STOP...in the name of LOVE!

On a day I felt particularly beat up, I sat in my office, my eyes brimming with tears. In a moment that I so wanted to call someone to ‘vent,’ I decided instead to go to the Word. I begged God to encourage me, to calm me down.

It had been one of those days when I felt that despite my efforts to lead well, to help, to pour in, to encourage, to include - that none of those things were being thrown back my way. I was hurt. I was discouraged. I was deflated and I felt the urge to say, what about me? Why am I doing all this? God, you called me to lead, but I’m not sure that I want to lead these people. They don’t even seem to notice what I do, and they certainly don’t return the sentiment. I thought being called to ministry and leadership would be more rewarding.

It’s so easy, in the midst of obstacles – whether real or perceived, as mine tend to be - to let your heart begin to believe that retreat, that giving up and running away, is the answer. I know that day I did.

We have days where we feel left out, that we’re not embraced by the people we lead, that no one sees us, that we’re under-appreciated, that people are rude when we are nice to them, that we’re giving every bit of ourselves and no one seems to notice or care or even give us a little affirmation. We don’t do it for others, of course, but some gratitude for our time sure would be nice. Right?

This was my posture that morning.

And as I sat with my head in my hands, I prayed, “God, show me what to do."

Then I picked up my Bible.

What I read came from Exodus 33. I was absolutely stunned by what I read, because I didn’t pick the passage out intentionally. The backdrop of the passage is the time of Israel's passage from Egypt to the promised land. Moses had just successfully extracted thousands from bondage and triumphantly received the 10 commandments at Sinai...only to come down the mountain to a people who had abandoned obedience and had forgotten about him, and were now celebrating a feast to a molten calf.

I'm sure he was frustrated, drained, tired, emotional – maybe he felt the people in his charge were ungrateful and obstinate. He might have felt hurt and forgotten, totally left out of what was going on. Betrayed. And there in that moment, instead of wanting to quit, Moses did something very interesting:

Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.” And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”

And He did.

Moses left that conversation victorious. But the victory did not yield people that were easier to manage, or ideal circumstances from there on out. Moses understood that thre is only one thing that could keep him truly effective as a leader – being filled by an intimate knowledge of God!

At the end of the chapter we find that after Moses' intimate conversations with the Lord, his face radiated. This glowing was evidence of their time together, proof that God had chosen and ordained him. And that glow commanded attention - and so they listened to him and regarded what he said.

 Friends, whatever God has called you to, whatever circumstance or sphere of influence - whether you're a mom, a colleague, a friend - there is position and title there. Maybe you chose it, and maybe you didn't. But God gave it to you, and the circumstances are just where you need to be. And though there are absolutely days when we just get fed up, when we just want to retreat, when we want to quit, we must remember what Moses modeled for us.

 Here's what he did not do:

• He didn’t go to friends to vent, commiserate or create drama.

• He didn’t complain about his circumstances or give up hope.

• He didn't panic or feel that he had to bear the burden of 'fixing things.'

Instead, he simply threw the burden off and said, “God, these people are YOUR people - I just want to know you better and please you.” He stopped all that he was doing in his own power, and got with God.

I used to love these Magic Eye posters when I was a kid. I remember others agonizing over them, trying to figure them out. And the victorious cry would come when we realized what the hidden image really was.

Life is kind of like these optical illusions at times. If we allow the stress and the burdens to take over, we miss that Jesus is always there, in the center of it all. If we start to try to do it in our own strength, we miss opportunities and inspiration for ministry. This is what happened to Mary Magdalene in John 20. Let’s look at her story:

Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." ...as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?Whom are you seeking?" Supposing Him to be a gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher.

Notice that Mary's first response is to go tell everyone. To vent. To cause a stir. But when that yields no comfort or result, she just seems to throw her hands up and give up hope. Not even angels really get her attention, so she must have been in a real state. She was so busy trying to do things in her own strength, so busy doing - panicking, mostly - and she couldn't see Jesus when he was right in front of her!

