Encouragement 4 The Day: "Dare God to Show Up!"

“Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord…”

Why are we so afraid of talking to God when we hurt? I mean truly talking to Him. I’ve heard statements like: “Oh He has more to think about than my little troubles” or “He is the God of the universe, how dare a mere mortal question Him?” Yet in our hearts, the questions and the pain whirl around like clothes in an unbalanced washing machine and we totter around with a smile on our faces barely keeping balanced.

·         God made us with a mind to think and the ability to reason-questions are inevitable.

·         He is not a God who likes lip service-He enjoys action and interaction

·         Yes indeed He keeps the entire universe in its place, but in making man He didn’t speak him into existence, He took the time to form him in His image. You are important.

·         He knows your heart already, so if you’re in church praising Him and in your heart you’re angry with Him-you still get no brownie points. “…for the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Just be real with God! If you’re angry tell Him. If you’re disappointed or hurt- tell Him.

Job did…he challenged God and God showed up! I could only imagine that Job didn’t care as much with what God said- than with the fact that God cared enough to show up.

Jacob wrestled with God and at sunrise God struck his hip and put it out of joint asking Jacob to let Him go. Jacob responded: “Not until you bless me!” God then changed his name to Israel because he dared to wrestle with God and would not give up.

Moses had a temper and killed a man yet God would have no other lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. And when Moses’ temper got the best of him and as a result he was denied entrance into the Promised Land, God instead allowed him entrance into the kingdom of heaven.

Peter (bless his heart) was as impetuous and hot tempered as they come but he was a beloved disciple of Jesus.

Paul when he was Saul slaughtered thousands of Christians until He met up with God and God turned that passion for killing into a passion for saving souls.

Passion!  

Bring to God the good, the bad and the ugly. Engage Him in your life and dare Him to show up!

Encouragement 4 The Day :“Strong At the Broken Places”

In reading an article by Martha Beck I came across a quote by Hemingway “The world breaks everyone, and afterward many are strong at the broken places.” Oh I love the power and the lyrical beauty of a well spoken thought!

In going through struggles and in fighting depression, we tend to adopt an almost a fatalist point of view. We literally cannot see the forest for the trees but remember: NOTHING lasts forever!

I’m also learning to put things in perspective (one of my favorite words). When I consider the fact that one day this world will end a weird thing happens. It then makes no sense for me to get upset about bills, failures, and disappointments…you think I’m joking but it really works. Try it when you’re late for an appointment or you’re embarrassed about a mistake. Remind yourself that this world is only temporary and see what happens. Trivial things no longer become inflated disasters.

I don’t care what it is that you’re going through- at some point, it will end and if you endure, you will discover that you are indeed stronger at those broken places.

Encouragement 4 The Day: "You will love again..."

I came across a posting “Cancer kiss-off: Getting dumped after diagnosis” an article which primarily discussed women who were deserted after being diagnosed with cancer.   One participant to the article mentioned coming home after her first radiation treatment only to discover an empty house-her husband had just UP and LEFT her! (I know of no better way to convey my sentiments)

I could only imagine the immeasurable pain and disappointment now coupled with the fear of a compounded unknown. Modern day Jobs…that’s what came to mind. This poem was written after a friend informed me of her divorce and I think/hope that it’s appropriate in this case also.

I used to think that the phrase “Time does heal” was so cliché but indeed it is true. Time may not cure but it does foster healing.

You Will Love Again

You promised forever and today

Your ‘forever’ is gone.

Allow your heart to heal from its pain.

And it will heal.

It’s larger and stronger than you believe.

Leave it open.

Employ love,

Not pain to speak your story.

You have loved before…

In time,

You will love,

And be loved again.

Encouragement 4 The Day: "Still Standing"

Abandoned buildings remind me of us and of life. As this world wages its war…a crack develops, stones create broken windows and we show the scars. Yet, from the trials, pain and sorrows of life a deeper beauty emerges…“Weathered Beauty.” 

