From Surviving to Thriving

We have sure had the opportunity to be tested, tried and sentenced over the last few months. How is it looking for you? Would you have been convicted of giving up, throwing in the towel, quitting, sulking, murmuring and complaining about it all? Or would you receive glowing testimonials from your family and friends about being tenacious, relentless, determined, staying optimistic and being grateful for the blessings in your life?

No one is judging – certainly not me! I’ve come to realize that I don’t want to have gone through these times with an attitude of regret and remorse because I couldn’t take the heat. No one should blame anyone who got a little cranky over the last few months. And, for good reasons. But, wait just minute, Mr. Postman! We have so many reasons to be thankful and be boasting about our God Who has kept us, protected us and provided for us. We’re still here! We have survived! Psalm 27:13-14 says “I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait on Him and take courage.”

I AM living in this land of God’s goodness and mercy following me (Psalm 23:6). I believe it and speak it. My daughter runs a non-profit outreach called EMwomen that exists to rescue and restore women who have suffered through some of life's most difficult challenges – many of whom were homeless, jobless and hopeless. But, what does God do right in the midst of this pandemic? Every single one of those women now have homes, great jobs and are “living in the land of the living”. Because they had an attitude of gratitude, God’s goodness was magnetically drawn to them. Maya Angelou said: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

I have seen men and women rise and shine, accelerate, and go to a whole new level in their faith, confidence and trust in God during these times. They say with all-out fervor: "Bring on the heat! I was made for this. God power-packed me to win. I will come out of this heat and not even smell like smoke!”

The three Hebrews, Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego, not only survived the fiery furnace, but they weren't even singed and their clothing wasn't scorched. They didn't even smell like smoke! And that will be our story, too! As we praise and trust God Who causes us to triumph, we will come out of our “furnace situations”, alive and well. So what can we do to turn it all around from just surviving to thriving? Praise God. Our praise will jack up our faith. It’s time to step into the thriving circle of praise. Let's have some flash backs about what God has already done. When our hearts focus on the right place, we will more than survive – we will thrive!

This is the surviving to thriving scripture proof: "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us." Ephesians 3:20
That power working in us is the Holy Spirit and His fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." THAT is thriving!

Confidence has its Rewards

According to my journal, today is the 37th day of quarantine. How time flies when we’re having so much fun! Even though there are many still in “crisis” mode because of the effects of the virus on their bodies, so many in financial straits, and others exhausted as front-liners, the end is actually in sight!

I felt it yesterday when I walked by my community’s golf course that has been closed because of the pandemic. The golfers were out in abundance. We can get our hope up – our expectors expecting! Soon we’ll be back in the routines of daily go – go! Workers will go to work. Graduates will get to have their graduation. Huggers will get to hug again. Campaigners will campaign again. Restaurants will be open for business. Parks will be full. Sports arenas and fields and entertainment parks will resume. “Open for Business” will be the norm again. But, we will never forget the pandemic of 2020.

These weeks of mandatory separation from others has given me plenty of time for spring cleaning and organizing. But, it has also been a time of reflection for me and my thoughts. Like many others, I never thought I would see anything like this in my country. I believe this will go down in history as a time the Church stood strong and saw the salvation of the Lord! We didn’t waver in our faith and belief that God is alive and well and He is still in control. We continued to pray. We continued to watch on-line church and I think the Sabbath day became what God really modeled for us in creation. That it is the Sabbath day to be kept holy as a day of rest. We have stood strong and together in unity!

I became extremely nostalgic when I was looking through my large bin of photos. The bin tipped over from the vulnerable place where I sat it. Those photos scattered all over my garage floor. I am convinced it was God’s way of having me look back at all the blessings and joys of family and friends over the years. It was my incentive to organize all those photos (hundreds, maybe thousands) and put them in organized boxes for my children and me.

This scripture came to me "Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which will be greatly rewarded...” (Hebrews 10:35) Those photos reminded me of some of the “wins” we had after struggles. And, that’s what God shows us in His Word. That "confidence" scripture comes just before a long list of heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11. I am always encouraged when I read about those great women and men of faith. They endured, and were rewarded. And that’s how God wants us to live – not in the past of regret and remorse, but scriptures, photos and memories that illustrate confidence, endurance AND wins!

These last few weeks have definitely been a tester of our faith. God loves us so much and He has our best interests at heart. If His power was enough to defeat sin and raise His Son from the dead, surely, He is delivering us. We have learned so many lessons about trust during these times. We placed our lives in hands. We’ve trusted Him and we will continue to trust Him in whatever and wherever our faith journey takes us. Just think about the faith muscles we’ve acquired during this time. We’ve not only endured the season – we are making it through it. Our endurance has paid off because of our genuine faith and trust in our unfailing God.