Isn’t that how we get sometimes? We’re so overwhelmed with all we have to do, with the burden and stress of it all, feeling like we just have to fix things and it's so hard, that somewhere Jesus gets lost in it.

Thankfully, because he boldly spoke her name, she found Him again. And after that moment of recognition of Jesus in the midst of the crisis, she found the right words. She found the peace. She became effective again.

Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.

Wow. When she just stopped worrying and trying to figure out what to do to remedy what was happening and tuned in to Jesus, she got to do some very meaningful Kingdom work - she was the herald of the resurrection of the Lord!

Oh, sweet friends, when we get so caught up in the tasks at hand and begin to feel like it’s our job to fix it, we immobilize ourselves. When we start to feel discouraged, unnoticed, deflated and panicked, it's a barometer that we're trying to do it on our own. But, like Mary, when we recenter and refocus on Jesus, we become REFRESHED and a POWERFUL source of ministry and encouragement to others. All that other stuff just fades away to our legacy.

God has a message for each of us to share, just like Mary, just like Moses. And He will give us the words, attitudes and actions we need for the journey. We just have to remember, our spheres of influence are HIS people. Our only duty is to know him, and to witness to what He’s doing in our lives.

Here's an interesting little fact: In the days of the temple, when sacrifices were offered, making communication with God possible, the insides of the animal were offered up and completely burned up, completely consumed and sent up to God. What was leftover was the hide of the animal – which now belonged to the priest.

That hide was then cured, tanned, treated, scraped – and in many cases, was turned into the very pages of the Torah scrolls that have been discovered and are precious artifacts - the very sources from which your Bible and mine come! So...the shell of the animal is what the Word of God was written on.

So often we think that we are the pen. We think its our job to write truth on hearts and affect change in the lives around us. We think we’re the priest! But the fact is, we are not the pen - we are the scroll. Jesus is the priest, and we are the sacrifice - we have offered our hearts, souls and spirits - our insides - to Him, and it is our flesh - our physical body - that remains in this world - and it belongs to Him. This physical body we have is the very canvas on which He writes his teaching, His word. We need only allow this process to take place in our lives, and be read by the world around us, in order to glorify and testify about Him!

So my prayer for us is that we just shine! He’s going to take care of us and those around us. He’s going to use you to impart change and make a difference in your obedience and submission to him. Don’t allow circumstances to be a discouragement. When the words don’t come, when the kindness just isn’t there, when you feel empty….stop what you’re doing. Stop in the name of Love – and get with Love, get with Jesus.

Blessings and Happy Happy Valentine's Day!

Making Peace with Imperfection

Ok, I admit it. I want a perfect world. I find myself secretly battling my expectation for the world to adhere to 'life according to Amanda's values and preferences.' 'I wouldn't have done it like that,' and 'this is great except..." are statements I hear reverberating in my mind...far...too...often. But this morning I was hit right between the eyes with this...

"Whenever we are attached to having something a certain way, better than it already is, we are, almost by definition, engaged in a losing battle. Rather than being content and grateful for what we have, we are focused on what's wrong with something and need to fix it. When we are zeroed in on what's wrong, it implies that we are dissatisfied, discontent."

This morning, I am desperate to begin the journey toward making peace with imperfection. To choose content and satisfied over irritated and negative. To intentionally see the beauty in the way things already are, to relish every blessing, to notice every good thing, to experience a life that is more full of joy because it is not concerned with always diagnosing the problem.

Even as I write these words, I'm reminded of my own imperfections, my own limitations, and all the ways that, to those around me, I don't and never will measure up...and I find myself so thankful that I serve a God who embraces me anyway, who bears with me through them, and who uses them for His glory.

 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 

2 Corinthians 9-11

My prayer today is that we would have the courage and the self control to make peace with imperfections...the ones that we see around us as well as those we feel within us. Oh God, help us to grant the world the grace you have extended...and to be content with who we are - just perfect in our grace-covered imperfections.

