Take Heart, Brothers & Sisters, All is Well

How do I know all is well? It is a deep, inner knowing that God has got this. God has got us. I'm back at home and this sunrise on Tuesday assured me "all is well". I could almost hear these words audibly "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." (John 14:27) All is well!

It’s a brand new day with potential and possibilities! It’s a brand new day to posture ourselves with a can-do-anything, all-is-well mindset. We can purposely leave the remains of yesterday behind with an optimistic "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me" (Phil 4:13) attitude for this new day. When we slip on our houseshoes or athletic shoes or even go barefoot and step out on our back porch, our patio or our sidewalk, we can inhale this new day with faith and determination. If we listen closely, we'll hear those words again that give us new hope for this brand new day. "All is well."

In real time, we may feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders, but take heart -- all is well. If God be OUR Almighty God, our supreme authority and our all-knowing, all loving, omnicient One, then we must make the decision to believe it and trust Him.

We are in good company. The Bible goes to great lengths to show us that all the people on its pages were ordinary, average "Joes". Yes, let's look at two Joes: 1) Joseph, the youngest of ornery, jealous brothers and the beloved son of his father, Jacob. This "Joe" took heart. In spite of a pit and a prison, he succeeded to a palace when he became the Governor of the land and ultimately took care of his entire family. 2) Another "Joe" -- Joseph, the adopted father of Jesus who could have divorced his pregnant fiancee, but instead, took heart, and stayed to love and care for Mary and Jesus. So many other characters in the Bible who trusted even though they were drenched in fear and hopelessness.

Many others in the Bible took heart and conquered because God filled them up with His Holy Spirit and breathed life into their dreams and their plans, and God, through ordinary people who did ordinary things, made miracles happen that changed the world for good. And, WE are the Bible people of today in these times and the same Holy Spirit breathes life into our dreams and our hopes and our plans so that we too will accomplish great things..

Take heart, brothers and sisters! All is well. Breathe deeply. Do your part. Fight the good fight. Offer grace. Love. Work for justice. Move with mercy. Be kind. Keep your focus. Keep moving forward. Keep looking up. Keep offering up every little thing in your ordinary life to the God of good things and miracles and hope.

Another Year of Potential and Possibilities

What a breath of fresh air it has been to see such optimism on my FB feed lately. Of course it has to do with all these adorable children heading off to another year of school. Wide-eyed wonder and excitement about what this new year will hold: new friends, new adventures, more challenges that open their minds to possibilities, understanding and building those little minds. They aren’t perplexed at all about what’s going on in politics.

And I especially appreciate how optimistic you parents are with your bold confessions of faith for your kiddos. Maybe the first couple of days were a tackle with getting in a routine again, but for the most part, I’m hearing a sigh of relief that another year is underway. I loved one mom’s prayer: “My prayer tonight as G___ gets ready to take those steps into Middle School and D___ starts a new school year with an unexpected twist. Of all the dreams I have for them, Christ follower is at the top. They've got this and He's got them.♥️”

That’s the attitude we should all have for our children and grandchildren. Of all the knowledge they acquire, all the common sense experiences that they will learn from -- the single most important achievement is to be devoted followers of Christ in their friendships, in the decisions they make and their problem solving with God’s wisdom leading the way.

Luke 2:52 mentions four areas Jesus grew in as a young boy: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.” Our Lord grew wiser and He physically grew. His relationship with His Heavenly Father continuously strengthened. Jesus even gained favor with people who saw Him day to day. I love the simple sentence that precedes this: “His mother kept all these things in her heart.” We never see Mary worried and anxious. She pondered about her son, but she didn’t allow her heart to become rattled.

May we all strive to be like Mary, turning our anxious thoughts into treasured prayers, kept safe and held fast by our loving Father — the one who knows our hearts and loves our children even more than we do. When a concern pops up in our mind, we carry that concern to God. When we start to fear for our child’s future, we petition the One who knows what the future holds -- the One Who knows everything about everything.

