When All Hell Breaks Loose

Finally, the storm is over. Not my personal storm, but my latest book, When All Hell Breaks Loose: How to Weather the Storms of Life, is complete and was released over the weekend. One thing I learned while writing the book is that I make a choice on whether I allow an issue to disturb me or not. Storms are designed to toss and turn us, but our perception of the storm determines our poise in the midst of hell breaking loose. I pray this survival guide will edify women because it sure edified me. I referred to the guide yesterday when Secondborn tried me – he didn’t win. 
Storms are guaranteed to come for as long as we live, so learning how to spiritually prepare for them equips us to endure. Most of us have enough Word in us to remain anchored when storms arise, but we often become unraveled. If we ever think we have it perfectly together or that we’ve arrived, storms have a way of knocking us down a notch or two. Some storms will be more severe than others, but they are coming. It’s a blessing God has given us the tools to not only survive storms, but to thrive and maintain a level of poise that reflects His Spirit. If you’re going through a storm now, it won’t be alright because it’s ALREADY alright. 
The winds may intensely blow, but hold on and keep your mind on the Savior not the storm. He’s in control and knows the exact intensity of wind and rain you need to bring His plan to fruition. If you don’t believe it, look at your last storm. You came out alright didn’t you? We always do. All storms eventually dissipate, and the sooner we learn to not allow the appointed issue to disturb us, the quicker it’ll lose its power. Have a wonderful week and stay COVERED!

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Invisible Supply

While traveling this weekend with cruise control and music on, I failed to notice my almost empty gas tank. The gas tank light showed 30 miles and was flashing to get my attention. I turned the music and cruise control off and sat straight up. I drove a while and finally saw a sign with gas in one mile. I exit and drove down a long dark road and ended up at a closed gas station. My first thought was the gas I just wasted. I got back on the highway making an effort to not look at the flashing gas tank light with 20 miles. I kept driving and chanting the words, “Praise the Lord. His mercy endures forever.” I made the mistake of looking at the tank and it was flashing PLEASE REFUEL with no miles. I had no choice, but to keep driving. Finally, an exit came up with several gas stations. I exit to find them all closed – every one of them. 

It was late and began to rain. I saw a Waffle House, so I walked in and announced I needed gas. Someone mentioned a station two miles down the road. I had already been in that direction, but I go anyway. I passed two closed gas stations, and kept driving and praying, “Praise the Lord. His mercy endures forever.” GASP!  An open gas station! I turned in, pulled up to a tank, turned the car off, and began to cry. I was overwhelmed with gratefulness. I will never put myself in that situation again; however, it reminded me there is never an empty tank with God. His mercy endures forever and so does His unlimited, invisible supply. I arrived home and later received a phone call from a friend making sure I made it home safely. Praise the Lord. His mercy endures forever.

I Lack for NO THING!

The Lord is my shepherd I shall lack nothing. I have to repeat this in my head when I find myself focusing on what I lack. Lack of income, lack of gas, lack of clothes, lack of creativity, lack of companionship, lack of health, lack of time or lack of time alone. The lack of anything can sneak up and cause worry and doubt in the mind, which causes the focus to drift away from the Provider. If I can be real, the only thing we really lack, as children of God, is the ability to realize we don’t have to lack anything! We make a choice to be without because the Lord is our Shepherd and we shall lack for NO THING! 

No matter how impossible the situation appears or what we might need, God will always make a way. Hasn’t He always? He always delivers. He always provides! He is our supply and our supplier. Even when we place ourselves in a situation of lack by overspending or mismanaging our money, He still shows mercy and provides! If this isn’t enough to make you shout, I don’t know what will. We either believe in God or we don’t. 

Let’s not do like our children sometimes do. They’ll say they’re hungry, but the refrigerator is full of food. They’ll say they’re bored and they have every toy and electronic device possible. My mother used to say we were crying because we were hungry with a loaf of bread under our arm. Funny, but true! We serve a King and we are the King’s children – we shall lack for NO THING. 

Our Heavenly Father has everything we need and want. 

WONDER - filled Monday

The words wonder and wonderful are used throughout the Bible. When I looked up the word wonder, I found the words awe-inspiring, amazing, surprising, marvel, plus a few more words that made my heart skip a beat with joy.  My thoughts immediately went to the mind of a child and how they are always full of joy and wonder. Children are filled with happy expectancy until grown-ups and life experiences damper their world of wondrous. I know I live in a world of reality, but I want to capture that mind of a child and expect what is before me with wonder instead of fear and doubt. Today is a new day and I expect great things from my amazing and marvelous God! 