Blessings!

Putting DOWN our Dukes: Exodus' Compelling Argument for Why Believers Should Stop Retaliating

I must admit something to you: I don't like being taken advantage of, or abused, or used. I know, you're thinking, 'Who does?' The confession is that one of my biggest challenges as a believer, a representative of our Great God, is maintaining self-control in the face of what I perceive as attack of this sort. It's so easy to succumb to that feeling of emotional charge, defensiveness, and to let it compel us to do something reckless, and sinful - like completely unleashing verbal abuse on someone or slanderous, poisonous gossip and the like.


We think we create these defense mechanisms to protect our hearts, our egos, and our reputations. When someone throws a punch - be it a snarky remark, a dig at our professional reputations or whatever it may be - the biggest temptation is to don those sparring gloves and give it right back to the opponent. It seems like the most justified and rational response at that moment. Right? However, in studying the opening chapters of Exodus this week, I noticed something that made me look at this response a little differently.

Retaliate or Repair?

In Chapter 7 of Exodus, YHWH (God's formal name in Hebrew) begins to exact - via Moses - a number of plagues on the unbelieving, unrelenting Egyptian Pharaoh, who is ruthlessly enslaving the Israelite people. In response to the first sign given to him (Exodus 7:10-11) Pharaoh calls together his counsel of wise men and sorcerers and magicians, who are able to replicate it with seeming ease.


This pattern continues. Egypt's primary and precious water source, the Nile, is made like blood, having to be filtered out in order to be drinkable (Exodus 7:20-24). In response to this terrifying act, "the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts" (Exodus 7:22). Again when frogs begin to swarm the land, "the magicians did the same with their secret arts, making frogs com up on the land of Egypt" (Exodus 8:7). These problems were really serious. Drinking water attacked; frogs filling up every home and road and public place. And their response is to copy it. Call me crazy, but it seems like this is an irrational response. Certainly it is self-serving. There is a nation of terrified, suffering people. As far as Egypt knew, they had the skill set to potentially improve or resolve these issues, to help their people, to heal their land. But instead, they chose the road of retaliation.

Someone once told me that negativity is thrown around like a little invisible ball of energy. Once someone throws it at you, it eats at you unless you throw it back out at someone else - that it's the only thing that can relieve you. But I would argue that this short-lived 'relief' leaves an awful lot of collateral damage. Rather than resolving the ultimate issues, we are only creating a larger wake - more tension, more stress, more negativity. When you think about how unproductive the labor of these magicians really was - and think about how similar it is to our reactions to altercations in life - it really does shine some light on how fruitless and irrational it all really is. Let's be different than these guys. Because as we'll see - you can't win 'em all with this method.

You Can't Win 'Em All

By plague number three, the magicians come up against a plague they simply can't replicate: lice (Exodus 8:18). Two plagues had passed and they still hadn't learned that this method was not helping anyone! And now they were faced with a challenge they couldn't overcome. Guess what? Maybe you've succeeded in putting people in their place in your family or in friendships. Perhaps your quick wit and retaliation skills have served you well with most people. But eventually, you will encounter someone that will outmatch you. Maybe it will be someone in authority, maybe it will be a large entity that is unaffected by your angry response.


Today I read a letter posted online from a man who had been issued a 'cease and desist' letter for the use of one of their drink names on his menu. The name was honestly merely similar and not exact; it was a small business that could never have really done any real damage to the business of Starbucks - he wasn't even selling a coffee drink! Instead of just simply changing the name, though, he responded with a punchy letter and a $6 check, paying sarcastically the entity for the profit he'd made on the name. In the end, he still had to remove the drink name from his menu. And Starbucks didn't much care that he had sent that letter. In fact, they probably totally disregarded it. What good did that do? While many applauded this man for 'giving it to them,' I thought it was quite sad - his actions were, in truth, insignificant - a waste of time. People applauded sarcasm and slandered Starbucks. But nothing changed for the better. Eventually, if this is your modus operandi, you will find that it doesn't always work, and it certainly doesn't always make you feel better and that no real good ever comes from it. It's like Solomon says, "striving against he wind."

