Are You Available?

Most of us feel like there is something more. We feel like we are called to do greater things than we are currently doing. That we should be making more of an impact on this world. Is this you? Do you struggle with God’s plan for you? Do you just want to know what it is that He would have you do? Or do you know what it is, but have no idea how to move forward? Or do you know the what and how but you are unsettled by His timing because you feel like you are in a holding pattern?

If you are stalled or unsure, first understand that those feelings are natural and part of the process. Secondly, ask yourself – Am I really available? Are you willing to surrender your will and your expectations to His will and plan for your life? Are you willing to take that step in faith for Him and His calling on your life?

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here I am . Send me!” – Isaiah 6:8

Do you have Isaiah’s availability and willingness to take that first step, completely trusting His plan and path?

If you are anything like me, you want to be. But you fight a battle of “what ifs” with every thought of availability. So, doubt creeps in and your confidence disappears. Instead of “Here I am. Send me!” Our response is more like, “Here I am, what do you have in mind and if that fits into my plan, I am in.” And this does not work. This is where you stall. But the fix is simple; dig in, spend more time in the Word, truly ask God for guidance, and then do the hardest part, listen. He will show you your next step. But, your obedience is up to you. Your availability is up to you.

A Clear Message

I start every day with prayer and quiet time, expecting God to speak to me and show me words, thoughts, and/or direction for that day.  Most days the message that He is trying to convey is pretty clear.  Some days, like today, He hits me in the face with a baseball bat.  Usually this is through repetition or just an overwhelming feeling that has no other explanation.  Today it was both.

I have explained this before but usually I rely on my daily devotional and daily Bible readings for inspiration for what I write that day.  Today is no different.  But I want to break this process down a little differently to show you how loudly He is speaking this message to me.  Today I had five different sources to read.  Below the message are the versus, in order, that were given to me. I am pretty sure you will see where I got the message.  

I am going to keep this short and sweet because He is literally telling me to keep my mouth shut.  But I don’t think this message is just for me.  I think God is telling me that in this time of extreme darkness, death, and destruction – He is with us and we need to guard our words.  I think God is saying that we need a little less talk and a lot more action.  Instructive and constructive words – instead of hopelessness and bitterness.  He wants us to grieve differently than the rest of the world.  He wants us to do so with hope.  Lean on Him for hope and use that to turn into action for revelation inspired change.

So today I want to challenge you to speak only encouraging and inspiring words.  Do something kind for someone that isn’t just like you.  And lean on God for comfort, strength, and direction.

“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13

“Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” Psalms 141:3

“Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.” Proverbs 17:28

“The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction” Proverbs 16:23

 “Even though I walk through the darkest valley I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they will comfort me.” Psalms 23:4

Job 42

If you haven’t read the book of Job, I encourage you to read it. Especially given today’s social climate in the US. Seriously, read it… I will wait. But before you go – read all of it. Don’t stop before the end. As painful as Job’s situation is, keep reading. Because the last eight verses are the best part, but you cannot appreciate the wonderful ending without enduring the pain of the first forty-one chapters.

Job was a man that has really been through it. We read forty-one chapters of pleading with God, almost arguing with God about the trials Job faced. He lost everything and everyone. On the brink of death and full of suffering, Job’s friends try to convince him that he has sinned beyond repair and the God has forsaken him. Yet, Job’s faith does not waiver. He stays committed to worshiping God. It is really a painful and cringe worthy forty-one chapters of back and forth that leaves you hurting for Job and his struggles.

Then, in chapter forty-two, Job’s faith and repentance is rewarded with a latter part of life blessed far greater than the former part (before he lost everything). He was rewarded with twice as much, in fact. Job lived long enough to see four generations beyond his children, and died a wealthy man full of years. And given the pain and suffering that he endured, I guarantee Job died grateful for each blessing.

Every life has a calling. Every generation has a turning point. In a time that may seem like we are being pummeled with political unrest, a world wide pandemics, and social injustices – maybe these are the pain and suffering that we must endure. Maybe this is our rock bottom. Maybe this is what will cause us to fall to our knees. And maybe while we are there we will realize that this is the position that summons all of the strength we need. While we are in this position, we can pray to the only One who can bless this mess.

We will not always understand the path that God paves for us. We may never understand the obstacles and trials that we encounter along His path. We may question Him throughout our journey. But we can be assured that, if we stay faithful and connected, the destination with be worth every single step.

