What Are Friends For?

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I turned in early last night looking for a good night’s sleep but sleep didn’t come at all, so my time with the Living God began in the middle of the night and I prayed for hours instead. My heart was heavy, but not for myself…it was heavy for someone else desperately in need of the Touch of the Master’s Hand and I can feel their pain as surely as if it’s my own. As I sat in the Presence of the Source of Hope, I appealed on their behalf AND I thanked God for what He’s already doing to mend. I Praised Him for Victory without even seeing it yet, I thanked Him for answering my Prayers and for all the God-size things on the horizon and to Eternity for a friend. Isn’t that the way you help a friend in need too?

God Refined me through fire a long time ago and He Tenderized my Heart…He’s given me the kind of Heart it takes to look beyond the circumstances, flaws, or the “past” of someone else so that I can SEE the God Potential with 20/20 Vision. I can see them on the Mountain when they’re still in the valley. I can see them walking the straight line of Faith even when they’re zigzagging right now. I can see them turning from their “wicked ways” even when they’re still wallowing in them. I don’t care what they’ve done in the past because I know what’s in store for their Future with just one Touch of the Master’s Hand. It’s not easy Loving this way, but it’s the way we’re called to Love and the parable of the lost sheep is proof that we should never give up on the “lost” ones no matter how far they wonder off. If I don’t want God giving up on me, why would I give up on a brother or sister of mine?

I’m the kind of Friend you’d want on your side…the kind that will lose sleep to pray for you instead, but I need to warn you while I’m at it – if there’s anything that troubles my Heart it’s watching a life with Divine Purpose being squandered away as if there’s all the time in the world to waste. So, I’ll use the rod and staff of my Shepherd to help spur them on, and I’ll tap into Divine Wisdom to show them the way. I’ll love you as if it depends on me and I’ll pray like it depends on God. I KNOW there’s potential for so much more in His Name and I’ll pray like it…lead like it…and love like in hopes that One Day soon they’ll see themselves the Christ does. Sometimes having a Heart that’s been Refined to feel Compassion for another is not an easy thing to bear…but when I think about what Jesus had to bear to take on all my sins all in the Name of Love, it makes the Journey worthwhile.

I’ll “carry the burden” for my friend throughout this busy day and you can find me praying as I go. I refuse to watch someone squander a life with Divine Purpose so I’ll do my part to help them hunger for the Touch of the Master’s Hand where the Victory is found. Isn’t that really what Friends are for?

Savor It All!

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The hint of winter is in the air and it was too cold for me to sit outside for long this morning. But in just the little time I weathered the cold, my soul was warmed beyond measure. My life has been off-balance for weeks and although my time with the Living God never ceases, the time to savor the world around me took a back seat to distractions and I’ve been feeling the loss. But after just one morning to savor, one more day to take it all in, one more day to focus on His creation, one more day to ponder His Majesty, and I am Refreshed and Revived and full of hope and joy all over again. Isn’t that what savoring Him does for you too?

It’s so easy to get caught up in the distractions and it’s easy to lose time to savor when we do. Like hamsters racing on a wheel, we can run and run to accomplish those things on the to-do list, and we don’t slow down long enough to look beyond the wheel to savor the Greatest things. We can get so caught up in preparing the perfect meal for our family and friends that we never look beyond the work of our hands to savor the hearts of the ones we serve. We can get so caught up in the routine of shuffling kids off to bed for the night, that we never look beyond the exhaustion to savor the moments that pass so quickly. We can get so caught up in our daily lives and our work that we never look beyond the surface of all of those people we encounter to savor the chance to share a smile or a kind and compassionate word. We can get so caught up in all of the madness of the world and all of the bad that we see that we never look beyond the tragedies to savor our own peace and wellbeing. There’s a whole lot that we lose out on when we stay so busy that we neglect to savor but the Greatest of all is our Peace and Purpose.