The lines etched into our faces, the graying hairs, the wounds in our flesh and hearts tell the story. The bodies ravaged by disease, the hearts crushed by pain, the calloused hands and missing limbs are the scribes. They tell the world …we’ve been beaten and torn by life but like these abandoned buildings... “WE ARE STILL STANDING!”

As you read the poem “Still Standing” and view pictures of these beautiful old farmhouses, I dare you to look past the cracks, the holes, the sagging walls and the broken windows. I challenge you to acknowledge the weathered beauty in you designed by life.

"Still Standing"

Callous observers stare in disdain.

Looking through their eyes…

 I am a “once was”

And what remains seems;

Pitiful,

Broken.

I’ve weathered storms, I’ve braced against stones.

My creaks and groans,

Are often heard in the wind.

Bruised and battered

Yet somehow,

Defiant.

Proud.

To one side I may lean,

Fragile, Torn, Strained even Broken

But…

“Still Standing”.

Encouragement 4 The Day: “Pain, the Pulse and the Heart of God”

This is a concept that with me is presently evolving and so I’m rather hesitant to speak of it without arriving at a final conclusion. There are those thoughts however which create such a paradigm shift in ones mode of thinking, that to hold it in, creates a tremendous build up of pressure. So this post is my release of that pressure valve.

I’ve been reading Philip Yancey’s book “Where Is God When It Hurts?” and as a result was introduced to Dr. Paul Brand. Dr. Brand spent the majority of his life blazing a medical trail in the treatment of leprosy. One of the key points which he noted in his research was- that leprosy in and of itself, was not the primary cause of the disfigurements which he witnessed in so many of his patients. Instead, it was the absence of pain due to the destruction of nerve endings caused by the disease, which allowed them to injure their bodies without realizing that they were doing so. It was through this realization that Dr. Brand developed an appreciation for the phenomena of pain.

This is where the little gray cells in my brain started firing overtime. I began to consider pain (both physical and emotional) running rampant in this world.  I reflected on human suffering while noting songs such as “When Peace like a River”, or the many books available like the ones written by Joni Eareckson Tada and Philip Yancey. Each song, each book representing profound ministries born out of pain yet so positively affecting the lives of millions. Gradually I started to realize that maybe in my focusing on what was wrong with this world- I’d become blinded to the blessings of pain. Yes, indeed I said it: “the blessings of pain” and with that concept still being so new to me, I literally cringe every time I consider it.

However, when I reflect on the lives of fellow human beings who have experienced considerable tragedy while still retaining and increasing their love for and service to God, I indeed started to recognize a pattern. Something great happens and their ministries (intended or not) take on such a widened sphere of positive influence that one has to stop and take notice. An even greater phenomenon is that each contributor acknowledges their painful experience as being a positive and pivotal point in their lives.

It’s as if, when we in the midst of our pain turn to God instead of away from Him and look for reasons to praise Him in spite of the anguish, we gain access to His pulse and His heartbeat and miracles happen.  In other words, the very thing that Satan would have to destroy us, God uses it to draw us closer to Him if we would allow it. But it doesn’t stop there. He then seeks to reward us as He did with Job for, it is one thing to serve Him when it’s all going good, but when we determine to serve Him in the midst of our pain, we have placed our fingers on His pulse and He allows us to feel His heartbeat.  What greater joy can there be than to have such closeness to the heart of God?

Encouragement 4 The Day: “Dare to Embrace Your Dream”

RIP Steve Jobs.

It’s amazing how the death of a total stranger can affect you simply by the way in which they lived their lives. I admire Steve Jobs for one reason that’s captured in a small portion of his 2005 commencement speech at Stanford in which he stated:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Read the rest of his speech here.

I would like to take it one step further. God did not create us haphazardly. Each of us was not only designed for a purpose, but there is a compass implanted within, calibratedto lead us to our divine destiny IF we choose to pay attention to it. Unfortunately, too often we let the ‘norms’ of society, the expectation of others and the rivers of self doubt coursing through our minds to dull our vision and thereby block our dreams.

