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The Trauma Prayer

Over the last few years, I’ve been understanding the effects of trauma on my mind, my emotions, and ultimately how it affects decisions. Regardless of who you are, at some stage in life, we have experienced trauma. Recently, I’ve had some experiences showing the unhealed results of trauma in my own life. If you’re like me, you don’t want anything to have control over your life except the Holy Spirit. So I have been aggressive about my healing. Part of this process is a beautiful prayer sent to me from a friend by Pastors Jim & Pat Banks. As I listened to the prayer I was overwhelmed with how many things they prayed for and how much each applied to my own life. I’ve been falling asleep to this prayer almost every night but inevitably I get woken up by the music or when Pat starts praying or the end when the music gets louder. (Yes I’m a light sleeper lol) The original prayer is so powerful and can be found here. But I felt led to recreate it in my voice. There’s nothing more potent than you praying for yourself. I did want to make it available to you as well. The SoundCloud file is above and there are options for direct download in the top right corner.

My hope is that this prayer ministers healing to your soul from the devastating effects of trauma.

 

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Triggers

Overcoming the emotional misfires of life.

The word “triggered” has been used a lot over recent years in mental health circles. I’m finding in my own life that being “triggered” is something to be dealt with. Sorry for those of you who are anti-gun but for this post, a gun is the picture God showed me. If you’ve ever shot a gun then you know it has one trigger. You pull the trigger and the weapon fires. Could you imagine how confusing a firearm would be if it had multiple triggers? This is what we look like as we go through life allowing multiple things to trigger us. Triggers are those things bring up an old habit, hurt, or hang-up. It can be a song, a movie, a place, a person, or anything that puts us in the same emotional state of a past traumatic (angry, sad, hurt, etc.) experience.

As I get older and experience the process and pain that comes with life, I’m finding that my triggers are trying to multiply! ha!  Even recently, I saw something online that triggered feelings of anger, betrayal, and hurt. Unfortunately I did the exact opposite of what I’m going to tell you to do! When those feelings were triggered in me I responded as if it just happened to me. The anger, the hurt, the frustration…. all of it rose up in me at that very moment and I responded poorly. They say hindsight is 20/20 and it is so true. Looking back, I know the exact moment something was triggered. At that moment here are four things I should have done…

1. Phone a friend.

Yes, I said PHONE a friend. I didn’t say text or message. BUT literally, CALL someone you trust so you can explain how you are feeling and they can help process why. I did end up doing this hours later and it helped me immensely!

2. Ask is the feeling true?

I did a little video about this recently. Feelings are powerful and they can drive you to do some dumb things so you have to pinpoint what the feeling is, why you are feeling it, and then is it a true feeling? Meaning, that no one can make us feel a certain way. We choose our feelings but sometimes our feelings want to choose us. We can become offended or enraged at something and not even know the full story.

3. Pray.

I know this sounds so trite but it’s so true. I’ve found that when I am triggered and I stop to pray either for myself, the person, or the trigger… I immediately feel better. It’s not to say I won’t feel that ever again but for that moment, I’ve released it to God and He can deal with all that way better than I ever could.

4. Find healing.

The older I get the more offendable I can become. So I seek healing. I reach out to counsellors and friends. I read books and listen to podcasts. I read my bible and listen to it on the bible app. I put on worship really loud and full-on worship at full volume. I place myself in environments of healing. I ask for prayer. I do the things I need to do in order for my soul to be healed and whole.

In conclusion, the goal is to not be triggered. The goal is to not misfire in life and wound those around us. We could be shooting people who are unarmed and not a threat! I don’t want to look like that goofy gun in the title. I don’t want to walk through life having so many triggers that if some little thing pulls on me I just go off on everyone around. And my bet is you don’t either.

Let’s ask God to help us with those things that trigger the darkness in our souls.

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You’re Not Invited

 

Have you ever been left out?

I have. I remember as a kid hearing those words. “You’re not invited.” It broke my heart. I couldn’t believe it, someone didn’t want me at their party. Ha! I know I know… Ashley, you’re a 42 year old man… get over it! Well I am, but it wasn’t my first experience with exclusivity but it was one I’ll remember for as long as I live. Through the years I would continue to hear or feel the effects of elitism or exclusivity in some form or fashion. I’m not playing the victim by any means but I do know it helped shape my Christ consciousness and how it helps me view others the way He did.