We’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel but we might be struggling with the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Oh, but, no fear, we know what lies ahead for us because our future is guaranteed by the Author and Finisher of our faith!

Being a Go-Get-'Em Cheerleader

I know my children and grands would tell you I’m a pretty good cheerleader. I purpose to be their #1 Fan and supporter. It’s a built-in power-pack that comes with the full-package deal we parents and grandparents come equipped with. God placed it in all of us. Not for just our own family, but all who are in our sphere of influence.

I’ve cheered for my kids on at sports events, talent contests and sales competitions. I’ve cheered for them in their academics and in their faith. I’ve cheered them through decision-making times and when life gave them some pretty rough seasons. I know that my encouragement has helped them push through their pain, anxiety, and determination to finish strong.

That's a beautiful picture of what we can do for our children as they embark on the great race of life. I know that’s why I’m here in this season of my life as an encourager aka cheerleader. I want my voice in print and in real shouts of praise to be echoing in my family, and in yours. I want to be a pumping courage and confidence into my children's hearts and yours. I know that an encouraging word, offered at the right moment, may make the difference between my children and you finishing well or collapsing along the way.

Sincerely, whether we are speaking affirming and encouraging words to our children and grands or speaking optimistic and uplifting words to everyone around us, we can be assured that what we are saying has the potential to change the course of someone's day, even their life.

I’m so grateful that we were THAT optimistic, faith-building, “go-get-‘em” kind-of-parents. It served us well and it served our family well because today I see my children cheering and encouraging their children I smile from ear-to-ear when I see my grands hearing and heeding their parents' advice and now embarking on their careers, their sports and their dreams.

We all should be those kind-of-cheerleaders who shout and cheer with phrases like: “You're gonna' make it!” “You can do it!” “I believe in you!” “You are special!” “You have what it takes!” “You're perfect just the way you are.”

My children are all grown up now, but I still purpose daily to speak or type/write a positive word to my four adult children. I want to continue to be a spark that ignites a great passion in their lives. I’m a cheerleading mom and grandmom and I want to "prophesy" success and blessings as they become the best people they can be!

And hey! I want to also speak good things to you and yours, my friends. That’s what this daily blog is all about. I want my light to shine into all those heart crevices to help you see what God sees in you. You are God's beloved child and you are worthy of being praised, encouraged and supported as you run your race. Live with knowing that God is with you, cheering you on to your Finish Line. Run strong. Finish strong. And, pass it along!

Finding Rest (Even in a Storm)

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I have known rest and I have known storms. I prefer rest – especially at this season of my life. I prefer quiet, peaceful waters that allow “my boat” to just coast along. Sure, my boat may encounter a an underwater boulder or two, but that boulder is just an easy bump that didn’t take me off course. But, when the winds and the waves come – I really want to dock my boat and head in to a haven of rest.

We were a family that camped out at lakes – a lot – in tents, in cabins, and at one time, we even had a 30-ft Winnebago. When our children were barely walking – we’d be in the great outdoors. We loved waking up in the mornings to that yummy smell of bacon cooking on an open fire or even indoors when we were staying at the lake. I'm smelling it now! We loved the sounds of birds chirping and seeing fish jumping on the waters. But, it seemed we were attractors of tornadoes. I can’t begin to tell you how many times that we had to quickly pull in all of our camping equipment because the winds starting blowing harder and harder, and the clouds got darker and darker. We became quite familiar with the potential for a tornado being on its way. We were adventurers and we’d just pull up stakes, find a place of safety, until the storm passed over.

Jesus and His disciples spent a lot of time at and on the lake/river/sea, too. And, they also encountered a lot of storms: Matthew 8:23-27 says "Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke Him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We're going to drown!' He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, 'What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him!"

In verse 25, the disciples screamed, "Lord, save us!" and they revealed the identity of Jesus in their lives. This wasn’t the first time they’d seen Him calm the storms on the waters AND the storms in people’s lives. They had seen Him as the Lord and Master over storms and even in their unbelief. Their words revealed they believed in Jesus as Lord, but their worry exposed their lack of trust in Him. It's a situation we can probably all relate to. It's easy to say things like "God is in control" while silently drowning in doubt and despair.

Perhaps you have encountered some storms in your life. You may have even taken a step of faith and expected it to result in things getting easier, not harder. But God doesn't always lead us beside still waters. Instead, He guarantees His presence through whatever storms we may face. Trusting Jesus as the Lord of our life is something we can do in a single moment, but living it out and learning to trust daily is a process. While we may not know what our future holds, today we can rest in the fact that we are known by the One who holds it. As we continue to conquer each storm, we become more and more aware that it is Jesus on board our boat that gives us the confidence and assurance to brave the storm and embrace the peace.

