Just Say No

It hit me about a mile and a half from home. The light turned green, I proceeded to drive cautiously but somewhat speedily as I'd had a long, long, long, long, long day at work. If I had received just one more request from a co-worker to deliver data that was already in their possession, I think I would have had a mild meltdown. The new organization structure (which I am not crazy about - at all), the lack of initiatives taken by those who should take it, and the what seems like never ending demands, were heavy on my mind as I rolled through the light.

Then - in a split second, it hit me in my chest extremely hard. WHAT are you doing complaining and murmuring about the lost? AAAAAHHHHH - such a jolting sensation. Conviction sat beside me and lowered the volume of the radio. OOOOOOHHHHHH NOOOOO. I heard it all. How? How? How? - could you talk about the work ethics of your coworkers to a nonbeliever? You've got a lot of cleanup to do, and do not bother taking lunch tomorrow because you will be having several dishes of humble pie. Where was God's glory in your behavior today? Instead of talking about how poorly someone works, why don't you help them improve? It might not be in your job description, but God will be glorified through your loving (uncomplaining) actions. If your boss never has team meetings and doesn't communicate with you in a manner in which you need him to, why not give him suggestions instead of looking and asking for ways to get from under his leadership? There was nothing I could say to conviction. I knew the truth when I heard it.

The scripture verse I memorized five weeks ago, is Luke 9:23 "If anyone wants to come with me, he must deny himself, pick up his cross daily and follow me." For weeks I've been praying to the Lord to reveal exactly what that meant for me. Today, my prayer was answered. If I am faced with circumstances which will feed my ego or flesh, just say no, for there is no glory to God in that. If, on the other hand, I have an opportunity to forgo the flesh (i.e., taking a stand to prove that I am right), I must choose to deny the fleshly cravings. Use the situation to teach, help or support another. With such behavior, God can be glorified.

This was a really hard lesson. I am humbled, heartbroken, but headed, now, on a different road. If there will be wars waged at work, they will be me against my flesh. Trust me, I know I will be engaging in the fights of my life. But in the past few weeks and months, I've been losing, and getting beat up really badly. It's time for me to fight back. I am going in armed with the Word of God, but I also need your prayers. For any of you that may be engaged in similar battles, I will pray for you too. Father I live to show You how grateful I am for giving me a new life. Forgive me when I fail to live worthy. May You be glorified in the lives of us who are hopeless to glorify You, without You.

A Laugh A Day Keeps...

Here's my joke of the day (one I read and liked)....

A little boy asked his grandmother how old she was. "39 and holding," she replied. "Well, then, how old would you be if you let go?"

Leave a comment with your joke of the day...

Giggles In a Boardroom

One of the best sounds I have ever heard and continue to hear, is the laugh of a child.

About a month ago, I was in an executive meeting. Before I left my office to attend the conference, I put my cell phone in my pocket so that in case my daughter called, I would feel the vibration, politely excuse myself from the room and answer my daughter's call. While in the meeting, the phone became uncomfortable so I placed it on the conference room table. As the (very, very, high level) officer was conducting his meeting, the sound of a laughing baby filled the room. All other talking ceased. I looked at my phone in disbelief and absolute horror. I forgot to put the phone on vibrate and so my laughing baby ringtone usurped control of the meeting. As I stood up, to leave the room, I heard "That is the cutest cell phone ring." It was the (very, very, high level) officer. I looked at him as I scooped the phone off the table, and there he sat smiling at me and the sound of the laughing baby. Giggles in the boardroom took center stage that day.

I love to laugh. I hope you do too. So, do you have a good (of course clean), joke to share? Well don't keep it to yourself, let us hear it.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Proverbs 17:22

Yet Another Blog?

Since August 20th, the day I wrote the first post, I have been pondering the reason why I created this site and what , after sharing my testimony, would I write about? What would be the point of yet another blog? After contemplating, praying and staying in The Word, I believe that this tiny space in the universe is to be one where through honest conversation, the healing power, love, grace and mercy of Jesus can be shared in such a way as to, as Paul puts it in Philipians 3:14, "... press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

If you, like me, sometimes feel as though this walk is uphill, against hurricane like winds, that takes every ounce of blood, sweat and tears to keep pressing forward, here you will find encouragment to keep on pushing. Or, perhaps you are walking on dark roads, unable to rid yourself of destructive habits or life patterns, and wonder if love and light are ever to be found. Many of us have been where you are and here you will discover some amazing ways by which our lives were changed, and hopefully, yours can change too.

I pray that through laughter, tears, screams and shouts, we can all find the love and life that our Maker wants us to have. One wherein we: (1) discover and use gifts we never knew we had, (2)are unafraid and unashamed to let others know the source of our joy and (3) become the men and women we were created to be. This journey will not always be easy. Some of us may have to revisit places in our memories to which we never wanted to return. Others of us will have to get honest, real honest, perhaps for the first time in a long while, or ever. But without facing the giants in our lives, we cannot obtain the victory waiting right behind it. God told the leader Joshua, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." No matter the giant, no matter how long it's hovered over you, no matter the lies it whispers, know that with God, it can be defeated!

Find someone to encourage today.