Many of us sometimes feel our lives went all wrong. Unexpected twists and turns in our journeys and the view of what is in front of us is overwhelming and gloomy at best. The pain and scariness of this clouds our vision...our eternal perspective.
Sometimes it's "safer" and more "comfortable" living in our past pain and disappointments than it is moving out of that space into something new and unknown. We have no vision for what God is doing in our lives today. We are constantly "looking back" and we are missing what God is doing in the here and now.
The Israelites had this vision problem. In Numbers 13-14 after coming back from their scouting trip into the Promised Land, 10 of the 12 men reported nothing but gloom and doom in what they saw and experienced.
"We are not able to go up against the people of Canaan, for they are stronger than we are. The land through which we went to spy out is a land that devours its inhabitants. And all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come from the giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." (Numbers 13: 31-33)
Upon hearing this, the entire congregation of people said, ""If only we had died in Egypt! Or that we had died in this wilderness! Why does the Lord bring us to this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and little ones will be a prey. Is it not better for us to return to Egypt?" (Numbers 14:3)
Oh how they longed for Egypt. They looked back and thought they saw life. Imagine that! Their vision of living in slavery looked better than moving forward into what God promised to be a land of milk and honey.
How often do we enslave ourselves in our past opting for that familiarity rather than freeing ourselves to embrace the possibilities of our future adventure in Christ?
"It's just too hard. It's so overwhelming. We (I) can't move forward. We (I) can't conquer those giants in our (my) path."
Oh, but God isn't asking us to conquer anything other than our blindness. He will do the conquering of the obstacles before us. We are asked simply to seek His face, trust Him and live with a bigger vision. An eternal perspective.
There is another incident in the Bible where a perspective needed to be changed.
'One time when the king of Syria was at war with Israel, after consulting with his officers, he said, "At such and such a place I want an ambush set."
The Holy Man of God (Elisha) sent a message to the king of Israel: "Watch out when you're passing this place, because the Syrian king has set an ambush there."
So the king of Israel sent word concerning the place of which the Holy Man had warned him. This kind of thing happened all the time. The Syrian king was furious over all this. He called his officers together and said, "Tell me, who is leaking information to the king of Israel? Who is the spy in our ranks?"
But one of his men said, "No, my master, dear king. It's not any of us. It's Elisha the prophet in Israel. He tells the king of Israel everything you say, even what you whisper in your bedchamber."
The king said, "Go and find out where he is. I'll send someone and capture him." The report came bank, "He's in Dothan." Then he dispatched horses and chariots, an impressive fighting force. They came by night and surrounded the city.
Early in the morning the servant of the Holy Man, Elisha, got up and went out. What a terrifying surprise! Horses and chariots surrounding the city! The young man exclaimed, "Oh, master! What are we going to do?"
Elisha said, "Don't worry about it. There are more on our side than on their side."
Then Elisha prayed, "O God, open his eyes and let him see."
The eyes of the young man were opened and he saw. A wonder! The whole mountainside full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha!' (II Kings 6: 8-17)
Stop longing for Egypt. Stop looking back. Look up dear one. Look up to the mountains and see God surrounding your life urging you to trust Him to bring you to your own promised land for your life.
Saturday, November 02, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
2013 G3 Summit
Don't be afraid...have courage and begin praying now that the Lord will guide and direct Jamee and me, and then water and shine on each one of us that we will grow by leaps and bounds this weekend!
There's still room if you know someone who can attend. I have to turn in our final attendee numbers by Monday, October 28. Therefore, final RSVPs are due by Saturday, October 26 along with all Summit fees.
Those who are unable to attend, as always, we ask for your prayers now and especially during the weekend Oct 31 - Nov 3. The Holy Spirit has never disappointed, and we again gather anticipating a Holy moving amongst us.
Praise God...this is our 8th Year of the God, Girlfriends & Grace Summit...eight years! The memories of how the Lord has moved, inspired, rejuvenated, taught, challenged...oh my...and what girlfriends we have all acquired throughout these years! May God bless us with another rich and awe-inspring weekend!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Come Apart and Rest
"Come apart and rest a while or
come apart after a while."
