Six days before the big day of graduating a young man on the verge of becoming a man approaches his parents. His parents are excited because they have been waiting for 18 years to see their son walk across the stage to receive his diploma. He sits at the kitchen table asking his parents to listen to him.
His mother anxiously says “What is it; you look as if your life is over?” His father mockingly interjects, “Once you walk across that stage boy, you would have lost your life of childhood and entered into manhood.” The young man hangs his head low embarrassed to tell his parents. Cheerfully his mother says, “Son, tell us what it is, you have to go to school, you haven’t graduated yet.”
At that moment it was as if time stood still, as the young man opened his mouth trembling saying, “Mom, Dad I have a son, he’s six weeks old and I can’t go to college as you thought. I have to stay here and take care of my kid.”
His father stands with a heartless glare upon his lopsided face. His mother drops her head saying, “Oh My God, what have you done.”
Many parents look forward to a positive future for their child. They anticipate that all the instructions, the correction, and rules have molded them to be a good responsible productive person. Nevertheless, children do not always respond in such manner. Many adults don’t always respond by obeying as if they are in the presence of God. A mistake is made and the response of fear takes over.
Fear is like a sensor that measures your growth. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).
Typically, parents hope that when their child leaves home, on the second phase of their life they will act as if they were still in their presence. Yet event adults react in wreck less manners taking action in their own comfort.
Our decision reflects if we are going to have an attitude honoring God in fear or honor our self. How do you respond in the absence of others? Do you reply the same as if God was before you?
Reflect on the decisions you make in the physical absence of your heavenly Father. Consider children in your absence, as you remind them to think about their choice don’t forget about your choice - will it humiliate or illuminate God?
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
God's Word
Over a year ago I felt being a mother, a wife and myself had an absolute no value. I was “Mrs. Busy Mom on the Go,” by day and “I Can’t Stand my life,” by night. I felt I was drowning with day to day tasks of ongoing hours of tending to others and never replenishing my soul to go on for another day. I would drag myself to do for everyone else and not dare to make time to call out to God to help me through the eye of the storm.
During this crisis in my life I felt moved to help encourage others yet all I could see is, "I needed to be set free."
As I consider my situation my thoughts are reminded of the Lord declaring, “My thoughts are not as His thoughts, nor my ways as His ways” Isaiah 55:8.
Today I am at peace with being me; I have a loving supportive husband that I am elated about being his wife and four children that I love dearly with being their mother.
I seek God as David saying “Make you ways known to me Lord; teach me your paths” (Psalm 25:4). I know that His Words bring light and give understanding to one with little experience (Psalm 119:130). I seek Him to show me what He is doing and why. I stand before the Father in search of His ways and my mind is captured by the Lord’s declaration “His Word that comes from His mouth, will not return to Him empty but it will accomplish what He pleases, and will prosper in what He sent it to do” (Isaiah 55:12).
God’s Word is a revelation sent to germinate. Often times God sends forth a Word for us to trust Him and because we lose sight of our focus we sit on His Word. We treat His Word like a new suit that hangs in your closet, unworn, because you don’t know where to wear it. It hangs in the closet unworn and unused, waiting on you, maybe because you think you don’t have matching shoes or the accessories to complete the suit. The Word of the Lord has all the components you need to do what the Father has asked of you. Yet it waits on you.
How are you responding to your life at this moment? Has God sent forth a Word and you are sitting on it?
Perhaps the Lord has sent a revelation and instead of fearing the Father you respond in fear to the transition. Maybe you don’t realize your response measures your spiritual development.
Consider asking the Father to show you His ways. Pray that you discern what the Lord is up to. Call upon the Father to direct you as you yield yourself to His will. For “you will indeed go out with joy and be peacefully guided” Isaiah 55:12.
During this crisis in my life I felt moved to help encourage others yet all I could see is, "I needed to be set free."
As I consider my situation my thoughts are reminded of the Lord declaring, “My thoughts are not as His thoughts, nor my ways as His ways” Isaiah 55:8.
Today I am at peace with being me; I have a loving supportive husband that I am elated about being his wife and four children that I love dearly with being their mother.
I seek God as David saying “Make you ways known to me Lord; teach me your paths” (Psalm 25:4). I know that His Words bring light and give understanding to one with little experience (Psalm 119:130). I seek Him to show me what He is doing and why. I stand before the Father in search of His ways and my mind is captured by the Lord’s declaration “His Word that comes from His mouth, will not return to Him empty but it will accomplish what He pleases, and will prosper in what He sent it to do” (Isaiah 55:12).
God’s Word is a revelation sent to germinate. Often times God sends forth a Word for us to trust Him and because we lose sight of our focus we sit on His Word. We treat His Word like a new suit that hangs in your closet, unworn, because you don’t know where to wear it. It hangs in the closet unworn and unused, waiting on you, maybe because you think you don’t have matching shoes or the accessories to complete the suit. The Word of the Lord has all the components you need to do what the Father has asked of you. Yet it waits on you.
