Change Happens

For our family vacation this summer, I borrowed some DVDs from a friend.  She let us take several Sid the Science Kid DVDs, and I was excited for the girls to watch something besides Frozen :)  One of the DVDs was titled "Change Happens," and at first the only thing I could think of was the changes that happen in our bodies.  But I figured - or at least HOPED - that was NOT something the show would discuss for such young viewers.  Yes, I realize that at some point I am going to have to talk to my girls about puberty and all that involves.  I am honestly hardcore praying Jesus comes back before they get to that point, but in case He delays, I am ready for that conversation - just not when they're 20 months, 3.5 years, and 5.5 years! :)

Turns out Sid was more concerned about changes in the seasons, decay and decomposition, solids to liquids, and other such topics.  Whew!

I guess God had a good chuckle on my behalf for that one, BUT the theme of CHANGE has been a steady one in our family's life recently.

We did something new this summer when my husband and I traveled to Africa for a short-term missions trip.  Our time in Ehtiopia CHANGED us.  As soon as baby #4 is born this fall, we will be filling out paperwork and starting the adoption process (we would have started yesterday, but the agency has a policy about being pregnant when starting the process).  We are already in love with our brown-skinned kiddos even though we have NO idea who they are yet (we would love to bring TWO home).  We have even encouraged our girls to pray for their brothers/sisters to be safe and strong and healthy until they get to join us here in our family.

Immediatlely upon our return from Africa, we loaded up our Yukon XL to the brim (literally) and hooked up our pop-up camper.  We headed out for Myrtle Beach for a family vacation.  Along the way, we camped out in some breathtakingly beautiful National Forests and Parks.  The drive was LONG and the girls weren't all that excited about the HOURS in the car, but we made it.  Once we arrived at the beach, the girls would have stayed there for days.  Seriously, we didn't need to do anything else to entertain them or make this the vacation of their dreams.  They were content splashing in the water, "surfing" the waves, and building sand castles on the beach.  We spent the majority of our time right there, doing "nothing."  That experience CHANGED us too.  We realized how TIME together is the best thing of all and that we don't need fancy, expensive, luxurious things to make us happy.  Our hearts were full listening to the ocean and watching our girls soak up the sun.

From the beach we headed to Ponca Bible Camp in the Ozarks of Arkansas.  Our hearts have a special place for this amazing camp.  I grew up going there (since 5th grade).  Lawrence never experienced Ponca as a camper, but was invited to a young adult retreat and then started counseling the next summer.  We met at Ponca in 2004.  In 2007, he asked me to marry him on a hike we take during camp.  We seriously considered having our wedding there, but decided to stay closer to home so people would actually come and enjoy the day with us (rather than making them drive 4-8 hours one way).  Needless to say, Ponca is special.  We spent 2 weeks there, pouring into kiddos ranging from 4th grade to 7th grade.  We saw God work in MIGHTY ways.  Our prayer had been for each boy and girl to truly understand who they are, who GOD created them to be - masterpieces He designed with a plan and purpose, powerful soldiers engaged in battle against a fierce enemy, overcomers who are ALREADY victorious and triumphant.  Our goal was for them to leave camp at the end of the week with a personal CREED, or at least the starts of one in their hearts and minds.  God blew us away, especially the first week as campers stood up on Friday night after chapel and shared their creeds with the entire camp.  To hear these 6th and 7th graders have such confidence in who they are and how they are going to live out their days passionately and courageously for Jesus gave me goosebumps.  I had chills up and down my back.  Sharing the amazing truth of God's Word with these boys and girls, then seeing them take to heart what we were saying, CHANGED us.  We went to teach and ended up learning more ourselves.

Now that we are back home (after being gone for 5 weeks), God continues to weave these concept of CHANGE into our lives.  Our church is going through some changes.  Houses are for sale in our neighborhood and others that were on the market when we left are already sold.  We will  have quite a few new neighbors in the coming months.  Our oldest will be starting kindergarten this fall.  Lawrence will be entering his TENTH year of teaching 3rd grade, and you would think it would be "old hat" for him as he prepares for another round of students to come through his classroom door in a few weeks.  BUT, God is doing some CHANGES there too...

Yesterday, Lawrence came home from a school workshop super excited.  Before sharing what he had learned at the in-service session, he warned me that I might be shocked at the words that were going to come out of his mouth.  He even joked that I might ask if he was his husband :)  He then proceeded to tell me how he was going to get rid of the desks in his classroom and focus on centers and interactive groups and independent work.  This is coming from a man who has NEVER put his students' desks in pods, but ALWAYS lines them up in ROWS.  He is about routine and organization and structure.  It's what he knows.  It's what is comfortable for him.  BUT, as he sees how kids learn and grow and flourish and develop, he is understanding that he might need to adjust and CHANGE the way he does things.  So he is ready to dive in, head first.  After 9 years of teaching the same grade, you can get "bored."  You get "stuck" doing the same lessons or same group activities or same projects.  He doesn't want that to happen.  This is the most excited I have seen him in a LONG time.  And his enthusiasm sparks a fire inside of me.

As my husband is open to CHANGE, I too can dare to dream bigger and "think outside the box" and imagine new possibilities for our family.  Going from desks in rows to bean bags and circle tables and gathering spots may not seem like that big of a deal, but I assure you it IS.  And as I consider his WILLINGNESS to change, I realize how stuck so many of us get in our ways.  We feel safe with normal.  We like to stick with what we know.  Yet, in so doing, how much are we missing out on?  What if something GOOD - something BETTER - waits for us out in the UNknown?!  What if we were to take that step and do something new and different?  What if we learned and grew and experienced something WAY beyond our wildest dreams or imagination?!  What if...