My experience with being left out is quite different than many of my friends who are of a different race or nationality. As a matter of fact it doesn’t even compare. It’s hard for me to even identify with it. So to all my friends who aren’t white, please have patience and grace with me as I try and approach this subject with as much care as possible.

I just can’t keep quiet because of the horrible acts that have been taking place in Charlottesville. Growing up in the south I have been around people who are on both sides of the fence, people who are racist and those affected by it. I could never sit idly by and watch it happen. I have never experienced racism personally because of the color of my skin. I probably will never know what that feels like. What I do know though, is that the racism is from the pit of hell and it isn’t something we are born with, it’s bred. It’s a learned behavior. Thankfully I was raised to love and accept all people. That same mindset has helped me serve in many different multi-racial churches and has always given me a value of racial reconciliation along the way.

I remember when I was about 21 years old and my life had gotten lit up by God in a beautiful way. I was growing as a Christian, I was serving and tithing at my local church, and I had a pretty good job framing houses. I remember one guy I used to work with. Everyone called him “The Roof Nazi” because well… he was a white supremacist. And white proud he was… he had swastikas on his hard hat, he’d wear punk bands that endorsed the neo-nazi lifestyle and even more he had nothing but hateful things to say about anybody outside of his race. He’d say things to me all the time but I’d just divert the conversation towards the things of God. He would always try and get me riled up because he knew I didn’t agree with him at all. He knew I was a Christian and he wanted to get me to blow my witness in front of the other guys. I didn’t take the bait. I grew ALOT in grace during that season.

Eventually God called me to N. California where I became a full-time youth pastor the following year. I remember getting a random phone call and there was a guy on the other end of the phone. He said, “Hey Ashley, it’s Doug!” I responded, “Doug? Doug who?” He said, “Doug man! We used to work together.” I thought for a moment and responded, “Sorry man doesn’t ring any bells.” He then said, “The Roof Nazi!” I immediately knew who it was! Oh Doug! We had some small talk but I knew he was calling me for a reason. He went on to tell me how his dad was a pastor and how he had run from the call of God on his life. He then proceeded to tell me that he had gone back to church and got radically saved. He had gone home from church that day and was so convicted by the Spirit of God that he burned all of his Nazi paraphernalia and severed ties with the white power organization he was a part of. I was in disbelief and in awe of God at the same time. (It’s weird when you ask God to do something and He does it! ha!) I asked him why, what happened that made him take such radical steps. He said that he could trace it back to our interactions on the roof and how I never lost my cool but instead just listened and responded like Jesus would have. I’m not bragging on myself but I want to encourage you, that our response matters! I don’t know where Doug is these days, but I do know that God can change the hearts of men if we just continue to live the gospel of love in front of those who’s hearts are filled with hate.

As I read through the gospel, I realize that it is entirely inclusive. Anyone who touts that they are supreme based on the color of their skin is sadly misinformed to say it politely. Anyone who also says that they are God’s elect because of the color of their skin is insanely deceived. As my friend Sam Hinn says, “Race is a biological not biblical.” Racism’s purpose is to bring division and strife. Like all sin, it’s birthed out of pride. I’ve heard it said that if we skipped an entire generation, racism probably wouldn’t exist. It’s an interesting thought but who knows? Hate is an evil force in the world. It’s why God has commanded us to love. The more we love the more hate dissipates.

“The greatest sin of our time is not the few who have destroyed but the vast majority who sat idly by. ” Martin Luther King, Jr.

As a Christian, it’s our duty to stand up and say what isn’t right. I’m not talking about protesting or picketing or things of that nature. I’m talking about actually being the church. When we gather on Sunday mornings we have the opportunity to protest hate by worshipping with people from every nation and every tongue. If you are finding yourself in an “all-white” church… it’s not alright. If you are finding yourself in an “all-black” church… again it’s not alright. We must find a way to come together as one people under the name of Jesus. We must be proactive in our churches to hold the value of racial reconciliation as high as we can. This is how we combat racism.

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:4-6 NKJV

“But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.” Genesis 11:5-6 NKJV

It’s interesting that from Genesis to Revelation we see a theme of unity. Unity is God’s heart for people. In the passage in Genesis we see that God himself said that nothing we do in unity will be held back from us. The gospel we believe is inclusive by nature so in turn by nature we should be inclusive. I want to challenge you to be more intentional about building relationships with people outside of your race not just for that sake but because you need a friend of a different race. That friend could be your lifeline someday!