I believe we are in the midst of a revelation. And while I wish that nobody had to suffer for us to realize the solution, I am grateful for their sacrifice. Just like the book of Job – we have had to endure forty-one chapters of pain and suffering. But if we dig in and stay faithful though this trial – chapter forty-two will be the blessing that God has created for His children, and that will be better than we can ever imagine.

Start by Listening

Often, especially when there is an important conversation, we focus our attention on trying to find the right words to contribute to the conversation. We are drawn by the importance of saying the right thing at the right time. Maybe we think that we have to say these words to seem engaged in the conversation, to show we care or are involved. Maybe we think we have to say these words because it is critical that our voice be heard. Whatever the reason, often times we are more focused on formulating our thoughts than we are on listening to the thoughts and voice of others. In this format a conversation is rarely genuine or productive. People feeling like they are not being heard is a great source of frustration and anger. The first step toward compassion is understanding.

We should strive to listen more. Instead of formulating our next thought, lets focus on the thought being conveyed to us by the other people in the conversation. Instead of hunting for the right words, hang on their words. Instead of trying to prove a point, try to understand their perspective. People feeling like they are not being heard is a great source of frustration and anger. The first step toward compassion is understanding. If you really want to show you care, if you really want to have the conversation, if you really want to start the momentum of change – start by listening.

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19)

You are Called

You are called to do greater things.

I don’t know where you are in this world, or in your walk with God. But I know He has a plan for you and is currently exposing to you a step along that path. It may not be what you hoped for or envisioned for yourself. It may not feel like the timing is right or the situation is safe. But you have something between a slight inclination and a strong pull to do something that has been on your heart for sometime. I want to encourage you to investigate that urge. If you aren’t clear on what He is pulling you to, ask Him. Spend time in His Word, and be still – expecting an answer. But before you do any of this – praise Him – if for no other reason, but for the breath He provides for that praise (Psalms 150:6).

This answer may not be a huge surprise. You might just get confirmation that you are called by Him to do something you’ve known you were going to do all of your life. And if this is your situation, congratulations – that clarity is a gift, be grateful. But be warned, just because the clarity is there now, it may not always be. You will face great opposition and you will need to rely on His strength to persevere. It’s part of the design.

On the other hand, you may be struggling right out of the gate. Confused by His answer, by your calling. It may seemingly make no sense to you. It may be clear where you are being called but you have no idea how to get there. Or you may be pulled clearly toward your next step, but have no idea where it may lead. Often times, God will show us the mountain top or the path – but rarely will he expose both at the same time. Having experienced this myself, I can tell you that with every step in obedience, another step is revealed in His timing, but not before you step in obedience.

Whether you are gifted clarity or gifted mystery – your journey to and through your calling will not be easy. You will face opposition. You will face trials. You will face the opportunity to be Esau and give up a lifetime of promise for a chance at instant gratification, or to be Jacob and delay your gratification but fulfill your calling and have great impact for God’s Kingdom. Don’t give up a life time of substance for a quick meal (Hebrews 12:16). Stay connected to God and through that relationship your trials will become victories and another step down His path.

Your trials may not just be difficult obstacles, you will also encounter negative and discouraging people. Every dream has doubters. And there will be a lot of noise from those who aren’t understanding or in agreement with God’s calling on your life. Put them out of the room. Do not misconstrue my advice here. I am in no way saying that you should remove people from your life and stop caring for them. That is the opposite of what Jesus teaches. But what I am saying is, remove them from your circle of influence. We all have a handful of people in our lives that we rely on heavily for guidance and influence. If you do not know who these people are in your life, spend some time doing an inventory, they are there. They are the ones that if you were to disappoint them – it would crush you. If they congratulated you – you would feel on top of the world. These are your influencers. And if your influencers are not supportive, constructive, caring, and positive, put them out of room. Care about them, but do not allow them to have influence on your life’s calling. They are just noise that confuses the mission, and you must focus. Follow Jesus’ lead on this. He had no problem removing the noise to accomplish the mission (Mark 5:39-40).

The weight of a calling can be frightening. The feeling that it is so important that you have to be sure and do it perfectly can be paralyzing. And if this is where you are currently, or you get to this point in the future, you may not be ready. And that is okay. This is where you hit pause and regroup by praying, reading, and listening. Because all of the power that you need is inside you. He will not call you to something He will not walk you through. But you have to stay connected. So if you are feeling weak and alone, call on His strength before moving forward. His Spirit is there, always.

