We often need courage, we seldom need criticism So where do you turn, when the news is corrupt and full of cynasim? We go to the word, the everlasting which doesn’t change When all around is sinking and shifting, his WORD remains the same Think about Paul when he was in prison He chose to encourage others with the freedom he was given
And we do need courage during these uncertain times Wheels going spinning, round and round in my mind What I am finding is that I’m toughest on myself It hasn’t served me very well, negatively affecting my health So l look at Paul and I think, I’d like to be like this guy Refrained in a jail cell, yet didn’t even stop to ask why He kept his spirits up by encouraging others and himself This led to great inner strength and joy on the inside, he didn’t do it for wealth
God greatest commandment, love God and thy neighbor as you love yourself Is this the key to deep contentment? A critical piece to our health? We are in this place of COVID, our walls have closed in like Paul’s In like manner, our worlds have become very small
There is so much to learn as we continue to endure Protect your mind, will and emotions of this I am sure My walls may look different, but what’s inside remains The ability to lose hope or the ability to chose gain Your greatest encouragement, comes from God and you. Love them both today, to thy neighbor be true
We can not control circumstances, but selectively chose how to respond Like hair dye you pick, it can be brown red or blonde What I know for sure, is nothing lasts forever Find others who are like minded and chose to be better
At the end we can hope to spread peace and together we stand Reflecting back on these experiences of when we really had no plan Some of the greatest things emerge when our life has been disrupted You get to decide how to face these interruptions For myself, I chose life, a road free from discord, full of peace and harmony And when life throws you curve balls, simply just be
What many of us are experiencing with being isolated, quarentined, 6 feet apart is basically what anxiety, post traumatic stress and depression does to an individual. Except the confines are within their mind, so it’s not something visible to the human eye unlike today’s current situation where we see our mouths covered, are expected to stay at a distance. A mechanism in our brain often known as fight or flight often appears after a traumatic time or situation. Lord knows I have experienced trauma more than just a few times in my life. While I am not a doctor, nor do I have a certificate to back me, I come from the school of hard knocks. Life has knocked me down, taken the wind out me, and yet that adrenaline that kicks in for fight or flight serves a purpose.
While I’m not an expert, I have learned alot through dealing with post trauamtic stress. It’s not a scary word. We often associate it with military veterans who fought with such courage for our countries. With all of this isoaltion going on, it leaves us susceptible to a host of issues including anxiety and depression. There have been times in my life where I have intentionally drawn back from others as a means to protect myself. The one huge down side to this approach is not only am I not allowing negativity, but I’m also not able to recieve the good stuff! Isolation is never good! With so much happening on the news, social media, weather, its obvious that it is a complete uproar and nothing but chaos around. Which is where I come in. I like to provide practical ways to become part of a solution and not the problem. I don’t have an agenda. I’m not seeking fame and fortune. I just want to help.
In my own personal life, I have had to fight spiritually for my family. I was called to their side to not only help them but myself included. It didn’t end well for either of my brothers nor my father who last their battle with this invisible disease. They ended it. Flight kicked in and suicide was their only means to cope. While I walked along side of them, often engaged in conversation, chances are I probably had no idea what their inner dialog was like.
Which is where it begins. The utmost important relationship is the one you have with yourself. What goes in must come out. Its like a record playing in your mind, we all have one. An inner voice that criticizes, critiques, or encourages. In psychological terms its called having a “critical parent” that constantly speaks into your mind. The flight mechanism can be used in a positive way. We often regard the term fight with a negative connotation. However what happens when its channeled into a positive mindset. Similar to an athlete preparing for a game, a race or competition, they exercise over and over again. Just like muscle holds memory, your brain has the same potential. When anxiety hits you have to fight back. There will always be something to be anxious about in this thing called life. One thing I have clung to is scripture. Just like applying medicine to a wound, scripture has the same capability for combating stress and anxiety. Think about it, have you ever gained anything by worrying about something? It is futile and usually produces nothing but stress hormones.
This is not a one size fits all either believe me when I tell you. There are times when your mind has endured so much stress or there may be an underlying chemical imbalance. How do I know? Again I’m not a doctor, however when my body no longer functions as it should including the ability to sleep or eat I’m in trouble. I no longer need to suffer from insomnia nor lose 30 pounds in a matter of weeks due to effects of anxiety, depression or post traumatic stress. And it is written in scripture that doctors were needed. Why would we be any different. We are not!! Its the stigma associated with it that again keeps us confined in our minds.
Another key to overcoming or fighting is exercise. It releases natural endorphins similar to taking an anti-depressant. It is one of the most underused God given abilities that helps unlock the door of the prison in our own minds. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself. Take a short walk, jog,bike or anything that gets the blood flowing and you will find the Ancient Chinese Secret!! Endorphins!! One of the greatest stress relievers. Sure you may be a little sore but thats the price you pay for fit mental health.