How are you responding to your life at this moment? Has God sent forth a Word and you are sitting on it?
Perhaps the Lord has sent a revelation and instead of fearing the Father you respond in fear to the transition. Maybe you don’t realize your response measures your spiritual development.
Consider asking the Father to show you His ways. Pray that you discern what the Lord is up to. Call upon the Father to direct you as you yield yourself to His will. For “you will indeed go out with joy and be peacefully guided” Isaiah 55:12.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Crying Out
One night my baby was crying because he was not feeling well. I'd taken him to the doctor and followed all the directions, according to the doctor but he appeared to not be getting any better.
He cried through the night and I held him close to me. My level of concern was rising and I cried to God asking Him, What to do? I prayed that He would heal my son and give me wisdom to tend to the child He gave me to watch over as He would see fit.
Like a baby, wisdom cries out loud for us. Wisdom wants our attention because with wisdom you make better decisions. “Wisdom calls aloud in the streets; she rails her voice in the public squares; at the end of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech” (Proverbs 1:20-21).
Wisdom is like a hidden treasure that you have to search for (Proverbs 2:4). Yet upon your treasure hunt you have to follow directions. Those directions come from the Father. “For the Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6).
Today many are pondering about how to get in the will of God. Some want the reward yet detest the requirements. Wisdom calls out to those that are willing to hunt for it. Wisdom is valuable and like all things that are of value you have to work for it.
Consider seeking God for wisdom. Don’t be discouraged by the lions roaring at you, instead focus on the Lord as Daniel did in the lion’s den. God will shut the mouth of your lions as well.
Allow God to calm you and give you peace. Pray to God for wisdom. Call upon the Lord to forgive you for not doing what He says to do and open your heart to yield to the Father. Wisdom is supreme. Go get wisdom. Yes it is costly, but get understanding (Proverbs 4:7).
He cried through the night and I held him close to me. My level of concern was rising and I cried to God asking Him, What to do? I prayed that He would heal my son and give me wisdom to tend to the child He gave me to watch over as He would see fit.
Like a baby, wisdom cries out loud for us. Wisdom wants our attention because with wisdom you make better decisions. “Wisdom calls aloud in the streets; she rails her voice in the public squares; at the end of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech” (Proverbs 1:20-21).
Wisdom is like a hidden treasure that you have to search for (Proverbs 2:4). Yet upon your treasure hunt you have to follow directions. Those directions come from the Father. “For the Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6).
Today many are pondering about how to get in the will of God. Some want the reward yet detest the requirements. Wisdom calls out to those that are willing to hunt for it. Wisdom is valuable and like all things that are of value you have to work for it.
Consider seeking God for wisdom. Don’t be discouraged by the lions roaring at you, instead focus on the Lord as Daniel did in the lion’s den. God will shut the mouth of your lions as well.
Allow God to calm you and give you peace. Pray to God for wisdom. Call upon the Lord to forgive you for not doing what He says to do and open your heart to yield to the Father. Wisdom is supreme. Go get wisdom. Yes it is costly, but get understanding (Proverbs 4:7).
Friday, May 8, 2009
Stop, Go To Him
I have a friend and she has been the busiest mom, I know. That is hard to say because I am a busy mom but this mother I call “Busy Mom, on The Go.” She is ripping and running up and down the highway commuting at least 40 minute each morning from Covington to Atlanta to help her relative, helping a friend in the community, trying to keep things together in the house, help tend to the one of her children who had been sick and another whom is getting in trouble at school. This friend of mine is busy, too busy to stop to ask for any help, too busy to tend to herself, too busy for life.
About a year ago, I was her. After all the busy ways of life, I found myself existing and not living. I became frustrated, an anxiety spirit consumed me, my view was clouded and it was difficult for me to make decisions, making time to go to the doctor was tedious, being a mother was tough, loving myself was far from reach, praying was hard, living was hard-hitting, as I attempted to do everything in my own strength.
Sometimes in our life you have to stop and go to the Lord. Our Father has all of your concerns in control. He has a plan for your plan but if we don’t stop and go to Him you will drown.
In Mark 5, I recall the story of Jarius, a man of great faith. His daughter was deadly ill. Jarius was a busy man in the ministry and community. He was a senior pastor, the top man in the congregation; he had a significant job in the Palestine. Jarius was a busy man with a family. When his daughter got sick he stopped and knelt down before Jesus and pleaded about his daughter. He told him, come lay hands on my daughter and she will be healed. They walked to his daughter but as they walked the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years caused Jesus to stop.
I can see Jarius, curiously saying “everything must be okay. If Jesus has time to stop it must mean she is fine.” Jarius stayed right there with Jesus when He stopped. He stayed right there and did not move until He finished.