My heart is just saddened and disgusted with the level of hatred that is happening in this day and age of 2017. I’m just blown away. Racism isn’t ignorance it’s sin because people choose it. We always have a choice. Choose unity. Choose humility. Choose love.

It’s not our call to say who’s invited and who’s not.

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Driven

 

What are you driven by?

Everyone is driven by something. There’s a thing inside the heart of every person that drives us. It’s what wakes us up in the morning. It’s what gnaws at our conscience at night. It’s what helps or hinders our relationships. There is a driving factor behind every decision we make which results in the actions we take as well. So what is it that drives you?

Is it money?
I’ve been in very close proximity with people who were greedy. It seemed every thought and action was driven by how much money they could make and what they could get from people. If your driving factor is money… newsflash… it has no eternal value. As a matter of fact, Jesus talked more about the idol of money than almost any other thing that could sit on your heart. Money is a great servant but a terrible master. Money is never satisfied. You’ll never have enough money… if money is your driving factor.

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24 (NIV)

Is it sex?
This is another driving factor that I’ve seen in the lives of many people after pastoring for some time now. Sex, whether we’d like to admit it or not, drives the lives of many people because at it’s core is a deep longing to feel loved and accepted. So, people engage in sex but what they truly crave is intimacy. The problem is we are trying to solve a spiritual problem with a physical solution. No matter how much sex or food or whatever you feed that appetite, it will never be fully and finally satisfied.

Is it power?
Power means we can exercise control over people. It means that we get to be in charge. Power can go to your head real quick. I love what Abraham Lincoln said: “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” Power that isn’t checked by the fruit of the Spirit leads to pride and arrogance. Every destructive sin is birthed out of pride.

The pride of man will be humbled And the loftiness of men will be abased; And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day, But the idols will completely vanish. -Isaiah 2:17-18 (NASB)

Is it fear?
Fear drives the lives of many people without them even knowing it. Fear is so subtle that it works it’s way into every part of our life. Think about the reasons why we don’t do certain things. “I don’t want to step into this new ______________ because I’m not sure it will work out.” Fear can paralyze us to respond to God in faith. Taking a risk is a huge part of faith. Sometimes we disguise fear as “wisdom” thinking that we are being so “spiritual” but in fact we are in disobedience to what God has asked of us.

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. -Hebrews 10:38 (KJV)

Is it a relationship?
Many people are living everyday for a relationship. They get so focused on the person God may have given them that they forget to focus on God! Relationships can take the place of God so quickly because we spend our time trying to please this other person instead of pleasing the Lord. Unfortunately, this results in a co-dependent relationship and God wants our dependance on Him, not another created being.

What about being driven by faith?

Let’s take it a step further… what about being driven by eternity?

What a sobering thought. The actions we take on this earth may echo in the halls of eternity. What if we woke up everyday with eternity on our mind? How different our lives would be! We would look at life from an eternal perspective! I wrote a post on this subject a while back.

What drives you is what propels your life. Your motives are the fuel for your actions. If we get this fruit of the Spirit deep down in our souls then our lives will be driven by the Spirit of God. That’s where I want to be. I desperately want to be driven by God in my thoughts and actions. I’m not there yet but I do move towards that goal through intentional growth and time with God.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. -Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)

I think about our ultimate example… Jesus. What was His drive? What motivated Him? You and I.

Jesus was driven by love. Love drove nails threw his hands and feet! Love drove Jesus to the cross! It was love that made a way for us when there was no way. LOVE is the ultimate motivator. We weren’t created to do anything for God. God doesn’t need our help. We were created to be loved by God. Everything we do is a response to this great love! At the end of my life, I want to be known as a person who was driven by eternity and love is what people felt when they were around me.

How about you? What is your driving factor?

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Fasting For Your Future

 

Have you ever been in a situation that just won’t change?

Life happens. Situations come and go. Things get challenging. Some things don’t ever seem to change. In life we all will have struggles but what if something is happening that you just can’t seem to change or control? What do you do when you don’t know what to do. It seems like you’ve tried everything and your faith is being tested. Ever been there?

