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!

Humility is Sometimes a Tough Row to Hoe

Speaking in planting-a-garden terms, cultivating the soil, which can be rocky, dry and, if by hand is a wearisome task. Then planting the seeds, keeping a watch out for critters that like to eat the new sprouts before they even mature, pulling the weeds that choke out the plant and harvest those taters, carrots, onions, beans, cucumbers and tomatoes. That list is what we planted in our Oklahoma garden.

I'm thinking that God is cultivating our soil, rather, cultivating our spirits to become all He's destined us to be. He has us in a sort of holy test tube to see whether we will become bitter or better during this planting and harvesting season of our lives. I believe that His goal is to humble us from our self-sufficient ways to depend and trust in Him and His ways.

During these strange, ominous and strained times, we may think that no one understands all we're doing to survive. How we’re coping. How we’re juggling what to do next for the young ones in our homes to keep them occupied. Maybe thinking that 24/7 together isn’t what we bargained for when we married. And then the frontliners who have given their all may think that not too many even recognize their efforts. But, here is the message that I sense God has for all of us today. He sees. He has a plan.

Remember the children of Israel murmuring and complaining in the desert? We thought we had it bad. They were toting their little ones, rustling their livestock, trying to come up with a new meal plan instead of another day of manna. They didn’t have a decent bed to sleep on. But God had an ulterior motive. To remove pride from them, He had to let them go through stuff to humble them. It was crucial that God prepare them to trust Him as they stepped from the desert into their destined Promised Land. “Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.” (Deuteronomy 8:2) YIKES! Is that what God is doing to us -- testing us so that we trust Him?

We are all struggling with pride which is the opposite of trust in God. Pride begs us to believe it all depends on us. Trusting God requires us to place our dependence on Him. And the row to hoe or the road to travel that leads us away from pride and into a place of truly trusting God is paved with humility.

What if God is using these humbling times to get us to a place of deep and unshakable trust in Him? If God sees big things ahead for us, and I believe He does, then He must get the “Round-Up” weed-killer out to get rid of all the weeds of pride. I believe God is giving us "insider” information. First of all, for us to remember He is our provider. Number two -- God’s provision for us doesn’t always look like we want it to look. Ugh! Who wants manna day after day? But God knew that was the nourishment they needed. And He knows what we need, too! Number three -- man-made bread AND man-made success will never fulfill us. Only God and His Word can seep into the places of our souls to make us fully alive and deeply satisfied.

So, maybe we need to look at what we’ve been planting. How’s our crop looking? How’s our pride level and how’s our trusting-God-level? I pray that our eyes open to how God isn’t trying to break us but rather He is making us ready for the harvest time up ahead. Dear Lord, help us to surrender our wills, our pride, our weaknesses to You and your perfect plans for our lives. We submit to being a humble vessel of honor that gives all praise and glory to You! Amen.

“The meek shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5)
“A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.” (Proverbs 29:23)

Peace Even When Anxiety Comes in Like a Flood

I love the words of St. Francis' Prayer that goes "Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace". That is sincerely my prayer -- to be a peacemaker AND to live in that peace.

But, HELLO, anxiety! After two beautiful days in Tulsa, the finale was to be another first-weekend-of-November Sister Marie Pierre Retreat at Helmerich & Payne’s Cherokee Lodge in Hulbert, OK. It was on our calendars for more than a year. First, was the spring mini-retreat with Sister back in April. We thought maybe that might be the end, but Sister, at her almost 91 years, fragile, but with a no-quit spirit, reserved the lodge for us and game-plan was on. It was my joy to be her escort! I was bearing a huge responsibility seeing after this precious saint!

So, it’s 4:30 am on Saturday. I’m awake to pack up for heading to Austin after the retreat, get my blog posted, and pick up Sister by 7 am. I am in the moment. I get my phone to listen to my Bible readings as I get ready and….OH NO! My phone didn’t charge during the night. It is as dead as a doornail. I try the cord in another outlet. Nada. My mind begins to race. An Apple Store won’t open until 10 am in Tulsa and the retreat is in Hulbert OK – an hour away. My dilemma intensifies when I remember that I’m driving straight to Austin after the retreat ends at 3:30 pm. An 8-hour drive, as a single gal, in a car with over 130K miles on it, at night. My friends wake up because of the my debacle outside their bedroom door and proceed to help me resolve my conundrum. Then I remember I have a second charging cord in the car. I try it and whoa la! It starts to charge my phone. Now, I can be at peace, but I’m way behind schedule now in getting to Sister. As I hasten down the hall carrying my Yeti metal mug filled with ice and water, I slip on the floor runner and begin to fall forward but catching myself three times – not falling, but dropping the mug that opens and splashes water everywhere, including the gorgeous drapes. My friend quickly gets her hair dryer to dry the drapes while I’m using my towel to get up the water. Lord, have mercy! Anxiety overload!

