How to Wait

Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.

I admit that I always (always, always, always) interpreted this verse to mean that "wait" meant to behave as a restaurant staffer, "waiting tables." Therefore, my strength would be renewed by being busy. While I'm unopposed to making oneself useful during our waiting periods, that is NOT what this verse means. 

This verse is requiring something of far more effort than the usual service of ministry. This verse is directing us to do more than just keep busy about our lives while a situation unfolds. For in actuality, "wait," means, "TO HOPE."

It doesn't matter if you spend every waking moment in ministerial duties, and then dream of ministry after you go to sleep. How much you work does not renew your strength. In fact, it can often deplete you so thoroughly you haven't the energy or ability to actually do what the Word is instructing; HOPE.

I've experienced giving so much of my energy and virtue in ministry that I lay in bed at night HOPELESS. Besides a lack of discipline on my part, the enemy's mental attack in these moments of physical exhaustion is severe. Those in ministry (even ministry outside the church, in volunteer situations, occupations of service) know there is overwhelming joy in serving. We could even call it a "high," akin to a drug hit. It feels empowering to serve. When we are in a season of pain or sorrow, serving is often the ONLY relief we get. So, of course we would like to interpret this verse to mean that when we "wait" on the Lord (aka: minister or serve) we renew our strength, but in fact the thrill we experience is a high, a mere hit-in-the-moment. Perhaps even designed by God to be a sort of "pain pill."

However, waiting on the Lord is more like a Gym experience, rather than a drug experience. A person can pop a pill and feel empowered even though they're a weakling. A gym experience often leaves one's muscles a little shaky due  to the duress endured in the training process. The Gym-guy may feel more exhausted and depleted, but he's actually building strength. He'll be better off, not only the next time he's in the gym, but the mind thinks more clearly after a gym experience, the digestion works better, healing is released into other areas of the body not even in the targeted muscles after a work out. Likewise, hope's gym-experience is unpleasant in the moment, but the results are benefits beyond the intended or targeted area.

While the guy hyped on a drug feels powerful, he is actually depleting what little strength he has while feeling like the Incredible Hulk.

We do not work in our fields of ministry in efforts to win brownie-points with God, as if working more and harder in ministry is a get-out-of-jail-free card. We work in our ministries because it's our gifting and calling, and because it's our offering of sacrifice. Being in various fields of service is our gift to others. It's a beautiful benefit that the tasks also happen to inspire and motivate us to keep breathing one more day. While "waiting on the Lord" may involve being busy about our Father's work, it is not what this verse is asking for. 

When we reach a desert or valley circumstance of life, where the joy is gone, the confusion is abundant, the pain is severe, the last thing we have by nature is hope. As children, hope comes very easily and naturally to us. But through life's busyness, and hard knocks, our hope wanes. 

Perhaps a good comparison to how hope works in us is Melatonin. Our brains easily and abundantly produce melatonin in our youth, but as we age it isn't naturally reproduced and we need to take a supplement to help us sleep. This is of course also true of skin tightness, muscle tone, eyesight, hearing, and so forth. Somehow in the course of our lives hope reproduces on its own less and less. And when we hit a tragedy where we lose so much, we do not naturally get over it as we once did. In our youthful vibrancy it was easier to get up and get to seeking the next good thing. But this ability depletes and we get sick and tired of losing a good thing we were settled with, a good thing we enjoyed ownership of. When it's taken from us we can't see WHY we'd want to go seek yet another good thing, because, of course, there's a risk that it too will be taken!

Not only does Hope seem non-existent, the very idea of hoping for something feels very painful. We can't tell what to hope for, or why to hope for it.

And yet, "waiting (hoping) upon the Lord" is what renews our strength, causes us to mount up on wings as eagles; Hope.

Hope makes it possible for us to run without getting weary. Hope, not busyness, causes us to walk, even through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. This is God's long term plan and purpose for our Gym seasons; to strengthen us.

Psalm 27:14 hammers like a marching drumbeat in my chest, "Wait (HOPE, EXPECT) I say, on the LORD!"

It's not an easy request. 

Tears are shed when you hope. 

Instead of a high you can feel shaky and vulnerable. 

But Hope is a powerful muscle to build. For Hope powers Faith. Faith makes ANYTHING possible.

So, while you offer your sacrifice of ministry, while you endure hardness like a soldier, while you pay your bills, and are faithful to the routines; HOPE in the Lord. 

Here are some "booster shots" of scripture to encourage you to HOPE:

(Don't forget to translate the word "wait" as "hope," because that is what it means!)

Genesis 49:18 (KJV) 18 I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.

Psalm 25:3 (KJV) 3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

Psalm 25:5 (KJV) 5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Psalm 25:21 (KJV) 21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.

Psalm 37:9 (KJV) 9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

Psalm 37:34 (KJV) 34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

Psalm 39:7 (KJV) 7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

Psalm 40:1 (KJV) 1 [[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.]] I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

Psalm 52:9 (KJV) 9 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.

