The Sweet Smell of Hope

Today I received a phone call from my dear friend, Wendy, who lives in another state. She said, "I have a question for you." 

She then proceeded to tell me about a family (a single mom with six children) who had been displaced over the weekend by a fire in their apartment in a low-income complex. While she was laying the foundation for her question, I was thinking, "What can I possibly offer in the way of help for someone who lives eight hours away from me?"

Then she got to it. Knowing that replacing clothing and bedding for six children would be expensive, and having learned that except for one of the rooms, the majority of the damage was from smoke and water, she had decided to take the salvageable items and launder them. She wanted to know what I recommended to remove the smell of smoke from the clothes and bed linens."Ah," I thought. "Now that I can help with."

Two years ago this past week, my husband and I lost our own home in a fire, and one of the biggest blessings to us was when someone (Sharon) offered to take all of our clothes and linens and wash them to remove the smell of smoke. This was no small task, as each load had to be washed multiple times with a special laundry detergent. What was returned to us was some of the sweetest smelling clean laundry I had ever seen. It never would have occurred to me to even ask someone to do this, but she and her family had been through a tornado a few years prior and understood how big a blessing this would be to us. And it was. 

I contacted Sharon to see what method she had finally landed on that got the laundry smelling all fresh and clean, then passed along the information to Wendy. One of the things Wendy said to me was, "I have a new found understanding of what you and David went through when you had your fire after visiting that apartment. What a mess!" 

Yes, life can be quite messy. And sometimes we go through things that seem overwhelming. But beauty can and does come from the ashes and life on the other side of the heartache can be quite sweet. Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego entered into the fiery furnace in a devlish plan that was designed to destroy them. They came out unsinged, with not even the smell of smoke on them. It was in the intense heat of the fire that they experienced a personal encounter with the Son of God Himself. The fire purifies and prepares us for a greater work. We are equipped with the first-hand knowledge that what doesn't kill us really does make us stronger, and we are able to reach out with a much deeper compassion to those around us who are hurting. 

Every act of service to others is a significant - even if all we can offer is to help them get the smoke smell out.We all need a little sweet-smelling hope from time to time. Freely you have received. Freely give.

Fried Wires

It is not uncommon for the things that God is saying and doing in the supernatural to manifest in the natural world around us. Another such occurrence happened to me this morning.One of the things that has been rumbling around in my spirit in recent weeks has been that it is through our intentional intimacy with Jesus that we find our power and strength to engage the coming days. 

Our power went out this morning. The main power wire coming into the trailer had fried. It was 6:30, pitch black dark and 36 degrees outside.For the next three and a half hours I was in a forced downtime while David and his brother worked to replace the wiring and restore the power to the trailer. 

Some of this time I used to pay a little visit to Psalm 18. I found there much encouragement for my heart for a variety of things I have been wrestling with lately. This unplanned time alone reading the Word by candlelight while bundled up trying to stay warm did my heart good. 

"You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light."    Psalm 18:28

The picture here this morning was one of me sitting quietly, spending time reading and listening, while power was being restored to my dwelling - with no help from me. The wire had been burned in one place and was worn in another. I don't want to be that wire. I don't want to be worn and burnt, useless as a conduit of His power that is meant to course through my life to the world around me. 

The hardest part to wrap my brain around is that I don't have to do anything to empower myself.  He does that. We are so used to desired results being based on our own efforts (and there is a time and place for that), that the concept of being used of God in powerful ways without our own strength being the driving force is almost foreign. Our hearts might embrace it, but our heads struggle with it.

"It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure."  Psalm 18:32

So here is the bottom line - while I am still before Him, taking in His word (written and spoken), He is renewing my strength (restoring my power).

I get it, Lord.

No More Bodies

Several bodies have been found near water in the past several weeks in the Austin area - at least one a week. Another one was in the news this morning. I do not think this is a coincidence.

Ezekiel 47 speaks of life-giving water flowing out from the sanctuary to the surrounding area. This fresh water changes its environment, even transforming the Dead Sea into a place where life thrives. Only the stagnant waters of the swamps and marshes remain unaffected.

The natural world we see around us often reflects what is happening in the spiritual realm; I believe this trail of bodies is not to be overlooked by God's people. It is a picture of those who come to a place of refreshing only to come face-to-face with death itself - and in most (if not all) of the recent deaths in the local news, they have died alone.

So here is what I am asking: Is this a reflection of the unintended affect the Church has had on the world around us as we have directed our attention and resources on building mini-empires and internal programs? Have we failed to effectively carry the water of life that flows from the throne to those who need it the most?  Have we become stagnant swamps, unaffected by the living water that passes us by on its way to bring hope, healing and restoration where it is needed, carried by those who dare to break free from "church as usual" and follow the persistent urging of the Spirit of God who still hovers over the face of the deep?

Ezekiel clearly describes a steady stream of life-giving water (we are the water) that comes out from the sanctuary (God's presence)  that flows so freely that it restores life wherever it goes. Multitudes of fish of every kind (all kinds of people from different backgrounds) live in these waters. Trees on both banks bear fruit monthly (not just seasonally) and bear lasting fruit that never fails (discipleship) and leaves that do not wither and provide healing (regenerating resurrection power).

This is the mission of the Church. It is what we must aspire to be - a conduit of the presence of the Most High that pours out from inside the walls that would contain it into the world around us with such volume that it becomes a river no one can cross. 

Until life flourishes and no more bodies are found along our banks...

Nurturing the Poor: Nanny Government or Bride of Christ?

People are talking – a lot. In the aftermath of the recent Supreme Court decision to uphold Obamacare (and the subsequent debates over the extension of Bush-era tax cuts), I have encountered several comments and conversations recently about the responsibility of working Americans to fund the lifestyles of those who do not work. What I find most disturbing are two misconceptions many Christians seem to have in regards to this issue. I would like to address both of them.

Misconception #1: Poor is poor. There is really no difference. We should give money to them all.

In my experience in outreach ministry, which for years has been largely based around those of limited financial means, I have found that there are basically three types of “poor” – (1) those who are passing through, (2) those who are camping out and (3) those who dwell in poverty.