Not sure who said this, but we know you know it's true.
Plan now to "come apart and rest a while" at the 2013 G3 Summit.
October 31 - November 3
The Salvation Army Camp Hoblitzelle Camping/Conference Center
Midlothian, Texas
Thursday Arrival: $350
Friday Arrival: $250
All inclusive except Saturday lunch.
Monday, August 26, 2013
The Waiting Room
You don't know. So you wait.
One chapter has finally closed and you're ready to move on. You don't want to make a move without solid direction and confirmation from the Lord, so you try to wait with consistent trust in Him and His timing. And purposefully try your best to stay in your circle of peace. Ah, but the wait is excruciating.
You've been beat up and spit out. You're exhausted. You know waiting is not wasting, but it's been such a long time...you're ready for the next chapter.
"I wish I could rest in the waiting," the girl sighed.
As she looked around and saw the others in the waiting room, the girl wondered how they were fairing with their emotions. Satan often blows on the embers of our fears, emotions and anxieties to grow them out of proportion and then we tend to make bad decisions. Oh, how she did not want to make a hasty and bad decision about her future.
"Seek ye first the Kingdom," she said to herself. "Seek ye first the Kingdom. Focus. Focus."
Just then the story of Joseph came to her mind. Joseph went through a series of waiting rooms in his life that prepared both him and others for his destiny. She remembered that it wasn't all about him. God was working in many lives, not just Joseph's...his brothers, his father, the Pharaoh, the Egyptians. While doing all that waiting, Joseph had to make a conscious decision not to curse the darkness around him, but to allow the light from within to shine forth.
He cultivated the Fruit of the Spirit...patience, joy, peace...and learned during his seasons of waiting to pray, believe, serve and listen to wisdom.
She sensed the Lord sitting beside her. With His arm around her, he said,
His loving eyes and warm smile flooded her with peace. She realized that He was not going to allow her to be in this waiting room one minute longer than what was needed or necessary. She sensed the Lord sitting beside her. With His arm around her, he said,
"You know, waiting on My perfect timing is the best gift you can give yourself. Don't forget, when you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, not will the flame kindle upon you. For I am the Lord you God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Do not earnestly remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." *
"Perhaps," she marveled looking into the faces of the others in the room, "I should see if I can be a witness to God's Grace in this place."
Ah...a shift in perspective. Seek ye first...
*excerpts from Isaiah 43
Sunday, August 25, 2013
2013 God, Girlfriends & Grace Summit
Are you signed up for the 2013 G3 Summit?
Thursday - Sunday, October 31 - November 3, 2013
Camp Hoblitzelle Camping & Conference Center
Midlothian, Texas
There are only a few spots left for this year's Summit. You have the choice of arriving on Thursday evening or Friday evening.
Thursday-Sunday, October 31-November 3: $350
(three nights, all meals except Thursday eve and Saturday lunch, all Summit materials)
Friday-Sunday, November 1-3: $250
Friday-Sunday, November 1-3: $250
(two nights, all meals except Saturday lunch, all Summit materials)
Jamee and I are praying about this year's theme and eagerly seeking God's direction in our focus for this year. I have an inkling this year is going to rock the house...the house of your heart! There will be a shift in your perspective and a monumental turning of focus that will forever change your life.
Prepare yourself now for a weekend of life-shifting insight and the challenging Word of the Lord. A new chapter in your spiritual life is about to start. Rejoice in the Lord and be happy. Again, I say rejoice.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
The View from the Floor
You know, the view from the floor is not a good one. One shouldn't stay down there too long or you will find your view greatly distorted, and there is a possibility of permanent damage to your spiritual eyesight.
