Conversations With Edwina

Get Out Of The Boat!

2011-08-13T09:29:00.002-04:00

We've all heard numerous messages on Peter getting out the boat and sinking because he took his eyes off Jesus right? Well this morning, I got a new revelation that had me bouncing in my seat. First, let's check out the scripture:

Matthew 14:29-31

And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

It's the last portion of the scripture that spoke to me.

What I see is Jesus in the midst of me being less than what I feel should or could be, reaching out his hand ANYWAY!

Think about it. Have we missed it like Peter? Yeeesss.... plenty of times! But in spite of our shortcomings, Jesus doesn't back away from us... he reaches out his hand, just as he did to Peter. Now check out the next verse:

And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased

When I reach out to the Lord and look to him to calm the storms in my life, he knows how to do it. Regrettably, sometimes it's only AFTER I've completely stressed myself out trying to figure it out on my own that I finally come to him. But I'm learning to bring it to Jesus as the first step... not the last resort!

Get out the boat? How do I do that?

I don't think Peter looked at the fellas in the boat and asked, "So... do I put out the left foot first or the right?" They would have looked at him like he was crazy! First of all, they had no experience with this. Who ever heard of getting out of a boat in the midst of a storm? Peter you better sit yourself down with the rest of us! Secondly, they had no desire to get out of the boat. So what advice could they give? No, Peter had to go it alone and while he may have doubted after he got out of the boat, being distracted by what was going on around him, HE DID GET OUT THE BOAT! Amen?

He may have been afraid, but he got out of the boat.

He he no clue what he was doing, but he got of the boat.

He didn't have anyone backing his decision, but he GOT OUT OF THE BOAT!

OK, your turn! What boat do you need to get out of today? Don't be afraid, because even if your faith fails, Jesus will still be there and He knows how to get you where he wants you to be. Can I Get An Amen?

What's That Smell?!!

2011-02-27T20:48:00.000-05:00

"For we are unto God a sweet (smelling) savour of Christ…" 2Corinthians 2:15

I sniffed. I was getting a whiff of something foul. What was that! It was the kind of smell that made you unconsciously screw up your face and set your mouth in the classic caricature of disgust. Whew! It was bad! This was what you could truly call a "stench" and every adjective you can think of to go along with it - malodorous, fetid, rank, putrid… you get the idea. The air was heavy with the smell – the strength of it made it almost tangible. All I wanted to do was to get away from it as fast as I could.

Sin is a stench in the nostrils of God. Imagine that the same way you would recoil or back away from a bad smell is the same way God retreats from sin. He loves us with an everlasting love, yes, but he is a holy God and sin cannot tarry in His sight. A nurturing mother loves her baby in spite of snotty noses and dirty diapers but even a mother will quickly find a way to clean the filth off her child. The smell of excrement does not lend itself to warm embraces! A fragrant odor, on the other hand, motivates you to get closer. A dank smell will cause you to breathe shallowly or even hold your breath. But a sweet-smelling scent pleasurably arouses your senses and prompts you to inhale deeply and enjoy the aroma.

God wants to enjoy us…don’t hinder His pleasure with sin. Continually ask God to reveal any sin that may be in your life. In Psalm 19:13, David pleads with God, "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over me…"He is saying, "Lord help me not to be careless, inattentive or slack concerning the guidelines you’ve established for me to live by." He didn’t want to impertinently go forward in anything that may not have been God’s will because the bible also says, "There is a way that seemeth right unto man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."(Proverbs 14:12 ) To purposely walk in sin is to walk in death and to walk in death is to take a stroll out from under the protective covering of God. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 91:1) God desires us to stay in close, intimate fellowship with Him. Can God snuggle up close to you and not be offended by your smell? A daily washing in the Word is needful if we are to be a sweet smelling savour to God.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee" (Psalm 119: 11)

Can I Get An Amen?!

All Scripture King James Version

Today....

2011-02-06T10:08:00.000-05:00

"What are you doing today?"

"I don't know yet. I'll see how it goes."

That's a pretty common interchange. How many times have you ever been asked that? How did you respond? Are you one of those people who knows exactly what you will be doing every day? Do you grab your planner or Blackberry and check what your Outlook calendar says you have on tap? Or do you simply 'go with the flow' and let the day unfold and surprise you?

I'm somewhere in the middle.

I usually have a pretty good idea of my schedule during the work week but on the weekends, unless there is some special event planned, I don't know what I might wind up doing. It just depends on how I feel, the weather, who happens to call and asks me to do something... you just never know.

Ever feel that way about God? You just never know what He's up to... right?
Hmmm.....that doesn't spark a whole lot of confidence does it?

I'm so glad that the Lord has given us a way to know EXACTLY what He's up to. He's given us His day planner that goes all the way back to Creation. I can flip through and discover not only what He did back then but gain insight on what He's doing today.

Isn't that amazing?!

What's even more exciting is God doesn't have a problem showing me His schedule. He WANTS me to know what He's doing. Jesus said that we're His friends, not servants. He said you may not tell the servant everything but you certainly let your friends in on what's going on.

In the ever changing world we live in, having access to the mind of God and what's He's doing gives me a peace and confidence that I can't get from watching the news. A lot of you say that's why you DON'T watch the news any longer. No good news. But here's some....

Today is the first day of the rest of your life!

Sync up your life with God's Planner (His Word the Bible) and get a jump start on your day.

The best is yet to come!

