Ever think about why you do what you do?

When doing what God has called you to do, you have to know why you do what you do. That's the case for me in seeking out my dreams, I have to keep them close by as reminders of why I started writing things down in the first place.

I write to encourage you as I have been encouraged.  

I have been asking God about my writing dream, learning how to send encouragement to you.  That's when I had to stop and remember what has gotten me to this point and what goes before me.

I write to wrap my mind around God's grace.

God's grace has destined and adequately designed my steps.  So it's His grace that continues to work out my faith.  I have to trust God, His process, and the God who knows what He's doing.  God is my authorization department.  His grace opens doors, closes them, protects His interest in His word, and He cares about every last detail.  So it's appropriate to say that His grace works out in what I do.

I write to live in God's mercy and find strength.  

Have you ever thought about how God can work his mercy in your dreams too?  It's time to get serious here.  The last few months God has been refining my written voice to be intentional and stronger.  It's for His purposes and glory that I share what He's teaching and to explore Biblical truths He has shown me.  Plus having freedom in knowing the truth that has set me free.

I write to live free.
I'm not doing this for the money, the notoriety, or because it's easy. 
I'm doing this to please the Father.  I'm doing this in faith. 

Perhaps you want to get serious with your dream.  If your dreams, or desires don't look exactly like you thought they would, then hold on, God knows what He's doing.  If you are asking Him to show you, then rest assured He wants you to know that too.  There are turns and twists in dreaming that you just have to trust the process.

I write because when doing so I am trusting His grace process.

When it comes to matters of faith, we have to trust God for journey, His leading in our faith will have a better ending that we can wrap our finite minds around.  It truly takes the understanding of the deep love of the Father, an understanding His authority and sovereignty when asking Him about His plans for us.  

I write so that my heart can respond to this life.  

Most days my mind feels like alphabet soup, words, phrases, blog titles, verses all mixed together.  I talk about dreaming a lot, but for me it's really a heart issue to obey what God has put inside.  His grace gives us desires to carry out His will in our lives.  God's grace fuels my passion, my desire, my abilities to throw inspirational thoughts your direction.

I write to experience God.

Philippians 2:12-13 "as you have always obeyed...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling (because of what Christ has done), for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."

I write because I can't not do this.  It's the way God has designed my heart, therefore, may I respond to Him fear and trembling for the sake of Christ.  

Why do you do what you do?  

You could have heard a pin drop

Photo credit:  Janelle Keith - My quiet zone

There is a place that I go to everyday.  It's where I go to hear from God.

I read, He rights, and we talk.  Friendly conversations that gently fall softly upon my heart.  

I hear His sound.

It must be what Adam and Eve heard in the garden of Eden.  Think about how perfect that communion must of went every day.  Hangin' out with our Creator.

Shouldn't we be just a little excited about that kind of appointment too?

Imagine the fear they must have felt though, after knowing that they had directly disobeyed what God had told them.  No wonder they hid immediately.

Do we respond the same?  Full of shame and regret?

Why did they hide?  They were alone after all.  The serpent had just slithered into hiding, feeling really smug about what had just taken place.  

Genesis 3:1 "Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden."

Have you ever thought how far away the Lord really was?  I mean what other perfectly created outdoor space was there?  It was the only beautiful, peaceful, quiet, relaxing place to be.  

I don't think the Lord was too far from Adam and Eve when they were standing face to face with temptation.  I really think that Adam and Eve were so distracted by pleasure that they forgot that the Lord was near.

If God was that close, and they weren't aware of it, think about how Jesus resides in our hearts and we still do wrong things.  Would awareness of His presence cause us to stop when we are face to face with temptation?

I have asked myself this question.  It should, but honestly most times, sadly it doesn't.  I do wrong things in spite of Jesus residing in my heart.  How could I?  How this must hurt my Creator!

When I think about the Lord being near, so near that I can hear His sound, then it should totally change the way I deal with sin.  I shouldn't be thinking about doing what I know is wrong.

I shouldn't be eating for comfort.
I shouldn't be doubting the work He has done in my life.
I shouldn't be thinking about....
I shouldn't be sinning.
I shouldn't be making unholy choices.

How did Adam and Even know they needed to hide from God?  Their eyes were opened to shame immediately.  One bite in and they knew.  

They knew.  We know.

Their hearts were filled with shame.  Regret and now separation.  Guilt.  

