Fear Not....For God Is With You

“For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound mind (sound judgment).” ~ 2 Timothy 1:7 (HCSB)

Like many around the world, I have have a front row seat in Oprah’s Life Class for the past few weeks. Today’s lesson was on Fear or more specifically the importance of responding to the gut feeling we get when danger is imminent. Oprah and her guests shared some great safety tips on the show and the book titled, “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin De Becker was referenced throughout. I am a huge fan of Oprah’s and truly enjoy her teaching, but out of curiosity and a desire for further understanding on this topic I decided to explore what the Bible says about fear. Here are some of the scriptures I found:

“Don’t be afraid or terrified. The Lord God, my God will be with you.” ~ 1 Chronicles 28:20 (GW)

“….This is my command- be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1:9 (NLT)

“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT)

“Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will give you strength, and for sure I will help you.” ~ Isaiah 41:10 (NLV)

“…The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear.” ~ Hebrews 13:6 (NLT)

I believe that our innate abilities, our instinct or gut feeling are gifts from God. I do not believe that God has given us the spirit of fear. I also believe that the Holy Spirit is a gift from God. Some might refer to this gift as the sixth sense; an internal “feeling” that triggers us to make a choice or take action by exercising wisdom, discernment, and wise decision making.

Fear in and of itself has such a negative connotation that I would prefer not to give energy to the emotion. It can get complicated when we try to decipher good fear from bad fear. Fear can cause us to take action or it can paralyze us from doing something we need to do. Fear can become a way of life if we are not careful, not just something used when danger is imminent. So instead of trying to put fear in its proper place, I try to recognize when I am responding to something or someone in fear and replace that negative energy with faith.

Don't get me wrong, as an official Oprah-ite, I enjoyed the show and learned some great safety tips. I just believe that the notion that fear is a gift is counterintuitive to what the Word of God teaches about fear. The Bible teaches believers to overcome fear with faith. It is our faith in God that activates the Holy Spirit within us and gives us the wisdom, strength, and courage to respond during life’s most challenging moments. I believe that instinct or gut feeling described on the show is actually God speaking to us and providing us with instruction that is divinely designed to keep us safe or lead us to where He wants us to be.

Be confident, be courageous, be fearless and attack life's challenges (and dangers) with the powerful ammunition of faith.

Remember you are not alone.

Embrace and enjoy the journey...

God Bless!

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

“God controls the timing of every event.” ~ Ecclesiastes 9:11 (NIRV)

While I was out and about riding in my car, running my Saturday errands, I meditated on how thankful I am for all that God has done for me. I just got paid and all my income has gone out. But I know that I am truly blessed to be of sound mind, spirit, and physical well being. And all of our needs are met.

I stopped by Chic Fil A to pick up lunch for my two boys and my nephew, I wasn’t really hungry so I wasn’t planning to get anything for myself. When I pulled up to the order speaker, I was greeted by one of the friendliest voices that I had heard in a long time. She competently took my order and told me that I’d get my total at the window. As I arrived at the pick-up window I was pleasantly greeted by a friendly gentleman with a bright smile. So far it had been a great customer experience. Was I really surprised? After all, I was at Chic Fil A, the fast-food restaurant chain that closes all locations on Sunday (the Lord's Day) so their employees can rest, spend time with their families, or at their places of worship. But it gets even better.

The person at the pick-up window asked what condiments I needed. Rare these days, right? He began to hand me the food before I handed him the money. So I asked him, “What is my total?” He said, “Actually today is your lucky day! You are the 100th customer so your order is free!” He picked up a red bell and started clanging it. Then his co-workers started clapping. It was quite a celebratory event, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

If you know anything about Chic Fil A, it is really no surprise that I was blessed at a restaurant whose business is about blessing others. An excerpt of their Corporate Purpose reads:

To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us.
To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.

Though I did feel a little lucky at first….I really don’t believe in luck. I believe that ALL things happen for a reason, in God’s perfect time. Sure in the natural it was a simple $20.00 chicken dinner. But in the supernatural, I believe it was God’s way of telling me, “I see you. I got you. Just keep doing what you’re doing.” I can honestly say that Chic Fil A not only talks the talk, they also walk the walk!

EAT MOR CHIKIN!

Open Your Heart So God Can Fill It

“Open your hearts to them. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all of your work. He will bless you in everything you do.” ~ Deuteronomy 15:10 (NIRV)

This scripture is often used as a reference for “giving”. It helps to illustrate God’s desire for us to tithe and serve others. It is also a great reference for how we think about relationships, because relationships are fundamentally about giving; giving and receiving. But in order to receive God’s best for you where relationships are concerned, you have to be willing to give your best to God. I once read something very profound, "Rather than placing yourself at the center of your relationships, all your energies and assets should be tools for worshipping him".

So how do we give our best to God? We take ourselves out of it. As a believer, nothing that we do can be about us. Everything we do must be done to honor God and the Kingdom in which we serve. We must die to self and live for God.