I have… I’m there right now! Last week, I got to a place in my life where there were a few things I continued to notice that were bothering me spiritually. I couldn’t place my finger on it but I really felt like God was leading me to fast. Not a complete fast either (being void of food and water). Also not a water fast only (being void of food), but I felt He was leading me to do a Daniel fast for 21 days from Aug 1st – Aug 21st. This fast will be void of entertainment, social media scrolling, meats and sweets, obviously no alcohol, no sodas… basically water, fruits, veggies, nuts, protein shakes… that’s it. For me, this is what I need to do. For some of you it may be more or less but regardless of what you fast, what’s more important is why you are fasting. Fasting must forever center on God. It must be God-initiated and God-ordained. When we fast this way… power is produced!

This passage is so rich with insight! Check it out!

“And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” Then Jesus answered and said,“O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them,“Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”” Matthew 17:14-21 NKJV

 

Within this passage we see a pretty well-known scripture… if you have faith as a mustard seed you can move mountains! Powerful right!?

Yes of course it’s powerful…. but right after that… however.

Jesus says, “However,”. Jesus is telling us that there is another secret to having spiritual authority and power in the earth. Prayer and fasting. I’m not sure how it happens but when I fast, God gets bigger. It’s like John the Baptist said about his cousin and Savior Jesus… I must decrease so that He may increase (John 3:30). When we fast, we strip away everything that seems to sustain us. The food, the habits, the entertainment, the information feed, the thing that brings you temporary comfort… whatever it is, that thing has to go for a season. All the things we fast aren’t inherently evil but when we take a break from them and fix our focus back on Jesus, we then come to the glowing realization that He is our sustainer and He is our comfort. Fasting reminds us that we are sustained “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). Here’s the thing… it isn’t just fasting that produces power, it’s prayer! Some folks get so focused on fasting part they forget what they are supposed to be doing while NOT eating…. that’s pray! Your prayers are unhindered!

We can get amazingly different results in life if we start doing different and better things. Listen, fasting isn’t easy or glamorous. It’s not really even for anybody else to know about. It’s between you and the Lord. The only reason I’m even writing this to encourage you to do something different. I’m on my first day and my flesh is going crazy. I tend to get irritated or emotional because obviously I’m hungry but I also think it’s a purification and cleanse of all things that would bring temporary comfort or enjoyment. When you fast… the spiritual gets raw and real pretty quick! All of this is necessary though. It gets us to a place of ultimate humility and dependence on God… and really… that’s all that matters.

I encourage you to buy “The Celebration of Discipline” by Richard J. Foster written back in 1978. What a great book on each of the spiritual disciplines. The section on fasting is so rich with revelation. Of course, Jentzen Franklin has some great resources on fasting as well. My prayer is over the next 21 days… that God will show Himself to you in a new and fresh way and I also pray that you experience personal breakthrough at every level!

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70 x 7

 

Have you truly forgiven those that have hurt you?

Recently I’ve been discovering that the course of our life is set by the course of our hearts. Where our hearts are headed is where our lives will follow. If we want to be graceful people then we need to be full of grace. We are to be dispensing grace out of the overflow of our experience with that same grace. Eventually though we experience a radiating slice of pain and betrayal. I don’t care who you are… this happens to all of us. When it does happen… not if but when, how do we respond? I know I know… you’d prefer I not say someone is going to hurt you but the truth is Jesus had his Judas and the servant isn’t greater than the Master. So we may want to pay attention to learn how Jesus dealt with forgiveness.

I love this exchange between one of my favorite bible characters, Peter and Jesus. Check it out…

“Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him,“I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:21-22 NKJV

I love this exchange and have pulled quite a bit out of it for a number of reasons. I love that we get to see the personality of Jesus. He uses hyperbole and just shows how He is the Master communicator! What I mean is, in Hebrew culture if you forgave someone three times then you would be considered extremely merciful. It would be pretty unheard of. So Peter thinking he’s going way beyond the legal limit of forgiveness in those days throws out the number seven. That’s pretty over the top for that context. So then Jesus jumps right back with the illustration of total forgiveness.

Wow. What a thought. Total forgiveness.

It’s what Jesus did for us.

The implications of this passage go far beyond overcoming hurt feelings. Forgiveness is vital to our souls. It’s what must pervade our hearts at all times! Unforgiveness produces bitterness; and bitterness is a poison that eats at your soul on a daily basis. I’ve seen how people live when they walk around offended and living with unforgiveness in their hearts. I’ve been there and let’s just say… it’s not a good look.

