Finding Jesus on the outside of your book!

It's that time of year again! Time to join the next Bible Study. Women's Bible studies have been a part of my journey for many, many, many years and anticipation grows with each one. Oh the joy of knowing something great is going to happen in the heavenly world we live in and the one we can touch and feel here. 
Week by week, new friendships are established and old ones strengthen, minds are blown at new truths learned and hearts softened and God's healing balm binds our wounds. Our spirits rejoice at the gathering, can you even imagine what He must feel when His children come to Him and ask for His love, assurance, direction and courage, peace and healing, wisdom and hope!?! We come feeling inadequate but eager to know our Father Better. You know He must leap off the Throne and smile! Do you think He exclaims HALLELUJAH!?! I bet He does!
Today, our small group gathered for our first day of Entrusted. As I prayed over our gathering time, God opened my eyes to something I hadn't really thought of and I shared it with the ladies, and I would like to share it with you too for the sake of deeper and wider growth as we enter in.
When we join a study and face the soul-searching, Scripture-homework, the tough questions, learning about God, learning about ourselves, we are seeking something more. More of what though? More than what we have. This week, God opened my eyes to look beyond the workbook itself. To see more than the Q&A's being asked of me. What happens on the outside of the book is just as important as what happens on the inside. Both have direct impacts on heart change. I have never focused on what happens on the outside of the covers of these books. Reflecting back, I see what He is talking about. 
Take the workbook away and ask a group of women to set aside 45 minutes of uninterrupted time every day to pray and worship and then a 2 hour time away to talk every week about their experiences, for 8 weeks and you've already seen a miracle! Then, we add into these moments, actual heart-work. Some chiseling and others mending work. It is exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. 
There is nothing like it when we intentionally get on the same page as God, with our Sisters. We grow in unique ways, one of which is accountability. When we join a study with other women, we are saying I don't want to do this alone, I want you to do it with me. We are committing ourselves as much to each other as we are to the personal study commitment between us and the Lord. We are saying I am going to walk this road with you and we will figure this out and help each other as we go. We are agreeing that our spirits can trust The One Who has gathered this specific group together at this specific time, for such a time as this to honestly share. We are gathering expecting to glimpse an extra dose of reality and strength. To know we are not the only ones struggling to answer question 4, page 26. To hear we are not the only woman stuck in a certain bad habit or behavior. To realize I am not the only one giving it my all I have and seeing no fruit, yet. To confirm something I have wondered. To be refreshed in Sisterhood blessings of laughter and hugs.
So often we see Bible study as the commitment to answered questions on the pages when what God is searching for is hearts falling deeper in Love's Name. Any Bible study we do, we ought to be looking for Jesus, on and off the pages. 
If you are new to a study or jumping back into one soon, I challenge you, I encourage you to look beyond the pages for what God has planned for you. Maybe your discipline for daily time management needs to be sharpened. Perhaps perfectionism or anxiety or shame might be overcome by the hugs and help of humility by way of vulnerability. There are probably a hundred different ways our Mighty and Gracious God uses to draw us closer to Him. 
Sister, He wrote The Book, cover to cover. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you in a fresh way this time. He is a faithful, jealous God. There is none more creative and awesome in power than He, so expect great things, in great ways...in many ways!  
I am so excited now to get started!!!!! Can't wait to find more of Jesus!!!           

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9

Do you have "just enough?"

This is probably one of my favorite times in my day. It's dark outside (although the recent Harvest Full Moon was a GIANT spot light in the sky), the kids are in bed, the house is cleaned up and ready for the morning and it's time to walk the dogs. I grumbled at the first realization that I would have to walk the dogs several times a day, including at 5am and 10pm, because of the house we are living in...it doesn't have a fenced in yard, and it is all coral rock. For our oldest pup's whole 14 years of living and wandering, she has had the freedom to let herself out and return upon her leisure...until now. Now, Mama has to go too. Like I said, I grumbled at first, yet here I am acknowledging it to be such a sweet time for me.
It's so quiet here and dark. No street lights. No busy road. Nothing to be careful about except for critters in the road. The evenings always provide such a nice cool breeze and a beautiful stillness. I can hear the wrestling of the wind through the palms and the lightening bugs seemingly dance along the treeline near me, lighting the way. I do want to have a light with me so I utilize the small one on my cell. It's just enough to check for critter-eyes along the way and keep an eye on the pups.
Every now and then my husband will join me and he brings out his "real" flashlight. That thing can read signs at the very end of our street. It's soooo bright!! You definitely can see more with a greater light. I felt my heart and spirit began to stir as I pondered this thought. A stronger light, shines brighter. A dim light is just enough to get by....
Our women's Bible Study was discussing this exact thing this week, about God's Light shining through us and being a light in the darkness. The more we draw near to God and absorb His Light into our heart, the greater our Light to shine in the darkness. Even though my small cell light gives off just enough light to see right in front of me, in my small square foot, the "real" higher wattage Light, reveals much more of what is before me and around me and it even covers enough of the path that multiple people can clearly see "the way." It is brighter and clearer, and definitetly able to reach further. It is more than enough for what I need.
This is exactly how I feel when I have drawn nearer to the Lord, my "real" Light. He shines brighter and more clearly in the darkness. Those times I have slipped away from Him, I find myself with just enough to see right where I am standing, but no further. And my little light is just enough for me, and really of no use to benefit someone else.
I don't know about you, but when I am in a spiritual and emotional "funk" I am okay with "just enough." Until I start tripping over myself, exhausting from always having to keep checking all around, frustrated cuz I can't see...But, when I am drawn back into intimacy with my sweet Savior, I can see more than! I can see with more clarity. I can see further. I can see reflections I never would have otherwise never seen with a dim light and I get to share the Light with many others standing nearby! When I am fed up and done with having "just enough," and I experience the "real" Light, I wonder what in the world was I thinking just being okay with "just enough?!?"
If you are feeling like you have "just enough" and you have learned to adjust to it, and accept it as "just enough is good enough," I would encourage you and even challenge you to ask God to light your fire. Ask the Holy Spirit to began a movement of friction in you that gets your fire burning again, so that you can see further past where you are in the midst of your darkness. Ask Him to bring others alongside your path to shine The Way towards Him. May you no longer be satisfied with "just enough" and begin to desire a "real" Light to see further past your current circumstances and get out of your "funk." And if you are reading this and you are not in a "funk", may I beg you to ask God where He wants you to shine your light for someone else? You are a city on a hill and a beacon for the lost and weary. Please shine for us.