Heavenly Father, I pray for all these precious children that are starting a new school year. Protect them, encourage them and fill them with strong minds to learn and grow. Help them to be a great friend and to have great friends. I pray the moms and dads turn their concerns and worries into prayers, knowing You are in control. Please help them to treasure each moment with their children as they grow in wisdom and stature and favor with others and You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving; let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Expanding Our Horizons

Yesterday morning, my daughter and I reminisced as we took a road trip to Tulsa, which included spending time with Mom (aka Granny). The highlight of visiting 96-year-old Granny was when she suddenly started speaking words of great wisdom into Staci for her life and ministry -- treasured words that will be forever imprinted in Staci's heart. That of itself made the trip worth it.

Back in the 90s, I was Staci’s travel companion. Often, we traveled by air and other times, we traveled in our high top van all over the country and Canada. She would take the wheel and I would sleep on the bed in the back and vice versa when it was my turn to drive. We covered a lot of territory in that van and touched many lives at the ministry and motivational events where she sang, spoke and shared Christ's Good News.

Our lives together have never been stuck in a rut. This girl has kept me on-the-go, even to today as I am still greatly involved in her ministry which has continued on in so many ways.

Yesterday, as we reminisced about so many lives that were changed by God’s wonder-working power, I recalled an old song we sang that reminded us to remember God's faithfulness:
"He’ll do it again. Just take a look at where you are now
And where you have been.
Hasn’t He always come through for you,
He’s the same now as then,
You may not know how. You may not know when.
He’ll do it again.

To look back at some of those “where you have been” and “He’ll do it again” blessings, I took along the newsletters (way before social media) that we distributed, far and wide, from our make-shift offices in our garage. Oh, the places we went; oh, the lives of so many people that were radically transformed; oh, the lessons we learned and oh the joys of serving God.

Many seeds were planted in those days, months and years. We also experienced the joys of harvest time. We've come a long way, Baby! Now so many of those transformed lives are making a difference in the world. Staci and her precious husband, Larry, are 100% focused on changing lives. That little ministry that started in a renovated garage has expanded to nations today.

My post today isn’t about a focus on my girl or her love for God, serving Him and helping people to know Him more, though it’s worthy of focus. I wanted to impress upon you to reminisce about the goodness of God in your life. We don’t look back with wishing we could go back. We look back to count our blessings. So many seemingly impossible situations became possible. We realize there are possibilities available to us when we reach beyond where we are and allow inspiration to move to the forefront again. Who wants to be stodgy, dull and uninspired? Not me!

Matthew 13:15 says “For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed." Maybe it’s time for you to take a road trip and reminisce about the drive and determination you once had and ask God to light a fire under you again. We’re still here so we’re not done running our races with zeal and making sure we impact many along the way!

How Do You Use Your Lightning-Fast Mind?

In the 90s, as the Associate Director of Communications at the University of Manitoba, I received this Inuit stone carving in appreciation for the “innovative idea” I had for an intra-campus courier service. Of course, we’ll have great ideas for witty inventions and innovations if we actually use these “lightning fast minds” that were made in the image of our Great Innovator and Creator. Just think about the brilliant minds of Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg or Jeff Bezos in this generation and how they took the limits and restrictions off their minds and CREATED.

I like to think that I used my “innovative” thoughts similarly to those brilliant minds who did something that met a need. Oh, that we would put our thoughts to good use to meet needs and create solutions to problems instead of negative thoughts and actions that think “No way can that be done!” “That’s a dumb idea!” “It will cost too much!” “It will take too long!” We can put these God-given brains and minds to good use if we realize the potential that lies inside us. St. Paul told us how to use our “thinkers”. Philippians 4:8 “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, THINK about these things.”

Imagine a world where we thought only about “these things”. It would be a world that creativity flowed even beyond where we are today. It would be a world where we honored God with our thoughts and then the words and actions of that honor would produce world changers and history makers.