In closing, I encourage you to take a look at your own life.
Are there any areas where you might NEED to CHANGE?
Do you have any goals or dreams or hopes or desires that might require you to step out of your comfort zone?  Are you going to play it safe (and miss out) or take that "risk" and encounter something beautiful, inspiring, life-CHANGING?

Just as I wrongly feared the changes the Sid DVD might be addressing, we all too often see or hear the word CHANGE and turn to run in the opposite direction.  We don't even give it a chance.

Let's STOP.
Instead, let's take the time to listen, to hear, to watch, to understand.
Let's be open to what might be the BEST thing that ever happened to us.

To Africa and Back Again

How was your summer?
Such a simple question.
And asked quite often these days as friends run into each other in the School Supply aisle and are starting to think about everything else associated with the fall season that is coming sooner than we think.  (At least I hope the cooler, crisper weather is right around the corner as I sit inside to avoide the scorching heat and temperatures soaring into the 100's where I live.)

Such a simple question, yet I don't know how to answer:
Good.
Really good.
Busy.
Packed.
Crazy.
Chaotic.
Amazing.
Eye-Opening.
Energizing.
Tiring.
Life-Changing.

I guess when you go to Africa, something happens in your heart - and mind.  You leave and come back a different person.  You travel all those miles, and somewhere along the way, you become someone else.  Or a newer version of yourself.

I don't really know how to explain it.  I am going to try my darndest, but until you have gone on a trip like this yourself, you truly don't understand.  You can try.  But you can't.  You just can't.

Pictures only tell you a TINY bit of the story.  They give you a SMALL glimpse into the reality of what took place.  They can NOT capture the emotions, the feelings, the heartache, the joy, and everything else unseen in those snapshots.  They do NOT do the breath-taking scenery justice, nor do they implode your senses with the smells and sounds of the poverty everywhere you look.

View out the window of our room at the guest house

I took over 500 pictures while we were in Ethiopia.  I could show you ALL of them. (You can actually see them on my Facebook page, if you want.)  I could tell you what was going on in each and every one.  I could explain what we were doing with the kids, how they were laughing and singing at the top of their lungs or crowding around us and not giving us room to breathe.  I could share how they would thank us profusely for a simple shirt or proudly show us their ITTY BITTY TEENY TINY room they shared with 3-7 other kids.

Even after sitting with me for HOURS looking at pictures and listening to me retell every aspect of our trip, you would NOT understand completely all that took place - physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually.

Until you have witnessed a couple meeting their daughter for the first time...

Until you have stepped inside a room of 30+ 2-3 year olds sitting quietly in a circle, each eating peanut butter and "oatmeal" from a cup...

Until you have had a bone-thin mother holding her small child run to your car window and beg you for money and/or food while you sit in bumper to bumper traffic...

Until you have sat on a metal bunkbed with a child delighted to call the 8x8 concrete room his/her home and you realize that ALL their belongings fit in the small suitcase at the end of the bed...

Until you hold a baby boy in your arms and hear how he was put in a trash bag by his 14-year old mother who had been raped and wanted absolutely nothing to do with her child...

Until you drive past a landfill, closing the windows and putting your scarf over your nose and mouth to block out the stentch, and watch people searching for food to eat and items to sell...

Until you sit and let a girl paint your nails BRIGHT yellow and see the pride in her eyes when she finishes your maincure...

Until you play soccer on a 10x12 concrete courtyard with drying laundry hanging on one side and a brick wall topped with barbed wire on the other...

Until you have walked into a classroom with over 30 benches (resembling those from a one-room school house) expected to seat 60+ students and absolutely NOTHING on the bare white walls...

Until you have seen the smile of a girl holding a new pair of shoes that sparkle and shine...

Until you have waited for a herd of goats to cross the road so you can be on your way in your CAR...

Until you witness a woman carrying water in jugs up a mountain...

Until you have seen a kitchen with HARDLY any ventilation or lighting and NO modern appliances and realize the cooks prepare food for over 60 kids every day...

Until you have seen the beautiful pottery, scarves, purses, and other hand-crafted items made by women rescued from prostitution and human trafficking...

Until you have 10+ kiddos hanging on you and wanting to play with you, despite not being able to speak the same language...

Until you jumprope with boys and girls who don't have any other outdoor toys, except maybe a tattered ball...

Until you listen to those same children clap and sing and dance their hearts out, full of joy and peace and strength...

Only THEN would you be able to begin to understand what I saw and did and felt on our trip to Ethiopia.

Only THEN would you start to realize why I might start crying in the grocery store or the School Supply aisle at Wal-Mart.

Only THEN would you possibly fathom why I don't want a dream house (I already live in one if you think about) or luxury car or expensive jewelry or namebrand purse.

Only THEN would you grasp how BLESSED we are.
Only THEN would you sense my urgency in wanting to fill out paperwork to bring an orphaned, abandoned child home to be part of our family forever - to love them and pour into them and help them see how much potential they have, how powerful they are, how gifted they are, how THEY can dream big and change the world.

So, how was my summer?
I don't really know what to tell you.

Maybe next summer, we can experience this TOGETHER...

Little Girl Dreams

When I was a little girl, I dreamed of being a missionary doctor to the deep, dark jungles of Africa.  I remember going to church and learning about the “glamorous” life of missionaries all over the world.  I got to taste foreign foods from faraway lands.  I distinctly recall the first time I had kiwi J  How was I to know as a 5 year old (or however old I was) that I could get the fruit at the local grocery store?!  I pictured myself traveling by boat on a crocodile-invested river to some remote village, eating juicy kiwi with the dark-skinned people in the tribe.