Thank You Sweet Savior for Your Penetrating and Satisfying Light. You sustain us on our path. Please forgive us when we choose to quench your Light. Lord, it's so easy to burn out in a dry and weary land, and yet, You are faithful to lead, provide and shelter us in the shadow of Your wings. When we cannot see, help us to remember that You do. Help us draw back to You and recharge our Light so that we can see where it is we are headed and lead us clearly on the right path again. Help us not settle for "just enough." Help us remember that You are a God of More Than Enough!!
Thank You Lord for those who share their Light. Sustain them and bless them. God, stir in us once again, the embers of Your fire and may we be consumed once again by Your Light. You are a consuming fire. Consume our darkness. Light our way. Show us how we can share Your "real" Light for others too. Thank You Sweet, Gracious Savior, amen.

Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Being Ready for the Stage

She changed her diet drastically to get rid of all the sugars and fats. She gave up hours in her day to be at the gym and work out, eventually giving up nearly whole days to be up at the gym doing cardio and weights. She drank enough water she probably should have a river named after her! She was very intentional about everything she ate and did. Everything working in one accord is what is was going to take to get her where she needed to be.
Then there is me, sure, I have given up most sugars, sodas except on very rare occasions, I enjoy plenty of cream in my coffee and I love my breads!!! And while I was exercising 3 times a week for a while, I now only make it to the gym once a week. So, of course I am frustrated that I have gained weight because of my choices. I stand next to my friend and feel fat!! I see her at the gym and I want to just quit. "I'll never make it to that!" Honestly, I don't want to have a competition body, but a tone and healthy body full of energy would be awesome!!! I know what my end goal is and what it would take to get there, so why don't I just do it?!?
What about you? What in your life are you wanting to achieve so bad and you know what it will take to get there and yet you find yourself standing still staring off into space?!  Going back to school? Spring cleaning the house? Reading certain books? Loosing weight? Changing the family diet? Getting back into church? Deepening your relationship with the Lord? Finding a bible study to join? Seeking counseling for personal struggles, parenting or marriage? Learning a new hobby? Starting a business? Taking the time to catch up on letters? Planning and Saving for a vacation or mission trip? What do you want? You might slowly move towards it, which, hey, forward is better than backwards, but...why are we dragging our feet when it's something we want?! Maybe we don't want it bad enough. Maybe it requires too much hard work? Maybe it means we will have to make sacrifices.
How can we justify our complaining about not having "it" when we are not being intentional to do our part to attain it? I whine and fuss about not looking and being as healthy even half as good as my friend, and yet, I can't complain cuz I am not doing what needs to be done! I have no right to complain. I have no one to blame but myself. My friend can confidently slip on that bikini and look fabulous on stage at the end of her training because she did everything she needed to do to be ready for that moment on stage while I would be horrified due to my own lack of preparation. If only I would have trained. If only I would have done what I was instructed to do to be ready.  
This is sooo true when it comes to our walk with the Lord. We have to be intentional and continually prepare our self so when it's Showtime, we can be confident. When times get hard, do we find ourselves ready and trained up? Have we prepared for the "stage" of betrayal, anger, temptation, illness, unemployment, crisis? My friend was lucky in that she knew the date of her Competition and could plan out her exact daily schedule. We, on the other hand, do not know when we will be placed on the "stage". We must live prepared and ready!
This is why it is crucial to be in God's Word daily! It's why we must gather together and not forsake fellowship with Believers. It's why we must confess our sins and ask God to cleanse our hearts from the unhealthy toxins and make it healthy and pure. This is why we must have accountabilities as we live in community that help us stay serving, growing, focused, motivated and equipped. Our goal as a Believer is to glorify The Lord our God with our life, to be His Light here and show His Love through our lives. It's takes being intentional in planning and consistent disciplines to accomplish that. There will always be reasons and excuses but are we ready to stay disciplined and intentional towards our end goal?! Can we stay motived instead of feeling defeated?!?
So, back to my original questions: You might slowly move towards it, which, hey, forward is better than backwards, but...why are we dragging our feet when it's something we want?! Maybe we don't want it bad enough. Maybe it requires too much hard work? Maybe it means we will have to make sacrifices.
I don't about you but I want to know God deeply and intimately. I want to hear God. I want to feel God. I want His strength and peace and comfort. Ultimately, I want to bring Him honor. The question is How badly? If I wanted it bad enough, it would not matter what the cost to me would be. Look at the example of Christ? He wanted you bad enough that He sacrificed greatly for you. He brought glory the Lord which was His ultimate goal. Whatever it took.
Now, what about you? Are you ready to be "on stage" in life? Will you be confident when trials come? One day, it will be the Heavenly Stage and we will stand with full confidence and beauty, fully complete in every way, lacking nothing!! Oh, Amen!!!!!

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire." James 1:12-14