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Purpose

2015 has been quite a year already. One aspect of this year is the overwhelming sense of expediency. As I shared with a friend this past week, it feels like I need to start doing something significant….something greater than what I have been.

In my 29 years on earth – I wonder if I have done anything of significance in this world. I don’t want to wonder anymore. I want to leave a lasting legacy. My life needs to make an impact for the kingdom…because I am not living for me, but for Him.

Why am I feeling this way this year? Is it a pre-midlife crisis? Maybe. Or it is a better understanding that I am made for more than how I was living? The greater I understand that, the greater the sense of “get it done!” becomes. What about you? Do you feel that way?

Take a deep breathe and then let it out. Were you able to do that? Do you know what that means? You have purpose. You were not created just for you, but for Him…and, essentially, for those around you. You can be the person that reach the unreachable.

Are you asking yourself if you are worthy? Well, ponder the significance of this scripture:

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. (‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3‬:‭11‬ NLT)

He has a plan and purpose for you. Have faith that, even though you may not see the full scope of it yet, you are made to do the those things He has laid out ahead of you. Do not get discouraged. Do not let the enemy tell you that you can’t do it.

You will blossom when it is time. Keep on going down the right road and don’t give up hope. God will continue to do His work in you.

Be blessed everyone!

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ NLT)

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Seasons

Right now, in Dallas, we are having a rainy, cold day.  It is winter and February is usually our coldest month.  It is just the way it usually goes.  During this month, our greatest time of purging occurs.  This cold weather doesn’t do well to the plants that like hot weather – which we have most of the year – so their foliage turns brown and things look dead.  When you think about it, this purging season actually acts like a pruning season, giving the land/plants time to rest before they need to bloom and pollinate again.

We all go through a purging/pruning season from time to time.  Friends leave, jobs end, and situations go sour.  We often pin this on the enemy, but in fact, it could be God closing a door so we can go through another.  It seems like, when we are sitting in that season, it is rough and it stings.  But, after you start to see the light again, you find rest.

Take this scripture from Leviticus 25:3-4:

“Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the LORD; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard.”

It is for our health that we go through this season as it was for the good of the vineyards.  The soil would have grown too toxic and not been fertile if the Israelites did not prune.  Sometimes situations, friends, jobs become too toxic for us and could contaminate the good work God is doing in us so He needs to give us a season of pruning.

I want to encourage you and ask you to keep the faith in your journey if you are in such a season.  God is getting ready for something great.  Just hold on and cling to Jesus.  You’ll make it and thrive!

Be blessed.

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Overcomer

This past Tuesday, January 27, 2015, marked 70 years since Auschwitz was liberated.  What happened there are unimaginable evils and proves that the human race has great power which they can use to inflict the most grotesque treatment on each other.  The survivors of this horrific event in our history always amaze me – how they have overcame and kept on going.

I was watching one of the many special reports that were on TV this week and they had one very interesting man – Michael Greenfield.  He is so inspiring in how he lives his life after Auschwitz.  This is a man who has dressed every President of the United States since Eisenhower.  His demeanor is so full of joy I am sure if you met him you would not be able to tell that he is a survivor of one of the worst genocide the modern world has seen.  There was one thing that Mr. Greenfield said that struck me – the last thing his father said to him as they parted ways when leaving the train cars was “If we don’t survive this (meaning his parents, aunts, uncles, etc), survive and live in honor of us.”  So he did…

What would have happened if Mr. Greenfield decided to just wallow in his horror and not move on?  Would he have achieved all that he did?  No, he wouldn’t.  In fact, Mr. Greenfield used this tragedy to propel him into the rest of his life. 

We all have had horrible things happen to us; it may not be at the level of Auschwitz, but horrible nonetheless.  How many times do we get stuck in wallowing and not overcoming?  Probably too many.  It is much easier to just allow things happen and react to it.  But that is not how we are to handle this life.

Bad things are going to happen – that is what occurs when sin enters the world.  But there is way more good than there is evil.  Think about this: Auschwitz is no longer an active concentration camp, but a remembrance of how good wins out over evil every time.  If you go to Poland, you can stand in the middle of the camp and witness that fact first hand.  That is on my bucket list for sure, by the way.

When we face evil in our own life, remember that good will always win.  Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”  Take courage in that promise and just keep on going.  Believe me, the momentary pain will be nothing compared to what happens after you overcome.