The Visitors
In the first group are those who have lost a job or home, had a major medical situation or suffered some kind of a temporary financial setback. Most of these folks have no problem working to support themselves and their families. They want to be self-sufficient and strive to be so, but they need a little help getting over the hump until things turn around for them. These are the ones who are most often overlooked by the government and the church and too often end up trapped in poverty because they make too much to get any real assistance from the government and not enough to break out of their current situation and really thrive financially.

The Campers
These are the occupiers – they are occupying a territory they don’t really belong in, but they like it here and really have no intention of moving on. They live on government assistance by choice, because they have figured out how to work the system, staying under the radar, doing just enough to qualify for every government program they can while doing as little actual work as possible. Even though they are fully capable of supporting themselves, they simply choose not to. When these individuals are offered work that pays well, they turn it down, because their paycheck would jeopardize their taxpayer-funded income, which has come to be something they feel they must protect at all costs. They see their lifestyle as one of leisure because since they don’t work, they can spend their days doing whatever they want. They don’t want to give this up to go to work.

These are the ones who drain the resources unnecessarily and stomp all over every last nerve of hardworking taxpayers who see their tax dollars funding the lifestyles of people who believe that having others pay their way for them is somehow a right. It is this entitlement attitude that Paul addressed in the Thessalonian church when he established the rule, “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10)

The Dwellers
In the third group are those who live in poverty because it is all they know (the result of multi-generational poverty) or who cannot work for some reason (children, the disabled, the elderly). These are the ones about whom no one really complains about providing for, either through taxes, through churches, organizations and ministries or giving directly to the need.

I think the problem is that most of the time, we group all these people together and call them “the needy” or “the poor”. Doing so incites an emotionally charged argument over the roles of government and the church in helping them. Some see only the genuinely needy and feel that those who want to cut funding to them are heartless and selfish. Others see only the “frequent flyers” who abuse the system and are sick and tired of seeing their hard-earned money going to fund their lazy lifestyles. What we often overlook is that we are, in fact, talking about three distinct groups of people, and I believe that as stewards of what God has entrusted to us (it all belongs to Him), we need to address each group individually.

We should assist the “visitors” in getting them over the temporary hurdle so they can return to supporting themselves and their families. They in turn are able to become a blessing to others. This is what they want, what we want for them, and what society needs from them.

The “campers” may require a more “tough love” approach as we perhaps help with immediate needs but insist that they become productive in some way, cutting off the permanent assistance plan. If they are unwilling to work to earn what they receive, are we really being wise and faithful stewards when we continue to feed and provide for them, which leaves less in the coffers for those with legitimate needs who cannot take care of themselves? It is for the good of themselves, their families and society as a whole that they learn the Biblical principles of work and reward. We are to lead them to a place where they are willing to allow God to change their hearts from being takers to being givers and in turn be a blessing to others.

The “dwellers” are where we all agree that we (the CHURCH) should have stepped up a long time ago. This is where the cheerful giving of whatever we are able to give comes in. They are the widows, the orphans, the helpless, the sick and wounded, the elderly and those unable to care for themselves. These are the ones we cannot turn our backs on. These are the needs that we are moved by the Lord’s compassion to meet, whether directly or indirectly. When we are obedient in meeting these needs, we receive not only the immediate blessing of the joy that comes from being able to help someone but an even greater reward awaits us on the other side of eternity.

Unfortunately, however, the Church has not adequately stepped up to the plate to fulfill this part of her mission. We as the Body of Christ in America have abandoned this part of our destiny in pursuit of other more self-gratifying endeavors, leaving the meeting of these needs to someone else.

Enter the government (aka We the People). We pay (not give) our taxes to a government entity to redistribute a portion of what we earn to provide money to those who have not earned it (whether or not they are able to try). Unfortunately, our government has a history of mishandling those funds by redirecting them to other places and by not implementing a system by which true eligibility can be determined and verified. So people learn how to work the system and collect money they have not earned from those who did, leaving not enough to adequately care for those with legitimate need. This in turn motivates the government to raise taxes and take even more money from those who earn it to give to those who don’t, and the cycle continues.

Our government is not the vessel by which the Word of God instructs us meet the needs of the widow, the orphan and the poor. That vessel is the Church. If local churches would adequately channel our gifts to these individuals and families, their needs would be met. But most churches spend too much on buildings, staff salaries, utilities, media and sound equipment, advertising and “stuff” to have much left over to actually meet any needs. In fact, most churches, when approached by someone in need, will turn them away because they don’t have the resources in the church budget to help them. This is a shameful fact about the Church in America today.

We faithfully bring our tithes and offerings into the storehouse thinking we are furthering the kingdom of God, when all we are actually funding is the building (which spends more time closed than it does open), staff salaries and a handful of social events that promote not the kingdom of God but another man-made empire. Think I’m being too harsh? Ask to see a copy of your church’s books for the last year. Look at how much came in through tithes and offerings. Now take a good long look at the expenses and how much was spent helping those in need as opposed to the other expense categories. We run our churches like a business rather than like a living organism. We have applied the world’s concepts of business management to an organism that was never intended to function like a business, but like a family.

So we are left with individually meeting the needs directly. When we see someone in need, if we have it in our ability to meet that need (in whole or in part), we are instructed by God’s Word to do so. Period.

Give to Caesar what it Caesar’s – absolutely. But let our tax dollars be used for providing services that benefit ALL our citizens and for defending our country against all enemies foreign and domestic. Tax less and leave more money in the hands of the people who earn it so they (we) can meet the legitimate needs of those around us. This brings us to the second misconception.

Misconception #2: Paying taxes is the same thing as giving a gift.

Here is where I have heard many confused Christians lately reprimand other believers who oppose higher taxes; they immediately start quoting scriptures about giving, mistakenly equating paying taxes with giving to the kingdom of God. One of their favorites is:

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7

Here in this one verse is actually found the answer to this misconception. It is in the two words, “under compulsion.” A tax is something we are commanded by the laws of man to pay (under compulsion). Failure to do so results in a penalty. Giving a cheerful gift to further the work of God’s Kingdom on earth is something we are commanded by the principles of God to do (cheerful giver). There is a huge difference. Let’s not confuse the two.

Finally, I challenge all of us to stop giving to get a tax deduction. Making sure we get that tax receipt is too often at the forefront of our thinking as we give. We are to give out of obedience to the Lord, with a cheerful and thankful heart and because we have the ability to do so – for therein lies the blessing.