I’ve become a master at savoring the Master and the work of His Hands, but it all began long before I knew Him. I’d rather sit down and share a cup of coffee and a good conversation with someone than to rush off to take in the finest museum or a good movie. There’s a whole lot more “entertainment” that comes from savoring those precious moments that I know may never pass my way again. I’d rather hear their words and savor their laugh than to rush off to take in the sounds of a symphony or to be part of a concert. I’d rather listen to the sounds of a child attempting to read a book at bedtime than to tune in to any other audible book option on the planet. I’ve been accused of being an “old soul” countless times but I’m not an “old soul” at all. I’m just a woman who loves to savor the moments in life and it shows. People in my world know that I care and because I take the time to savor – they know who to turn to when they need to be heard. I wear my Faith on my sleeve, and I’m wrapped in Compassion from Christ…and it shows. When people think of me, my Faith is the first thing that comes to mind. I savor my King…I take time with my Lord…and it shows. This is the key to walking the Walk and talking the Talk.

I’ll be savoring lots of things on this beautiful October morning, but it all begins by savoring the Living God and the work of His Hands for me. When I consider all that He is, and all that He’s done for me, I get excited and I can’t wait to share Him with my world. I’ll savor every moment and every Encounter today and you can be sure that His Name will come up in every conversation as naturally as I breathe…with love, and kindness and Christ-like compassion. The world will see Him in me as I savor His Plans and His Purpose for me today.

 How about you?

Born For A Purpose!

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I sprung out of bed this morning eager to meet with the Living God to see what He has for me on this new day. It’s one thing to believe that God loves you, it’s an entirely different story to know that He has a Specific Purpose for your life that only you can fulfill! I didn’t choose Him…He chose me, and He’s been working on readying me for such a day as this for a long time. As I watched the wind shake the leaves from the trees and carry them off to a place where I’ll never see them again, I was reminded of how that’s the way it is with this life. No matter how much time we’re allotted on this earth, it’s not much time at all in the Bigger Picture…and when our time comes we’re carried off like the leaves are…never to be seen here on earth again. That’s not something to be sad about, it’s something to get busy about!

We go through this life knowing that we can be replaced, and we stand the risk of overlooking our Importance when we do. We can be replaced at work. We can be replaced at school. We can be replaced on a ball field. We can be replaced on a stage or in a film or in a pulpit. We can even be replaced at home as one parent introduces their children to a “new” mom or dad as if parents are interchangeable. We’re pretty good at replacing anything in this life, but no matter how many times we get replaced in however many areas of our lives, there is no replacing each unique Creation of the Living God. Nobody else who has ever been born (or ever will be) was Designed to do what each one of His Children are Uniquely Designed to do while they’re here! We’re Perfectly timed, Uniquely equipped and irreplaceable in the eyes of God! Accepting this Truth puts Life in a whole New Perspective, and it should be enough to make everybody spring out of bed eager to meet with the Living God! He had a Job Description in mind for me before I was ever born into this world and I’m Irreplaceable. Embracing this Truth is the Key to living your life FOR Him, instead of just with Him.

Every single day mothers pay to have the life of their babies snuffed out before they have a chance to enter this world. It’s sad enough when one person values their own life more than another, but it’s incomprehensible when life is snuffed out of the defenseless. On this side of the womb, the world will defend a defenseless child and yet it callously snuffs out the same life before it enters the world without blinking an eye. God plants the seed of life into every living being, and He doesn’t make mistakes or have “bad timing.” Each seed of life that He Plants has a unique Purpose at a unique Time in the History of the world. When we snuff the life out of a baby before it has a chance to enter this world, we rob that person of the opportunity to fulfill what God Planned for them to do…and we rob God too. The very second life is snuffed out of a baby he or she is in the arms of Jesus before their dismembered body even makes it to the trash can…and He will be loving them forever even though nobody else did. Snuffing out the life of someone else is a horrible thing, no matter if life is snuffed out in or out of the womb. But there are FAR worse things than death. Being robbed of the Purpose you were Created to Fulfill is far worse. Denying the Hand of God is far worse. Embracing this Truth is the Key to valuing Life as HE SEES it…and not as we do.