He Goes Above and Beyond

Yesterday, I spoke about the “exceeding abundantly” greatness of God. He goes above and beyond all we could ask or think – when we move out of the way – and let Him step into lives. I’ll tell you some more of those times in ours.

Our daughter was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a baby after she had pneumonia many times. But then, God gave us above and beyond our prayers when she was completely healed. Now, I watch her in action every day – using her lungs – where the enemy messed with her – to sing and speak about the Good News of God everywhere she goes. I have a simple taste of what Mary, the Mother of our Lord, must have felt when her Baby Boy started setting the world on fire with His exploits.

Our son was born with club feet and today he’s run over 52 full marathons. But, beyond that, that little boy who had a spark of sales abilities from a young cub scout selling the most Scout-a-Rama tickets, took the “above and beyond” mentality to a whole new level as a man. He came up with ingenious ideas, aligned himself with those who have the ability to make those ideas become a reality. He recognizes “the God-factor” and if you were to ask him how he does it, he admits that the products/services he and his team deliver are simply the product of believing nothing is impossible with God.

And, me, a shy introverted girl, who had such low self-esteem in herself, met a multi-talented boy who already saw the “above and beyond” potential and brought out everything he saw in me and more. I’m here today to tell you – NOTHING and I mean NOTHING is impossible with God.

We were going down financially, but kept holding onto our faith and trust that God would turn it around for us. I’ll never forget the day when my husband boldly proclaimed: “I’m done with the lack mentality. It’s time for a kick-butt attitude. I’m going to speak to the developer and tell him I can help him get those properties sold. He audaciously asks for a 6,000 sqft home to market out of (and live) and BOOM – God did the above and beyond to take Ron’s faith and bold confidence to a BIG WIN for us and the developer. I wash you could see that gorgeous, thriving subdivision today.

I hope I don’t sound braggadocious about anything we did and do. I want the bragging-rights all spot-lighting the goodness and greatness of our God Who delivers on time – in His time and His ways if we let Him. Though we would like Him to more align Himself to our ways, when we let go and let God – He’ll do above and beyond in His time and His ways.

Why not let this be our year of boldly stepping out and taking some risks in order to go to a new level? What if we purposed to partner with God and His ability to go above and beyond with our thoughts and our prayers this year? To see the “above and beyond” made possible by a simple trust in God – the ONE Who with “Nothing is impossible”. Why not start now? Whatever it is you are believing for, take the limits off of our "above and beyond" God. Don't question Him or His timing. Be a risk taker - a true believer - you just might revolutionize and save a family, a business, a marriage, a project, a ministry, and a world!

A Year of GREAT Expectations!

With the Christmas season and story still resonating in my heart -- of a baby in a manger Who became our Savior, I am starting this new year of 2020 on a " great expectation” high. Certainly not expecting a Disney World kind-of-magical-year, but simple confidence in “He Who began a good work in me (and you), is faithful to complete it!” (Philippians 1:6) He Who promised that if I put my faith and trust in Him, will show me where to go and how to get there! “In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge.” (Proverbs 14:26)

As I said in my blog yesterday, the number 20 symbolizes expectancy. My “expectors” are on high alert for a 2020 year and a decade of blessings! I plan to wake up each day with expecting the best out of this day – this moment. No doubt, there will be some highs and lows – but it doesn’t matter, because I plan to view each day as a gift and how I tackle it with my attitude AND fortitude will either make it or break it for me – and even others in my sphere of influence.

My husband and I, for years, made it an annual tradition to meet with our children and we’d write out our goals for the next year. We made dream boards that made our visions very plain (Habakkuk 2:2) like this one of mine and Payton’s. BTW – most all of the pictures and the dreams behind them came true in some way. There’s just something to be said for goal-setting and vision-casting. Goals create a road map for success. They are the targets that we point our lives to – with a starting point and a destination to reach. They help us clarify what we desire to do, understanding the importance of pursuing them and committing ourselves to making them happen.

