ENCOURAGE YOURSELF

This week, I felt like I faltered a bit in my faith.  Despite all that God has done for me, I felt overcome with anxiety and fear.   These feelings worked like an ancient dark elixir sapping my joy and my vitality.  I felt so agitated that a few times while I worked, I had to actually get up from my desk and actively encourage myself.  Picture me walking around my home office in a Hello Kitty kimono reciting the following Principles aloud.

Principles:

1. To know God is to love God.  
2. And to love God is to trust God.  
3. And to trust God is to rely on God.  
4. And to rely on God is to live without anxiety or fear.  
5. And a life without fear or anxiety is a happy life.

Reciting these Principles helped me to calm down so that I was in a position to quietly reflect on why I was so anxious.  

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4: 6-7

It turned out that I was anxious because I was fearful that God had not heard my most recent Prayer for assistance.  For 5 years, I have prayed for help to for a specific issue.  Yet, God had not moved.  In my mind, I was running out of time. 

When I finally got quiet and began to reflect on God and how He has moved in my life, I began to relax because I began to see a pattern. 

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.  Philippians 4: 6-7

In the past, whenever I have asked God for seemingly impossible things, He has moved in a very particular way.  In my experience, God uses every situation, good and bad, to improve my character, endurance, ability to love and knowledge of Him.  In other words, every situation I face is used by God for the purpose of making me more like Christ Jesus, the ultimate example of a spirit filled man.

No matter what I place on my Prayer List, I must remember that God is more interested in the journey to obtain the goal than about the actual goal itself.  Yes, God will answer prayer.  But, the process will not always be pretty or pleasant.  The lesson that I get from this journey of Life is that If you trust God and His way, you will not only reach your goal but you will become a better person in the process.

This means that if I pray asking God to heal my leg that was broken in 3 places so that I could not only walk without a limp but I would be able to dance in heels, God will do it.  And in the process God will take me on a journey to learn discernment, patience, forgiveness, joy and eventually healing.

If I pray asking to be approved for a home equity loan despite student loan debt, I will eventually get the loan, but the process may take 2 years during which time, I learn how to streamline my business, improve my credit score and save for my retirement.

God is a healer and a “way maker.”  But, his methods are not for the timid.  Instead, God’s methodologies will yank you out of your comfort zone; and stretch your resolve, your love ethic, your faith and your courage. 

I encourage you to follow God’s precepts come what may because when the dust settles, you will be a stronger, better YOU!

It is a promise, darling.

Relax, It's Magic!

I believe in magic.  I believe that a spark exists in all of us that when cultivated can spur us on to do great, noble, wonderful things despite hurdles, counter forces and popular opinion.  The magic I speak of is not Disney branded magic, it is not ushered in by a clicking of “ruby slippers”.  This magic does not emanate from a “Fellowship of the Ring” nor is it properly described as “the Force.”  Though my name is not Harry Potter, I see/feel/wield magic all around me.  

There is magic in Christianity.  There is good and evil.  There is sorcery, miraculous healing, battles to the death.  There is intrigue and resurrection and super natural power that takes the form of the most unlikely characters.

Each of us are lead characters in our own saga.  We like all super heroes/heroines are given supernatural gifts at birth from an all Powerful Force.  We like all supers must cultivate these gifts through study, training, and mentorships with other great warriors.  After our training we are set up to face a series of tests that grow in difficulty.  Sometimes we get wounded so badly that we have to retreat.  Other times we barely defeat the Evil One - appearing so bruised at the final battle scene that we can hardly stand.

What I know is that no matter the test, my God has already ensured that I will win- meaning I will learn what I need to learn to move up a little higher in my development.  My only job is to train diligently, try my best, remain obedient to the Principals of God, and discipline myself to spend daily quiet time with God to be refreshed, renewed and ready to meet the next challenge.

We don’t have to look to Hollywood for our next adventure.  We are the heroine/hero of this Epic Life Story and we have all we need to triumph!  

Ephesians 6:10-18

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.