As I grew up, I felt God calling me to become NOT a missionary doctor but a teacher. I still longed to work with children who were underprivileged and did NOT have access to the plethora of goodies here in the United States.  I actually wanted nothing to do with the United States.  The materialism sickened me.  The sense of entitlement made me nauseous.  The abundance of resources infuriated me.  We had so much and yet so many all over the world were starving, dying.  Children were abandoned, neglected.  And I wanted to love them.  To give them hope and joy.  To show them God had a purpose for them.

During my 4 years in college, I lived in Chicago.  Being in the inner city softened my heart, and I began to see that children (and families) right here in the United States were facing difficulties they couldn’t overcome.  Not on their own.  My heart was being pulled to work in the inner city, teaching those who others had given up on and left behind.  I wanted to reach down and pick these precious boys and girls out of the cracks and love on them.  To assure them they too were amazing and beautiful and smart and capable and skilled and talented and full of potential.

However, I couldn’t shake the desire to serve overseas.  When I graduated in 2005, I was almost fully funded for a 2 year term in Haiti.  I would be working with Kids Alive International, helping write curriculum and train the teachers at the school set up for the boys and girls in the Children’s Homes.  I was eager to make a difference.  I was also naïve.  I seriously thought I would be able to change the entire school system in such a short time.  Very soon, though, I realized how LONG that process would take.  I did my best to simply love on the boys and girls in the homes, teaching them how to THINK and how to live life to the full.  When I left, my heart was broken.  I hadn’t witnessed the change I so desperately longed to see.  But, I know in the depths of my soul, I DID make a difference while I was there those 2 years.

Lawrence and I went back to Haiti to visit in 2010 – shortly after the massive earthquake that ravaged Port-au-Prince.  We were asked to take over for the directors who were retiring.  We would be in charge of the school, a perfect fit given our education background and experience as teachers here in the US.  We did not, however, feel a peace about this decision.  We DID feel God pulling at our hearts to do something though.  So we became foster parents and opened our home and hearts for 2 years.

At the end of those 2 years, we felt God release us from that ministry and move us on to something new – being present in our community.  We have opened our home to the school kids, hosting a Bible study every Sunday night.  We invite these kiddos and students from Lawrence’s school to Ponca every year.  We KNOW this is what God has called us to do, for now. 

We also sense that He is asking us to be open and available for MORE, for something NEW.  When Mark and Christy Sharp invited us to go with them to Ethiopia, my heart leapt for joy.  I immediately said yes and would have started packing my bags that night.  Lawrence needed a little bit more time to get used to the idea, but is definitely ready now (he better be since we leave on Sunday).  Going to Africa for the first time is a HUGE dream come true!  I may not be going as a doctor, or traveling to any deep, dark jungles (that I know of).  Instead, I am going as a wife and mother, a former teacher, a wrap girl. 

I am not worried about the poverty I will see in Ethiopia.  I lived in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere for 2 years.  I have seen poverty at its worst.  No, the hard part is going to be visiting the orphanages and seeing so many beautiful boys and girls who don’t have a family, no one to call their own.  And my heart is going to split into thousands of pieces.  I am going to want to bring them ALL home with us.  I am crying as I type, just thinking about their eyes looking back at me…

My prayer is to be able to start the adoption process this fall.  I realize it can take up to 2-3 years, or more, to actually bring the child home and for everything to be finalized.  I have already started praying for my brown-skinned kiddos.  Yep, kiddos.  Plural.  Our prayer is to adopt TWO.  We have room in our house, and we have room in our hearts. 

Do you realize that if every Christian family would adopt ONE child, there would be NO more orphans?  NONE.

God has adopted us into His family.  Sending His one and only Son to die in our place on the cross.  He has forgiven us our sins and made us clean, pure, whole.  He has invited us into His presence.  He has promised us an inheritance that will NEVER perish.  He has loved us when we didn’t deserve it.  He has looked past our dirt and boogers.  He has reached down and taken us out of poverty, placing us in His marvelous light and calling us His own.  We are sons and daughters of the KING!  And that is beautiful.

If God has done that for me, should I not also be willing to do the same for others? 

But here’s the deal.  Going on an overseas missions trip is NOT cheap.  Nor is adopting a child.  Let alone TWO.  Granted, those may not be the dreams you have.  God may be working in your heart to do something entirely different.  And that is OKAY.  In fact, it is GOOD.  He has given us each specific talents and abilities and interests.  Only as we each become the people God has created us to be can we carry out His overarching plan.  And an amazing, outstanding, incredible plan it is.  Really not enough adjectives in the world to describe it….

Whatever your dream or passion, there is a cost.  And so sometimes – far too many times if we are honest - we let a price tag keep us from living out our dreams, from pursuing the passions God has placed on our hearts.  We get caught up in paying bills, feeding the family, keeping up with the Jones’s.  We get distracted.  Discouraged.  Defeated.  We abandon our dreams and our passions fizzle out. 

And that enrages me.  I want to punch Satan in the face so badly.  I want to kick him in the gut.  I want to lock him up and throw away the key.  All that is coming – in due time.  BUT, for now, the enemy is unleashed and wreaking havoc all over the world.  He convinces us to settle.  He whispers in our ear and LIES to us and DECEIVES us and gets us to believe him.  We start to think our dreams are unattainable, crazy, silly, far-fetched, impossible. So we don’t even try!

Too many of us live mediocre lives.  Without even realizing it.

Satan is good.  He has blinded us. 

We are like those proverbial frogs in the hot water.  He has slowly turned up the heat and before long we are going to croak…

I for one do NOT want to end up as frog legs on Satan’s dinner plate.  So, I am jumping out of the water.  I am RUNNING in the opposite direct.  I am learning to be the EAGLE God created me to be, soaring to new heights.

Hence, Lawrence and I are going to Ethiopia while I am 20 weeks pregnant.  We could have let the baby be an “excuse.”  It’s not safe for me to travel.  I am sick nearly every day.  We have 3 young children – what if something happens to us?  I could go on and on about why we possibly shouldn’t go.  But, I can show you picture after picture after picture after picture of precious boys and girls in the orphanages we will visit.  You tell them we aren’t coming.  You do it. I can’t.

