mental-health

The Care and Feeding of the Saints…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. We’ve been blessed to have visits from eagles lately – something we haven’t seen before. As I considered their recent visits, I thought about how they needed to be “protected” for a season, and now they’re strengthened, and their numbers are high. With the thoughts of the eagle spinning around in my head, I ended up spending a little extra time with the Living God, focused on Refreshing my Heart and my Soul, and I’m finally ready to face the day after a little Heavenly pampering. My Heart has been tenderized by the King, and it’s a rare kind of Heart because of it. Though I’m strong and I’m courageous just like the eagle is, and I’m the kind of gal you want on your side to fight on your behalf, my Heart is tender, and it can easily fracture if I’m not careful. It’s important for my Journey of Faith that I guard my Heart as best I can, so I make sure to go to the Great Physician when it needs a little patching up for the journey. After all, He wrote the Book on the Care and Feeding of a Tender Heart, so when my Heart is hurting, I know where to go for my nourishment.

Strong and courageous people are often seen as the ones who need the LEAST amount of care and feeding, but that’s SO far from the truth. After all, even the eagle became endangered and called for a little extra protection for the journey. Hearts that have been tenderized by the King have been put through a tremendous amount of adversity to get them in just the right condition to be used for Great things. They’re the bold ones not easily ignored, and they’re the ones you’ll see on the front lines of Battle. They’ll come to your defense in a quick minute, and they’re inclined to guard the underdogs when nobody else will. They’re often seen as the tough and capable ones, but they actually need a little more care and feeding for the Heart than the average person. They’re seen as the “survival type,” and although they’ll rarely crumble for others to see… they crumble when nobody’s watching.

The tenderized heart will give and give until there is nothing left to give if they aren’t careful, or if they aren’t stopped by another who understands their Heart and who doesn’t hesitate to protect it. The strong and courageous ones often push beyond where the average person goes, but they dig deep to get there, and they’re fueled by a Heart tenderized by the King. Since it’s the Heart that leads the way for the bold and courageous, it’s the Heart that gets the most wear and tear in the process.

If you’ve been tenderized by the King, you’ll need to be sure that you guard your Heart even if nobody else does. As rare as it is to encounter a tenderized Heart, it’s just as rare to encounter others who see beyond the surface and into the Hearts of these bold ones. It’s that rare kind of Heart that’s the most likely to break when it’s not protected, but it can easily be repaired when we follow the Instruction Manual on the Care and Feeding of a Tender Heart.

If you’ve been blessed with the rare gift of having a tenderized heart in your life, be sure to exercise proper Care and Feeding if you want to benefit from all of those things a tenderized Heart brings to the table. They’ll be your strength and your courage, and they’ll propel you to great things, and if you’re willing to exercise proper Care and Feeding of their tenderized heart, they’ll keep going and giving like the Energizer battery. Isaiah said, But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint – so I soar like the eagle and new my strength my the Journey too. This is the way to Finish well.

I’m bold and courageous, and I’ve been tenderized by the King of all kings! I wouldn’t trade my Hard Lessons for anything in the world because those Lessons made me who I am in Christ today. The Bible says that “All things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose,” and I because I LOVE Him and I’ve been “called according to His purpose,” I’m a good case study for the Care and Feeding of a tender Heart, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The Lord Knew precisely what it would take to transform me into a usable Vessel for Himself, so my primary Goal is to never let Him down. I’ve been strengthened this morning by the One who wrote the Book on the Care and Feeding of a Tender Heart, and now my Heart is overflowing all over again.

How about you?

Farewell To a Beautifully Imperfect Year…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God before the sun lit up the sky this morning, and it’s the last day that I’ll be meeting with Him this year. I sat there in silence for the longest time, and I thought back on the year and all that I have to be thankful for, and I see how much living has been packed into this one single year. Another year passed by quickly for me, but it sure isn’t closing out as “just another year.” It’s been rough, and it’s been rich, and it’s been everything in between, and through it all God has led me “by the right hand” just as He promises to do. When I look at it that way, how could I NOT celebrate everything about the chapter I close each and every day? Isn’t that the way you look at the New Year, too?