Psalm 130:5 (KJV) 5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

Proverbs 20:22 (KJV) 22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

Soul Winning Beyond Acts 2:38

"If someone asks about your hope, be ready to explain it in a gentle and respectful way."

1 Peter 3:15-16

[abridged]

In my youth I had hope without realizing it as it was part of the personality tool kit I was born with. This beautiful hope was further strengthened by my safe upbringing. People were attracted to my hope and lust for life, but when they'd ask me about it I didn't know how to answer them. I had no explanation for my radiant life outside of telling them about the power of the Holy Ghost. While that's the complete bottom-line answer, it wasn't necessarily the most enticing of answers.

In my adult years I experienced the natural knocks and bangs of life. In the process of being shifted around, and knocked about I lost that all-purpose, perfect little tool called, "hope." I found myself utterly hopeless. I saw no reason to raise my kids when I could point to several other people in their lives that I felt could do a better job than I could. I saw no reason to work in my calling of worship leading because singers are a dime-a-dozen. I saw no reason to write because I'm an uneducated wannabe. I saw no reason to fellowship with friends because either I would end up dragging them down with my life-reality, or I was too weak to help them carry their burdens. I was truly hopeless. I asked God many times a day (for many years) to take my life. Proverbs 13:12 talks about how a lack of hope makes the heart sick. Boy, he wasn't kidding. Out of the heart come the issues (the flow) of life. A sick heart infected with hopelessness affects the whole body.

But, "when the desire cometh," Proverbs goes on to read, "it is a tree of life." Whereas its true that obtaining what we hope for is a really great feeling, DESIRE itself is a tree of life! I've experienced the difference in receiving what I wanted, and desiring something. While receiving is a win indeed, the thrill of that newness fades and I'm back to needing another "fix." But DESIRE wakes me up every day with anticipation. If my mood is down, or if I'm ill, or if I'm weighed down with present reality-of-life, DESIRE makes me get dressed, go for a run, breathe deep and chill, read a book to pass the time. DESIRE for certain things (not exclusively material possessions, sometimes it's a desire for situations, relationships, accomplishments) is a tree with roots of stability.  Hope deferred makes the heart so sick, in turn the whole of life is sick. But DESIRE is a tree that produces fruit. A special fruit called, "LIFE!"

I started looking for my hope tool because it was becoming obvious that God was ignoring my plea for The Next Life. He was definitely hearing me pray, clearly. Because he was  answering all of the other prayers I'd pray. He was just stubbornly refusing to answer "that" prayer. 

After some books (and prayer asking God to help me want to live) I began some deliberate outward behaviors in efforts to trigger inward desires. I called these exercises my "happy habits." Every hour (my phone alerts were set) I'd stand from my seating (usually at a desk) and I'd stretch, or do some push-ups (uh-hem. I closed my office door as I didn't want to intimidate my fellow workers with my great might.) I'd smile-for-no-reason (Yes. I just smiled into empty space) And I would speak aloud something I was thankful for. It took about a year, but I started to feel a difference.

It's been about two and a half years now, but I definitely have hope! I must be honest with you, sometimes the desire hurts. Wanting what seems impossible aches to my bones. But, I'm aware that these aches are growing pains, whereas my old ache was due to hope being deferred. 

But here's the really cool part about my present state of hope; I'm a better witness for Christ now. 

NOW when people are attracted to me I am ready to give them a more thorough answer. I'm able to guide them to the source of my tree of life; Christ. 

Christ's love for me enables me to trust that goodness is in store for me.  When I'm in a blue mood it doesn't feel like the end of the world because I know He's going to work things out for my good.  He has my best interests at heart. He has plans for me that have a beautiful outcome.

Soul winners need more than that perfect and beautiful Acts 2:38 experience. Souls winner need to exhibit HOPE in our hopeless world. 

Get Back Up

I remember when knockdowns and setbacks were a mere annoyance, as simple to remedy as a pesky bug buzzing around. It was laughable to think that getting back up would be hard! Getting back up required no forethought, no energy, no emotion. I just popped right back up as if I were still a kid on the trampoline in my backyard, propelled to soar to tree limbs with such little energy.

Not so now.

I'm not sure if it's physical age, or the depth of devastation, or why it's different now. But it is different now. 

Every.

Single.

Day.

Each day I plan how to live victoriously in that day. Each day I PURPOSEFULLY live happily. Each day I have to get back up.

When this new method of living was my reality I was so angry at God for not taking me out of this earth to Heaven. If "to live is Christ, to die is GAIN," then what kind of cruelty kept me here? Give me my "gain," for goodness sake! Every plane takeoff where I was on board I'd send texts of love, forgiveness, and mercy before we had to power down our phones. THAT'S how confident I was that God was going to answer my prayer and take me to The Other Side. In the old days I prayed safety and protection over the plane and flight, but I stopped doing that since it seemed like a quick and easy way for God to answer my prayer. I didn't talk about this line of thinking to anybody because I wasn't trying to be dramatic and get attention. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to pay attention to me. I wanted to be left alone to die. But neither God nor man were in sync with me on this one.

"To live is Christ."