Socialization and belonging to a group! Another key to keep up your emotional health. Its all tied up in one pretty little package and to stay balanced you need a little of everything. We are compared to sheep in the bible. We were created to be social beings. It is INATE! There are so many groups you can become a part of. Whether it’s a book club, golf, group exercise, painting, church, support group, bowling. You name it and there is a group for you where you can find people with common interests. If there isn’t one, create one! Take advantage of this wonderful thing called social media.
The power of distraction! Have you ever witnessed a child in a complete melt-down and you pull a fast one like offering ice-cream or a fun outing. Their crying will stop in a heartbeat. As adults we have to self regulate that component because I’m pretty sure we don’t have personal escorts to offer us candy or someother treat to re- shift our focus. Some times this method is great and you can table an issue for a little bit and re-visit it when you are ready.
Last but certainly not least is counsel , therapy of some other type of support group. Sometimes you just need to talk! And in order to even do that effectively you need a good un-biased listener. One whom you trust and feel at ease with, who will not impose his or her ideas on you but simply help guide you to your light bulb moment. Sometimes you have to dig the dirt to find the riches. Some of the dirtiest things contain the most precious gifts like diamonds or pearls.
In closing, failing to plan, is planning to fail. Don’t wait until the storm hits to practice good habits. No man is an island and you don’t want to be socially distanced in your mind. Anxiety is a potential trap that will rob you of the life that God has for you. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I have good plans for you” says the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future”.
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground and after you’ve done everything to stand.
As I’m trying to enjoy summer here in Jersey as many of you are, my sister in law and I got creative during COVID. We both urged our husband’s to get us paddleboards. Our wishes were granted as we both recieved our birthday gifts in the form of an inflatable raft. We have taken several, and I mean SEVERAL trips to the beach, spending our days with family and friends, doing a variety of things like boogie boarding, fishing, tennis, soccer, football. Just about any ball you can think of, we have taken it with us for entertainment. Nothing beats summer here in Jersey as we wait in anticipation during the fall, winter and spring. It is so nostalgic. This one particular day we decided to stay closer to home and checked out a local lake to use our new toys. 2 paddleboards, 2 kids and 2 adults. Divide and conquer! My nephew hopped on my board and his sister went with her mom. It was an adventure! Why? Because it was uncharted territory, new areas to explore, new things to discover. We set out and went in. It was a rather windy day and we decided to just let go and go with the current. We weren’t caught, just enjoying the scenery and taking in the beauty of what laid before us. We drifted quite a ways and I thought to myself, this is really going to be a struggle to get back! A little too late for that thought huh!! Thats what adventure does, takes you out to new territory and you do it with zeal. It wasn’t until I realized how far and how hard we would have to work to get back to the shore that I began to get anxious. There was no time for that! I have a little one with me and they smell fear! We turned it into a game, he became the engine and I steared the way. He vigorously kicked his feet and propelled us through the water like a dolphin. It felt like we were moving at 15 miles per hour but I would totally be exaggerating! The shoreline got closer and closer. We took a few short breaks and before you know it we had landed. Or so we thought. We got out of the water and made contact with LAND.
We were standing for a few minutes and Elijah said woah, I think I should sit down. I agreed and said me too! Then explained how it takes time before you get your land legs back because of the movement in the water. We even talked about how cool it would be to be an animal that could do both land and water without feeling nauseous. Just like that it came to me!
If you’ve ever been on a boat or other moving object in the water, or even in a plane or something up high. That terrible feeling you get and can’t quite explain it. You got is sea sick. My conversation with Elijah inspired me to look up the definition of sea legs. I had no idea there was one; however Webster’s proved me wrong! Sea legs can be defined as “bodily adjustment to the motion of a ship indicated especially by ability to walk steadily and by freedom of sea sickness”. In short, the ability to walk on a boat, despite the conditions and not get sick. What happens to our faith when the water gets rough? I know I can’t grow sea legs but they can be developed through hard times. I’d describe it like this, the ability to walk through the storms of life with secure steps, while trusting in GOD. I know you can relate to a storm or two but all of you can relate to COVID. It has interrupted your life in one way or another, flipping everything upside down. How are you holding up under these tough times. Better yet how is your faith keeping you steady? Covid is indeed a storm and how to stay balanced in the midst of it requires discipline. You must discipline your mind to stay the course and stay present. I remember being on a boat under when I lost sight of the horizon. I lost my sea legs because I could not longer see my surroundings..
