In the Letting Go

Letting go of treasured times, treasured people, treasured routines and traditions isn’t easy, but it’s obviously the life God designed for us during these times. Throughout the Bible we read about letting go. King Saul’s son, Jonathan, and David were best friends, but life happened and they had to go their separate ways. Moses’ mom had to put him in a basket and let him go to save his life. Jesus had to let go of His place in heaven to come to earth to rescue you and me.

Maybe those scenarios don’t provide the comfort you've needed for letting go of your routines, schedules, plans, dreams and hopes during this pandemic. It hasn’t been easy for anyone who is a planner, a doer and wants to hold on as long as they can. Status quo certainly has been disrupted, hasn’t it?

I’ve been letting go for a very long time. I can’t believe how fast time went – watching my own children grow from infants to raising their own children. I see it as a good thing. It is supposed to be that way. I’ve had to let go of friends as we’ve moved in and out of each other’s’ lives while navigating changing seasons of our own. One day, I held my husband’s hand for the last time and let go as he and I touched eternity together when he quietly went home.

It’s not easy letting go, but God gives us the fortitude and strength to conquer the “letting-goes”. My letting-goes were staged by God in a slow-methodical way. I applaud those of you who had to let go during these crazy, unplanned times and your ability to “bend and not break”.

I have witnessed those who have stood tall -- silent and strong, with arms lifted high toward heaven. I’ve seen you let go of your own ideas of how things ought to be and you’ve trusted God instead. You have let go of holding on so tightly and found the courage to look forward to what God has in store! He has a sovereign plan and we’ve resigned ourselves to trusting Him. We've made it through many seasons and we’ve come out of them braver and stronger. None of us knows what the future holds, but when we raise our hands high in the letting go, we’ll find ourselves looking upward to Jesus. He’s the One who is able to lead us through the heartaches and triumphs of the living, the loving, and the letting go.

Letting go is a daily, moment-by-moment choice. Giving it all to God is the way to come out on the other side as conquerors. I love this scripture: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) When we relinquish control, worry, doubt, fear and doing-it-my-way and give it all to God daily, we can be free to be a human-being instead of a human-doing. God is in control. We just need to recognize His authority and let Him lead. We can trust Him with all that concerns us each day. Letting go is scary at first, but the freedom in our mind and hearts will be worth it.

Isaiah 55:8-9 -- “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

These Shoes Feel Like Slippers

DSW Shoes sent me an email with the subject line: “These Shoes Feel Like Slippers!” I know advertising ploys and that one was supposed to entice me to check out that ad, but sorry, DSW! I wasn’t tempted. But, thank you, DSW, because you gave me food for thought for this blog today.

Pictured here are a gal’s absolute verification that “these shoes feel like slippers”. Several pairs seem to be worn out. The top two pair are newer – barely worn at all. The “worn-out” ones are symbols of guaranteed comfort and healing to my feet. From the wear and tear, you can see that I live in them when I’m not out and about. I know this brand of shoes was God's provision for healing as an answer to my prayers. And, though many of them look quite shabby, they still have the structure that keeps my feet supported. I can't bring myself to throw any away.

In the words of the great philosopher, Marilyn Monroe: "Give a gal the right shoes and she can conquer the world". That quote, and, especially that adorable little girl prancing around in her mama's shoes brings a smile to my face. Little girls just want to be like their mamas. But, there's something about us BIG girls who want to be like someone else, too! We want to “feel” like we’re wearing slippers – perhaps Cinderella’s glass slippers. Maybe it's because of who they're married to, or how wealthy they are, or how beautiful they are, or how smart they are, or what a bubbly, outgoing personality they have.

But, RIP, Marilyn Monroe, who didn't realize that God did GIVE us gals the RIGHT shoes, and we, not only CAN, but we ARE conquering the world. The RIGHT shoes to be in, are the ones that God created just for us to wear.