I've always seen this activity of living-is-Christ as being very jubilant, therefore very fluid, natural, and easy. But that was from my perspective of youth and fairy tales. What about Christ's life was easy? From his first year of life the government was hunting him down to kill him. While travel is sometimes fun when you're headed to Disney World, a road trip in the dead of night because you're being hunted down certainly turns up the volume on the phrase, "Are we there yet?"

Living-is-Christ puts us in a position to participate in the miraculous, to have power over death, hell, and the grave, and to be surrounded by followers. And as long as these people and situations are helping us accomplish our goals these moments are ecstatic. But let us not forget that Christ was run out of town, was continually in one argument or another with the religious, was rarely with his family, was a 24/7 teacher. Not to mention the final hours of his life; the excruciating crucifixion. 

Dying is gain because it puts us across the finish line. Dying with a clean conscience toward God is gain because we've run a good race and we've finished  our course. But LIVING is necessary to accomplish the victory of death. 

There is no victory in hiding in a hole waiting for death. The will of God is that we get out of the hole and LIVE as Christ did. It is the will of God that we have HOPE. It is the will of God that we experience JOY. It is the will of God that we produce all of the fruit of the Spirit. We are cheating God if we do not get back up and strive to fulfill His will of pursuing these things. 

Why does he ask this of us? So that we are a testimony of His strength and involvement in our lives. If after our devastation we live in a hole we are telling the world around us that God is a liar. Holed-up behavior is exhibiting that God is nowhere to be found, that there is no hope, no joy, nothing to rise again for. 

Christ got back up after his devastation. He got back up because there was more to do. You need to get back up yourself because there is more to do! To die will NOT be "gain" if you do not do the will of God and LIVE AGAIN. 

I personally have chosen four verses that I read EVERY morning. I have alerts set up on my phone to smile EVERY hour. I have a life vision that pops up on my phone EVERY morning; To live in the reality of Faith, Hope, & Love.

My feelings tell me every day that life is not worth living. My logic shows me every day that I should not expect my hopes to come to pass. My present shows me every day that after all these years I STILL have not obtained the desires of my heart. 

BUT GOD'S WORD TELLS ME TO NOT BE DICTATED BY THESE THINGS.

I'm suppose to walk by faith, not by sight.

That's why I fight each and every day to get back up again. I smile because the REALITY of life is not what I feel, or see, or think. The REALITY is what I can't see: Faith, Hope, and Love. Christ is not my Fairy Godmother, giving me my whims. He sees the end from the beginning and He's going to give me the desires of my heart based on all He knows of what's to unfold. His top priority as my Father is to protect and defend me. If I'm allowing him to protect me from my desires that will hurt me, everything will work out for my good! If I live every day angry at Him for "making" me live... well, how sad and unproductive is THAT!

Whatever has knocked you for a loop, has left you flat on your back... I'm truly sorry you've gone through those things. But, get back up. It may feel like "fake it 'till you make it," but in fact it's "FAITH it 'till you make it."

Proverbs 24:16 (KJV)

For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Do It Anyway

I spoke with a young lady a few months ago about her talents she would, or would not use, based on how she felt. She was dealing with some new health issues and she tearfully told me that she would engage her talents again when she felt better, when she felt like her old self. I asked her, "What if you never feel 'normal' again? What if this is the new you that you have to learn to function with?"

These were hard questions to ask, but necessary. Because I wasn't merely asking her, I was equally asking ME. I used to not know what anger felt like, I didn't know what bitterness was like, I didn't know what depression and loneliness felt like. I didn't know what hopelessness was. When I hit a spot in life where all of these stressors, and more, were a daily experience, I SHUT DOWN. I came home from work and went to bed. I woke up to eat, and went back to bed. I sat at my desk at work and stared into nothingness. And I told myself every day, "It'll be so good to feel like working again." 

Weeks turned into months, and the months became years. I kept waiting on the old me to come back and energize me. After three years, I finally realized I had to pursue my goals and dreams despite not feeling able or equipped. It's now been six years and I've realized the old me couldn't come back to help me because she was DEAD. In my acceptance of this, I buried her, mourned her, and moved on to rise and walk in newness of life. 

The New Normal is not easy to accept. Especially when we liked the OLD normal. But when we begin to familiarize ourselves with this new person, we are able to LIVE AGAIN. 

Striving in a state of physical or mental pain to be and do better, to once again chase dreams and make goals, doesn't mean you can't ALSO seek to better the conditions of your body and mind. In fact, doctor visits, meetings with nutritionists, education and counsel should be a part of your new normal. But WAITING on these fixes is the trap you must avoid.

In my personal journey of putting my talents and callings back to work, I was inspired by people I'd known through my life, who could have been excused for nothingness, but instead figured out a way to engage with their talent and calling.

A blind man, named Jonothan Lollar, who would smile and joke, play music and sing. No one would have blamed him for slouching at home in bitterness over not being able to function as other young men his age. But he engaged in his talent and calling in spite of his body. 