Having said that, I must say there is value in getting knocked down to the floor every now and again...because then you're forced to make a choice. To stay there or to pick yourself up. Depending on how many times you get knocked down, it may be that the time you spend on the floor tends to feel like it drags on and on. The choice you make and how long it takes you to make it gives a solemn indication of where you are spiritually.
King David speaks from the floor in a lot of places in Psalms. I love this guy. When you've been blindsided by evil or even a fellow Christian brother or sister, circumstances of life...whatever, and you get knocked down...boy David knows where you're at.
Check it out:
Now the alternative is to stay down there. There are times when you have no strength. Your spirit is beaten to a pulp, and you are a crumpled heap on the floor with no power except to weep and cry out to God. Your Psalm has no "but" or "though." It is just a small whisper for mercy and strength.
When you can't get up in these circumstances, I know it seems like you are crying out into darkness. You "feel" no one beside you, and the view above is all black.
The decision to stay on the floor can blacken your heart with bitterness. It descends upon you like a slow, thick fog, and you find that eventually you can't shift your focus to the things above anymore. Your mind runs in a vicious cycle of anger, bitterness and unforgiveness.
Bitterness can destroy your spirit in no time flat. Beware!
Get up! Get up, I say, get up! No matter how many times you are knocked down, I pray you have the strength to get up! I have seen the view from the floor countless times in the last 1.5 years. That's a long time to be constantly knocked down and given the choice to get back up again. Some times, I couldn't get up as fast as I would have liked. And, I confess, recently I found myself in that position wallowing in a great heap of hate and bitterness. Thankfully my "but" eventually came through praise/worship at church and through God's Word. And I "got up" for the umpteenth time, found my circle of peace, and my heart became full of forgiveness, mercy and love.
(Sidebar: Many of you know that for the last 4-5 years, I've really had a desire in my heart to learn to "dance in the rain." It has bothered me that when Christians have struggles or go through a season of suffering, that they often are miserable, complaining and questioning God or blaming others for their circumstances. There is no praise or worship on their lips or humbleness in their hearts.)
I find it very interesting that the Lord is answering my prayer to learn to "dance in the rain" through this current season of suffering. It is the hardest thing I've ever had to learn how to do. I am a living testimony to what praise and worship can do for your soul specifically when you're looking up from the floor. When you are lying there and all you feel is hurt, abused and misunderstood...praise. Praise. Praise. Praise. Your heart may not feel it, but make your lips speak it. And the bitterness melts away and supernatural strength fills your being so you can get up...one more time!
It's funny, but in the last year and a half, I have found that I can get up, again and again, one more time. It's not to say that I've become non-human and no longer feel the hurt and pain. I'm not even sure I've forgiven 100% yet. But, I am stronger. I can get up quicker and with no bitterness. Because, you see, no one can be against me when God is for me. I am learning to rejoice in my suffering. Really. God obviously feels I am worthy of this suffering. Think about that for a minute! That brings me back to the floor, but on my knees in humbleness and awe. "Suffering." That is a topic for another blog.
(Sidebar: I have to say that all the times I've found myself on the floor in these days, I have had several, what Joyce Landorf calls, "Balcony People" cheering me on from up above. When I haven't had the faith to get up...I've hung onto your's. You know who you are...thank you, I love you.)
My story is not yet over. And, I'm sure I will be seeing the view from the floor yet again. "But I will sing of Your mighty strength and power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy and loving-kindness in the morning; for You have been to me a defense and a refuge in the day of my distress." (Psalm 59:16)
Having said that, I must say there is value in getting knocked down to the floor every now and again...because then you're forced to make a choice. To stay there or to pick yourself up. Depending on how many times you get knocked down, it may be that the time you spend on the floor tends to feel like it drags on and on. The choice you make and how long it takes you to make it gives a solemn indication of where you are spiritually.
King David speaks from the floor in a lot of places in Psalms. I love this guy. When you've been blindsided by evil or even a fellow Christian brother or sister, circumstances of life...whatever, and you get knocked down...boy David knows where you're at.