Breast cancer and grief was very similar, I lost sight of where I was going and had no landmark. Every day seemed like I was waking up to overcome yet another dark storm. My days started out very unsteady. But as I got up and started moving I began to make my steps firm. It was incredibly hard to keep my sea legs and stay firm. It took discipline. Every day I’d rise and seek God with my whole being before I started the day. I had to set my intention. Sometimes it was just to get through the day. Or face another doctors visit or decision. I overcame the obstacles by staying connected to the source. God was my boat and was in the boat with me as he will always be. At times I stumbled and even bumped into things. At times I had to seriously rely on the some others who were in my boat. I didn’t face it alone thats for sure. I also didn’t rely on one person as my source for peace hope or joy. That came directly from God who enabled me to stand in the middle of storm and carry on. It wasn’t easy but I determined that I wasn’t going down with the ship. And if the ship did go down, which it didn’t that I was going down shouting with praise to God. I was so dependent upon him and him alone. As you can imagine that wasnt easy, as I had to let go of my will in regards to the loss of my brother. I had to make a decision and keep repeating the same decision. God I don’t understand, my heart is broken BUT I trust you. I could have thrown the tantrum of a lifetime. I had every right to. But just because we can, doesn’t mean we have to. I chose early on to be thankful for the time I had with him, to be grateful that he was at peace. I didnt meditate on my whys or being bitter. I know one thing about resentments, the more you chew on them the more that seed develops. And that right there my friends will break your balance any day of the week.
I’m not saying I didn’t grieve nor am I saying that I wasn’t sad. I was heartbroken but I didn’t let that determine the course of the ship. I had to keep my mind fixed on good things. I shut myself in for a while because I didn’t want anyone speaking negative things into a situation based on their own limited view. I had one concern to hear from God, him alone. And he was faithful and is faithful. He exchanged my sorrow for joy, my anguish for peace, my fear with trust. I thought I was surely too damaged. No way I could stand in another storm of loss to suicide. Let alone face breast cancer. Once again he proved me wrong and taught me i can do ALL things through him philippians 4:13
As I sit here recovering from a workout, its 5 months since having a double mascetomy and a 15 months post cervical spine surgery, I’m in awe of God’s strength. There is no damage that God can not undo!! Nothing!! He is restoring my mind back to a secure place. I am getting back my sea legs! Covid is yet another storm that is uncertain. I will face it like I have in the past. How about you? I don’t know what your boat looks like, I don’t know how many passengers are on board nor what the seas look like BUT I know the Captain and the one who created the ocean and the boat. No storm is too big for him. When you don’t know where the boat is headed keep your eyes fixed on him, the horizon. When you don’t know what turns are going to come, grab a hold of his hand and find rest in the storm. While it may look like a storm that would never be over or undone, rest assure he can give you sea legs to stand in the midst of it. Brace yourselves and stand! It’s uncharted territory for sure but that’s when the good stuff happens! When it’s not business as usual. Choice faith over fear! Everyday!He is a good good father who loves you and wants to create a purpose out of all this mess. Will you trust him? Pray these words with me.
Heavenly father I invite you to come into my boat, teach me your ways lord. God I ask that you would impart wisdom over every decision that needs to be made. I know that I need help lord and I cant do this on my own. I ask that you would strengthen me everyday to stand in the midst of uncertainty, chaos and calalmity until the day you call me home. In Jesus mighty name.
John 10:27-29 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand”
So, the last topic we dove into was fear and how to overcome it. This week’s blog is directly related to the last entry, so If you haven’t read “Test the Waters” I encourage you to do so. This whole week I have been soaking in and chewing up some things that are quite practical and closely related to our current situation as it relates to fear. We have seen and heard many negative connotations about how we are like sheep, how sheep follow blindly lack common sense etc., etc. What can be said about sheep other than they provide great resources and meet many needs. Did you know that sheep are mentioned more than 500 times in the bible? Anything written that frequent is cause for attention! There is a distinct parallel to how we behave like sheep, not in a negative way but more of a design. Furthermore, how can be possibly be compared to Jesus the Sacrificial Lamb who followed the Greatest Shephard? How can be even be worthy of such a parallel?
I have been exploring more of the social behaviors of sheep, what happens when things go wrong and interrupt the natural flow of things. What we know for sure is that beyond any shadow of any doubt sheep are prey! Sitting ducks if you will. That are incapable of truly defending themselves without the protection of the flock, its members and the Shephard. Their only sense of protection from other wildlife, is to stick together! They move together, they maintain eye contact while grazing in the field, and form close bonds with their unit. It is believed that they have feelings just like you and I do and even have similar reactions that you and I have when under stress. They develop a flock mentality and when one moves the other follows. They have a very acute sense of hearing and can actually capture a higher frequency of sound that is audible to our very own ears. So, in the face of a wolf or other predator, they either depend on one another or flee! 2 options because inside they are very meek, nervous, and mild tempered.