A woman named, Lena Jones, had many bodily ailments and couldn't leave her house. She sat in her recliner and called people daily to pray for them over the phone. She engaged her talent and calling in spite of her body.

A woman whose name I never learned, but when I visited her church I was told that half of her face was paralyzed from a stroke. She had developed and led the best Vacation Bible School curriculum I've ever seen, in spite of her vanity being wounded. 

I know a woman who felt too intimidated to speak English after coming to the United States. But rather than seclude herself in loneliness, she immersed herself in the Prayer Room. Her intercession has no doubt saved thousands of people of ALL languages.

These are but a few people I personally know who demonstrated to me that if we will, we can contribute to goodness instead of drowning in nothingness. This list does not include the names of people like Mother Teresa, or Ghandi, or Helen Keller, or the many others who figured out a way to engage in spite of prison, or poverty, or physical handicaps. 

I hope your pain and affliction is not something you have to deal with for the rest of your life. I believe we should seek relief from those who've found fixes and cures. But we cannot allow our gifts and talents to be dormant because of our weaknesses. We must be diligent and FIND A WAY to use our talent because God gave it to us for use! 

God has assured us over and over that He doesn't call perfect people; not perfect morally, physically, or mentally. God is highly exalted when in spite of our infirmities we put forth efforts to use the talent He's placed within us. There is a three-fold cord we must strap to ourselves to ensure that in our sometimes blind push forward we are safe, and the people around us remain safe; Church, unity, & grit.

From experience I know that clawing one's way out of a fog can be dangerous. It's possible to cause inadvertent harm. Like Rahab hung a scarlet cord out of her window for the protection of all, keep this three-fold cord a priority and you and yours will be safe when the dust settles. 

1. The Accountability of Church.

This is not a blog about man-authority God recognizes. I'll simply say that you must be in unity with your pastor and congregation. You can't be deceitful in lifestyle behind closed doors concerning what the pastor has asked of the congregation. God's given him an unnatural authority, not of this world. It's likely even your pastor doesn't fully understand the importance of his authority. But trust me when I tell you that God isn't a God of Power-trips. He's a God of love and fatherhood. He sees how to protect his children, and when he gave the church a system of guidance through the authority of a pastor, it was to protect you. Be accountable to the guidelines of your church. It will protect you as you figure out how to use your talents as the New You.

2. The Checks and Balances of Godly Social Circles. 

We sometimes withdraw from friends in times of distress. Because people are busy, our infirmity means we can't be as busy as they are, and we sometimes get left out. That can feel like painful rejection. First of all, it's not rejection. It's simply the new you not able to be like the old you they're used to. NOBODY knows how to do this soul-mate-BFF thing with the New You. Not even you. Don't let the frustration cause you to utterly isolate yourself, or to not regard godly counsel. In this new season, you'll learn new friendship methods, and you'll learn to become an intimate friend of yourself. Allow a new person to contribute to you. Allow old friends to contribute in ways THEY are comfortable. Checks and balances are uncomfortable, but necessary. Take all of their counsels to heart, with a grain of salt.

3. Your Own Grit.

It will feel like death to do the simplest of tasks, but do the task anyway. 

You will cry WHILE doing the task, do it anyway.

You will feel like a loser after accomplishing a hard thing, do it anyway. 

You will feel lonely, rejected, and your baby-steps will seem insignificant to you, do it anyway.

In our weaknesses HE is shown to be strong. From our mental illnesses, to our physical ones, we can still yet be used of God within the protection of church leadership, godly social circles, and our own GRIT.

DO IT ANYWAY.

The [insert your name here] Project

God is NOT finished with you!

Look around at all things beautiful and comforting; from the great outdoors, to a cozy quilt, to a delightful baby. These took TIME & STAGES to create. 

Where you are today is not the end of "The You Project."

God is not a procrastinator. He doesn’t have a craft room, or shed, full of half finished projects. He is the most deliberate, purposeful, well-planned individual EVER. 

The way a farmer knows what fields need what ground enhancements, when. 

The way a wedding planner knows what week to do each preparatory task. 

The way a gardener knows which plant goes in which zone, and when. 

This is how God sees you and your needs. He KNOWS how to complete you better than you know yourself.

He knows when to do what. He knows how to do each step and stage so that its so perfect. And he LOVES the project of "You."

What are you passionate about?

Do you LOVE to cook? Do your happy-endorphins start going nuts just reading recipes? 

Do you LOVE to exercise? Does just strapping on your running shoes cause you to feel empowered? 

Do you LOVE to make furniture? Does the very smell of saw dust, or the squeal of the saw make your senses stand to attention? 

Do you LOVE coffee? Does talking about the age of the coffee bean, the temperature of the water, the perfect froth just cause you to come alive with energy?

However you feel about your passion, realize; that's how God feels about,

"The [insert your name here] Project."

He's consumed with you. 

He's invigorated by you. 

He's so delighted about you that he SINGS.

Don't allow despair to drown you. Don't give fear a foothold. Begin to sing songs of hope and faith. Begin to smile in the knowledge of what is unfolding. Snap your fingers, clap your hands, create some joyful rhythms!