Check it out:
"My strength is dried up like a fragment of clay pottery; my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and You have brought me into the dust of death." Psalm 22:15
"Have mercy and be gracious unto me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; with grief my eye is weakened, also my inner self and my body. For my life is spent with sorrow and my years with sighing; my strength has failed... I am forgotten like a dead man, and out of mind; like a broken vessel am I." Psalm 31:9-10, 12
"From the end of the earth will I cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Psalm 61:2
"I am weary with my groaning; all night I soak my pillow with tears, I drench my couch with my weeping. My eye grows dim because of grief; it grows old because of all my enemies." Psalm 6:6-7
Here's the thing, though, with King David. He got knocked down quite a bit, but he always made the choice not to stay down there too long. In some of the very Psalms mentioned above, by the time you read to the end of the Psalm you will find a little word in his song..."but" or "yet" or "though." And, from there his song becomes one of praise and worship. Now, I wonder if he's singing from his view on the floor. Perhaps so. Sometimes when knocked down numerous times by the same person or circumstance, it gets harder and harder to get up. But, I like to think that by the time David got to that "but or "yet" in his song, he had gained the courage and strength to get up and was standing by the end of his song.
Now the alternative is to stay down there. There are times when you have no strength. Your spirit is beaten to a pulp, and you are a crumpled heap on the floor with no power except to weep and cry out to God. Your Psalm has no "but" or "though." It is just a small whisper for mercy and strength.
When you can't get up in these circumstances, I know it seems like you are crying out into darkness. You "feel" no one beside you, and the view above is all black.
The decision to stay on the floor can blacken your heart with bitterness. It descends upon you like a slow, thick fog, and you find that eventually you can't shift your focus to the things above anymore. Your mind runs in a vicious cycle of anger, bitterness and unforgiveness.
Bitterness can destroy your spirit in no time flat. Beware!
Get up! Get up, I say, get up! No matter how many times you are knocked down, I pray you have the strength to get up! I have seen the view from the floor countless times in the last 1.5 years. That's a long time to be constantly knocked down and given the choice to get back up again. Some times, I couldn't get up as fast as I would have liked. And, I confess, recently I found myself in that position wallowing in a great heap of hate and bitterness. Thankfully my "but" eventually came through praise/worship at church and through God's Word. And I "got up" for the umpteenth time, found my circle of peace, and my heart became full of forgiveness, mercy and love.
(Sidebar: Many of you know that for the last 4-5 years, I've really had a desire in my heart to learn to "dance in the rain." It has bothered me that when Christians have struggles or go through a season of suffering, that they often are miserable, complaining and questioning God or blaming others for their circumstances. There is no praise or worship on their lips or humbleness in their hearts.)
I find it very interesting that the Lord is answering my prayer to learn to "dance in the rain" through this current season of suffering. It is the hardest thing I've ever had to learn how to do. I am a living testimony to what praise and worship can do for your soul specifically when you're looking up from the floor. When you are lying there and all you feel is hurt, abused and misunderstood...praise. Praise. Praise. Praise. Your heart may not feel it, but make your lips speak it. And the bitterness melts away and supernatural strength fills your being so you can get up...one more time!
It's funny, but in the last year and a half, I have found that I can get up, again and again, one more time. It's not to say that I've become non-human and no longer feel the hurt and pain. I'm not even sure I've forgiven 100% yet. But, I am stronger. I can get up quicker and with no bitterness. Because, you see, no one can be against me when God is for me. I am learning to rejoice in my suffering. Really. God obviously feels I am worthy of this suffering. Think about that for a minute! That brings me back to the floor, but on my knees in humbleness and awe. "Suffering." That is a topic for another blog.
(Sidebar: I have to say that all the times I've found myself on the floor in these days, I have had several, what Joyce Landorf calls, "Balcony People" cheering me on from up above. When I haven't had the faith to get up...I've hung onto your's. You know who you are...thank you, I love you.)
