#214 - Two Paths

Proverbs 8:2 - On the top of the heights beside the way, where the paths meet, stands Wisdom [skillful and godly];

Proverbs 31:30 - Charm and grace are deceptive, and beauty is vain [because it is not lasting], but a woman who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, she shall be praised!

Have you ever found yourself at a decision point? A point in life where you have 2 paths, 2 distinct paths. One path you are more drawn to, it is more comfortable, it may even feel better. You see the lights & glimmer, lots of possibilities with the first path. The first path makes you feel good, IF you can avoid the uncomfortable gnawing in the pit of your stomach. IF you can ignore the gut feeling that quietly tries to prompt you NOT to take that path.

There is a second path. The second path does not seem to make logical sense. From first glance, it seems to be drawing you away from your ultimate destination, what seem to be your goals, your dreams, the opportunities that are jumping at you. The second path seems rougher, less obvious, it seems to show less glitter, less possibilities, less glamour. For some reason, this 2nd path, though you don't want to be drawn to it, you feel like it is the path you should take. All the reasoning in your mind, you try to shake it off, you try to tell yourself the other path is fine, it's the path of "opportunity & advancement."

You know the path, don't you? You've seen both of them. Maybe it is the path of career advancement. It appears glamorous, but with just a hint of "the world" and "compromise." Maybe it is the path of the comfortable relationship. You're dating, he is not a Christian and has no desire to make that decision, but you are great friends, comfortable, other than your faith, you have a lot in common. Maybe it's the path of honor. Honoring your father & mother, or holding on to bitterness & unforgiveness to wrongs that were done you. Maybe it is the path of destiny. Do you continue in the job where you are comfortable, make good income, unfulfilled, but doing well? Or do you jump out into what you are really called to do, what you are really passionate about? You've always wanted to write a book? You've always wanted to be a teacher? You've always wanted to own a restaurant and cook for people? You've always wanted to be a minister? You've always wanted to be a missionary and share the gospel?

As I continue to read and study about the Proverbs 31 woman, she has chosen her path. Her path leads her to reverently & worshipfully fear the Lord. Her path leads her to make decisions based upon her respect & honor for the Lord. Her path leads her down the road less traveled. Her path leads her on pursuits she maybe never imagined, pursuits that she started maybe uncomfortable, unsure.... the path where she did not know what the next step was, pursuits nonetheless where at the end of the day, she prospers.

I encourage you today to look at the paths that lie ahead for you. Do you take the path that leads to godliness or the path that leads to compromise? Do you take the path that honors our heavenly Father or the path that ensures worldly success? Do you take the path that is merely comfortable or the path that causes you to fully rely on the Lord?  

I anticipate, as the following poem reads.... if you take the path of the Lord, it will make all the difference!

The Road Not Taken

Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveller, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could 

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back. 

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --

I took the one less traveled by, 

And that has made all the difference.

The Road leading to Jesus does make all the difference!

#178 - JOY!

Good morning! It's a nice morning here, a bit of a cool morning, but I anticipate it will turn into a warm day. The joys of living in the south! :)

Let's get started:

Psalm 30:5b - Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

As I was reading through Proverbs 5 this morning... the verses that really jumped out at me were Proverbs 5:21 & 23. Proverbs 5:23 went on to say, "He will die for lack of discipline & instruction..." As I read that, even though it was the main scripture that jumped out... as I took some time to just listen to the Voice of the Holy Spirit, I just kept hearing, "Joy comes in the morning. Joy. Joy. Joy comes in the morning." The phrase repeated in my ears.

I sat on this subject of "joy," I took some time to reflect on what all I have to be joyful about. An amazing husband, an awesome, funny son, a baby on the way (Trin), a home to live in, an awesome family, a business, the ability to stay home with Tyler Jr, God as my Provider.... I have so much to be joyful about. Just last night before going to bed, I was reading and read an excerpt about a man complaining about having no shoes until he beheld a man on the street with no feet.

Have you felt like weeping has endured long enough? The night has seemed to drag on, the weeping, exhausting? Joy comes in the morning. Allow today to be the day for joy. Allow today to be the day where you just let your hair down. I envision cranking up your favorite CD in the car with your favorite happy song on, putting the windows down and just driving. Singing. Belting out the lyrics, tune of no importance. Just finding that place of joy. Being spontaneous. Stopping to get your favorite ice cream... a cone, or blizzard, a yummy McFlurry. Whatever it is, allowing it to be a spontaneous day. If it can't be a day.... maybe it's just a spontaneous stop, or spontaneous hour. Taking a long lunch break to catch a matinee, a fun afternoon movie!