Begin to say things like, "This is going to be AWESOME!"

When somebody asks, What's going to be awesome?"

Smile at them and say, "What God is doing for me is going to be AWESOME!"

YOU ARE HIS GREATEST PASSION. 

Isaiah 49:16 (KJV) 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of [my] hands; thy walls [are] continually before me.

Matthew 10:30 (KJV)

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Zephaniah 3:17 (KJV)

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee [is] mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

John 14:18 (KJV)

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Haggai 2:9 (KJV)

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

Rise And Shine!

This Instagram post was a powerful and life-saving pic to wake up to today. My weekend had not gone well. Then to top off that sundae of misery, a trip with my children that I was very much looking forward to had to be canceled. It was the straw that broke the camels back. Me. I'm the camel. First, I sat in my car and boo-hoo'd for a half hour. Next, I took my broken-back to my room, turned off my phone and boo-hoo'd some more. 

It was ridiculous. But it wasn't the first time I've been that far gone. Last night I cried as I thought of the misery of mankind. I watched documentaries about civilizations utterly destroyed, and these justified my tears. I thought of friends who've gone on to Heaven and I vocally envied them, telling God that it was unfair to leave me here so miserable. I wrapped myself in a blanket of sorrow and worry. I woke up this morning still cocooned in the realities of my plight. There is no chance of change. Life really is as daunting as it feels. I'm TIRED of working to believe in the impossible. 

Its possible you've been shrouded in these types of realities as well. They're not imagined experiences and difficulties. They're FACT. If you've endured multiple traumas and tragedies then it's likely you've, like me, experienced the straight out COMFORT found in succumbing to the realities of sorrow and worry. It's called "habit." When a person goes through a difficulty they respond with tears, or anger. They experience a "negative" emotion. And it's not inappropriate to do so. In fact, I believe it's healthy to do so. But the danger is in your brain experiencing this reaction enough times that it decides, "This behavior is the new normal." And as shocking as it is to learn, that negative emotion literally begins to feel COMFORTING. There is solice found in those tears, or worry, or sorrow, or anger.

When you realize that you'd rather be alone, crying in a dark room than doing almost ANYTHING ELSE, then please realize you've developed a nasty habit. If it's any help to you to know; THAT WAS ME. And as I've described my behaviors of last night, sometimes it still is me. It's not ok to remain in this state. 

It's not ok for your personal health. But as I'm aware depression causes you to have absolutely NO CARE for your personal health, I'll go ahead and point out that it's not good for your family either. From your very offspring, to your nieces and nephews. Unfortunately, when one's lack of family is part of the sorrow-trigger, you must realize that "family" is yet a sufficient reason to rise and shine. I don't care how distant in location or relation the family is from you. The very fact that a relative in the future will find you in the research of your family tree is enough to say, "I need to behave better than this for the sake of my family."

The GREATEST reason it's not ok for you to remain in a depressive state is the fact that God has plans for you. We are so enamored with the idea that if God is using someone for His glory, that person will not experience negative emotions. We imagine that someone being used of God has nothing going wrong in their life. They have God's attention and favor, therefore life is a bowl-of-cherries and a bed-of-roses.

It won't take anything but surface research to discover that EVERY "hero of the faith" in scripture experienced choking on some cherry pits. They felt the prick and sting of the rose-thorns in said proverbial luxuries. Being used of God to be a help and benefit in our community does not make one free of problems. But it does make that person more easily available to some benefits not found at home in a dark room.

Our experiences may have created habits that snowball worry, sadness, anger, and depression. These feelings may teel like a comfort zone. And where this Instagram post shows Charlie Brown under such a comforter, I also have in my head the image of dear Linus going the extra mile in portable comfort and carrying his blankey around with him. 

S-t-o-p

[new word]

i-t.

We imagine that "hope" feels fabulous. (We are obsessed with feeling good.) But the scripture lets us know that hope deferred makes the heart sick. Hope can hurt. It can be as uncomfortable as someone ripping the warm, cozy comforter from your sleepy body, exposing you to a crisply-cooled, air conditioned room. Faith can have the same feeling as the light switch being turned on first thing in the morning. We would prefer to stay in the dark, snuggled in our comforter of depression. 

NOTHING triggers anger in me quicker than a rude awakening. I need to wake up in the dark, wrap more clothes around me so the temperature change outside the covers isn't too abrasive. And I need SILENCE. I then need to have a cup of coffee in this slowly-but-surely environment, and THEN, after an unspecified period of time, I'll be happy about being awake. 

Hope and Faith are a necessity. We must accept the reality that hope and faith are not soft, fluffy Care Bears. They can be downright uncomfortable. But THEY ARE LIFE! 

The good news is that faith and hope are also habit-forming. I can pull myself out of a stupor much quicker and easier than I used to be able to. And while I can't deny the realities of facts I really don't want to be a part of my life, I can testify that MUCH good is also a part of my life. I've had some brand new, amazing things come into my life because I kicked off the comfort of worry. I start my physical self with coffee, but I start my inner-self with Jesus. 