You and I are unique, one-of-a-kind, specially handcrafted originals. Before we were ever conceived, God had a plan and purpose that only we can fulfill (Jeremiah 1:5). We don’t have to try to fit into someone else’s shoes (or try to be like them or look like them). Remember the wicked stepsisters of Cinderella trying to fit into Cinderella's shoes, and they just couldn't? That's because they were trying to BE Cinderella. It didn't work for them and it doesn't work for us either.

We just simply must walk in the “designer” shoes that God made just for us. That’s what I do with my comfy, cozy, healing slippers. Once, I wore 3” heels – had every color and style imaginable. Oh, yes – I can verify that I had plenty of shoes – so much so that I received the Imelda Marcus Shoe Award (note the hair and shoe award photo here)! I no longer wear those shoes. It was a season. I’m in a new season now with different slippers – ones that God gave me to wear – and I own it. I was conquering the world in those 3” heels in MY season and now I’m conquering the world in these built-for-me slippers today.

Actually, it’s not at all about the shoes but about the men and women that God destined us to be, to show up when He calls us for duty – and whether that duty is on a computer writing a blog to encourage and motivate someone to live in audacious faith, behind a receptionist desk being a light to all she or he encounters, a nurse with loving hands and heart ministering to those in her or his care, those on a telephone bringing awesomeness to someone who needs an uplifting word, one on an airplane telling someone about God’s great love, or in front of a kitchen stove preparing a meal based on love and devotion to their family, or walking outside and embracing the One Who created it all – let’s go right on today, in our specially designed – one-of-a-kind shoes and conquer and change the world.

“Wear shoes that are able to speed you on as you preach the Good News of peace with God.” Ephesians 6:15

This Just Wasn’t MY Plan

Plan: strategy, intention, aim, intent, objective, goal, ambition

I remember thinking and saying those words so many times in my life “This isn’t what I (or we) planned!” How well I remember that place of feeling stuck. Our lives were just not going the way we had planned and although it was always the greatest desire of our hearts to trust the Father completely, trusting wasn't easy when our plans were wrecked and our dreams were relinquished to a divine design that we didn't understand.

We knew plenty of scriptures and quotes well that helped us to stay the course. We had "Expect a miracle" signs all over our home. We believed and spoke out “He did it before. He’ll do it again!” “Hold on, my child. Joy comes in the morning!” “When you’ve done all to stand, keep standing!” And I could hear those stories, coming from everywhere, of a plan that isn’t ours, of a God who knows so much better than we do.

Right now, you may be in the middle of trying to figure out what in the world is going on with the plans you made, too. You may be thousands of dollars in debt for a degree that you’re not sure you want any more or for that business start-up investment and “trends” aren’t on your side. You may look over at the empty space next to you in bed, aching for it to be filled with the spouse you thought would be here by now or for the one whose life was cut short. Or maybe your life is everything you hoped it would be, but there’s profound emptiness where contentment should be.

Best laid plans sometimes go awry! How many times do we make a plan, chart a course, set goals, cast vision, and even set out on a long-awaited dream-come-true adventure and it went all wrong? Most of those times, there are logical reasons beyond our control that keep us from our plans. Other times, it’s simply a matter of readjusting a schedule, and the plan can proceed. Changing the course or our mind isn't a bad thing. Having to reconfigure doesn’t make us a flip-flopper. In fact, accepting that God could be planning an even better outcome than what we had planned makes us flexible.

I know how hard it is to be grateful in the midst of uncertainty. It is much easier to look at where we are, line it up with where we thought we would be, and become fearful and frustrated about the differences. But our Heavenly Father knows exactly where we are and exactly where He desires us to be. God is not deaf to our prayers nor blind to our place. His ways are simply better.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

We can be angry that our lives have been disrupted, or we can trust that God is crafting a life for us that is far better than we could ever imagine. One of my favorite lines from the “God’s Not Dead” movie was “It’s not easy, but it’s simple.” I love this quote. It tells us a simple but profound message. Living the life is not always easy, but Christ’s message is simple “Trust me. I’ve got this. I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life.” Our plans may go awry, and tough times may come unexpectedly, but we can be grateful for a God who loves us enough to wreck our plans when it is for our good and for His glory.