My vision casting, today, isn’t so much about the things to attain since I’ve been there and have been so blessed. I’m in this sweet season of purposely laying up my treasures in heaven far more. That’s not to say we shouldn’t set goals spiritually AND naturally that include dreams and desires. But, for me, my goals are so simple – spending time with my family, some travelling, but most of all, serving God. I’m intent on leaving a legacy of faith. I sincerely believe this 2020 year will be marked by opportunities to share God’s good news everywhere I go. My “YES” is big when it comes to being a devoted follower of Christ. I’m keeping my eyes and ears wide open with great expectations for a harvest of souls into the Kingdom of God and seeing radical life transformations in those God places in my pathway. I’m purposing to find things that I can take delight in so that I always dwell on goodness and not sorrow. I know I can trust God to bring me through every circumstance in peace.

I am looking to the future and not the past. I know WHO holds my future so I have no reason to fear or doubt. I refuse to allow discouragement to take me off course. I intend to embrace what God is doing in each situation and circumstance of my life because, by now, I’ve learned “ALL things work together for good” because I love God with all my heart and I know I’m called according to His purposes.” (Romans 8:28)

This is my "Great Expectation" declaration! Could I please urge you to begin this year with a Great Expectation declaration, too? Great Expections that something good is about to happen to you and yours each day. Great expectations that God is for you. Great expectations for a great hope and future (Jeremiah 29:11). Great expectations for living in hope, love, joy and peace – every single day of this new year! Let's get our "expectors" expecting!

Mary’s Assignment – My Assignment

I’ve received many assignments from God in my life – many that involved the care for those closest to me, several in my places of employment, others that took us from one state to another, to another country and back to the U.S., missions’ assignments and other assignments that focused on me.

This week, of all times of the year, I am on an assignment to help my Frisco children get packed up and moved from their home that sold at a surprising time-of-the-year (right here at Christmas) and then helping them move and unpack at their new home – just a few miles away. The timing wasn’t exactly according to our plans. It could have easily come in the warmer, less busy time of the year! But God knew and He is the way-maker -- and His ways are higher and better than our ways! God is the Master of assigning and giving sweet assurances along the way -- and even many little miracles come that assures us “this is God’s perfect timing”.

My kids aren't the first to have received an assignment that wasn’t planned or expected. Just look at Mary, the mother of Jesus. Her change of plans was much greater than a few-miles- down-the-road move. Let’s picture her -- engaged to a great guy. Wedding plans in motion. Excitement is building about "the day"! But, then, her dreams are interrupted: “The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call Him Jesus.’” (Luke 1:30-31) When Mary received this news, she didn’t react in fear or doubt. Instead her reaction was grounded in faith: “‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’” (Luke 1:38)

Mary responded with confidence because her confidence began with her relationship with God. She built her confidence in Him, not on something that was outside her control. Not on someone, like Joseph. For all she knew, he would leave her once he learned she was pregnant. Did Mary understand everything God was doing? Unlikely. Or resent what He was doing? Doesn’t appear so. Would others judge her? No doubt they would, but Mary didn’t allow people’s opinions to prevent her from embracing God’s calling, even if she didn’t understand it. The lack of details didn’t impact her confidence in His plans for her life, nor her trust in Him to take care of her.

I’m desperately trying to follow Mary’s lead. I’m learning that confidence built on people or positions is a confidence built on unsolid ground. Someone, something or some place will let us all down at some point. When we build our confidence on Christ when difficult times come, our foundation will be firm in Him. The Lord uses changes and moves to faithfully bring us to a place where our gifts will grow. We should always know, just like He was to Mary, the Lord is always faithful.

Hebrews 10:35-36, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”.

Road Warrior Widow Tips for Living with No Regrets

Phew! I gasp even as I type this blog today. My sweet ride (my trusty 2010 Buick Enclave – now at 130,000 miles) has been road tested to the nth degree over the last few weeks. Up to Tulsa for a funeral, back to Tulsa for another funeral, down to South Texas for two funerals, down to Austin to catch my grandson’s football game, back to Dallas for the Red River Rivalry of Texas vs Oklahoma and back to Frisco for a few days only to go back to Austin next week. People are amazed at my adventurous take-to-the-road spirit. I call myself a road warrior. I refuse to be bound by fear or concern. Goodness, how stale I could get if I just hung out at home all the time.

I was amused when my best friend called and asked “Where are you now?” I have to even ask myself that question when I wake up some mornings and I have to double-check to see what bed I’m in now. Some of my friends express amazement that I could be so brave to travel like I do – but it’s common-place for me. Just in case you may want to venture out and take to the road and be a road warrior, too, here are some of my “road warrior” tips.

