The 3 R’s

Reflect, Repent, Refresh: the 3 Rs keep flowing through my mind. There is always a work to be done daily. We are works in progress. The Refiner of our lives is burning off the dross.

When I was in high school, I was so glad to go to a technical trade school. Along with my core classes, I was required to take drafting, architectural drafting, electric, wood, machine shop and foundry. These classes shaped me in more ways than I realized.

Foundry was fascinating. We were able to design projects of the school mascot or logos. As we tapped away at the oiled sand to tighten the molds, we worked out more than the standard teen energy and hormones. We were creating something unique. Our teacher was an eccentric type, who occasionally wore roller skates in the school not the shop. It was a huge school the size of a city college. Crazy, huh?

One day, I was chosen to help stoke the fires to melt the silver colored metal. The heat was intense, the flames danced as we added more metal. The next step was to help pour the now, molten metal into the students molds. The kiln was super heavy giving off intense heat.

As the melted metal poured, the steam rose, the room became heated, and all students were quiet. The silver metal glistened and floating along the surface was a darkened substance, this is the dross.

Life is like the process of melting metal. We are tapped into a mold of some sort, our genetics and environment play key roles. The daily walk can bring up the heat, as if a stoked fire. The elements can be dynamics of our family of origin, our life experience, our joys and our trials, things in our control and not. A challenge causes some days to be superheated.

We can let the steam of anger and disappointment flow off our minds as we mediate on the knowledge that God is with us and seek His wisdom moment to moment. Or we can let the steam build to a volcano of impulsive fury and damage relationships.

When we learn to use our voice to express needs, find healthy relationships, believe we are deserving of a blessed life and look to the future with purpose not dread, we are allowing the best in our lives to be used in the mold. We dump the dross of hurts, trust God and seek like minded people, so we can grow into a glistening Light for the world. A reflection of Jesus is in each of us!!

When we don’t learn the healthier coping techniques, we feel stuck and immovable like a chunk of dross blocking the metals flow. Some people become codependent, concern for others opinion over the Lord. Yes, I have chosen poorly at times!!

Sometimes the trials can refine our lives. It allows us to reflect on choices; good and poor, and turn back to allow God, the Refiner to remove our imperfections.

According to Merrimam Webster’s Dictionary, repent means to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to amend one’s life, to regret, change one’s mind.

Romans 12: 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

We can reflect, ask the Lord to help us reframe, repent and renew our mind. When we align with His wisdom, we are allowing His renewal of our mind. It takes work, but remember we are works in progress.

Ephesians 2 :10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Reflect on this: He wants to guide, bless your life. We must drop the wheel as Carrie Underwood sang about in her song, “Jesus, take the wheel”. We have to stop pride, and wanting control and let Him guide. Will you?

What does it mean to refresh? The Merrimam Webster dictionary defines refresh as to restore strength, to revive, to repair. It’s okay to bend our knee to the Savior.

Matthew 11 :28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Are you ready for refreshment? Are you open to repair? It’s a scary proposition. But do you want to see a different future? Then take a risk. The Savior, Jesus extends His hand. Choose to have a life of righteousness.

Matthew 7 :7 - 8   Jesus said, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

May you glisten in the Light of the Savior, repent, reflect, refreshed and made new.

I just had to add this awesome song by Crowder, “In the House”, get up and praise or keep the beat. Amen!!!

Salmon Endurance

Do you ever feel like a salmon swimming against the river current? You are in the living water, it provides a vehicle to allow your movement to a different place. Yet the boulders and tree branches that are scattered in the river provide the potential for detours, fits and stops.

You are using all your energy to stay in motion. Your body burns the calories, especially if your favorite stress reliever chocolate. Yum!! Yet the sugar in chocolate is still not enough to keep you moving.

If you remember your Biology class, once your simple sugars ( carbohydrates) are drained, your blood sugar drops and your body seeks another source of energy, such as fats and proteins. If you are endowed with an extra muffin top in your midsection, it may be a good thing to feel that fat waste away. If you are not endowed with extra insulating fat, your muscles can loose the protein energy and as a result, you tire and muscle can waste away. No Bueno!!!

Its the building blocks of proteins such as meats, nuts and such that provide the best energy source. You see, those food products can be used and last longer than carbs.

We need energy to endure in life. We must seek approval of God over man to endure. We must swim with endurance the river journey of faith.

Galatians 1:10 NLT
Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.
❤️

The time we spend getting to know Jesus and filling up on His Word is like the protein stores. There are more energy bursts to grab from as you work through your day.

If you add additional stress, trials, illness, or trauma, you are drained like a salmon swimming upstream. One obstacle after another works against you.