Maybe today you are smack dab in the middle of a story you would NEVER have chosen for yourself. I know I was supposed to share these words and this post today because God nudged me to tell you “You’re on the brink of a miracle. TRUST ME!" He asks us to have the courage to find the beauty in these times. We may not know what He’s doing, but because we love Him, we can trust that it’s good. He's a good, good Father and so are His best plans for us!

God’s Road Map -- the Surest Way to Stay on Course

Road Map – a map, a plan or strategy intended to reach and achieve a particular goal...........A couple of weeks ago I was asked to share my favorite daily devotion with a group of new Christians. It was easy for me to share, because this “book” has been my daily "road map" all my life.

We don’t use road maps too much these days with the advent of technology and GPS systems, but I remember, even as a child, loving to hold one of those paper maps and with my finger follow along the roads that my daddy was driving to West Virginia to visit my oldest sister and her family. Then I was promoted to being the navigator, using the Atlas Map Books, as my husband & I and our ministry team traveled the U.S. and Canada in our 28 ft Winnebago. But, my navigating skills were tested to the core as we flew in our Cessna 182, as my husband’s Co-Pilot and Navigator. Flying took mapping to a whole new level as we had all kinds of other considerations besides roads. We had to consider the weather, coordinates, the wind velocity, and we used ground landmarks, shorelines, rivers, mountains, things other than just roads to consider. Of course, today, GPS systems for flying and driving changed just about everything.

If only we would be as attentive to the “road map” that God gave us for our lives. That road map is found in God’s Word, the Bible. The Bible is not just some musty old book that we can just ignore because it was written ages ago. It is the Word of God, written down by those individuals who were inspired by Him. The texts are about us and our lives, even though they are thousands of years old. Every time that we read or hear scriptures from the Bible, God speaks to us and touches us in a new way. Of course, the Bible’s most important message is God’s love for every person, including you and me.

I told the group that I’ve used the Bible as my “end all” in all the ups and downs of my life and it has never failed me. When I had been in fear – I would turn to the concordance in the back of my Bible and look up scriptures on courage; when I was sad – I would look up scriptures on joy; when I was sick, I would look up scriptures on healing. God was speaking directly to me as I read those words that were His PROMISES to us.

Now, what’s so easy and simple for us to do in this information age – no matter whether we’re carrying around a hard copy of our Bible or not, we can google scriptures on our laptops or phones: scriptures on love; scriptures on healing; scriptures on joy – and a host of scriptures will pop up.

If I had the cure for stress and worry; for sadness and pain and kept it to myself, what kind of friend would I be? I do have the cure – it’s found in our Road Map for Success in Life…..and it’s called “The Bible” – God’s Word. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've read a scripture and my perspective completely changed and the navigation I needed to go from Point A to Point B in decision making was given to me. Like a good road map, God's Word points us to the best roads and places of insight and illumination so that God's Spirit can shine His Light into our minds and hearts. And that "road map" NEVER needs updating. The roads, the destinations, the promises and the treasures are as sure today as at the time they were written when He illuminated them to His transcribers.

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…”

Throw Your Hands in the Air and Enjoy the Ride!

I've always loved the craziest, wildest rides at amusement parks. Maybe that's why becoming a private pilot was no big deal for me. I think wild rides are part of my DNA, because God's plans for us sure did include some like that.

For over 43 years, my Honey and I encouraged many people to trust God for anything -- "nothing too big or too small for God, who loves us so much". When they were facing some really difficult situations, we told many to "just get on the roller coaster -- throw your hands up in the air, take the ups and downs and twists and turns.....and enjoy the ride!"

That's my healthy and strong husband in the photo. He was demonstrating this concept to our precious friend who was battling cancer at the time. I took that photo of them with their hands raised in the air, and I superimposed it into this roller coaster ride. Little did we realize that his ride would take him to heaven before our friend's did. And, we sure didn't expect that when we were encouraging others, that we'd be getting on the "Big Kahuna" Roller Coaster, ourselves. In fact, it was in our own season of enormous challenges, that those precious people encouraged us. We knew it was harvest time for the seeds we had planted in their lives. This scripture says it well: 2 Corinthians 1:4 "He comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God".