Yes, there was a price tag for this trip.  It was NOT free.  $6,000 didn’t just fall in our laps.  Granted, GOD did provide.  And of course He did it in a way I never would have imagined.  EVER.  Not once growing up as I dreamed of going to Africa, did I consider God would use a wrap and greens (and other natural health products) to get me there.  But He has.

I also truly believe He will use those same means to provide us with the $50,000 to $60,000 we need to bring home our African babies (children).  Liberty schools are amazing, but no way they are going to foot that bill.  Lawrence isn’t getting that big of a raise any time in the near future – or ever – no matter how hard he works and how amazing he is with the students in his classroom.  Daycare wasn’t going to cut it either.  But this It Works gig – now THAT can do it.  It IS doing it. 

Hence, I post and talk about wraps and greens all the time.  Not only have they changed my life personally, but they are making it possible for me to live out my childhood dreams.  I am going to Africa THIS week!

So, please don’t tell me It Works is a scam or that people don’t really make money with the business or whatever else.  I won’t listen.  I will board a plane to Ethiopia. 

What are YOUR dreams?  YOUR passions?

What is keeping you from them?

If you are really honest the answer is NOT money.  Or time.  Or whatever else you can come up with to tell me.  This might hurt a bit.  Be ready for the sting.  I say this in LOVE.  The biggest (and probably only TRUE) obstacle to your dreams coming true is YOU…

You have watched me for 2.5 years now.  I think that is long enough to realize I am serious about this – it wasn’t a fling.  I think that is long enough to realize it has helped our family and changed our lives.  I think that is long enough for you to see the products really do make a difference in people’s lives.  I think that is long enough for you to WATCH me.  It’s time for you to JOIN me. 

            Again, I don’t know what your dreams are or what specific passions are on your heart.  But I do KNOW with all my heart that It Works can take care of the price tag part.  This business can allow you the financial freedom to do all those things you want to do but can’t – for whatever reasons you want to give me.

            Please don’t miss out on something huge and incredible and mind-blowing.  Please don’t let this blessing pass over you because it’s different or not what you expected or something you wouldn’t have imagined.  THAT would be a shame…

            Well, I think I have about poured my heart out now.  I better go do some laundry and think about actually PACKING.  I do leave for Ethiopia in about 80 hours…

Let's Finish This Together

Yesterday, I shared about running the relay race of LIFE.
To do that I stressed how important listening to the RIGHT voice is.
We are bombarded with voices - NOISE - every single day from so many different sources:

*You can't
*You aren't enough
*You don't measure up
*You need more
*You fall short
*You're going to fail
*You're crazy to think you could succeed at that (whatever that is)
*You're fat
*You're ugly
*You're stupid or dumb or slow
*You're not like everyone else
*You don't fit it
*You don't belong

I am sure I could keep going.
But, I bet you get the idea.
We hear the voices enough we don't need any more reminders.

However, we MUST stop listening to these voices.
They are LYING to us.
Deceiving us.
Tricking us.
Suffocating us.
Destroying us.
KILLING us.

BUT, they do NOT have to.
We do NOT have to listen.
Remember, we get to CHOOSE which voice we listen to and believe.
Yesterday, I challenged us to tune out the lies and to open our ears ONLY to the voice of TRUTH.

As we reject the lies and let the truth penetrate our hearts, we begin to change.
We start to believe

*I can
*I AM enough
*I DO measure up
*I have ALL I need
*I can reach my goals
*I can succeed
*I may be crazy but I KNOW this can happen (whatever this is)
*I am healthy
*I am beautiful
*I am smart
*I am unique and don't need to be like everyone else
*I am going to celebrate my personality and gifts and abilities
*I have something special to offer
*I am needed
*I can make a difference
*I can change the world

If you are starting out on this journey, I strongly suggest you speak these TRUTHS to yourself over and over, every day.  Post them on your fridge, on your mirror, on your desk, in your car, wherever you are going to see them on a regular basis.  Read them out loud.  As you voice these POSITIVE thoughts, you will begin to realize they aren't just words.  They are TRUTH.

I know that might sound silly or strange, but give it a try.
See what happens to your heart and soul after a week of tuning out the lies and letting the TRUTH seep into the deepest part of you.

I bet you will be more inspired to run the race of life.
And not only that but to help others run with you.

You might feel like the weakest leg on the relay team, but remember even the 3rd leg (usually the slowest leg of the 4 on a relay team) is essential to the team's success.  If that 3rd leg decides not to run or only gives a half-hearted effort, no way will the team do well.  BUT, if that 3rd leg goes out there and does the best he/she can, the team wins - no matter what place they finish.

FINISHING is the key.
It is the most important part to the race of life.

Well, I might have to retract that.
I think HOW we run is pretty crucial too.

Sometimes, though, life is HARD.
Going on seems to be too much.
We convince ourselves that we need a break, just a little rest before we get up and go on our way again.  We start to slow down and all too often stop all together.

Without realizing what is happening, we get sidetracked and never get back on the track.
Life passes before us without meaning or purpose.
We feel lost.
We start to listen to the wrong voices again.

THIS is why we shouldn't run alone.
We NEED each other.

I remember back in high school when our volleyball coach would make the team run a timed mile.  To earn a spot on the team you had to complete the mile in a certain time.  I don't remember the exact times, but I know to be on varsity you had to run a little faster than you did to secure a spot on JV.  Of course, I wanted to be on the "A" team.  So, I ran my heart out.

I am more of a sprinter - or at least I was at the time.  Now, I LOVE to get out and run and run (completed my first half marathon last year and am already planning to run another one and maybe even a FULL marathon in 2016 after baby #4 is born).  Back in the day, though, long distance was NOT my forte.

