#211- Put Your Hands UP!

Proverbs 2:8-9 - That He may guard the paths of justice; yes, He preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and fair dealing [in every area and relation]; yes, you will understand every good path.

"Put your hands up! You are under arrest!"

Have you ever resisted something? Maybe not specifically a police officer, but have you ever resisted change? Holding on to how things have always been, not wanting to change and jump into the new? The last few days I have been going through this myself. Experiencing an area in my life of change, but in my heart wanting to hold back and resist it. You know the feeling, when you feel uneasy, uncomfortable, like you have knots inside your heart. As you go to sleep at night, your mind keeps going over and over this possible change if you decide to give in to it. That was me last night.

As I fell asleep, I just thanked the Lord for working everything out. I praised Him that all is well, and that "this too" shall work out.

I often use "peace" as my guide when making decisions. I know that our God is a God of peace. So, the feelings of "uneasiness" I take with caution. I don't like to jump into anything unless I sense a peace from the Holy Spirit that the decision is right, one of obedience. As I experienced feelings of uneasiness with this decision I was facing, I knew the Lord would have to make it right within me, He would have to bring a peace. Who likes change? When things are comfortable, working, good... who wants to change things? I know often I do not!

This was what the Holy Spirit revealed to me this morning, maybe it will apply to you in an area as well.

Resistance. Be open. Change can be uncomfortable, but is is often part of My plan in taking you to the next level of MY blessings for you. 

The knots in my heart were wanting to hold me down. I was not wanting to change what was good. Not being able to "see into the future," I was just looking at the present. Praise the Lord for the Holy Spirit. He may guard the paths of justice; yes, He preserves the way of His saints..... yes, you will understand every good path. 


I can have faith in the fact that GOD is guarding My path! As I seek Him, He will not lead me astray. Sure, change may be uncomfortable, BUT I WILL understand this good path. Though I may not understand it now, I will understand it. He ultimately is always setting me up for favor. He reminds us in Proverbs 2:9, "...yes, you will understand every good path." I will understand it, eventually.

There is a point of resistance that is good. Resistance until peace is received. Resistance until release is received. Release? Yes, release to move forward. Release to make the change. Release. Once the "Umpire" shows up on the scene, "Peace", then it is time to move forward and allow change to take you to a point of understanding, blessing & favor. If we always stayed in the same place, there would never be new books, new business', new opportunities. There would not be new inventions, new concepts, new ideas. Change is essential. Action is essential.

The Proverbs 31 woman also took this to heart. We can see that through one running theme through Proverbs 31:10-31. Look at ALL the verbs of Proverbs 31!  Look at some of the verbs...

• She comforts
• She encourages
• She does him only good
• She seeks
• She works
• She brings
• She rises
• She assigns
• She considers
• She plants
• She girds 
• She makes
• She tastes
• She sees
• She lays
• She opens
• She reaches
• She fears not

Our Proverbs 31 friend is open to change. She is ACTIVELY moving forward. She is taking action. She is not stagnant. She does not stay in one place. 

In what area/s do you need to step out in? Are there areas of change that you need to embrace? Though it surely was uncomfortable for the Proverbs 31 woman at times to "Step Out," she did step out. Because of it, she was blessed and you will be too!

#200 - Prayer Warrior

Good morning! I'm enjoying a nice, cool, Indiana morning. Birds chirping, the sound of cars going by, and there's the sound of a trickling water fountain near by as I sit by the pool at my parents house. It's a nice day. Definitely more cool than our South Carolina mornings where the temperatures quickly soar into the 90's. If I were to guess, it may only be in the 70's yet this morning.... such a different experience than "home." 

Anyways... let's go ahead and get into the Word this morning...

Proverbs 31:27 - She looks well to how things go in her household, and the bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) she will not eat.

James 5:16 (NKJV) - Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 

James 5:16b (AMP) - The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. 