I am Irreplaceable and I’m loved by the King of Kings. I was born at just the right time, to just the right parents, to do just what He Created me to do. I don’t want to be blown away like those fall leaves, never to be seen again on this earth, without Fulfilling His Plans for me! He chose me. He’s Refined me. He’s Readied me. Of course I spring out of bed eager to Serve Him!

How about you? 

The Fall Season

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. For the first time in a long time I met with the Living God wrapped up in a blanket that warmed my body while He warmed my soul. I had to hold on tight to the pages of my Instruction Manual so the winds didn’t carry it away while I filled my Heart up with His Words and Wisdom. The Fall is my favorite season of the year because it reminds me of the way life is. It’s rich with color, and it’s a little unpredictable as the fierce winds come and go, and the temperatures sway back and forth until its finally cold for good. I’m in the final season of my life but I’m living like it’s the Fall. My Life is full of color, and it always will be because I Serve the One who paints the rainbows in the sky. As long as He’s my First Priority and I stay Wrapped up in Him, the Journey will be even more beautiful than the Fall until I go “cold” for good. Isn’t that the way you look at your life too?

It can be so easy for us to convince ourselves that we’re “too old” for just about anything in life, but we lose our Joy and squander our Purpose when we do. We don’t get old and quit…we quit and get old instead, and it amazes me how so many people quit living long before the body does. God never quits, and our Purpose never ends until life goes “cold” and we’re called Home for good. In time, it gets easier and easier for us to turn to someone else…someone younger…to do the Heavy Lifting for God. Each time we sit back to let someone else Serve Him instead, we lose a little more of the Joy that He intends for us to have and we draw a line in the sand for our Purpose. Even though God provides everything we need to do the Job He Calls us to do, we’ll claim we aren’t equipped anymore, and we’ll pass the buck to someone else…even though God spoke the need to us. If we pass the buck long enough, He’ll no longer call upon us to Serve at all. I can’t think of a sadder way to spend the final Season of Life than to be doing as little as I possibly can for Him because I’ve deemed myself “too old” or “too tired” to Serve the King of Kings.

When are we too old to share compassion? When are we too old to write a note of encouragement? When are we too old to pick up the phone to check on a friend in need? When are we too old to share food or water? When are we too old to visit a sick friend or to visit a prison to spread love? When are we too old to share the wisdom that comes with age? When are we too old to teach the younger ones? When you consider how most of us quit when we’re old…it shouldn’t come as a much of a surprise when the next generation “quits” on us too. As long as there is breath coming to and from our lungs, it’s a perfect day to do Good…a day to Serve the One that still has us here as part of His Plan…a Day to share the Truth to a lost world. God called people into Service for Him a long time ago that were in the “final” season of Life. They had proven their love for Him by Declaring His name everywhere they went. When they went through the Fire they held His Hand. When they were lost, they turned to Him to Lead them. When they were tired, He gave them Rest. They didn’t have the young body they used to have, but they had a Spirit to Serve and the Wisdom of years, and because of that He used them until the day He called they went cold…and He will you and me. We don’t get old and quit…we quit and get old.

I’m in the final season and I’m having the Time of my Life. I’m pouring out the Wisdom that I gained through the Fire and I’m doing what I can to “go forth” to share the Truth with a lost world. I’ll keep Serving the King until He calls me Home, so no matter when that is…today or decades from now… the world will have no doubt that my Job on earth was completed and that His timing is Perfect. I hope they’ll celebrate my passing onto my New Home, and I hope nobody cries about the “unfairness” of my death, because I’ll be Home where I’ll be celebrating for all of Eternity with the One I Served with everything within me. I haven’t gotten old and I WILL NOT quit.

How about you?

Focus on the Inside….

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Image may contain: sky, tree, cloud, twilight, outdoor and natureGood morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold and it’s windy outside, and I was moving in slow speed this morning because of it. All it took was a hot cup of coffee and Warm Time with the Living God and the cold and wind took a backseat to the Inspiration He had for me. I need to be fed and nourished by the Living God more than I need food, or water, or air so I look for my Nourishment every day even if I feel like I have to crawl there to get it. Not a whole lot about what goes on “outside” really matters at all, as long as I’m Ready for whatever it is on the Inside, I’ll never be Discouraged or Defeated. Isn’t that the way you look at life on the outside too?