I WAS competitive though.  I made a goal to stay up with the top runners on the team.  And I did for the first HALF mile.  As we turned around and headed back down the street (we ran in the small town where our high school was located), I began to grow weary.  My legs were TIRED.  I began to tell myself there was NO way I could continue going at this speed.

Before I could slow down to catch my breath, my team mate Natalie came along side me and grabbed my hand.  "Let's finish this together," she encouraged.  And so she literally drug me along as we looked forward to the end of the mile.  Every block she would whisper, "We'll walk at the next street," but when we passed the next street sign we did NOT stop to walk or even slow down.  Instead, I feel like we got FASTER at each intersection!  As we finally reached our coach waiting at the "finish line," we collapsed, exhausted.  I wanted to scream at Natalie, but I didn't have any extra breath to spare.  I wanted to be mad at her, but then I saw my time written on the clipboard.  It was a PR (personal record).  I had gotten my BEST time ever, all because Natalie ran with me - or MADE me run with her!

Several weeks later when we did another timed mile (had to prove we could KEEP our spot), I didn't have to hold Natalie's hand or have her pull me along.  I was able to run "on my own" and still finish well.  You see, after that race, I KNEW what I was capable of, that I COULD run faster than I thought, that I COULD keep up with the top runners (well, mabye just a tad behind them)!

Had Natalie passed me by that day, though, I don't know if that would be the case.
Actually, I know it would NOT be.
I would have stopped to walk.
Yes, I still would have finished, but not nearly as fast and certainly not with a personal best.

I am here to grab your hand.
To encourage you.
To lift you up.
Support you.
Let you know you CAN do this.
I believe in you (even if you don't believe in yourself, yet).
I am right here with you.

"Let's run together!"

For only as we run hand in hand can we truly win at this race of life!
We must EACH do our part.
And give it our best.
THEN, pass the baton to the next generation so they too can run THEIR leg of the race.
We set the example for them, though.
HOW we run does matter.
Others are watching.  Learning.  From US.

What are we teaching them?
What words are we speaking into their lives?
Even more importantly, what do our ACTIONS say?

Do we sound like the mixed up messages of the world, the LIES?
Or do we reinforce the voice of TRUTH?

In my next blog, I want to talk more about leaving a legacy for the future generation.
For NOW, let's remember this - as we run the race of life, we NEED each other.
We are a TEAM.

So, grab my hand.
"Let's finish this together!"

Voices in My Head

A couple weeks ago, I had a morning all to myself.
NO kids.

So, I enjoyed a smoothie at Starbucks (free, thanks to a gift card) and blogged my heart out.  I shared how God is challenging me to be BOLD and COURAGEOUS.

I posted about how we DEFINE courage.

Then, I shared how if we are going to be used of God, to LET Him work in our lives, we need to be willing to do things His way.  And that more often than not means we have to DARE TO BE DIFFERENT.

Next, I talked about how God doesn't really care about our earthly qualifications.  In fact, He tends to use those we LEAST expect, those who SEEM to be the LEAST equipped, the LEAST prepared, the LEAST qualified.  But it's not about us anyway.  It's ALL about HIM!

I have been swamped with life and didn't have a chance to continue my series on courageous living.  Today, though, I decided to set some other responsibilities aside and focus on what God is speaking in my heart.  I feel like He is nudging me to share NOW, not later.  TODAY, not tomorrow.

So, here goes...

Do you ever doubt?
Hesitate about a decision you need to make?
Shrink back when you feel like you are supposed to stand up or say something?
Hide?
Make excuses?
Play it safe?

Yeah, me too.

If we are honest with ourselves, we ALL worry about what others will think if we live out our faith.
We FEAR what people's opinions about us, about our choices, about our lifestyle may be.

And so we try to fit in, go with the flow.
We don't want to stand out or draw attention to ourselves.
We don't want people to get the wrong idea about us.
We don't want to be misunderstood.
We don't want to be judged.
We don't want people to think we are radical or crazy or weird.
We don't want to be different.

Instead, we try to blend in.
We HIDE our lights rather than letting them shine (know that little kid song?  still applies for us as adults! So no more putting your light under a bushel...)

When we do this, we THINK we are playing it safe.
We are GRAVELY mistaken.
In reality, we are MISSING OUT!

BIG TIME!

Remember that list of people we looked at the other day - those heros of faith?
Joseph
Joshua
Daniel
Elijah
Gideon
Esther
Rahab
Ruth
Moses
David
Peter
Paul
Jesus

If you want to read about MORE men and women who lived out their faith courageously and boldly, check out Hebrews 11!

What if they had played it safe?
What if they had tried to fit in?
What if they had worried about what people would think?
What if they had been too afraid to be different?
What if they had let FEAR keep them from BECOMING who God had created them to be?

Not only would THEY have missed out, but WE would have too.
BIG time!

You see, it's not just about US today.
Life is sooooo much bigger.
We get so caught up in the here and now that we far too often miss this reality.
We forget that there is a bigger picture.
We don't realize how God is working in and through us NOW to impact lives in hundreds or thousands of generations to come.

We MUST open our eyes, our hearts, our minds.
We MUST recognize we run a race.
A RELAY really.

I grew up running track, so I understand the relay concept perfectly well.
However, if you are not a track person, you may not have any idea of what I am about to say.

In a typical relay FOUR people will run on a team.
Depending on the race, the athletes run different distances before handing off the baton to their team mate, who then runs the same distance.  Once all four people have completed their leg, the final person crosses the finish line to end the race.

