Waiting

Hey all,

Are you waiting for something?  I don't mean like a package to come in the mail or for something to change in your circumstance.  I mean are you waiting on something before you engage in your "calling"?  The thing that calls on your heart to "go and do". 

But you are not sure?  So you wait.  Wait for the sign.  The proverbial "burning bush" moment. 

But it doesn't seem to come.  So you keep waiting.

For a lot of us, this "waiting" period can be really frustrating.  If you are like most, then you can get discouraged during this "desert" period in your life.  It is easy to get down over not hearing exactly what it is is that you are supposed to "go and do".  I believe that all us have a calling.  It is unique to us and if we don't do it.........then no one will.  But waiting for clarity can be difficult.  We want so badly to know what to do and when to do it.

Don't despair.  This time of waiting is set out from God to make us stronger.  

I am currently finishing a great book called "Change Agent" by Os Hillman and it has really been challenging me on why we seem to continually "wait" on our "calling" before we actually do anything. To go and be a Change Agent. 

Check this out........

Hillman says..."God is working while his Change Agents wait and wait and wait.  Each is being selected for a handpicked assignment.  This waiting is preparation for a greater depth of use and greater anointing that cannot be accomplished otherwise.  Because of the waiting and testing you endure, you will be given even greater authority.  The waiting period actually creates a level of authority for you to carry out your assignment from God." 

We all have an assignment to carry out that is uniquely given to us by God.  If we don't do it, then no one will.  But don't be frustrated by the waiting.  It is a time for us to become stronger.  To become clear on our mission.....our calling.

And when you have waited long enough....God will tell you.  Then it's time to act.  And guess what.......HE wants you to act on it.

If you don't do it, no one will. 

Strength and Honor,

-S

Dangerous

Hey all,

Have you ever felt lukewarm spiritually?  Not hot.............not cold.........but just lukewarm.  Middle of the road.  Vanilla.  Neutral.  Kind of like spiritual Switzerland.

Have you ever felt like you are too safe spiritually?  Secure. Conservative.  Everything is within your comfort zone. There is no risk.  All Cozy.  Comfortable.  Not playing offense........but not playing defense either.  On the sidelines. 

Sound familiar?  I think we all get there from time to time don't we?

But really................who wants to be be safe?  Who wants to be lukewarm?  

I believe all of us have a desire to fight for what is good.   We were made that way.  We were made to be "in" the game.........not on the sidelines.  We all have a role to play.  We know when we are "not" playing our role because eventually we get bored.  Bored spiritually.  We know it when it happens.  We feel bored.

But again.......who wants to be to be safe and lukewarm? 

Not me.  I want to be Dangerous.  I want to be Hot.  I want to be Dangerous for the Kingdom.  I want to be "in the fight".  I want to do things that are taking back "surrendered ground".  As my friend said recently, "I want to have scars in Heaven!".  Spiritual scars from being in the fight, not on the sidelines.  I want to be engaged. 

But we have to go out and make it happen.  It doesn't just happen naturally.  In fact, the enemy wants to do everything he can to keep it from happening.  He loves it when we are safe and lukewarm.  We are no threat.  We are not a danger to him at all.  So.....we have to get in the game.  The game doesn't come to us, we have to go to the game.  Play our role. 

What about you?  Are you feeling safe and lukewarm?

Maybe it's time to be Dangerous. 

For good.

Strength and Honor,

-S 

PS.....picture is from Golan Heights in Israel.  Old Israeli tank from the war.

Time Out!

Hey all,

Remember when you were a kid playing games and when you wanted it to stop.............you just yelled......."Time out!"  It was like the law.  The game stopped.  You got a chance to catch  your breath, or recover from an injury, or go to the bathroom, or whatever.  It just stopped.  The universal and understood statement of "Time Out!"............would stop time.  And almost every time.......it was honored.  If you called it...........it was so. Man that was great wasn't it?  

Don't you wish it was that way now?

Unfortunately, there is no "Time Out" in Life.  We cannot ever shut it off.  Some days wouldn't it be great to just yell...."Time Out!".....and have time stand still.  Time to catch our breath. Time to recover.  Time to just.....be still.  Find rest for our soul.

So what do we do then? 

Actually.......we can find the rest we long for.  It is available.  But we have to actually walk through life to get it.  We have to make the choice.  We have to ask for the right way.....the good way........and then walk in it.  Walk in it. Not call "Time Out".....but actually walk.  Move forward.

Check out Jeremiah 6:16.

"Thus says the LORD:
“Stand by the roads, and look,
   and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way is; and walk in it,
   and find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

The Lord calls us to first stand at the roads (Life) and look.  Stand still long enough to take life in.  Then to ask the right way (through HIM)...............and then to walk.  To seek the good way (through HIM).  Then walk in it.  And we will find "rest for our souls".  Our life version of "Time Out".  The rest we seek.  It is available.  Through HIM.  Through Jesus. 

But check out the last verse......."But they said...we will not walk in it".  There is the choice.  We have to choose to walk in it. If we don't walk with HIM......there will be no rest.  No "Time Out".  No life.

I don't know about you............ but I am gonna keep walking. 

Are you?

Strength and Honor,

-S 

Sail Away

Hey all,

Are you awake? Obviously you are reading this so you are physically awake, but that is not what I mean? Do you know what is going on around you? Are you aware? Are you engaged?

Life is happening all around us every single moment. Whether we decide to engage in it or not, life continues on. It keeps going. There is no pause button. We might hit our own internal "pause"button" on occasion (vacation, tv, book, etc..) but life still goes on. Events are unfolding every moment of every day. All over the world. All around us.