We’ve had the blessing of welcoming a new baby into our family this year, and I’ve wept over the loss of a few friends. I’ve celebrated the marriage of one of my friends, and I’ve mourned the end of another. I’ve met a few new friends along the way, and I’ve walked away from a few who desired to pull me down to the pit with along with them. I’ve used Words to encourage my world every single chance I’ve been given, and I’ve used Words to speak painful Truths as God leads. I’ve shared my Faith in every corner of my life, every chance I’ve been given, and I’ve felt the pain of judgment a few times because of it. I worked hard to fulfill a few Plans that God had for me, and I’ve endured the ridicule that comes with it sometimes – not over my Heart for Jesus Christ but all because I’m a woman.

I worked hard to maintain Peace in my life, and I’ve had a few moments of painful controversy. I asked for forgiveness as I became aware of my wrongs against another, and I forgave others for wronging me…even when it wasn’t easy. I’ve had the honor of being asked to pray for another, and I’ve prayed for plenty of others that probably wish I wouldn’t. I’ve had days filled with overwhelming joy and a few consumed by overwhelming sadness, and through it ALL, He took me “by the right hand,” and He led me through it all. I’ll ALWAYS be Victorious because of Him and His Divine Leadership over my Life…and THAT’S the reason I celebrate every single second of this year that will soon be behind me. He’s the “Author and Perfecter” of my Faith, and He’ll always use the good, the bad, and the ugly to Strengthen me for the Journey…IF I let Him take me “by the right hand” and lead me, that is.

I’m filled with excitement about what the Lord has for me EVERY DAY in this coming year, and I’ll be doing my part to be sure that I’m ready, willing AND found worthy to do the work of the King. There’s no doubt that I’ll experience pain and loss and a little heartbreak this year, but I’m not worried about any of that stuff because He will take me “by the right hand” and He’ll see me through no matter what. I’m celebrating Victory before I even witness it, and I’m ONLY thinking Good about my future. I’m facing an exciting New Year, and although it won’t be any more perfect than any of the others before it, I’ll be ready for whatever comes my way…because of Him. I won’t be worried about my future because He says, ” Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Instead, I’ll be waking up each new day with anticipation for what He has for me on THAT day…AND I’ll be willing to do His work with gladness through it all.

So long to this imperfect year for this imperfect woman. It was more beautiful than I could ever have imagined. It was rich, and it was rough, but I walked with the Living God every step of the way, and He led me “by the right hand” through it all…AND THAT’S how I can find Joy and Peace and Contentment no matter what’s going on in the world.

How about you?

Don’t Get Lost in the Fog! Focus on the East!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. Things cooled down a little overnight, and when the cool air met with the warm earth, the fog began to roll in. One minute, I could see the trees off in the distance, and the next minute, they were masked in fog. I didn’t just watch the fog roll in at sunrise, I could feel the heaviness in the air too! The longer I sat there observing the fog, the more it reminded me of what it feels like to navigate through this dark world at such a time as this. One minute you can see things so clearly, and the next minute life is “masked” by oppression that is so dark and so thick you could almost cut it with a knife. As a Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, I don’t focus on the fog – I don’t fret over what’s masked – and I sure don’t scramble around in the “dark” or blame the politicians for the Spiritual state we’re in. I am certain of what we’re up against and I am Confident in how the Story ends, so I focus on the Eastern sky – rain or shine, fog or clear – because that’s the Direction Jesus will come Calling from for me One Day. The Time is near, and I have just a few goals as I live out these perilous times on earth. First, to be sure that I’m READY to meet my Maker, AND next I need to be sure to Help get as many souls as I possibly can Prepare to meet Him One Day too! Despite the insults thrown around the world right now, despite what you think someone deserves (or not), the King doesn’t want anyone to perish…although sadly, many of them will. There’s no time to linger in the fog when there’s Kingdom Work to do! Isn’t that the way you see these last days too?

