Love Comes to You

My analytical mind gets so overloaded with details sometimes that it's so hard to sift out the facts that are needed versus he facts that are not. On the day I'm writing this, I'm reminded of the truth that whatever debris is swirling around inside of my mind, I can depend on the truth that God is constant. He's the anchor in the storm, He's the unshifting rock I can rest on. 

There's a song that Kari Jobe sings called "Love Came Down" and I'm going to share the lyrics here because of their powerful truth that I am focusing on today: though I may be overwhelmed, I will trust in Him still, because his Love comes down to rescue me every time. 

Like waves on the shore, God's love consistently flows to us.

If my heart is overwhelmed, and I cannot hear Your voice 

I hold on to what is true, though I cannot see 

If the storms of life they come, and the road ahead gets steep 

I will lift these hands in faith, I will believe 

I'll remind myself of all that You've done 

And the life I have because of Your son 

Love came down and rescued me 

Love came down and set me free 

I am Yours 

Lord, I'm forever Yours 

Mountains high or valley low 

I sing out and remind my soul 

I am Yours 

I am forever Yours 

When my heart is filled with hope: every promise comes my way 

When I feel Your hands of grace rest upon me 

Staying desperate for You, God; staying humble at Your feet 

I will lift these hands in praise, I will believe 

I'll remind myself of all that You've done 

And the life I have because of Your son 

Love came down and rescued me 

Love came down and set me free 

I am Yours 

I am forever Yours 

Mountains high or valley low 

I sing out and remind my soul 

I am Yours 

I am forever Yours 

Finding Opportunity in Boundaries

Several weeks ago I had the chance to visit a friend of mine.  We try to get together every few months and it's a fabulous time of reciprocal encouragement.  My friend, Phyllis, just recently was told by her doctors to switch to a new diet to see if it is beneficial for her.

In despair, Phyllis told me about this new diet restriction.  She lived most of her life in the Midwest as a farmer's wife, working hard to till the land, plant seed, cultivate, and harvest.  She knows mashed potatoes and fried chicken like breathing.  She knows all the goodness of a fresh apple pie and the buttery delight of warm biscuits and gravy.  But she's been told "no" to all of that.

Even with the food changes being made in this generation, change is never easy.  I understood Phyllis' frustration and yet I had to believe there was a better opportunity in this new diet challenge.  As we sat there, Phyllis showed me her list of ingredients that were "safe" and that she could eat on her new eating plan.  We concocted a recipe and went to the kitchen to start making it.

An inviting aroma wafted through the small kitchen as we started to cook the vegetables.  We talked about new ideas for recipe's that could be made with these same ingredients and we laughed at, truly, the opportunities that are revealed within this dietary restriction.

You see, if Phyllis had never been told to limit herself of what was comfortable, she never would have come up with these new ideas.  She never would have found out that she actually liked other things.

 

Often, God does this for us, doesn't He?  He takes us from what we know, what we're comfortable with, and He closes that door of opportunity.  We respond with frustration, usually; heartbroken at the reality that He has removed something we loved so much from our life.

What if....

What if He was actually cutting out those things that were toxic to us, that we could not tell were toxic??

What if He was actually moving us to a place where we could see an abundance of blessing that we have been missing all along??

Do you see where I'm going with this?  Let's take a new approach.  Let's purposefully look for the God-viewpoint and stay in that place.  It may mean coming across as insensitive at times, but done in love, it can be a gift second only to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

Let's explore the boundaries that God has given us with fresh excitement: He's not through with lavishing His love on us yet!

How to Win Every Day

Several months ago I had the privilege of talking with my friend who struggles greatly with a painful (and sometimes debilitating) illness.  She shared several creative ideas God gave her for raising her (now grown) children despite her illness, but one of them made me smile big!

"Crystal," she said, "every morning, I would sit down at the piano, and we would sing praise songs.  That way, if we got nothing else done that day, we would at least praise God."

What wisdom!

Over and over and over again, we are told in scripture to praise the Lord!  It matters not if you wake up and play a piano, play a song on your mp3 player, or make up a praise song of your own. What matters is this: that you praise God.