From Dry Bones to Living, Breathing Destinies

From my journal dated 3.11.12

Sitting at a picnic table facing what used to be part of Lake Travis. What my eyes behold now is a dry riverbed with barren boat docks, the kind that used to be floating on top of several feet of water. Now they are merely forlorn shells, reminiscent of what once was.

Last year's record drought wreaked havoc on the lakes of Central Texas, particularly Lake Travis. Even with the steady rains we have had in recent weeks, the lakes are still many, many feet below normal, and the driest parts still hold no water at all. Only Go knows if it will ever be normal again, ,and if so, when and what it will take to get there.

As I sit and stare at a dry riverbed and thousands of dry rocks and boulders, I am reminded of Ezekiel and the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37). When the Lord asked Ezekiel if the bones could live, he replied, "O Sovereign Lord, You alone know."

As Ezekiel followed the Lord's instructions to prophecy life into those bones what speaks to me is the creative miracle that transpired in front of his eyes.

"I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them.." (v. 8). What had not existed mere seconds before (tendons and flesh) suddenly appeared on the bones (the framework). The tendons and flesh gave substance to each lifeless body.

What happened next is phenomenal in and of itself. The Lord instructed Ezekiel to speak to the breath - calling it from the from the four winds - calling it to breathe on "these slain that they may live."

Like the bones and like the dry lake beds, sometimes we find our dreams, and maybe our hearts, dry and lifeless. But we are not without hope. The dry bones are the framework of our dreams. They give testimony to the fact that something is there - something has potential. The tendons and flesh are what God pulls together to give our destiny substance. They make it real and tangible, giving it a shape and a face.

But until we learn to call forth the breath of life from the four winds and prophesy life into our own destiny, it will remain lifeless and unused. It will resemble an active destiny, but it will remain an empty shell. Only when we fully believe the purpose of our destiny will we speak it into existence - speaking the word of the Lord and calling life into our dreams and our destinies.

A young father and his daughter just passed by on their bicycles. As they rode by, the dad looked down at the lake bed. He pointed out to his daughter, "Hey, there's water down there again."

I take a closer look. It is true. There is water down there again.

A smile emerges across my face.

Fires and Reservoirs

I was awakened at 1:30 AM this morning with a dream.

It was night time, and we were alerted to a fire in the neighborhood (not where we currently live, but in a neighborhood somewhere in Austin). We somehow had access to some kind of an emergency scanner, which let us know about this fire.

I got in the car and drove to the end of the block and turned left. There was the house fire, several houses down on the left.

As I approached the house that was burning, I noticed the house next door to it had the garage door open and the light was on. The only thing inside was some kind of a game table, like foosball or something. There were two men playing the game, either oblivious to what was going on right outside their door or not caring at all about it.

I pulled up to the curb on the opposite side of the street behind a fire truck, and I remembered what the firefighters had instructed us to do when our home burned last year - to move the vehicles. So I backed up to a safe distance several houses away and got out of the car.

As I walked up the sidewalk to the people whose home was on fire, I could see that the smoke was pouring across the street to where they stood. It filled the air, and I could smell it and it was making me choke a little. As I approached, I saw that the upper floor was fully engulfed in flames, and while some firefighters battled that blaze, others were downstairs placing large red fire tarps over the furniture and grabbing photographs to bring out.

I walked up to the family and said, "I just went through this very thing a few months ago, so I understand. What can I do for you? I'm here. I understand."

Here is where I woke up. The dream was so real that for about a half hour I could still smell smoke (like it gets on the inside of your nostrils and takes a while to work its way out).

While there is a very practical side to this dream, there is also a strong spiritual meaning as well, one that I believe we should all pay attention to.

1. As we stay close to the Father's heart, we become privy to information that He only reveals to those who are truly listening and whom He has equipped to go and meet the need (the emergency scanner). 
2. He positions us where we can be of greatest accessibility to the need - right in the neighborhood. Every situation we find ourselves in throughout our daily lives has the potential to become a mini mission field. Need is all around us. 
3. There are those who are playing games and will not be bothered by the obvious and desperate needs of those around them. Don't be one of them. 
4. Wisdom prevails. Know what to take into the situation and what to leave behind. The car needed to be left behind while I proceeded on foot. 
5. Our experiences, no matter how painful and difficult, become a valuable resource when we are faced with the needs of others. If you have "been there, done that," thank God for it. Use it to connect with someone else who needs what you have right here and right now.

As I prayed about this dream, the Lord spoke to me clearly, saying, " I sometimes allow My people to go through very difficult places because it creates a deeper well inside you of compassion and understanding from which you will be able to draw when I bring you to others who are hurting in the same way."

The word that keeps coming to me is reservoir. It means this:

A natural or artificial place where water is collected and stored for use, especially water for supplying a community, irrigating land, furnishing power, etc.

Of course, an artificial reservoir in context of this discussion would be one that we create ourselves, using our own "wisdom"  and "understanding;" one that is faulty at best and filled with tainted water. A natural reservoir is created by HIS hand, using HIS tools, and is filled with the water that brings life and causes all things to become new.

Notice the purposes of a reservoir:

1. Supplying a community (outreach)
2. Irrigating land (facilitating growth)
3. Furnishing power (equipping the saints)

I know which one I want inside me. How about you?

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 24 - Quiet Moments

One of my most treasured things is quiet moments. Quiet moments can happen anytime, in unexpected places and can bring with them little revelations and reminders of who I am and why I am here.

Quiet moments sometimes happen on their own. Sometimes they need a little encouragement. Sometimes they require outright planning and protection. Each one is treasured and well worth the momentary sacrifice of whatever else I might be "missing" in order to indulge in them.

Even on a day like today, quiet moments are welcome. Now that I have one in progress, I am going to stop writing about it and go enjoy it.

Happy Thanksgiving, and if you have the opportunity (or have to create one), try to find your own quiet moment today to savor. Enjoy!

30 Days of Thankfulness: Days 9 & 10 - Temporary Home & Vanilla Spice Candles

The last few days have been a new variety of crazy-busy as I am beginning to catch up on missed work while still determining which of our clothes and kitchen  and personal items will be able to comfortably fit in our new little temporary digs - without cluttering things up.

Physically, I am finally starting to rest a little better and while I do feel like I'm in a battle with a mild ear and/or sinus infection, I am determined to win this little skirmish with my health in tact.