·         Pay attention to what you love.

·         What is it that makes you feel alive and closest to God when you’re immersed in it?

·         Have you harbored a dream that you’ve pushed on the back burner simply because it ‘seemed unrealistic?”

Mr. Jobs dropped out of college and slept in the dorm rooms of some his friends while taking classes he enjoyed. If we had been asked to critique him right then, adjectives like ‘bum’ or ‘loser’ would probably come to mind. How seriously wrong would we have been?

Sometimes the opinions of others can be so deafening, that we need to withdraw from the noise, listen to the still small voice of God and answer His call on our lives. I can think of no greater reward than to hear the words: “Well done” when I meet Him face to face. Whitley Phipps sings a beautiful song: “Keep on Climbing.” As you listen, I hope you enjoy it and I do hope that you have the courage to Embrace Your Dreams!

Encouragement 4 The Day: “A Must Read Story-Vonetta Flowers”

It’s a chill bump story. You know those stories where you can literally trace the hand of God in someone’s life? This is one of them. I heard Vonetta’s name mentioned while listening to Joel Osteen and had to Google her to really get an understanding about her story. I’ve outlined the skeleton version below using bullet points but you must visit her website Vonetta's Story to really understand the power behind her testimony. Here goes:

·         Since she was a young girl (9 years old), she dreamed of competing and winning a Gold Medal in the summer Olympics and trained practically her entire life in the hopes of fulfilling that dream.

·          At the 1996 trials she was unsuccessful in obtaining a spot on the team.

·         She spent the next 4 years training but unfortunately did not make the team then either.

·         She decided it was time to retire and possibly start a family.

·         Her husband noticed a flyer asking track and field athletes to try out for the bobsled team and tried to talk her into going. She and her husband knew nothing about bobsledding and essentially she thought the whole idea was ridiculous.

·         Her husband decided to participate anyway but pulled a hamstring and she ended up completing the test for him because she wanted to assist him with his dream. (That’s the part that really gave me chill bumps).

·         Long story short, she became the first person of African descent from any country to win a Gold Medal in the Winter Olympics and the first African-American to win a Gold Medal in the Winter Olympics.

What if she had given up? It blew my mind to see how God ordered her steps because of her determined spirit and not only did she get her Gold Medal but she also became a trailblazer! I’m planning on purchasing her book: “Running on Ice”.

What a powerful testimony.  Indeed, disappointments can be brutal and some may even knock us down but we can’t afford to give up! You simply do not know what mind boggling blessings God has lined up for you in your future. Please, don’t miss out on claiming your victories by giving up.

Encouragement 4 The Day: “Blessing People With Your Words”

The title of this post comes from one of Joel Osteen’s sermons #502 “Blessing People with Your Words.” I am becoming more convinced every day, that as a general rule, we fail to comprehend the power of the words that we speak. So callously we sometimes toss around our thoughts without conscious consideration of the consequences behind our actions. One of the key points in Joel’s message pointed out the concept that- thinking something good about someone does them no good, unless they hear it from us and therefore, we should be free with our compliments. Sadly just the opposite is true. We tend to be free with our criticisms and judgments and tight lipped with our compliments.

Consider Job’s friends…not once did they encourage him or remind him of what a special person he was in the eyes of God. Is it any wonder God informed them that unless Job prayed for them they would be in some serious trouble? How about the words which we speak to ourselves? When you make a mistake do you call yourself stupid? Are you going through a difficult time and you keep telling yourself that it will never get better? Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived stated: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” Proverbs 18:21 KJV

I encourage you today to speak words of life, hope and encouragement to yourself and to others. Out of the million and one combinations that could have occurred during your conception God created YOU! Anyone familiar with science at all understands, that you being here just as you are did not happen by chance. You were created by God for a purpose and God does not make mistakes. Do not allow words of discouragement to keep you from your God given purpose in this life. Remember, no matter what you’re going through or how much of a mess you think you’ve made of your life: “…He who began a good work in you will carry it on to COMPLETION until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

Watch Joel’s sermon here:

 

Encouragement 4 The Day: "Ever Feel like Giving Up Lately?"