You must dig deep into the words from scripture that can pop into your mind. This will only happen if you have been mediating on God’s wisdom. It can come to the surface of your mind energizing you and providing a place to turn to God over the river currents.

Philippians 1:6 NLT. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Rest in Him

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Whatever you may be going through, do not loose hope. Rest in Him. We don’t know the future, but if we are willing we can get to know the Creator God who knows the plans He has.

Fear comes from the enemy, Satan, He wants to keep us trembling, anxious, fearful, and hopeless. But God calls us to Trust in Him. It’s called faith over fear!

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Read in your Bible, Matthew chapter 6, it is full of instructions for life. If you don’t have a Bible go online to biblegateway.com. Just place the name Matthew 6 in the keyword search and open your mind to God’s wisdom.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Having faith in hard, challenging times is not easy? But it is necessary. Where do you put your faith? Is it in another person, another circumstance, an idol such as materialism, your bank account, from the words of others, alcohol or drugs, or any other distraction?

The world is full of distractions that can not bring peace but more stress and fears. Reaching for more of Jesus can really change your life. He knows all about you. He waits.

Only Jesus can fill the empty spaces of our heart, mind, and soul. He is the filler of unconditional love. He can be trusted.

Take a deep breath slow and easy. Do you feel it? He is breathing life in you as He did Adam and Eve. I have shared this promise from scripture before, it is a great reminder daily for me and maybe for you.

God is for us. I will say it again,He breathes His breath of life into us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qryRCbNYro

Enjoy this praise moment from an awesome song, Rest in Us, by Maverick City Music x Upperroom. I hope it flows over you like only the Holy Spirit ( God) can. Feel a moment of His Presence.

Take a step of faith. There is nothing to loose and much to gain. Even If you fail, God will pick you up. We have to reach out our heart, mind, soul and reach for His. He will direct you.

We have to take steps of faith. Be willing to be works in progress. Let Him lift up your chin. He loves you. Rest in Him.

Thank you Lord

Thank you Lord for your gifts, for Your provision, Hebrew name : Jehovah Jireh ( God as Provider).

Thank you for your love, Jehovah Nissi ( Hebrew words mean His Banner over You is Love).

Thank you Lord Jehovah Shalom ( Hebrew name: God of Peace)!!!

Praise the Lord’s Name. What a great song from Chris Tomlin, Thomas Rhett and Florida Georgia Line!!!!

I would be surprised if you didn’t feel led to tap to the beat, or even get up and dance. We must Find Joy. Praise helps us take our eyes off challenges in life. Thank you Lord!

Sun and Shield

Psalm 84:11 NLT
For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.

Are you feeling unsettled? Are you wondering if there is a God? Are you wondering if He hears your prayers, moments of despair, or your requests? We all have days, maybe weeks or years of questioning? Does He see me?

Sometimes our requests are answered quickly, sometimes it feels like silence and no answers and sometimes it’s “my child, I love you and wait”!

I am learning God can be working behind the scenes and in my hurry to a conclusion I am sooooo impatient. Isn’t self control a fruit of the Spirit? Galatians 5 is a gold mine of instruction.

Galatians 5:22-26 NLT
[22] But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. [25] Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. [26] Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

If you aren’t feeling God answering your prayers, maybe what you think is for you is not a good thing.

He would never withold His best from you. Maybe His timing is not now or ever. He can be trusted. Remember He knows the number of your days and holds you in the palm of His hand.

Psalm 139:16-18 NLT
[16] You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. [17] How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! [18] I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

Isaiah 49:15-16 NLT
[15] “Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! [16] See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.

I have been feeling the need for the Word of God intensify. His words are nuggets of gold. They are not just words on a page but wisdom from above. It doesn’t matter if you were born in times past or present.

I used to think the Bible was filled with stories unrelateable but the more I read and meditate on His Word, the more I see our human nature doesn’t change very much over generations. Sadly, we are a mess without our Savior.

The human race tends toward its own sin nature: selfishness, wanting our own way, pride, jealousy, survival of the fittest, and me me me. I see these traits in myself and I cringe.

This mindset causes conflict leading to unrest, leading to fear, anxiety, depression and maybe war.

Look at the state of our world, our state, our community, maybe even our homes at times. We can be the bearer of unrest and conflict or choose,instead, to be a person who speaks life, pauses to bring words of affirmation, sprinkled with discipline in love, forgiveness and prayer over destructive communication.

It always boils down to choice. I choose peace not victimhood. Love in truth over fear and avoidance.

When I have spoken in fear or anger, I am learning to repent and turn back to Gods ways. It isn’t easy to break habits but it must be done. I must cast aside sins to break generational cycles.

