Climb that wall.

Our family recently joined Lifetime Fitness which is a HUGE gym, much a like a country club in its design and amenities. We feel very spoiled and are loving the family time it has given us as we share activities such as swimming and rock climbing together, along with working out with the big boys upstairs. It's become more of a lifestyle of togetherness and health. We've enjoyed it much!

The Kids Club is wonderful and the little ones never want to leave even after their 2 hour time limit. Half the time we go, it's because they are insisting we go! Their favorite treat right now is the rock climbing wall. the first time they scaled it, it was with apprehension and a very slow pace. Now, they lock in and they are up within a minute and back down again, ready for the next climb!

 I LOVE watching them climb. To see their courage grow as their muscles get a good workout to say the least. I hook each one into their harness and lock them in and give them a slight lift onto the first holds, then they are on their own. I stand cheering safely from the ground keeping a watchful eye as they near the ceiling which must be 3 stories up. WOW!!! All smiles.
I've climbed that wall in my head, imagining what it must be like but honestly, while part of me is not sure how my elbow will hold up, I am also pretty nervous about falling. Nope, haven't seen one person fall...I trust it for my children, but for some reason I hadn't made the climb for me yet. I have soooo enjoyed just watching and helping guide from below. Also, everyone climbing these walls know what they are doing and are physically fit to do it.
Here I am a flabby 40 year old (eventhough I feel younger than that in my heart and mind) and I cannot imagine first, the image of my booty bulging out of the booty harness, an area I try very hard to HIDE, not expose!!! And second, how clumsy will I be?!? What if I can't even get up onto the wall?!? That would be totally embarrassing. So, I choose the Observer position, and perfectly happily there!!