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

We live in a world where success and perfection are paramount, where people often ask “How are you?” but never stop for the answer, where any form of apparent weakness is regarded with disdain. Survival of the fittest-if you can’t keep up with the race then get out. Is it any wonder then that so many people give up? They look at the lives of celebrities, the rich and famous, people at the top of their game and think: “That will never be me-I can’t ever seem to get myself together.” If you’ve ever felt that way then this is for you (and for ME).

Chicken Soup for the Soul

 I had no idea of the history behind Chicken Soup for the Soul. In the words of one of the founders Jack Canfield, here’s a portion of what they experienced in trying to have their first book published: "We were rejected by 123 publishers all told," Canfield told Shareguide.com. "The first time we went to New York, we visited with about a dozen publishers in a two day period with our agent, and nobody wanted it. They all said it was a stupid title, that nobody bought collections of short stories, that there was no edge -- no sex, no violence. Why would anyone read it?" See the rest of his biography here

Walt Disney

At 22, Walt Disney experienced bankruptcy and in the 1930s he experienced what he called “a heck of a breakdown. Read the rest of his story here

Louis Pasteur

Louis Pasteur was initially a mediocre student ranking 15^th among 22 candidates set to enroll in Ecole Normale Superiuere.  See his story here He is quoted as saying: “Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity.”

Henry Ford

Henry Ford spent $86,000 attempting to produce a car that would not be sold. After his investors deserted him, he started yet another company which also ended in failure. Read more here According to Mr. Ford: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”

Susan Jeffers

Susan Jeffers author of the book: “Feel the fear and do it anyway” received such a scathing letter from a reviewer that had it been my book, I might have promptly burned it. This is what she says: “My new career took a while to take hold. It took many, many rejections before my first book, FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY, was finally accepted by a publisher. The worst rejection letter I ever got was that "Lady Di could be bicycling nude down the street giving this book away and nobody would read it." See her biography here She has gone on to sell millions of copies-oh to see the look on that reviewer’s face.

And the list goes on and on. Whenever I’m inundated with thoughts of my failures it is such an inspiration to read the stories of fellow human beings who’ve faced failure and adversity and have never given up. I am also realizing that when you’re at your lowest point, you are quite possibly at the onset your greatest breakthrough if you don’t give up. Why? At this point inhibitions, meeting the status quo, and appearances start not to matter. You (or at least I do) somehow go into the “I have nothing to lose mode” and interestingly enough you begin to make things happen.

It’s been proven my dear friends that failures can breed success if only You Don’t Give Up!

Encouragement 4 The Day: "Where is God when I Hurt?"

As I surfed the internet today I came across a profound statement that literally slapped me across the face. It’s funny how words, phrases or sentences can take the same idea or principle and give it a whole new meaning. Indeed, the written word is a powerful tool and should therefore be used wisely and with great caution.

So what was it that I read? Here it is from the website http://www.becauseofgod.com/theme_devotions_for_women/where_is_God_when_I_hurt_part_2.html 

“When you think and feel things like, “I am hurting so much but I don’t feel God’s presence!  It is hard for me to think of Him much less pray to Him in my hurt!  I feel He has deserted me because He doesn’t seem to answer my cry for help!”  You need to understand (if you don’t already know) that from a psychological and physical standpoint, when you hurt your mind doesn’t think very clearly, because your mind is mentally trying to handle the pain. Your emotions are screaming pain and hurt so it isn’t easy to feel anything but what you are experiencing. When you are suffering, anxiety and depression can also weigh on your feelings and outlook on life. So when you feel like He isn’t there when you are suffering, you need to realize no matter how you feel He is with you!”