The Hebrew breaks down "looks well" to the following: look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch closely. "Household" has one description as this: family of descendants. At the passing of my grandmother just a few days ago, Sunday evening at 9:00, my perspective has most definitely been changed, shaped.... rocked would even be a term. I watched as a woman of God went to meet Jesus. In the last hours of her life I sat there in the room with her, my mom & my cousin looking through a spiral ring notecard holder. As I flipped through this spiral notecard holder, I was immediately confronted with the fact that a prayer warrior was getting ready to go be with Jesus. 

Even Tyler Jr made her prayer list. :) 

Who would pick up the slack of the prayers that were sent up. There in my grandmother's binder was a prayer list of her family. 95 in all. As the grandkids got married, she added to the number of "in-laws" on her prayer list. As children continued to be added to her lineage, their names were added to her prayer list. 95 names in all... with I believe, at least 3 on the waiting list. (Trinity who will be arriving in October, and 2 other cousins are pregnant.) Quite a legacy. 

I just think about how easy it is to say, "Hey, I'm praying for you." But there were truly people like my grandma who really were. They didn't have to make a public acknowledgement of it, they just prayed. They just went to the throne with your name. James reminds us of how the prayer of the righteous availeth much. The prayer of the righteous brings great power. My grandma's greatest desire was to know that everyone on her prayer list knew Jesus. In her last days, she addressed some of her children, making sure they would do everything they could to ensure their children and grandchildren knew Jesus.  What an example. She was leaving, and wanted to KNOW that people who were left here on earth would pick up where she left off and pray. 

I believe that part of what the Proverbs 31 woman did was pray. She looked well to her household. The greatest thing that could occur in her household would be that everyone in her household would accept Jesus into their lives. I believe Proverbs 31:27, is also addressing that. She is not only looking to the every day details of her household, but also the spiritual atmosphere, the spiritual thermometer. Who needs Jesus? Who needs salvation? The Proverbs 31 woman makes it her business and mission to see that, people's eternal life, "goes well." Last I checked, it would not be "well" to die and live an eternity in Hell. As a Proverbs 31 woman, and as a Christian in general, our mission should be to see and know that ALL GOES WELL with our household. All goes well with those we know and love. 

I don't know about you, but as I looked over the list of 95 people, I was convicted. Is my prayer life what it could be? What it should be? Praise the Lord for a generation of people who knew how to pray, who have led by example. I don't want that to end with my grandma's generation. I want to ensure all my loved ones are saved and walking in God's blessing. 

How is your prayer life? Could you pick it up a little bit? 

#175 - Divine Sense of Purpose

Good morning! Hope you are doing well. If you are feeling a bit down or out of sorts, the Word is there to encourage, lift up, and give you answers to whatever it is you may be going through. The Word truly does have the answers we are looking for! Let's get going.

Eccl. 3:1, 3b, 11a - TO EVERYTHING there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven: .... a time to break down and a time to build up... He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy]...

Where are you at in life right now? Are you happy? Are you sad? Are you experiencing frustrations and valleys? Or, are you on a mountain top of success & accomplishment? Debt? Or financial abundance?

Ecclesiastes begins with the Preacher talking about the great abundance of wisdom & material things in which he was living. He decides to apply himself to seeking out what appears to make others happy. In chapter 2, you'll see that he builds houses, vineyards, pools, brings on servants, gathers silver & gold, wine. He acquires great substance, and even remained wise is says in verse 9. Whatever he desired, he acquired. At the end of his pursuit for happiness, he concluded that it was all vanity and amounted to nothing.

A man of such great substance, but joy did not come from the acquiring. Joy did not fill the home filled with so many 'things.' Chapter 3 then dives into talking about the 'seasons.' There is a season for everything. Sowing, reaping, mourning, dancing, peace, war, etc. Seasons. Seasons do not last forever. Seasons pass. Praise the Lord! Are you tired of the cold winter? Spring & life are coming! Buds on trees, flowers in bloom! Summer is coming! Beaches, pools, sand, grilling out. Summer is coming.  Seasons last for a period and then the tide changes.

Have you been in your season for awhile? Are you ready for the change? Have you been in a time of 'breaking down' and you are just thinking, "When is it time to build up? When is it my time to win? When is it time for joy, abundance, fulfillment?" Your season is coming! Your season to win is upon you! Wait it out. Don't quit.