The Great Divide

Another detail that must be a consideration in this whole episode between the Egyptians and the Israelites and their powerful God (who is ours too!) is the reason they were being targeted in the first place. In Exodus 7:5 God makes is pretty clear what he is up to: "The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord." He could have just removed the Israelites from Egypt at any time - but He wanted to do more than that - He wanted to reveal Himself to them, and show them the distinction and privilege of being a people who love Him.


By plague number four we see that the Lord begins to specifically target Egyptian homes and not those of the Hebrews living in Egypt:


I will send swarms of flies on you and on your servants and on your people and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians, will be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they dwell. But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, in order that you may know that I, the Lord, am in the midst of the land. I will put a division between My people and your people. (Exodus 8:21-23)


Beloved, when the Lord God enters into covenant with us through our belief in Jesus Christ, we go from one corner - that of the bondage and self-sufficiency represented by Egypt - to God's side - one that includes provision, protection, and promise. God once told Israel that there was nothing special about them that warranted His redeeming them. He did it that the world would know what He could do and provide, that He might be glorified. We certainly don't deserve God's protection, His redemption. There is nothing, really, that separates us from those we perceive as most sinful - EXCEPT God's sweet grace poured out at Calvary. Let that be a reminder to us to be grateful every day for the privilege of being one of His chosen - to remember that instead of chaos and confusion, we enjoy peace. Instead of an unsecured future, we have sturdy foundation, a future, and a hope. Knowing all that should cause us to live to bring glory to His name, to sing His praises, to tell His story, to live by His principles. And that means, as hard as it is sometimes, not resorting to the methods of the losing team, and instead, being patient, kind and resilient in the face of ugliness - and remembering just Who's "got your six."

Who's Side are You On? 

Let me share with you one final bit of information I discovered in Exodus about God's team. In chapter 6, there is a genealogy inserted that, at first glance, seems to have little significance to us. But when the book you're reading is titled Names (that's what Sh'mot, the Hebrew name for Exodus means) then you can bet that the names in that book are of particular relevance.


These are the heads of their fathers' households. The sons of Reuben, Israel's first-born: Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben. Exodus 6:14


This verse alone tells us a great deal about ourselves, when we look at the meanings of these Hebrew names:

"Reuben" --> Behold! A son! (the first born of Jacob, later renamed Israel)

"Hanoch" --> Dedicated

"Pallu" --> Distinguished

"Hezron" --> Surrounded by a wall (fortified)

"Karmi" --> My Vineyard

If I put these names together, they tell us just who Israel - and you and I - are to God. From God's firstborn son, who is Jesus Christ, come a people - they are dedicated to His cause, they are distinguished, set apart, holy. They are fortified by God because they are His special vineyard, created to bear, acts, according to that holiness.

Sweet friends, this must be our agenda, our identity. We must remember who's corner we are in. Ultimately, the fight in Exodus was not between Israel and Egypt. It was between God and Egypt. When we encounter tough interpersonal situations, let's remember that the battle isn't really ours either. But the choice is. We can choose to resort to futile and fruitless enemy tactics, or we can remember who we are, remember our call, and choose a better response, instead of a careless, sinful reaction. We can love, we can be patient, we can forgive - and create a win for Christ.

Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but give a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. 

1 Peter 3:9

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

John 3:35

Praying blessings over you in this New Year - Make it count, stay in the battle - with open hands full of mercy and praise for our remarkable God, not fists full of anger.


See you in 2014!