“He must become more important. I must become less important.” ~ John 3:30 (NIRV)

Jesus said to his disciples, “Those who want to come with me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses and follow me.” ~ Matthew 16:24 (GW)

What about our preferences? You ask. When we choose who we will “give” our time and energy to, based on our preferences, we give advantages to some over others. Here is what the Word of God says about preferences:

“Playing favorites is always a bad thing; you can do great harm in seemingly harmless ways.” ~ Proverbs 28:21 (MSG)

"God is not one to show partiality." ~ Acts 10:34 - 35 (NASB)

"God plays no favorites!" ~ Acts 10:34 - 35 (MSG)

"Whatever you did for them, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for Me." ~ Matthew 25:40 (GW)

So if not based on preference, how then do we choose? We make wise decisions by applying what we know the Word of God says.

“With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment.” ~ Proverbs 3:5 (CEV)

Something supernatural happens when we trust and delight in (give satisfaction to) Him.

“Find your delight in the Lord. Then he will give you everything your heart really wants.” ~ Psalm 37:4 (NIRV)

There are two key words in the above scripture; “delight” and “really”. To delight in the Lord means to be obedient to the Word of God and the word really translates to, “authentic” or “genuine”. God will give us everything our heart authentically and genuinely wants deeply at its core, not our shallow superficial desires that merely rest on the surface of our hearts; without penetration, substance, or true significance.
As we go through the process of dying to self, and learn who we really are and what God intended for our lives we come to know what God desires for us and those desires becomes our own.

“Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17 (GW)
Simply stated, when you know better, you do better, and you choose better. Know God, love God, love yourself! Give of yourself with the heart of God and receive His very best as he fills your heart with REAL love. Get out of your own way. Stop blocking God's blessings for your life.

Remember you are not alone.

Embrace and enjoy the journey...

God Bless!

Forgiveness Takes Fortitude and Faithfulness

"Love….keeps no record of wrongs.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

“God doesn’t keep a record of our sins” ~ Psalm 130:3 (NIV)

Recently I had some dialogue with a good friend of mine about forgiveness. The commentary was interesting and made me take an introspective look at my own personal experience and challenges with forgiveness.

What I do know is forgiveness is not easy. It takes a great deal of fortitude and faithfulness, just like any other change for the better. If you are starting a new exercise regimen, it may be painful and will require daily effort. No pain, no gain. If you can endure the short term pain, you will benefit from the long term results that you gain as a result of your daily effort. I kind of view forgiveness in the same way, it isn’t easy and people usually don’t want to do it. But when you do forgive, really forgive, you experience an inexplicable peace and freedom because you have released yourself from the bondage of your feelings.

What I had to learn about forgiveness is that just because I have forgiven someone doesn’t mean that I have to continue to engage in the same type of relationship with them. There is an old saying, “first time shame on you, second time shame on me”, which means the same behavior has happened more than once. Perhaps I didn’t do a good job teaching them how to treat me the first time it happened, or they really don’t care how I feel about how they are treating me. Either way I need to forgive them for what happened and decide on what level I will continue to interact with them going forward, if I interact with them at all.

More importantly I had to learn that forgiveness was really for me and not the person that offended me.

“God forgives us if we forgive others.” ~ Mark 11:25 (NIV)

“Forgive others as Christ forgave you.” ~ Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

The circle of life is about more than life and death, it is also about mercy and compassion.

Before I really understood the concept of forgiveness, I would often avoid the person and remove them from my life. But I noticed the same hurts and feelings that I experienced with that person would just show up in other areas of my life and with other people. It wasn’t until I was able to release that person AND forgive them that I fully received a level of peace that surpasses all understanding.

If we are to love others the way that Christ commanded us to, we must live a life of constant forgiveness. Even when someone cuts you off on the road, it's ok to have words for them, but those words should be God Bless you, not screw you.

If we are honest with ourselves we all fall short in one area or another, and He forgives us over and over again, even though we are not worthy. Let's make an effort to love like Christ and make forgiveness a routine part of our day. I know we will be glad we did!

Remember you are not alone.

Embrace and enjoy the journey...

God Bless!

Thinking Beyond the Next Generation

“A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children.” ~ Proverbs 13:22 (NIV)

As a young mother, I never gave much thought to what my grandchildren’s life would be like. Now that I have a young adult child the reality of grandparenthood is no longer just a possibility, it is a probability. After all, my mother was 37 years old when she became a grandmother for the 1st time. Of course, I have communicated my desire for him to wait until he gets married; after he and his wife have lived a little, and have had an opportunity to establish themselves before even considering having children. My prayer is that he desires that for himself. But now that I am getting older I am beginning to think about the legacy that I will leave for the generation after next more than I ever have before.

I think it’s important to recognize that inheritance is not just about a trust account or life insurance beneficiaries. It is about more than leaving money or material things to someone. Inheritance and legacy have to do with attitudes, belief, conditions, and traits. As a parent, you can have a direct impact on the condition and quality of life for generations to come.

Around the time we were figuring out how we were going to pay for my son to attend college I came across the above scripture in Proverbs. When I read the verse I had a revelation. I realized that the sacrifices I make today can give my son an opportunity to get a college education which can ultimately impact his children, my grandchildren and their quality of life. This could potentially be more impactful than leaving money on the table for them to use as they see fit.

