Tag: God’s plan

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5 Smooth Stones

I Samuel 17:38-40

From the outside, my life probably looks fairly simple and in order. Perhaps some would say I lead a charmed life.  And yes, I have been and am truly blessed. But it’s not like their perception at all. As the song by Twila Paris says – “Deep inside this armor, the warrior is a child.”

Life is full of decisions – big, small and oh yes, overwhelming. Add in a complicated calendar and relationship challenges.  And just to top it off, throw in a new direction/path/purpose from God. Mix all together. Sprinkle in some doubt and fear.  Presto! This warrior princess becomes a child running to the Father. 

The verses today have helped me see that God uses what I have to accomplish His plan and purpose.  There’s no need to desire big, over-the-top solutions.  What I need is Him and all He has provided.

David took off the armor of King Saul, which of course, was the best at that time. He used what he had and what worked well in the past.  A staff – a sling – 5 smooth stones.  That’s it!  God took that along with David’s well honed skills acquired over the years plus his unwavering faith in the name of the Lord and provided a stunning victory.

What do I have?  Years of serving others – a deep desire to make a difference in people’s lives – resources to bless others – a strong & abiding faith – a willing heart ready to obey (which includes a little fear…..hey, that’s just how it is).  My 5 smooth stones.

What do you have?  Think about the seemingly little pieces of your life.  What has God placed on your heart?  What experience or skill or resource do you bring to God?  What are your 5 smooth stones?

It would be great if at this point I could give you a splashy end to my story.  But I can’t.  For now, I’m offering God what I have and trusting Him as I walk toward my giant.  Only He knows the end of this story.  My promise to you is that I will take you with me.  Stay tuned and eventually I will tell you what God did with my 5 smooth stones. 

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Crushed By Love

Isaiah 49:16           Psalm 139

Honestly – I’ve been crushed lots lately.  Crushed by a broken heart, overwhelming responsibilities, future uncertainties, intense loneliness, fear of failure – just to name a few.  But as I sit with God, I am crushed by His crazy awesome love for me.  And I am totally crushing on Him because despite the mess that is SO me, He loves me.  He loves me even though I say the wrong things, am afraid, am broken and feel so unworthy.

I’ll never understand His love for me – to die for me is huge enough on it’s own.  But since becoming His child, He still loves me and keeps me even when I’m a disappointment.  His word confirms this over and over.  My name is engraved on His hand – God has tatoos! And He promises He will never leave me – ever!  He gives me promises all over scripture – both Old Testament and New.  And He sprinkles encouragement abundantly through out.  He knows I need it – and He knows you do too.

See, the deal is, I’m not writing this stuff just for me.  Although, writing things down has helped me sort things out and walk closer to God.  No – this stuff is meant to help YOU too!

It’s not easy being transparent in front of the world.  The thing is, if I’m struggling with stuff, I know you are too.  Each one of us wrestles with our own issues.  What crushes you doesn’t crush the next person.  But the fact is – we all get crushed.

This crushing has a purpose.  Our brokenness isn’t for nothing.  And so let’s explore crushing for a moment.

We hate feeling crushed.  But what can crushing do that’s good?  How can a broken soul help another?

When petals of a flower are crushed, that’s when it’s most fragrant.  When a vase is broken and put back together, there are cracks.  If a light is put inside the vase, it will shine through the cracks.

In one way or another, we are all crushed or broken.  God is the Light within us.  And it’s His love that holds us together.  I don’t understand it all, but I do know that it’s all for a reason.  God’s word says each of us has a purpose.  God has plans for us that are good.  None of our mess and frailty are surprises to Him.  He never looks at us and says, “Wow.  I did not see that coming.”  He knows us and loves us anyway.  He calls us by name.

Everything I’m going through is for a reason.  All you are going through is too.

In the midst of our crushing and brokenness, let’s fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.  Let’s fall into the arms of Jesus and soak in His crazy awesome, unconditional love.  Let’s put on God’s Armor and take a step forward.  Let’s crush on Jesus and His love.

Crushed and broken we may be, but His light will shine through us and that’s beautiful.

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Faith Walking

Isaiah 42:16 (NIV) 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NASB)

2 Corinthians 5:7 gets quoted a lot.  “We walk by faith, not by sight.”  In Christian circles it rolls off the tongue with great regularity.  But I don’t think I understood it – really understood it – till this year.

This year has been good and awful at the same time.  the bad has seemed to go on and on.  My business/ministry is at a standstill.  I’ve had several health bumps in the road.  Relationships that matter have had rocky moments.  I’ve laid down a ministry at God’s direction.  Grief has reared it’s head more than expected.  Property issues have continued to concern me.  It has felt like every part of my life is up in the air like the balls a juggler uses.  However, mine are all still up in the air with no prediction of coming back down.

