They were looking for a way to get into the house and set him before Jesus. When they couldn't find a way in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof, removed some tiles, and let him down in the middle of everyone, right in front of Jesus. Impressed by their bold belief, he said, "Friend, I forgive your sins." Luke 5:18-20

For this rule-keeper, it's pretty bold action tearing into someone else's roof. At first read, it is very hard to put myself into the position of the friends or the man on the mat for that matter. I get a little nervous and uncomfortable with this brazen behavior of taking matters into their own hands. 

However, as I dive into the story a little deeper, I begin to consider the paraplegic and what it must be like to have no freedom of movement. Or to be a friend of someone who has been bed-ridden with no hope of ever walking. And I consider the moments I have thought or said if I could do anything for a suffering friend I would do it. 

When they couldn't find a way - they made a way. 

There's a fine balance to be found between acceptance and resignation. To find it, I think the question we must ask is, "Am I making a way?"

With resignation there is no way to find and you give up. You've hit the dead end and declared it to be. You disengage from the rejuvenating gift of life and the process of dying sets in. 

With acceptance, you embrace the opportunity to make a way. You see the dead end and begin to look for roofs to cut through. You breathe deeply the air you are blessed to breathe and engage more fully in life than you ever have, knowing full well your life or someone else's may depend on it. 

Living in sync is not always the path of least resistance, but it is always the path of life. Go ahead. Be a little reckless and bold. Take every set back and obstacle as the opportunity to make a new way forward. And while you are at it, don't forget to do it for your friends, too.

Spontaneous Friendships

I really enjoy running. It's like a simultaneous exchange of releasing energy and gaining it at the same time. A breathing out of my tension and stress, and a breathing in of oxygen and life. 

Typically, I run alone. My schedule is not very structured, so I carve out time when I can to exercise. 

Last night, we ended up a the Y and I was running on the indoor track. Here is the place I find my occasional fellow runners. While we don't necessarily run together, we do by the nature of being on such a small track. 

Without thinking about it, I began to gauge the speed of others and determine my own pace. Clearly wanting to avoid running over walkers or whacking into each other on the corners. Can anyone tell me why these tracks have to be so small that you almost feel like a hamster wheel going round and round and round?

At one point, a high school girl jumped in right behind me, shadowing my run. Well, I thought. This is my opportunity to pick up my pace and see if I can stay ahead of her. Maybe, just maybe it has to do with being over 40 and facing another birthday this month. Or possibly the adrenaline of running was taking hold. 

So, I did pick up my pace. And she stayed right there, about two steps behind. We rounded corner after corner and I hit the sweet spot of my running. Fast enough to be stretching myself out of a lethargic jog and steady enough that I wasn't exhausting myself or getting a side stitch. It was pretty darn fun. 

After several laps, my daughter popped her head into the track and I knew she was ready to go home. I held up two fingers, announcing two more solid laps. Then I pushed into overdrive. Could I hold a sprint for the final two laps without fizzling at the end? Would my running partner stay in step with me? 

Off I went, and off she went. Right with me, in step with my every step. Two laps later as we slowed down for a cool down my spontaneous running partner looks over with a grin and says, "Good job". 

Not only did this make my run more fun... but I think there's a principal of life caught up in this little moment we shared. Make the most of every moment. Live it with the people around you. Let the energy of moments & people spur you on to accomplish more than you could do alone. 

Live life at its best!

Lives Poured Out

"He that believeth in Me... out of him shall flow..." John 7:38

Our lives are designed as containers. Not to fill and contain; but with the purpose to be poured out and given away to others. 

How silly it would be to fill my water pitcher at home, but never pour it out to satisfy thirst and replenish the physical needs of people. 

In the same way, how can I view my life as a pitcher, but never pour it out to satisfy the thirst and replenish the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of people around me?

Let's face it, the pouring out and emptying of our lives can be a little scary. Particularly when we view ourselves as the source of what we give. We try to think how much more can I give, I mean I need to take care of myself too... 

And while there is a necessary 're-filling' for the pitcher for more to be poured out, what I've found is that He who calls me to pour out my life is well able to keep filling! When Jesus is my source of life (rather than myself) I can trust there will always be more than enough to give to others. 

And the Lord will continually guide you, 
And satisfy your desire in scorched places, 
And give strength to your bones; 
And you will be like a watered garden, 
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail." 
Isaiah 58:11

Living our best lives is not about containing; but rather learning the rhythm of being filled and poured out... filled and poured out... filled and poured out. To him be the glory.  

The Thing Behind The Thing

Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Ephesians 1:4

We live in two worlds; the interior and the exterior. The interior is hidden and often remains unseen, or so we think. In actuality, I believe what we see - the exterior of our life - is directly related to the condition of our interior life. 