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

If you have any questions or comments – please reach out to me through a comment below or on the contact page. I would love to hear your story and help where I can.

Thank you for reading!

Don’t Take the Easy Road

It seems like we are all always up in arms about something. We are quick to be offended, quick to feel disrespected, and quick to fire back to defend ourselves. When we fire back, our “adversaries” are quick to be offended, quick to feel disrespected, and quick to fire back to defend themselves. And so the cycle goes. The situation escalates, and eventually the relationship ends or never even gets started.

But what if there is a better way? The interaction looks very different if one participant simply says, “I am sorry that I offended you. We may not agree, but I see your point and respect your opinion.” Instead of stirring up anger, be gentle in your answer (Proverbs 15:1). Instead of being foolishly quick to respond, try patience and understanding (Proverbs 14:29). Instead of being offended, show the wisdom to be patient and forgiving (Proverbs 19:11).

If their words offend you, show them kindness and His Word will comfort you.
If their actions hurt you, show them patience and His actions will heal you.
If their opinion differs from yours, show them compassion and His favor will be on you.
What do you have to lose by trying God’s way?

If you are not sure how to change your heart and react with patience and compassion, there is truly only one Way to garner the strength to make a change this significant – turn to God. Study His word and let it live in you and He will change your heart (John 15:7). It isn’t easy. And for most of us, unfortunately, it goes against our natural tendencies. But the alternative battles aren’t easy either – and I can assure you the work toward kindness and patience yields far better returns. Don’t take the easy road.

Be gentle. Be patient. Be kind.

**On a side note – today’s writing is living proof of God’s presence in my life. The four Bible versus referenced above are from four different sources, the same sources I have been reading for weeks. The devotionals I read are not from the same Author. They aren’t even from the same era. They are either random books that were given to me or daily verses from random Bible plans. Rarely are two of these sources in the same Bible book on any given day. Let alone, three being in the book of Proverbs – all of which are centered around avoiding anger with gentle patience and kindness. As different and unconnected as the sources are, my powerful God threaded them together for a clear and direct message to me. And I am honored He chose me to share it with you. If you enjoyed it – or are as amazed by the way God is working – share this with someone. Pick the first person or venue that comes to your mind – because that is Him telling you who needs it.

Thank you for reading.

Change the World

I cannot shake this feeling of sadness and despair with the state of our country. I have found myself getting angry as well. I am angry at the way some people are responding. I am angry at the way some people are not responding. I am angry that I cannot safely do more. I am angry that the good stories and progress are being overshadowed by the terrible stories and hatred.

Like I wrote in yesterday’s post, one of the few things that we can control in every situation is our response. And each ill intended or ill informed response perpetuates the cycle of hatred.

I had several young adults tell me yesterday that they were frightened to leave their house and upset by what was going on in our country. I shared with them that I believe there are people their age all over this country that have lived with that fear their entire lives. Neither should happen. Several of them wanted to withdrawal because the negativity was too much to handle. But Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:39 “do not resist an evil person”. I encouraged them to spread their love instead and continue shining their light, because someone may need it.

Our local church had an outdoor worship event planned last night to celebrate Pentecost. And while the event was a wonderful time of fellowship, praise and prayer – we had to cut it short because of a locally imposed curfew due to violence associated with protests in our area.

I woke up this morning to more news of violence on both sides of this battle. I was brought to tears by some of the videos and haunted by some of the images.

While I know none of my experiences or inconveniences remotely compare to the injustice that many of God’s children have to endure – it does show that all of us are impacted. We cannot sit back and think this is not our problem. We cannot ignore it like someone else is going to handle it. But what do we do?

We turn to God.

It never ceases to amaze me that when I am troubled or I am seeking answers to a problem, how God reveals His answers and guidance at just the right time. I am currently reading four daily devotionals – a lot for me but I love all four books and cannot choose between them. Below are the four verses from the devotionals today in order:

John 8:12
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Romans 12:14
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”

Matthew 5:38-48
summarized as Jesus’ teaching on having love for your enemies – but please read it all.

Colossians 4:2
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

There is our answer. Follow Jesus and never walk in darkness. Pray for and bless those who persecute you. Love your enemies, do not resist them, and devote yourselves to prayer with gratitude.

Pray with me and change the world with me.