I’m not one to get too worked up about what goes on in life “outside” and I’m often accused of not caring because of it. But there’s no reason to get too worked up when you know that God holds the world in the Palm of His Hand and that nothing takes Him by surprise. He’s done a really good job Managing people, places and things since the beginning of all Time; so, although I have opinions and feelings about what I see “outside”; He’s definitely up for the Job of running things for me and everybody else on the planet. I get more worked-up about what I see on the inside of people than I ever will by what I see on the “outside” and it causes me pain to see their pain. I get worked up over people hurting their own children and it causes me pain to consider how they got so heartless. I get worked up over people killing a child in the womb and it causes me pain to consider how they got so selfish. I get worked up over people in poverty living on a cold park bench in the middle of winter or going hungry they way they do and it causes me pain to wonder how they got so overlooked. I get worked up over people being unkind to other people and it causes me pain when I consider how they got so entitled. I get worked up over all the lost people that need to know my God and it pains me to see so few willing to Share.
Most of the time the things I get worked up over all come down to the lack of Compassion, and it pains me to see a world not ready, willing or able to extend it….especially those who Believe.

I have a heart that can be hurt with just one wrong beat because my Heart is Open for the world to see. I don’t do the Deciding on who should get a piece of my Heart; God does that for me when He brings people into my Life for His Purpose. I have a Heart that hurts deeply over what I see on the inside of other people; and its that kind of hurt that fuels Compassion. Christ-like compassion isn’t just feeling sorry for the ones that hurt…it’s feeling PAIN over the ones that hurt…just the way Jesus did. I hurt for hurting people, angry people, broken people, hardened people, crazy people, criminal people and everything else in between. I hurt for some of my friends that are sitting on the sidelines of their Faith and I hurt for all my enemies. But I’ll never hurt for anything as much as I hurt for lost people…people that haven’t heard the Truth and people who have never been loved enough by one of us to be told about Him. That’s the biggest kind of Hurt of all. I can do my part to provide food or shelter or a pair of warm boots, but the greatest thing I can give to a person in need is Jesus Christ. Now THAT I get REALLY worked up over and THAT is what I focus on the most.

I’m not letting what’s going on outside to get my attention away from what goes on inside no matter how troubling it appears to be. I know how my enemy works and he would do a happy dance if I started focusing on the outside and stopped focusing on the inside. In the meantime, I’ll speak up, show up, and pray up over lots of those outside things. But you’ll find me sharing the Nourishment that I fill myself up with every day…the kind of Nourishment that is more important than food, water or air. The kind of Nourishment that has the Power to Heal every Heart and that will find a way feed and clothe the hurting world…IF I focus on the inside instead of the outside, that is. I’m loving Big…and the only thing I’ll get worked up over comes down to the only thing I’m SUPPOSED to be worked up over ever…the lost ones..

How about you?

The Sound of Silence…

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Image may contain: sky, twilight, tree, cloud, outdoor and natureGood morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Master of the Mornings and I gave this new day to Him before He shed light on the farm. I opened up the Words He breathed so long ago and I found comfort and wisdom that He knew I was in need of this morning. It probably seems odd to some people that you can build a Relationship with God in silence, but that’s only because they don’t know what it feels like to hear with your Heart and Soul. The quieter it is around me, the louder the Message from Him, and I’ll hear His voice in my Heart forever. So, this is the time to sit back in silence and listen to every Word I Hear without question. Some of the sweetest things in Life come through the silence and some of the best Replays are heard in the Heart.