Make sure your motives are right. We see this preacher pursuing every material thing, yet it did not bring fulfillment. Eccl 3:11 answers a question, and brings clarity to what our focus should be, let's re-read it: "He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy]..." A divine sense of purpose has been placed in YOUR heart & mind! A DIVINE sense of purpose! Nothing but God can satisfy that yearning you have in your heart & mind. God Himself, has placed a divine sense of purpose on the inside of you. In the flesh, you may yearn for the house. You want to move from an apartment to a house, you want to upgrade your vehicle, you want bills and bill collectors not hanging over your head, you think that just to accomplish and move up in those areas, you will be happy. Only to arrive to that place and there be something else, something new.

A divinely implanted sense of purpose which only GOD can satisfy. Success in your business, will be futile. Success in your job, futile. Success in your finances, futile. Unless the underlying focus for ALL you and I pursue is to fulfill the purpose and calling that God has placed on our lives! To purge the underlying things that we "think" will make us happy, and pursue with fervor His purpose. Helping people. Changing lives. Drawing people to His Kingdom. Pursuing with excellence the calling He has placed on our life, the specific way He has called us to make a difference for the Kingdom. We were ALL put here as a piece to the puzzle of God. God's big master-plan, and WE have a part to play. We have a job that needs to be done.

An unhealthy focus on "acquiring things" can pervert our ability to pursue with purity of heart. In our purity of heart, in our pursuit of God, the other things will eventually follow. His desire is to bless His children! His desire is to provide. He is a good God! But we must not stray from our first love. We must not stray from the pursuit that only God alone can satisfy. Pressing in to Him. Pressing in to the One who makes all things possible, the One who gives us life, air to breathe, love.

A divinely implanted sense of purpose. What is yours? Are you pursuing it? Go make YOUR eternal difference in the world. God accomplish YOUR purpose! It is YOUR SEASON! The tide is changing for you! Take a deep breath. It's your season! It's your time! 

#143 - Continual Growth

Good morning. :) Or.... HAPPY THURSDAY! :) It's a great day! The boy is enjoying watching Miss Pattycake right now! Any parents out there? Miss Pattycake is a great DVD/CD series that sings songs, teaches kids about God & Bible stories, as well as the basic things they need to know about using manners,  numbers, ABC's, colors, hygenine, healthy eating, etc. It's a great DVD series with a lot of energy. Tyler and I find ourselves walking around singing the songs... it's pretty funny! But if your in the market for some good Bible Based, high energy DVD's that teach great principles... Miss Pattycake is a winner! :) 


Ok... well, let's get rolling. :) 

Proverbs 17:28 - Even a fool when he holds his peace is considered wise; when he closes his lips he is esteemed a man of understanding.

Proverbs 31:15 - She rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household... 

Well.... it's amazing how the Word is a continual source of instruction and correction! Sometimes it's not fun... but as we are on this journey to become all God has created us to be, I guess it's good. ;) I know it's good! Have any of you talked when you should have just been quiet? Or have you been around people that ALWAYS are talking and you can't get a word in edge wise? Or those people that always change the subject when you are talking to them.... and they change the subject to, guess what? Themselves! I know I have been guilty of it too! But, as it says in Proverbs 17, even a FOOL is esteemed as a person of understanding when he CLOSES HIS LIPS! 


A couple of practices for the week:

1. When you (and I) are talking to people this week... when we are tempted to change the subject or BEGIN a sentence with the word "I".... let's take a second and stop ourselves! Can we NOT focus on ourselves? Can we keep the focus on them? Allow them to talk not us?
2. Practice Humility - When we are tempted to tell someone... "Well, let me tell you what I did...", or "Well, I actually went there AND I went here too...." - Let's practice the art of not trying to "out-do" someone else's story. AND.... if we feel tempted to brag about something we've done, let's take a second and just CLOSE OUR LIPS. 

Have you ever said something, sent an email, text or something and then your corrected by the Word? Or later when your not "in the moment" you think, "Man, that was kinda stupid." I know I have.... and I continually find things in my life to work on and fine tune. Here's just another one. 