We’ve all had those times of climb, climb, climbing to the top of the track -- not knowing what was up ahead. But, then we take a deep breath, and hang in there for the twists and turns, and ups and downs. Yes, we get sweaty palms and white knuckles while holding on so tight, but then we remind ourselves, God is in charge of the start and finish of this ride, so we can throw our hands up in the air and enjoy the trip! Let’s trust this ride's Conductor -- we’re sure to get the adventure of a lifetime! And it will be exactly.....as He planned it!

Leaving Behind Faith Footprints

On Thursday, a dear uncle graduated to heaven and, of course, thoughts go to the precious memories we made together, as well as the legacy and the footprints he left for us to follow. He was a beautiful soul, but most impactful, was his last year and a half where he lovingly, tenderly and devotedly cared for his very ill wife. None of us thought he would graduate to heaven before she did, but God knew, as His plans always one-up any that we may have.

As, I drove to Dallas yesterday, and in my quiet space of thought and prayer, I started thinking about MY faith footprints -- the imprints and effect that my time on this earth might have. Surely, we should be working as diligently to make our faith footprints as large as we can, so we really do make a difference in as many lives as we possibly can, while we're still on this side of heaven. We may think "How can I make a footprint so large when I am just so ordinary?" But, God uses "ordinary" people to do extraordinary things. Sam Walton....was a very poor farm boy; Oprah Winfrey was born into poverty; King David....was just a shepherd boy; Jesus....was a carpenter. And you and I are on this earth, today, regardless of our background.....to leave behind faith footprints for others to follow.....I'm determined to make mine the biggest footprints that I can! How about you?

You Are Living Stones

I have a birds-eye view from my office window, of the house being built across the street from me (pictured here). It’s really quite amazing how – just a couple of weeks ago – there was just a vacant lot. It is gradually becoming a home that will soon have happy occupants inside. For the first time, I’ve become keenly aware of the intricate, detailed, precise artistry of the stonemasons. Each rock is random in shape and size, but is actually hand-picked to connect to its neighboring rocks and precisely placed for the forces and elements of nature that will come, yet those stones will withstand the test of time. I took photos of this house, and put together this collage yesterday. You can see the house at the top, the photo at the bottom left is the brilliant stonemason, and the bottom right is the stone cutter. Patience, endurance, and an eye for the layout to be concise – not to mention, their exquisite craftsmanship certainly entitles them to bear the name "Master Artists".

I'm amazed as I think about us, God’s masterpieces, and His plans and purposes for our lives and what all, and who all, He had in mind when He created us. We may feel like random works of art, but, oh no, He had specific "stones" that would be connected to our lives. He had our families in mind; He had our friends in mind; He had those He would want us to influence in mind; He had our generation in mind; He had the future generation in mind. We were hand-picked to connect to people with the knowledge that what we do and who we are, will withstand the test of time……to eternity. My prayer is “Use me, Lord! Please pick me! Oh, great, Chief Cornerstone, may I be one of your “living stones” used as a stepping stone for others to come to You! (I Peter 2:5 “You are living stones…..")

"We are works of art, and we are artists at work."

We are No Surprise to God

Did you know that you, and your circumstances, are no surprise to God? It took me a while to get that, but, now that I know that, it's how I roll these days. Maybe it's a pain in a place where we never had a pain before, a flat tire, a friend's call for help, an unexpected bill, a disappointing phone call, a job loss, a leaky faucet, and so many other "surprises" that may interrupt our day -- though it may be a jolt to OUR plans, it's not a jolt to God's plans. And here's the consolation.....the "knowing" that whatever comes our way, and whatever we may encounter, God's got this. In fact, He knew about it before it got to us....and guess what? He knows how it's all going to turn out.....and, in fact, He has special plans for turning it for our good. What a relief that is! And, He sure surprises me with His favors.....but I just can't "one up Him" -- I can never surprise Him. "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