Praise can take on a lot of different forms (and that is an entirely different topic), but know this: when you start your day out praising God, placing Him as leader of your life, you win.  Immediately, you win.  You've put up a sign on your heart that says, "God is worth praise today, despite everything I lack."

Soon after my conversation with my sweet friend, I heard the song "You Are Good", sung by Kari Jobe on Gateway Worship's album Wake Up the World.  With lyrics like "Everyday I'll awaken my praise and pour out a song from my heart", I recommend this one for any morning routine.

Winning starts now.  Are you ready?

If you'd like more information on the benefits of praise, in great detail with scriptural references, I recommend this article by Watchman Nee.

**Leave me a comment below with your favorite praise song!**

Vinegar in the Eye

A while ago I went to dinner with a friend late at night after an event.  We had a good time chatting and laughing.  I had ordered a salad and she was munching on her food.  All of the sudden, a drop of raspberry vinaigrette dressing lodged itself into my eye and proceeded to cause great burning.  After a moment of realizing it wasn't just on my eye lid, but actually in my eye socket, and the burning was not getting any less, I made my way to the bathroom where I did my best to flush my eye with water.  I finally got enough of it out to where I was able to open my eye and not have it hurt.  

I finished my dinner that night with red eyes and all my makeup washed off.  (I care less about the makeup than the fact it looked like I had just been crying for three hours...)  We laughed about the situation and went on our way.  

But today I was remembering this instance.  I was remembering the burn of something foreign being lodged into my eye, and the thought alone made me tear up again.  The burn of that one instance is engraved in my mind, similar to the thought of the first time you may have put your hand on something hot.  Those moments keep us from doing the same thing again, they help us to have a healthy fear of the object in its active state.  It doesn't mean raspberry vinaigrette dressing is bad, nor does it mean a curling iron or a pot of coffee is bad.  But when these things are not being applied in the manner they were intended, they cause reactions that are not intended either.

Just as remembering the salad dressing instance causes my eye to tear up, so I want the remembrance of sin in my life to still affect me.  When I do something that causes that burn in my heart, I want to be scarred to the point where I don't forget that it is a bad thing.  It doesn't mean I have to be scarred to grow in spiritual maturity, it just means that whenever those things do happen, I'm able to grow from them and not be stunted by them.

Normally, I would be scarred and handicapped.  This is what Evil has intended.  But God is all about redemption and it is times like these that He uses what has been ruined inside of us as soil for the new things He has for us.  He tills it up, He works His love through it like fertilizer, and He plants new hope, new life, new blessings where we have been burned.  

This is the work of God with Jesus.  Jesus became our redemption ticket.  We can now have eternal life because of what Jesus did - because of what He lived for and what He died for.  And even vinegar in my eye can become something useful in the hands of a redemptive God.

What things in your life have been so painful that the thought of them still causes you to shiver or cringe?  If you choose to leave these things in the hands of God, in what ways can you see Him using them for good?

Wisdom in the Trenches-Worry

I would say that "trenches" are places where you are on your knees and getting dirty.  Places where you've hidden yourself in a hole with the hopes of finding something or hiding from something.... or both.

So when I say "trenches", my mind's eye goes to a place where people go to get down and dirty with their requests to God; where they go to hide from the enemy's fire and find peace and resolution in the Victor's hands.

I'm huge on prayer.  I'm the person who doesn't take it lightly and will offer up whisper heart prayers if nothing else is available.  So, when someone offers to pray for me, I want to give them a specific thing to pray for.  I did this recently - I asked a couple who was praying for me to pray for a specific concern I have about my time away on a mission trip.  Their response just made me smile, knowing that it was God alone who gave them the words to say to me...

"We will definitely pray... God hasn't give you this opportunity to blindside you while you're gone, you know, so relax and enjoy your ministry experience."

This isn't to say that God doesn't have surprises up His sleeve for my good, but it is to remind me to NOT WORRY.

