Category: Devotions

I Lied Once.

.Reading time 3 minutes.

I lied once.

I didn’t really kill a bear.  But, that doesn’t matter.  No one listens to me anyway.  I wonder what life would be like if I wasn’t the youngest.  The youngest of eight brothers. The one everyone feels the need to protect.  To tease.  To reprimand.

It’s not that my older brothers are so bad, it’s just that I have so much more to offer – and no one ever gives me a chance. No one really sees me.  The true me is invisible.  The visible me, is untrue.  I am a man trapped in the body of a boy.

Father sends me in to the fields with the sheep.  I wish I could go into battle with my brothers.  To battle the Philistines.  I know I could do it.  I did fight off a wolf once, with my bare hands.  He lunged at the sheep and I grabbed him around the neck.  We wrestled to the ground and I choked him, until his body went limp.  I don’t know why I told my bothers it was a bear.  They all laughed – with their long beards moving up and down, heads back, mouths open.  No one cares what really happened.  No one would be impressed with a lie or the truth. I’m in the middle of an endless, unsuccessful cycle of trying to prove myself.

Until today.

Today, everything changed.

A prophet came. He came to our house, and anointed ME with oil.  Anointed me to be the future King of Israel.  I will never forget the look on my brother’s faces, especially Eliab. He’s the oldest.  The toughest.  The one it should have been.  He stood there with his mouth gaping open.  Long enough for me to fish a grape out of my knapsack and toss it in.  He wasn’t pleased.  Neither was father.  And, I’m not sure Samuel the prophet was either.

But, I will never forget what Samuel said before he left.  He said, “A man looks at outward appearance, but the the Lord looks at the heart.”

His words seemed to linger in the air, and then rush into my soul.  Like a river bringing life to a dry and weary land. Today the invisible became visible.  God was the first to ever really see me.  And, today my heart became his.  Because, that’s all I’ve ever really longed for – to be truly known.

“Search me God and know my heart.  Test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Hotline Bling

.Reading time 4 minutes.

Dear Jesus,

I am sure Hotline Bling is not being played over the speakers in heaven, but I’m also sure that since you know everything, you know the song.  Or maybe you don’t?  But, you probably do.  And, I’m certain you dance better than Drake.  I mean, I might even dance better than Drake, so there is always that.

This song came on while I was in car line today, and weirdly it made me think of prayer.  I know it’s a far reach.  FAR reach.  But, every single day in the car line I have to pray.  Hit up my hotline to you.

For me, it’s more like “Carline Bling.”  Every day I have to pray and pray as I sit there about to pick up a precious 2nd grader and Pre-Ker (that has been at school for a grand 2 1/2 hours).  Praying “I’m so tired, and I have to be on my A game now.  Right now.  I have to listen to each story.  Help heal each wound.  Laugh at each joke.  Love deeply.  Be patient.  Help with homework.  Get to practice.  Make dinner.  Do bedtime.  Love.  Listen.  Laugh.  And all of this when I feel like I have nothing.”

Why does the car line make me feel this way?  It’s like “Game On.” Like the starting block before a sprint….right after you’ve finished a marathon.  (It’s also like Mario Kart 8, but that’s a whole different story.)

Jesus, you know motherhood isn’t for the faint of heart.  Or the proud.  You made motherhood the way it is to make us better.  To make us more like you.  I see what you did there.  It was a great idea.  To make it wonderful and SO hard.  So rewarding and depleting at the same time.  So full of heaven and yet so overwhelming.  In motherhood we desperately need you.  Every second.

But, you know what.  Are there any prayers that zing faster to heaven than desperate ones?   I would imagine those are the ones that get to you fastest.  You invented the hotline bling. But to you, it’s all about helping your desperate daughter.  Giving grace to me.  Loving me through my failures as a mother, wife, daughter, friend.

I don’t know how you do it.  How you send peace and wisdom.  How you send love.  How you give grace.  I don’t know how you answer and listen to each and every desperate prayer.  All I know is that your line is never busy.  And, I know that my minimal problems are not minimal to you.  And, that my giant problems are not too big, or too dark for you.  Nothing is too much for you.  Nothing is too small for you.  You are the Alpha.  You are the Omega.  You are the beginning and end.  You are the same yesterday, today, and forever.

And you care for me.  Little old top 40 pumping me.   If I let that totally sink in, my mind is blown.   Humbled.   Thankful.  Blessed.