Well, that was until this week. My teen brought me a harness and said, " Here Mom, your turn." With a big grin, I chuckled, "Oh no. I couldn't. I'm good, thank you." Pushing the harness in my face, he insisted. I hadn't shared any reasons why I didn't think I could do it. I knew some were convenient excuses and at his age, he'd see right through them too. He is aware of my slight fear of heights and all things daring. He dared me. A lot of fear and little bit of pride had kept me off that wall and my son was calling me out. I harnessed up. He tightened my straps. He locked me in, just as I had done a hundred times for all 4 of them.
I tried to stop imagining my booty bulge. I tried to remember that my little kids were doing it and so should I be as capable. Determined, I took the first climb up with his encouragement. He said, " Just don't look down, keep going just like a ladder. All the way." He cheered me on and kept me focused. There were a few times I wanted to look down to see where I was, but I knew that'd be a bad idea, so I kept my eyes focused on the next hold...where did my hand go next? My foot? I did notice the depth below me but I didn't look. One grab at a time, I made it up. "Good job Mom! Now jump back and come down." WHAT?!?!?!? I have to get down!!!! Oh no!!!!!! PANIC!!! What if I fall? Where my straps on right? Fearful and doubting thoughts flooded my mind...I remember thinking the same thing when I was pregnant...the pregnancy was a delight but then the last few weeks you begin to face reality that some 8lb (one was 10lbs!!!) watermelon-sized object was about to pass through you know where and that just doesn't make sense and all of a sudden seems impossible and panic erupts, how in the world????? There I sat at the same intellectual crossroad. How in the world.
I'd seen everyone else jump back with great control. But what about me...did I do my clips right? I was clinging so close to the wall, I couldn't look down to check them. My belly was up against the wall. I slowly began to climb down one step at a time, hearing from below, just jump back!! Did I trust what I knew to be fact, that others had done this, that I had made it all the way up, that I knew I was harnessed in correctly, that jumping back was the right way to get down that Jack in the Beanstalk high wall. With a deep breath of pure faith, I let go of one hand at a time and released the wall through my last finger. It was slow motion as my mind raced but my body repelled steadily down. Such a crazy experience emotionally and physically. I believed, therefore I acted.
My nervous-anxious smile became a rejoicing-happy-to-be-alive-can't-believe-I-made-it smile!!!
Together, we walked over to the other "Kiddie" climb, climbing side by side, I made it half way up, then I I hit a pitch and gracefully and humbly came back down. I wasn't ready for the little necessary jump. The employee came over to me and instructed me to get back up and go again. I said politely NO! My body and mind had accomplished great things already and I was done!! He scaled up that wall to show me the holds and as he jumped down he bluntly said, not asked, but said, "You have trust issues. You have to trust your equipment. You have to clear out the doubt in your head, knowing this is all a mental game, not physical. You must learn to trust."
Had he been reading my blog? Did he read minds? I'm kidding, but obviously God was using this young man to call out my fear and doubt. It's true that I have trust issues. While I have come a really long way, trust goes deeper than we can know. Like ants building up their mounds one grain at a time, every hurt, a small bit of a wall begins to build and before we know it, we have a mound that must be brought down, again!
When we are betrayed, trust can be lost with that person and because we are commanded to forgive as Believers, we forgive and allow the restoration process to begin. Love Hopes and keeps no record of wrongs, and yet there are consequences that scars mark.
God allows things in our lives to bring us closer to Him. Great blessing or devastating hurts, all ought to cause us to fall at the feet of the Cross where Covenant blood covers and holds us, binding us closer to Him. God is love, hope, courage, peace, comfort and healing. Revenge is His. Redemption is His. So, although we may have lost a sense of trust with another person, we can not and must be careful to never transfer those feelings to Christ our Savior, who has faithfully stood on that Hill for us from the beginning of time and stands waiting to come again. He is trustworthy.
God will never leave you or forsake you. We cannot always make sense of what's going on in our circumstances but we must act on what true, and trust what we know, that God sits on the throne. He sees us. He has a plan for us. God is Alpha and Omega, without time. He has been where we are going and walks beside us now. There is nothing that escapes Him eventhough our minds may race thinking otherwise, even with perfect logic to believe otherwise. Satan wants you to be overcome with fear cuz nothing stops a person in their tracks faster than for them to fear and freeze!!
A fearful, doubting person retreats. A courageous, trusting person moves forward. Which direction do you want to go? If you have faith, you will move forward as you cling tightly to The Rock. If you fear, you will fall.
No matter what wall you must climb today, won't you trust the equipment God has given you in His Word? The armor to battle and conquer? Harness up, lock in and step up, eyes forward to the next hold. One hold at a time, one step at a time, carefully and intentionally moving forward, till you make it to the other side. Hear the cheers of those who have gone before you and even stand with you now, encouraging, cheering, focusing you...now. You...must...trust. You must have faith in what you trust. Love Hopes. Do you?

Scriptures to reflect on:

Ephesians 6: 10-13 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm."

Proverbs 3:5-8 " Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones."

God, I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!! Therefore I TRUST YOU. Guard my heart, mind, soul and spirit that it may it always be so. AMEN!!!!!!

Another lesson learned, "Just like you."

"Beaten up, marked up and even small, it is a crucial piece and it's precise placement is hugely important. The fact that it is a solid piece is what makes it work. Without this small plank of wood, there would be serious problems in the Dickerson Garage!!"

"So, what does it do? It marks the place of boundary. It holds a place a value. It is a guide. It helps show the way in. There is another board at the front of the garage holding another place of boundary, resting just on the other side of the front tires. Without these boards, as small and insignificant as they may seem, we would have some serious damage. These two boards are strategically placed in our garage to set the boundary for whoever is driving the vehicle as they maneuver it carefully into the garage... Therefore, it is crucial the two seemingly insignificant boards remain in their pre-determined placement. Otherwise, things will go bad quickly!!"

As I penned these words this morning, God was shaping within me another illustration about these boards. In my spirit I heard, "just like you." I stopped for a minute to make sure I was writing what I was supposed to and I felt I was. There were two lessons to be learned from my boards. Here is Lesson Two...

