{May this journey bring a blessing, may I rise on wings of faith}

~Keith Getty

As the plane sped down the runway and lifted off the ground this morning, one of my favorite quotes popped into my mind: “Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading.”  Have you ever second guessed the pilot when you take off, wondering if he’s really going to take you to the right destination?  What about the fact that we don’t usually get to meet, or even see the pilot before taking off?   We do hear his voice over the loud speaker though, welcoming us on board and giving us important information before heading out. If you’re like me, you get settled in your seat and completely entrust the rest of the journey to the pilot.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

~2 Corinthians 5:7~

It’s amazing how similar trusting the pilot of a plane is to trusting God’s leading.  We can’t see God either, yet we can hear Him speaking to us as we pray and study His word.  Do we completely trust and rest in Him when He’s leading us on unknown paths; or do we second guess His ability to guide and direct?  As the plane flew higher off the ground, I could see all the roads at once and where they led to.  Some of them led to houses and buildings, some were very curvy, some became dead ends, and others went on and on for miles…  God sees our lives in the big picture like that.  He knows exactly where paths lead to and which one He wants us on.  “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” ~Psalm 119:105

It’s been a long time since I’ve flown while it’s dark enough for the city lights to be on.  I love how they sparkle against the darkness!  As we become so filled with Christ’s love that it overflows into the lives of others, we become like those bright, sparkly lights in a dark world.  Walking on unknown paths by faith and not by sight is a great opportunity to seek His face and be filled with His love that shines so brightly.

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.”

~Isaiah 9:2~

“Follow hard after Him, and He will never fail thee.”

~Charles Spurgeon

Beeeep, beeeep, beeeep, beeeep!  The sound of the alarm early in the morning is one of my least favorite sounds.  To be honest, I have to set my alarm about 30 minutes early just so I can press snooze a few times and feel like I slept in longer!  This morning the jingle on my phone went off, telling me it was time to get up and go for a run.  I thought about it, laid my head back down and decided I would just forgo running today; it’s Saturday after all!  Feeling lazy about my decision, I made myself jump out of bed and (rather slowly) get ready to hit the pavement.  I sure didn’t want to go, but after it was all said and done…I felt great; much better than if I had decided to stay in my warm bed and sleep the morning away!

Sometimes when we feel God wants us to go somewhere or do something we react the same way we do to the alarm clock.  Wanting to push snooze, or put it off and try to work our way around it, whatever it takes to get out of the situation.  Once we realize there’s no way around it, we have to jump up and go or do whatever it is He’s bringing our way.   But we still have a choice…we can do it begrudgingly and half-heartedly, making it even more painful, or we can put our whole heart into it, realizing that God is in control and knows exactly what He’s doing. 

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”

 ~Colossians 3:23-24

Mark Cahill said, “A man who wants to lead an orchestra must turn his back on the crowd. Leaders turn their backs on the crowd and follow their mission no matter what the crowd thinks. As you live your life for Jesus, turn your back on trying to please the crowd; face Jesus, and please Him with every fiber of your being.”  If we want to follow Jesus, we must also turn our backs on ourselves, not trying to please our own desires, but following hard after Jesus and the mission He sets before us. 

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

~John 3:30

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and regretfully upon the closed door that we do not

see the one that He has opened for us.”

~Alexander Graham Bell

Two months ago Mom called all of us up to the sitting room and said, “How do you feel about moving back to Guam in two months?  We need to make a decision in the next few hours so Dad can let the detailer know.”  We were completely shocked!  Guam?!  After moving away from there 7 years ago, it was the last place I thought we’d ever go back to.  We loved it, but this time it seemed different… I knew we’d be leaving two of my brothers and my sister and her family behind.

Moving to new places has been one of my favorite things in life!  We have so many fun memories of all 10 of us packing up and traveling together in our big gold van that has been dubbed “Noah’s Ark” by some neighbors!  But when Mom mentioned moving back to Guam all I could do was cry.  We were feeling pretty settled in our home in Swansboro, it’s the longest we’ve lived anywhere and it felt like we had finally laid some roots.  I thought we’d live there for at least two more years (if not longer) and wondered why God would send us so far away to that little tiny island.  All kinds of questions flooded my mind as the tears flowed down and I thought about the whole thing.  It’s just so far away and I wondered what I would do there; what kind of opportunities were there for work and ministry?  I really didn’t want to go.

 As I sat in my cozy sea-blue room, I remembered how I sat there a little over a year ago (and many times since then) with an even greater disappointment.  I thought about how God took that huge disappointment and turned it into one of the greatest blessings I have ever received!  It wasn’t easy getting to that point.  It took months of spending time alone in that little room with candles lit, my Bible open, and the pages of my journal filling up.  So many tears fell that year.  I think learned what David meant when he said “…every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with tears!” ~Psalm 6:6  J  After lots of prayer and seeking God about it, He gave me an amazing peace…even excitement about moving to Guam!  I realized there are tons of opportunities for work and ministry there and can’t wait to see what He has in store for each of us.