You are more than enough.

Game on.

Catching the wind

.Reading time 5 minutes.

 

King Solomon was one of the wisest men to ever live (and one of the only men to be able to spell Ecclesiastes without looking it up every time.  It’s too hard.  Come on.).  He spoke on  three important things in Ecclesiastes.

  1. Vanity.
  2. Toiling.
  3. Striving after wind (Catching the wind).

1. Vanity.  What is it?  Vanity is defined as the quality of being worthless, futile.  Yikes.  Some people would say this reminds them of the Kardashians.  Now, I will go on record to say I think the Kardashians definitely have some redeeming qualities in real life…but their show is yes, futile.  And popular. And, somehow I may or may not have gotten sucked into watching some episodes while I’m stuck on the recliner recovering from my surgery.

Ecc. 4:6 says, “Better is one handful of quietness than two handfuls of toil and striving after wind.”

So, the wisest man on earth says that quietness is better than watching two episodes of Keeping Up With the Kardashians.  Um.  Yes.

 

2. We talked about “Toiling” last week…so you can read back a blog post if you are interested.

3. Lastly, King Soloman talks about catching the wind?   We all know about this, and understand the word picture.  Striving after something that in not obtainable.

We know you can’t catch wind in a jar or a net.  Or bottle it up.

On the other hand…

You can fly a kite and wind surf.

The wind can catch you.  But, you can’t catch it.  Hmmm…

This speaks to me.  I know I can’t obtain perfection.  I know I can’t have the perfect kids in the perfect house with the perfect marriage and the perfect remodeled kitchen. But, somehow these thoughts catch me up.  They fill up my mind and take me where I’m not wanting to go.  I’m not catching the wind….It’s catching me.

I had a new friend drop by dinner this week.  She had never been to my house before, and it was not in the kind of condition that I’d prefer for 1st time company.  As in syrup on the counter and hamster bedding in a trail down the hall.  I started to say, “I’m sorry.  My house doesn’t always look like this.”  I started to say that because I was letting the wind catch me.  I wanted to look put together.  When in actual reality…MY HOUSE ALWAYS LOOKS LIKE THIS!  WHO AM I KIDDING?  SURGERY OR NOT…THIS IS REAL LIFE.

So friends, this week….I don’t want to be fooled.  I don’t want to be fooled into thinking that I’m not striving, when I actually am.  I tend to think I’m not striving because I’m not outside with a jar trying to catch the wind.  I think that I’m not striving because I’m not trying to “one up” my neighbors.  BUT…That is not the whole package. Striving is two part.  It’s external, and internal.  Am I letting the wind catch me?  Am I letting my thoughts and expectations transform me into a striver.  A striver that apologizes for a “kind of” clean house?  A striver that lets the success of others make me feel envious.  A striver that wishes my kids did things one way, when God made them another?  Am I wind surfing through my life?

I’d rather be like an Oak Tree.  It’s not catching the wind, and the wind is not catching it.  Isaiah 61:3 “They will be called Oaks Of Righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”

God has PLANTED you in your life.  Planted you in a place.  Planted you in a family.  Planted you in friendships.  Planted you in your perfect gifts….gifts to grow and flourish.  If we are “rooted and established in love” (eph 3:17), no wind can move us.

Psalm 16: 8 “I will keep my eyes always on the Lord.  With him at my right hand, I will NOT BE MOVED.”

And, I will forgive King Solomon for the spelling of Ecclesiastes. But, only with the Lord.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoying the Toiling

.Reading time 5 minutes.

I have a thing with words.  Some sound so pretty to my ears, and some make me get the shivers.  I’ve always been this way.  It’s not normal….I know. And most of my friends love to frequently use words on my “most hated” list, just to watch me squirm.

In the beautiful genre are words like “chandelier” and “orchid”…or even “genre”.  Aren’t they pretty sounding?  They just roll off your tongue nicely.  Then, there is the Most Hated Words list…newly added is “shiplap”  (thank you Chip and Joanna Gaines for breaking my ears).  Or my all time worst word….it starts with an M and ends with an Oist….  I can’t even put it together.  You can figure it out.

This morning I was reading Ecclesiastes, and another word set off my radar.  TOIL.  Ewww.