Here is my catch up for days 9 and 10:

Day 9 -  Temporary Home 

I am thankful for this cozy little travel trailer we are now calling "home" during this transitional phase. I was talking to my dear friend, Wendy, yesterday about my new little casa, and she commented on how flexible she thinks I am for embracing this unexpected change rather than resenting it."What are you gonna do," I replied. I come from a long line of strong people who became very accomplished at making the best of whatever life handed them, learning to laugh about it, loving each other through it and thanking the good Lord for every bit of it. I am just carrying on a family tradition.

As I sit here at the little dining table that doubles as my work space, I look around at this miniature version of home, and I am reminded of Alan Jackson's song, "Little Bitty," especially the chorus:

"It's all right to be little bitty

Little hometown or a big old city

Might as well share, might as well smile

Life goes on for a little bitty while."

I may have no idea of what the Lord has in store for us next, but for now, we are together, happy and blessed. Our not-so-little-bitty 60-pound canine companion is enjoying her not-so-little-bitty cushy pillow - on which she is currently passed out and snoring. There is a lot to be said for simplified living. Life is good.

Day 10: Vanilla Spice Candles

I'm a sucker for holiday-scented candles, and this year I discovered a new-to-me fragrance that is helping to make our little home on wheels smell a little more warm and inviting. It's Vanilla Spice - a wonderful blend of the warmth of vanilla and the pick-me-up undertones of cinnamon and other spices. It really doesn't take much to make me happy, and this candle is doing a fine job of it. What's YOUR favorite holiday fragrance?

 

Breaking the Cycle of Pain

I have a Joyce Meyer perpetual calendar on my desk in my home office. As I glanced over to see what today's little mini-devotional was about, I read the following words: Hurting people hurt people.

This is a true statement. When we are hurting, it is much easier for us to ignore the basic needs of others (even those we claim to love), and spew our hurt out onto everything and everyone within shouting distance.

When I hear these words, I am reminded of a time several years ago when a young woman said them to me. She was someone I was very close to. She was like a sister to me. I had poured into her life, and we had shared some wonderful times together in ministry.

But she had entered into a season of rebellion and seemed hell-bent on self-destruction, breaking the hearts of her family and all who knew her. I was at a birthday party one evening, sitting alone on the hearth of the fireplace, not really in much of a party mood. My world was being turned upside down by a husband who had been repeatedly unfaithful and was at that time completely unrepentant.

This young woman I described came and sat down beside me and informed me she was pregnant - the inevitable consequence of her reckless behavior. She went on to describe how she had recently introduced my husband to a young woman at a party for the express purpose of the latter two slipping off into the next room to have sex. My "friend" had actively participated in the assault on my marriage. I was devastated.

When I asked her how she could do that to me, she casually remarked, "Oh well, you know what they say. Hurting people hurt people." Without even an ounce of remorse or regret in her voice, and not even an attempt at an apology, she dropped that little bombshell as an excuse for her behavior and walked off to rejoin the party. She seemed to genuinely believe that her own pain (the ultimate source of which was her own hardened heart) was a legitimate excuse for doing what she did; and furthermore, she seemed to imply that the fact that she, too, was "hurting" should somehow lessen my own pain.

Are you kidding me?

The following year was an emotional roller coaster ride that ultimately crashed head-on into the end of my marriage. Her words and the spirit in which they were offered lingered with me for a long time and became part of what I had to let go of and get healed from. That friendship has never been restored. Sometimes we must let go and leave behind the things that are toxic to our emotional health. It isn't easy, but the resulting peace is worth it.

A Word to the Wise
If you have hurt someone, especially someone you love and/or who loves you, do not offer lame excuses for your behavior. Own it. Confess it. Get it right with God first. Then you will be in a more legitimate place to make it right with the one you have wounded.

If you have been hurt by someone, forgive as quickly as possible, whether or not the offending party has any clue to the damage they have caused. Don't confuse forgiveness with being a doormat for someone who is unrepentant or who obviously has their own issues to work through before they can be a part of a healthy relationship. Establishing healthy boundaries and learning how to gently and lovingly enforce them is one of the most liberating things we can do when we have been hurt.

Don't let your own pain give way to you hurting someone else. When I was going through the unbelievable heartbreak of the last several months of my first marriage, there were times when I wanted to hurt someone - anyone. But the Holy Spirit kept a close rein on me, and I could not lash out. Instead, I experienced some of the most precious times alone with Him as He held me and healed me. The lie is that if you hurt someone else, you will feel better. Don't fall for it. It is a trap. It is what keeps the "hurting people hurt people" cycle moving forward. Stop it.

Happy Endings
God is faithful. After my divorce, I spent a few years getting healed and rediscovering who I was before He brought a wonderful man into my life. My husband, David, and I have been married for over nine years now, and he is the love of my life and has taught me more about unconditional love than I ever imagined possible.

I have also been blessed with a whole circle of girlfriends, some near and some far, who have become to me a sisterhood I treasure and trust. These are women who have seen the good, the bad and the ugly and they love me anyway, and I, them. These are the women I will live next door to in eternity, as we laugh and love and live forever.

As for the young woman, I have not kept up with her personally. What others have shared with me over the years would indicate that she struggled for a long time, well into her own marriage, with conquering the selfish outlook on life that was so destructive when I knew her. My prayer is that she will one day, if she has not already, truly experience the freedom that comes from genuine repentance and true inner healing - the kind that digs deep and draws out the source of the pain and disposes of it. For good.

My first husband has recently taken another bride (his fourth). My sincere prayer is that this marriage will last - that after all these years, perhaps he has finally learned what it means to genuinely love his bride the way Christ loves the church - unselfishly and unconditionally. I pray that his past will not haunt him, and that the peace that passes all understanding will reign in his heart and in their home.

Do hurting people hurt people? Absolutely. But they don't have to. Choose repentance. Choose forgiveness. Choose the hope of a different tomorrow. Cling to Jesus, and He will lead you there.

Planning vs. Doing

True confession: I am a planner. To a fault. I plan for all kinds of scenarios. When faced with almost any situation, I picture in my head how it might play out and I plan for how I will respond/react to that outcome. Then I pick another potential outcome and do it all over again.

I plan how certian conversations will go, especially if there is the potential for conflict, and I plan what I will say and how I will say it.