EACH leg is equally important.
Each person is selected for his/her leg for a reason.  Perhaps they run the straightaway well, or maybe they are better at the curve.  They might be the fastest runner and able to make up any lost ground.  They might have the best start out of the blocks.  No matter what their skill, EACH leg is important and EACH leg must contribute and do his/her best if the TEAM is to win the race.
It's a GROUP effort.

I remember when I was a senior in high school.  I was at the state track meet cheering on my team mates as they ran their races.  I was SUPPOSED to compete that year, but tore up my knees the week prior and was on crutches instead :(  BUT that is a different blog...

The time came for the guys' 4X100 relay race.  Each guy would run 100 meters, then hand off the baton to their team mate.  Together, they would complete one lap around the track.  Our team was ranked #1 - we came in with the best time.  BUT, it was going to be close, as many of the teams were just miliseconds behind us.

Everyone took their places.  The starter called out, "Runners, take your mark!"  Everyone got down in the blocks.  "Get set!"  Butts went up in the air, waiting for the gun to sound.  BANG!!!  And they were off!

Things were going well as the first runner rounded the curve and handed off the baton to the #2 man.  Everything was great at the next exchange too.  We were neck and neck with the other teams.  As the #3 runner approached the final team mate, things went terribly wrong.  Another runner tripped up our man, and he dropped the baton.  He waited for the other teams to pass, then quickly grabbed the baton and handed it off the final runner.  He raced down the track as fast as he could, but the other athletes had already crossed the finish line.  We came in LAST.

Little did the guys know at the time that the runner who had tripped us up was DISQUALIFIED.  His team was OUT of the race.

Also, another team had passed the baton outside of the allowed passing zone.  They too were DISQUALIFIED.  Instead of finishing 8th, we were now 6th.  Still not what we had hoped for or expected.  BUT, the guys earned ONE point for our team as a whole.  May not seem like a big deal, but wait for the rest of the story (as Paul Harvey likes to say)

At the end of the track meet, all the points are accumulated to see which teams win the overall trophy.  Winning state is a BIG deal.  Our school had never done that before, I don't think.  If they had, it had been a LONG time.  When the time came to announce the final standings, we didn't place 5th.  Or 4th.  Or 3rd.  Or even 2nd.  We were heartbroken.  Devastated.

THEN, they announced that we had WON!
By ONE point!

Had the final runner given up and not picked up the baton and crossed the finish line, we would not have received that ONE point.  We would NOT have won the entire competition!

THAT is what our lives our like.
We may not think that we are making much of a difference.
We may think we are losing the race and there's no point of going on, let alone finishing.
We would be WRONG.

If we drop the baton, we MUST pick it back up.
If we fall, we MUST get back up.
Giving up, quitting - they are NOT options.
Our TEAM depends on us.

Hebrews 12 speaks of this:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnessed to the life of faith (all those heros listed in chapter 11 and ALL those who came after them and have gone before us), let US strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.  And let US run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith."

With this in mind, I choose NOT to listen to all the voices telling me I can't, that I will fail.
You know those voices?
The skeptics?
The doubters?
The haters?
No matter what you do, they question your motives.  They come up with one scenario after another about why you won't succeed at whatever it is you are trying.
And their voices cause doubt to creep into your mind, your heart.
You begin to believe them.
You care more about what THEY think than what GOD says.
You worry more about THEIR opinion than GOD'S truth.

Stop it!
Right now.
Get some ear plugs.
Put your hands over your ears.
Tune them out.
Whatever it takes.
Just STOP listening to those voices.
They are LIES.
From the pit of hell.

And I am NOT exaggerating.
If Satan can keep us from becoming who God created us to be, he can keep us from the work God has called us to do.  He can prevent us from fulfilling the amazing plans and purposes God has for us, GOOD things He has prepared in advance - before the beginning of the world - for us to do to bring glory to His name!

That is TRAGIC.

So stop listening to the WRONG voices.
Listen instead to ONE voice.  The only one that matters.

I heard a song on the radio today that reminded me how important this is:
Casting Crown's VOICE OF TRUTH

Jesus Himself promised we would be able to recognize HIS voice:
"I am the Good Shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father.  So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.  I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold.  I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one Shepherd.  

My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.  No one can snatch them away from Me, for my Father has given them to Me, and He is more powerful than anyone else.  No one can snatch them from the Father's hand.  The Father and I are one."

Love that we can hear God's voice.
Distinct from all the other voices bombarding us today.
Those are just NOISE.
God's voice is one of LOVE and truth and joy and peace and hope and strength and wisdom and so much more!

And did you catch that last part?  God is more powerful that anyone else.  Once in God's hand, we can NOT be taken out!  Makes me think of another song - GREATER by MercyMe!

So, today I STAND.
Today I choose to be BOLD.
Courageous.
Yet, I am afraid
scared
nervous
anxious
But, I am also CONFIDENT
Expectant...

Today, I will RUN.
I may have to jog at times.
I might even have to walk.
I will crawl if I must.
But I will NOT stop or give up.
I will persevere.
I will press on.
My eyes are FIXED on the prize, on Jesus Himself (see Philippians 3:7-14 for Paul's encouraging words on this)

Will YOU run with me?
Remember, it takes a TEAM to finish the race...
Let's do this TOGETHER!

Bold, Courageous, Scared, Doubtful, Unlikely Misfits

In my introduction to this series, I asked you who came to mind when you heard the word courage.

You might have named some soliders or well-known world leaders.
Perhaps you thought of a family member - your father or mother or grandparent.
You could have listed numerous people for numerous reasons.
The names - the faces - you remembered greatly depends on your definition of courage.

Today, I want to us to look together at some courageous men and women from the Bible.  We will see how God used these individuals at different times in different ways to accomplish His divine plans and purposes throughout the course of history.  We will see how these men and women stepped up to the plate and carried out the often monumental tasks asked of them.  We will see how these men and women impacted countless lives during their physical time on earth, but also how they set a standard for us today and thus forever changed the course of the world.