I looked it up and toil is defined as working extremely hard or incessantly.  King Solomon speaks directly to this.  He says in Ecc. 2:24 “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil.” Then he goes on to say in chapter 3 that “taking pleasure in your toil is God’s gift to man.”

I could not agree more.  When I take pleasure in my work, it is so fulfilling.  Beautiful. Meaningful.  But, what about the mundane. The incessant work I don’t enjoy.  Where is God in that?  Where is GOd when I’m not enjoying the toiling?

Ecc. 3:11 says that “God has made everything beautiful in it’s time.”

That is a promise I can hold on to.  When I am not enjoying the mundane, the homework, wiping toothpaste out of the sink, stepping on sticky juice – When I wonder if my toil matters –  If folding the laundry is making a difference in the world, in the Kingdom of God.  God whispers, “In time.”

In time we will see what our hard work has produced.  In time.  “God has set eternity in our hearts (Ecc 3)” and we can be certain that we will see the beauty of our toil, some day, if our hearts are connected to His.

But, in the present we have two choices.  We can choose to enjoy….or we can choose to strive.  King Solomon says to FIND enjoyment in our toil.

These are some questions I need to ask myself daily….

Dear Me,

Do you pray for the world while you fold socks?

Do you pray for your kids when you drop them off at school?  Or drive past school?  Do you pray that the Kingdom of God is being made known already thought them to their buddies.

Do you find yourself becoming a servant when you wash dishes?  Is your attitude happy to serve? Or a martyr.

Do you have friends over, even when you house isn’t perfect, because relationships are more important than perfection?

Do you pray that God’s spirit is in your house before a dinner party. That your friends will feel comfortable, see Christ, and share their hearts?  Or do you strive to make it look like you have it “all together?”

Why do you even want to have it “all together”…wouldn’t you rather be happy?  Let me let you in on a little secret.  Yes, yes you would.

Love, Me.

Is all of life vanity, a vapor, meaningless?  It can be.  Or it can be fully enjoyed.  We have to FIND it.  Find ways to be enjoying the toiling.  Searching this out, may very well be God’s greatest gift to you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fritz

.Reading time 6 minutes.

I love Joanna and Chip Gaines from HGTV’s Fixer Upper.  I find myself thinking of them sometimes throughout the day.  How is it possible that they have this amazing house.  Beautiful garden.  Green house.  Chickens.  A whole farm.  4 kids.  A show.  The Silos.  Magnolia Market.  A book.  How is this possible?  How come I can’t get through my laundry pile?

Somedays I feel like the name of my show would be “The Fritz.”  This is a nice phrase I love to use regularly.  I say, “My phone is on the fritz.” (it really is today.)  “My car is on the fritz.”  (it actually is as well, because I was side-swiped last week). “My whole EVER-LOVING sanity is on the fritz (um…no comment)!!!!”

The actual meaning of “on the fritz”, in non-dramatic terms, is something that stops working, malfunctions, or acts in a way contrary to it’s usual manner.

I especially like this phrase, first off, because it’s fun to say, and secondly because it sounds like “The Ritz” but opposite…Like, “Oh man…we are staying at The Fritz.”  And, believe me, no one wants to stay at The Fritz.

Back to Jo Jo and Chip …do you know what they have that you and I don’t?  They have editing.  Yes, their 4 children are playing preciously at their beautiful farm table….but we didn’t see the huge pile of junk directly to the left of the camera.  OUT OF VIEW.  We didn’t see that workers planted the flowers in the garden that Joanna is watering.  They were OUT OF VIEW.  We didn’t see the stress and strain of a huge professional life on their family…we didn’t see it.  We don’t see it, and we won’t see it.  But, their friends will.  And, that’s as it should be.  I have to remind myself of this easy fact.  I am not friends with Joanna and Chip.  Maybe someday.  A girl can dream.

Can I let you in on a horrible secret?  Most of my friends seemed perfect at first.  And, then I got to know them.  Hehehe.  No offense to any of you.  I love you more because of it.  And,  I’m honestly so glad you are not perfect.  I’m glad you are a “fixer upper”.  I’m glad you are on “the fritz”.  Because I am too.

I’m so glad for authenticity.  I’m so glad I get to see what’s OUT OF VIEW.  Because when you see things “out of view” in your friends lives, you know you are doing life together.  When you see laundry on their dining room table.  When you see their kids have a huge fit.  When you see them using Velveeta, or admitting their kids had marshmallows for breakfast.  No edit.  Nothing out of view.  Friendship.