I plan my days, my weeks and my months, knowing full well that life almost always intervenes and throws my planning out the window, but I am compelled to do it again and again.

If anyone ever saw the crazy tangled mess of planning and re-planning and trying to anticipate life and how I will react to it that goes on inside my head on an almost constant basis, I would undoubtedly be quickly committed to the nearest psych ward for evaluation - probably donned in a white "hug-me" jacket that ties in the back just for good measure. I'm not a danger to others,  but to myself - now that's open for debate.

I spend so much time planning and trying to control my little corner of the world that I sometimes neglect to do the doing.

I stumbled across a verse in Psalms this evening, quite the way one stumbles across a boulder in the middle of the sidewalk. Right there, nice and unobtrusively obvious in its placement on the page where my fingers turned and my eyes fell was this little gem:

"Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;"

Wait for it ... wait for it ...

"On that very day their plans come to nothing."   ~ Psalm 146:3-4

Ouch. That hurt. I don't want my plans to come to nothing. If I spend my life planning and not doing, then my life will also come to nothing. Not that planning in itself is a bad thing. It is a necessary part of life. But like anything else, it must be kept in balance and in proper perspective. It is in the doing that we live out what we are designed to do. It is in the being that we discover who we are destined to be.

I want to be close to Him; found faithful; called a friend of God; known by Him; sheltered under the shadow of His wing; someone in whom the love of Jesus is seen and the heartbeat of God is heard.

I want to do the will of my Father who sent me; the work of His hands; that which pleases Him and brings a smile to His face; that which honors His name and causes others to look to Him.

I want to plan my days, my weeks and my months, knowing full well that life almost always intervenes and throws my planning out the window; and that when it does, it is not because I have planned poorly, but rather because I have learned well to listen to the voice of the One who loves me most and am willing to let my plans go as I embrace His.

As I trust in Him with all my heart, leaning not on my own understanding, He will make my paths straight.

Now that's something I can plan on.

Worth For The Soul

The following is an article published in The Town Messenger on December 21, 2010.

Christmas. I love the word and I love the music. I love the sights, the sounds and the smells of this season. I love Christmas. I always have.

What I'm not overly fond of is the insanity that seems to creep in no matter how valiant my effort to keep it at bay. The moment my focus drifted to money and gifts and what is "expected" of me, I was in trouble. Not that buying gifts for family and friends is in itself a bad thing. It just should not (in my opinion), be the primary focus.

This past week has been an unusually emotional one for me as I received some disappointing news. It came on the heels of a very stress-filled series of events that have made the past year one that I will be glad to put behind me. Nothing tragic, just a very long year of difficult circumstances and changes that, when put all together, have taken their toll on my emotional strength.

So, when my disappointing news came the other day, I wallowed around in the mess of it for a while, then sat down at my computer. A friend had posted on her Facebook page a video link of a little girl, seven years of age, singing O Holy Night. I clicked "Play" and was washed away in a river of tears as I was overtaken by the emotional release that only comes when we reach our breaking point and finally lay down that which we have been clinging to, but were never intended to carry in the first place.

Listening to that precious voice singing the familiar words, my self-focused worry and desperation were magnified as my heart threw down the weight I had been carrying and ran to the truth that had been standing firmly in front of me all along.

Long lay the world (me)

In sin and error pining (for things and ideals),

Til He appeared and the soul (mine)

Felt its worth. *

My disappointment was so strong because something I had been longing for was being delayed again, and there was nothing I could do about it. How foolish I had been to allow my heart to chase after something that could so manipulate my emotions and my outlook. Instead, my heart should have been pursuing the One who makes all things new and Who promises to give me the desire of my heart if I delight myself in Him.

My soul does not find its worth in any material thing, circumstance or situation. My soul finds its worth in the appearance of Him, in the tangible presence of the Almighty in my every moment. Why? Because it is for relationship with Him that I was created in the first place. Immanuel, God with us, makes that relationship possible. My surrender to His love makes it a reality.

Life is filled with ups and downs. Some days we laugh, some days we cry. Some days we want to scream and shout, and some days we find our comfort in silence. We will be happy, we will be sad and yes, we will be disappointed. But our disappointment only comes when we put our hope and trust in something that is not meant to carry the weight of such precious cargo. I, for one, must be constantly reminded of this one simple truth:

But seek first His kingdom

and His righteousness,

and all these things will be

given to you as well.

Matthew 6:33

In this season, may the true wonder of the Creator of the Universe coming as a baby through the womb of a young virgin Hebrew girl captivate you and pull you into the beauty of His presence. Wise men (and women) still seek Him.

____________________________________________________________________________________

*O Holy Night (Lyrics by Placide Cappeau; Music by Adolphe Adam. Read about the history of this hymn here.

The artist referred to in this article is Rhema Marvanne, now eight years old, from Dallas, Texas. For more on Rhema’s ministry and music, visit RhemaMarvanne.com.

____________________________________________________________________________________

He Loves Me

"How precious to me are your thoughts, God!

How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand—

when I awake, I am still with you."

Psalm 139: 17-18

These words and their meaning overtake me as they roll over in my spirit. As I was out running errands this morning, I was still basking in the glow of an unexpected visitation from my dearest Friend. He had come to me while I was working at my computer. I found myself just sitting here, soaking in an unplanned dousing of His presence.

Later as I sat behind the wheel of my car, He came to me again, as if to say, "I'm not finished with you yet."

In the middle of my crazy busy-ness and determination to mark yet another item off my To-Do List, here is what I heard, "I am so in love with you. You are so beautiful to Me."

Naturally I immediately responded with wordless tears. "I have always loved you. I love watching you. I love the way you belong to Me."

One of the many thoughts that flooded my heart in the nano-seconds that followed was that He always knows exactly what to say - what I need to hear. In a way that only the most attentive Lover ever could, He once again captured my attention and my heart in one moment.

This year has been for me anything but routine. After seven and-a-half years in Arkansas working with an amazing team of people building an outreach church, my husband and I yielded to the undeniable leading of the Lord that it was time for us to return to Austin. David came in January to find work while I stayed in Fort Smith, continuing to work and wrap things up both at my job and the church. At the end of March, I left Fort Smith for Austin.