If this premise is true, it is a crucial consideration for us as we consider living life at its best and bringing about the changes we see necessary to achieve this. 

More often than not, we consistently address our exterior lives when seeking change. We seek training, set goals, address challenges, and more. All of this is very good and necessary.

However, if we do not take into consideration the interior aspect of our lives; we will find ourselves getting exhausted, falling short, re-addressing issues and never truly living our best lives. Once we begin to address "the thing behind the thing", we can experience a freedom and inspiration that will literally feed the exterior life and change we are seeking.

If change is hard, I suggest taking time to consider your interior life. Ask yourself what is behind the exterior change you are desiring. Here are a few questions to get you started:

• What do I believe about this?
• What am I afraid of? 
• Why am I doing this? 
• Where does my strength come from? 

As you sit with these questions, may they propel you more fully into who you were created to be and the exterior changes you seek come naturally. May you find yourself living your best life ever.

The Builder's Hands

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Psalm 127:1 

I will build my house and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18

There is something quite restful when we surrender our lives to the Lord as builder. When we come to the end of ourselves and realize it's about His much bigger hands building what only He can build. 

However, it's not an easy place to get to. It's a sifting process, in which we allow Him to define and re-define our lives. It means letting go of our own building materials and putting down the hammer of knowing what we need and want to accomplish in our lives. 

It means embracing the amazing work of grace that brings dimensions and depths to our lives that can come no other way. It means the fullness of living - not in vain - and not overcome by hell's onslaught.

It is for His glory and the stewarding of His grace in Christ, an invitation to live life at its best. 

Where have you been laboring that needs to be put in the Builder's Hands?  

Hang in There

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11






Within the cocoon, hidden away - a deep, transformation is at work. As the old life structure is broken down, "imaginal" cells begin to emerge into a new life that is beyond imagination... a life it was designed to live from all of eternity. A lowly ground-crawling caterpillar is soon to be a lovely air-soaring butterfly.

When you feel wrapped up & hidden away, and like your life is being broken down on the inside... don't lose heart. He is getting ready to bring forth a new thing. A lovely work of freedom and beauty. It's the process of transformation at work, and you can't even imagine what is yet to come. In due time, you will see the eternity of God's heart being played out right before your eyes. Hang in there. 

What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him. I Corinthians 2:9

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

There is an art of refreshment, and those that labor should pay attention and learn it. 

I know how to work. From my early years on the farm where our lives circled around work, the discipline of putting in a day's work and more has never been an issue for me.

What I found out in my adult years, was that play and relax time did not necessarily come as naturally to me. 

I would begin to feel the weariness, and not have a clue on how to be genuinely refreshed. Usually by the time I realized how tired I was, I had no energy left to be replenished. Therefore, the choices were usually to distract myself with comfort food, sleep, or do some mindless activity like watch television. Things that may be okay or even good at times; however not necessarily refreshing.

Refresh: release new energy and vigor, freshen, stimulate. To be 'restored'. This is what I'm talking about.

So, in my quest to be refreshed, here is what I've learned: It starts & ends with Jesus, the source of life and renewal.

Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Put My yoke upon your shoulders—it might appear heavy at first, but it is perfectly fitted to your curves. Learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. When you are yoked to Me, your weary souls will find rest.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

As well some practical observations on how to 'escape' the weariness... 

E - njoy - get to know yourself well enough to know what really gives you joy.

S - atisfying - rather than follow cravings & impulsive temptations; choose what satisfies.

C - hocolate - okay, couldn't resist. Dark chocolate does have incredible health benefits.

A - ctivities - find what helps your brain de-compress; for me, I choose a run, making a puzzle, or playing piano helps alleviate the stress and brain busyness.

P - eople - important to know who brings you life, joy, and even hope and renewal.

E - nvironment - consider your 5 senses; learn what smell, sight, sound, taste, touch refreshes you. Possibilities are endless here. 

Lastly, make the time for you and do what refreshes daily. You'll not only discover you enjoy your days a lot more; but also see an increase in your productivity when you're not always running on empty. 

Live your best!

Get 'em at the Roots!

As a child growing up on a farm, I learned the important task of "weeding". Whether it was out in Mom's large vegetable garden or walking the rows of soybeans in the field, I spent many hot summer hours; and even earned my first paychecks, by weeding.

We were instructed on how to identify the plants that didn't belong and how to get rid of them... preferably by pulling them up by the roots if possible. We did carry hoes and bean hooks to cut out the ones that we weren't strong enough to pull. These tools were sharp and to be used carefully. I have the scar from early stitches to prove that lesson.

Definitely not as exciting as the spring planting or fall harvesting; it was clear, summer weeding was an essential part of growth, harvest, and caring for the land. It wasn't something we could wait to get inspired to do, or we'd never had done it.