TV and social media sometimes work our brains over.

“Why is everyone having so much fun?”

“Why is everyone’s house pretty?’

“Why is everyone accomplishing so much?”

“Why?”

“Do I have value?”

“Do I have much to offer?”

Let me declare –  YES!!!  Yes, you do!!!

And you will see what you have to offer in real life relationships.  You will see what you are good at.  You will laugh at what you are bad at.  You will feel unedited.  You will feel seen.

No matter how busy we are.  How stressed.  We need people in our lives.  We need community.  We need friendships in every form.  And, it’s hard.  I wish churches offered classes on friendship.  How to divide up your time.  How to keep your family first  and STILL have friends.  How to work and have friends.  How to be exhausted and have friends.  I don’t know the answers or the secrets…but I do know that we have to make an effort.  And, in all honesty, I get introverted at times, and am not great at this. But, God reminds me that I need people.  We were not made to live in isolation.  To live life wishing we had it together like so-in-so.  Because, if you REALLY knew s0-in-so..you’d realize she doesn’t have it together either.

Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

Friendships challenge.  Sharpen.  Move.  Push.  Direct.  Reveal.  Support.

And, they stay at “The Fritz” with you, laughing all the way.

(P.S – if you are looking for friends and support, and feel like this is something missing in your life, try a community group at your church.  For real.  Do it.)

 

 

 

 

Sleepin’ in my Bellybutton

.Reading time 5 minutes.

Parker, our 4 year old declared loudly last night….”Can I sleep in my bellybutton.?”

Let’s be honest.  Half the time, we have no idea what Parker is talking about. Vince and I just looked at each other, and said, “What?”

Parker: “You know.  Like Bubba does.  Sleep in my bellybutton.”

“Oh….I get it!” I said, cracking up.  “You mean sleep without a shirt on?  Like instead of sleeping IN your PJs, you want to sleep IN your bellybutton.”

Parker: “Yes, dat’s right Mama.  Well, can I?”

After we finally stopped laughing, I said, “Well, Bud, it’s REALLY cold out tonight.  Are you gonna get cold with no shirt on?”

Parker:  “No way Mama.  I’m a big boy.  I can do it just like Bubba.”

After all, we all know that big kids sleep in their bellybuttons, and by golly, Parker was going to do it too.  PJ tops are for amateurs. Babies.  He was not going to be moved.

I have been reading the book of James this week, and James loves to talk about being “steadfast”.  I feel like that word is one that I’ve always heard in church.  Be steadfast.  But, I really had no idea what it meant until this morning.  Thank you google.  It literally means, FIXED IN PLACE.  Similar to Parker sleeping’ in his bellybutton – he was steadfast.  Fixed in place.  He was not wavering.  Not moving.

Read James 1:2-4 with me:

Consider it all joy my brothers when you face trials of various kinds for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (steadiness, dependable-ness, reliable-ness, solid-ness, loyalty, faithfulness).  And let steadfastness have it’s FULL effect, that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing. 

First, let’s take note that this verse says WHEN we face trials.  Not if.  We are promised trials.  And, let’s be honest…that is not awesome. But, with God there is always a kick back. A resolution.  A hope.  He says these trials produce things in our heart that we desperately need to become complete people.

What trail are you facing?

One of my trials this year has been health related.  It’s actually been awful if I’m honest.  I’m having surgery next week to hopefully fix the issue.  And, this is a TRIAL for me.  It’s really hard to consider it joy.  This surgery will make me unable to have any more kids. And, if you guys know my heart, that’s hard to grasp for me.  But, you know what God is producing in me through this?  He is producing steadfastness.

Psalms 16:8 “I will keep my eyes always on the Lord.  With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  (I will not be moved, I will not be upended, I will stand firm).

When my eyes are on him.  Looking at his face.  His love for me.  His father’s heart for my family.  His protection.  His plan.  I will not be moved .  Let me repeat.  I WILL NOT BE MOVED.  He has a plan for my family.  He loves me.  He loves you.  He has a plan for your trial.  He has a plan greater than mine and yours.  His dreams for my family are greater than mine. His dreams for your family are greater than yours.

I am growing in that trust.  The trust that “He is with me always, even to the end of the age.”

I am growing in the fact that “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.”

I am growing in the fact that “He never leaves or forsakes us.”

I am growing in steadfastness.