How absolutely profound! I knew that when someone was in a depressed state or going through extreme mental or emotional anguish situations ‘appear’ to be worse than they actually are. I’ve experienced that so frequently…something that may not bother me when I’m happy will cause me to bite someone’s head off when I’m sad or depressed. BUT, it never occurred to me to link that with my feelings of abandonment by God. It’s empowering when you can cognitively recognize that what you’re feeling is not factual but a symptom of your emotional state. Subsequently, I further understood why loving God and your fellow man should not be based upon feeling but based upon choice-in other words, loving with your head in addition to your heart.

So if you’re feeling as if God has abandoned you-He hasn’t. If you feel as if it won’t ever get better-IT WILL. Recognize that these feelings of despair are symptoms of your pain and just as your body can heal so can your mind and your soul. This too shall pass!

Rest if you must but DO NOT QUIT!

Poem by Claudia Minden Weisz-"And God Said No"

And God Said No

I asked God to take away my pride. And God said "No".
He said it was not for Him to take away, but for me to give up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. And God said "No".
He said her spirit was whole, her body was only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience. And God said "No".
He said patience is a by-product of tribulations. It isn't granted, it is earned.

I asked God to give me happiness. And God said "No".
He said He gives me blessings, happiness is up to me.

I asked God to spare me pain. And God said "No".
He said suffering draws me apart from worldly cares and brings me closer to Him.

I asked God to make my spirit grow. And God said "No".
He said I must grow on my own. But He will prune me to make me fruitful.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. And God said "No".
He said He will give me life, that I may enjoy all things.

I ask God to help me love others, as much as he loves me.
And God said "Ah, finally you have the idea!"

Copyright © Claudia Minden Weisz (the mother of a Rett Syndrome child)

Encouragement 4 The Day-"When God has more Faith in Us than We have in Ourselves"

Persevering through trials is certainly not an easy task and in the midst of the pain hearing the phrase: “God never puts more on you than you can bear” may actually bring to mind a few choice words. “Hear me out” and consider Job.

Do you think that God’s plan was to set Job up for failure and allow Satan the pleasure of saying “I told you so”? Certainly not, God knew EXACTLY what Job was capable of yet Job in the midst of his pain certainly did not (he wanted to give up and die).  So what is the lesson?

1.       We cannot see what’s going on behind the scenes-stop trying to figure it out-trust God.

2.       We will have doubts-feel the fear and trust God anyway.

3.       If you’re going through it-He’s allowing it and there’s a good reason for it-trust God.

4.       When it seems to be more than you can bear-sometimes we fight when we should be resting-trust God.

5.       If He believes in you and your ability to be faithful (in spite of the pain)-He must know- He’s carried you this far-trust God.

I know in theory it all sounds good and I know that pain takes it to a whole other level, but if we can just remember the story of Job. Job had no clue that his end would be better than his beginning-he just refused to desert God and God did not let him down.

Encouragement 4 The Day-"Being a Christian does not Guarantee a Trouble Free Life"

I’m sure that some Christians, even though we are aware of the fact that being a Christian does not guarantee a life without problems, if we admit it, we do expect/hope to have fewer burdens than the average person. We anticipate being surrounded by that hedge of protection that’s promised in the Bible. So, when trouble hits (at least in my case) initially we’re thinking ok, my God will take care of this. But as time drags on and there seems to be no end in sight, we start a mental list of the good things that we’ve done. Lord, I’ve paid my tithe, didn’t curse my boss out when I could have, I volunteered at the homeless shelter, gave my last two dollars away…when are You gonna handle this problem?

Job did the same thing. He started to list all of his good deeds and challenged God that if he indeed was not as good as he claimed, to hold him accountable. That’s when it hit me. When I realized how good Job was and he still faced such heart wrenching problems…being a good Christian does not absolve you from pain.  It also does not guarantee an express answer to prayer.