I think our lives... relationships, career, family, health, finances, and purpose... are a lot like those gardens and fields. There is a lot we plant and hope to harvest. What I wonder today, is are we taking the necessary time to "weed" in between those seasons?

Couple of things I do know about weeds - first, it's funny how they usually grow faster than the plants, and are pretty identifiable; and secondly, they are easier to take care of when they are small.

Take 10 minutes to consider what needs weeded in your life today. With consistent care, you can nurture growth and harvest in every area and live your life at its best!

Lifelong Learning

"The day you stop learning is the day you stop living."

Learning takes energy, humility and time. Quite frankly, at times it can seem more appealing to coast into comfort or settle back on old laurels. 

But definitely not more satisfying. There's something innate about living our lives well that involves learning and personal growth.

Here are a few simple ways you can pursue lifelong learning:

1) Stay Curious. Nothing is more motivating, then finding something that piques your interest. Go beyond 'scratching the surface' and dive into finding out more. Ask a lot of good questions with words like, "Why?" and "How?" and "What next?"

2) Find a Mentor or Teacher. Take a class or read books. Go beyond that and find someone you can learn directly from. Maybe there's a supervisor at work or a friend you really admire - talk with them and pursue learning conversations. 

3) Practice. Whenever you are learning something new, there's that awkward fumbling season. Remember your first's, ie. riding a bike, interviewing for a job, buying a house? There were definitely a few stumbles and practice needed to gain skills. Give yourself the grace to make mistakes and maybe even enjoy some good laughs in the process.

What's one new thing you want to learn yet in 2014?

What Kids Teach Us

There's no better time than the present.

How often does a child hesitate when there's a plate of cookies, a rain puddle, or a scraped knee in need of a kiss? 

Never.

Kids don't need permission and rarely stop to get it. They instinctively respond to life and embrace it fully. In growing up, we often lose the spontaneity & creativity that we had as kids. 

What's right in front of you? A nudge, an open door, a new friend? Let's take a lesson from kids and simply go for it.

Divinely Small

 

 "When I am humanly big, I am insecure. When I am puffed up about my own bigness, then I must always fear someone who will knock me down.  

When I am small in God’s divineness, I feel totally secure. When I am divinely small, I am utterly secure.”  Fred Smith Sr.
 
There's something special about running home to Papa and being absorbed in His grandness. All is well in His presence.
  

No Parking

"Sometimes our lives have to be completely shaken up, changed, and rearranged to relocate us to the place we're meant to be."

Deep within us, we want more. We desire, dream and hope for it. We set goals and strive to reach them. We read books and hire personal trainers. 

Simultaneously, we want to be comfortable, and long for a secure and stable life. Once we reach certain goals, we tend to become complacent with accomplishments and plateau. The Law of Inertia starts to take over...

An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

What has recently rearranged your life? Rather than something to be resisted or escaped, is it possible that it is a gift to get you where you are meant to be? 

Defining Moments

valor :  strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness :  personal bravery

There are times in all of our lives when we are faced with challenges that exceed our natural ability to cope. Whether it be a sickness, accident, job loss, relationship failure or whatever... each of us is bound to encounter things that test the fortitude of our mind and spirit. 

It is here, "at the end of our rope" so to speak, that our beliefs & actions will weigh in tremendously on the persons we are and choose to be. 

Anyone can be good and kind in the best of situations. It is who we are in the worst of situations that may be the most defining of all. 

Lucky to be Loved

This week I have stumbled upon three pennies on the ground. I'm not superstitious; but hey - by the third one this morning, I did have to recognize it as a message trying to get through to me. What could that message be? 

Lucky to be Loved. 

 

That's right. My life is not happenstance or dependent on good luck. But it is filled with a great love.

 

As it says in Psalm 23:6, "Surely His goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life..." And as a good friend prayed this verse earlier in the week, I love his interpretation: 'That means it is chasing & hounding us down'.

 

I believe those three pennies were a simple reminder from Jesus. He is chasing me down, surprising me with his great love over and over again. 

 

Aren't we lucky to be loved?

 

 

The Path & the Process

How often do we want to be somewhere, but rebel against the process in getting there? 

It takes focus, diligence, patience, and planning to get anywhere significant. And oftentimes it's the process that makes us into the person that can handle what's ahead. 

Almost seems like the more I want something, the more emotional resistance arises to challenge me. I feel insecure. I am afraid it won't work and then what? Who do I think I am? I am immobilized by timidity. 