Cast all cares upon Him for He cares for you. 1 Peter 4

What about you? Be the voice in the wilderness filtering your speech after mediating on the word of God. His love is unfailing, He is our strength.

Psalm 117: 1 – 2 1 Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. 2 For his unfailing love for us is powerful; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the Lord!

You are a Warrior!!!

We are living in times that require us to rise up in praise. We may be short, tall, slender, athletic, a little meaty ( that’s me) or any other shape. But we are called to stand side by side and be a Warrior. When we fall down, we are called to get stronger. The only way to get stronger is to hold onto our Creator God.

We are called to use our voice to speak truth, to pray for wisdom from God and to move into action by encouraging others and to lift up our voice in song..

I have loved the music artist, Hannah Kerr, since I saw her at Red Rocks; a beautiful outside red rock staired and seated venue outside of Denver. As the moon shone down upon the red rocks, I saw Hannah take the stage. This was her song, ” Warrior” is so powerful. It is an anthem. Its message reminds us we have the ability to stand even if we feel weak because we are strengthened by God.

If you are feeling tired, overwhelmed, and worn out. Hold onto your faith. Praise is a way to actively speak truth. Even if you don’t feel strong initially, keep raising your voice. Even if you feel you cant sing well, lift up a joyful noise. In time, you will feel empowered to be Him-powered. Sing for Him!!

Enjoy this song, ” Warrior”, by Hannah Kerr. Thank you Hannah for singing out truth.

Road less traveled

Psalm 25: 4 - 10   

4 Show me the right path, 
O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.  

5 Lead me by your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God who saves me.
    All day long I put my hope in you.
6 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love,
    which you have shown from long ages past.
7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.
    Remember me in the light of your unfailing love,
    for you are merciful, O Lord.

8 The Lord is good and does what is right;
    he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
9 He leads the humble in doing right,
    teaching them his way.
10 The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness
    all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.

Occasionally, our family travels into the mountains on 4 x 4 Jeep trails. This time in nature reminds me to consider the road less travelled. My husband drives as I navigate with suggestions over the huge boulders, rolling rocks, and tree stumps. Water passages can be tricky especially when you never know how deep they may be. Our youngest hangs on for dear life as the jeep lurches, slides, and is temporarily at an odd angle to the mountain. Our brains are scrambled somewhat by the bumps on the trails yet our brain clears with joy when we reach our destination.

Traveling on Jeep 4 x4 trails takes trust, wisdom and a drive for adventure, much like life’s journey. Trust in the driver and the jeeps solid maintenance is necessity. On jeep trails and in life, there can be opportunities to avoid obstacles.

I can be an avoider, how about you? Yet the more time spent in the Bible teaches me to believe the obstacles may be used by God to deepen my faith.

The Lord is good. He does want to show us the path to follow. We have to let Him provide us with wisdom, which means we must drop our need to control and our pride.

We must be open to redirection, like navigating boulders. We have to take time to read His Word, it is an action step for our benefit.

We must discern who our tribe will be. Who is the leader? Who is the follower? We have to seek accountability from the right people who want us to be examples of integrity and character. There will always be people bent on our destruction. We must choose wisely who we believe.

The Lord is faithful and He is love. He is the Ultimate Best Friend and Wisdom Giver. Let Him be your navigator. He is the Compass directing you to the best things.

Thirsty

Let the Living water of God fill the empty places and bring refreshment. Are you parched in the weary state of the world or in your private life?

Let the Lord quench your thirst. I love this song by Shane and Shane. Living Water flow through Jesus and fill your life.

https://youtu.be/DlnAREAjTfU

Psalm 107:9 NLT
[9] For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

God bless you today.

Speak

Our Sisters and Brothers in Christ across the world need our prayer, whether Afghanistan, Nigeria, any where there is persecution for being a follower of Christ. I feel called to speak this truth as we are seeing the turmoil continue to grow. We can lift up our voice on behalf of those who are in trouble it could be in our own family or across the world.

Scripture tells us we belong to each other, in Romans 12, God’s word is clear:

Romans 12: 1 - 4    And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

3 Because of the privilege and authority[c] God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.[d] 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

It is time to move in prayer and praise, our God is bigger, better, stronger. Lift up the Name of Jesus right now on behalf of the persecuted in the world. This song by Chris McClarney, spoke the words I was feeling as I continue to pray for those in the family of Jesus.

Thank you Chris McClarney for poignant lyrics.

Relate

I can relate to this new song from For King and Country, so relevant, enjoy!!

You are not alone, you are a treasure.

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 NLT
[6] For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. [7] We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.