These thoughts regarding being a creator and thinker were spawned from an article I read yesterday about a new, creative idea of a young adult librarian from the Riverside branch of the New York Public Library. Her idea became reality last month when the library began to offer neckties, bow ties, handbags and briefcases intended for people with limited resources who are heading for job interviews, auditions or any other events for which they need to dress up.

Michelle Lee came up with the concept while teaching a free class at the library about job seeking and résumé making. She told the high school students: “You want to look professional. You shouldn’t be bringing a backpack to a job interview." She was surprised by their reaction. “For a lot of them, it was eye-opening because they never thought about it. One of the students said he didn’t have anything like that. The other kids said ‘I don’t have nice things.’” She realized the students needed more than a résumé class. She said, “It got me thinking if the library could help,” she said. (My thought: She used her "thinker")

She felt that she already had the teens' attention because many of them use the library as a hangout spot after school, often doing homework on computers, or borrowing laptops. So she drafted a proposal for the ties and handbags and submitted it to the library’s Innovation Project, a program that allows library staffers to suggest ideas and solutions to problems they come across, with a budget of about $3,000 or less each. After a submission period, the staff voted Lee’s project a winner. With funding from the Charles H. Revson Foundation, which sponsors the Innovation Project, she bought 12 handbags and briefcases new from Amazon -- priced between $40 and $120 -- and the ties and pocket squares were donated, including by an employee at Bloomingdale’s.

Lee said she thinks the lending program will be useful because many teens and adults use the library to work on résumés or apply for jobs. The library already refers patrons who need business attire to organizations that lend clothes. She figured that allowing people to check out ties and bags would fill a need.
Library patrons with less than $15 in fines are eligible to borrow the ties and bags for a three-week span.

What a great example of using her “thinker” for good!! What if we only allowed creativity and ideas and good thinking to come into and out of our minds? Just imagine a home where the wife and mom used her mind to create “systems” that caused her home to function better. Just a imagine a secretary that offered her mind to come up with solutions for the supply room or filing system. Just imagine freeing up our minds of the useless trash, negative thinking to open the door of our minds to be “thinkers” of possibilities!

Audacious Living, With Audacious Faith

Big Audacious Living With Audacious Faith
AUDACIOUS -- showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks; daring, fearless, brave, courageous, valiant, venturesome

Brilliant author and speaker, Erwin McManus, was speaking on TV a few days ago. I was immensely inspired. Less than a year ago, he was dying from cancer, and now he is cancer-free and living AUDACIOUSLY. Erwin had simply gone in for an “insurance exam” for a life insurance policy and cancer was found throughout his body. It was then that he realized he had been taking “living” for granted. He said, “I’m dying, but so are you. We live our lives as though there is no end and so we live it as though it has no value. If we understood our life is time-dated and when we took our first breath, we were moving toward our last breath, then maybe we would live our life AUDACIOUSLY. We get so complacent in our lives – so comfortable. We think ‘Don’t rock the boat. Don’t take me out of my comfort zone.’” Then he spoke about how he now looks at each day as one to take on AUDACIOUSLY. First day of surgery, he forced himself to get up and walk. Painful? He said, “Tremendous pain, but pain meant I was alive to feel it.” Three weeks after his cancer surgery, though still in tremendous pain, he played two hours of basketball with his buddies. He said, “Cancer may determine how I die, but it cannot determine how I live. I will live out my life AUDACIOUSLY!”

AUDACIOUSLY living each day. I held a Life Group at my home in Tulsa. It was called the “The 50s+ No Limits Life Group" and we described it this way: “Are you ready to live a life of audacious, “no limits” faith? Are you tired of the bench, and you're ready to play the game? Then "The 50s+ No Limits” Life Group is for you. We are all about believing God for the impossible and helping others do the same. If you’re not dead, you’re not done! We will dream big, take action with passion, make new friends, have extreme fun and fellowship, and be an encouragement and support to each other on this exciting journey of faith!” And, we did. That little band of women recognized that AUDACIOUS faith produced AUDACIOUS results. We witnessed marriages being restored, physical healings, new jobs being given, babies being born, and oh, so many more answers to prayer.