It can be so easy to be overwhelmed with sadness when we’re missing someone we love whether they’ve already gone Home or they’re just not nearby. But one of the most amazing gifts that God gives to mankind is the ability to Replay our time with them whenever we want to. When I can move past feeling sorry for myself because a loved one is no longer with me and I push past the desperation to be in their presence; I can pause and listen to their voice and I can hear their laughter all over again…and it’s just as sweet as it was when they were in the same room with me. Memories are a precious Gift from the Lord and I think He must have wired us to Replay so that we can be comforted until we meet again One Day. Sometimes I Replay laughter because laughter is the sweetest sound to me. Sometimes I Replay the sound of a voice and it’s usually filled with words that brought me comfort or made me laugh one time. Sometimes I Replay a face with a smile just because I need to see it. I can’t change the Course of God’s Plans and there’s nothing I can do to “bring them back”, but the memories sustain me and I give thanks to the God that Designed the Replay button in the Heart every time I “see and hear” the ones I love in the silence.

Loss is unbearable unless we use the silence for our Comfort and it’s incomprehensible unless we Cling to what is Gained when we “lose”. When we “lose” a loved one to death we haven’t really “lost” them at all if they were Destined to be with God. When that’s the case, they Win Big Time and we are left in the silence. Sometimes when I push the Replay button and I share a memory of a loved one I’ll hear “don’t you wish they were still here?”…and the answer is always “NO!”. I would never wish someone away from the Glory they know when they go Home just for my own satisfaction. The ones I’ve “lost” to death are having the time of their Life…they’re in Perfect Condition…in Perfect Hands..and they are Filled with Joy and Peace. One Day we’ll have the most amazing Reunion…until then I push the Replay button and I keep them with me whenever I’m missing them and I need to see their face or hear their voice and my heart overflows with love every single time. Thank you, God for the Precious Gift of that Replay button that keeps me from feeling so lost.

I’m feeling a little lonely for my loved ones this morning. Some I won’t see until we have our Family Reunion, and some I’ll be seeing very soon for the holidays. Until then you’ll find me sitting in silence every once in a while pushing that Replay button to comfort my heart and to make me smile. As surely as I can Hear the Voice of God in my Heart, I can hear the ones I’m lonely for too. What an amazing God I serve that thinks of everything I need…especially that Replay button on a lonely day.

I’ve Learned to be Content….

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Image may contain: cloud, sky, tree, outdoor and natureGood morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I sat at my kitchen table to spend my Time with the One Who “placed all the stars in the sky and knows them each by name” and the view from here matches what my heart feels this morning…it’s Content. That may not seem like much, but Contentment isn’t an easy place to find and Contentment is a blessing. Contentment is something that most people never find because Contentment always comes down to Surrender and Trust. When we can Surrender whatever the day brings and Trust Him with our Lives…we find our way to Contentment and the Heart feels like the sky from my kitchen window looks. Isn’t that the way you find Contentment too?

It can be so easy for people to think that for a Child of the Living God to be content it means that we accept where we are in life and that we give up on ever being someplace else. But that’s not it at all. Contentment doesn’t mean that we give up or that we quit hoping or trying because we’re satisfied with things being just the way they are. Contentment means that we’re at PEACE with where we are and we Trust the Living God to Lead us and to Grow us…and to NEVER forsake us… no matter what. There’s a big difference between being a Content Child of the Living God and a spiritual slug. The Content ones keep moving, keep praying, keep believing, keep hoping and are ALWAYS striving for Better…and they Serve the King with Joy through it all. Spiritual slugs have taken “let go and let God” to an entirely different level. They not only expect Him do the Heavy Lifting while they creep along through life; they quit Serving and Believing and they can’t find their Contentment in Who they are in Christ because of it. They claim to have a Heart for the King, but they have no desire to Serve Him because of where they are. They have no Peace. They have no Contentment…and in some ways they have no Hope. It’s a very sad thing to watch people refuse to do anything for the One Who gave them life…UNTIL He fixes whatever it is that they want Him to fix first. Because they don’t know what Contentment is, they’ll spend however long they spend daring God to do whatever it is that they want God to do to make life better FIRST, and THEN they’ll consider doing what He wants them to do. It’s sad but true.