How much do I know worry is bad for me?  MUCH.  It's bad for you too.  I need people who are in the trenches with me to remind me to keep my head down when those thoughts come my way.  I am granted victory over them time and again, but I am certainly not immune to them.  Let's encourage each other to continually cast our cares on God, not trust in our own line of sight, keep praying in the trenches, and sing a few campfire songs while we're down there.  We want freedom, after all, and singing the good old praises invites God's Spirit to be a part of us.  And where the Spirit of the LORD is - there is freedom.

What ARE you saying??

A thought hit me today that I felt very convicted about - what am I telling those around me by my attitude?

Our attitude can make or break a meeting, it can lift up or break down, it can bring growth, or it can cause recoil.  You make the atmosphere by your attitude.

As a Christian, a follower of Christ, my attitude is determined greatly by the spirit inside of me.  Do I let the Holy Spirit setup house inside of me on a very practical level? Or do I only let Him in when I want to feel Him?

Will you stick your feet in the ground deep in a place of joy and faith with me today - believing with every part of ourselves for greatness?  It doesn't mean settling, it means you get some gumption in your boots and decide to have a good attitude and a healthy spirit.  Don't just put a smile on, change your demeanor.  That might mean you have to let go of some bitterness, anger, frustration, irritation, anxiety, or passivity, but I know you are capable of it.

:)

Don't let a mistake from your past or someone else's circumstances determine your attitude.  Choose to be the light, not the lampshade.  Let's do this together!

The Distraction Factor

The Distraction Factor

 

I find myself in that place of confusion sometimes – that place where I’m not really sure what to think.  That’s when - once again - I’m reminded of my desperate need to cling to nothing but God.  To trust in nothing but Him, but to fully trust in Him, is a daily readjustment process that I must go through.  

It is so easy for me to be distracted by circumstances, events, even people, in my life – good people!  So often I’m faced with the reality that I’ve put my hope in something or someone – someone good – but not God. 

So my prayer in these times is as follows: 

Lord, forgive me for putting anything, or anyone, before You.  Your love and purpose is what I want to be consumed by.  Thank You for taking things out of my life that do not suit your purposes for me!  Help me to be increasingly more grateful for those things You withhold along with the things that You bless me with abundantly.  You are good, and Your plans are for Your good purpose!  That’s all I need to remember.

If you’ve ever found yourself in this place, know you’re not the only one.  I’m confident that God’s love doesn’t change for me – or for you – despite our lack of focus at times.  God is all about redemption (note: JESUS CHRIST!), and when we go to Him with humble hearts, ready to change in His strength, He is always ready to redeem.  Remember this with me today.

Psalm 86:12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.

If this letter is for you, you will know it...

Dear Friend,

I heard you had a rough day today.  Yeah, I know, rough is putting it lightly.

When I heard about it, you know what I felt?  Ache.  My heart ached for you.  I hurt for you.

Because I know that kind of day.

The tightness in my breathing brings back memories of heaving sobs, of sleepless nights, of ache, ache, ache.  Of wondering when the pain is going to end.  Of hoping against all hope for.... hope.

Most people don't quite understand that ache, though.  Most people don't deal with that ache.  Thank God they don't have to.  Most people haven't held the weight we've held.  Most people don't know or haven't been to that place.  And that's ok.  It's only hard when they judge as if they have.  But I know.

And no, it doesn't seem right for us to carry that ache.  But we have.  We know God, we know salvation, we know heaven, we know grace, we know healing, we know mercy.  And boy do we know pain.  We just know.  We don't like to talk about it much, it's not the most savory of conversations, of course.  But it's very real.

And my solution is this: I have no solution.  I have no remedy for that pain.  For some reason we deal or have dealt with it when others never scratch the surface of it.  Jesus alone helps us through.  Not friends, not blogs, not medicine.  But when we make it through - it is solely by the grace of God through whatever means He uses.  And we know that.

So why am I writing you this letter?  Just to tell you this: you're really not alone in this understanding.  I know.  So we know together.  Whether we like it or not, we know.  But we are not alone.