Those big AUDACIOUS prayers are what Jesus had in mind when He gave us the Lord’s Prayer for our model. “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven!” God is for us. If we don't believe that, then we'll pray small timid prayers. If we do believe it, then we'll pray big AUDACIOUS prayers. And one way or another, our small timid prayers, or big AUDACIOUS prayers will change our lives. WOW! I've witnessed it. When I’ve prayed with bold, AUDACIOUS, unwavering faith, I've seen God move enormous mountains. Father knew best, but my complete trust in Him, brought the answer to those prayers in ways I couldn't have even conceived.

To me, AUDACIOUS living means living life with passion, being open to possibilities, and reaching for the stars.....well, at least the top of trees! It’s responding to a grandchild with “YES!” when they ask if we’ll go fishing or shopping or play another game with them, when we sure would rather take a nap. It’s having the freedom to live, laugh, and love. It means deliberately choosing to be inspired and motivated enough to live without limits -- or just getting off the couch and doing something! It means letting go of fear, getting gutsy and getting going. AUDACIOUS living is using our talents, enthusiasm and drive to make a difference in our day and our world. Since “Nothing is impossible with our God”, maybe it’s time for us to get up, get moving, and live every day with AUDACIOUS faith and actions!

We've Only Just Begun

That was one of our favorite songs (released in 1970) by The Carpenters. The characters in the song were a couple, just married, and were looking forward to new horizons, new roads to choose, with so much life ahead of them. We sang that song completely unaware of what lie ahead….but as long as we were together, side by side, we just knew we’d make it through each and every bump in the road that we might encounter. Seems like unrealistic thinking, but it is the ONLY way to live – believing and always hoping for the best, but just in case the worst might come, we’d be able to handle it together. That’s because we placed our hope and trust in the ONE who had already prepared the way for us.

We’re just a little over one week into this new year and this start certainly gives us those feelings -- a certain excitement about the possibilities that are out there for us. We may reflect on the past, but no longer do we dwell there, because we certainly can’t change the past. Looking through the rear view mirror is no option.

It was my 5th year to “Run for Ron” in the Route 66 Marathon, complete with wearing my “Run for Ron” t-shirt, but on the 5th year, while I was running, I clearly got the message “There’s no need to be running for Ron any longer. He’s doing just fine running on his own. It’s time to run your own race – run strong for Donna.” I got it. I had been faithful to keep the past in my present long enough. I was turning a page in my story. I knew that I was supposed to write some new stories and a new chapter. It was time to BEGIN again with the expectation of great adventures and unparalleled blessings up ahead. But most importantly to write some new stories that leave a legacy for those who are following me -- a legacy of "I can" and "I will"

Obviously, I started a new chapter and it seems “Walking/Running/Driving By Faith” is the title of that first chapter. Now, I’ve started my second chapter which includes alone time with my Heavenly Father. I’m cozying up to Him – on purpose. I’ll be spending the next few weeks here in Austin tucked away in a secret place to seek Him with my whole heart. Matthew 6:33 says “Ask, and it shall be given to you; Seek, and you shall find; Knock, and it shall be opened to you.” I need answers, wisdom and direction. I know the “Answer Giver”! I’m asking Him. I’m praying for wisdom and direction in this chapter. I’ll be purposely listening and journaling what I hear.

Last week, I shared with a friend about this new chapter of seeking God for direction and she asked “How do you know when He speaks to you?” I responded with “By the gentle nudges, surprises, inclinations, and even the little signs from scriptures, friends’ counsel and wisdom, and all around me, noticing Him in the big and little around me. For example – when my home sold without me trying to sell it, by a friend inviting me to stay in her home while she was away for two months when I still needed to be in Tulsa for commitments, and by other little kisses from heaven that I experience on a daily basis.”

I’m one of God’s little sheep and I expect to hear from Him and then I plan on following where He leads me. John 10:27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

As a matter of fact, I am definitely hearing His voice these days. He's telling me to be still and wait on His timing. He's telling me to trust and know that He is God.