Things can change for us overnight. Actually they can change in the next minute. Things can change suddenly, but do we expect wonderful things to happen or are we stuck in a mindset of Monday blues, a dead-end job, or a hum-drum life. Humph…you can stay stuck if you want to, but as for me and my mind, I will have a WONDER-FILLED Monday! Childhood does not have to be our happiest time. Our happiest days could be right now. Each day we live and breathe should be a day of joy and wonder because we serve an awesome, awe-inspiring, amazing, and WONDERFUL God! With all this being said and we consider our present situation, let’s expect wonderful things to occur. 

Just as we love our children and want the best for them, we are God’s children and He loves us so much more and wants only the best for us.

WOOSAH!

I took time to rest a little more than usual this weekend. Although I had a speaking engagement and basketball game to attend, I looked forward to being intimate with my sofa, blanket, and pillow whenever possible. There isn’t anything major going on in my life, but a lot of little things can make a major impact on the mind. I realized during my rest period, that although physically resting, my mind was still quite busy working - overtime.

 I had to concentrate and work hard to focus on the NOW and not Thanksgiving, Christmas, ACT testing, basketball games, bills, publishing, working out, my job, my sons, etc, etc… I’m sure you have a list of your own. My blood pressure has been a little high lately and I’m convinced it’s because of all the little things taking up major mental space in my mind. Let it go, laVender! Let it go! I can’t do a thing about any of it and worry only causes stress, and stress causes health issues, so let it go! Woosah….I live in the NOW not tomorrow or yesterday…Woosah! 

Yes, this is a process and it takes daily practice and prayer. I find myself having to redirect my thoughts and change my mental channel frequently. I shiver at the thought of how much time I’ve wasted living in the past and thinking about what was or could have been. Uuuugh…There I go again, thinking about the past. Help me, Lord! That’s the key, asking for help from the Helper. Lord, regulate my mind and control my untamed thoughts. A woman’s secret weapon is rest – rest in our body and mind and most importantly, rest in Him. Woosah! 

Call Him

I can’t remember if I shared that Firstborn is in Army basic training. Yes, he chose the Army and will be graduating next week. He was allowed to call me Saturday to share some good news. His good news isn’t what I want to share, but how excited I was to hear his voice is the purpose of this meditation. Saturday was the second time I’ve spoken to him since he left in August. When I got off the phone, I was overjoyed with his good news, yet more overjoyed that I was able to hear his voice. I miss my roommate/son so much! Of course there was a lesson hidden in my joy. Jesus never allows me to get excited merely for pure, selfish happiness – He always brings me back to Him. 

Well, just as I was excited to hear Firstborn’s voice, I was reminded that Jesus loves to hear my voice. Imagine that! Firstborn didn’t call to ask for anything, he simply called to talk and share. As his mother, I felt loved and needed. I’m sure my Heavenly Father wants to feel loved and needed by me, His daughter. Firstborn could have called anyone, but he chose me. Jesus wants to be my choice to call on – my first choice. It’s so easy to pick up the phone and call or text my sister, a friend, or my own mother, but Jesus wants me to call on Him. He wants to be the one I go running to. He wants to be my friend – my confidant. He wants me to call on Him simply to share with Him and to be in His presence. 

Can you imagine Jesus being excited to hear from us? WOW! It’s okay to have a go-to friend, but there’s no friend like Jesus. Call Him; He’d love to hear from you.

Life Itself

Yesterday, I felt the need to leave my laptop and go take a walk. It’s been a while since I took a walk just to be walking, and yesterday’s walk was more than refreshing. Being outside reminded me of how much I love the outdoors. I always pictured myself living on a ranch with horses, in a ranch-style home with rocking chairs on the porch, and being able to walk outside and ride my horse for hours. Well, I didn’t have a horse to ride yesterday, but my two feet took me around the trail several times. I felt like a different person. I probably had a smile on my face the entire time as I inhaled the fresh air, felt the sun warming my skin, and listened to the birds around me sing. 

Life is a gift – a blessing - a treasure that gets buried under the life we create around it. As we’re busy raising children and grandchildren, serving our spouse, building a career, enlarging our ministry, and accumulating more stuff, the simple joy of life itself creeps by. It’s easy to get lost in life by not taking time to “smell the roses.” I don’t want to work so hard that I don’t have time to enjoy the beauty of life itself. Although I love to write, sometimes I need to look up over my laptop and realize life is passing by. I don’t want my labor to consume my life. 

When I’m on my deathbed, I don’t think I’ll say, “Dang, I wish I had written one more book.” Hermitville (my apartment) is my favorite place, but I need to venture outside of Hermitville a little more often. No, I’m not going to start being a social butterfly, yet I will enjoy the beauty of a butterfly, stop to smell the roses, and simply enjoy life itself. 

You're Not Alone