I hope you will hold on to this realization, and hold on until you find that sunny, breezy, beautiful place of no pain - of something lovely. And I hope in that moment that you will say, "holding on was worth it - for this."

With hugs of love,

Crystal

2012 Goal: Play Everyday!

I once had a physical trainer that had a phrase she liked to repeat: "Play Everyday!"

This was a motivational phrase to help people learn that exercising and training your body can be fun, but it's completely in the way you look at it.  It's a mind game, essentially.

But physical activity is good for LOTS of reasons.
-Stress relief
-Toxin release
-Creates serotonin
-Strengthens heart
-Strengthens lungs
-Prolongs mobility
-Helps circulation
-Can aid in sleep
-Energy builder
-Can help achieve and maintain a healthy weight


The list can go on and on.  Most people do not deny how beneficial exercise is.  More-so, we find it hard to keep our motivation elevated.

Let's try to remember this phrase when we're deciding whether or not to do something for the day, and let's decide, you and I, to do something now - while we can. You never know when your body will not be able to function in one way or another.  Take advantage of the opportunities you have now to have fun while taking care of yourself.

PLAY EVERYDAY!!!

One last note - here are some ideas for your "play" time.  Don't make too big a deal of it - just do something!

-Walk the dog
-Jog the dog
-Sprint to the end of your street
-Take a bike ride to the closest store
-Play tag with your kids
-Have a jumping-jack contest
-Do situps or crunches
-Lift the laundry soap bucket/box in reps of 10
-Do squats or lunges while you're brushing your teeth or drying your hair
-Dance to music while you're folding clothes
-Leg lifts
-Go out to a community dance for the fun of it
-Do a Pilates routine from t.v.
-Go throw a football, play catch, shoot some hoops, or kick a soccer ball with the neighbor kids
-Carry a baby around!
-Pushups
-Punch a pillow or a mattress
-Skip to the end of your street
-Take a hike if you have trails nearby
-Speed-walk the local park
-Swim
-Walk to a coworker's office instead of calling them on the intercom

Do you have any fun ideas you can add to this list?

Image from Cute Little Factory here.

2012 Goal: Believe Bigger

I don't know one single person that would not benefit from believing bigger about God's ability and the ability He has instilled inside of each of us.  Too often, we find ourselves backing out of things before we even attempt them, though, because we don't believe God made us strong enough for something.

Remember Moses in the Bible?  God chose him to lead an entire nation to freedom, but he was so scared of speaking that God had to use Aaron, his brother, to speak to the crowds.  It's not to say that God didn't know this was going to happen, but I always wonder how or if the story would have changed if Moses decided to stammer his way through every speech, just because God told Him to.  I didn't read anywhere where God was asking Moses to be eloquent, just obedient.  Still, our human nature inherently tells us we are limited, where God's divine nature tells us we are able.

Remember Esther in the Bible?  She didn't think her stunning beauty was worth anything but to be beautiful.  She probably had hopes to be chosen as a bride by some other humble Jewish boy and to become a good wife and mother.  Yet God had a kingdom to save, and He knew he could use Esther, so He called her.  She became queen, but even with her influence as queen, she doubted her ability to do anything of significance.  Her wise uncle was the one who said to her that her whole life may have been purposed for just this very thing: this very pivotal part of the nation's survival.  And who is she to question God's purpose at this time?  Even here, the human nature of limitations creeps in on God's divine nature of ability.

Andy Grammar, a current singer/songwriter from L.A., has had an experience similar to these.  While I don't know how divine his experiences have been, I do know that God's Spirit can use anything to get inside of our hearts, including a song. From a non-Christian singer.  The lyrics to the chorus of "Lunatic" are especially encouraging to me.

You can do this, you can do this. You are not a lunatic. Crazy would be changing your mind. You can do this, you can do this. You are not a lunatic. Crazy would be leaving it behind.

God has put dreams inside of you and I.  Let's believe this year more than ever, let's let our faith grow this year more than ever.  And let's not ignore every little thing His Spirit speaks to us, from whatever source it seems to come from.