Are you awake to it? Are you engaged in it?  Do you know what is going on? 

If you answered no, you are not alone. Many of us are not awake. Many of us are not engaged. Many of us are spectators. Many of us watch life unfold all around us and react to what it brings. We are like a sailboat that has no captain and no rudder. We are left to the winds and waves of the worldly sea. Blown about by each circumstance and each new problem. Never knowing what is going to happen next. We cannot seem to find calm waters and when we do.....it doesn't last long. Sound familiar?

We have all been there. But check this out.....there is hope. There is life. There is a bigger story going on that we are a supposed to be part of.  I don't think life is supposed to just be a series of "storms" for us to endure.  We are part of a great story that is being written and we have a role to play in it.  We are needed.  If we don't do it, no one will.  They can't.  It is uniquely written for us. 

But first, We first have to allow the real "Captain" to take over.  Let HIM grab the rudder and set the sail.  HE has set the course for  you and I long ago.  Our story.  Our life.  Our part of the HIS bigger story.  If we don't play our part, no one will.  No one can.  This was set out only for us.

All we have to do is let go and ask HIM to take over.  And HE will.  HE will sail us to calm waters and take us on the great adventure of life.  HE knows the way.

Sail away!

Strength and Honor,

-S

Compulsive Planning

Hey all,

Have you ever been so consumed with planning things in your life that you fail to live?  I read something this morning that really rocked my world,  Check this out.

"Walk with me in holy trust.  Responding to My initiatives rather than make things fit your plans. I died to set you free and that includes freedom from compulsive planning. When your mind spins with a multitude of thoughts, you cannot hear My voice. A mind preoccupied with planning pays homage to the idol of control. Turn from this idolatry and back to Me.  Listen to Me and live abundantly."

From "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young.

Wow.....is that not dead on or what?  When we are so obsessed with our own plans, we cannot hear.  Our minds are "spinning" with all of the plans we feel that we have to make happen that we miss the very source of Life.  HIM!  In our efforts to plan out our life, we end up missing it.

Check out John 8:36, 10:27 and Proverbs 19:21 for some great wisdom on compulsive planning.

Compulsive planning?  Stop spinning and start listening. 

Abundanat Life.  Very cool.

Strength and Honor,

-S

Pursued

Hey all,

Are you being pursued?  Do you feeling like you are being chased by something?  Are you constantly running this race called life?  Are you tired?  Exhausted?

I was thinking about this today.  Life can chase us can't it?  

Just take work as an example.  Our jobs require us to be in constant motion.  We are always trying to stay ahead of "the work".  We work and work and work and yet.........we never seem to get ahead.  It still is there the next day.  Ready to start the chase again.  Ready to pursue.  We start over again.  Running and running and running.  But to no avail......it is an endless cycle.

Or maybe it's all the stuff at home.  Too many things to do.  Constant race.  Always being pursued.  Kids, home, sports, church, financial obligations, social activities............you know what I am talking about.  Running and running and running.  Trying to stay ahead.  The pursuit feels exhausting at times.

Have you ever though about that? 

But it doesn't have to be that way. Really.....it doesn't.

Life is meant to be pursued.........not to be "pursued" by it.  We are supposed to "live" life, not just be "living" in it.  Life is not supposed to be a game of tag.  Life should not be chasing us.   

We don't have to live that way.  Our time on this earth is given to us by the Lord to be the pursuer of it.  HE wants us to pursue life.  HE wants us to lead the way.  He wants us to make a difference.  HE wants us to be running, but NOT because we are being chased..............but because we are following HIM.  When we are following HIM.........we are "living: life.........not just "living" life.  We are leading by following.  We are meant to be conquerors of life through HIM.  Not to be conquered by life.  Wow......there is a big difference isn't there?

So ask yourself this week......Am I running because I am being pursued by life......or am I running because I am living life.  Maybe it's time to quit running and start leading.

By following.

Strength and Honor,

-S

Father and Masters,

Hey all,

There are certain things that happen in our lives that are truly memorable.  I had one of those yesterday. 

I had the blessing and privilege of spending the day with my Father at the Masters golf tournament in Augusta, GA.  My Dad is retired and works at a Golf course...........so obviously he loves golf.  While he is getting up there in years, he can still hit them pretty good too. He still beats me every time we play. 

Going to Augusta National to see the Masters was a very special day for him. A life long dream and "Bucket list" item.  It was special.  

It was even more special for me.  Besides just being at Augusta with all it's history and tradition............I was able to spend an entire day with my Dad.  We had a great time talking, hanging out, watching golf, and just enjoying the  beauty of Augusta and our day together. 

For those that have been to the Masters, you know that you cannot take in a camera or cell phone.  Your mental experience is all you can take with you.  Sure, you can buy stuff at the gift shop, but you have only your mind to take the memories with you.  It was great to be free for a day and not be distracted by the cell phone, email, text's.  We both relaxed and just enjoyed the day together.  Not distracted by anything but each other and the event. 

Too often we try and capture all of our "experiences" on camera, video, etc, then rush to post it on whatever social media we have. In our need to get it out to the public or capture it on photo or video.....we lose the memory of it completely.  We leave our mental memory card empty.  How often are you filling your mental memory card instead of using your camera phone?  If you are like me, not nearly enough.

After Friday with my Father at the Masters..........my mental memory card is full.    

And its not with golf.

Strength and Honor,

-S