Events+Response = Outcome

I was reading in Jonah this morning and came across my notes from a series Pastor Dave, taught previously at Crossroads Church.

This note caught my eye and I felt it was SO applicable to what we're experiencing in our country right now.  Events+ Response = Outcome.  PROFOUND!   He went on to remind us that the only part of that equation we get to participate in or have control over is our Response!

God allows or creates the event because He knows what needs to happen in order to accomplish HIS outcome! 

I've seen a lot of disappointing responses to our current circumstances, so what do you says brothers and sisters, can we lay our opinions, our worries and our whining aside and trust God for the outcome?  Am I confused and disappointed in our current circumstance?  Of course! I had many  plans and projects that I had invested tons of times into that all got cancelled!

But, I believe fully that all God needs from me is a controlled - godly response.  And possibly to just be quiet!  Will you join me?

building a legacy

My devotions hit me right where I am today.

I was sitting here trying to think of something spectacular that my grandkids will remember on our Tuesday together...

Then I sat down and was quiet long enough for God to speak - I Samuel 16:7&8 talks about God not using what the world expects Him to use.  Samuel looked at all of Jesse's sons' as a candidate for the future king of Israel.  Some were tall in stature, some had accomplishments that were admirable - but Samuel turned to Jesse and said, "Are these all the sons you have?".  Shocked Jesse told him he had the youngest song tending sheep in the field.  Surely God wouldn't make an animal tender king?

The minute Samuel saw David he knew this was the anointed one that God would make king!

Short, dirty probably even smelly - just like the laundry we do each day...

God teaches us what He needs us to learn in our everyday life - usually NOT in the spectacular!

If we're in God's word, quietly spending time with Him he will use us to reach our full potential.

Our grandson excepted Jesus into his heart a week ago.  It wasn't spectacular kids programming that moved him, it was his parents being available to talk with him when he had questions - not on cell phones, not watching TV or playing on-line games - talking...quiet...available.

When I shared this news with my team a week ago at Crossroads praising Jesus - Pastor Dave said "your legacy"...

The only legacy I have to leave is serving my grandkids and my children, being available to those in ministry I serve with, asking God to help me show them what being set-apart from the world and available means.  Nothing spectacular, just being available, just being who God created me to be.

disrupted sleep

When my sleep is disrupted it can be any number of things:

-Vern needs to go outside
-Eating too late at night
-Snoring from dog or hubby
-Loud storm
-Bad dream

This morning at 4:00 I absolutely could no longer sleep!  Very disappointing after being in the car over 10 hours yesterday!

So I got up and made coffee and worked a little bit, knowing I would be exhausted by the end of the day with 3 meetings today and various tasks ahead of me.

As I'm winding up some work right now, I wondered if there was far more to accomplish then a couple of early morning tasks.

So I began to pray and ask the Lord to be pleased with my day.  It's amazing when we're obedient and quiet our hearts what He brings to our attention.  I'm not claiming any mystical revelation - more like an 'abiding in Him' quiet focus.

Psalm 46:10  "Be still and know that I am God..."  

I think the context of this was when God needed people to 'stop trying vainly' to accomplish and let it be obvious that this was going to be something only God could do.  It's interesting that God asks for our quietness - to step aside so He can work.

I SO want to be still enough to hear God's leading - and then to trust Him completely today!

Will you be loud, or quietly abiding today?

Can you be quiet

Titus 2

7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity,

8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

In this time of transition at Crossroads- I believe our greatest challenge will be to have "sound speech". No gossiping, no speculating, no negative comments, can we do that?

How simple - to avoid anyone being able to speak evil against you - be quiet!

Why does it feel so important to voice my opinion?  God doesn't need my help!