The good has been very good.  With no work appointments, I’ve had that precious commodity – TIME – to take care of myself physically and deal with the rest.  I’ve had sacred moments with my adult children that I will never forget.  My grandchildren have brought me so much joy.  And the grief ministry I have been able to do is such a blessing – plus – most of it would not have happened if I didn’t have time.

That lengthy explanation brings me to my point.  I am learning to trust – really trust.  The idea of walking by faith and not by sight is my reality.  I think I understand how much deeper it is than it seems as one quickly quotes that verse.  It’s waiting, trusting and all the while seeing nothing.  I’m an Israelite sitting in my tent, waiting for the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire to move.

I don’t know the way, but God does.  The plan isn’t clear to me but God has a plan, and it’s good.

Isaiah 42:16 came up in my reading today.  It says, “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.”

That verse resonates with me.  This walking by faith without sight – in many ways I’m walking blind.  But the incredible thing about it is, I’m not alone.  God is leading me along unfamiliar paths.  He’s guiding me and giving light here and there.  And I can fully trust that at the right time, He will completely turn the darkness to light and make these rough, hard, and uncertain places smooth.

It’s not that suddenly all will be perfect.  It is, however, that the wilderness I’m in right now, will become a promised land of sorts.  I simply need to keep trusting God while I sit in my tent.

“Do not fear for I am with you.  Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”   Isaiah  41:10

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The Milking Bucket

2 Corinthians 4: 7 – 12

When I was a young girl, I spent a good bit of time at my Uncle Albert and Aunt Marie’s farm.  They had various animals, but what I’m thinking about today are the cows.  More precisely, I am remembering the milking buckets.

Of course new methods are used to milk cows, but I remember when you pulled up a stool, put the bucket under the cow and milked by hand.  Yes, there was a definite smell in the barn, but I really did get used to it.  And yes, the first time I milked a cow, it felt weird grabbing that part of this animal.  I was always afraid of getting kicked.  My cousins assured me the cow was expecting to be milked and as long as I didn’t hurt her, she would just stand there while I milked her.  They were right. . . . . . so I relaxed and even talked to the cows sometimes.  But enough reminiscing.  Lets get back to the milking bucket.

The Bucket

The milking bucket was metal.  Even though used in a dirty barn, the buckets were kept very clean.  After all, a food was being collected.

Where I’m going here is to equate the milking bucket to the clay jars described in 2 Corinthians 4.  Just like the jars were knocked about and showed damage, the milking buckets did too.  Occasionally a bucket would get kicked or just toppled over if a cow bumped into it.  After that sort of treatment, the bucket had a few dents & dings on the sides, especially after several years of use.

Sometimes the person milking, in an effort to reduce the number of dumping trips, would milk until the bucket was nearly full.  At that point it was much more difficult to carry.  Often while transporting, the bucket would move and sway.  Milk, white treasure, would spill out.

We are clay jars, a little like the milking bucket.  We get knocked around in life.  Tough circumstances from outside or from within our own selves put stress on our earthen vessel.  We chip or crack a bit and sometimes when we are jarred, treasure spills out.

Maybe that sounds bad.  But remember that unlike the milk, when our treasure spills out, it blesses others.  God uses the wonderful treasure we have in our clay pots to encourage, love, care for and lead others to saving faith.

We look at our worn, damaged pot thinking we have nothing to offer.  “Why would God use me?”, you ask.  But He looks at us and says, “You are perfect just the way you are.”  Your jar doesn’t look like anyone else’s jar.  That’s because what God has for you is completely unique.  No one else has the purpose God has chosen for you.  God knows the plans He has for you, and they are good.  His thoughts & ways are not like our thoughts or ways.  I’ve  heard Beth Moore say that when God has a thought, the entire plan is already there.  It’s complete down to the smallest detail.  When you or I have a thought, it’s just an idea.  Planning comes later.

God knew. . . . . .

God formed each one of us and knew from the very beginning what our pots would look like – not just at the beginning, but at the end too, and every moment in between.  Our cracks, dents, or imperfections are not surprises to God.  And He is well able to complete the work He started in us.

I’ve enjoyed remembering the farm, my family, the barn, the cows and the milking buckets.  It was a happy time in my life.  But I think I will stick to the clay pot visual for myself.  I like knowing that God personally formed my clay pot and has a good plan for me.  I’m a treasure-filled clay pot with a purpose. You are too.