"And without faith it is impossible to please God" - Hebrews 11:6

Outside the Frame

I'm new to glasses.  I was just prescribed them for certain conditions, and they aren't the same as wearing sunglasses.  There are two little shapes for my eyes to look through, surrounded by a frame.  I can see the frame with my peripheral. What I noticed the other day was that my eyes don't want to stretch to look outside of those frames.  While without glasses, I look to my right and left to see things out of the corner of my eye, wearing the glasses deceives my eyes into thinking it is only supposed to see what is within the frames. 

I know.  I can pull a lesson from anything it seems.  But I did learn something about myself here.  I learned that too often I find myself focused within my own frame of mind, not allowing myself to look in the peripheral - or to even consider there is a peripheral. 

And how often do things turn out differently than I could foresee?  Often. 

Just another reminder to me to try to consider that I do not have all the options in front of me.  And that God does.  He can work a miracle out of something, even when I see there is no room for one to be worked. 

Redemption (II)

Redemption is such a powerful and soothing word.  Redemption implies that someone has done something wrong, and that they do not have what it takes to make things right.

Psalm 49:15 NLT
But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave.

Redemption in this life means I have done something worthy of death itself, yet I don't have to die.  Not because I am so powerful to avoid death, but because someone has paid the price I owed.  This someone is God through Jesus Christ. 

Oh, how desperately I need this redemption all too often.  I need to be redeemed from myself!  Plus, I don't want to live a life of doing things wrong. 


I've grown up in church and done my best to follow God my entire life.  I've realized how bad of a person I am on my own, and how much I need Jesus as my eternal savior.  And I have accepted Him as such.  Yet I still do wrong.  The decision to accept salvation has not made me exempt from being human.  I need redemption just as much as the next person.  I need help to make good decisions and to quickly forgive those around me. 


We're all headed for the same place - a courtroom.  And nothing will be hidden here.  HOWEVER, if I chose Jesus as my attorney, my records are sealed, and the accusations against me are blotted out.  Any objections to my innocence are overruled when I've repented and been redeemed.  Redeemed.  This is my judgment.  I have been found in the wrong, but I have been redeemed.  And this is why, as a Christian, I can say, "I am set free".

Learning about Judgment

I have been reading Joyce Meyer’s book Battlefield of the Mind* for about a year.  In chapter 13, she talks about loving other people and how our judgment denies our love for them.  She recounted a story about how she couldn’t figure out why she was so sick during one of her later pregnancies, but that God reminded her of how she had judged another lady a few years before for the exact same condition.  Only, she was condemning the lady for a lack of self-discipline.  When Joyce realized this, she confessed that she had been wrong and was back to health in no time.  

It was just a page.

All it takes sometimes is a few words to remind us of our own deficiencies, doesn’t it?  

I was greatly moved by this passage, because it challenged me to think about my own past and times I’ve judged people, later struggling with the very same issue they were struggling with.  Needless to say, I was quickly reminded of how imperfect I am.  

I wouldn’t call myself someone who is quick to judge others, but it is obvious I can be, and I have been.  Seldom have I met a human being that is not quick to judge.  It’s not intentional, but it’s certainly evident. 

For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you. Matthew 7:2

My prayer today, then, is this:

Lord, PLEASE make me aware of the times I start to judge someone!  Help me to remember that I do not ever see the big picture, and please warn me to stop before I complete the act.  I do not have the “luxury” of judging others since I am just as easily in the wrong.  Make me aware, every time, of your advice in Matthew 7, and give me grace to look past the situation and love the person no matter what.  Thank you for your reminders of how to better love others, and better serve you. 

Do you have a special reminder to help you make good decisions in these “judgment times”?  What advice can you give based on your experience that has helped you walk away from a judgmental situation?

*Meyer, Joyce. Battlefield of the mind: winning the battle in your mind. Faith Words Edition. Pgs 139-140. (c) 1995.

Purchase details here: Battlefield of the Mind at ChristiansBest.Com