Not only do these boards represent guides in our lives, but they can also be a lesson inward....us as a board. Just as we can see those boards as boundaries and or guides for us, we too, can be that guide or boundary for someone else. It goes both ways as "iron sharpens iron." We live in such a "Me Society" and when you couple that with our selfish nature, we tend to filter life through the lens of how does that help or affect me rather than how does this implicate me. 

I have always struggled with my value, my small self, my seemingly insignificant self. And yet, like these boards, while marked up, scarred, and tethered, each holds a crucial placement in my home. I, too, small and seemingly insignificant was given a pre-determined placement for such a time as this. I don't have all the answers to my own life, much less anyone elses, none of us do, but I know that we were created with a purpose. You and I were placed here, today, in this place, with all we have and don't have physically, emotionally and spiritually, for a reason. We have value. On our own we are nothing but with Christ our Strength, Reason, Purpose, Redeemer, we are crucial to His Home. By His grace, if "iron sharpens iron" then despite our scuffs and splinters, jagged edges, we are special, with purpose, and each hold a crucial place. By faith, we are built solid and sure! 

Maybe you are one of those "boards" and you already know how important and valuable you are, recognizing your preciousness. Good, may you be the iron that sharpens us who are weaker, to see our value. To encourage our hope. To stand in the gap where are greatest cracks are.  

God has created us to be solely dependent on Him as we also live in community, many parts of one body, each recognizing our crucial part and learning how to encourage each other in Love's sweet Name. Pray today and ask God to not only give you guides and boundaries in your life, but that He would also show you how you are that same guide and boundary of hope, encouragement and love in the lives of those around you. There are no mistakes in the House of God! Everything has been pre-determined from the beginning of time....including YOU!!!!! 

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing...And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle,encourage the fainthearted,help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone."

I Thessalonians 5:11, 14-15

Those two white boards!!

I know, WOW!! A 3 ft piece of wood. Impressive right? It lays at the front of my garage, just inside the opening. It's not a fancy board. It's cut up and has a few splinters and even has visible marks running up and down it. And yet, there is is in my garage, probably the most valuable thing in the garage in my opinion. Okay, the lock on the door would really be the most valuable/important thing in the garage, but this would be second!!

Beaten up, marked up and even small, it is a crucial piece and it's precise placement is hugely important. The fact that it is a solid piece is what makes it work. Without this small plank of wood, there would be serious problems in the Dickerson Garage!!

So, what does it do? As you can see in the photo (sorry not great quality-I took last night with my phone as God shared this with me), it rests beside the tires of the car. It marks the place of boundary. It holds a place a value. It is a guide. It helps show the way in. There is another board at the front of the garage holding another place of boundary, resting just on the other side of the front tires. Without these boards, as small and insignificant as they may seem, we would have some serious damage. These two boards are strategically placed in our garage to set the boundary for whoever is driving the vehicle as they maneuver it carefully into the garage. The side board is a guide in. It provides protection and help for all the many other belongings to be sure they are not crushed upon entering. The front board lets us know when we have reached the place we need to stop, keeping us from crashing through the wall just a few feet away. As the driver backs in, the focus is on the two boards and nothing else. Therefore, it is crucial the two seemingly insignificant boards remain in their pre-determined placement. Otherwise, things will go bad quickly!!

Last night as we were pulling in the Jeep, I almost panicked when I didn't feel the front board. And it looked like we were about to crush some important stuff!! CAREFUL!!!!! WAIT!!! Let me check the board....ahhh, okay, just one more 1" and we would have reached it. Oh how we need and count on those two boards.