“As we surrender our hopes and dreams to Him,

He shows us what the best things really are!”

After remembering how God worked through past disappointments and turned them into the greatest things, I was reminded of His faithfulness and love.  He can fulfill all our greatest dreams and desires, but if we don’t have a passionate, growing relationship with Him they really won’t bring fulfillment.  As we surrender our hopes and dreams to Him, He shows us what the best things really are!

Only weeks after moving to Guam was first mentioned, I stood in the doorway of my empty room…all that was left were the sea-blue walls, and I thought about all those special times I spent there, learning who God really is.  I wouldn’t trade those times for anything! ©

~*~

5…4…3…2…1…GO!

 The force of more than 300 runners behind and to the side of me pushed me to start faster than usual. Like most summer days in North Carolina, it was really hot and humid.  Every little breeze blowing in from the riverfront was a welcomed feeling!  Somewhere in that first ½ mile I was able to slow to a pace I could keep up with easier. Being new to running races, 3.2 miles was plenty for me, especially with the humidity.  It was a down and back kind of race, rather than doing a full loop, and it sure felt like I had gone further by the time I got to the half-way point and had to turn around.   Finally, I could see the finish line and the energy that had been quickly draining came back twice as strong as I sprinted to the end.  It felt so good to cross that finish line!  Before I reached the towel dripping with ice-cold water that was being handed me, a guy was looking down at my shoe while asking for my timing chip.  I thought it was attached to my number like a previous race and was looking for a dotted line to tear it off.  Apparently I missed the line to pick up a chip that attaches to the shoe.  My heart sunk as I realized I had run the race without a timing chip and was disqualified from having my time included in the final results, forfeiting  a 2^nd place medal for my age group.  Although it was a little disappointing, that medal is a temporary reward, representing a mere 3.2 miles.  There is a far more important race that we’re all running right now; a race that lasts a lifetime…and the reward is eternal!

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win…they then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”

~1 Corinthians 9:24, 25b

It’s pretty easy to look like a good Christian; going to church, reading our Bible, praying, helping others, sharing our different gifts and abilities, because after all, “Faith without works is DEAD!” (James 2:26)  Those are all great ways to openly live out our walk with God.  Sometimes the only opportunity people have of knowing God and His love is by watching us live out what He’s doing in our hearts. But faith and good works is not the end, it gets harder, our works must be done with love or they are worthless! (1 Corinthians 13:1-8)  Now the “race” is getting tough and the temptation to give up, or even keep going but slow down or walk a little bit is sounding pretty good, especially when we’re dealing with someone who’s hard to love.  But that’s when we have to keep in mind the finish line!  Seeing the finish line when I’m at the end of a race gives me energy and I just want to run as strong and hard as I can to the end.  Remember Who is at the end of our finish line, and Who we’re running for?  During those times you want to slow down or give up, remind yourself of the Finish Line and gain strength and energy to keep going by looking to Jesus.

“Draw me after you and let us run together!”  ~Song of Solomon 1:4

Having faith without works doesn’t mean that we won’t go to heaven, because it’s not our works that actually save us (a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Christ Jesus…since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified. ~Galatians 2:16), it’s actions done in love (along with faith) that displays a living and active walk with God; it’s laying up treasures in heaven and rewards that are imperishable.  Faith without works done in love is like running a race without a timing chip…you run, you take the same course and do everything else the other runners do, but without the chip there is no reward.  Are you running this lifelong race with your “timing chip?”  Are you running at a slow pace because it’s tough right now?  Remember what Paul said:

“Therefore, I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified!”

~1 Corinthians 9:26-27

~*~

Stir the Cookie Batter!

For as long as I can remember, our family has been making Chocolate Chip Cookies from a special recipe someone gave us years ago.  We make them for everything and have gotten pretty good at coming up with reasons to make them “just because.”  J  The dough is thick, thicker than any other chocolate chip cookie dough I’ve tried so far.  By the time we add in the final ingredient there’s no way you can mix that batter with a spoon.  We always end up using our hands or a heavy duty mixer to mix the flour in real good!  After setting aside a spoonful of dough for each of my siblings, the rest of it finally makes it into the oven.

One day about 11 years ago, I went to bed with tears in my eyes.  It had been a pretty rough day; I don't remember why.  I never forgot that day because when Dad came to tuck me in and saw me crying he said, “Kelli, I think you’re learning to stir the cookie batter!”  I had no idea what he meant, until he started reminding me how it is when we make those yummy chocolate chip cookies.  It’s pretty easy at first, you can mix with a spoon, the eggs, butter and Crisco are nice and soft…then comes the flour and it’s so hard to stir.  You have to really get in there and knead the dough.  Flipping it upside down, scraping the sides of the bowl, and mixing until it’s smooth, thick and creamy.  Just when you get it all mixed up good, in go the chocolate chips for another round of flipping, scraping and mixing.  Finally, the dough is ready to be tasted, then baked in the oven.  Then you wait...for 12 whole minutes, which seems just too long sometimes.  J

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage;

yes, wait for the Lord!” ~Psalm 27:14

Dad went on to explain how life is like stirring the cookie dough.  You get to those hard points, like mixing in the flour and chocolate chips, but you can’t just give up.  You have to keep persevering, keeping in mind that the end is sweet!  A lot of times we can’t see the end, but if we continue “mixing” and focusing on God we will get there, and finally enjoy the reward of waiting; seeking God’s face and watching Him work in ways we could never have orchestrated ourselves.