Imagine with me that we are in a flock together enjoying the light of the day, chewing the hay! There is a mild breeze in the air, just beside the calm still water. We make eye contact, even produce higher inflections of our best sheep voices because we are having such a great time just being together. Just a regular day! Until the big, bad wolf comes in the form of FEAR, which scatters us to and fro. Do you know the outcome? Even if we don’t actually die but are separated. No more social interaction, no more grazing and doing life together, we just simply scatter and are off to ourselves! There is so much danger in being left to ourselves because as sheep, when we are removed from the flock panic, stress, anxiety kick in and surely enough we fall PREY to a host of things. It may manifest itself in the physical sense as an illness, it may not. Maybe it’s disguised really well behind a mask and life as we know it is no longer the same. Now because of our panic-stricken state, and or trauma, we no longer have the capability to go back and form our social bonds because now we need post trauma care.
When sheep get into a state like this do you know what helps calm them? A soothing quiet voice of someone whom they trust and one whom they can see. Their Shepard! Their keen sense of hearing allows them to know that still small voice of the one who has protected them along! Things that make you go hmm. Right? Are we any different than this exact situation? COVID-19 hit, panic spread worldwide, everyone scattered and was basically forced into isolation. But is that really the safest option? At what expense did that pay on your mental health and ability to feel secure. God has called the body to be a like manner. We are regarded as his sheep. There is absolute safety in numbers and we often mimic one another’s behavior or go with the masses. I would never want to shame anyone into feeling bad about not attending church nor for being afraid. I think we are all kind of shell shocked. What I would like to do is encourage you to step out, test the waters and join the flock! We are truly dependent on one another, in a strength weakness sort of gamut. What I lack, you have and vice versa. We cannot be left to ourselves in isolation! I have seen far too much in regard to others keeping to themselves. All 3 of the men in my immediate family, including both of my brothers and my father, lost their lives to suicide. There were many other factors into the equation, but one certain truth is that they hid themselves from others and got left into their own thinking. How do I know that? Because any rational human being wouldn’t take their own life. See the truth is, we need each other to speak into our lives and when we have crazy feelings of fear, shame or pain we aren’t meant to bear those things alone. We are meant to stay together. What I see in our current situation is a trap! I have been praying and asking the Lord for wisdom during this season, to offer insight in ways that I can help others and myself. Part of my health is staying connected to my flock! They keep me sane when I get stuck inside my own mind and overthink things like thunderstorms.
For instance, just the other day, there was a wicked storm outside. The lightning was just over top of our neighborhood. Flashes that struck so bright, it lit up the dark. I sat in my kitchen alone and afraid. So, I decided I was going to make myself some Ramen soup right away in case the electric went out. I conquered that feat until I met another obstacle. I thought to myself how am I going to eat this with an electrical storm outside? I’m not grasping those metal objects to eat my soup! Seriously guys, I gave this a lot of thought! Was it rational? Surely not or maybe that’s up for debate. I had no one to bounce ideas off of so for me it became my truth! So that was just a silly illustration of how askew we can really get when we are left alone and afraid.
Now I understand that even though I was physically alone, I’m never alone. God is always with me! But what about when my fear is louder than his still small voice and I can’t hear him whisper? Sure, as I’m sitting here, I will tell you what I did. I panicked! Thankfully I was able to find some plastic ware, ate my soup inside and didn’t get struck by a bolt of lightning! So where are we in the midst of what’s happening around us? Do you have a sounding board? Do you know what else calms a petrified sheep? A mirror! Mirrors make them believe they aren’t really alone. Come on I know I’m not the only one with these crazy ideas. I know full well I need to stay with the parameters God set before me and stay connected to the flock and stay under the leadership of our Pastor.
Jesus wasn’t always with the masses; he often would withdraw himself and spend time alone with his father just as we are to do the same. For your own safety, don’t overdo it with the fear trap! Before you know it, you will be looking for plastic ware to eat your soup too! Seriously though, there are so many scriptures that reveal how loved we are by our Great Shepard and how he instructs us as his sheep. Here are a few of them for you to chew on!
John 10:1-16 ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
John 10:27-29 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
Matthew 18:12-14 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheepthan over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
1 Peter 2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Matthew 10:16
Verse Concepts
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.
John 1:29–1:29
29The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Saturated: holding as much water or moisture as can be absorbed; thoroughly soaked.
I’m a word junkie. Those who know me, know I like word games and puzzles for fun. It’s my forte’. While the term saturated is directly related to moisture, allow me to make a comparison in our current state of affairs. Like it or not, afraid or not, we are saturated with FEAR. It’s everywhere. Every station you turn on, Facebook “news”, worldwide panic is everywhere. What compounds the situation is not only are we saturated with fear, but we are off to ourselves left being isolated. The only thing worse than feeling afraid is, feeling alone and afraid.
I’m no stranger to fear. Fear has always been present in my life. Just to name a few, fear of rejection, abandonment, the unknown, death, even fear of my own feelings. At times, what I feared actually came to pass and at other times, it didn’t. So, what do you do when your back is against the wall, you can’t trust politics? You certainly can’t put your trust in money. Turn to the medical field or science and regulations change on a regular. Can’t trust! Simply put. Everything in society is changing.