~ #1 – I make sure my car is road worthy – tires’ air pressure where they need to be; being sure my car is serviced properly (oil changes and other fluids intact); being sure my AAA road service is up to date just in case of a towing need (I pray for my sweet ride and thank God for it every time I get behind the wheel!)
~ #2 -- I pack up my little food basket with all kinds of munchies -- nuts, fruits, pop-corn, crackers, and a big mug of iced water or tea, plus another mug of coffee. All of that “fuel” intake for the road helps keep me wide awake. I even make a plan for a little treat along the way – like a small, chocolate dipped ice cream cone from Dairy Queen or a pit stop at a rest area or truck stop to stretch or to grab my pillow and shut my eyes for 10 minutes or so. That’s all it takes to refresh and keep going.
~ #3 – I make sure I have great music to praise the Lord to or tap my fingers to and sing along with. Another road warrior stay-awake tip is listening to audiobooks – my favs are fiction Christian romance (I’m a hopeless romantic) or Christian action audiobooks. They keep me awake with anticipation about what’s going to happen next.
~ #4 – One of my favorite road warrior tips is to keep my eyes, ears and heart open in case God gives me a little nudge about what my next blog might be about. When that happens, I tap my cell phone voice memo button and record what that message might be.

The attached photos are from recent road trips and family outings. Brennan attends Regents School of Austin. I just had to see him play on Thursday. He is #7 and an amazing receiver. I loved seeing his team praying together after the game. The next day it was back to Dallas for the Red River Rivalry of Oklahoma Sooners vs Texas Longhorns. We were blessed with an amazing Longhorn family’s generosity to the eight of us! So no problem sitting with Longhorn fans. Our family may live in Texas but Oklahoma is in our hearts. Great family fun cheering our Sooners on to victory! Boomer Soone!

~ #5 -- My last road warrior tip is not just on the road but in every place and every season of life, this widow warrior has come to “live on the edge with accepting the thrills that await me – taking on opportunities to share the love, embrace the precious people in my life and be fully confident in my trust in God”. He becomes our safety and our security. Because of Him, we can risk living life to the fullest and be all that we were created to be. He keeps us secure, even though life is often insecure, even though we get disappointed, even though the bottom falls out. We embrace the highs and we wait patiently for the lessons learned in the lows. Really – THAT is my #1 and most highly recommended Road and Life Warrior tip – for God to be your Road and Life security and ultimate confidence, too!

“For the Lord will be your confidence…” - Proverbs 3:26

Things Are Looking Up With Optimism and Hope

We are known as an optimistic family. We reinforced optimism in our children with “You are champions. You can do anything if you set your heart and mind to it. With God all things are possible." We purposely speak “God is good -- all the time” regardless of sunshine or rain, joy or sorrow, win or defeat.

Now, I have a greater, healthier sense of respect for the concept of hope even more than optimism. To be optimistic about our lives will serve us well, mentally and physically. But when we’re holding onto the last strand of the rope in our circumstances and when we need a powerful shot of an energy drink to keep us holding a little longer, there is no substitute for hope. So here, let me offer you an energy drink from the Springs of Living Water found in God’s Word: “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28).

Looking back at my own life -- every defeat, every pain, every disappointment, resulted in eventual good. Now I know God is actively working to bring good out of whatever happens in our lives. So we grab hold of hope and that truth again: “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28). That scripture isn’t saying that every event in our life will be good. But it does say that when we put our whole life together, every piece of it works together for good. It’s like making a cake. We may not like the taste of each ingredient -- but when it’s all put together, we can’t keep our hands off of it. God wants to bake an amazingly tasty cake with our lives, and He wants to use even the distasteful and bitter ingredients to do it.

God also doesn’t say that everything works together like we want it to or every story will have a happy ending. The reality is not every business decision will make us a million dollars. Not every couple that gets married will live happily ever after. Not every child will become a star athlete. Instead, the verse reminds us that we can have absolute confidence that our Master Chef and Designer causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God. (BTW, this promise is for “those who love God,” not for those who don't.)

Hope is the absolute confidence that every part of our lives will ultimately make sense. From our vantage point, life looks like a mess at times. But God’s view is the finished cake -- so tasty, so good. We can’t even imagine the good that God has in store for our future. Our future is in God’s hands — and there’s no better place for it to be.

This is What Seed-Time and Harvest Looks Like

These lovely ladies sat beside me at a wonderful luncheon fundraiser for women’s ministry outreaches yesterday. As we visited, Ann, on the left, told me she and her husband were part of the first twelve people who started meeting to worship God together twenty-two years ago in just a small building in downtown Frisco. They had the hearts for a Catholic Church to be built in Frisco, TX – since the closest ones were in McKinney, Plano or Denton – all at least 30 miles away. Various priests would join them to celebrate the mass for them.