Vantage Points

This past week I had the delight and privilege of performing in one of our church's Children's Ministry productions that retells the Christmas story through hilarious videos, a huge cast of puppets and amazingly talented young dancers who serve as our children's worship team. In the midst of memorizing lines and late night rehearsals followed by an onslaught of seven performances in addition to my already very hectic holiday season and work load, I was struck with a thought.

The character I played in the show was discovering, at a rather remedial pace, the story of Christ's birth. In the apex of the show, she finally pieces together all the elements - Mary was told she would conceive a son, shepherds saw angels who proclaimed the birth of the Messiah, a star led wise men to the newborn King of Kings. Often, it is in moments that I'm in the middle of teaching that unbeknownst to the listener God is actually teaching me. This was one of those occasions. I stood in the spotlight recounting the details before the crowd and suddenly realized something: not one of the parties involved on that fateful night in our salvation history had the luxury of the full picture of the events!

Maybe that seems rather obvious, but think about it: The wise men only knew they needed to follow a star, the shepherds only heard the angels proclaiming Messiah, Mary stored up the beautiful prophecies pronounced about her son in amazement. Each had his or her own compartmentalized role, knowing nothing of the many and miraculous others. It was not until much later that all of those parties came together in a linear story for us to enjoy and recount.

So often in life, we want the whole scoop from God regarding our own circumstances, don't we? We want to know what He's doing and every move He's making on our behalf. We get so frustrated because we can't see everything that's going on and so we often mistake that limited vision for inactivity on our Lord's part. We throw up our hands in impatience and frustration because we feel entitled to have the knowlege of the angels, the shepherds, the wise men, and even the camel if it can make us feel like we're somewhat in control! All the while, the Lord longs to remind us that, far from the main point of the story, it's simply not all about us. We tend to look to ourselves as the heros and heroines of the plot, while truthfully, our role is to use our vantage point to draw near and command attention to something - or rather Someone - else.

What a beautiful reminder the story of our Savior's birth is, that we don't have to have all the details, we don't have to be burdened by those things - that our imperfection and poor timing don't keep us from God's best for us. Our Father can orchestrate the story perfectly with each of us right where he or she is, and we need only a faith-filled and willing heart, not the inside track. Notice, despite all they didn't know, all those men and women of the Nativity ended up right where they were supposed to in that story: on their knees before the Savior. And that is where you and I are being called as well, sweet friends.

During this season of remembrance, can we let our hearts be humbled? Let's allow this time of celebration to remind us that we need only keep our focus on Yeshua, Jesus. We don't have to keep the story of our lives going. God is moving, He is working, He has not forgotten about the tiniest of details, and His timing is just right. I pray that as you wait, as you dream, as you walk, as you live out your faith, that this small reminder brings the sweet blessing of releasing your grip and instead raising your hands in praise. After all, God is with us!

Blessings to you and yours from the Tadlocks!

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Rejoicing in the Roadblocks

I can't help but note these days that there is a common thread running through my life and those of many of my good friends, with our conversations peppered with dialogue like this...

"Everything was really happening, I thought it was taking off, and then..."

"I've been working so hard, trying so hard to get things off the ground, but there's just one problem..."

"I'm doing everything I know how to do, and nothing seems to be working!"

If you haven't ever felt this way before, know that a time will inevitably come when you find yourself desperately trying to get things done, waiting anxiously and expectantly, running and pursuing and fighting, but then...boom! Roadblock. And when that happens, you can end up feeling exhausted and hurt and discouraged, tired of spinning your wheels and unsure of whether to keep pressing on or give up forever.


What makes it more frustrating is when our pursuits are not ungodly ones - when we have ministry passions and dreams, hopes for family planning, desires for fulfilling relationships and ambitions for successful careers. When we are daughters of God Most High and we find ourselves not feeling successful in our endeavors, especially ones that, in our minds, would honor the Lord, what are we to do? How in the world can we find joy and peace and persevere in the midst of things not going according to plan?