So, I do what I always do in the face of uncertainty. Turn to God. His word is the only ABSOLUTE. The only certainty. What I have learned; death is certain, we all have an appointed time. Our days are numbered! (Psalms 139). It’s not a popular view, I’m sure I won’t get any Amen’s, but it’s the truth. On the flip side of that, God wants us to live a life full of hope and joy on this side of heaven. Even during a pandemic, even during a heated political race, even during some of the darkest days we have lived here on earth. So, what would be the purpose of fearing death? The only thing worse than death is spending it in an eternal hell! Jesus tore that veil, when I accepted him into my heart. What I have learned time and time again is to push in, to press through the fear until I hear from him myself. He is faithful every time. Sometimes he is quiet, other times, he speaks as soon as I enter his presence. His word tells us, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” John 10:27. He is good, he is faithful.
As we enter in his presence and lift up his son’s name, guess what happens to FEAR? It has to bow. You have the same ability with your mouth! We get to decide what we want to magnify. You can choose to magnify the problem or magnify the one who has the solution! His presence is readily available to ALL of us. I encourage you to lift up his name, silence the fear! I can tell you it’s futile to sit and watch the news, politics, etc. I’m not saying be ignorant to what’s happening around us, I’m saying don’t let it in your heart! Proverbs 4:23-27 “Above all else guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” What goes in, must come out! We are lost without him!
I’m not coming to you from a standpoint that I live in a bubble because I can assure you that I do not! Having survived the loss of 3 immediate family members to suicide, I surely thought my lot in life was surely going uphill. Much to my surprise, I went for my first mammogram last September. Sure as I’m sitting here typing, I thought God surely you will spare me from cancer, I’ve survived so much already! So I was completely shocked when I received the results and learned I had Stage 0 DCIS. Did fear grip me? Of course it did! Was God surprised? Certainly not. Did he want me to be sick? Certainly not. It was never his will for us to struggle in such a way, but he provided a way out for me. Through the grief, through the fear, I pressed. Every day I pressed into his presence. Everyday his joy overwhelmed my heart. It overtook the fear. The enemy had no foothold on me because I lifted up the name of Jesus. Not my name, I cannot boast on anything. Galatians 6:14- “As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified and the world’s interest in me has also died”.
I didn’t turn to men for counsel, I didn’t google every symptom or procedure. I had a choice! I prayed and took a step. Every step I took I was afraid. Every step that I came to, God met me, assured me, comforted me.I didn’t sit and talk about how afraid I was. Through a pity party about how bad I have it. I didn’t sit and say WOE is me, here I am. I kept my mouth quiet, and protected what went in. if it wasn’t full of life or hope, I wasn’t entertaining it. It had no value for me. Guess what? He carried me through. I just can’t imagine going through anything without him. He has been so faithful to me! Yet here I stand 5 months post-surgery, cancer free! Free from Fear and full of joy! I was prepared for death. I even spoke with my husband about my will should I not make it out of surgery. Because I know nothing is certain on this side of heaven. We are not promised tomorrow! I chose to be thankful for every day! Every day is a gift. My mindset was God I’m going in on the giving end. I’m going in to have surgery and I have you Lord, what about those who don’t know you. God shine through me. Radiate your essence through me.
In some ways, I’m grateful for what I went through because God stripped me of myself. It was no longer about the grief of losing my oldest brother. It transformed my prayer into God, I’m okay but what about them. If cancer takes me out, I want to spread your goodness to all those round me. I want to infect those with your presence. It was a transformation. We lost Rob on June 18th. In the days and months following his death, I struggled. It was like Mike Tyson’s punchout when you get sucker punched and have trouble standing. That was me. My knees were wobbling, I struggled to stand my ground. I felt like the wind got knocked out me. I remember crying out to God, “Please take me home Lord! This world has nothing for me. I’m ready to go!”. He whispered back, “There is still a battle to fight!”. I’m like seriously God, I’m tired of fighting.
Then came the diagnosis that shifted my perspective from take me home to Lord thank you for another day! Let’s do this. Let’s spread your love, hope and joy to EVERY human being. His presence allowed me to do what I was incapable of on my own. That same presence is available to you. He knows your name, he wants to speak to you privately, intimately and personally. What do you have to lose? When fear rises up, lift up your voice and magnify him. Whatever that looks like to you! Fear will leave, you will encourage yourself and he will fill you with whatever you need. You will lack nothing in him.
And when you have done your part, take a step! Do it afraid and TEST THE WATERS. The only way to overcome fear is to face it afraid. And as you keep walking, you might feel afraid, but it will go as you continue to seek him. He will make your steps secure Psalms 37:23. You will then begin to walk tall, not in yourself but in his strength. Let him SATURATE your life with his presence.