Will you join me in being quiet?  Letting no gossip slip from your lips?  Trusting and glorifying Almighty God with our silence as we wait?

my day off

Each spring I post a picture of my favorite spot on earth so here it is again, my deck! This is where many of my favorite things happen, Bible Study, reading, writing, thinking, hanging out with family and friends.
I woke up early today only to discover a disaster...no Starbucks only decaf - which is reserved for friends that stay late at night - I need caffeine! Thank goodness for "The Walmart" and Starbucks coupons!

All is well, and I am back with coffee and reading in hand. So, I'm thinking leisurely day, catching up on reading, and my passage for the day was Romans 14. And that chapter gets right to the point, vs. 1 - "Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions." So my day off begins with a confrontation from God. I have had quite a judgmental week- throwing my opinions around way too freely, and each time I did the Spirit within me warned me...sometimes I listened sometimes I didn't. Reading this chapter comes on the heels of Pastor Jesse's teaching yesterday about being held accountable for every word spoken...Man am I in so much trouble!

The thing about gossip or speaking in a judgmental way is it typically doesn't affect the person I speak against, it makes me look foolish. This is especially true in leadership positions. Our authority can rise or fall based solely on our words. If our words do not match our actions - our words become empty - the respect of others slips away. They know deep in their hearts if you will speak this way against others, you will also speak against them. Something Rick Muchow said when he was here a week ago stuck with me, "no one comes to me to gossip or criticize, because they know I don't gossip. If they do come to you to gossip, they know you will participate." This is a harsh fact, if they come to you to gossip - they know you will participate...I don't want to be known in this way!

So I've made a decision, today is a "day off'" from words. I won't speak a word of gossip or judgement (with a lot of help from above), in fact I will try not to speak many words at all and instead listen. Easier said then done.

So what this becomes then, is in fact a day off for my husband! ha ha!! I challenge each of you, join me in this attempt! God bless!

grateful quiet spirit

We attended a Christmas Small Group Italian dinner tonight! Excellent!! I'm not gonna lie, I think I have gained 5 pounds already. You know how it goes, make cookies, test one, test two...get out the milk - I love it!

Our kids are home, sitting by fires, reading books, decorating cookies and the tree, for these moments I am forever grateful.

Of course God knew this is what Christmas would become, family, presents, commercialism and endless eating. I wonder how it makes Him feel? I wonder if He feels? I wonder if He ever felt like His most precious gift was wasted on us at times ? Then I remember that He said he would have sent His son even for one of us. The shepherd leaves the flock for one lost sheep...

I think it brings God pleasure when we enjoy our life, when we enjoy one another, when we appreciate His provisions.

For perhaps a brief moment, I praise Him for a calm, precious evening. Maybe just a pause before the next crisis, but I receive it with a grateful heart and quiet spirit. His love is so obvious if I look, and I love Him.

Voiceless leader

lead-er (lee-der) noun 1. a person or thing that leads

No spectacular definition, no fancy description, just a person that leads. That is me.

In recent years my confidence in my own leadership has been greatly affected by what I realize now is truly a handicap. My family and friends began to notice several years ago that my voice would sound funny, so I finally went to a throat specialist. Diagnosis - dysphonia.

Dysphonia is basically spasms, and these spasms are in my vocal chords. This has been devastating at times. Never more so then when I recently tried to speak from the stage in our MidWeek service. I was being interviewed along with the four staff members I supervise. We are the Magnification team.

The guys were spectacular, I was a mess. I had so much I wanted to tell our audience about how hard the guys work, and how much all of us care deeply for our Magnification teams. I could barely speak.


Leaders should have a good voice, a strong voice, but at times I have no voice.

For now this is my voice, writing. This avenue of conversation has opened up to me just when I needed a way to speak. In the traditional way of leading and speaking I will be silent for a while and ask for healing, but in this format of speaking I will speak loudly as God allows.

Ecclesiastes 3:6-8 (English Standard Version)
6a time to seek, and a time to lose;a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7a time to tear, and a time to sew;a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

I am ready for a quiet time before the Lord.

I am, a person that leads, as the definition above states.... just not in the typical way.