Before we put these courageous men and women on a pedestal so high we can't ever dream of climbing to their high prestious or living with the same boldness, determination, and confidence they did back in the day, let us also remember that these famous individuals were NOT perfect.  They made mistakes.  Many of them.  They had questions and doubts.  They experienced setbacks. They encountered opposition. They were NOT the richest, smartest, best looking people on the face of the planet.  Rather, for the most part, they were the misfits, the outcasts, the ones overlooked, picked over, rejected, abandoned, ignored, cast aside, left behind, not given another thought.  Until God came along and informed them HE had different plans for them.

Bigger, wilder, crazier plans then they could have ever imagined.
God was going to do something in and through them that they NEVER could have done on their own.
Yet, with HIS power and wisdom and strength and everything else they would need, they WERE able to do amazing things - things we still remember and talk about with awe thousands of years later.

As we look back at these men and women whom we would certainly describe as courageous, let us not forget they BECAME that way because of GOD.

Let us take hope that the God who worked in and through these men and women of old is the SAME God who is alive and on the move TODAY.  And if we LET Him, He can use US too...

More on that in a minute.
First, let's actually meet these courageous men and women I have been blabbering about for some time now:

Joseph - second in command to Pharaoh, movies have been made about this Prince of Egypt who saved the country and many surrounding nations from starvation during an extreme famine

Moses - runaway murderer turned shepherd who then returned to Egypt, demanding that Pharaoh let God's people go and invoking 10 dreadful plagues until his request was granted and then leading the thousands upon thousands of Israelites through the parted Red Sea into the wilderness and to the border of Canaan, calling down mana and quail from heaven and water from rocks along the way

Joshua - first a spy who went against the crowd and gave a good report, encouraging his people to go in and take the land the Lord had given them then the commander of Israel's armies who did just that, marching around fortified cities like Jericho and watching the walls come tumbling down at their feet

Rahab - prostitute who hid the Israelite spies, knowing her people would be defeated and requesting that she and her family be spared when her city was conquered

Elijah - prophet of God who called down fire on a soaked altar and watched it go up in flames

Gideon - army commander who went to battle greatly outnumbered and still defeated his enemies, using clay pots and laterns to do so

Ruth - widow who committed to taking care of her mother-in-law, willing even to leave all she knew and go to a strange land and spend her days picking up leftover wheat as the workers harvested the fields

Esther - orphaned girl who became queen and went before the king uninvited, risking her life to save her people who had been set up to be destroyed without a way to defend themselves

David - youngest of seven sons, this shepherd boy faced a giant all other grown men were too scared to take on, bringing him down with a single rock and then cutting off his head

Daniel - captured refugee who refused to eat the king's delacies and later spent the night in a den with hungry lions, waking up without a scratch the next morning

Peter - wild, brash, fisherman who often spoke before he thought but walked on water, raised people to life, and helped lead the first Church as they spread the good news of salvation to the entire known world after Jesus' death and resurrection

And who could forget JESUS - Son of God, Creator of the world, left all heaven's glories to come to earth to save lost mankind by giving His own life in our place, calling out the religious leaders of the day for their hypocrisy, making the lame to walk and the blind to see and the deaf to hear, raising the dead back to life, YET in the Garden on the night of his betrayal and arrest BEGGED God if there was any other way

I am sure we could list so many more courageous men and women of the Bible.  Check out Hebrews 11 for a pretty in-depth record of the Heros of the Faith.  Even now, I think of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Daniel's 3 friends, and Paul.  We could talk for days about various characters who displayed courage in one way or another.

And again, we could deceive ourselves and think these men and women have something special you and I lack.  That they were superheros with superpowers.  That they were immune to fear.  That they never questioned God or His ways.  That they knew everything was going to work out and could face the situation head on without any doubt or worry.  We would be wrong, dreadfully wrong.

Let's go back through our list and take a closer look at these courageous men and women.  I think we will be encouraged. And hopefully emboldened too.

Joseph - was despised by his family as he shared his dreams and eventually made his way to Egypt as a slave, sold by his own brothers; was wrongfully accused of raping Potiphar's wife and thrown into prison where he stayed for YEARS; interrupted dreams and hoped for someone to remember him and still waited YEARS more before being released and elevated to his position by Pharoah's side...  how many times do you think he questioned what God was doing or wondered how being in prison was a good thing bringing about God's good plans.  Do you think it was EASY for him to forgive his brothers and realize God has used their evil for HIS good, to save his family and countless lives from so many surrounding nations?

Moses - ran away after killing an Eygptian beating an Israelite man; told God in the burning bush that he did NOT want to go back to Pharoah, to send someone else who was a better speaker; got so infuriated with the Israelite people he was leading through the wilderness that he thew down the original tablets with God's laws on them and hit a rock instead of speaking to it.  Moses made quite a few other mistakes along the way too, and actually missed out on entering the Promised Land of Canaan all together because of them.

Joshua - he may have been 1 of 2 spies who wanted to take the land originally, but when it was time for Joshua to take Moses' place as the leader of Israel, God had to remind him numerous times to be strong and courageous.  Do you think he immediately thought God's plan to march around Jericho - without talking - was the best military tactic?  Do you think he wondered if God would truly part the Jordan River once the priests put their toes in the water to lead the entire nation across to the other side?  Do you think he never got frustrated or discouraged as he led the people in one battle after another?

Rahab - she was a PROSTITUTE, who LIED.  Yet, God used this woman, not only to hide the spies, but if you look in Jesus' geneaology, you will find her.  She was a great-great-great-great (and so on) grandma to JESUS!