Getting Ready For Opportunity!

2010-12-31T11:54:00.001-05:00

You know the saying... opportunity only knocks once!

You ever wonder about that saying? Where does it come from? What does it really mean? I decided to do a little research and here's what I found. The phrase is considered a proverb or idiom that means you only get one chance to achieve what you really want to do. The origins of the phrase goes back to the 1500's where the word "fate" or "fortune" was used instead of the word opportunity.

Really? People have been saying this for that long?

Obviously the saying has stood the test of time but I'm challenging it today. I'm not alone in saying that I have MISSED numerous opportunities to do something that I really wanted to do. Getting my next book published, for example, has been something I've been "working" on for the last 3 years. So why isn't it finished? Did I actually have the opportunity? Oh yeah, I did... but I didn't take advantage of the opportunities. So, does that mean I've missed my chance? I hope not! Because I still intend to publish that book.

If our one and only chance to do anything has expired, then we might as well call it a day! Why attempt to do anything else because apparently the Fat Lady has sung her song and gone home!

Now, before I continue, I want you to know that I absolutely am not condoning procrastination! That's another idiom right? Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today. But when you have put it off, I'm saying it's not too late. Go after the dream that is in your heart. As long as you are breathing and have a mind to do it...

Then go for it! Your opportunity is knocking... LOUDLY! Go open the door!

Happy New Year and Happy New Beginnings!

BREAK The Habit!

2010-12-29T13:44:00.000-05:00

Got any habits that are holding you back? Most of us know what habits we need to change. Always running late and procrastination are two biggies that trip a lot of us up. How do we get off of the rollercoaster of bad habits and start living our lives more successfully?

Start with a plan

It's not enough to simply want to stop a habit. We have to, on purpose, replace the bad habit with a good one and then on purpose devise a strategy to ease us into this new habit. It won't be easy at first so don't give up. You were very familiar with your old habit (doing things the way you're used to doing them) but breaking away from the familiar can be done once you have a plan - so stick with it.

Keep track of your successes

Document the times you are on time. Make note of every time you've been able to prepare ahead and get where you have to be on time.Jot down the things you did that helped you to be successful and keep doing that! Remember, everyday is different. Some days you'll be in the zone and feeling like you're crossing every one of those T's and dotting those I's. Other days you may feel like you've taken a giant step backwards. On those days, pull out your successes and let them encourage you to continue to move forward in your new habit.

Take it slow

Changing a habit takes time. So don't expect to be amazingly different overnight or try to change everything all at once. It helps to make a list of the things you want to change and then prioritize them. Start with the most important thing first. You may be surprised that taking care of one thing on the list helps with something else on the list.

Be honest with yourself

Habits are a matter of choice. You choose to do the things that you do - You can on purpose choose to change the choices you have made in the past and start making new choices. Ask yourself... How bad do you want this change? What are you willing to do to change?

Get help when you need it

Hey, everybody needs help with something. It's not a sign of weakness. Reach out to a good friend, family member or significant other to keep you accountable in your new habit. Explain that you'd really appreciate them prompting you to do the right thing - especially when you don't feel like it. Just don't bite their heads off when they do - remember you asked for this!

Change your habits - change your life change your destiny!

New Year. New Resolution.

2010-12-27T20:25:00.000-05:00

Where are you? Are you floating along on an ocean current energized by the choices of your past?

Yes?

You may feel you have no control over the direction you’re going in because your course had been set long ago based upon the decisions/choices you'd made in your past .

Is this ringing true for you?

Well, imagine this… you are tossing out an anchor. Movement stops while you determine the new direction you want to go in. You've made up your mind that your past will no longer dictate your future and it's time to 'go against the flow' of what has become familiar to you.

Will it be easy? No. But can you do it? YES!

Dropping the anchor becomes a metaphor which symbolizes that you are taking the time to rechart your life based upon where you are right now and the decisions you're able to make today. If you don't like where the current has been taking you - where do you want to go?

Determine what's important to you. Set goals that will help you to obtain what's closest to your heart and then diligently, one day at a time, follow your heart to success.

Going against the flow will be challenging at first. But the more you persist in your new direction the easier it becomes. Some days might be harder than others but on those days remember - you're trying to get to a better place.

Don't quit.

Soon you will see the horizon of your new shoreline and not long after that you will be walking on the warm sands of your heart's desire.

Shake Well Before Use!

2010-12-19T15:48:00.000-05:00

How many times have you seen that instruction? "Shake well before use"
Usually found on the outer wrapping of a package whose contents have settled to the bottom and require a vigorous shaking for best results. Man oh man can I apply this instruction to my walk with Christ! Right now, in fact, I feel like I'm in the middle of a blender; doing my best to stay clear of the blades!

Would somebody please press the STOP button and let me out of here?!

We've all felt like that. We wiggle and squirm like 2-year olds because life is not going the way we want it to go and we might as well throw in the last part... it's not fair!

Ok, now that we've got that out of our system, can we just talk about what's really going on?

Reality Check: Life isn't fair but God always is!

We'll never get to a place where we can fully understand all the stuff that happens. But we can know that we have a Father who loves us unconditionally and knows how to hang on to us through every turn of the spin cycle of life. Every "shaking" is preparing us for better results BUT you have to yield to the Lord's "shaking" to get those results. Follow His instructions (found in the Bible) and expect to get exactly what His Word says you can have through the ONE that died on the cross for us.

That's pretty powerful!