Truth is, where I want to go takes courage. It takes the process of getting there if I am going to be worth anything to those I lead and mentor. It takes everything working together to make me the kind of person I need to be to do the job well. A new level of understanding. What it means to engage in the process. To be afraid. To diminish the fears with careful planning. To take a step and let the next one rise up to meet me. 

Nope, not going to do it.

"I have yet to meet an executive, regardless of station or rank, who could not consign 25 percent of the demands on their time to the wastebasket without anyone noticing their disappearance." Peter Drucker

I like lists. I like to-do lists, collection lists, electronic lists, outlined lists, dated lists, tickler lists, and more! I am organized and love accomplishments and seeing things happen. What better way to do it than through a list?

What I've found is, there's one list I haven't completely mastered yet: my "Not to do" list. 

Oftentimes when we want something in our life or set a new goal, we simply "add" it into our already busy lives. Next, the focus becomes how do we balance it all & keep from becoming overwhelmed. 

Ask a gardener - how do you bring forth the most fruitfulness in a plant? Yes, water, light, soil and nutrients. Oh yes, and more important part: PRUNING. Removing the outgrowth, so a plant can better produce. 

Realizing my "Not to do" list is a critical part of growth and effectiveness is almost a relief. I think I'll go start on mine now. 

What needs to go on your "Not to do" list? 

Fishy livin'

Don't complain about the fishy smell if you are a fisherman. Or the choppy waves, the torn nets or all the competitors out there in the boats next to you. 

Every career has its pro's and con's, an up-side and a down-side. To fight against what is inherently part of a job and work environment is only going to raise your frustrations and make you toxic to be around. 

Always count the cost. Accept what you can and can't control. And then regularly remind yourself why it's right for you. 

And if you truly can't stand the smell of fish, do something else.

The Mordecai Effect

If you will be all you can be, the people around you will be empowered to be all they can be.

If you read the story of Esther in the Bible, you will come across an unsung hero in the story, Esther's uncle, Mordecai. 

Mordecai learned of King Xerxes' edict that was about to extinguish all Jewish people. He went to the gates of the palace where Esther was queen, and openly wept and mourned in sackcloth. Hearing of it, Esther quickly responds by sending out clothing for her uncle; which he refuses as he continues to fast and pray.

Via the palace messengers, Esther finds out about the edict and Mordecai pleads with her to visit the King on behalf of the Jewish people. Knowing that idea was a potential death sentence, Esther initially balked at it. 

Mordecai replied, "Who can say but that God has brought you into the palace for just such a time as this?"  

Esther went for it. She visited the King, saved the Jews, and became all she was meant to be. All this, because Mordecai was all he was meant to be. 

We all need a Mordecai in our lives. And we need to be a Mordecai to others around us. Only then, will we be all that we are truly meant to be. 

Empty Hands

"Shall we never permit out hands to be empty so we may grasp what only empty hands can grasp?" Karl Barth
It's so easy to fill our lives. There's always something to add to the calendar, one more thing on the unending to-do list, or a phone call to make.
How often do the pleasures, purposes and plans we set about doing fill us to such an extent there is no room for God's?
It's a good thing to sit with empty hands in his presence.

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Fruit in the Wildnerness

The last several weeks and months, life has been harder than usual for me. I've been more irritable, frustrated, and discouraged. I knew my stress level was higher, and while I could point to some outside circumstances that were contributing to it and adjust things accordingly; down deep I knew there was something on the inside of me that simply wasn't clicking like it needed to be.

In the past, a season like this would turn into a full-out battle. Against myself, to ship shape and get it together. And/or against others, if they would just ship shape and get it together. And yes, sometimes even against God, surely if he would do a ship shape, it would all get together and be just fine. Something like... 'Oh God, can't you just deliver me out of this?'

Thankfully, He's led me through a few of these wilderness seasons and I'm not battling as hard as I have in the past. I can discern the work of the enemy who is assaulting and tormenting me. I can also identify Jesus doing a deeper work of transformation in my life and setting me free. It can only mean one thing. He is going to deliver me through this. The fruit I so desperately crave is growing in the season I so desperately want to escape. (paraphrase from Jeff Manion's book The Land In Between)

While there are several things God is feeding me during this season, today a few little word adjustments are my pathway of deliverance.

"If only... then I..." While very subconscious, the Holy Spirit revealed I was held captive to the 'ship shape' mentality of works and outward circumstances again.

A few words He offered in exchange, "Because of.... I can..." With this comes amazing grace and freedom to live from the completed work of Jesus, the good plans of the Father and the presence of the Holy Spirit to fulfill my purpose with peace and joy. Today I align myself with His words, with a hearty "Yes and Amen!"

Ship, shape is a horrible way to live.

My prayer for you & I today... "may you be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and He is going to deliver me through this. so that you will walk in a manner worthy of The Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light." Colossians 1:9-12

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