I am finally out the door to pick up Sister and I’m fifteen minutes behind schedule. But, when I call her, it seems she, too, is having the same kind-of-morning. She says “If anything could go wrong, it has.” We’re finally on our way by 7:45 am We both survive this morning and it is by no means a surprise when Father Jack Gleason, the pastor we all loved for so many years, is speaking to us about the “Antidote to Anxiety” found in Luke 12:22-31. Imagine that!

“Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry….notice the ravens: they do not sow or reap….yet God feeds them. How much more important to you than birds? If even the smallest things are beyond your control, why are you anxious about the rest? Notice how the flowers grow. They do not toil or spin. If God clothes the grass….” Father Jack explains that Jesus is trying to get us to look outward instead of inward. His antidote is found in creation. Birds – flowers – grass. All trusting in the providence of God. I receive his message loud and clear. Sister and I survive our early morning fiascoes because God is looking out for us – even in the midst of the anxiety that we both know came from the enemy of our souls to keep us in a frenzy about a day that would turn out to be glorious and spectacular in every way.

Sister Pierre follows later in the day with her own message of peace, resting in who God made us to be – beings, instead of doings. “God cannot not love you. He is always shining on you even when you feel like you’ve blown it. Rest in his peace and let anxiety go. Settle down.” Paul said in Philippians 4:6-8 "Do not be anxious about ANY-THING, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

St. Paul lived by example for you and me. He showed us how to trust God in all things….even in a prison cell or cell phone mishap or a slip and fall. He said "Do NOT be ANXIOUS about any-THING!" When we have the mindset “It’s nothing but a thing,” we take on a heavenly perspective and eliminate needless anxiety and can settle in to our confidence in God’s words in Romans 8:28 – “ALL THINGS work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes.”

I Will Not Just Survive….I Will Thrive in This Heat!

I moved into my home a year ago in April, and I continue to be surprised by the plants around my home that the previous owners left me: the gardenia bushes, the redbud tree, and my canna lily plants. A wise-and-more-in-tune-with-gardening person would have spotted these lovely plants when they first walked onto the grounds of this place, but this gal – who was missing a green thumb from the start, never gave them a second look – not until they were blooming.

Initially, the canna lilies looked kaput, but when I looked out at my backyard yesterday, I was surprised to see them in full bloom, hence, my inspiration for today’s post. Here's what I found out about canna lilies: “Canna lilies are beautiful, easy-to-grow plants that effortlessly bring a splash of the tropics to your garden. They’re especially welcome to gardeners with very hot summers. Where other flowers shrivel and wilt, canna lilies thrive in the heat.” Well, hello canna lilies, you are in the right place at the right time in this Texas heat. Other plants have died (check out my poor holly that is dead as a doornail because of the heat AND the fact that our water here in Frisco is rationed.) The heat causes those canna lilies to thrive.

Here it comes. Another of my life analogies. I’ve heard some cranky folks lately complaining about this Texas heat. I remind them “Hang in there. In a couple of months, the cooler temperatures will arrive and you’ll thrive again!” I laughed when I saw my Canadian cousin’s FB post a couple of days ago. “It was a chilly night, but we still enjoyed eating outside and the kiddos thought the pool was nice and warm.” I commented: “Lord, forgive me for longing for that cool weather! She replied: “Lord, forgive me for longing for that Texas heat!"

We can all relate to experiencing heat – both in the climate and in times of pressure when our "top is about to blow", during a heated-up conversation or debate with someone or we’re in hot water because of something we said or did. Are we like the canna lily and thrive with the heat or are we like my poor holly bush? What keeps us calm in the times of the storms that come as heat waves? What keeps us cool when the heat is on?
Eleanor Roosevelt gave this quote about a woman, but I think it’s applicable to men as well. “A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.”

And, that is so true. I’ve seen women and men who rise and shine, who accelerate, who go to a whole new level in their faith and confidence and trust in God when they are under some of the direst circumstances. My husband had a quote on his desk that faced him every day “In the middle of adversity lies opportunity!” That’s how we can make it during the heat. We take it on with all-out fervor and say “Bring on the heat! I was made for this. God power-packed me to win and I will! I will come out of this heat and not even smell like smoke!”

In Daniel 3:23-27 we hear about three Hebrews, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who Nebuchadnezzar threw into the fiery furnace because they wouldn’t bow down to his idol. Their trust was in the one true God. And, in the midst of the hottest heat ever, the Son of God showed up right there in the heat with them. And, that’s the key for us when we’re under pressure and the situation and adversity have over-heated us. Trusting in God in the midst of the heat. Daniel 3:27 concludes that story of the three Hebrews with these words: “Then the officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn't even smell of smoke!!” And that will be our story, too! As we wholly trust in God Who causes us to triumph and come out of our “furnace situations”, we will survive and thrive like my canna lilies IN THE HEAT!