Stirring the cookie batter is a lifelong process (Dad’s had to remind me many times in the last 11 years to “Stir the cookie batter.”)  Sometimes it’s smooth and rewarding, other times difficult and tough, but if we constantly seek God’s face, the end is always sweet! 

::Let every valley be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill be made low;

and let the rough ground become a plain,

and the rugged terrain a broad valley::

~Isaiah 40:4~

~*~

The rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew and slammed against two houses…one fell; the other stood fast

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell – and great was its fall.” –Matthew 7:24-27

Two men and two houses are going through the same storm with two completely different outcomes.  The only difference is that one of those houses is built on rock and the other on sand.  The houses represent our lives and what kind of foundation we’re building on.

“Everyone who hears these words of Mine and ACTS on them is like the wise man who built on the firm foundation.” (vs. 24) We can read God’s word every day and be so filled with it, but if we don’t act on it and live it out our faith is dead.  “Faith without works is dead.” –James 2:26.  But “Everyone who hears these words and does NOT act on them is like the foolish man who built his house on the sand.” (vs.26). If we don’t have a firm foundation that comes from living and acting on God’s word, when the storms of life come we’ll never make it through. 

Finding security and hope in things like money, health, our looks, etc. are things that will all fade away.  Even though those things are not bad, they won’t help us in life’s “storms.”  Placing all our security, trust, and hope in Jesus Christ will carry us through!  His love, grace, and strength are enough! 

“And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

~2 Corinthians 12:9

Too often I read God’s word and set it aside until the next time I pick up my Bible, not thinking about what I read all day long.  I get busy and my mind starts thinking about a million other things.  But reading it and not thinking about it is not going to help us live it out.  Thinking about God’s Word throughout the day so that I can act on it is what I’m working on to build on the Firm Foundation. 

What are some ways you’re building on the Firm Foundation?  Will you be able to stand firm during the fiercest storm?

Jesus, draw me ever nearer as I labour through the storm.

You have called me to this passage, and I’ll follow, though I’m worn.

May this journey bring a blessing, may I rise on wings of faith;

And at the end of my heart’s testing, with Your likeness let me wake.

~Keith Getty

o.O.o

“Weeping may last for a night…

But a shout of JOY comes in the morning!”

~Psalm 30:5

Change.  It’s something that most of us don’t like…at first.  I’ve been thinking a lot about this, because there have been big changes around here.  All of them have been unexpected and my first reaction to unexpected change is usually “How will this EVER work out?” or “Does God REALLY know what He’s doing?”  Of course He does, but I still find myself asking that question each time I come to a “bend in the road.” If it was up to me, I wouldn’t have chosen any of the changes God brought, but looking back I’m amazed to see where He led, and I’m so glad it wasn’t up to me!  As I’ve thought about all the different circumstances He’s brought me through in just the last few months, I think there are two words that should follow right after the word “change”—God’s sovereignty. 

“God in His love always wills what is best for us, in His wisdom He always knows what is best, and in His sovereignty He has the power to bring it about.”

God likes to keep life exciting and full of mystery!  It’s not about chance and being lucky if things go well.  He has a specific plan for every one of us and uses “hand picked” circumstances to fulfill that plan. If we could see ahead of time how things were going to turn out in the end, there would be no need to trust in God and His sovereignty. 

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

~Corrie Ten Boom

A couple days ago I was reading Sarah Young’s devotional, Jesus Calling, and love what she wrote about trusting God for the future:

“Rest in Me, My child, Give your mind a break from planning and trying to anticipate what will happen. Pray continually, asking My Spirit to take charge of the details for this day. Remember that you are on a journey with Me. When you try to peer into the future and plan for every possibility, you ignore your constant Companion who sustains you moment by moment. As you gaze anxiously into the distance, you don’t even feel the strong grip of My hand holding yours. How foolish you are, My child!

Remembrance of Me is a daily discipline. Never lose sight of My presence with you. This will keep you resting in Me all day, every day.”

“Pray without ceasing.” ~1 Thessalonians 5:17

When you’re going through hard changes or can’t see as far into the future as you want to, remember that God is at work behind the scenes.  “Weeping may last for a night, but a shout of JOY comes in the morning!”  ~Psalm 30:5

“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”

~Job 13:15