Everybody has challenges. Everybody has heartbreak. Everybody has baggage. Everybody gets scared sometimes. Everybody wonders what tomorrow will bring. Everybody longs for more. But not everybody Knows the way to Contentment through it all. It’s only when we grasp that we “live in the moment” but He Lives through Eternity that we find Contentment and Peace. Only God knows “the rest of the story” and only He can Determine the Outcome. But as long as we withhold our Praise and our Thanks and our Trust because of our circumstances and we refuse to Serve Him until He gets our life in order otherwise; we lose our Contentment and Peace and WE make it impossible for Him to move us past the Mountain. Contentment comes to those who Trust Him with the reigns and who BELIEVE that He has a Perfect Plan for their lives. The Content Ones are NEVER “settling for less” or giving up striving for more….the Content Ones just know who’s really in Control and they Trust Him.

There are plenty of things in my life that I’d change if I had the power in my own hands to change them, But I KNOW that God knows my Heart and He’s aware of each one of them. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that He has a Plan much better than anything I could come up with on my own. In the meantime, I’m dreaming…I’m hoping…I’m loving…I’m trusting…I’m Serving my King with Joy and I’m at Peace in the storm. I’m Content.

How about you?

Mother’s Day Message…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I was up and waiting for the sunrise this morning and I had the most precious time with the Living God in the quietness of my kitchen with a hot cup of coffee and a willing spirit. I may be a bold warrior in this crazy world of ours, but my heart has been tenderized by the King, and if I’m not careful; I can find my way to discouragement when I get hurt. So, into the presence of my Mighty God I go, and I pour my heart out to the One who loves me the most and before you know it; those things I was hurting over seem so insignificant. He’s my Father and I’m His child and there’s nothing about my life that He doesn’t care about, so I give it all to Him over and over and over again. Isn’t that what you do too with your struggles too?

Mother’s Day is approaching and as I looked across the front porch this morning, these four rocking chairs all lined up reminded me of my four amazing children. Each one uniquely different and each one with personality of their own. None of them within perfect alignment with the others, and none of them concerned about being in precisely the same place where the others are in life. They “rock” in their own direction and at their own pace, but they never rock too far away from the farm or away from each other. When they’re seated in the rockers on this old porch there is laughter and love and an endless supply of memories to share. And when one of the rockers is empty; the other ones feel the void. They are strong enough to bear the burdens of this life and yet they are gentle enough to rock a baby to sleep. They’ve endured the wind and the rains of life together, and although every once in a while a strong wind will scatter one in the opposite direction the others stay right where they are, and before you know it; the one scattered finds it way back to the line up. My heart was filled with love and gratitude this morning as I considered my “rockers” and all of those answered prayers for them over the years, AND for a family filled with so much love; it’s almost tangible.

There’s no doubt that I’ll hear words of love and appreciation on Mother’s Day, but every day feels like Mother’s Day to me. If there are any “thanks” to be dished out, it’s ME who should be doing the thanking. Thanks to a Mighty God who honored the prayers of this Mom over and over and over again. Thanks to a God who chose me to be the vessel to bring these four amazing creatures into the world, and Who trusted me to bring them up in His ways and not my own. Thanks to a God who gave me wisdom abundantly any time I asked for it, and One who gave me strength when I was tired and weary from the journey. Thanks to a compassionate God who was the “Father to the fatherless” and Who lead this family every step of the way. Thanks to a God who has kept them healthy and safe day after day, and for a God who planted the Seed of Faith in each one of them. Thanks to a God who taught me to die to myself and One who used the opportunity to soften my heart through my children so that I would be softened for the King. Being a Mom has been, and will forever be, the greatest and the most significant thing I’ve ever done and the source of so many spiritual lessons for me. The fruit of my labor overwhelms me and I know that the legacy of love, of laughter and of Faith will go on from generation to generation. I’ll never know on this side of Heaven just how far reaching that legacy will be, but thinking about it makes me smile. So on Mother’s Day…it’s ME who gives thanks for it all. For my four beautiful “rockers” and for the God of it all.