Money can be gone overnight, in a matter of minutes if you pay attention to the Stock Market lately. An education is something that can never be taken away. An education, if used to its full benefit, can give my son the knowledge and competitive edge that will enable him to provide a good life for his family. My support of his educational pursuits (financial and otherwise) also helps to set the standard for education in this family. It also sends the message to the next generation and beyond that a college education is more than important, it is paramount.

“Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation.” ~ Joel 1:3 (NIV)

This is just one example of how we can leave an inheritance to our children’s children. There are many ways we can impact future generations. Just keep in mind that the decisions we make today affect not only our tomorrow but also the tomorrows of generations to come. When we think about our legacy; the attitudes, ideas, beliefs, and conditions that we will leave behind, we should consider all the spaces on our family tree, especially the blank ones, our children’s children will occupy those spaces one day.

Remember you are not alone.

Embrace and enjoy the journey...

God Bless!

Rejection Is God's Protection

"Rejected by men, but chosen by God” ~ 1 Peter 2:4 (NIV)

At some point everyone that has lived has experienced some form of rejection, whether it was a relationship that didn’t work out as we hoped or a job that we really wanted but did not get. Rejection is inevitable, but it is how you interpret and understand the rejection that makes all the difference. Even more important, it’s about what you learn from the experience that has obviously run its course.

Many years ago, I was trying to make sense of my failed relationship with my kid’s father. I sought out the help of a Counselor, hoping that she could help me understand what went wrong. I don’t remember alot of detail from our meetings, but there was one comment that she made that has stayed with me since then, “He did not choose you.” She said that if he wanted to be with me, he would. How’s that for a dose of rejection?

Up until that point, I never felt that I had been rejected; I just thought he needed time to realize what he was missing. But as I played her words back over and over again, I realized he was never coming back, and he never did. Hindsight being 20/20, I now understand that particular "rejection" was really a blessing in disguise.

Some years later, I heard someone say, “Rejection is God’s Protection.” All of a sudden, rejection didn’t seem like such a bad thing after all. I looked back over all the roads I’d traveled that stopped at a dead end, only for me to make a u-turn and begin again. I realized that the roads I had been traveling were only temporary in the grand scheme of things. If I hadn’t been forced to stop and regroup, I would have missed out on so many opportunities that God had for me along the way and certainly wouldn’t have grown into the woman I am today.

I now understand that the people we encounter along this journey are simply our tour guides that help us to understand where we are and direct us to where we need to go. They come into our lives for a reason, and sometimes only for a season. We have to know that when something doesn’t work out as we hoped or planned, it doesn’t mean that something is wrong with us or that we are being punished for something we did wrong. It means that God has something greater in store. I really do believe that rejection is God’s way of getting our attention so we can lean on Him, trust Him, and be ready to receive and appreciate the blessings that he has in store for us.

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God—those whom he has called according to his plan.” ~ Romans 8:28 (GWT)

Remember you are not alone.

Embrace and enjoy the journey…

God Bless!

I Want To Know What Love Is

As I prepared to write this post for today, a tune from the popular 80’s band Foreigner played in my head. A verse from the chorus says, “I want to know what love is, I want you to show me.”

The Apostle Paul tells us what love is in 1 Corinthians 13 (4-7):

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, and endures through every circumstance.”

Love is action at its best. Love is something that you show, not simply something that you say. Love is the act of giving and receiving, contrary to the popular belief that love is a game of give and take. You might be wondering what is the difference between giving and taking versus giving and receiving. There is a big difference. I encourage you to browse the dictionary at: http://www.merriam-webster.com/ and explore the meanings.

The easiest way I can explain it is that when you receive something from someone it takes very little effort on your part. You open your hand and they place the object in your hand. It takes much more effort to take something from someone. Have you ever tried taking a piece of candy from a baby? Then you know exactly what I mean. The act of love should be effortless. Not without work, but certainly without force.

I am in the process of completing a year-long Bible Study on what it means to love. One of the exercises challenged me to read 1 Corinthians 13 (4-7) and replace the words “love” and “it” with my first name. The scripture took on a whole different meaning, much more personal. It was definitely a reality check of where I need to improve, learn more tolerance, and patience.

“Ricklyn is patient and kind. Ricklyn is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Ricklyn does not demand Ricklyn’s own way. Ricklyn is not irritable, and keeps no records of when Ricklyn has been wronged. Ricklyn is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Ricklyn never gives up, never loses faith, and endures through every circumstance.”

When my assignment here on earth as come to an end, I hope those that know me, those that I have said to have loved remembers me as described above. I know that I still have work to do. It is my goal to take every day as another opportunity to get better and exemplify the Apostle Paul’s description of love.

I encourage you to take the challenge. Read 1 Corinthians 13 (4-7) and replace the words “love” and “it” with your first name. See how loving you are and in what areas you can be more loving. Jesus said life’s greatest command is to love God with all you are and to love your neighbor as yourself. The question we must ask ourselves each day is: "Are we embracing a life of love?"

Remember you are not alone.

Embrace and enjoy the journey…

God Bless!