You can’t get so busy with life that you don’t stop to go to the Father for your needs. Jarius knew Jesus was the great physician. He knew He could do all things. He had child like faith.
When my daughter came to me at the beginning of this year with her list to publish her book she did not consider how much it would cost, would I have time to get it done, she knew it was a done deal. My daughter reminded me of the Faith that the Father wants us to have in what seems to be an impossible situation. She believed that her book would be published and for that it occurred.
How hectic is your schedule today? Are you walking your path? Have you stopped when there was a delay in your life? A delay is not an automatic denial but a pause.
Sometimes it feels as if you are being pulled from left to right. However, don’t forget to stop and take your needs to the top doctor, the main provider, the comforter, the will in the middle of a will.
Consider throwing yourself a life jacket in the deep ocean and hold on to the Father. Remember Him for who He is and trust Him. As mother’s day is approaching pray for a mother today. Ask God to help the mother’s of our world to come to a halt and go to Him. Call upon the Father and give Him your special need. Pray to the Lord that you embrace Him and get extremely close so you may find the way through the day.
About a year ago, I was her. After all the busy ways of life, I found myself existing and not living. I became frustrated, an anxiety spirit consumed me, my view was clouded and it was difficult for me to make decisions, making time to go to the doctor was tedious, being a mother was tough, loving myself was far from reach, praying was hard, living was hard-hitting, as I attempted to do everything in my own strength.
Sometimes in our life you have to stop and go to the Lord. Our Father has all of your concerns in control. He has a plan for your plan but if we don’t stop and go to Him you will drown.
In Mark 5, I recall the story of Jarius, a man of great faith. His daughter was deadly ill. Jarius was a busy man in the ministry and community. He was a senior pastor, the top man in the congregation; he had a significant job in the Palestine. Jarius was a busy man with a family. When his daughter got sick he stopped and knelt down before Jesus and pleaded about his daughter. He told him, come lay hands on my daughter and she will be healed. They walked to his daughter but as they walked the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years caused Jesus to stop.
I can see Jarius, curiously saying “everything must be okay. If Jesus has time to stop it must mean she is fine.” Jarius stayed right there with Jesus when He stopped. He stayed right there and did not move until He finished.
You can’t get so busy with life that you don’t stop to go to the Father for your needs. Jarius knew Jesus was the great physician. He knew He could do all things. He had child like faith.
When my daughter came to me at the beginning of this year with her list to publish her book she did not consider how much it would cost, would I have time to get it done, she knew it was a done deal. My daughter reminded me of the Faith that the Father wants us to have in what seems to be an impossible situation. She believed that her book would be published and for that it occurred.
How hectic is your schedule today? Are you walking your path? Have you stopped when there was a delay in your life? A delay is not an automatic denial but a pause.
Sometimes it feels as if you are being pulled from left to right. However, don’t forget to stop and take your needs to the top doctor, the main provider, the comforter, the will in the middle of a will.
Consider throwing yourself a life jacket in the deep ocean and hold on to the Father. Remember Him for who He is and trust Him. As mother’s day is approaching pray for a mother today. Ask God to help the mother’s of our world to come to a halt and go to Him. Call upon the Father and give Him your special need. Pray to the Lord that you embrace Him and get extremely close so you may find the way through the day.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Your Walk
Recently, we had a marriage conference and one of my concerns was I wanted the center piece to reflect the colors of the event. This was a concern for me because colors have meaning to me.
Our colors were green, white and black. Green was symbolic of growth, while white was symbolic of new life and black represented the old stuff. It was imperative for more white to be visual as well as accents of green to display life God gives us daily and growth. Somehow the old stuff manages to stick around and sometimes chocking the new life we are granted daily.
Many people have center pieces in their life. For some their center piece might be family, a job, house, car, clothes,children or spouse but our true center piece should be the Creator. However, emphasis of material or other people seem to tug at people breaking their focus of the true source of life.
The Lord says, “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, Who walks in His ways” Psalm 128:1.
If your main focus is the Lord it is easy for you to respect the Father and emulate His ways. If you are more concern with a job, finances, car or other material things then it is difficult to see clearly as a result you don’t feel very happy.
Today many are hurting because of the economic hardship but God is still in the business of giving peace in the midst of turbulence. What is the center piece in your life? Are you walking so others may find favor in you? Do you look to the Lord for blessings or material things?
Don’t allow your circumstance to consume you and become your center piece. Ask God to help you narrow your focus on Him. Pray to God for discernment so you may walk in His ways and be blessed.
Our colors were green, white and black. Green was symbolic of growth, while white was symbolic of new life and black represented the old stuff. It was imperative for more white to be visual as well as accents of green to display life God gives us daily and growth. Somehow the old stuff manages to stick around and sometimes chocking the new life we are granted daily.