At the end of this year of 2017, I expect to glance back at the victories won and the many doors that opened up for me to great opportunities and adventures!

Today, I close the door to the past and open the door to the future. I take a deep breath, step on through and start a new chapter of my life. I’ve only just begun! How about you?

Because He Lives, I Can Face Today AND Tomorrow

The hullabaloo about New Year’s Eve celebrations has ended for another year….well, except for many of us who are still sharing how we commemorated 2017’s debut. Unlike so many that entered into 2017 with a gnarly hangover, I heard about New Year’s Eve church services where those in attendance heard messages about the possibilities that await us all in this new year, and then they celebrated the new year in by praying and praising God for the lessons of the past and the hopes for the future. Now, that's getting the new year off to a great start!

How beautiful that sounded compared to those who are still ranting in the news and social media about Mariah Carey’s performance (or the lack thereof) on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve" It seems she was lip syncing her songs – which isn’t unusual because technical issues are an enormous challenge in an outdoor concert anyway, but the technical difficulties with her earpiece has now dubbed her performance as “disastrous”, “the diva strikes out again”, and so many other hurtful words spoken by folks who could stand some “oil of kindness” in their little light lanterns.

Honestly, my heart went out to Mariah, after all, she was one of my young daughter's voice role models. But more importantly, she is one of God's kids, who, like so many of us, have made some mistakes, and maybe it’s not always our fault, but we, too, get crushed for failing at something that we really hoped to have succeeded at.

Mariah can decide whether to let what now is her past, define her…..and so can we. It’s so easy to fixate on yesterdays and yesteryears and the guilts associated with mistakes we may have made. Mistakes can be as little as an “oopsie” or as big as a huge blunder -- an “ouchie" or a devastating "OMG" catastrophe that alters the course of our lives. No matter what kind of mistake we made or make, there is always a solution for restitution. It comes in the form of grace. God’s grace that heals and restores, and He exchanges our tarnished and warped slate, for a fresh, clean slate so we can begin again.

Mistakes are inevitable, but the good news, as God’s repentant kids, all our mistakes are forgiveable. That kind of grace is literally so amazing, that God can even turn those mistakes to something good. Romans 8:28 "All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes." Most importantly, it reminds me that my God is bigger than my faults and weaknesses and He can turn anything around for His glory!

Here’s the deal…..the past is gone and this day and this year are before us like the birth of a newborn baby with so much possibility and potential in his future.

I say this to you AND to Mariah today. Maybe all the stuff that is being thrown at you today from the media, your friends and family seem just too much to handle and it seems there's no hope for tomorrow. I have such good news for you. You are not alone. The ONE who created you and loves you and wants your life to be full of joy, peace and happiness.....HE LIVES. He holds your todays and tomorrows! That means, BECAUSE HE LIVES, your life is worth living!!! Go ahead -- tell tomorrow -- "I'm alive, I'm still here, God's not done with me -- and I'm going to be resilient, unstoppable and determined to MAKE IT!

Living OUT LOUD

I'm taking it all in -- that is -- applauding, giving high 5s and standing ovations to those moments, events, accomplishments and celebrations of my precious friends and family. In the words of Émile Zola, French Nobel Prize winner in 1901, “If you ask me what I came to do in this world, I will tell you, I came to live out LOUD.” This LOL is Living Out Loud AND Laughing Out Loud!!

Yesterday I was explaining to someone that I'm not a "rocking chair" grandmother. No offense, if that's your gig -- then rock on, Baby! But, for me, I'm setting some big goals for next year, and I won't accomplish them if I take a laid back approach. In fact, I told her that I just might renew my Private Pilot's License and get to all these travel locations much faster!

To me, living out loud means living life with passion, being open to possibilities, and reaching for the stars.....well, at least the top of trees! Living-Out-Loud is having the freedom to live, laugh, and love. It means deliberately choosing to be inspired and motivated enough to live without limits -- or just getting off the couch and doing something! It means letting go of fear, getting gutsy and getting going.