Someone got whipped to pieces for you! Someone was horribly murdered... for you! Someone got stabbed in the chest... you got it - for you!

Now think about it - why would someone go through all that and then simply forget about you?

Would you buy a 70,000 dollar car and drive it off a bridge? For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son Jesus to die on a cross for us all. THAT was a high sticker price and God's not about to waste the value of that extreme sacrifice!

There's nothing we're going through right now that's too hard for God. There's nothing we've done that's too difficult for Him forgive. For we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory so none of us can boast! All we can do is lay on the chest of the One who loved us so much and give ourselves completely to Him.

Have a great day in he Lord!

PAY ATTENTION!

2010-12-12T05:07:00.000-05:00

While driving one morning, jamming to my internet radio selections of 70's old school, I looked down at my Blackberry because the music had suddenly stopped.

What happened?!

I looked down and pressed the play button. Nothing happened. I pressed the back button, the forward button, the restart button... nothing!
Now, I was really looking to see what was going on. I needed my music! How can you start the day without it? I stared at the screen. Had I accidently shut it down? I looked up just in time to steer clear of a pick up truck that had slowed down and was heading for the shoulder but had not quite cleared the road.

I blinked in surprised. I could have hit that truck!

I chastised myself as I rolled into my apartment complex and scanned my resident card to open the gate. Man! That's how people get into accidents. Not paying attention. So, what's the lesson Edwina?

Pay attention while I'm driving!

Was my prompt response as I sailed through the gate and looked back down at my Blackberry. A car turning to go out of the gate appeared in front of me.... just that quick I had lost focus.... again!

I threw my Blackberry on the passenger seat and gripped the steering wheel. Was I stupid? Dd I want to be in an accident? Maybe I'm just hard-headed and rebellious and have to learn all my lessons the hard way! I didn't want to believe I was any of these things but my actions were speaking to me very loudly this morning and I had to listen.

Pay Attention!  Proverbs 22:3 says: When you see trouble coming, don't be stupid and walk right into it - be smart and hide. Contemporary English Version

Too many of us act as though we need to be hit by a Mac truck, literally and figuratively to get a message through our heads and I'm saying that's got to stop!

Join me on my "Joshua Mandate"  inspired by Psalms 1 and Joshua 1:8 to simply follow the instructions of God and be strong and of a good courage and watch what God does in response to our obedience. God is not "ego tripping" when He commands this. He sees how we've missed it time and time again because we have failed to follow instruction and pay attention to those things that will give us success. I'm talking about the little details of life we tend to overlook or ignore.

You know what they are for you. I don't have to spell it out for you.

Write them down and take them to the Lord and He will help you day by day to turn from those things that are not helping you and show you those things that will lead you to success in every area of your life.

Are you ready to pay attention? Are you ready for a new thing?

Come on and join me. Let's take this trip together.

You Gotta Walk YOUR Walk!

2010-12-05T10:20:00.000-05:00

I have a good friend who frequently uses this expression. He believes there is a path that everyone is destined to walk and no one can walk that walk for you. I woke up this morning thinking on his words in light of some recent decisions I had made and I suddenly realized I had departed from my 'walk' when I made those decisions. I'd allowed the influence of someone to cloud my thought processes. Certainly, I'm not casting blame. I take full responsibility for my choices but as I pondered those choices in my first waking moments, I knew the choice I'd made was not what I would have normally done.

Here we go with hindsight again! It's just so amazing how clearly we see things after the fact. But, Amen, I did see it this morning and I recognized that I gotta walk my walk! It might not make sense to someone else why I live the way I do, why I do or don't do certain things, etc. But it's MY WALK and no one else can walk it for me.

We each have a rhythm, a pace, a cadence that we move to in everything that we do. I'm talking more than how fast you talk or walk although that is a part of your rhythm. Rhythm includes the way you think. How you mentally process things. Your general attitude about life. For example, usually when I wake up to start the day, although I love my morning coffee, that's not what I reach for first.

I turn on some music!

I greet the Lord and the day in song. I dance my way to the coffee pot and turn it on. Yeees! Now the day can start. That's my rhythm. I walk with it in my head and I flow with it through out the day. When something happens that stops the music in my head... we have a problem. I need to pay attention to that. What just knocked me off my rhythm?

Are you feeling me on this?

If you find that you have been distracted from your walk and knocked off your rhythm then you need to figure out how to get back on your path. What worked for you? Start there. Often we leave the very things that were helping us to follow after stuff that just doesn't work. Whew! What's up with that?! Ok.... don't worry about it... shoulda, woulda, coulda ain't no gooda! But here's what you can do:

Recognize what works for you and pursue it.

This reminds me of David. When King Saul put his armor on David to fight Goliath, he tried walking in it but it was just too heavy for him. He couldn't maneuver in it. I'm sure the King meant well. He was simply outfitting David in what all the other soldiers were wearing. I'm sure David didn't want to disrespect the Kings efforts but he recognized... This is not my walk. I don't fight like this. So he took it off and went back to what worked for him. And we know the ending of that story...Goliath got his head chopped off!

You know, when we get off our walk, we make it easy for the 'giants' of life to really knock us down for the count. But the count ain't over! You can make the choice to get up and try again. So I'm encouraging you today to:

Get back on your path!

Get back on your rhythm!

Walk your walk!

DID I DO THAT?!!!

2010-12-04T17:42:00.000-05:00

Yeah, you missed it.

Dropped the ball.