Joy comes in the morning. I am praying that today would be your morning. It would be the morning YOUR joy comes. Weeping has endured too long. We only have today, today. We are creating our story, creating our legacy now, we may as well enjoy the journey & do it with joy.

May today you experience your joy!

#157 - It's all about Consistency!

Good morning! It's going to be a great day. Praise the Lord for the rain last night to wash away some pollen! We definitely needed it. We have had a yellow layer of dust on everything, cars, streets, porches, etc. So, YEAH for rain!!

Well... let's get started.

Proverbs 24:33-34 - Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep--So shall your poverty come as a robber, and your want as an armed man. 

How is anything accomplished? One action at a time. One positive step at a time. One area that Tyler and I daily confess on our "goal cards" is that we are "Spiritual Giants." Our desire with our spiritual growth is that we would be wise, we would be continually learning the things of God, we would be "Spiritual Giants" of the Word & things of God.

Good or bad, big things in life happen because of a series of events and decisions. In the Proverbs verses for today, poverty came upon this man because of daily decisions that he made. If we could see into his day a bit more, I would anticipate we would see days compounded. Day after day, this man sleeping, doing things that were not progressing towards a positive end, laziness. I would anticipate we would see a man who epitomized the definition of lazy.

As Christians, or really even non-Christians can apply this.... it's the power of consistency. For example, when began my real journey of spiritual growth was back in 1996. I rededicated my life to the Lord, and for the first time in my life, began a journey of growth. I would say at the time, I was very "spiritually illiterate." I didn't really even know a lot of the Bible School stories that most children learn from Sunday School. I felt like I knew nothing, or at least very little. But, do you know what happened? Day after day I began to learn. Little by little, I began to take in the Word. Some days I would only spend 5, 10, 15 minutes in the Word, some days I would spend 2 hours. I was hungry. Over the years I have retired several Bibles. Bibles that would get so high-lighted and written up, that I was ready to start with a fresh new one. Or... early on, I used an NIV version of the Bible. As a new believer, it was just easy to understand. I have since advanced to really enjoying the King James & The Amplified versions. Back in 1996, I was not ready for that yet. I was still like a baby drinking from a bottle, I was on milk. I just needed to understand the basics.

Often what happens in our society today, and I am guilty of this in certain areas of my life... we want to have immediate knowledge or success. Putting in the "daily time" can seem monotonous, or like we aren't getting anywhere. BUT, WE ARE! I look back over the last 15 years of my life, and the daily consistency of being in the Word has REALLY REALLY grown me up. I still would say I aspire to be a Spiritual Giant, but it took DAILY CONSISTENCY to get where I am today. It did not happen over night.

I've heard a few very successful people say phrases like that.... one lady in particular who rose to a great level of financial success would say regularly, "We just did something every day." In reaching her success, she may not have moved a mountain every day, but she was consistent in doing something every day to move forward. Just yesterday I was listening to a CD and the guy said something pretty great... he said this, "I don't know how to be focused for a year, but I can ROCK 7 days!" I bet many of us could relate to that. It may be hard to stay on track for a whole year, but if we just chose to be diligent and consistent with a week, how much easier would that be? Each week you start over. Just a week! Or just a day! Just focusing on the small, and in doing so the time compounds!

I know I won't become a "Spiritual Giant" over night, but consistently spending time in the Word, listening to the Holy Spirit, etc... over time, it will happen. It's all about consistency, in WHATEVER the arena. Fitness? It's all about consistency. Finances? It's all about consistency. Keeping a clean house? It's all about consistency. Progressing in your business or job? It's all about consistency.

I'm sure you've heard the phrase, 'How do you eat an elephant?' Answer: 'One bite at a time.' Same with our goals in life, it's not about accomplishing the end result today.... but it's one day at a time, one positive step at a time. Before we know it, we will be there!

It's all about consistency! So today... maybe this weekend... maybe it'd be good to sit down, you, your journal, maybe your Bible.... and plan it out! Set a date with yourself, an appointment. What are the consistent steps that YOU need to take to get to where YOU want to be in life? Make a plan, break it down to the day, and then be focused on the Daily Action Plan! Before you know it, your dreams will be your reality!