EVERLASTING is a Long, Long Time

My post today was inspired by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s 8-hour “Dreamer” speech which set a new House record….by quite a lot. She crushed the previous House record speech of 5 hours, 15 minutes. This post isn’t to suggest that her speech seemed to be EVERLASTING, though her fellow Democratic representative couldn’t OUTLAST the speech and fell asleep. Personal request here: Please remind me to not be in a seat behind a public speaker AND one who is being televised! After all, I have been known to nod off inadvertently myself. My post isn’t anti Pelosi, but it is “Thanks, Nancy, for inspiring me with the word EVERLASTING."

EVERLASTING: Love, live or last longer than; outlive, survive, withstand; forever

We think of that word when we’re at a sports game that seems EVERLASTING or having to endure a medical treatment that seems EVERLASTING. And, women, aren’t we so thrilled that labor and childbirth aren’t EVERLASTING, though it may feel like it? Thank God, a clear end (literally) is always in sight.

In our wedding vows, we said “I will love you forever.” That means EVERLASTING, but we are fallible and subject to change when those vows (promises) are broken. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), about 40 to 50 percent of married couples in the United States divorce.

In its proper context, EVERLASTING is a word I embrace and count as one of my greatest reasons for my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Here’s the truth He promises AND He keeps His promises:

Isaiah 40:28 – “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the EVERLASTING God.”

Jeremiah 31:3 -- The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an EVERLASTING love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”

Psalm 103:17 – “But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him.”

Deuteronomy 33:27 – “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are His EVERLASTING arms.”

Isaiah 26:4 -- “Trust in the LORD forever, for in GOD the LORD, we have an EVERLASTING Rock.”

Psalm 100:5 – “For the LORD is good; His loving-kindness is EVERLASTING and His faithfulness to all generations.”

Jeremiah 10:10 – “But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the EVERLASTING King.”

Rest assured that our Father, God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and our Abba (Daddy) Father keeps His promises and when he says EVERLASTING love and kindness…..He means it. He’s a good, good Father. The question is are we good, good children? I hope so because, more than anything, we want to live EVERLASTING with Him for all eternity!

What Do You Do When Bad News Breaks Your Heart?

When Your Heart is Breaking -- Then What?
I sincerely ask God to give me the words I should provide in my daily posts, and today, I was compelled to share these words. Just maybe, your heart is breaking because of a recent tragedy in your life and you don’t know if you’ll survive the pain and heartbreak.

I heard a speaker share about the time when his dad was so ill, and in so much pain, that he really thought his dad would take his own life. He called his friend, a Christian psychologist, for advice. His friend said, "We pray that he won’t, but you may be right. He just might. And, it would be heart wrenching and painful for you. But, you will be okay, because you will still trust in God's sovereignty, you will bounce back because you will hold to your faith in God and you will live on with hope and determination. I know you, and I know the storms you’ve come through, and you will survive.” To that, I say "WOW"! Wow -- because it is so true for those of us who have met with a personal crisis, have experienced the loss of a loved one, who know the tragedy of financial loss, who know the pain caused from a divorce or broken relationship.....and we carried on. We made it through those times or, we are making it through those times now. The speaker went on to say that his dad lived beyond that time and, in fact, his last days were of sweet times with his family and friends and trusting in God.

Yesterday, I received a request for prayer for a family in my Tulsa home church. The wife/mother passed away just after delivering her newborn daughter. As heart-breaking as that story is, without a doubt, I know there will be loved ones and friends who will step up to give them support and comfort in these very tough times. There will be a healing process and they’ll be desperately looking for answers. But, with God’s abiding faith and love, they will make it. I know it, because I know so many tragic events and I know how those families not only survived, but they are thriving today.

I think that psychologist’s words, though straight-forward, were the words this speaker needed to hear. And those words ring true for all of us. When tragedy comes, we have an Anchor, and if we hold onto that Anchor, we will not go under. Yes, it hurts. But we will be okay, because we still trust in our loving Father’s plans and purposes for our lives. We will bounce back because we will hold on to our faith in God and live on with hope and great determination. Yes, we will carry on -- that is, those of us who know that this life is just a breath, compared to eternity. We will live another day and rejoice in our ability to stand strong in the face of overwhelming circumstances -- not in our own strength, but in His strength. "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

We know that this isn’t the end of our story. It’s a chapter in our story, and there are other chapters to write after this one. Our Savior isn’t a cold-hearted cosmic judge disconnected from our pain. He’s a loving Father and Friend who is walking with us and even carrying us through life’s most difficult times. Jesus said, “Never will I leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

One of the most beautiful promises in the Bible is that God “causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him…” (Romans 8:28). On this side of eternity, we don’t always see how He takes the broken pieces and creates something beautiful with them, but we can have peace in knowing that He will redeem the tragedy somehow in His perfect timing. Perhaps some of the good He will bring in our tragedy is to use the pain to bring us closer to Him or bring us into a relationship with Him for the very first time. And the end of each day, we will still proclaim: "God is good. All the time. And, all the time, God is good!"