Blew it.

Messed up.

Oh Crap! Yeah, all that!

Have you been there? What makes it worse is this isn’t the first time it’s happened! Most folks are able to give themselves some grace when it’s a first time occurrence. Oh well, you live, you learn, you go on. You tell yourself, “I won’t do that again!”

Until it happens… again.

I got to work this morning with a song on my heart and pep in my step. You know how it is. I was in my zone and life was feeling pretty good until I turned on my computer and opened my inbox. Oh Lord! I’d forgotten that I was supposed to make a call at 8:30 to a high ranking corporate officer in my company. He’d sent an email stating:

“I was expecting your call this morning. It’s now 8:50am and I have to leave for a meeting.”

Whoosh! All the air went out of my balloon. How could I have forgotten that call! I shook my head and stared at the screen in dismay. Man! I had dropped the ball… again. Oh yeah, I wish I could say this was the first time, but it wasn’t. Just a few weeks ago, I had a call scheduled with my boss and I missed that one too. He called me later and asked what happened.

What happened is a great question!

It’s not really about the extenuating circumstances that were going on that led to me missing both of these calls.

It was the fact I failed to set myself up to make the call!

Something as simple as setting a reminder on my phone and/or computer would have prompted me to make those calls in spite of whatever was going on at the moment. Even if the call was to let the other person know that something had come up and we’d have to reschedule. Funny how we always see things so clearly in hindsight. But hindsight doesn’t take away consequences. You pretty much have to suck up to those but at the end of the day what lesson have you learned? What are you going to do differently? We’ve all heard the old saying, “If you always do what you always did you’re always going to get what you always got!” If you’re tired of reaping the same results, you’ve got to sow or do something different. You will not get different results doing the same old, same old.

I think that’s called insanity?

Ok, so I did what I could to repair the damage. I sent an email profusely apologizing. But then I recognized I needed to something to avoid this happening again. Reminding myself of the importance of the task and the “why” behind it would have created a sense of urgency. And that urgency would have caused me to set the reminder so I wouldn’t forget. Maybe you don’t have to do all that. But if you find yourself repeatedly dropping the ball in any particular area of your life then you have to have an honest conversation with yourself to find out why. Whatever you’re reality check turns out to be, pay attention to it and make a decision to do something about it.

It’s your choice.

I choose not to make this mistake again.

Who Am I

2010-11-22T07:43:00.000-05:00

Tracey looked at the images flashing across the TV screen and thought,"This has been my life." It was 1979 New Year’s Eve and Tracey had tuned in to an end of the decade special. All of the 70’s, the events, the fashions, the music, the trends were all being highlighted and set forever in nostalgic memory. Every song that was played unlocked memories that Tracey had thought she’d long forgotten. Her mind was playing scenes just as quickly as the television…

Oh, I was in tenth grade when that came out. I was liking this boy named Robert. Oh, man I remember the Fred Astaire pants! My sister and I both had a tan pair. The hard beat of an Aretha Franklin song started playing.

"Rock steady baby! Let’s call this song exactly what it is."

Tracey jumped up and started rocking her hips to the song. "Yeah, I remember this! The rock steady! Everybody loved this dance." Tracey boogied her hips over to the phone to call her sister. "Boy, they used to really get down on this song!" Her sister’s phone ranged and ranged. "Come on, pick up! I want you to hear this song!" Tracey continued to dance and bop to the music as the phone on the other end continued to ring. The song ended and Tracey slowly replaced the receiver. What was she thinking? Her sister wouldn’t be at home on New Year’s Eve. She was probably in New York, in the middle of Times Square getting ready to welcome the New Year in. She checked the clock 11:45pm. Well, she would just have to see it on TV. Dick Clark would be counting down the minutes soon.

Tracey slumped on the couch and numbly watched the screen. She couldn’t figure out what was wrong. This was the first New Year’s Eve that she had opted to stay home instead of bringing it in partying. She had actually told her live-in boyfriend to go on without her. He had looked at her incredulously. Did she really want him to go out and party without her? "Yes! Go! Have a good time." Tracey practically pushed him out the door. He shrugged his shoulders. "Ok, if you say so." When the door closed, Tracey felt a sense of relief. She really needed to be alone tonight to sort through these crazy feelings that had been building up over the past few days. As the year seem to be getting closer and closer to an end so did her life. At 20, she felt frustratingly burned out. There had to be more to life than this but what? Watching the program tonight was like watching slices of her life. Wow, this must be what it’s like to have your life flash before your face. Tracey thought. The past ten years had basically been her teen years a life full of parties and boyfriends and getting high. Tracey had dropped out of school in tenth grade but eventually obtained her GED when she was eighteen. She dabbled in modeling for a little bit, went to cosmetology school until she got pregnant, worked at some odd jobs and ultimately moved in with her baby’s daddy. At the time, it seemed like she had become liberated and set free from her parent’s rules. This was her life and she was going to live it the way she wanted. Now all of that seemed like a distant memory – another life that someone else had lived.