Last night, the Lord showed me how crucial having boards in my life are, for all of us. Something that guides me in, shows me where to center myself, where to stop, how far I can go, where my focus needs to be, something solid that if I bump up against it, I will surely know I have gone off course. The Lord God is just that boundary-giver. He strategically places "boards" in our lives to be our guide. The Holy Spirit is our most important guide, " But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." John 14:26-27

Through the Holy Spirit, we are given other boards which may be found in our disciplines: how we follow and obey His commandments and rules, the discipline we have in our prayer life, study times, priorities, where and how we serve; and even through our relationships with family, friends and the world. There are "leaders" in your life, those who have gone before you and those who walk beside you today. God has not left us aimless. If we will just take our eyes off everything around us, focus on the solid boards which set our boundaries, we will find ourselves centered in to the place we need to be...a place we were created and purposed to be.

What boards surround you? Emotional boundaries? Physical boundaries? Spiritual boundaries? If you cannot think of any, or you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, you just might need to stop "driving" and find those boards before you crush something of value, including yourself!

God has a plan for you and has provided a way for you to accomplish it. Set your eyes on Him and find your place of true rest, protection and provision. Obedience brings blessings!! Trust Him and do not be anxious!! 

"So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them." 
Hebrews 13:6-9

Drenched

Has this ever happened to you? That unexpected WOOSH of a wave that penetrates through every layer of clothing?!? It's less funny the older I get, although since the most recent one happened on my way home, it was actually a bit funny!!

This morning when I was out for a walk, I had this flash back from a few weeks back when water saturated through and through. I have been soaked worse. This was mild comparingly. Standing nearby the curb after a rain, cars would pass by, slowing down, moving over, obviously seeing me and being respectful knowing the power of their car could drench me and only a small SWISH of water would bump up on the curb. Other cars on the other hand were either: 1.) not paying attention and could not respond quick enough at their rate of speed, cutting it close the edge where the largest amount of water puddled; or 2.) they just didn't care knowing they would be gone and there would be no consequences as I stand there dripping wet, completely shocked at the sudden impact of cold water thrusted at me.
I wonder about the drivers of those cars, today and previously. As water, or leaves, rocks, dirt, or trash blow up in my face as they blaze past me, I wonder if they even realize what havoc they are leaving behind as they go on their way. There is no way to avoid making "waves" as you go by, but you can control how big they are. 
We all make some sort of impact. You have a choice though....You can either slow down, move away from the edge and take care to have control over your impact or you can blaze through, leaving behind you a path of destruction as you go along with your day, ignorant or should I say arrogant of what kind of impact you have made.
Now, get yourself out of the Driver's Seat of the car, and think of yourself as a Driver of Self. You alone are in control of you! No one can control you. Your choice is yours. When you go through your day today, what impact are you going to leave as you go along? Are you taking time to slow down, be respectful, consider your surroundings and have self control? Or will you hurry along, ignorantly or arrogantly, mindless of what impact you are making on those around you?
It's more than Live for Today, Leave a Legacy of Good....it's not all about us. We are impacting those around us, those we know and strangers alike. What kind of impact are YOU making as you go through your day?
And if you happen to be the one who is devastated by another one's passing through, well, that could be a whole other blog, but may I remind you that God is a just God and He will give you Grace Sufficient to "clean up." God sees when you are devastated. Nothing escapes Him. We all have consequences to our sin. Praise God, He has paid the penalty for them on the Cross so that we may be forgiven and redeemed, but there will still be consequences. We just won't get what we ultimately deserve which is eternal death. He gives us Hope, Strength, Endurance and Joy in all circumstances. He may even give you someone to laugh with you when others laugh at you. God is good.
To God be the Glory as we honor Him through loving Him and loving others, forgiving ourselves and forgiving others.

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." 

Colossians 3:12-14

Uphill vs Downhill

Imagine you are out riding your bike and then you notice in the distance a slight change in the elevation and it's taking you UPHILL? For the moment it seems thrilling as you continue pedaling along and begin the climb UPHILL...only to be at a near stop half way up!! You don't have momentum to get up top the topside. So, you stop to catch your breath and then as you push off to go, you find yourself actually sliding backwards. I wish I hadn't of stopped!!!! Now, I am not only back where I started but I'm exhausted and still need to find the energy to get UP that HILL!! The Good News is I now know what I need to do to get over that hill to the other side!! Here I go...digging deep...pushing off...digging deeper...pushing through the pain...seeing the top!!!! At the top!!!! Yay!! Now, to coast downhill and catch my breath. What a feeling of freedom to now be flying DOWNHILL!! (The only time I think the phase "headed downhill" is a good one~LOL!) (I also can't help but thinking about my 15 year old as he learns how to drive his manuel-drive Jeep uphill!!! We certainly avoid whatever hills we can!! LOL!!!)