My story is not yet over. And, I'm sure I will be seeing the view from the floor yet again. "But I will sing of Your mighty strength and power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy and loving-kindness in the morning; for You have been to me a defense and a refuge in the day of my distress." (Psalm 59:16)
Sunday, May 19, 2013
G3 Summit 2013
Hello Girlfriends,
Greetings to you in the name of the Lord. Hope your Spring has been joyous and sunny. If it has been raining, I hope you're dancing in the rain. I've been learning how to do that this year...some blogs are in the making regarding that journey! Ha.
The God, Girlfriends and Grace Summit this year is October 31 through November 3. Our sister, Cathy Osbourn, the Camp Hoblitzelle Guest Services Director, is retiring next month. She is so excited she can hardly stand it! Ha. God has blessed G3 all these years with His servant giving us heavily discounted rates each year for our wonderful sanctuary, the Hacienda.
Some of you attended the Summit the year we tried a different location, The Barn, and all agreed it was nice. But it did not quite meet our requirements regarding the type of sanctuary we have grown accustomed to where precious visits from the Holy Spirit have changed each one of us.
Because Cathy is retiring we will be dealing with FULL rates this fall and a new Guest Services Director. I write to you today to give you a heads up to these new rates so that you can begin putting away a little bit every month now so that you will be well prepared financially for the Summit this fall.
Thursday - Sunday, October 31 - November 3 (three nights, all meals except Thursday eve and Saturday lunch, all Summit materials): $350
Friday - Sunday, November 1-3 (two nights, all meals except Saturday lunch, all Summit materials): $250
Roughly $60/month will get you to your $350 by October.
Roughly $42/month will get you to your $250 by October.
We now have to actually "rent" the lobby area of the Hacienda (dining room, kitchen and living room) separately from the bedrooms. For four days this amounts to $300. We have already had several generous donors step forward to cover this additional charge in order to keep your costs at the rates listed above.
We also have been made aware that if we do not fill all 10 bedrooms, there is a possibility that the Camp will "rent" out those rooms to another group. Now, this is crazy and quite unsettling to think we may be "sharing" our sanctuary with strangers...so...get the word out now and let's get all 10 rooms reserved! At the moment, we have all ten rooms "reserved." But, we have until 90 days out (July 31) to "cancel" the rooms we will not be using to avoid being charged.
Therefore, rather than waiting until the week before the Summit to get your confirmed reservation, you will need to commit by July 31.
We hope to still have a couple scholarships available again this fall, but as you might expect, we all are dealing with the reality of these news rates. Thus, the reason for getting this news delivered to you now so you can begin saving now.
There is a lot to digest here. Be in prayer for our Summit that we would fill all 10 rooms this year and have enough dollars left over for scholarships.
Cindy/Jamee
Greetings to you in the name of the Lord. Hope your Spring has been joyous and sunny. If it has been raining, I hope you're dancing in the rain. I've been learning how to do that this year...some blogs are in the making regarding that journey! Ha.
The God, Girlfriends and Grace Summit this year is October 31 through November 3. Our sister, Cathy Osbourn, the Camp Hoblitzelle Guest Services Director, is retiring next month. She is so excited she can hardly stand it! Ha. God has blessed G3 all these years with His servant giving us heavily discounted rates each year for our wonderful sanctuary, the Hacienda.
Some of you attended the Summit the year we tried a different location, The Barn, and all agreed it was nice. But it did not quite meet our requirements regarding the type of sanctuary we have grown accustomed to where precious visits from the Holy Spirit have changed each one of us.
Because Cathy is retiring we will be dealing with FULL rates this fall and a new Guest Services Director. I write to you today to give you a heads up to these new rates so that you can begin putting away a little bit every month now so that you will be well prepared financially for the Summit this fall.
Thursday - Sunday, October 31 - November 3 (three nights, all meals except Thursday eve and Saturday lunch, all Summit materials): $350
Friday - Sunday, November 1-3 (two nights, all meals except Saturday lunch, all Summit materials): $250
Roughly $60/month will get you to your $350 by October.