Who was she today? Did she even know? Tracey straightened up and leaned towards the TV set. The count down had started. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,4, 3, 2, 1… Happy New Year! The crowd in Times Square erupted in spontaneous applause and cheers as the familiar strains of Auld Lang Syne begin to play. Tears stung Tracey’s eyes as she wrapped her arms around herself and slowly rocked back and forth on the couch nursing an ache that was beyond words. After a long while, she stumbled to the window as tears begin to fall in earnest, blurring her vision. From her 12th floor apartment she could see cars flashing their headlights off and on and hear the noise of blaring horns and fireworks going off. Tracey pressed her face against the cold glass and stared at the street far below. "Well" Tracey sniffled, "It’s 1980. A New Year… and everybody’s celebrating… so why do I feel like jumping out the window? Tracey stayed at the window until her tears subsided. She knew jumping was not the answer but the fact that she even felt that way startled her. It got her attention. Drawing a deep shuddering breath she finally turned from the window and wiped her eyes. "What I need…" Tracey spoke out loud to herself. "Is a new beginning a radical change. I need something different to happen in my life." Having said that she snapped off the TV and went to her daughter’s room. Her three-year-old daughter, Lolita, was sleeping soundly. Quietly tip-toeing over to the bed, she gazed down at the one thing she felt she had to live for. Whatever this was she was feeling, she had to get over it because it wasn’t onlyher life that she had to consider. The sleeping angel snuggled under the covers needed a mother in her right mind. Bending over, she brushed her lips against her daughter’s cheek and then quickly straightened up as fresh tears sprang to her eyes. "Oh brother, am I having a nervous breakdown?" She turned and swiftly left the room, closing the door behind her. Tracey leaned against the doorjamb for support as convulsing sobs shook her body. What’s happening to me?! For the first time, in a very long while, Tracey found herself fervently whispering a prayer…

"God, help me!"

Lighting didn’t flash and thunder didn’t roll but somehow Tracey knew her prayer had been heard and an answer was on the way.

Who Am I? / Commentary

We all know somebody like Tracey. I did. In fact, I could have been Tracey. Our stories are very similar. I needed and wanted a radical change in my own life. So much so that when I turned twenty, I marched into a barbershop and had them shave all my hair off! Yep, I didn’t have a finger-snap worth of hair left! I had a couple of extra holes put in my ears for a total of three piercings on each side and purchased a pair of really funky eye glasses. When my mother saw me she thought I had joined a cult! I honestly thought that if I looked radically different I would be radically different. Well, the truth is I didn’t feel any different.

Then another flash of inspiration hit me. I needed discipline! Who better than Uncle Sam to whip me into shape? I signed up for the Air Force, passed the test and almost passed the physical. Everything was fine except for one thing - I was pregnant…again! This would be my third child and it was the only thing that could have kept me out of the service. I had made up my mind that this was what I needed to get my life back on track so I’d sign guardianship of my son and daughter over to their father and I was getting the heck out of East Orange, New Jersey! Finding out I was pregnant was the absolute last straw. What could I do now? For me, abortion was not an option. My boyfriend, however, had a different opinion. In fact, he gave me an ultimatum abort the baby or leave. I left.

I went back to my Mom’s house and for the next few months sort of slumped around in a semi-depressed frame of mind. Around my sixth month of pregnancy I spent some time with my sister in North Carolina. It was very peaceful and relaxing. There was a track near her house and I got up and ran every morning. By the time I got back to the city, I had a change of mind and direction. I was going to have this baby and then move to North Carolina and start my life over. It was close to Thanksgiving and I finally felt like I had something to be thankful for. The baby was due in February so that gave me some time to plan. What I didn’t know was that God had some plans for me too.

God’s plan for Your Life

You know, it’s funny that a lot of people are actually afraid of the plans God has for them. Why? Because they think His plans are going to be very different from the plans they have for themselves. God’s plan always lines up with what He has put in you. Your natural abilities and talents come from the One who created you and He knows what makes you tick. There should be no hesitation at all on our part to totally yield ourselves to our Maker. God’s plan for you begins with the plan of salvation. This plan is found in the bible in the book of Romans, the tenth chapter and the 9th and 10th verses.

Romans 10: 9-10.

(9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
(10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

This was a real eye-opener for me. I’d always thought that "getting right with God" involved some serious drama like the heavens opening and angelic choirs singing or maybe some life crisis bringing me to my knees. Instead, the Lord met me at a kitchen table where a friend of mine showed me the same verses you just read, Romans 10: 9-10. She told me that this was the plan of salvation and all I had to do was believe and accept it. She then walked away and left me alone to ponder her challenge. I thought back to all of the things I had done in my life that had not helped me. I thought about all the things I had done to change my life that had not worked. I had come to the end of myself and had come no closer to an answer. Just then I remembered my own whispered prayer I had prayed almost a year ago. "Lord, help me." I looked down at the bible in front of me and read the words again…

(9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

I bowed my head and said a simple prayer.

Lord, I always thought there was more to it than this. But… if this is all you’re saying I have to do here goes… I believe that you sent Jesus to die for me and that You raised Him from the dead. I realize there is nothing I can do to make myself right with You. I need you to help me. Please forgive me for my sins and help me to live for You for the rest of my life. Amen.

Well, lightening didn’t flash for me either and I can’t say that I felt anything different at that point but the change had started. That was 30 years ago and the Lord isstill making changes in my life. Everyday is a new beginning with Him.

I invite you to step into your new beginning by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life. Your new beginning can start today!

Finding Your LIP - In Honor of Veteran's Day

2010-11-11T07:01:00.001-05:00

Boot camp was everything the young man expected and then some! Grueling, exhausting even what some might label abusive at times but he embraced it all. Small in stature, the young man went above and beyond to prove that there was more to him than just size. He excelled in all the physical tests except one; his height prevented him from successfully being able to vault over a wall that was part of an extensive obstacle course. In every attempt, he always fell short of being able to grab the top of the wall and propel himself over.