What about Proverbs 31:15? Our Proverbs 31 friend "rises while it is yet night and gets spiritual food for her household." Do you ever wonder, "Am I ever going to get this whole thing down?" The whole being a good Christian, diligent, disciplined, etc. With a growing family, I am learning this. Tyler Junior is 15 months, so his schedule seems to evolve as he grows. So for me, my schedule changes too. Our routines change. I had my main quiet time before he woke up this morning. Spent some time meditating on some specific scriptures... then, the boy woke up. Pull out the "Mom Card" and do breakfast, etc. Well, after breakfast, Tyler Junior watches a short DVD called "My Baby Can Read", and then he watches "Miss Pattycake." So, as I'm reading through Proverbs, I'm listening to this song, "Fruits and veggies in your tum tum tum, Fruits and Veggies yum, yum, yum!" And OTHER fun Miss Pattycake songs, but songs that are NOT too conducive with having a QUIET "Quiet Time." 

So... I don't know if your schedule and life is changing, but if it is.... like me, do you need to figure out how to allow your Quiet Time to be what it needs to be? QUIET. An atmosphere that is inviting for the Holy Spirit to be present. Praise God that we are on a path of continual growth, that we will be forever learning and we don't "arrive." 

So THANK YOU as you are on the journey with me that you allow me the latitude to grow! I pray as I'm growing, God is doing things in you for you to grow. 

Would you share? What are you learning? How are you growing? I'd love to hear your voices out there! :) 

#46 - Keep on your Lamp!

Wow! Can I just say PRAISE THE LORD! Tyler just called me. He was downtown and had to go into a building. Outside the building there was a fenced in "play area" with toys, it was obviously a daycare outside of his high rise building. I know exactly where it is. There was a section with kids that were toddlers and walking. Those kids were just playing. Then there was another fenced in area with babies who couldn't walk. Babies from 6 weeks old.... babies Tyler Jr's age. Tyler told me that as he walked past, he saw a quick glimpse of a scenario. He saw a baby, about Tyler Jr's age laying on the floor crying. His pacifier was laying on the floor and had fallen out of his mouth. He laid there and just cried. The day care worker, with another baby in her arms, walked over to the crying baby and put the pacifier back in his mouth. It had been on the dirty floor, people's shoes tracking through the area. Clean, right!?! Yah! Tyler said he walked into the building and just started crying. When he called me, I just started crying too as he painted the picture of what had happened. As Tyler cried in the building, he just thanked God, "Not my boy. Not my boy." That Tyler Jr doesn't ever cry for too long without his mama coming to him to love on him. It just gave me a more clear why! Yes, we own our own business, and it has afforded me the privilege and the blessing to stay home. To be a wife & mama. It just reminded me of one of my "WHY's". I know there are other Mama's out there who don't want to be at work. They want to be a Mama! They don't want to leave their child at the day care. They would cry to see their child laying on the floor, crying, with no arms to pick them up. Or behind bars of a play yard. 

Sure, not all parents have a desire to stay home and raise there kids, and that is OK. But for those that do, it reminds me of my Why. Why we have a business. To help & serve people. To help Mama's come home to do what I believe has been the most important thing I have done, raise up a godly Warrior who will usher the next generation of Christian leaders! To help daddy's come home from corporate America to be daddy's. Praise the LORD! If I could go pick up that baby on the floor, I would just want to pick him up and hold him. Stop his cry. Make his tears go away. And if or when I meet his mommy or daddy, I'm going to offer them an opportunity. A solution to not having to leave their son there. How your heart changes when you have children. Tyler Jr has made my heart so much bigger. So much more full of love. 


Well... with that long intro, let's get started....

Proverbs 5:6 - She loses sight of and walks not in the path of life; her ways wind about aimlessly, and you cannot know them.

Proverbs 31:18 (NIV) - She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.

So, Proverbs 5 talks about the loose woman. The woman, quite opposite from our Proverbs 31 friend. Today, I saw something that I never have seen before. WOW! "She loses sight of and walks not in the path of life..." This leads me to believe that at one point in time, this "loose woman" may actually been on the path of life! She may actually have had SIGHT. Real, true sight! Without blinders, without scales. But true sight that revealed the one, true way of Jesus Christ. But, her life took a turn, and now her way is winding and she is going about aimlessly. 