Elijah - after defeating the false prophets of Baal, he ran and hide on a mountain, scared for his life and worried that he was the only one left who followed God.  He had just experienced an awesome act of God - fire coming down from heaven and engulfing a drenched altar is pretty incredible - yet he doubted and cowered in fear.  God spoke to him - not in the wind or storm, but in a still small voice.  And THEN Elijah was ready to go back to it and finish what God had called him to do.

Gideon - he was hiding in a wine press when God came to him.  He reminded God he was the youngest of his family, who happened to be one of the least in all of Israel.  He tested God not once, but twice with a fleece.  FINALLY, he was ready to answer God's call.  I wonder, though, what he thought of God's plan to go up against the enemy with only 300 men?  I am thinking he might have secretly questioned God's idea to use clay jars and laterns to "attack" the opposing army.  BUT, he did it all anyway.  He even smashed his own father's idols to smitherines.  He rose up and BECAME the "valiant warrior" God saw in him.

Ruth - she was from Moab, NOT originally from Israel.  She was a GENTILE.  A woman.  A widow.  The lowest of low in that day's society.  I bet she missed her mom and dad and family when she moved to Israel with Naomi.  She might have been homesick, but she didn't have time to think about it.  She had to spend all her time gathering food for them to survive.  And as she did, her CHARACTER stood out to Boaz.  Eventually, the two were married.  They had a son Obed.  Obed had a son Jessie.  Jessie had 7 sons, the youngest was David.  Did you see that?  Once more, God used a woman to change history, as she too was a great-great-great-great (and so on) grandma to JESUS!

Esther - she originally told Moredcai that she couldn't go before the king for risk of death; she took 3 days to fast and pray before making a decision about what to do (it was NOT an immediate thing where she fearlessly stepped up to do what only she could); she "chickened out" during the first dinner party she had for the king and threw a second one before letting him know about wicked Haaman's plan to destroy the Jews.  Esther may have been put in her position "for such a time as this," but it took some convincing for her to believe that and to accept the role she had been given.  Thankfully, she didn't let her fear stand in her way for too long...

David - yes, he was a man after God's own heart, but he sinned GREATLY.  Adultery.  Murder.  Not the best father to all his children - they actually rebelled against him and tried to KILL him.  He had many faults and made many mistakes.  YET, God used him to lead the nation, to write words we still read today and connect with because of their genuiness and heartfelt passion.  David was far from perfect, but he too was Jesus' ancestor - both Joseph and Mary came from his line (see Matthew and Luke)!

Daniel - we know he refused to eat unkosher foods and to pray to the king and stood up to leaders when they weren't obeying God and even interrupted dreams with less than favorful meanings.  BUT, I wonder how many times Daniel was shaking when he did those courageous thins.  I am going to guess he was pleading with God to save him from the lions - not running up to cuddle with them.  We see the boldness and steadfastness in Daniel, but we don't know what was going on behind the scenes either.  Regardless of his feelings, he did what was right and set an amazing example for us today.

Peter - yep, he did get out of the boat, but remember that minutes later he was sinking and calling out to Jesus to save him.  When Jesus was on trial, Peter followed, but then denied even knowing Him.  Not once, not twice, but three times!  And then, after Jesus died, Peter went back to fishing - until Jesus showed up and reminded him to "feed His sheep."  Peter was quick to speak, but his fear got the best of him at times.  Still, God usesd him to start a movement that would alter the course of history.  Peter was not the most educated, yet he spoke to huge crowds in a way that moved their hearts and  resulted in thouands accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

JESUS - He sweat blood in the Garden that night.  He was greatly distressed. He knew His time had come.  Yet, He prayed, "not My will but YOUR will be done."  He surrendered Himself to the Father and carried out the plan that had been set in motion before time even began.  He willingly subjected Himself to phsyical torture.  He didn't defend Himself when mocked or scorned.  He didn't save Himself on the cross, when He so easily could have come down in the blink of an eye.  He stayed.  For me.  For YOU.

Once more, we can all agree these men and women displayed courage.
But let's not forget: they acted - not without fear, but inspite of it.
Their FAITH was bigger than their fear.
They believed their God - our God - was bigger, more powerful than their situation/circumstances.
They trusted Him.
And did as He asked.

Trembling.
Shaking.
Questioning.
Wondering.
Hesitating.
And a whole host of other emotions we might not know about - at least not from the written story.
Yet, we KNOW because we feel the same way.
We face the same fears.
Even if we aren't in the exact same situations as these heros of the faith, we can relate.

And we have the same choice each one of them did.
We can cower, flee, hide, doubt, say no.
OR we can stand, step out, trust God, believe He is going to come through for us, and say YES.

We can miss out.
If we turn down God's invitation to be part of His kingdom work, He won't go sulk or throw a pity party.  He won't get exasperated or put His hands up in the air, wondering what in the world He is going to do.  He will just find someone else who is willing.

You see, God doesn't need us.
He can run the world perfectly fine without us
And probably a lot better without us, if truth be told.
YET, He is gracious and kind and DOES invite us to be part of the work He is doing.
We has different roles for each one of us.
These are the purposes for which we were created.
These are the very reasons we were placed on this earth.

Should we choose to say YES to God, we experience something amazing.
Divine.
Supernatural.
We live out the passions He puts in our hearts.
We live up to the potential He put inside of us - for He carefully and intricately designed us in specific ways for specific reasons.
We fulfill the dreams HE has for us.
We BECOME who we are meant to me.
Who HE created us to be.

We thrive.

What is YOUR choice?
Will you believe you are made for more?
Will you trust God to act on your behalf, to carry out the plans and purposes HE has for you?
Will you let your faith be bigger than your fear?
Will you be courageous?

Remember, it's okay to be scared.
I am.
Let's be scared together.

But let's also be COURAGEOUS together.
Together we can do this.
Together we can make a difference.
Together we can change the world.