Love God. Love Others – all Others.

We have to DO better

I am very troubled by what I see in our Country today. It’s not new, but maybe that is what is so troubling. I am troubled by the injustice, the hatred, the anger, the violence and the lack of caring and compassion. Our Country is in the midst of emerging from months of isolation and quarantine from a global pandemic. And we move right from our houses where we were sheltered in place and right into the streets to protest racial violence and injustice- in some cases these protests turn into more racial violence and injustice. It seems like everyone has gone from being “stuck” inside – to being forced to pick a side.

There is a problem in our Country. If you haven’t been a victim be grateful, but do not deny that it exists. I am fortunate to have never experienced racism personally. However, I have witnessed the ugliness of hatred. And it is clear to me that just because it isn’t my experience does not mean that it isn’t real. If we can be compassionate enough to SEE from other perspectives, hatred and anger might not be our first response. If we could have meaningful discussions and debates, instead of heated arguments full of degrading commentary we could inspire great change in this Country. We cannot always control our situation or our encounters, but we can always control how we respond.

Our law enforcement agencies, just like any other company or organization, need to do a better job of making sure that hatred is not tolerated. Covering it up or excusing it perpetuates the hatred.

When injustice happens, the culprits must be held accountable accordingly. But by blaming and acting out against a group (such as all law enforcement) because of the injustice by a few – the response perpetuates the hatred.

When protests are met with anger instead of compassion and an open ear, the response perpetuates the hatred.

I have intentionally left out Bible references today. You can pick just about any verse and God’s Word will speak to this situation, or how poorly we are responding.

We have to GET better. We have to BE better. We have to DO better.


Love God – And Love Others

Choose God

We live in unprecedented and uncertain times. We are in our third month of a worldwide pandemic. Over 5 million cases and over 330,000 deaths to date. And while the numbers continue to rise at an alarming pace in the US, most states are beginning to relax mandatory closures and imposed restrictions. Most of us are looking forward to some normalcy, some face to face interaction, and, most certainly, some economic recovery. But there is still an extremely high risk, the virus has not been contained and there is no vaccine. Worry and anxiety are common.

I have friends and acquaintances that are obsessed with following every headline and news story related to the virus and it’s impacts. They watch the news non-stop and you can definitely see the impact of that constant negativity on their lives. The dwell in it and in turn, it dwells in them. Most of their fears and concerns are legitimate, but the power that fear has over their lives is paralyzing. Some of their complaints are based in reality, they are truly being impacted personally by the virus and it’s effects. But some of their complaints are a form of following a negative trend. Negativity is contagious, and while they are free of COVID19 symptoms, the negativity virus has completely infected their well being.

For me this negativity is hard to reconcile. I know, without a doubt, that constant complaints and negativity are not what God wants for our lives. In fact, it angers Him (Numbers 11:1). But I do compassionately understand their fear and concern. And, if I am going to be honest, if this pandemic would have hit our world just two years ago, I would probably be curled up in the fetal position completely paralyzed with fear and anxiety.

So, what has changed? My trust and faith in God. I know that I do not need to worry, because the Creator of everything has a plan (John 14:1), and He is a good and powerful God. Now, does this mean that I should ignore the news and live oblivious of the world around me? No. But instead of watching the news, I should just check the news. Does this mean that I can throw caution to the wind and do anything and everything that I want to, knowing that God will make everything ok in the end? No. Absolutely not. But I know, that if I continue to seek a relationship with Him and obey Him, the path that I take will be the path He created for me. Whatever that path might be, it will be good and righteous. The same God that has brought me to this point in my life will be with me until the end and He will be my guide (Psalms 48:14). Whatever He leads me to and through, I will be grateful for His grace and mercy. I will give thanks to Him and I will strive to bring Him glory in whatever I do or say (Colossians 3:17). And that helps me combat negativity, fear, and doubt, especially in these very strange times.

I am going to choose to worship instead of worry. I am going to choose my faith over my fear. I am going to choose to voice compassion instead of complaints. I am going to choose to love instead of lose my mind. Quite simply, I choose God.

Be Fulfilled

Many of us find ourselves chasing fulfillment. Christians and non-believers alike. We are looking for that person, place, or thing that makes us feel happy, that makes us feel complete. And this uncontrollable desire for fulfillment often leads to unrest and discontentment in our lives. When we seek fulfillment in other people we might find a temporary euphoric satisfaction, but over time we are always disappointed. When we seek satisfaction by acquiring stuff, it is never enough.