After many long years of planning and two years of construction, the existing church and chapel were completed in December. 2013. The hall we met in yesterday was the first structure built. I saw Ann gazing, almost overwhelmed, at how many women were at the luncheon. The church has over 39,000 members now. From 12 to 39,000 in 22 years. Talk about "seedtime and harvest"! Twenty-two years of planting, praying, serving and giving certainly produced a bumper crop. I said to Ann and Donna, her daughter, “Just look at what you did. You planted many seeds and today you are witnessing the harvest. I was reminded of the scripture: “Be not weary in doing good for in due season you will reap if you don't give up!” Galatians 6:9

I share this sweet exchange of a "sower" who recognizes the harvest she was a part of – the many who have given their lives to Christ, those who have been baptized, married, and raising their own children – planting into them the rewards of sowing and reaping. We plant. God gives the increase. If we don’t dig up our seeds by words we speak or actions we take and if we trust God for the increase, eventually what we planted will yield a fruitful harvest. Waiting is the toughest part of the sowing process, isn’t it? We sow our seed…then…silence. If we sow our seed in faith, we expect it to grow, and we’ll keep expecting— no matter how long it takes. In the meantime, it is important that our words match our faith. We might as well say: “I am expecting a record-breaking harvest.” That's what Ann has seen.

Maybe you’re waiting for a financial harvest, a breakthrough in a relationship, or healing and restoration in your body or emotions or your church or business to grow. Whatever it is, if your harvest is taking longer than you’ve anticipated, God’s Word and His promises are true. So, hold on! God remembers every seed you’ve ever sown. So, don’t give up on your seed just before the finish line. Harvest is coming!

I encourage you to consider the seeds you plant each day into those you influence -- your children and maybe you don’t have children, but you have friends, loved ones, and neighbors that you could be planting seeds of faith, hope, confidence, and encouragement into them. Not only does your influence represent seed time into their lives -- but just maybe, you’ll get to be there when their harvest comes in AND when you watch them plant seeds into others, too. Yesterday, I was able to celebrate “harvest” with dear Ann. She’s a very proud and happy sower AND reaper!

Love is Being an Encourager

"Good Afternoon! Welcome to Moe's!" Like me, I’m sure you’ve taken notice of the fast food chains and stores whose employees shout out welcoming words when we walk in their doors! It may be scripted, but to me, it's encouraging! I was noticed! I also recognize it when a salesperson has been taught to be friendly and to look for something they can compliment their customers about: "I love your hair!" "Nice sweater!" In spite of their words sounding a little trite, it still gives us a feel-good feeling, doesn’t it?

I’ve had many encouragers in my life. At age 12, I remember my first babysitting job (50 cents an hour) taking care of a doctor’s two little ones – ages 3 months and 3. Their home was right across the street from ours, so the children's mom was assured I had help on stand-by if I needed it. I’ll never forget overhearing that mom telling my Mom: “Donna is so responsible for her age!” That made me want to be even more responsible. I’ll never forget, as a 13-year old, the choir director pointing out “You harmonize so beautifully." That gave me the confidence to belt out my harmonies even more. A friend said, " Donna, you have the most beautiful clothes.” That’s because my sweet mama, on a limited income, made sure that I wore trendy, beautiful clothes and she could do that because she was a great “deal” finder. I think that’s why, to this day, I head to the sales racks before I look at the full-priced items.

Today, I am an outgoing, avid writer, blogger, teacher and speaker because my husband encouraged me to speak publicly. He encouraged me to get my pilot’s license, real estate broker’s license and more. I had a boss who encouraged me to apply for a job that I didn’t have the required Master’s Degree for, but he knew I could do the job. I did and he was right. My Sweetheart passed way and I was surrounded by encouragers who literally lifted me up above the fray with their love and support.

And, now, the encouragement I receive from so many of you, my FB and blog friends and family that cheer me on in doing what I’m doing right now -- encouraging me to keep encouraging.
I was encouraged by others and I, too, became an encourager. That’s my point today, to say it’s time for us all to put on our Encourager Hats. It’s obvious how much our world needs cheerleaders and encouragers. I know, as I type this post, you get what I’m saying because you sense God’s gift within you. You’ve been through your share of heartaches and someone was there to encourage you, so you know like 2 Corinthians 1:4 says “So that you might comfort others with the same comfort that you’ve been comforted with”, you must encourage others. Now you are passionately aware that you’ve been called to speak up, reach out and lift up others. It’s not always easy because you don’t want to intrude or be a “know it all”, but that’s not what matters. What matters is you have something to give..

God uses people to encourage people. He's looking for available hearts to love and encourage the world around them. My hand is raised. How about yours?

1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing"! Rise and shine, Encouragers! Let’s go encourage!