How?

They heard the sound of the Lord.  They were so familiar with His Presence, that when He came close, they had to hide their sin, shame, and guilt.  They were so used to Him being with them, so used to sharing their time with Holiness.   Because God had been a constant companion, His Holy nearness was shared between the Divine and the human.  When shame and regret separated, the gap was palpable.  I bet you could have heard a pin drop in the Garden of Eden.  

All of creation held it's breath, and shame slithered and hid.  Shame shouted so loud in those moments of silence.   

God knew what had just happened, He had planned for this event.  He wasn't far away.  Adam and Eve made the wrong choice because they had forgotten the sound of the Lord.

Next time you're faced with temptation, and I am saying this to myself as well, may we all be so familiar with the sound of the Lord, that it causes us to stop and consider the benefits of obedience.

May we consider the palpable silence that sin causes in the shared community with the Divine.  

May we always consider that the Lord is near and always hear His sound.  
  

Five Minute Friday {Dance}

Dancing in the Desert

God has taught me some vital moves.

Moves that I need to survive this journey through the desert.

In one word, He has taught me to trust.  Completely.

There have been some personal struggles that I have overcome.

I am still working through some too.  

I have hope and will cling to His promises that I find daily when I read His word.


Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Ps. 62:8

Faith endures and what He has given me has proven to be enough.

This desert journey has been one of tears, fears, and cheers.

Full of joy, sorrow, suffering, rich in healing, comfort and grace.

Loads of trials and victories too, riddled with conflicts and tension, triumphs, hardships, trouble.

Many understandings that have protected and prevented mistakes.  

God's mercy has brought me to His side.   

His perfect trust teaches me to dance in this desert.  

Five Minute Friday {Perfect}

I am awkward.  

I laugh a lot.  

I trust too easily.  

I give my heart too readily.

I am quiet at times and when you least expect it.  

I cry.

I can smile a lot too.  

There are days when I don't show my heart well.

I get hurt when left out.

I am clumsy.  With actions and words.

I am beginning to like who I am though just a little.

I try to look pretty but most days give up.

My heart has been stomped on.

Most days I avoid the mirror and remember the number on the scale.

I want perfection, but know that I am severely lacking.


"We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul--not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy." Colossians 1:11(MSG)

I have an enthusiasm to write and share God's love.

I know that Jesus is enough.  And that's just who I am. 


I want to live a life worthy of the Lord and my please him in every way.


I want to bear fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge that comes from God. 

I am great with "perfect"....for today.

Polished

Polished Stones

Isaiah 49:2 "He made me into a polished arrow." 

This verse actually made me think about polished stones.  

When I think about how God polishes our faith, I'll admit that I have some rough edges.  

I keep them hidden but know that God is still working on some of the corners of my heart.  

There's a process of bringing beauty from stones.  

First a stone is cleaned and debris is removed.

Next grit sandpaper removes the imperfections and smooths.

The stone is dipped in water and grit sandpaper shapes.

The dip and sandpaper method is used until the designer approves of the result.

Repeat and repeat and repeat.

When done, the stone is polished with a cloth.

God knows how we fit in this life.  He knows our niche, He made it just for us.  

We must trust Him to shape, sand and polish as He sees fit.  

A polished stone has to endure much tumbling before beauty is seen.
It's the refining process that perfects us.  

Trust God to bring His work into completion.  

The Perfect Prayer

As we approach the Easter season, I love reading the Jesus journey to the cross.  Here's one thing...on his way Jesus prayed.

What could the Perfect One pray for?  He prayed for the disciples.  He prayed for those who will still believe.  He prayed for you.

Read some of His last words while alive on this earth:

John 17: 20 - 25..."My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:  I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Jesus prayed for you.  It's Jesus....and his prayers are perfect.  And notice what Jesus prays for.  


Jesus prays for those who don't know...for those who still need to believe.


Jesus prays for believers to remain in His truth, for believers to be one in faith, for unity.


Jesus prays for believers to shine His light, for believers to share.


Jesus prays for His Glory to be revealed in the world, to be revealed in the gospel message.


Jesus prays for one love, Jesus prays for us to be one.


Jesus prays perfectly.  Jesus prays for you...

Jesus spent some of his last living moments, spent some of His last words on earth for you....for me.  And you weren't even born yet.  Wow...