Overboard!

Have you ever got angry with yourself for carrying around things from your past; failures, guilt, regret, frustrations or fears? Some of those might be things you’re dealing with today. You wake up one morning and realize the bag of guilt-ridden bricks you’ve been hauling over your shoulder for years is beginning to cut into your flesh…leaving even more wounds.

For some of us, I suppose, the bag of guilt is our comfort. It’s all we know. It is our identity. Who would we be without it?

A few years ago Pastor Tom taught out of Acts 27 “The Shipwreck”. The ship that Paul is on inherits some trouble at sea. The crew, in their fear, made a couple poor decisions and the ship ended up in an even more compromising situation. They eventually stopped trying and gave in to the strong winds. Difficulties caused them to give up.

Jumping quite ahead here the storm continued to rage so they dropped several anchors and just waited and hoped for the best. They would come to find land one morning, a coastline that could be seen from the ship. The only way to get there would be to get rid of the anchors. They certainly wanted out of the storm and off that ship! In verse 40 it says, “So they cut off the anchors and left them in the sea.” I remember Pastor Tom saying along with this verse “release what bonds you”.

I have anchored myself for years over past failures, only to add more anchors for present failures. But it gets me nowhere, literally! If I’m trapped and stagnant because I choose to harbor and hold onto the past then I am not living fully the life God intended me to live.

Daily I have to choose to let go. It’s a flesh battle! I don’t want anchors holding me back. I want freedom to live in Christ. I want freedom to live for Christ and not myself.

So friends, do you have a bag of bricks to drop off the side of a mountain? How about anchors that need to be cut? It comes down to faith. Anchoring ourselves down says to God we don’t trust Him. Do you trust Him?

Lets Get Serious

So I have been frequenting Friendly Christians Blog. He used to be "From His Pen" and had very good reason and cause to change his title. He explains it here. Anyways...Since Friendly Christian started this week it has received quite a bit attention! I mean A LOT! The Friendly Atheists Blog inspired Bill to start FC. So you probably get a good idea just from that what it's about.

But I encourage you to go check it out...really! It has raised so many different emotions and feelings in me as I read comment after comment on questions like, "Does the word "Christian" make your stomach turn?" Much of the comments are heart breaking, confusing, thought provoking, and very convicting. I think it's great to look, think and go outside our bubbles and see into the thoughts of those who want nothing to do with our bubbles! Please take time to visit FC...Tell me, and Bill, what you think...

Distracted? Ooooo, look at the bird!

Have you ever felt like God is miles out there and out of reach? I’ve heard it said often, “I feel like God is so far away”. I’ve learned what causes at least me to feel that way…I get too distracted.

Let’s face it, there will always be distractions. Ourselves, impressions we make, or don’t make, our appearance, accomplishments, possessions and failures just to name a few. Then others and their appearance, accomplishments, possessions and failures can also be a distraction. I’ve been diverted by all of these and more. I get frustrated when I realize how distracted I’ve truly become. So I’ll find myself feeling required to lock myself in a room to pray and regain my ground.

I sit and begin the “effort”. Before long I am quickly distracted, usually by a child or a ringing phone. I feel a combination of irritation and relief as I tend to the matter. Then I find my way back and begin again. I say, “Lord, I’m back”, and then it hits me like a ton of bricks… “I feel like God is so far away?!” I laugh as I repeat myself once again…”I’M back!” I pick myself up off the floor after being pelted by this revelation that God isn’t far away, He hasn’t gone anywhere! It’s me who’s been doing the running, entertaining all my distractions and even sometimes hiding.

Can an Omni-present God ever leave? How far away can He really be? Could it possibly be me, a mere mortal who loves and accepts upon condition, who is very self focused by nature, is it me who is so far away? Yet God is so patient to wait for me. Psalm 46:10 says “Be still and know that I am God”. Often times it takes a crisis for me to be still. How sad that God isn’t the only tenant of my heart. How sad that I allow the temporal to override the Eternal. And yet He stays, does not move, does not change. He patiently waits for me to jump my biggest obstacle, not distractions, but myself.

Keeping it real

My man wrote a post today that really got to me! He quoted something from a book he is currently reading by Irwin McManus. It says, "God formed us in his image and then breathed life into us. God's life in us is sustained by character. When we lose the character of God, we lose the life of God in us. But to have his character, we must first die to ourselves, because to become like Him is what it means to really live."

Wow..."When we lose the character of God, we lose the life of God in us". Let that twirl in your mind for a bit. What do you think about that? How does that affect you?

It reminded me of a poem from Marianne Williamson. Now I know she is a New Age-y gal but this particular writing from her has so many truths that I wanted to share it with you all...

Our Deepest Fear

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?” Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

So how does this speak to you?

I am willing - but not

This afternoon as I sat in a meeting that I barely had time for, didn't find out about until yesterday, struggling to pay attention, when one question posed caught my ear and convicted me immediately. Question: What am I not willing to do that the Lord is asking of me? Doh!

I have pondered this in my head all day and have come to a realization. It would take less time to state what I AM willing to do than what I AM NOT willing to do. Is that pathetic or what? Maybe it's just where I am at today, but maybe not. But here I tried to balance the two...

I am willing to hear God - but not always willing to listen
I am willing to seek God - but not always willing to be found
I am willing to surrender - but not always entirely
I am willing to serve - but not always unselfishly
I am willing to sacrifice - but not always everything
I am willing to trust - but not always believe
I am willing to risk it all for Him - but not always...

I guess I'm willing to be honest....How about you?