Nibbling the Bread of Life (Bible) for breakfast, and sipping from the Cup of the Holy Ghost, I am able to think about some pretty awesome things I want to see in my life. And when I think about goodness, I begin to hope. And hope helps me have the faith to believe in the impossible. 

And here's the habit I've not mentioned yet; LOVE.

In depressive states I cannot love others, and I cannot believe that anyone could love me. But when I begin to hope, and I begin to exhibit faith, I suddenly feel like singing, 

Love lifted me

Love lifted me

When nothing else could help

Love lifted me

So, good morning! Whether you're reading this at 2pm, or at 11pm...

GOOD MORNING! 

Rise and shine! 

God has great things available to those who'll kick off the comfort of worry, sorrow, and doubt! 

And God is such a considerate one... For in the same way that I want to wrap myself in warmth even as I'm forced to leave the cozy of my bedspread, Jesus himself wraps us in the comfort of the Holy Ghost to ease us into waking from the nightmare of fear and doubt. And from the better, healthier comfort of God's love we can rise to walk in newness of life! 

Rise and shine! 

https://instagram.com/p/5ZixujB0lV/

Proverbs 13:12 (KJV) 12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but [when] the desire cometh, [it is] a tree of life.

Acts 2:26 (KJV)

Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:

Romans 4:18 (KJV)

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

Romans 15:13 (KJV)

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 (KJV)

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1 Peter 1:13 (KJV)

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1 Corinthians 13:13 (KJV)

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity.

Of Fields And Friends

I left the tame pastures where grazing is blessed

Followed to desert acres where thirst never rests

You led me where Sorrow required a kiss

And Betrayal an embrace

I lost Friend Forgiveness

You introduced these companions

Not because you were cruel

But you knew of the dream I kept hidden in my skull

The pain they taught was the key to release

The passionate joy to progress in liberties

I followed you here because you said,

"For the joy of the prize you will open your head."

Now I know Sorrow like the back of my hand,

I can see him in passing when no one else can

I recognize Betrayal

And try to reconcile them all

Because that's when Forgiveness is free to come call.

Now the dream is alive and it's out in the open

Leading and calling like sirens in an ocean

And I see the green of grasses again

In patches just now, but like a great sea ahead

My shepherd whose led me thru valleys to grasses

Smiles at my skipping and glows at my laughing

He kept every tear

He felt every scream

And he used them to water the field of my dream

A Night of HOPE

As I was preparing for bed, my mind was swirling around my experiences during my own dreaded nights of tears and sorrow. Pain brought about by events and behaviors out of my control. I've also dealt with the mourning of regret due to houses I brought down on MY OWN head. There are nights of much tears, the heavens feel shut up to you, the ground seems to hunger for you. These times of growth and rebirth are trying to one's sanity.

But I was also thinking of others' sorrows...

I was thinking of the meal I had just delivered to a teen who had lost his entire family TWICE. I don't know the story of his birth family, but his foster family had been killed in an auto accident.

I was thinking of my parents' loss of my baby sister. Clearly, my loss as well. Indeed, the whole world's loss. But as I was two years old when she died, I don't remember the mourning. But my parents will still cry, even after nearly forty years.

I've been reading the book of Jeremiah, and his persecution has been so "current" and painful to read. I don't mean to imply I am enduring persecution. I mean that such a noble, honest man of God faced persecution breaks my heart.

I was just feeling the reality that sorrow is prevelant.

So, I felt like the least I could do was to make sure that each hour a scripture was posted about "hope."

Truly, hope is of utmost importance for those in dire emotional straits. It's vital that people look for something, anything, to hope in. Hope that you won't cry. Hope that you get a better car. Hope that you find a better job. Hope that you grow your circle of friends. Hope that you learn to communicate better. Hope that you gain more wisdom. Hope that you behave better.

Hope is not a wish. Hope is not denial. Hope is absolute BELIEF that there is something better. Hope is of God, therefore bringing oneself into his presence is necessary to go from "wishing upon a star," to "hoping in The Lord." Hoping in The Lord will require some work on your part. But his grace is sufficient to fill in the gaps and make up for our weaknesses.

When you get a hope, then you begin to believe in scriptures such as, "you have not because you ask not."- Jesus. 
And, "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it."-Jesus
When you ask, that very act of prayer is "faith!"

Faith is the SUBSTANCE of that thing you hope for! 

Then your faith-behavior consistently repeats the steps: 
Regardless of what your eyes see, envision that hope for a brighter day. God put that seed in your spirit, so don't fear it. Enter into a place of prayer, and while His Spirit is engaging with you,  ASK IN HIS NAME!
Wash, rinse, repeat.
In other words, do it again and again!

That, my friend, is the simple formula used by mighty men and women of God from Genesis to this very day. 

So, cry if the pain is there tonight. But don't ONLY cry. Engage with God through prayer. And find HOPE!  

Psalms 16:7 (NET)
I will praise the LORD who guides me; yes, during the night I reflect and learn.