That was only the beginning of what has developed into one of the most unusual years of my life, but that is a story for another time. One of the many things I have come to understand and embrace on a much deeper level than before is that God is not interested in adhering to routine. Everything about my life this year has been such a departure from normalcy that the comment I most often hear from people is, "I don't know how you do it."

Well, neither do I. Because none of it makes any sense. God will use the foolish things of this world to confound the wise, and what seems to be the most ridiculous course of action is sometimes the only one that will get you where you are going. People used to tell me I was an "outside-the-box thinker." I no longer think outside the box. I live there. The box, if it ever really existed, is just a tiny spec on the horizon in my rear-view mirror.

And through it all, quietly providing a solid foundation on which I can place my trust, is this crazy peace that has come to be a familiar friend. It's the peace that passes understanding, that defies logic and stands as a silent centurion protecting my heart from the sure despair that would overtake me if not for the undeniable presence of the Comforter in every moment.

So here I am, experiencing once again a sense of wonder that in all the crazy, mixed-up stuff that is my life, Someone is thinking of me constantly. He watches me, not waiting for me to mess up, but smitten by the look on my face when He enters the room. The love in His eyes is for me. And no matter how far I step away from "normal," He is still here, walking with me and leading me into Himself.

And tomorrow morning, when I wake up, He will still be here.



The Bigger Picture

Somehow the entire month of August slipped by me without my getting a chance to post. Anything. At all. Thanks to an insanely busy schedule these past few weeks as we have prepared for the start of the football season (we broadcast high school games, among other things - more about that later), I am actually cheating a little on this post.

I'm sharing an article I wrote for The Town Messenger this past week. Here is the article in its entirety, as well as a link to the actual print publication itself. Enjoy.

The Town Messenger Issue 14

The Bigger Picture

by Rachael Wilkins

Life is undoubtedly a crazy maze that can leave you standing dazed and confused about which end is up as you meet yourself coming and going. And that’s on a good day. Despite our best efforts to the contrary, we sometimes find ourselves staring straight into the eyes of circumstances we would have much rather avoided altogether. Good, bad or indifferent, life happens.


I found myself this week sitting across the table at Starbucks from an old friend, someone I have known since the sixth grade. Between the two of us lie some of life’s most heart-breaking tragedies and all the pain that goes along with them; but intertwined are enough laughter, tears, hugs and girl talk to hold it all (and us) together.

As she walks through the process of self-rediscovery after a divorce that left her as a single mom, I am reminded that while I have been feeling sorry for myself in certain areas of my own life lately, there are countless people around me whose lives are being turned upside down. Sometimes I just need to look around a little to be reminded that my little piece of the world is the only piece that revolves around me. I needed to see the bigger picture.

I needed to be brought back to the reality that my life, while far from perfect, is generally good, and that I am wonderfully blessed. It is unbelievably easy in this culture to filter every experience through the mindset of, “What’s in it for me? How does this affect me?”
We have become so finely tuned to approach life through self-indulgence that we don’t even recognize it anymore.


As my long-time friend and I reconnected over cinnamon coffee cake and our favorite fruity beverages, my focus was readjusted to be more in line with what I know to be right. God did not place me here for the sole purpose of getting the most out of life. Does He want us to enjoy the ride? Absolutely. He’s cool that way. But our ultimate destiny is to know Him and to make Him known. And we cannot do that unless we step outside ourselves once in a while and see what is happening around us.

This past week in Hutto, a friend received word that her brother, a Marine, was seriously injured in an incident in Afghanistan that claimed the life of his squad leader. Another family was devastated by a tragic fire that destroyed their home and by the loss of their husband and father. My heart aches for these families and others who are facing life-altering situations like addiction, abuse, jobless-ness, illness and a host of other issues. Sometimes life hurts.

The challenge this week? Take inventory of your blessings and the things and people you can be thankful for. Open your eyes to the life happening outside your own four walls. Find a way to make a positive impact on that life. Take a little time to step back and soak in the bigger picture. With its array of joys, sorrows, hopes, dreams, laughter, tears & fears, life really is a beautiful masterpiece.

You Are Here

God's ways are not like our ways, of this there is no doubt. The harder pill to swallow, however, is that His timing is usually not like ours, either. I think that we are impatient creatures by nature and that patience does not occur naturally. None of us is born with it. It is a process - a fruit of the Spirit that must be nurtured and cultivated and, well, you get the idea.

Our culture has capitalized on this fact that we are impatient by nature and has carefully groomed us to expect instant everything. But the harsh reality is that we don't always get what we want, even if it is what God wants for us, when we want it.

In the four months since I have moved back to Austin, my idea of what my life would be like by now has pretty much shriveled up and died. My expectations have proven to be a bit unrealistic, although not necessarily by the world's standards, but by the standards adhered to when walking out what the Lord is leading you in - no matter how crazy it seems to yourself and everyone else.

Where I thought I would be by now is a tiny little speck on the horizon while I stand here in the middle of nowhere under a big red circle that reads, "You are here." Well, "here" is not where I want to be. I want to be "there." Waaaay over there. Now, please.

While I have spent much of the last several weeks feeling like I was spinning my wheels going absolutely NO-where, just waiting for something - anything - to bust open, I am beginning to catch a little glimpse of the "why" behind all this waiting. It's still a little fuzzy, but I am confident that the path that has been laid out before me will gradually come into focus as my "eyes" adjust.

Things are beginning to move slowly. Very slowly. I have been often frustrated in recent months because things were not happening as quickly as I thought they should. I have questioned whether or not I had heard God in pursuing the things I have been pursuing, and each and every time, I have ultimately returned to this one simple truth:

There is an illogical peace that resides deep in the soul of a child of God when she is standing dead center in the will of God for her life.

It makes no sense. Every circumstance swirling around her screams, “Worry – fear – dread!” But she quietly stands. The people around her question her actions and may eventually begin to believe that she has somehow missed the mark. There she is, standing alone. Her own thoughts and everything she has come to understand as what “should be” are shaken to the very core and pieces begin to crumble to the ground. She’s still standing.

This peace defies all reason and even makes her look like a fool. But it is the quiet confidence that is intravenously transmitted from the heart of the Almighty Himself directly into her spirit, and it is the very source of her strength and resolve to keep standing.