• Don't Buy in to the 'Grass is Greener' Mentality

I know when there's something I particularly want that God has me waiting for or has even said no to, suddenly everyone around me seems to be having it and talking about it. The truth is, that is not really the case, it's just that our senses are just heightened to it. Often we deal with our frustration by looking outward and comparing our lives with others, and because we are upset, we often make irrational and incorrect assumptions. Someone may indeed have what it is you want, but trust me, they have their own unique set of frustrations and setbacks. The grass is not greener on the other side. That's not where the answer lies.



• Beware of the Inward Insanity Cycle

Another of my favorite coping mechanisms is introspective rumination. I go over and over things that I have done, should have done, wish I had the guts to do, and play out the scenarios in my head until I have worked myself into a complete froth. This is far from healthy. At some point, we've got to know that we're doing all we can do, trust God and let it go! Getting too focused on ourselves isn't the answer either.



• Don't Take Your Ball and Go Home

Not long ago I had a conversation with a well-known author who was advising me about writing a book. He said something that has stayed with me since our meeting: "It's not the writers who want to write that make it  - it's the writers who have to." If God has given you a vision, a desire, a call or a standard, then you have to pursue it. Imagine if Abraham had given up waiting for a child or Moses had given up reaching the promised land. Remind yourself -daily, even hourly if necessary - that when it comes to things God promises us and calls us to, quitting is not an option. To be fair, I must tell you that you may not end up at the destination you had envisioned. The Scriptures tell us if we delight ourselves in Him, He will give us the desires of our hearts - but it may not look like our limited human idea of the picture-perfect happy ending. God knows what's best for us, and He has a way of steering us to the perfect place, and the vehicle that drives us there are those desires, those callings, those dreams. So if you want to receive it, you must press on, you must stay in the game.



• Start with Anger, End with Shame

When all else fails, when we've blamed ourselves and still feel bad, when we've blamed everyone else and still find no rest, then it is easy to get angry with God. Be so careful Beloved. There is nothing wrong with being honest with God that you are upset or angry - but too often I've seen great walks falter when that feeling of powerlessness led them to anger and disrespect toward the Maker. At the root of anger is really just sadness and hurt - the 'mad' is just a defense mechanism. Don't choose that way to cope, friends. If you're broken and sad, then be that, share that with Him in honesty. He knows how you feel anyway. But shut Him out, shake your first at Him, and that can only lead to the additional pain of humbling and discipline that will follow.


There is always another way of looking at things.

Like roadblocks in general, for instance. What are they anyway? When we encounter them in our cars, we can readily accept that even if inconvenient, they are there to protect us. As I write this my head swells with the image of a YouTube video I recently watched that showed water washing a concrete road completely away in Colorado. Imagine if we as drivers disregarded the warning signs and blockades and drove right into a situation like that? Suddenly there's no more road to follow and we're in a situation that is detrimental to our vehicle, dangerous to us and those around us, and even potentially deadly.


Beloved, what if instead of clamoring to our coping mechanisms and saying "Why, God, why?" we had the faith and trust in our amazing Savior to know that if He puts a roadblock up in our lives, it's for a really good reason? Do we trust Him enough to know for sure that He wants us to experience joy, that He wants to bless us as His kids, and that He knows the best path to get there?

 Meet Griffin

I'm not sure if you've seen the film Men in Black 3, but my husband and I just watched it for the first time a few weeks ago. There is a character that I thought of when writing this and it gave me a giggle, so I thought I'd share. Above is a picture of the actor who portrays an alien in the movie, named Griffin, who has the unique ability to calculate every possible outcome for every action in every dimension of the universe. He drives the main characters crazy with his antics and goings on about which reality he's in and how the most minute shift in behavior can cause serious changes in the world later on. Griffin falls short of God's character in a lot of ways, but in one sense he does exhibit similar behavior - for because of Griffin's insight and assistance, the lives of many are saved. God is seeking to save you from the hurt and frustration and danger of the wrong path for your life if He is blocking you. Be comforted, friends - it's not a punishment, but an act of mercy instead.


