Confirmation

This is to everyone who thought that God was speaking to them, but then became discouraged and doubted that they really heard from God. First of all, God's priority is His priority, not ours. So anything that somes from selfish motives is probably not from Him. (Although all of us would have to admit there are times we have mixed motives--even if part of our motives are pure.) But what I wanted to say is that I have been very discouraged about some steps I felt God was wanting me to take. I started thinking that maybe God didn't want me to take them because I am not cut out for the task. Well, isn't that when God usually shows up? Sometimes we just have to step out, and then the God-plan kicks in.

I called an old friend who I haven't talked to in a long time. He and I have similar personalities. God totally used him to confirm what God wanted me to do, because he has already been through the steps that I believe God wants me to take.

Obviously, I'm being somewhat vague. I guess I have mixed motives for that :), but I want people reading this to see how it might apply to situations they find themselves in. I know a lot of people right now who are in a place where they are making decisions, and may be doubting the call of God. Be encouraged that as you seek Him and His priority...and believe that He will come through for you when you step out...that you will be right where you need to be.

Blessings!

Steps

Here’s a good word: do the doable. If you are struggling with something, look for the little wins. Make little steps to improve your spiritual life. 1% improvements. Don’t try to suddenly transform your life cold turkey. If you don’t spend any time in prayer, spend 5 minutes in prayer. Don’t try for more right now. Resist the urge to make it 10 minutes. Make it easy and look for the little wins. If you don’t know how to pray, find some written prayers and pray them.

Maybe you are further along in your Christian walk. If so, what are some Christian disciplines that you need to develop in. Fasting, resting, being a part of community instead of being overly individualistic, overcoming a bad habit. What is one small step you can take today.

Gracelets (small bits of grace) will come as you find daily victory in the small things and develop spiritual disciplines that last for a lifetime.

The Other Half

Meister Eckhart wrote: "There are plenty to follow our Lord half-way, but not the other half. They will give up friends, possessions, and honors, but it touches them too closely to disown themsleves." --quoted in A Testament of Devotion by Thomas R Kelly

Lord, help us to disown ourselves.

Pain

According to Steve Robbins, we have two teachers--pain and the Holy Spirit. As much as we try to avoid pain, there's really no way around it. Others will hurt us from time to time, or won't meet our expectations; people who are important to us will pass from this life, and we will grieve their loss. Pain can do two things to us, it can make us bitter...or better. I have seen people who, through their pain, gave up on God. The problem was that they misunderstood God in the first place. When their image of who they thought God was was shaken, they gave up on Him.

Fortunately, the opposite happened in my own life. After I lost my mom, I began to seek God. I already believed in God, and I believed He was good. But in seeking Him, I began to discover more about Him. The more I learned (and continue to learn), the more I desired to serve and worship Him. It has made me a better person, not in the sense of being "good," but in the sense of learning and growing from the experience and ultimately realizing more of God's loving nature.

What I am very grateful for is a God who understands our suffering. He understands because he has experienced it. Heb 5:8 says, "Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered...." Jesus was Immanuel--"God with us." God is no stranger "up there" that doesn't relate to us. He came to us to show us how to live, gave us a glimpse of his kingdom, and then ultimately suffered for us.

Is that the god/God you know?

We will suffer. We will choose how to respond to our suffering. What will we learn as a result? Hopefully, instead of learning bitterness and resentment, we will learn perseverance, contentment, and the truth about God.

Broken

We are broken. All of us. In The Sacred Romance, the author talks about the Message of the Arrows--the lies that we have believed over time that have made their way into the very center of our being. They Every day I can see the affect of those arrows in other people's lives as well as my own. I heard of someone who recently abused his wife, a girl who has been cutting herslf, a guy who is struggling with homosexuality. I heard of all of them in the past week.

Thankfully we have a God who is all about restoration.

"This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: 'In repentance and rest is your salvation. In quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.'" Isaiah 30:15 (NIV)

Lets take all of it! Lets turn to the Lord. That's the first step to restoration. It's reverse brokenness. He did the work on the cross. He was broken for us so we could find healing. We have to come humbly before him and trust in Him. Cut through the lies. Believe in the One who made you and knows the number of hairs on your head. Let him pick up the pieces of your shattered life.

You may still be broken, but he'll hold all the pieces together.

In the beginning...

Everything starts somewhere (just like this blog begins here). What about you? Where did you begin? What was your life like when you started off in this world? What is it like now?

Throughout our lives we have thoughts about what we want our lives to look like in the future. Does yours look like what you wanted it to look like 10 years ago? 5 years ago? Even 1? I would imagine most of us would say no. Somehow we lose the childhood excitement of being something great when we are beaten down by the harsh realities of our experiences in life.

But, dare I say that there could be more to life...that we (and specifically YOU) could actually find a restored or renewed sense of adventure, freedom, and grace?

Yes. I dare.

It all begins in the beginning. It all goes back to the One who, before time began, created and sustained a plan of redemption that has been woven throughout the history of the world...and makes its way to you today. Many of us have found this newness. We have literally become new people. It doesn't look like it on the outside, but we feel it on the inside.

And you can, too.

The only way to live the adventure and find purpose, fulfillment, and all the things we longed for in the past and desire in the future is to live our lives for the One who made us. Period.

Well, that's just the beginning of the adventure. Whether you're a newbie to the adventure or a seasoned vet, come join me for the journey!

I'm ready!
mirrorman

Here's a picture of me (just so you can see I'm a real person).
mirrorman--reflecting Jesus

Gracelets

This blog is about "gracelets". Those are little bits of grace. We all need them because...well, our lives can get kinda messy. Hopefully you'll find a bit of grace that helps you make it through your day and come out a little stronger on the other side.