I am going to leave you with this scripture.  Be blessed, everyone!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.  After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. (Hebrews 12:1-4)

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Slaying Giants

The Bible is rich in wonderful stories that teach us how to walk this life out. One of my favorite characters in the word is David. His life has so many twists and turns, but His faith in God never changed.

A shepherd boy king…there is a profoundness in that statement. The image of how God will take the truly lowly and make them great should bring encouragement to us all. The anointing of God was on him and David was more than he could ever be by himself.

Let’s look at a part of the David’s story in 1 Samuel 17, where he came to bring food to his older brothers and ended up slaying a giant (let that statement permeate a minute in your spirit for a moment):

But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!” “What have I done now?” David replied. “I was only asking a question!” He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing and received the same answer. Then David’s question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him. (‭1 Samuel‬ ‭17‬:‭28-31‬ NLT)

David’s own brother didn’t want him around because he knew David’s anointing (his power and authority given to David by God) and didn’t want him to, yet again, steal his thunder – remember, David was crowned king after all his brothers were rejected. Hmmmm, how many times in our lives do some of those who are around us, our brothers and sisters in Christ, try to quiet us because they are intimidated by our anointing?

Let me just say this – if people are (1) trying to take you out, (2) talking about you behind your back or (3) doing what they can to make you seem smaller than you are – you are on the right track! The enemy (that would be the Devil, not our brothers and sisters in Christ) only wages war on people that threaten his efforts.

You want to know how best to “slay that giant?” Do everything in LOVE. No matter what others do to you, they are God’s children and deserve to be treated as such. Showing that kind of grace to those who don’t treat you well will bless you greatly. Take the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50. The grace he showed his brothers saved their lives and brought prosperity on the next generations.

I’ll leave you with this scripture:

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. (‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭1-3‬ NLT)

Be blessed everyone.

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Playa Sucia, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico

I had the privilege in 2012 to visit the beautiful island of Puerto Rico with my friend Michelle. It was an eye opening trip – life was so different there and I loved experiencing something new.

One thing about the island I loved was how beautiful the countryside is. I had the ability to see most of it because we flew into San Juan and had to drive over a lot of the island to make it to where we were going – Cabo Rojo. The tropical foliage, hills, and ocean view were all breathtaking – even from the backseat of a car.

One day, as we explored the island with Michelle’s family, we set out to see a beach named Playa Sucia. The exact translation is Dirty Beach, but there is nothing dirty about it. (See pictures below)

In order to get there, we had to drive off the beaten path…way off. There was a small road that later turned into a dirt road and, after a mile or so, I began to think we were lost. Finally, we arrived to our destination.

There was the white sand beach and the clear blue waters. It was so beautiful…life changing beautiful! As I stood there, the wind whipping around me. The smell of the sea and the sound of the waves. For a moment, it was just me and God’s creation. Nothing else existed in this world.

How many times does God take us through such a long journey down unknown, unkept roads that we wonder if, somewhere on the journey, we got lost. We start to doubt and wonder, but if we only keep going forward, the beauty that lies in store for us. So much beauty that it is life changing.

When we start heading down that path, remember Moses in the wilderness, Abraham and his many descendants, and David, the shepherd boy king. They all had points in their journey that led them down crazy paths that ultimately led to their destiny.

Never stop going forward.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬ NLT)

Be blessed, everyone!!

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Broken

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬ NLT)

As a counselor, I saw a lot of broken people. One thing I witnessed was, in the times when my clients were the most broken – God would show up in a mighty way. It was beautiful and always moved me. That is the God we serve – God is Love (1 John 4:8).

If you feel like you are broken right now – know that there is a God who loves you & is there for you. He has already carried the burdens to the Cross so He is waiting for you to hand it over to Him (1 Peter 5:7). All you need to do is fully surrender it into His Hands!

Be blessed everyone. May His peace rule your life.

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Generations

A great leader leads his family first.  My grandfather was that type of man. He was not someone who you would notice in a crowd or ask to lead a company.  No, he was not one to be in the spotlight.  But the thing he understood was the value of those around him.

This year marks 20 years since he has passed.  It is fitting – and no way ironic – that the vision for my church home is Generational Blessings.  My life has been blessed because it was set on a foundation that Milburn Brook Gann built.

It was never the big things that I remember fondly – it was the small things.  For instance, how he planted a yellow rose bush – because I have blond hair – and, every time it bloomed, he’d bring me a rose.  Or just sitting and listening to me talk as a very young child – hanging on every word.  In those seemingly small acts, he taught me my value.