I'm going to submit to you that we should be rejoicing in the roadblocks, for they are the Lord's sweet provision and protection in our lives. What an honor, God cares enough about little old you and me that He wants to intervene, to direct our paths. The almighty, powerful creator of the entire universe delights in every detail of our lives! When you look at it like that, it doesn't seem so bad, does it?


So how do we combat our instinctive, defensive thinking? Here are a few suggestions:

• Count - and Recount - Your Blessings

Following the sweet day that my Savior finally won my heart forever, events that were nothing short of miraculous took place in my life - trust me, I needed (and still do!) a LOT of intervention. He met me right where I was to draw me to Himself and gave me the most beautiful story. I've learned the importance of documenting that story, because in times of crisis, when my faith fails me, and I begin to doubt God's ability to know what's best, I go back to my story. I remember that we have history together, that He is very intentionally steering my ship, and He has never let me down. And that helps me hold on, to again release my grip and restore my trust in my long-time, ever-faithful Captain and King. Beloved, I hope that if you are walking with the Lord, that you have begun documenting the journey. If not, why not begin today?



• Celebrate Vicariously

A few weeks ago my Bible study class at church was studying John 4, which recounts Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well. I love the end of the story, and I envy their community in a way... because while we in modern times tend to compare our lives with others in an envious way, the Samaritan community celebrated the woman's story, through it the faith of many was ignited and bolstered. What if, instead of looking upon someone experiencing victory in the Lord with jealousy, we allowed it to encourage us? To remind us that God is working, He is answering prayers, He is alive. Rejoice in the victories of others, remembering that this God is your God too! The more you encourage a sharing within your circles, the more you will see Him moving, and ultimately you will believe that He is, He can and He will do for you too.



• Walk the Perimeter of Your Land

In Abram's day, to walk the perimeter of a land was the equivalent of signing the transfer of land ownership documents. So in Genesis 17 when God has him walk around the entire promised land, God was legally and officially handing it over to him and his descendants. While it would be hundreds of years before those descendants, the tribes of Israel, would cross over and begin to inhabit that land, it was in that moment that they began to own it. And soon after that occurred, Abram's name was even changed to Abraham, reflecting that new role and call. If God has given you a promise, a call, or a passion, walk the perimeter and begin to own it! If you want to be a wife, study up on what God says a good one should be and pursue those qualities now. If you want a ministry, begin ministering with those who God brings to you each day. Don't sit back and wait for the circumstances to present themselves. Instead, become, right where you are now, who God is calling you to be.


• Read, Remember, Refocus

While re-channeling that negative self-talk and combating envy are great things, this final suggestion's value far outweighs the others mentioned above. For there is nothing so powerful as the Word of God to restore our perspective, to heal, to allow the Holy Spirit to communicate with our hearts. When you are hitting a roadblock, there are countless testimonies of other men and women in Scripture who came before us, whose stories can provide great comfort. For instance, think of Balaam, who was on the wrong path, whose "willful" donkey served as a way of protecting him from sinning against God and death. Remind yourself of the moment when Israel found itself between an army and a sea, and God performed a miracle in order that they made a way to safety just in the nick of time. Know that Elisha's and Daniel's visions of the vast angel army fighting spiritual battles is still active and working with you even now. God is revealing to you in His word just how capable He is. The more time we spend familiarizing ourselves with its contents, the more assured we will be of His motives and attributes, His great might and His perfect timing.

Final Thought

Be encouraged, Beloved. You are not wasting your time, and you are not alone. Whatever it is you are waiting for, don't give up! God is simply working out His perfect plan in your life. As I close, I leave you with this final verse:

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

So rejoice in the roadblocks! Hold on to that promise, my sweet friends; hold on to Him. I pray blessings over your journey and I hope this brings you comfort as you are stretched, as you prepare, as you wait, as you grow and finally, as you become all that He has designed you and destined you to be.


Blessings!