He sees the much larger picture of His plan for me than I will ever be able to comprehend or would even be able to carry if I saw it all now. This is where trust becomes something you can sink your teeth into. This is where faith brings you one step closer to spiritual adulthood, making the transition from child to woman or man. This is where your spirit becomes more intricately intertwined with that of the Creator. This is real - more real than anything else staring you in the face right now.

So keep standing. Keep your eyes fixed on the face of the One Who knows you best and loves you most. Your Deliverer is coming. He is standing by. You WILL see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

 "In quietness and trust is your strength..." 
Isaiah 30:15


"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness
of the LORD in the land of the living." 
Psalm 27:13

Late Night Instruction

I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again. Sometimes life just happens so fast that it's all you can do to hang on and run with it - much less slow down long enough to write about it. Such has been the case for the past several weeks.

The truth is, I really don't have anything profound to say even now, but I find myself with a few rare moments of quiet solitude this evening, so here I am.

The birthing of a new media company with my dad and brother has consumed much of my time and attention recently, but I also have a couple of consulting clients that have been keeping me busy as well. For these I am thankful, because they have provided at least a small trickle of income while we are getting the business up and running.

The crazy pace of keeping all these spinning plates in the air has resulted in more than a few very late and even sleepless nights as looming deadlines have dictated my sleep schedule.

The other night was such a night, and as I lay in bed, physically exhausted but still too mentally buzzed to fall asleep, I began to pray. One of the things I specifcally prayed for was a client project that was coming to a close after several weeks, and I was having a hard time putting together the final analysis in preparation for a presentation meeting with the client. I had started over several times and was simply uncomfortable with the overall organization of the presentation.

As I prayed for direction, the answer came to me pretty quickly as to how to proceed. What followed was a gentle but firm reminder that if I would simply slow down long enough to listen more often, I would be much more able to clearly hear what He is guiding me in.

The steps of the righteous ae ordered of the Lord, and He promises to make our path straight before us if we acknowledge Him in all our ways. It may seem like a simple thing, but this foundational kingdom principle is one that is increasingly difficult to walk in consistently in today's society.

Let us commit to challenge ourselves and one another to continuously acknowledge the Lord in all our ways throughout each day, knowing that He will make our path straight, making it clearer for us which way we are to proceed.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6

The Sound of Wind

In a rare quiet moment of solitude this evening, I am unusually aware of the hand of God hovering, sensing blessing and favor lingering near. My heart is once again completely saturated by the overwhelming sweetness and staggering power of His presence.

There are so many unanswered questions in my heart these days, but the peace that consumes me somehow settles these matters in my spirit, giving me the strength I need to continue on this journey. 

That sounds nice, but sometimes I'd be grateful for some hint of where this train is going. I was chatting on Facebook the other night with my friend, Wendy, and after my usual rant about having no clue what God is doing in all the "not normal" stuff that defines my life lately, she simply said, "You are in the hand of God right now."

"Well," I replied, "it would be really great if He could just open His fingers up a bit and let a little light in, because it's dark in here, and I can't see a thing!"

How often do we, having yielded our lives to the One from whom our destiny came in the first place, find ourselves still struggling for some sense of control over the direction in which we are headed? Admittedly, too often. Giving up control doesn't come easy.

Faith requires us to walk boldly into uncharted territory. It dictates that we stand in foreign places with the confident assurance that God is who He says He is, and that He will do what He said He will do in and through us.

It is only when our will has been conformed to His own that we experience the true freedom that He intended for us from the beginning. Our dreams are not designed to be achieved but fulfilled. The dreams that He has planted within us can only be fulfilled when we stop trying to achieve them and trust them back to Him. Even in this very moment, He is preparing us for the fulfillment (the development of the full potential of) our dreams and our destinies.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It is the sound of a strong and steady wind that I hear approaching. It seems to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. It sounds like no other wind I have ever heard - gentle yet strong, and I close my eyes to listen to its voice.

It is the breath of God. It is the sound that was heard in the most defining moment of Creation as the Almighty exhaled, breathing eternal existence into the lifeless body of Adam. It is the sound I hear now, as lifeless dreams are beginning to stir with anticipation. The winds of eternity are approaching, and nothing will ever be the same again.

"Blessed is she who has believed that 

what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished."

Luke 1:45

The Butterfly Circus

As we navigate this earth life, we are sometimes faced with circumstances and situations that challenge our resolve to continue in our pursuit of the dreams that the Almighty has placed within us.

We encounter difficulties and trials, financial struggles, health issues, nay-sayers, and every sort of scheme the enemy can muster to discourage us from continuing onward. Sometimes we just need to be reminded that the process of becoming what we were created to be is not meant to be an easy one. Butterflies aren't born as tiny little versions of their parents. They enter the world as a less-than-attractive little worm-like creature, but through a process of isolation and great pressure, they become beautiful & graceful flying marvels, sparking a bit of child-like wonder in anyone who witnesses them as they flutter by.

As I have been battling discouragement today, I was faced with news that seemed to just add insult to injury. I told my husband, "I will not be discouraged by this. I refuse to do it." I went on to say (as much to myself as to him) that we must be on the verge of something really powerful, because the resistance we have been receiving the past year or more has been intense and nearly non-stop.

Enter The Butterfly Circus. This brief movie (20 minutes) is one I have seen before but felt led to watch again today. There is an abundance of symbolism is this project and a host of potential sermons reside therein. The lessons are simple but very profound. The one I am walking away with today is the reminder, as spoken by the Showman, "The greater the struggle, the more glorious the triumph."

The movie features motivational speaker Nick Vujicic, a man born without arms or legs. I strongly encourage you to take a few minutes out of your crazy life and watch this uninterrupted, soaking in the priceless messages of hope, restoration, and overcoming that are portrayed in this story. And by the way, have a box of Kleenex handy.

For more information about Nick and his ministry, visit lifewithoutlimbs.org.

Since space here will not allow a screen size that will let you enjoy this movie at its best, I'm linking you now to the official site. Enjoy.

The Butterfly Circus

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work 

so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

James 1:2-4

I am Certain of This One Thing

Sometimes I feel so close to Jesus that I can almost taste the sweetness in the air as His fragrance seems to permeate the air around me. Other times, I don't feel Him quite so close, but must rely on the simple truth that He is faithful, and that even though I don't "feel" Him, I know He is here. Tonight falls into the latter category.