Roughly $42/month will get you to your $250 by October.
We now have to actually "rent" the lobby area of the Hacienda (dining room, kitchen and living room) separately from the bedrooms. For four days this amounts to $300. We have already had several generous donors step forward to cover this additional charge in order to keep your costs at the rates listed above.
We also have been made aware that if we do not fill all 10 bedrooms, there is a possibility that the Camp will "rent" out those rooms to another group. Now, this is crazy and quite unsettling to think we may be "sharing" our sanctuary with strangers...so...get the word out now and let's get all 10 rooms reserved! At the moment, we have all ten rooms "reserved." But, we have until 90 days out (July 31) to "cancel" the rooms we will not be using to avoid being charged.
Therefore, rather than waiting until the week before the Summit to get your confirmed reservation, you will need to commit by July 31.
We hope to still have a couple scholarships available again this fall, but as you might expect, we all are dealing with the reality of these news rates. Thus, the reason for getting this news delivered to you now so you can begin saving now.
There is a lot to digest here. Be in prayer for our Summit that we would fill all 10 rooms this year and have enough dollars left over for scholarships.
Cindy/Jamee
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Chronological Bible
Just found a great online resource that will guide you in a one-year reading of the Bible in chronological order. Awesome. I'm going to do this...it will help put all the books in their proper sequence by time.
Check it out: Bible.com
Check it out: Bible.com
A New Name
Came across an interesting verse this morning in Isaiah. The 15th verse of Chapter 65.
Decided to hit the commentaries online on the online site Bible Study Tools.com and I looked at two commentaries, one by Matthew Henry and the other by John Gill. Here's what Henry says, which is marvelous (Italics Henry's emphasis, underline mine).
And you will leave your name to My chosen (to those who will use it) for a curse;and the Lord God will slay you, but He will call His servants by another name (as much greater than the former name as the name Israel was greater than the name Jacob).I pondered that verse for a while wondering what it could mean. What name would be greater than that of Israel or Jew for they are the chosen ones. I went on to read verse 16 as well, which proved to be interesting as well...speaking to "blessing oneself."
Decided to hit the commentaries online on the online site Bible Study Tools.com and I looked at two commentaries, one by Matthew Henry and the other by John Gill. Here's what Henry says, which is marvelous (Italics Henry's emphasis, underline mine).
The name of God’s chosen shall become a blessing: He shall call his servants by another name. The children of the covenant shall no longer be called Jews, but Christians; and to them, under that name, all the promises and privileges of the new covenant shall be secured. This other name shall be an honorable name; it shall not be confined to one nation, but with it men shall bless themselves in the earth, all the world over. God shall have servants out of all nations who shall all be dignified with this new name. They shall bless themselves in the God of truth. First, They shall give honor to God both in their prayers and in their solemn oaths, in their addresses for his favor as their felicity and their appeals to his justice as their Judge. This is a part of the homage we owe to God; we must bless ourselves in him, that is, we must reckon that we have enough to make us happy, that we need no more, and can desire no more, if we have him for our God. It is of great consequence what we bless ourselves in, what we most please ourselves with and value ourselves by our interest in. Worldly people bless themselves in the abundance they have of this world’s goods; but God’s servants bless themselves in him, as a God all-sufficient for them. He is their crown of glory and diadem of beauty, their strength and portion.Amen.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Circle of Peace
I received a new devotional book for Christmas this year from my BFF Laurie Velzen, entitled Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young.
Here's a passage I just read this morning:
*my comment
Here's a passage I just read this morning:
"Come to me, and rest in My loving Presence. You know that this day will bring difficulties, and you are trying to think your way through those trials. As you anticipate what is ahead of you, you forget that I am with you -- now and always. Rehearsing your troubles results in experiencing them many times, whereas you are meant to go through them only when they actually occur. Do not multiply your suffering in this way! Instead, come to Me, and relax in My Peace (your Circle of Peace*). I will strengthen you and prepare you for this day, transforming your fear into confident trust."
*my comment
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