Lamp. What do we know of the word "lamp" in the Bible. What are some of the spiritual connotations or references for this word? The first we probably think of is this: The Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. (Ps 119:105) We think of the Word "lamp" and we automatically think: Word of God, Bible, something that gives light, direction, vision. 


SOOOOO..... if the loose woman... who at one point has seen the light, has lost SIGHT, what has happened? The LAMP is no longer in front of her. The Bible, the Word has passed from her life. The Word is no longer in front of her, guiding her. If she once was reading it daily, things have gotten in the way. One day of missing the Word, led to 2 days, which led to "I'll get to it tomorrow." Then, tomorrow, led to tomorrow. Then that tomorrow led to, "I'll do it one day when I get time." Then that "one day" never came and the lamp got further and further away. Subtle other things began to draw attention. Subtle other things became fun, or felt good. Things slowly drawing her away from the lamp, the Word of God. What she one day SAW (because it refers to her LOSING SIGHT, so we know she at one point SAW it), has now faded into the dark distance. She got away from the Word. Her daily study, her quiet time has slipped away and we see what happens in Proverbs 5:23: He/she will die for lack of discipline & instruction, and in the greatness of his/her folly he/she will go astray and be lost.


She has strayed from the light. The result of sin is death. In this case, the result of lack of discipline is death. The loose woman has left a life of discipline.


The Proverbs 31 woman KEEPS the LAMP, KEEPS the WORD in front of her at ALL times! It says that her LAMP does not go out. She is steady. She is disciplined. She is not going to steer of the path that leads to aimlessness. To wandering with no cause or direction. Our Proverbs 31 friend is not walking down the road that leads to death. THE LAMP IS ON and the LAMP IS HER GUIDE! ALWAYS! 


What does that mean to you? What does that mean to me? Well... I have to admit, I recently just dropped the ball on this! Granted, I pray and talk to the Holy Spirit a lot throughout my day. But when we were in Hilton Head, I went THREE days without being in the Word! I went THREE days without seeking out God's Word! I could come up with many excuses, but there are none that are good enough to allow myself to slowly stray from the LAMP, from the Word. 


When is it MOST important to be on your guard? When is it EASIEST to stray from your LAMP? During a time of CHANGE. Are you going on vacation? Are you moving? Are you changing jobs? Are you changing schedules at work? Are you changing school schedules? Did you just begin a new activity? Do you have out of town guests coming in? Is it a Holiday? Times of CHANGE invite a perfect opportunity for the enemy to come in and cause a distraction, a diversion, the ability to get you away from the Word. To begin that process of "straying" from the LAMP. 


Is change getting ready to occur in your life? BE ON GUARD! Are there any "subtle things" in your life that are creeping in like what happened to the loose woman? Are there "subtle things"?


Let's make a resolution to be consistent. To be in the Word. To not miss our Quiet Time! Not even for one day. Like the Proverbs 31 woman, let's keep the LAMP, the WORD on ALL THE TIME!

#44 - Change Starts with Me

Good morning! Did you know that as a Christian you can expect and believe for God's favor?! The sentence or two from Friday... not sure if you had a chance to read it, but it is POWERFUL! Confess God's FAVOR upon your life today! "FAVOR FAVOR FAVOR! God's favor rests upon me now and is changing circumstances, situations, rules, regulations, policies, laws and even my mistakes to prosper! God's FAVOR is working for me now! AMEN!" Now, that is good stuff! If I were a preacher I'd say, "Don't shout me down when I'm preaching good!" Do you have a situation that you need or would love to see turned your way? Confess God's favor! As a believer in Jesus Christ, as a born again child of God, your FATHER wants to bless you and wants to see you blessed. He wants you to walk in being the head & not the tail. Confess FAVOR! But... do more than that! BELIEVE IT! Say it, and then smile. Shake your head in awe, look up to the heavens and just THANK GOD that when GOD is for you, WHO can be against you! Child of God, there is no way around it, YOU HAVE FAVOR! 
PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!! HALLELUYAH! As we SPEAK, God's FAVOR is working for us NOW! WOW! What a good thing!!