The night before the final tests of boot camp, he was awakened by his Drill Sergeant and ordered to go outside. Sure that he was about to be chastised for his failure on the course that day, the young man stoically waited for what was to come. Instead, his instructor led him to his nemesis: The Wall. Then the young man was given an odd instruction: feel the wall. Disciplined to respond to orders, he did as he was told. He slowly walked the length of the wall as he ran his hands over the rough surface. Thoughts tumbled about in the young man's head. This wall stood between him and his long held goal of becoming a Marine. If he wasn't able to get over this wall tomorrow, he would fail and be sent home.

The graveled voice of his Sergeant barked at him.

"Find a way over that wall!"

The young man pressed closer and breathed a silent prayer, "I gotta find a way." and then he felt it.... a small niche, a lip in the face of the wall. Stepping back, he marked where the lip was and then began the circuit of the obstacle course which included running, belly busters, slide for life and swinging from ropes. He smoothly managed through each of these and then the wall loomed darkly before him. Heart pumping wildly, he raced towards it. In one fluid movement, he leaped on the wall, his boot instinctively finding the lip. Pushing up with strong arms, he grasped the top of the wall and sailed over! As he hit the ground on the other side, excitement surged through his entire being. He'd made it! He knew in his heart that he'd be able to repeat this performance the next day and he did. But what thrilled him even more than that accomplishment were the words he received from his Drill Sergeant after graduation: "Good job Marine."

He'd successfully become one of the few and the proud.

(November 10^th Marine Corp Birthday)

Happy Birthday Marine Corp! Semper Fi

This story inspired me to find my own LIP. Life presents us with obstacles everyday and often they seem to be just as daunting as that wall appeared to be to that young man. But I learned 3 things from this story that I want to share with you.

1. Get yourself an accountability partner. Someone who will challenge you to do what's in your heart and not let you back away from it

2. Be willing to face the obstacles that stand in the way of your goal. "Feel the wall." You may find your answer in the midst of your problem

            3.   Understand that your goal is worth every ounce of effort
                  you have to expend to get it. Don't back away from the
                  challenges of reaching what you really want

He Loves Me!

2010-11-09T06:40:00.000-05:00

In the early rnorning hours of the day, before the dew kissed the earth, God wrapped His arms around me and whispered to my spirit, " I love you!" Oh! No lover's kiss or physical touch compared to that moment of revelation. "I am loved!" Complete acceptance. No strings attached. Just unconditional love.

I completely relaxed in that moment and savored the incredible soothing comfort of the Lord's declaration to me. Then I got out of bed and pulled on a robe to ward off the slight chill in the room. The warmth of the fabric immediately reminded me that God's love is a warm blanket that protects me, honors me, heals me and so much more. His reminder, spoken in the twilight moments of sleep and being awake, sparked a response from the core of my being that I almost can't articulate but I'm going to try in the way I know best... telling a story.

I have an odd habit that I've had for as long as I can remember: I like to rub my feet together! Especially at night before I go to sleep or when I'm first waking up, the slow rhythmic movement of my feet rubbing against each other is warm and comforting to me on a very deep level. Now, this habit caused tension between my sister and I when we were growing up and sharing a bed because the friction of my feet moving against the sheets aggravated her to no end! "Do you HAVE to do that?!" She wold exclaim almost every night. She'd gather her side of the covers and move as far away from me as she could. Her reaction didn't really bother me though. She sucked her thumb, I rubbed my feet. Same difference!

I didn't know of anyone else who had this habit and assumed it was an oddity specific to me until a few days ago. I was relaxing on a friend's sofa, listening to music and rubbing my feet. A startled voice broke through my thoughts,

"You rub your feet!"

I looked up with a sheepish grin. "Yeah. I do." My friend sat down with a look of wonder in his eyes. "So do I!" Almost simultaneously we said, "I've done it all my life." We collapsed in conspiratorial laughter. My friend suggested a nickname, "I guess we have to start calling each other Cricket!" We'd found an odd similarity that instantly bonded us in a new way.

God's words to me this morning were like that. I found a bond that in reality was there all the time but I hadn't realized the sigificance of it until this morning's experience. I am loved by a God who is bonded to me becasues he made me and knows every hair on my head and He knows I like to rub my feet! The contentment of this morning's moment still lingers as I write this and I so want every one who reads this to experience that loving comfort for themselves. Oh my goodness, please know today that God loves you so much! He wants you to KNOW that!

John 3:16 (my personal expanded version)
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son Jesus to die for us. Who ever accepts his death as the punishment for the sins we've committed and believes that God raised Him back from the dead, shall not perish or die but have everlasting life with the Father!

You are loved!

You Can't Stay Happy On The Mountain Top!

2010-10-03T12:35:00.000-04:00

Huh!

Man! Aren't those mountain top experiences great?! When was your last one?

Oooh... can I go first?!

Mine was just this morning. I was looking at a YouTube video of "Awesome God" by Michael W. Smith. The instrumentation of this song all by itself takes my spirit to a special place but the images of this video sent chills down my spine. The glory of God's creation was displayed in such a way that all I could do was sit back in mouth open awe.

Wow! I'm amaaaazed at the splendor of God's handiwork. I wanted to sit on that mountain, hugging my knees and not move an inch from that place of complete contentment. I just wanted to be a spectator.