Don’t get me wrong, I like stuff as much as the next guy. In fact, I have gained, used, traded, shared, given and lost more stuff than any person could possibly need in a lifetime. I will no doubt continue my utilization and enjoying of stuff. And there is nothing wrong with that, because I no longer expect the stuff to be the source of my contentment. Also, I will be the first person to encourage people to find friends that bring them joy. I can also attest, first hand, to the countless benefits and warmth found in finding and maintaining true love with the one God has prepared for you. There is no better feeling in this world than looking into her eyes and knowing she feels for you the endless love you feel for her. No doubt about it, that is a gift from God. However, if you expect another person to make you whole or to fulfill your every need and desire, you will eventually resent them for not being able to achieve an impossible role. It is an unfair expectation and will lead to disappointment, every single time.

There is only one relationship that can make you whole, make you feel content, protect you, and fulfill you. That can only be accomplished by our God, the creator of everything. And He will pursue you, in fact, He will never stop pursuing you. He will knock at your door many times, but it is up to you to let Him in (Revelation 3:20). He will meet you where ever you are. He will rescue you, He will test you, He will warn you, and He will speak to you. Will you listen? (Psalms 81:7-8)

One thing that I find interesting is that many of us are completely comfortable pushing and striving – chasing fulfillment when we think it is more money, finding true love, faster car, bigger house, smarter kids, or better job. Our society tells us that that drive is honorable ambition. Yet, when it comes to our relationship with God, we aren’t nearly as comfortable making the effort. Yes, we hear the sermons and we logically know that we must pursue a relationship with God. We might even say a prayer before we eat or go to bed. But what if we put the same effort, or even half the effort, in pursuing, worshiping, and pleasing God as we do trying to obtain more stuff? It is true, He will pursue us, and that is how we meet Him. But to truly know Him, the ball is in our court.
The Bible tells us to ask, seek, and knock (Matthew 7:7-8). There are purposely three levels to the pursuit we are supposed to undertake. Most of us get stuck in the Ask stage. We bow our heads and ask for the things we want, usually very general and basic requests. Or we just throw up ‘prayer flares’ where we bargain with God by saying – if you give me x, I will never do y or z again. I am not discounting these prayers, because I do not believe there is a wrong way to pray. However, I do believe that prayer is meant to be relational instead of transactional. I do not think God wants your grocery list. I think He wants to have a conversation with you and ultimately a relationship with you.

Some of us realize that relationships cannot be one way, and we advance past the ask stage. We truly want to know God so we start enter the Seek stage. We start listening, really listening, to our Sunday sermons and we even start reading the Word on our own. We start personalizing our prayers and praising Him instead of just placing our orders. This is where many of us start to feel His presence in our lives. Some may be content here. But others catch on fire and really start to pursue Him further.

The Knock stage is where we really start to listen to God directly. Now, I have never heard his thundering voice or even an audible whisper, but I can tell you without a doubt, that God has spoken to me. It happens in many ways. He will show me a specific scripture, present a person at just the right time, or simply put a seemingly random thought in my mind that turns out to be an answer I was seeking. For me the knock stage has been becoming aware of His interaction with me in these ways. I still struggle with recognition on a daily basis. Often only realizing it was Him in hindsight. But I am learning to pay attention to the “coincidences” and trying to tune in to what He is showing me through them. With each realization and conversation, I feel a sense of wholeness. Confirmation that I am walking in the righteous path that He is paving. Fulfilled.

You see, ambition and the drive to get better or have more is not bad or evil. But we also have to be careful not to misguide that ambition. We need to strive for the right reasons, realizing what is our fuel and recognizing the source of our accomplishments. For many of us it is a complete paradigm shift. We have to change our perspective from being a self-serving consumer. It may seem completely backwards to most of us, but to truly live a greater life, to really feel accomplishment, we must have the mind of a servant. Many of us have an worldly view of the word servant – we almost relate it to slavery. But in truth being a servant really means caring for others. Put others concerns and cares above yours. To be first, you must be last – a servant to all (Mark 9:35).

We are born to strive for greater. And our Biblical mission is clear: Love God and Love others. Remember that Love is a verb and not a feeling. Our relationship with God –loving Him– is our only true source of contentment and our serving of others through His work –loving others– is our only true source of fulfillment.