Well... it seems like awhile since I posted something. We had a great trip to Hilton Head. Tyler's job is a definite blessing, but how awesome it will be when daddy gets to be a stay-@-home dad with me!! We are blessed now, but that will be a whole new realm of blessing. We thank God for AWESOME growth in our business, our passions & our calling! Open doors all the time! To do what we love! Imagine this.... getting paid to do what you love! Now that is heaven on earth! It's happening now, we call it done in JESUS name! I'm pretty jacked... I read 2 books this week. I am on my own accelerated reading program. Nothing changes until something changes. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results! I am changing me. I am starting with me. I am excited about becoming a better me, reading books that inspire, that encourage, that move me on. Filling myself up so that I can pour out, so that I can give more. Who knows, if you are empty you have nothing to give. If the glass has no water in it, you can't pour out ANY water to share with others. I'm going to FILL UP as fast as I can so that I am overflowing... so that I can continue to pour out and fill back up again. VALUE. The law of value. "Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment." Bless people by exceeding their expectations. Are you serving? Are you adding value to others? 


Ok... let's get rolling this morning. Quite a long intro, ey? I was amening myself! ;-) haha! I needed to hear it, to be reminded! 

Proverbs 3:5 - Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

Proverbs 31:15 - She rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household....

Side note: I just said "Hi" to my neighbor, Rick. Had a little "mini-conversation". That's another thing I've tried to change, or improve on. Being NICE to people! What a concept! In the past, I would be so caught up in ME, where I'm going, or what I'm doing... what "I" am trying to accomplish. Head down, focused. Walking fast, let's make a bee-line in and out of this place so I can get to the next thing, so I can accomplish the next task. I'm working on a time-frame here. No time to smile at people. No time to say hello. No time to have a conversation or to listen. Go Go GO!!! Anyways... it felt good to say hi to my neighbor Rick. He is typically a quieter guy... and he stood there and talked to me for a minute. :) It was nice. He's off work for a few days. Good for Rick. This weekend in Hilton Head... I made it a point to smile at people. Something free to give, but often priceless to receive.  Sometimes people just need a smile or kind word. I'm working on not focusing so much on ME!


Well, bless the LORD! To lean on, trust in and be confident in the Lord with all your HEART & MIND. To not rely on your own insight or understanding! Wow. Really think about that. I know I often think that I "know" things. For me... I think the biggest area I need assistance in this is my "daily agenda". To be directed by Him with my activities. This is my choice. As I clear my mind, I confess, "Lord right now, I lean on, trust in & am confident in YOU for my day. For my purpose, for my direction, for things to accomplish. With ALL my mind & ALL my heart, I trust in you! Father, I know that in my own insight or in my own understanding I am limited, BUT when I team up with you, my insight and understanding is LIMITLESS! Through you, I can understand all things. I can be divinely directed. Father, right now I CHOOSE to be directed by YOU! I rely on YOU, not upon myself!" 


Our Proverbs 31 friend... what I've in a bit held out from... dreaded... she rises while it is yet night and gets spiritual food for her household. I guess in reading it, it doesn't necessarily say that she gets up "before" her husband, but rising earlier would bless my husband. For me to be able to get spiritual food for myself, to serve my spouse & son better, to prepare myself more for the day, to not feel rushed upon when the boy is going to wake up. To rise earlier would be better. It would also allow me to bless my husband on another level, to rise while it is yet night and get PHYSICAL food for my husband. To make him breakfast. I already know that he would LOVE that. It would be a blessing to him. SO... a new goal. Rising earlier. Once up, I will be ready to go. Rising earlier will allow me to get more done in the morning. Prepare better. Read in the morning. Plan. Complete other tasks. 


What can you commit to today? Leaning on the Lord, more than on yourself? Rising earlier to prepare for your day? Spending more time in the Word? Giving to others? Smiling more?


What are you going to do? Change starts with me. Changing your world starts with you!