Wait...did I say spectator?

As much as I was enjoying this time with the Lord, I knew I couldn't stay on that mountain top forever. Sooner or later, God whispers...

"What about the people at the bottom of the mountain?"

You might be tempted to respond, "They can find their way up... right?"

"Go get them. Show them what I've shown you."

Is it starting to make sense?

What makes the mountain top so glorious is the intimate presence of the Lord ministering past form, fashion and ritual to that place that only He can touch - and that's good but what makes that mountain top experience complete is taking what you've received and sharing it with others. You're bound to meet someone today who needs some of what you just got.

Take them up that mountain and let God show them what He has shown you...

He is an AWESOME God!

PS: Relax. The Lord will show you what to do. Be excited as you leave the mountain top....You get to be a part of what God is doing! Here are some "Mountain Top" songs, available on YouTube, to get you started:

Your Grace Is Enough by Chris Tomlin
Mighty To Save by Hillsong
Write My Song by Marcus Cole
Awesome God by Michael W. Smith w/video and lyrics (YouTube)

Fearfully & Wonderfully Made!

2010-09-29T07:03:00.000-04:00

I am reading a book by Dr Paul Brand and Philip Yancy published in 1980 entitled, "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made" Dr Paul, a surgeon, takes you on a fascinating journey of the various body systems and their complex orchestrations that somehow enable the heart to beat without rest. He explains, in layman's terms, how even the smallest part of my body has a place and a purpose and lends itself to the wholeness of who I am. That all by itself is worth the read but then Dr Paul delves further and parallels this to the Body of Christ. Wow! I have gotten so many revelations from this book that have truly blessed my soul!

This morning I pondered about all the various "Miracle Products" on the market designed to make you everything you ever wanted to be! Smarter! Slimmer! Fuller hair! Tighter skin! Whiter teeth! Flat Abs! Smaller pores! More energy! Better sleep! Improved memory! Whew! The list is endless. Many of these products boast that their product alone will make all the difference in your life. What a selling point! Here's the one thing I can do that will make it all better. Sold! But after reading Dr Paul's book, I realize that there really is no one thing that will do that for us. Our wholeness is dependent upon a variety of experiences: nutritious food, rest, relationships, touch, spiritual nurturing, fresh air, sunshine, laughter.... it's never going to be in one pill or potion.

Artificial substitutes can never replace the harmonious components that create health, strength and a zest for life. Want more energy? Put down that little bottle of happy juice you've been chugging and go to bed at a decent hour. Drink more water. Eat food that still as some life in it. Go for a walk and breathe deeply the fresh air and sunshine provided everyday for free! You'll be amazed at how your body will respond at finally getting something it can use. I don't claim to understand it but it's amazing how the body can heal itself when you give it what it needs. Fearfully and wonderfully made?

You'd better believe it!

HAPPY FRIDAYS!

2010-07-23T07:34:00.000-04:00

Did you wake up this morning and say, "Thank God it's Friday!"?

Does that phrase translate to: "It's finally the end of the week! I can relax, have some time to myself and do me!" Now if that's what you really do...wonderful! But if your weekends are filled with laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, running errands, etc when does your "Me" time kick in? An hour and a half at the nail salon on Saturday and a two hour nap on Sunday afternoon is not what I had in mind!

For those of you whose schedules and/or family responsibilities limit your ability to have an entire weekend for yourself to kick back and relax, I suggest carving a little "Friday" out of each day for yourself. Your body has amazing built in restorative capabilities but without proper nurturing, your body's "restore" switch will go on the fritz and you become a walking bunch of nerves and some poor soul will inevitably step on the wrong one! So, before that last nerve gets abused, sit down and create a list of at least 10 "Mini Spa Moments" that you can fit into your daily routine to refresh yourself. You can't give your best to anyone if you feel frazzled most of the time. Symptoms of stress include feeling overwhelmed, not sleeping well even though you're bone tired, irritable and snappy, brain fog, low energy, and a chronic desire to stop the world and get off! Can anybody relate?!

To help you jump start your spa list, here are few of mine.

Aromatherapy. I am absolutely in love with Bath and Body Works orange and ginger lotion! Several times a day I will slather it on my hands while taking a series of deep restorative breaths. Even when I'm teaching, I can slip away into my office and do this. Time: 1 minute or less
Sunshine Breaks. I work in an environment with no windows so getting out once or twice a day for a quick 5 minute stroll is very rejuvenating not to mention the added bonus of burning a few calories. Time: 10 minutes or less (I built in some minutes in case you work on the 20th floor!)
Snack time. Remember that from your elementary school days? Prepare "Power Snacks" at home and bring them to work with you in snack bags. Peanut butter on half a bagel, raisins and nuts, dry high fiber cereal mixed with tangy craisins, (dried cranberries - they are delicious!) fruit & vegetables, orange slices, strawberries, celery, carrot sticks - you get the idea. No junk food allowed. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and a couple of snacks a day will keep your energy levels up and help you lose weight. Time: 10 minutes. Savor your snack. Chew slowly. No inhaling allowed!
Water and bathroom break. Are you guilty of "holding" yourself before taking the time to go to the restroom. For goodness sake, you are not too busy to use the bathroom! When you let some water out, put some water in. Carry four 16 oz bottles of water with you daily and consume them throughout the day. Bring home empty bottles! I'm not particular when it comes to water, I fill mine from the tap but if you have a water preference, buy it and keep it on hand. Time: 5 minutes several times a day Hint: you should get up from your desk at least once every 2 hours to stretch and get some water.