The Bible says that in Hell there will be eternal “weeping and gnashing of teeth” for those who don’t believe – imagine that – torment with no ability to find rest or peace ever again. I’m sure it’s much worse than anything we can imagine, but I think we’re getting a small glimpse of Hell today. There is no rest in our world. There’s no end to the “gnashing of teeth” as the battle over “good and evil” goes on. There’s no end to the shaking of fists in anger. There’s no end to the violence. There’s no end to the lies. There’s no end to the immoral acts. There’s no end to the tactics some use to be heard. There’s no end to the greed. There’s no end to the selfishness. There’s no end to the violence. There’s no end to the harm that’s being done to “these little ones.” There’s no end to so many things that can discourage the Heart because of this small glimpse of Hell we’re seeing today, as the battle between “good and evil” goes on right before our very eyes. BUT I know the rest of the story. I Know that the Devil hasn’t been unleashed yet and that the Light of the world is the only thing holding him back. We need more Warriors – we need more Light and Salt in the world! Fortunately, I KNOW Who Wins and I Know how the story ends…and it ends well for those who have Surrendered to Jesus. Until then, I’m doing my own kind of fighting to share the Good News with this dark world so that the glimpse of Hell doesn’t become an eternal reality for them. This is the Key to living out our Great Commission…before it’s too late. This is the Key to being found worthy by the King!

The Bible says that “no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love Him,” and I’m looking forward to Heaven. I’m going to that Place where there’s no more sadness or sickness – a place where there are no more tears….EVER. A place where “evil” doesn’t exist, and Peace is Everlasting. Though I can’t imagine it, I long for it, and I want everybody else to long for it too! I am confident that “greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world,” so I’m Living out my Faith with boldness. I refuse to take part in debates over meaningless things that make no difference in the Bigger Picture of eternity. Instead, my Light will be shining brighter than it ever has before in the middle of a dark world getting foggier every day. I KNOW Who wins…and I’m on the Winners Team, so I can’t partake in that “glimpse of Hell” – I can only outshine it with Him – and FOR Him. Darkness can’t exist in the Light, and I know that if more people Believed in my God the way I Believe in my God they’d be shining their Light in this dark world too…instead of partaking in the war against “good and evil” on earth – so, I’ll be busy trying to (re)ignite their Faith while I’m at it. I’m looking East and I’m longing for Heaven. This is the Key to walking through the Journey of Faith with Peace in ALL circumstances. When I have Heaven on the horizon, why in the world would I focus on the fog?

There’s so much going on in the foggy world, but you could never prove it by the Peace I have within me. To some, it looks hopeless on the outside, but it’s not hopeless at all! To some, the main goal is to save the most amazing country in the world – to me, it’s to save the Heart of the Lost. Ready or not, the King is Coming, and when He does, believe it or not, EVERY knee shall bow and EVERY tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! I mourn for the ones who aren’t ready to meet Him. Yes, even the crazy ones who have taken to our streets to “rob, kill, and destroy”. Hmm…looks like their “agenda” is the same as the Devil’s, and there is only One Way to fight him and win! To be Ready for the journey through the fog, we need to be sure that we are Strengthened for Spiritual battle every single day, and we need to focus more on the Eastern sky where the King will appear than on the condition of the dark world or the latest word on politics. Those things are just a distraction the enemy uses to keep us in the fog! It doesn’t work on me – will you let his tactics continue to work on you?

I’m busier than I’ve ever been in my Life Serving the King, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I can easily cut through the fog with the Word of God, and I Receive my Direction from the Holy Spirit. He’s my Strength. He’s my Shield. He’s my Deliverer. I’m looking to the East with great anticipation! Fog? What fog?

How about you?