I will not be moved.

And, I will not sleep in my bellybutton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am Harry Potter

.Reading time 3 minutes.

So we just finished watching the last Harry Potter movie in our Christmas marathon with our oldest.  And, let me say, IT WAS AWESOME!!!! What an incredible story!

Now, I know we all have our different convictions about things as Christians. I’d like to put a little disclaimer out there, that if you don’t like Harry Potter and don’t want this story to be a part of your family, you are SO entitled to that. We have to choose what works for each of our families. And, I respect your opinion. 

But, my opinion is ……HARRY POTTER IS SUCH A CATALYST FOR THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST!

For example: Reese and my conversation on the couch in between scenes.
Reese: “Mom, is Satan worser than Voldemort.”
Me: “It’s hard to believe, but yes.”
Reese: “wow. that’s really bad.”
Me: “I know. But you don’t have to be scared of him. You know the scene at the end where Voldemort is like a withered little tiny person under the bench at the train station. That’s how Satan is when we have Christ in our hearts. The power of Jesus makes him powerless. And, you have that power in you Reese.”
Reese: Smiles.

Friends, I am so tired of showing my older kid cartoons with no bad guys. Or stupid bad guys. Or even pretending evil does not exist. What a shock this world will be!!! There is horrible darkness. AND, there is good, and it’s so wonderful. It’s what life is made of.

Take Harry Potter for instance. Just a regular guy. Like you and me, and Reese. We resemble Voldemort some. Yes, we do. We have a sin nature. A dark side. That we wish didn’t exist, but it’s there. We were marked by this sin, this lightening bolt, since we were born.

But, tell you what friends, we were also CHOSEN. Special. We carry in us the ability to have grit. To be tough. To fight for good. To love others. To sacrifice. To join the light.

Harry joined the light. He fought the darkness. He sacrificed for his friends. And, had to die to defeat Voldemort. Just like we have to die to ourselves, to defeat sin and darkness in our lives. We have the true “resurrection stone” in Christ. We defeat darkness with his power, not our own strength, but the power of the stone, the TRUE CORNERSTONE – CHRIST JESUS!

Just about wanted to raise my hands in praise to the Lord as the movie ended. I am Harry Potter. And so are you.

The Tree of Life

.Reading time 5 minutes.

Our pastor today spoke about two of my VERY favorite chapters in the Bible. Revelation 21 and 22. (The new heaven and new earth.) Basically a description of eternity. What it will look like. It’s a painting with words. Beautiful. Hopeful. Certain.

I am always amazed that one day I will see this place. And, I’m more certain of that than anything in my life. I will be standing there. Not painting with words. Not painting with watercolor. But, letting my eyes take in the majesty of this place, that I get to enjoy forevermore.

FOREVER-STINKING-MORE. Can you dig it?

So, while we were reading these glorious chapters today, my mind started to imagine. I like to hear things and not just think about them, but imagine myself there, completely. And, I get sort of lost in my brain. I know that’s strange. You might try to be kind and say that is creative, but let’s be honest…it’s strange.

Let me tell you what the Bible tells us we will see. Let yourself be strange and really get this in your mind’s eye.

The kind yet powerful voice of Jesus says, “Behold. I am making all things new.”

And, then you see it. You see and and FEEL it all at the same time. There are no tears, death is no more, there is no mourning or crying or pain, the former things have passed away. New. All things.

This new city is shining. There is no sun or moon. The glory of God blasts through the precious Gems that form a wall. A rainbow wall. The wall is made of precious stones, rubies, jasper, on and on. Each row of the wall is a color. There are rows and rows of colors, stacked one upon another. Stacks of gems. Jewels. And, the glory of God is shining through the gems. Like a rainbow blast.

You look at the gates. There are 12 gates. Giant pearls. With angels sitting on top of each. The gates will never be shut.

You see inside. The streets are made of gold. So pure, so smooth, it looks like glass.

Then, I see my favorite spot. The tree of life. From the tree of life, you can see the throne of God. The river, bright and clear as crystal flows, from the thrown of God and around this tree. This giant tree that’s leaves are “healing to the nations”. This tree bears fruit. Gives shade. Complete’s God’s full circle story from the fall of man, to the redemption, to the fulfillment.

I think about this tree a lot, and Vince has gotten his fair share of “Did I tell you about this tree??” It is one of the things I’m most excited about seeing. And, I hope you will be too.