As a child, when my mom would take us to the beach, we always packed fruit. For some reason fruit always tastes better to me on a hot sunny day. Didn’t matter what kind, we did not discriminate against berries, melons or citrus fruits. Pay it forward 40 years later, I continue the same tradition as an adult. Just the other day I packed a fresh cucumber salad, some watermelon, a few other choice things and peaches. It was a rather hot and muggy kind of day at the shore. One where you can only survive by putting your chair in the water, as you feel the cool water wash upon the shoreline, sweeping over your toes. Every once in a while, a bigger wave might come through and if you are fortunate it will splash more of your heavily heated body. Despite the minor inconvenience of getting up to retrieve your food, making trips back and forth the chair, it was a great day.
On one of those random trips, I grabbed the nostalgic peach. For whatever reason, I only like to eat them on the beach. So, I grabbed my peach and headed for the chair. I enjoyed it of course, however when I was finished, I was left with this slimy “pit”. I figure ah I may as well hold on it, while I relish the flavor that lingered. AS I sat there holding this large seed in my hand, I questioned planting it in my backyard, as COVID-19 has turned me into quite the gardener. I googled how to plant the pit, what time of year is good, etc. All of my planning came to a halt when a large crowd of seagulls came swooshing down. Like most fellow New Jerseyeans, I panicked, jumped up and said, “I’m going to put this away, so these darn birds don’t attack me. They have a tendency to get quite aggressive down here! And that was that. I put it away and forget all about it. Never gave it to much thought, even chucked in the trash when I got home to remember it no more. Now I’m quite certain you have much better things to do than read my story about a meaning peach pit. But what if it’s not?
Fast forward to several days later, I set an intention to spend time with God and read his word. I look at the arrows that fly by during these times we are living in and I ask God how can I help? Lord there has to be way. You planted me here at this specific time in history and I have such a burden for people who are left not knowing you. I also asked how we can dissect this into simple terms that people who read and have little understanding of the gospel understand and receive you. Things began to stir in my heart as they often do, so I dug into his word.
Allow me to try and break this down. There is nothing worse than when you go to the doctor and they speak all of these medical terms and you nod your head not understanding a word that was spoken. Futile and a waste of time. What is common amongst everyone during this time the pandemic are laws, rules and regulations. Every place you go has a different set of rules and you try your best not to break the code, nor offend anyone. Simply trying to respect the rules set into place. Now that would be an easy assignment if the rules were clear, however lines get a little blurred the more to step back into society after being in isolation. In the same manner we know the Bible has laws set into place, not for punitive purposes but to keep us safe. Similar to COVID these rules are set to protect your health and the health of those around you. The word of God is not much different. But being human as we are, we often present a skewed interpretation of who God is. Some try to police others to see who is breaking the laws, not out love but judgement. Some break out their sin-o-meters and compare themselves to one another in order to boost their own moral. Human, we are human. Every single one us! Imperfect people who try to follow a perfect God. We are no different from those who walked with Christ! Still people trying to formulate our relationship with God on our human terms. None the less, we need laws. Laws set limits and keep us safe. But what does the word of God have to say about the law? Romans 5:20 in the message bible says, “All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins, hands down.” So, does this give us the free pass to go about doing wrong, relying on the fact that God will forgive us? Absolutely not! However, when you come to realize that each and every one of us will fall short of trying to walk a line of perfection, we know that God is able to extend his grace to help or assist us to fight. The fact of the matter is, without Christ none of us are good enough. We try to be good, which benefits humanity, however our good behavior doesn’t grant us a passport to become a citizen of heaven. It is his will that none of us perish but all would have eternal life (John 3:16). This is also the basis for our walk with him. Remember the peach pit? Galatians 3:19 says, “What then was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgression until the SEED to whom was promise was made would come”
That seed, Jesus! What God already knew was that we were incapable of perfection, so he sent a spotless lamb to stand in our place before a holy God.
What good would a seed be if it weren’t planted? It would wither up and die. Dry out and be good for nothing. What happens when that seed is planted in your life? It grows. Through time and experience with God that seed begins to flourish, and we then realize what Paul says, “And I know that nothing good live in me, that is my sinful nature, I want to do what is right, but I can’t”. Our intentions may be good but try as we might we will all fail. Without the seed of Christ in our lives we really have nothing! No good thing as he said. We live in a world troubled with chaos and when put under enough pressure we will all break more than a few times. I know for myself I fail on a daily, but I continually try. Spending time with God is the only way to produce any kind of fruit. His presence is more than enough to sustain us through these difficult times.
The choice is yours, as well as it is mine. Remember when I threw away that peach pit? I urge you to accept that seed of Christ. He paid the price for all us. As that seed lives in you, you will develop a new life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone, a new life has begun!” Are you looking for a fresh start? Tired of the news, media and daily life impacting with fear of the future? Accept the seed of eternal life today! He will start a new thing within you, that is full of life, hope and love. One day you will look in the mirror and not even recognize yourself anymore. The wrinkles on your face, will become renewed. The fruit of your soul will be sweet, like a fresh peach on a hot summer’s day.