Instead, being a good Christian in the midst of pain and trials guarantees that God will reward you for being faithful to Him in spite of it all. To those of you experienced Christians this may be a no brainer but it just hit home for me. He won’t keep the pain away and sometimes He won’t take the pain away, but His reward if I’m faithful, will more than compensate for it all!

Encouragement 4 The Day-"To take your mind off the pain…Keep Your Eye on the Game!"

The topic today was not meant to sound glib…instead I actually experienced that today. It was RUFF (misspelling intended ‘cause that’s how it was). I was sooo discouraged, and tired and wanted to spend the day in bed but was tired of doing that too!!! I paced my apartment miserable because the job search was turning out to be fruitless at every turn. Finally, I got on the internet and just started reading and looking. Then I’d come across something funny and start laughing and when I finally got up from the computer I was in such a better mood I was surprised. Not only had I responded to two more job postings when I thought I had no strength left but, I found humor in the middle of my job search.  I had to say a prayer of thanks to God because my mood, I promise you, had gotten pretty dark. I was feeling rather unloved and unimportant to Him.

A plug for sports: When you’re losing or not playing as well as you want to, don’t think about it- just concentrate on the game (I learned this while ‘playing’ tennis). If I thought about how many points I was behind sure enough it did nothing but put me in an anxious mood which consequently had an even greater negative impact. But, if I concentrated on just returning the ball man, the dumbstruck look on my opponent’s face would be priceless. I’d start to notice something also…when they realized that I was catching up and started to become anxious- guess what happened? It’s interesting to watch psychology at play.

Ok-back to spiritual matters. So consider Job. What if his friends had, instead of fault finding, encouraged him to keep his eye on what is important? What if they had filled their conversations with talks of heaven and the promises of God or just gotten a tub of water with some oatmeal and allowed Job to soak while singing songs? This brings me to another important matter- be careful of the company that you keep when you’re going through trials. Even though some people mean well, just their nature will cause more harm than God.

I read an article today about how Tyler Perry was one of the highest paid men in the entertainment industry. If you haven’t read his story here is a link:  Tyler Perry. What if he had given up when he was homeless? I’m sure that he had no idea at that time he would be where he is today. Keep your eye on the Game! Trouble will not last!

(Oh and by the way-I'd decided that I wasn’t going to write on the blog today. Well guess what happened?) (Smile)

Encouragement 4 The Day-"Accountability"

Accountability

I was born with a will,

A mind to think~

I OWN it.

I dare to speak the truth,

And whatever the cost~

I OWN it.

I march to the beat of my own drums,

And should the path I choose lead to joy or pain~

I OWN it.

I accept that being ME has its consequences,

I make no apologies, I have no regrets~

I OWN it.

I’ll embrace each moment & strive to make it count,

This is my life, my time, this is my now~

I OWN it.

                         J.Y.M.

Encouragement 4 The Day-"Metamorphosis"

Metamorphosis

Like a caterpillar

Barely escaping the crush

Of someone’s heel,

You’ve created your cocoon~

A place to run and hide.

Pain,

Like a carpet’s threads

Weaves its way throughout your soul.

It’s time to emerge.

Don’t rush … take your time.

The struggles that you face

Will give strength to your wings

A soon one day

You will fly.

                                                          J.Y.M

Encouragement 4 The Day-"Tenacity"

Tenacity


You’ve suffered loss,

You’ve endured pain,

Failure has knocked on your door,

You’ve felt the shame.

“Don’t Quit”

Just let it go they’ve said,

Others will succeed,

Your eyes are bigger than your head,

Your wants more than your needs.

“Don’t Quit.”

Life has slapped you down,

Sometimes it’s been your fault too,

Hard to keep your feet on the ground,

Not knowing if you’d pull through.

“Don’t Quit”

Endure until the end,

If you cannot stand then sit,

You may be your only friend,

Whatever the cost, so be it.

“Don’t You Quit”

             

                                           J.Y.M