As I sit here listening over and over again to a couple of songs that are deeply ministering to my dry and thirsty spirit, I am once again overtaken by the immenseness of His love for me. Tears flow readily as I drink in His goodness. I don't know why He loves me so much, nor can I explain why He has chosen me, an immeasurably imperfect vessel, to carry out His kingdom purposes in this generation. But He does, and He has.

So here I sit in a darkened room, with lyrics declaring His faithfulness and music that soothes my soul washing over me like a cool and refreshing waterfall on a steamy Texas summer day.

"All I ever know is Jesus, You are faithful to the end."

These are words I have spoken over and over as I have recounted to wounded women the part of my story that includes a broken marriage and the unbelievably dark clouds that shrouded my heart month after month as I underwent deep emotional healing. In my darkest moments, when I felt completely and utterly alone, the only thing that gave me the strength to draw my next breath was the knowledge that Jesus was faithful. It was the grace that I found woven through the tapestry of my heart through a lifelong love relationship with Him that enabled me to keep going through the process of healing. When I didn't know anything else, I knew the character of my God. I knew He was with me, even though I couldn't always feel Him.

As we face uncertain times and the unrest that naturally accompanies seasons of transition and change, of this one thing I am most certain: Jesus is faithful to the end. He will never leave me or forsake me. He did not bring me here for anything other than His divine plans for me - the plans to prosper me and not to harm me, to give me hope and a future. Of this I am sure. 

Keep standing, dear friend. Don't sit down. That which has been conceived in you is about to be birthed into the glorious fulfillment of the destiny for which you were born. We don't have to understand it all right now. He will reveal all truth to us in His time. Until then, let us remain steadfast, continuously reminding ourselves and one another that He is faithful to the end - that He is faithful to complete the good work that He has begun within us.

"The LORD gives strength to his people; 

the LORD blesses his people with peace."

Psalm 29:11

Divine GPS

I read somewhere recently that trust and understanding rarely accompany one another. Truer words were never spoken.

It seems recently that as I begin to engage in this next chapter of my life, the more I am learning to trust and the less I understand. The simple but deep revelation that is settling into my heart is that if I understood everything, there would be no reason for me to trust.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart 

and lean not on your own understanding."

Proverbs 3:5

This familiar verse has made its way across my path several times in the past few days, and I am learning to slow down and listen when the Lord is trying so persistently to capture my attention. 

When I see these words, one of the first things that comes to my mind is one evening several years ago when I was speaking at a ladies' meeting at church. My message was on trust, and I opened my hardcover Bible to the page where this verse was found. 

As I spoke, I began to casually but carefully tear the page out of my Bible, much to the horror of some of the ladies there. I held the page up and said, "This is my understanding."

I then held up a pen and said, "And this is me."

Holding the page just above the podium, I tried in vain to lean the pen into the page. Needless to say, the very thin paper could not support the weight of the pen, and the pen just kept falling. 

I carefully placed the page back inside the Bible, closed the Book and said, "But watch this. When I submit my understanding to God's and allow His Word and His understanding to surround mine..." I stood the Bible up on the podium and successfully leaned the pen into the Bible, which, of course, was plenty strong to support it. My point was made. 

I still have that Bible, and that page is still folded and rests in its rightful place. It serves as a constant reminder to me of how feeble my understanding is and that my need to fully trust Him is great. 

"In all your ways acknowledge Him, 

and He will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:6

As we encounter the stuff of life that presents itself to us every day, it is the acknowledging of Him that proves to be the greatest challenge. In order for me to acknowledge Him, I have to be still long enough to take my hands off the stuff and what I think the outcome should be and ask Him what His plan is in it. He promises that if we will simply do that, just stop and ask for His direction, He will make the path straight before us. 

It's like a divine GPS navigation system. Only the desired destination (destiny) has already been entered for us. He is giving us the directions. We just have to listen and follow the straight path that He is placing before us. 

The direction I think things are going seems to be changing almost daily, and as the Lord keeps gently reminding me, my security is not in the circumstances that surround me. My security lies in the quiet confidence that I am being closely held in the shadow of the Almighty, nestled safely next to His heart. Here is where I have found my hope.

"In repentance and rest is your salvation,

in quietness and trust is your strength..."

Isaiah 30:15

Transitions

After what seems like an eternity, I am finally sitting down to write again. Not that there has been any lack of material to write about. It's just that sometimes life necessitates that we focus more of our attention on living it than writing about it. Such has been this season for me.

So much of what I see happening around me right now involves transition. It seems that since the last few months of 2009 until now, not a week goes by without someone I know engaging in a change of some kind - new jobs, new homes, new cities, new engagements, new pregnancies. It is no coincidence that the word all of these things have in common is the word "new."

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?"

Isaiah 43:19 

This verse says two things to me:

1. God is fully engaged in an ongoing creative and restorative work in our lives.
2. If we aren't paying attention, we might miss it.

It is so easy to get so intertwined in the stuff of life that we lose sight of who He is, who we are, and why are here.

He is the God of the Universe, the Creator of all that is, the King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords. We are His children, growing up to be His friends, and maturing to become His Bride. We are here simply to know Him and to make Him known to all nations. Oh, and by the way - all nations starts right outside our own front door.

It's the "Do you not perceive it?" part of this verse that grips my heart and causes my gaze to be lifted from the things I clutter my life with to look up into His eyes. It is like He is saying, "Hello? Did you hear anything I just said? Weren't you even paying attention?"

There is a re-positioning happening all around us. God is maneuvering His people into the places and positions we must be in for this next chapter in human history. There is movement in the heavenlies, just as there is movement in the earth. The very foundations of the earth are literally shifting and shaking, causing great destruction on the surface. Minor and major earthquakes are in the news almost daily.

We would be foolish to not recognize this as a physical manifestation of what is also happening in the spirit realm.There is restructuring and movement in the deep spiritual places that will cause great disturbances on the surface of life as we have known it. There are surface issues that need to be shaken apart and broken loose so that true deliverance, restoration and freedom can come.

The questions we must ask ourselves are these:

• Do we perceive it? Are we paying close enough attention to recognize what God is doing?
• Are going to resist the change, go along grudgingly, or fully embrace the new thing He is doing?

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

 See, I am doing a new thing!
       Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
       I am making a way in the desert
       and streams in the wasteland."

Isaiah 43:18-19