It's Not Over Till I Win

Years ago, my daughter wrote and recorded a song entitled "It's Not Over Till I win". The chorus of the song goes like this:
"I'm not givin' up. I'm not givin' in. I've got to keep believing. It's not over till I win! I'm not givin' up! I'm not givin' in. I've gotta keep on pressing on. Cause it's not over till I win."

That song certainly rang true this weekend. Ryan and Shawntel asked if I could come to Austin to stay with the boys and to go to Brennan's Baseball Tournament in Taylor TX. Alexia came with me and it was "Game on", but on the first day, Brennan's team fell short on both of that day's games. They are a good team, but on that day....it just didn't come together for them. So, going into yesterday's games, our expectations weren't that high and if we lost the first game, we knew we'd be heading back home. But, lo and behold, they won their first game, and then they won their second game, that pushed them to the semi-final that they won again which put them in the final game. And, to our amazement, they won the overall tournament, winning these Texas-sized tournament rings. Of course there was celebration in ginormous proportions. It sure made it worth our while to get to be a part of the excitement. Brennan was confident that it was Nana and Alexia's presence that helped them win and asked if we'd be sure to come to all of their tournament games. LOL!

What if those boys and their coaches had given up when they lost those first two games? But they didn't, and with each win, they seemed to gather more and more confidence and determination that said "It's Not Over Till We Win!"

What about the losses we've experienced in life? Did they make us quit the game or did it propel us to dig our heels in and realize that each loss showed us what we were doing wrong and what we were doing right.

Are you done? Are you ready to throw in the towel? Do you hear voices that say "You're losing -- you just can't take it anymore -- you might as well give up -- you're gonna fail again?" Then I urge you to listen to this song, written and sung by my favorite vocalist, who heard those same voices and had plenty of reasons to give up. But instead of giving up....she pulled up her bootstraps and let those voices know "It's Not Over Till I Win!" Turn up the volume on your speakers and get ready to fire up and muscle up! It's time for your come-back! It's NOT OVER TILL YOU WIN.

http://staciwallace.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/03-Its-Not-Over.mp3

What Medicine Do You Take?

If you're like me, your medicine cabinet has just about everything you need in it for the common cold, headache, cuts, scrapes, bug bites, sunburn, tummy ache, etc.  I've got aspirins, ointments, sprays, oils, ice packs, heating pads to help conquer the ailments at any given time.

Yesterday morning, while getting ready for my day, I listened to a Joyce Meyer broadcast that I had previously recorded.  Her message sure hit home and impacted me enough that I'm sharing with you the part that I loved and took to heart the most.

She had two HUGE medicine bottles on the stage -- two medicines for our souls.  One said, "Trust" and the other said "Do Good".   Joyce said,  "This is a prescription for trust. The doctor is Jesus and the patient is whosoever. The instructions are take as many, for as long as you need it, refills are endless. There are some side effects, so you'll need to be careful. The side effects are: peace, joy, stability and confidence.  Trusting God is the best sleep aid in the world."   And the other presciption was "Do Good" -- side effects:  extreme happiness.  Trust God and do good.  That sounds like two medicines that would take care of spirit, soul AND body.  Those two medicines that Joyce mentioned:  "Trust God and Do Good"  will solve any problem we have.  Psalm 37:3 says "Trust in the LORD, and do good".

I loved this analogy.  How easy it is for us to go to the medicine cabinet for the physical issues we might be dealing with, but what do we do when we are in fear, dealing with anxiety, disappointment, discouragement, depression, anger, self-doubt, and so many other emotions?  The answer is Joyce's answer "Immediately go get the prescription and medicine of God's Word."  The Word of God fixes everything that ails us.  There is an answer for everything in God's Word.   When in fear, take a dose of courage; when anxious, take a dose of peace; disappointment -- a dose of a thankful heart; discouragement -- a dose of encouragement, etc.   We wouldn't put up with a headache very long before we'd take an aspirin for relief.  And we shouldn't put up with all the sufferings of our soul.  How do you spell relief?  TRUST GOD and DO GOOD!

Peace I Give To You

Day 110 of Photo Inspirations -- Safe Harbor
By tonight, we will have been travelling on the Atlantic Ocean 7 days.  We were detoured from Halifax, Nova Scotia because of the low pressure system, but tomorrow we'll be docking in the Azores, Portugal.  It's okay with most all of us, because Nova Scotia has 3 feet of snow and the Azores will be in the 70s.  We welcome that climate.  Then we'll be heading on to Ireland.  I'm really look forward to being there.  My grandparents were Irish, so maybe you could say I'm heading toward my family "roots".  These are a few pics of my friends and I enjoying this beautiful ship.  By no means is anyone complaining about being aboard this little city.  The food, the entertainment, the activities, and the comfortable areas all over make for a beautiful and restful experience.  We've had four time zone changes and will have others before getting to Denmark on May 2nd.