He was a man of character – a man who loved God.  He set the standard for us who came after him.

So, you may be asking why do I decide to write to you about this person?  Is it to brag on him a little?  Partly, yes it is – because he deserves it.  But it is also to outline the responsibility we all play to those around us.  As my church leadership speaks on the importance of setting a great example for the next generation – I cannot think of a better example in my personal life.

To make an impact on the generations around me – I don’t need to be a successful business person or a person of great wealth.  I just need to let those around me know how valuable they are.  This could be in sincerely listening to people when they talk or tiny, yet meaningful acts of kindness or just spending quality time with someone who may need it.  It doesn’t take much to impact the world.  It just takes true effort.

I encourage you to watch your actions and understand the impact they have on others.  If small acts of kindness can make a positive act on someone that lasts a generation – so can small acts of carelessness.

Be blessed, everyone.

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Another day…

This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. (‭Psalms‬ ‭118‬:‭24‬ NLT)

This is the first full week of 2015 – a chance to start again & change some things up. One of the things that I am doing this year is making everyday count – not waisting a day to laziness. Why? Because God gave me another day!

With the world as it is, we are blessed to wake up & get another chance to make a difference. How many people do not get that chance today?

What are you going to do with that chance?

Be blessed everyone!!

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Healing – The Next Step

Healing – an essential part of life. So often, when we seek healing, it is for the physical…for sickness in our bodies in some form. Emotional healing is just as essential. Just like the physical, without it, we could die.

Unforgiveness is a poison no one needs to hold onto. Please see more on this in my post Forgive 4 U. We must not let people/situations hurt us so much that we cannot move on – that is the work of the enemy!

Healing needs to come – which begins with forgiveness. Unfortunately, there is more to it than that. After forgiveness, there still might be some pain. The emotions & the changes that occurred due to the incident(s) can be hard to swallow. Don’t give up! Don’t let the enemy steal your joy!

1 Peter 2:24 says: He Himself (Christ) bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live righteousness; by his wounds we have been healed.” (NIV). Give all these things over to God & lay them at the Cross. Jesus already paid it all so that we might live in victory. Let God fight this battle for us.

I pray that in this new year, the things that we have held onto for years will fall away & we might be able to enjoy life the way God intended it to be.

Be blessed everyone!

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Happy New Year!

I greatly encourage you to write down what you are expecting for this new year.  Put something on paper.  It is more final. Take some time today to do this.  Here are what I am declaring for myself in 2015:

  1. Stop all self-centered thinking and behavior. It is exhausting and hurts everyone around me…including me.
  2. I am going to start seeing the prophesies that have been spoken over me to come to pass. It is a necessary thing for my Heavenly Destiny. I must live out my PURPOSE.
  3. The things of my past – thinking, acting, living – will be put to rest and a new me will become the norm. My latter needs to be better than my former.
  4. Absolutely no more laziness. There are times of rest that is needed, yes, but no more procrastinating or putting things off. It hinders my progression.
  5. Take more ”me” time – I need to learn more and more how it is to truly rest rather than working to the point where I crash. There must be a balance.
  6. Take care of my body – health wise. I do not need to be skinny to be happy, but I do want to be healthy. Watching what I eat and exercising more is necessary for a better me.
  7. Read the Bible in some form EVERYDAY! My relationship with God is the most important thing…I need to start really walking that fact out.
  8. I am expecting a greater peace than I have ever known. Not worrying about the small, insignificant things and allowing God to take care of the rest of it.
  9. Focus on what the plan of God is for my life and do things that will get me to where I need to be – I can’t just sit and wait for Him to do it all. I must go out and plant those seeds myself. I cannot wait to see what He is going to do…
  10. Owning what I do and apologize when necessary. Forgive others when necessary, as well….as quickly as possible.
  11. Work on me…staying self-aware and know when I need to do work on me. Not allowing life to get in the way of remaining a vessel the Lord finds pleasing.
  12. NO MORE DOUBTING!
  13. Pray for bold things. A lot.
  14. Love people the way they are…no matter what they do.
  15. Understand what is truly important in life and put my emphasis in that. No more giving a lot of my time to things/situations/people that are not worthy of it. Realize that I am valuable…just as much as everyone else is. Make sure that, when things go wrong, you lose everything, when life gets really hard, that what you have built will remain. If you build things on sandy ground, when the storm comes, things may not remain. Build your house on solid ground.

Be blessed everyone!!

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