Many people have center pieces in their life. For some their center piece might be family, a job, house, car, clothes,children or spouse but our true center piece should be the Creator. However, emphasis of material or other people seem to tug at people breaking their focus of the true source of life.
The Lord says, “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, Who walks in His ways” Psalm 128:1.
If your main focus is the Lord it is easy for you to respect the Father and emulate His ways. If you are more concern with a job, finances, car or other material things then it is difficult to see clearly as a result you don’t feel very happy.
Today many are hurting because of the economic hardship but God is still in the business of giving peace in the midst of turbulence. What is the center piece in your life? Are you walking so others may find favor in you? Do you look to the Lord for blessings or material things?
Don’t allow your circumstance to consume you and become your center piece. Ask God to help you narrow your focus on Him. Pray to God for discernment so you may walk in His ways and be blessed.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Stand Up!
I have been hearing many negative stories about mothers on the news and on the internet lately. I think it is intentional considering mother’s day is right around the corner. I think the aim is to get more people to feel overwhelm with being a mother. I believe it is to cause others to stay away from the idea of being a mother.
I am reminded how a man once told me, “No one celebrates Father’s Day, it’s just another day.” This man made this comment because he said there were no positive influences about being a father while he was growing up. As a result he perceived Father’s Day to be nothing out of the ordinary.
When considering this man’s view and the influence that the media is portraying about mother’s I find it sickening. After God created Adam and Eve and they became one, God blessed them and said be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground"(Genesis1:28). God instructed husbands and wives to multiply the earth. He gave these instructions not because the act of having children was so great but so we could have dominion over the world glorifying His magnificent name.
If a person gets deceived in to believing being a parent is horrible then the enemy has won them over. We have a positive influence in God. He is the most powerful, loving, trustworthy and awesome parent that we all should look to when considering parenthood.
To be a parent is an honorable position. A parent is there to guide and train while providing for another life. Parenthood should exemplify how our Heavenly Father guides and provides for us.
Having children will be a challenge yet it is a blessing worth fighting for. “When a woman is in travail she has sorrow, because her hour has come; but when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world" (John 16:21 RSV).
When God created the world it was to glorify His name. As He made man and woman it was also to glorify His name. What is your perspective of being a parent? Do you feel it is too hard? Have you been considering refraining from parenthood based on the media? Are you a parent wishing you could renegotiate the terms of parenthood? Don’t let the media give parenthood a bad rep. Be bold as a Christian and Stand Up!
Instead of letting the negative views of parenthood flourish allow others see the joy in being a parent. Pray to God to help you Stand Up as a parent. Ask the Father to give you strength so others may be encouraged to know as a parent God still guides and provides for you. Call upon the Lord to help you make wise decisions in the act of being a parent so others may not be mislead about being a parent. Pray to God that you do not stand for people giving the name of a parent a negative one. For God has created the roles of the parent and everything He created He said it is good (Genesis 1:1 to 2:3).
I am reminded how a man once told me, “No one celebrates Father’s Day, it’s just another day.” This man made this comment because he said there were no positive influences about being a father while he was growing up. As a result he perceived Father’s Day to be nothing out of the ordinary.
When considering this man’s view and the influence that the media is portraying about mother’s I find it sickening. After God created Adam and Eve and they became one, God blessed them and said be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground"(Genesis1:28). God instructed husbands and wives to multiply the earth. He gave these instructions not because the act of having children was so great but so we could have dominion over the world glorifying His magnificent name.
If a person gets deceived in to believing being a parent is horrible then the enemy has won them over. We have a positive influence in God. He is the most powerful, loving, trustworthy and awesome parent that we all should look to when considering parenthood.
To be a parent is an honorable position. A parent is there to guide and train while providing for another life. Parenthood should exemplify how our Heavenly Father guides and provides for us.
Having children will be a challenge yet it is a blessing worth fighting for. “When a woman is in travail she has sorrow, because her hour has come; but when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world" (John 16:21 RSV).
When God created the world it was to glorify His name. As He made man and woman it was also to glorify His name. What is your perspective of being a parent? Do you feel it is too hard? Have you been considering refraining from parenthood based on the media? Are you a parent wishing you could renegotiate the terms of parenthood? Don’t let the media give parenthood a bad rep. Be bold as a Christian and Stand Up!
Instead of letting the negative views of parenthood flourish allow others see the joy in being a parent. Pray to God to help you Stand Up as a parent. Ask the Father to give you strength so others may be encouraged to know as a parent God still guides and provides for you. Call upon the Lord to help you make wise decisions in the act of being a parent so others may not be mislead about being a parent. Pray to God that you do not stand for people giving the name of a parent a negative one. For God has created the roles of the parent and everything He created He said it is good (Genesis 1:1 to 2:3).
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