What was the key to getting UPHILL? Awareness. Awareness that there was a hill coming. Awareness that momentum was necessary to get up there. Awareness that it will take extra effort but the other side will be one of freedom. Do not stop...it's much harder to keep going if you stop. You may just have to dig deep and start over, taking with you the Good News of The Way to get to the other side.

We don't know what our future holds. "Hills" for us can be right around the corner while sometimes they can be seen in the distance. What we need is the awareness that "hills" will come and since we don't always know when they will be upon us, we must keep our momentum. If we are idling along, odds are we won't make it up that hill. We need to dig deep, daily, consistently, always ready to get up and over those "hills." Some may be higher than others, and some may be enough to jump over, but one thing is for sure, you must be ready!

Are you gaining momentum today for your next "hill?" What are you doing today to be ready? How are you "digging deep?" 

Or are you stopped on your "hill," sliding backwards? How can you "dig deep" and gain that momentum to get UPHILL?

No matter who you are, how long you have been a Believer in Jesus Christ, we ALL need our Daily Bread. We ALL need to find our momentum,  that "digging deep," into The Lord as we find strength and endurance up and over our "hills." Taking with us The Good News that God has gone before us and knowing we can get over that 'hill" infront of us if we trust Him and don't stop!!!

Here are some ways I personally am digging deep in this season in my life...hope it encourages you to find how God would prompt you to dig deep to get up your "hills."

 * Start before my feet hit floor and End my day in prayer...adoration, confession, intercession for self/others, protection. When you "pray without ceasing", it is constant communication throughout the day, so here and there, I'm asking for awareness. But there are also times where it is necessary to stop and pray as the Holy Spirit leads...especially in warfare.

  * Being in The Word DAILY is crucial!! "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" Hebrews 4:12...on my own, I am weak!

  * Accountability. I LOVE women's bible studies. Not only is there teaching from those who have been gifted with teaching the wisdom of the Word, but you also find accountability within the group. Love that!! You won't likely find yourself idling by...as "iron sharpens iron" you find that momenteum.

  * I cannot stop! It is obvious if I miss a study day or if I go with how I am feeling, cuz there are plenty of days I feel like being idle. Digging deep is not easy. It takes strength and endurance which on my own, I don't have. I will slide back. Thankful that when I do slide back, I can repent and start again, knowing The Good News!!

  * Remembering that I am not alone on the "hills." Everyone has hills. Also, I cannot compare or whine about who's hill is greater or lesser. I need to dig deep, gain my own momentum and quit worrying about everyone else. I am encouraged when I see others around me digging deep to get up their "hill" and that pushes me to dig deeper too!

  * Do not fear!!! Be aware of idling and idoling!! Be ready to battle! Be in the Word. Be aware of "elevation" changes. Don't fear or grow weary about the climb up. If you have already gained momentum, you will get up it quicker and with less pain. Get up. Get over. Enjoy the freedom headed down on the other side.

"And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, 

encourage the fainthearted, 

help the weak, 

be patient with them all." I Thess 5:14

Friend, your first hill needs to be the Hill of Calvary. God loved you so much, He knows the hills you need to get over, and He made a way for you through the Gift of His Son. Get yourself up on that Hill and get the gift of Life. See the Blood that He dug so deep. Then, find yourself on the other side of that Hill where Freedom is. He is alive and risen so that you may have life abundantly! There is Hope. There is Peace. There is Strength. There is Endurance.

Good News is found Uphill and Freedom is found Downhill!