Psalms 16:8 (KJV)
I have set the LORD always before me: because [he is] at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Psalms 16:9 (KJV)
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

Psalms 31:24 (KJV)
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

Psalms 31:24 (NET)
Be strong and confident, all you who wait on the LORD!

Psalms 130:4 (NET)
But you are willing to forgive, so that you might be honored.

Psalms 130:5 (KJV)
I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

Psalms 147:11 (KJV)
The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

Psalms 147:11 (NET)
The LORD takes delight in his faithful followers, and in those who wait for his loyal love.

Lamentations 3:21 (NET)
But this I call to mind; therefore I have hope:  (Khet)

Lamentations 3:22 (NET)
The LORD's loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end.

Psalms 42:5 (NET)
Why are you depressed, O my soul? Why are you upset? Wait for God! For I will again give thanks to my God for his saving intervention.

Psalms 42:6 (NET)
I am depressed, so I will pray to you while I am trapped here in the region of the upper Jordan, from Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

Hosea 2:15 (KJV)
And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

Joel 3:16 (KJV)
The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD [will be] the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

Romans 4:18 (KJV)
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

Romans 5:2 (KJV)
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5:5 (KJV)
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Sent from my iPhone

I'M DOING GREAT!!

Because so many people love me & are concerned by my "If I can, u can" themed posts:

I'M DOING GREAT! Lol

I'm in the will of God, therefore, I'm happy! :-)

I feel blessed beyond what I deserve!

I'm well-provided for!

I'm healthy! 

I'm surrounded by the most amazing, loving people on the planet!

I'm simply aware of how many people are hurting, feel alone in their battle, and can't see thru the haze of tear-gas the enemy has released on them. They need somebody's voice lifted up saying, "Life isn't perfect for ANYBODY! So, quit feeling like a loser, & KEEP FIGHTING!!"

But I found myself with an "Optimists' Rainbow Problem..."

People tend to imagine those who spend most of their lives on a stage, in the public eye, dressed in their best, presenting their best, as having a life without problems. And when someone "who's perfect" tries to say, "Get up! Move! Change!" It's not taken well!

I used to weigh 230 pounds. When I decided to lose the weight, gyms who were full of amazing, fit, strong, slim bodies were NOT the gyms I wanted to be a member of. I couldn't see where they'd come from, I could only see their perfect, current selves. I also didn't want to hear what anyone wearing a size 6 had to say. If, however, they showed me a pic of themselves wearing a size 16, and NOW they were a size 6... Oh yeah! I wanted to sit at their feet and hear EVERY DETAIL of how they fought their "Battle of the Bulge!"

While I DO feel like I'm living "the best life," it's not because I don't battle confusion, emotional drops, family concerns, overwhelming duties... because, WE ALL DO! 

My dad taught me, "The mark of a professional is to make what's hard look easy." I take great strides and comfort in being skilled enough to do that. Besides it putting me in the fellowship of strong, higher thinking people, it's a behavior of faith!

However, it shocked me to discover how many people think my behavior means I have nothing to worry about, that I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, and therefore do not have "the credentials" to encourage them.

My posts about trials, pain, darkness, etc, is simply my way to both live my lifestyle of faith-behavior while using written blurbs  to let people know that even we who are good at positive-image hafta "cowboy up," Because it rains on the just and the unjust. Perhaps if people SEE me being all boss in life, while knowing inside I'm sweating bullets; they'll trust that if I can, they can do it too! Perhaps my candidness will be like a cheerleaders megaphone and help me bring light to more people. That's my hope and intention.

So pray for me. I'm praying for u. But don't WORRY about me! Lol I'm no better-off than u, and no worse-off than u. I just wanna make sure that the people having to fight thru a haze hear a voice even when they can't see; a voice they are confident to trust;

"I'm fighting too!"

"You're not alone!"

"Follow my voice!"

"Come in THIS direction!"

Glory2Glory2gether!!!

After

Now I'm in a fiery trial

 Or a storm 

 Or a valley

Now I'm wrestling and all is dark

Now my vision is cloudy

But AFTER this I'll b amazed!

AFTER, so will u be too!

AFTER all this insanity is done...

AFTER the confusion is through...

Cuz He's actually right w/me

   Even tho I can't see Him

And He's fighting the enemy for me

   Even tho I can't find him

He's making sure that AFTER this fire I'll come out without the smell of smoke.

And AFTER this trial I'll b shown righteous by his grace alone.

And AFTER this wrestling I'll walk different because he touched me.

And AFTER the dust settles I'll eat his banquet in front of my enemies.

I can do all things thru Christ,

And u, my friend, can too!

Right now it may feel bleak...

But I'm hearing a heavenly anthem...

Hey, they're playing our victory tune!

Knowledge Vs All Knowing

A tweet from one of my ALL TIME favorite comics:

@CalvinandHobb3s: It is man's indomitable nature to scare himself silly for no good reason! #calvinandhobbes Calvin and Hobbes

I have an active, powerful imagination. In a matter of a few seconds I can go from being the there's-sunshine-somewhere-even-when-its-raining optimist, to a fetal-ball of tears who's single, with grown children that won't come see me, no car to go see them, and a broken washing machine, therefore I can't get clean clothes to go get a job, thereby paying to fix my car so I can go see my kids and grandkids.