My kids may be grown, but my role as “Mom” won’t end until I take my last breath. I’ll be around whenever they need me and I’ll still savor every single moment I have. I’ll long for the days for these rockers to be filled back up, and I’ll wait patiently in between those times. Mostly I’ll be praying without ceasing just like I have since the day they were born, and I’ll be sharing a legacy of love, laughter and Faith while I plant a few seeds in the next generation too.

Happy Mother’s Day to me and to you!

Love is Kind

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It might be a little chilly in the mornings still, but I watched the Master wake up the world from outside on the front porch anyway and it didn’t take long for me to forget the outside temperature. He spoke to my heart with His Word, and He comforted me with His Presence, and His Kindness overwhelmed every part of me. Over and over again the message of Kindness was driven into my heart because that’s what He had for me on this new day. To be One of His Children means to strive to take-on His Nature, so when it comes to things like Kindness; it’s big deal. There’s no doubt that when the Living God sends a strong Message to me, then it has a Big Purpose FOR me too…and not just for every other Suffering Soul that comes to my mind. Isn’t that the way you look at the Lessons too?

It can be so easy to turn to someone else’s Life and to look for ways that a Strong Message would be a good idea for them, while we ignore the Warning Light for ourselves. But if we’re serious about taking on His Nature in every way we possibly can, then it’s not everybody else that we need to be worried about…it’s us. I’ll never fully master the Nature of my God…that’s not even a possibility…but it won’t be for lack of trying everyday to be the kind of woman He Created me to be. Things like Kindness seem to be a “no-brainer” when we first consider our own nature, but things like Kindness are put through the Real Test when other people aren’t being kind to us. When we encounter rude people, or when we deal with “incompetency” and we believe that we “deserve” better treatment; do we reflect Kindness to the other? When people are rude to us whether we know them or not, do we return the rude OR do we Reflect Kindness in the face of the rude? When we’re lied to, or when we’re cheated; do we Reflect Kindness in the face of the one doing the wrong? When politics are at stake, and we’re faced with other people working so hard to do harm to ones we support; do we Reflect Kindness to the “other side”? When we’re ridiculed for our Faith, or we’re expected to sit down and shut up about the Living God; do we reflect Kindness to the ones doing the attacking that most likely don’t even know Who He is? Reflecting Kindness is easy when we’re in a kind environment…almost anybody can pull that off. But it’s when we’re mistreated, and insulted, and lied to, and cheated that our Kindness is MOST needed in a dark world…and THAT’S when the Light of our Faith Shines for all the world to see…extending Kindness to others who we believe “don’t deserve it”. After all, isn’t that what Kindness looks and feels like from the Throne of a Mighty God? He’s Kind to us, even when we don’t deserve it.

I’ve been accused of being a “door mat” more times than I can count….but there’s nothing weak or volatile about me at all. I can debate with the best of them, and I can hold my own in any situation. But Life isn’t about “being right” or getting the treatment we THINK we deserve…it’s about how we handle Life when it’s not so easy to handle that really matters in the Big Picture. I know the importance of my Witness in a dark world, and I can always find Kindness for others who aren’t so kind to me IF I remember the High Stakes involved. When I hold onto the fact that it’s the way I treat the other person, or the way I handle a bad situation, that can have an Everlasting Impact on the one I’m dealing with; I find the Kindness and all those other Characteristics of the Living God at my fingertips to tap if I’m willing and IF I never quit striving to have the Right Heart for Him. There’s no situation on the planet that can’t be diffused with Kindness…but it takes dying to your own agenda and being willing to Shine for His that makes the Biggest Difference of all. I have softened the hardest of hearts just by the way I’ve handled a conflict or a wrong because my Kindness was unmistakable in the midst of very difficult circumstances. That kind of Kindness is ONLY possible when we take on the Nature of a Kind and Loving God. I’ll be extending Kindness today no matter how I’m wronged, and no matter who does the wrong to me, and the Light of my Faith will Shine for ALL the world to see…if I Remember Him and I don’t lose sight of my Purpose, that is.

How about you?