I've been talking a lot about staying in peace.   I've loved water skiing -- I could do some pretty awesome moves as a slalom water skier, but as I look out the windows of this ship, I see some pretty rough waters -- white capping.    I would have never attempted skiing on waters like these.   But inside this ship -- we don't even notice the rough waters.  It is stable.  I'm sitting at the table in the dining room as I type this.  I just finished my breakfast and the glasses and the dishes on the table weren't moving a bit -- even my coffee and orange juice aren't moving inside the glasses and cups.   It is a stable place of comfort and peace.

And, in the matters of life, as long as I fix my thoughts on my Prince of Peace, I'm stable and at peace.  I know the world's peace depends on calm seas, favorable circumstances, getting our way, things going as expected, with very few manageable challenges.  That sounds all sweet and nice, but as soon as our "apple cart gets turned over", the world's peace tends to dissipate and we are left with anxiety and concern.  But here's the peace I know well -- the peace Jesus gives.  That peace helps me face circustances with a quiet confidence that guides me -- not contingent on what's going on around me, but what's inside me -- better yet, WHO'S inside me. Jesus said, "Peace, I give you -- my peace I give you -- not as the world gives I you!  Let not your heart be troubled."   John 14:27

Life Can Be a Great Adventure....It's Up to You!

Helen Keller said, "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing!" Helen overcame the adversity of being blind and deaf to become one of the 20th century's leading humanitarians, ADVENTURING into life, and accomplishing great things.

That's what I love about little kids -- you'll find them climbing the shelves of a pantry or jumping from one bed to another bed -- they literally live "on the edge"! And, somehow, they survive their all out abandonment -- even though they'll get a few bumps and bruises along the way! They are secure in their risk taking. Where did that confidence come from? They went from crawling to being confident enough to walk because they had family members that coaxed them, trained them, and told them over and over "You can do this!" They got more and more confident, and now there's no end to their grand, daring adventures. The sky is the limit for what they believe they can do next.

How many of us live life day to day, not ever challenging ourselves, only seeking a comfort zone that makes us feel warm and fuzzy, but doesn’t help us make the changes we might need in order to move forward -- in a new job, learning a new skill, checking out an opportunity that came our way? Imagine what our life would be like if we chose to “live on the edge”.

We can know that kind of confidence -- whether we're taking a risk, or simply endeavoring to conquer a challenging situation that we may be in. Father God is coaxing us, telling us "You can do this!" I'm talking about putting our trust in God -- so much so -- that He becomes our safety harness and our security. Sure, some of those risks present some bumps and bruises, but when we are confident in His ability and His ever watchful eye on us, we will go at it again and risk living life to the fullest, becoming like little kids and having some grand adventures.

Go ahead, do one thing that will make you say: “I am living my life on the edge” and see what doors open for you.

“For the Lord will be your confidence…” - Proverbs 3:26

Fear NOT....STAND and See the Salvation of the Lord!

Are you facing some insurmountable challenges today? At the end of your rope? Here's a great word for us -- straight from headquarters! "Fear not: stand still, be firm, confident, undismayed and see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today...the Lord will fight for you and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest." Exodus 14:13,14

These words contain God's command to us when we are facing extraordinary difficulties. We can't go forward and we can't go back, and doors are shut on the right and on the left. So what can we do? God's word says to "stand still."

There will be those who tell us to "give up -- throw in the towel -- it's too great a feat", but God promises that HE will fight for us, so we can just hold our peace, rest, and stand still in confidence that He is working it all out for us! And when we let Him be in charge.....He ALWAYS works it for our good! What a comfort that is!

We Can Do This!

There's a lot of folks out there complaining about the weather, the economy, the government, their job, their co-workers, their spouses, their children or their neighbor. And, then there are folks who are always optimistic, "can-do", undaunted in their attitude to win, and whether the sun is out -- or hiding behind a cloud -- they always see it shining. They walk into a room and the sun comes in with them. When the worst of the worst happens -- the best of the best comes out of them. I'm just sayin' -- WE CAN DO THIS! We can be conquerors and overcomers and always see the glass FULL. You ask "HOW?" Let THE SON come into your heart -- then the GREATER ONE will live in you, and He will give you the confidence and strength to live above the fray....COME WHAT MAY!!
We really CAN be difference makers. Come on....WE CAN DO THIS!