[excuse me while I go get tissue to blow my nose.]

While my mind just went to an extreme event that will likely never happen with me, I have found myself nearly incapacitated over much more possible, plausible occurrences. Like a friend dying lost and without God, or someone I love having a terminal illness, or divorce, or losing a house to the ravishes of poor finances. Life is life, and bad things happen to good people all the time. The Bible tells us that it rains on the righteous and the unrighteous. No one is exempt of sorrow and pain.

The older I get, the more knowledge I have about how quickly life can flip on you. Life can go from unicorns and rainbows, to gargoyles & rainbow-shattering thunder in a second. The more this happens, the more you witness it's reality, the more knowledge you have of it. And that knowledge can be your greatest enemy.

There are multiple reasons why Jesus requires us to be like children to enter the Kingdom of God. (Matt 18:3) One of the reasons being a lack of knowledge. A child's mind, spirit, soul, and memories are a clean slate. Parents can write whatever they want on their child's slate!  A child will believe in a myth without hesitation. Their inexperience and ignorance allows them to believe ANYTHING.

I'm not proposing God prefers us ignorant. The scripture, in fact, insists we attain knowledge. But when our knowledge of the hard-knocks of life starts to be more boss than God's reality, we have a problem on our hands. Albeit, a fixable problem.

Our knowledge plays out how and why a better situation, or a higher quality life ISN'T POSSIBLE. Our knowledge shows us who is preventing our success. Our knowledge is present because before we were in this awful problem, we saw other people in this same predicament, so now we know how our circumstance will play out.

And leaning on that kind of "knowledge," my friend, is straight up IGNORANCE.

Do you know why Saul and Judus took their own lives? (1Chron10, Matt27)

Do you know why the servant of the king was trampled? (2Kings7)

Because their knowledge wouldn't let them see God's love, mercy, and grace.

You can believe there was no hope for these people if you want to. But I've seen God forgive a blasphemous Saul-Paul. I've seen God forgive a doomed Ninevah. I've seen God bless an Esau whom he hated.

The more you know about life's difficulties, the less you can think once you're in your own crisis. You must daily, sometimes many times a day, cast down imaginations, & every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. (2Cor10:5)

Your knowledge is limited to your experiences. But God's knowledge sees the end already! He is the author! He is Almighty! He knew how to get a doomed rag-tag settlement of refugees out of Egypt's bondage. A Dead Sea didn't hinder God's ability! He knew how to feed four lepers and a city. An army starving out the city couldn't hinder God's ability!

What you know about your situation is BUNK!

Yeah! I said it! BUNK!

Cast down that imagination! Cast down your uppity, high-knowledge!

What you know about your situation is NOTHING compared to what the All Knowing God knows. He can be the author and finisher of your story, but only if you'll give him the pen! Do not let your knowledge of the normal process hold the pen and rights to your story! Don't suicide your physical self, or your spiritual self over your knowledge. God is a rescuing HERO! And he delights in making YOU the hero of your story because it makes HIM look good!

Cast down your imagination and EVERY high thing that exalts itself against REALITY, which is the knowledge of God. Your imagination and knowledge is not God's reality.

You wanna KNOW something? Know that God loves you! Know that nothing is impossible with God! Know that God is not limited by one thing in your situation!

Your situation is not too much, too hard, or too trivial for God to work out. We all are prey to habits that allow logic and knowledge to be our dictator. We must initiate habits that free faith to work! So cast your imagination & lofty thoughts down, lock 'em in jail so YOU'RE the boss of faith & hope. Get in prayer to take on the mind of Christ. When you have HIS all-knowing mind engaged in your thoughts you'll see glimpses of how God is planning to wow and amaze your life!

And those glimpses of God's reality are what we call "hope." If you're having a hard time seeing hope, get with people who can see hope. Let their strength and faith partner with you, fight with you, cast down imaginations with you.

Good things are coming your way! That's what God knows!

Knock Knock

Knock knock

This ain't no joke

Knock knock

I've a heavy load

Knock knock knock

Banging on the doors of glory

Knock knock knock

God has heard my story

Knock knock knock knock

And he'll hear it again tonight 

Knock knock knock knock

Cuz he cares bout my plight

Knock knock knock knock knock

Unashamedly

Unabashedly

Knock knock knock knock knock

I will knock till my knuckles bleed

Knock knock knock knock knock

Bc God, I have this urgent need

Knock knock knock knock knock

U said if I ask I will receive

Knock knock knock knock knock

U said I'd find if I would just seek

Knock knock knock knock knock

U told me to do it persistently

Bc u hear my pleas

And if I don't stop knocking

U will open to me

Knock knock knock knock knock

Knock knock knock knock knock

Knock knock knock knock knock

Knock knock .....

Thank u, Lord.....

By Denée Richardson

Le Muser