I was thinking about all of this, AGAIN, today at church…imagining myself there…. in a canoe….with Jesus. I was sitting, and he was paddling under this giant tree. The glory of God was shining all around us. Jesus looked at me, smiling and said, “Is this what you wanted my daughter?”

I was so overcome. So overcome with joy. With peace. With what I had longed for, that I jumped up in the canoe and leapt forward to hug him, crying and saying “YES!”

Then the canoe tipped over, and we fell in the river.

We were soaked. And laughing….and so was everyone else on the bank.

Jesus tossed a fruit off the tree at me, smiling jokingly and said, “Thanks a lot Joanna!”

And, that was the beginning of eternity.

Laughter. Jokes. Jesus.

I. Can’t. Wait.

What Did You Said?

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Parker: ” I had a dweem (dream) about Jesus.”
Me: “Oh, really? What happened?”
P: “Well, he said somp-thing…and den I said, WHAT DID YOU SAID? And den he said somp-ting again…and den I said WHAT DID YOU SAID? And, den he said somp-ting again and den I said WHAT DID YOU SAID? And, den Jesus hit his hand on his head and said “Oh, Bummer!”

I can’t help but think that this TOTALLY cracked Jesus up. I’ve been giggling about this, and was suddenly hit over the head with it’s spiritual significance. 

How many times does God whisper something to my heart. And, I’m too busy to listen. He whispers, “call this friend.” And, I think…I have too much to do today. I need to ignore that. I go into a “what did you said?” mentality. Busy. Moving. Getting things done.

God whispers, “buy a cheeseburger for this homeless guy.” I’m too tired to deal with the world’s problems….I move on. Drive by. Ignore him. Ignore God. Moving back into my “What did you said?” mentality. I heard God. I heard the whisper. I just can’t. Not today. Can’t act like I heard him. Moving on.

I don’t listen. I ignore. I am too busy to hear. I am not making the effort to be still and really listen.

Hebrew 3:15 says, “Today if you hear my voice, do not harden your hearts.”

Let’s open our hearts. Listen. Be present with God today, even in the still small voice. How much change can happen in the world, if instead of “What did you said?” We just said, “ok.”

Moses Supposes

.Reading time 3 minutes.

Moses.

The story of his life is just incredible. He was supposed to be dead as a baby. There were too many Hebrews in Egypt, and Pharaoh didn’t want a revolution. Any baby born a boy had to be thrown into the Nile. Can you imagine? Horror and injustice at such a great height.

BUT.

But, Moses was found by Pharaoh’s daughter in a basket, floating in the Nile. She saved him. He grew up in the palace. In the lap of luxury.

BUT.

He did not grow up as a leader. He was meek. Slow of speech and tongue. I imagine that people in the palace spoke this into his life. “You are not a leader. You cannot rally people. You speak too slowly. You will never speak in front of a crowd. You need to sit back. Be humble. Be meek. This is not you. You are not a leader.”

BUT.

But God choose him as a leader. Moses says, “Who am I?” God says, “I will be with you. I AM.” Moses says, “What if they do not believe me. I have never been eloquent.” God says, “Don’t listen to what others have said about you. Listen to me! I made your mouth. I will help you speak and teach you what to say.”

As I think back to Biblical heroes, true leaders, Moses is at the front of my mind. He was a revolutionary. A true leader.

But was he?

Read Numbers 12:3 – and note that is is even AFTER he had parted the Red Sea…….(“Now Moses was a very meek man, more meek than anyone on the face of the earth.)

What I see here is that if God is going to use you to do something, you don’t have to be any “typical” way. God could have picked a natural leader. He didn’t. He picked Moses. He picked the meekest and most humble man on earth. Does not sound like the character qualities of a leader? NO! It sounds like someone I’d like, but not a revolutionary. And you know what? Moses did LEAD! And how? Through the power of God!!!

If God is impressing leadership on your heart, and you are not a natural leader…..do not listen to things spoken over you in your past. Listen to God. His power is made perfect in our weakness. If you don’t think you can come to church because you feel shame, don’t let shame make decisions for you. Let God! He is waiting for you. Not to scold, but to LOVE!

God chooses the meek to lead. The broken to restore. The weak to become strong.

He is writing a story in each of our lives to show his power. Let him take those places that we are ashamed of …..Take them, and make them new.