To Cultivate: 1: prepare and use (land) for crops or gardening 2: into acquire or develop (a quality, sentiment, or skill)
The term “cultivate” has become a very familiar adjective that is commonly used during my recent endeavors with yoga. It is used to describe the manner in which, my practice or capability is being developed. What is great about it, is way more than the strength gained, balance or ability but the simplicity that there is no rules or regulations. It is my practice in which I’m cultivating. No judgements, no pressure added other than the way in which I judge myself or fear the judgements from others. I am cultivating my practice each time I step on the mat and plant my feet. It takes time to develop, practice, focus, sacrifice, etc. I guess what I’m trying to say is, it doesn’t just happen! So today as I’m eating leftover snow crabs, I began reflecting on Psalms 91. Follow me here, for a bit longer and I will reveal the comparison. It is a very familiar verse, in almost any faith, commonly spoken during times of difficulty. “You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day” . While there is so much value in the whole chapter, and I would never want to dismiss it in its entirety, it’s how David began the Psalm that struck me the most. It begins, “Whoever dwells in the shadow of the Most High, will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Thereafter are listed the many benefits of dwelling or cultivating your relationship with God, if you will. In order to find this place of rest, one would have to spend time dwelling or living in his presence. Because we live here on Earth, being bound by responsibilities, it isn’t necessarily possible to live in his presence, but spend time with him. When I began to walk with the lord during the young adult days of my life, practicing his presence wasn’t something natural nor easily attained. It took practice, experiences, faithfulness, etc. I wasn’t really sure how to access his presence, so I surrounded myself with others who knew. It was during this time, that I began cultivating my faith and relationship with God. As time went on, I began to know him, understanding his characteristics, his attributes, his heart, his ways, wisdom and the list goes on and on. I could stay here for hours writing about how good he is and how in spite of it all, many trials, much anguish I learned to lean on him. Over time, I have learned that his presence is always available and not limited to a building with four walls, nor a specific prayer that I recite. His presence is real in my everyday life. Similar to preparing soil, he had to break up the ground in my heart that was heavy laden with lies of rejection, bitterness, hurt, sorrow, grief, nothing good really! Over time he softened my heart and bit by bit, it became like a human heart. Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh”. And that is exactly what transpired! God himself, the maker of heaven and earth, gave me a heart transplant. Over time, we developed trust, and he delicately dealt with every issue of my heart. He took the broken pieces and restored them back together with his love and presence. I could sit here and rehash every last detail of my life and tell you how painful it has been, but I am certain that you have a story of your own. I want to encourage you today to begin to practice or cultivate your relationship with God. He wants to know you intimately. There isn’t any judgement, he just requires that you participate and reveal yourself to him. Not the places that just neat and pretty, but those dark areas that you want to keep covered. What he has done for me, he will do the same for you. Will you trust him today? Will you develop your practice, that you may find Rest in his arms? I look around me and I see troubled waters, but I also see the God who can provide peace in any storm or situation. You don’t have to be in a building, meet with him right where you are. Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and invite him to walk beside you today. It will be the greatest decision of your life.
Have you ever heard the expression, “a watched pot doesn’t boil?”. I remember it quite vividly, especially when I’m in the kitchen preparing a meal, while my stomach is having hunger pangs. And it’s true, you stand there waiting for the tiny bubbles to appear and yet nothing happens! Patience is indeed a virtue. While this scenario seems miniscule, I think a lesson we are all learning is patience.
“The watched pot” may look different for all of us. As a preschool teacher, patience is a term used quite frequently. I don’t consider it so much the waiting aspect to be the problem, however, but my attitude while waiting. We all can decide how to wait. Think about it. We will always have something to wait for. If it’s not the traffic light, or the amazon package you have been waiting for, it’s always something. We will always wait for something, because as human nature would have it, we always want something.
I’ve learned much about patience, not just from working with children but on a more personal level. These last 3 years have been a whirlwind. Beginning with chronic pain, which led to spine surgery. I learned the most valuable lesson. As a faith filled person, I had little doubt that the God, who created man from the soil of the earth, possessed the full capacity to heal me. I didn’t doubt it, not for one second. Having faith is one thing, but faith is an active word, which requires you to move. “Faith without works is dead”- James 2:18 So, I had to decide what my attitude would look like while I was waiting, trying every method known to man to ease the pain I was in, yet trusting God that he had me. I didn’t stop asking, yet I wasn’t sitting looking at the pot to boil either. I had to do my part. Knock on doors and dive into waters that we not yet traveled. I didn’t quit, but I did get a little frustrated with God because he wasn’t answering me. Or so I thought.
The lessons I learned during this time, were absolutely life changing. Thank God he wasn’t moved by my frustration and pain. The work he did inside was far greater than the pain I experienced during that season. I learned to be patient with myself. I had to embrace a new way of thinking, while I waited. I knew full well that my healing would come through, as he so faithfully spoke to me during that time. It wasn’t a long speech, simply put, “Your pain has an expiration date”. I clung to it! It filled me with hope. So, I held onto that and embraced “my new normal” for the time being.