Living-out-loud is unique to everyone. The point is to use our talents, enthusiasm and drive to make a difference in our day and our world. Here's some "Living Out Loud" strategies that we can put to good use:

~ 1. To immediately upon waking up, think positive thoughts. Put yesterday behind us. Refuse to hit the snooze button.

~ 2. Take a deep breath and express our gratitude for being alive. Take long walks or runs and while we’re at it, observe the sights and sounds around us and be thankful we can see and hear.

~ 3. Be adventurous. This one I own -- especially in this season that I'm taking one day at a time and living it to its fullest -- and if I get asked to go on a hike or bike ride or a bungy jump or obstacle course -- I'll be in it to win it!

~ 4. Hang with difference makers -- those people who are optimistic and cause us to reach outside our comfort zone and help others get out of theirs. Bold, fun, audacious, silly, risk takers -- this crowd honestly believes the best is yet to come, and they do what they can to make it happen. Who wants to hang with those "gloom and doom and despair" folks that turns a perfectly beautiful, sunny day to a cloudy day?

~ 5. Be open to new opportunities. Social media -- blogging, Facebook, Twitter have allowed me to connect and know people from all over the planet. The world is changing faster than anyone can keep up. This is a time of rapid growth and opportunity. With today’s technology and information, we have the power and the tools to fill our days with delight, insight, knowledge and celebration.

~ 6. Be present to take in God's signs and wonders. This is one I cultivate daily. I purposely choose positive thoughts and intentions. If a stray negative thought creeps in, I quickly change the channel. Watch and listen for new ideas and creativity. Take time to enjoy and appreciate family, friends, food, music, children, blue skies, sunshine and ordinary moments. Invest time in our relationships, have dinner with the good china and even by candlelight. Nothing is more important than the love we regularly give and receive

~ 7. Choose positive intentions and thoughts. Do good, serve others. Don’t bother with judgment, gossip, or comparisons.

~ 8.. Fall in love with life. Give our lives everything we've got. Write that book, take that vacation or call that date. Dance in the rain. We just may not pass this way again, so let's make the moments count.

Once we stop just drifting through life or taking the easy way out or the 3rd row in the roller coaster.....we just might find a new zest for life that propels us to higher heights and deeper depths than we've ever now. I don't know about you, but I came to live OUT LOUD!

It's an Upside Down World!

Day 65 of Photo Inspirations -- It's an upside down world -- well, at least from this vantage point it is. It's all about perspective. And, this world can seem quite upside down -- even when we're right side up.   What happened to the good old days when we could leave our doors unlocked, where the worst thing we did in schools was chew gum, where kids played outside using their imaginations, and gas was 23 cents a gallon?

But were the good old days -- really that good?   For years after, a trip to the dentist was still horrifying to me.  Oh the painful memories that brings back -- no good anesthetic while he drilled and poked.  Now, I have a dentist that is literally PAIN FREE -- even getting a root canal. Were the good old days that good when tornadoes came without warning because, without technology, no one could see them building ahead of time.  And were the good old days that good when it took days to communicate with a loved one because the only communication was "snail mail".   Now we can communicate instantaneously by social media and email.

In the good old days AND in the good new days, there have always been distractions that kept us from our relationship with God and the people who are right with us right now.  No question, we need to keep the priorities in our lives....THE PRIORITY!   But, when we get that right, technology and all that living in THIS DAY brings, is a beautiful thing. And, I get to connect with amazing people like you.

It's truly a matter of perspective.   Yes, it's great to recall sweet memories from the past, but being alive in this day and this time, in this generation......is right when and where God planned for us to be.  We are here ON PURPOSE and if we embrace the opportunities, the technologies, the possibilities and the experiences of THESE GOOD NEW DAYS, that will be the BEST DAYS of our lives.   Let's live RIGHT SIDE UP -- realizing we're right where we're supposed to be.  Let's make the most of being here......right here, TODAY, and live each day believing that TODAY IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!