Now for any of you who are thinking, "This spa stuff is going to eat into my day." Let me tell you, taking these little moments for yourself will actually make your working time more productive. I dare you to simply try it and then see how much more you're able to accomplish in a day. By the time Friday rolls around, you're not dragging the floor ready to pass out until Monday!

Today's Challenge:

Allow yourself 2 spa moments today. Use mine or come up with your own, but give yourself a real break and celebrate Friday... everyday!

Who Me? Couldn't Be!

2010-07-22T15:50:00.000-04:00

Whew! I just recognized something that an uncle of mine had been trying to get me to see over 25 years ago and I absolutely resisted it and was even offended by his charge: He called me gullible!

I didn't think I was gullible. That was the same as calling me stupid. If I had just taken the time to look up the word maybe I would have been able to understand what he was trying to get across to me. Well, today I did look up the word and Lord have mercy, the light bulb of knowledge came on. Here's what I found…

A gullible person would be someone who is:

• Naive and easily deceived or tricked because of being too trusting

• Tendency to believe too readily and therefore to be easily deceived, fooled, duped, or cheated

• The quality of readily believing information, truthful or otherwise, usually to an absurd extent

I had to take a deep breath and acknowledge that, yes, I have been gullible and a big part of how I kept falling into that same gullible trap was because I thought I was smart enough to know some things and didn't have to ask the advice of others. When I was ready to make a decision I didn't want to prolong the process by asking other people what they thought; especially if I had already thought long and hard on the matter and had come to my own conclusions and was ready to act upon them. I figured to talk to anyone at that point was simply opening a door for them to try to get me to change my mind. In fact, I viewed others, who seem to need the input of others before making decisions, as weak. But oh my goodness, I have learned the error of my ways!

The bible says that in the multitude of counselors, there is wisdom. I am finding thatby inviting the perspective of others, I 'm paving the way for an informed decision that has been viewed from various angles. When I make a decision this way I know that the pros and cons, effort and impact, motive and end results will be addressed in a more thorough fashion than I could do alone.

So what do I do with this new found revelation? Apply it to my life as I go forward!
It doesn’t mean I become this super paranoid person who suspiciously eyes everything and everyone for ulterior motives but it does mean to "slow my roll" at times and seek first the counsel of God's Word and then the input of individuals I trust and have my best interests at heart. You know, depending on the situation, I might just ask a total stranger for feedback on something just to get a truly objective response. What I won't continue to do is make important decisions in isolation. Hmmm... What do you think?

I'm Good!

2010-07-21T08:02:00.000-04:00

Know anyone who responds with that phrase for just about everything?

Want something to eat? - No thanks, I’m good!

Excuse me I didn’t mean to bump into you! - It’s alright I’m good!

Sometimes the “I’m good” blessing is bestowed upon another as in:

Excuse me for interrupting you… - It’s ok, you’re good!

Yesterday I got a “You’re good!” message from the Lord that I want to share. I was praying and discussing some things with Him and the conversation took a sudden turn. I found myself listing all my faults and sins and then coming to the conclusion that I could no longer be used by Lord. It’s one thing to have this conversation with God when you’re 20 years old but at 50, I now added my advanced years as the straw that the broke the camel’s back and figured, “I’m done!” But the Lord responded to my eulogy in a surprising manner. He asked, “What’s an OEM?” I had to switch gears and think. OEM? I remembered that from somewhere. Oh! Original Equipment Manufacturer! I sat up in my chair with expectancy. Where was the Lord going with this?

He asked another question: So if you were a car, with no wheels, could the OEM fix you up?

I scowled a little, “Sure.” What did this have to do with anything?

The Lord continued. If you showed up with no wheels, a bad starter and leaking oil pan; would that be a problem for the OEM?

“Nooo…. “ I started off slowly. “But…” The Lord lovingly cut me off. “Would you still be a car?”

I heaved a sigh. “Yes, I’d still be a car…. And I guess what you’re trying to get me to see is the OEM could repair me.”

I could practically see God cheesing from heaven with His next words, “So, since you’re still a car, you can finish the work that was assigned to you as a car, right?” A slow grin formed on my lips. Leave it to the Lord to speak to me in “my language” which is very visual.

“Ok Lord, let me get this straight. You’re saying no matter how many bumps in the road of life I hit, no matter how many dents and dings I may sustain, the OEM (You) can fix me up so I can continue with my assignment. Since what you created me to be hasn’t change; my assignment hasn’t changed! I can still accomplish my purpose in life!

The Lord didn’t say anything but I could feel His contented presence purring like a kitten in my spirit. I sat silent enjoying the moment. Then a startling thought came to me. “Lord! If I take myself off of my assignment, I’d really be miserable trying to do something else for the rest of my life just because I didn’t feel worthy to do what you created me to do. I looked up and spread my hands, “How many people do that?” The giddiness I had just experienced was replaced by a burden to pray for those who would sentence themselves to doing something other than what they were created to do.

Are you one of those people?

If your response is: “No, not me. I’m good!” Great! But if you just hung your head in conviction, then my response to you is:

“Check out your OEM instructions. They haven’t changed no matter what you’ve done! The Lord is waiting on you to come in for a service check and whatever OEM repairs you require so you can get back to being and doing what you were born to do!”

Come on, say it with me… “I’m still good!”