What I learned, pretty basic. I had two choices. The first was to get caught up in everything that I could no longer do, due to pain, or focus on what I was able to do. It was a vigorous study program! It was daily and it took commitment. My problem didn’t resolve right away buy mind was renewed. I learned to stay positive. Mental health is so critical, not just for facing challenges, but life in general. Things change all the time, times are uncertain, but we can always maintain our integrity within our mind. It is a powerful thing! If you feed it garbage, it will produce stench! Feed it life and it will produce life.
So how is this relevant to you? We all have things we are waiting for and things that are completely uncertain. Face the challenges one day at a time. Take moments throughout the day and be kind yourself. It’s so easy to get wrapped up when we feel trapped. While we may be constricted physically right now, your mind never has to be constricted. Patience isn’t really waiting. It’s your attitude while you’re waiting. Guess what? You get to decide how you choose to wait. No one can do that for you. So, don’t sit and stare at the pot to boil, find something else to do while your waiting. My pot may not look like yours. Yours might be a bit bigger, or smaller, more condensed. Maybe you are cooking with gas, maybe electric. None the less, I’m grateful God didn’t answer me the way I wanted him to. He wasn’t moved by my tantrums either. He saw what was best for me. In like manner, simply ask, “God what do you want me learn during this season?” When you cooperate with him, you will be sure to come out with treasures that are hidden in dark spaces- Isaiah 45:3
Many times, we may miss certain parallels in our lives. God is continually speaking. Similar to a radio station, his voice is constantly speaking. It is really dependent upon whether or not we are tuned in to hear what he is saying. I often tune into the simple yet profound in which creation speaks. Science provides such valuable insight about the natural world. Information is gathered through observations and experiments. The human body, while created by God, has certainly been studied, observed, evaluated, reassessed and so on. What can we learn from the disciplines of science and how it relates to what God says in his word? There is so much to be explored. We never will truly fully understand, because we are so limited in our natural thinking. None the less, I am forever grateful for the work and study of those who continue to pursue ways to understand our bodies design. I am not an expert in the field, but I have an insatiable desire to learn. Greater than that, I love to find the connection between science and the word of God.
Sodium in the body is essential, both in the physical body and the church body. As we walk and mature in our walk with the Lord, we begin to see the value and significance of becoming part of his family. Not limited to any particular denomination, practice or ways in which you practice your faith. If you have served long enough, and have remained faithful, committed to your extended family in the faith, you will soon start to see how God designed it for us to flourish. Try as we might, we will always miss the mark. Similar to familial disputes, we will also brush elbows with others, bringing out the worst in ourselves. Thus, serving as a constant reminder that we are a dysfunctional family with sibling rivalry.
Growing up in my household, we all had a certain responsibility to help our household function. Whether it was taking out the trash, or what my father referred to as, “dish detail”. We all contributed. It eased the tasks of everyday living and caused us to be better equipped for adulthood. In a similar manner, God outlined his design for the church body. Each of play a significant role in becoming one body. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 explains how we are meant to be one body with many parts. In order to thrive and be effective in our communities, the whole body is designed to work together, “One body, many parts.” Similar to our human bodies, each organ must do what its designed to do, in order for it to run efficiently.
There is much to be said about salt in both our human bodies, as well as the body of Christ. Each organ requires a specific amount of sodium and balance to function properly. In the same manner, each member of the body of Christ is responsible for his or her salt intake. Matthew 5:13-16 “you are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?” Verse 14 explains what salt is intended for as it makes a parallel to the being the light of the world. We see the comparison between salt and light.
What does this light and salt look like? Salt serves a variety of purposes, but we know that it does not equate to physical light. So, what does Matthew imply with the body of believers? My first thought when I hear the term salt is flavor! One of my favorite purposes for salt is to cook, bringing out the flavor of Porterhouse steak or bumping up the desire for green beans. A little salt goes a long way! But what happens when salt loses its flavor? It no longer becomes desirable. What then happens when members of the body lose their saltiness? The church body no longer becomes desirable.
One body, many parts, right? So, I would pose a question to all of my fellow members in the body of Christ, what’s in your saltshaker? We each hold something so valuable and tangible to promote the kingdom of God on this side of heaven, yet I can’t be responsible for your salt and you can’t take care of mine. One body has one purpose! The ultimate goal is reflective of what God’s heartbeat is for all of humanity. “That none would perish but all would have everlasting life”. During this time in our history of COVID 19, we have the privilege and obligation to take care of our saltshaker to provide the proper balance for yourself and the body of Christ. In this series I’d like to take a deeper look into how to preserve our saltshaker and how to bring back its flavor. Stay tuned for there is more about salt coming your way!
IN DEEP WATERS 