The rest of this passage (Matthew 18:23-35 NKJV) is so rich with insight but I really wanted to get to the main point of how important this is by talking about the last verse of this entire passage. So the parable Jesus is telling is how a ruler forgave the insurmountable debts of a servant but then that same servant turned around and did not forgive the a very tiny debt of a fellow servant. Well the ruler finds out and here’s what happens…

“Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”” Matthew 18:32-35 NKJV

I don’t know about you… but that last part concerns me. After doing quite a bit of research on that one verse it’s not clear whether unforgiveness has eternal implications but the fact that unforgiveness will produce pain in our lives is good enough for me! It says the master “delivered him to the torturers until he payed back all that was due to him.”

Living in bitterness is like living in torture.

We continue to repeat the offense over and over. We have those fake conversations with that person. We gather other people to our cause of being offended. We do everything we can to make sure everyone knows that we are hurt.

But honestly…. the truth is, we must release those who have hurt us. It doesn’t mean we become BFF’s or even have relationship with them. You must be your own person and create boundaries but those boundaries should not be constructed from bitterness. At the same time though, we should make amends for the pain we have caused others as well. Sometimes it may be well-received but for the most part, don’t expect someone you’ve hurt to be glad to hear from you.

In conclusion, when we walk in forgiveness, we walk in the love of God. My prayer for you is that you walk in freedom and that comes through forgiveness.

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Rich & Reckless

 

Are you reckless with your heart affections?

Recently I had the opportunity to speak at Destiny Church and I had the best time sharing a new message with an old lesson about the heart. The lesson… it’s all about the heart. Over the last several years, I have learned a lot about my own heart. After experiencing seasons of pain and betrayal, I’ve come to the conclusion that I am powerless over many things around me. I can’t control what people do or how they act but I can control my own heart and my own affections. This is so important because the affections of our heart produce behavior in us that either honors God or it doesn’t. Our heart will always produce our actions.

So let’s look at some scripture together and I’ll show you what I mean…

Matthew 19:16-26 NKJV

16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” 17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” 20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

We have this young man who has it all together. Rich, successful, handsome, religious… he’s a baller. He has it going on. He is living The American Dream! I feel that it’s an interesting exchange because Jesus already knows this guy’s heart. Jesus knows this young man has been reckless with his affections and his true heart worship was with money. Jesus knows where our hearts are at.

It’s interesting that Jesus only listed 6 of the 10 commandments but the four Jesus didn’t mention… well it was for a reason.

5. Honor mom and dad

6. Don’t kill anyone

7. Don’t cheat on your spouse

8. Don’t steal stuff

9. Don’t lie about things

10. Don’t be jealous (covet) of other people’s life

  1. No other gods before me (Jesus at the center)
  2. Don’t worship anything but me (heart worship for God)
  3. Don’t take my name in vain (honor God in your heart and words)
  4. Keep the Sabbath holy (take time with God)

Vertical & Horizontal

The life… the very brief life, we are given on this earth is made up of two things we must keep in check at all times… the vertical and the horizontal. The first 4 commandments all deal with our vertical relationship with God. The last 6 all deal with horizontal relationships with people. I have lived the fake Christianese life and it leads to death! That’s why I’m so passionate about my own heart. I don’t want to go through the motions of being a Christian and I hope you don’t either.

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Let Freedom Ring

 

Let Freedom Ring!

Happy 4th of July everyone! Happy Freedom day! I love the fourth of July for all the same reasons most of you do… grilling out and chilling out with your family and friends, watching the glow of fireworks, enjoying some time in the pool with the kids… and most of all that we get to live in America. It’s a blessing to live in this country and I for one am proud. I couldn’t help but think about the term the “American Dream” though. The American Dream is this perfect little picture that society puts on us in order to be good and productive people. Nothing wrong with being good or productive but this “dream” we are pushing so hard for might be the very thing that is keeping us bound. If all we do is work then when do we live? If our only pursuit is money, then when do pursue Jesus? Let’s even dig a little deeper… Are you truly free?

Well as a country we are free, but as individuals we could be as captive as a death row inmate. What I mean is in our hearts and our spirits… are you free? I recently had someone ask me that question and I was glad to share with them how God had restored me and how He set me free. It was a lively conversation because the path that God had set them on was different than the path God had set me on. For some people God does instantaneous and miraculous deliverance from something that has kept them down for years. Then on the other hand, for people like myself, it has taken a process of years of discipleship, growth and transforming my mind to experience true deliverance and more importantly, to be more like Jesus.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  -Romans 12:2 NIV

This process of transformation isn’t something that is going to come easy. No matter how you became free, it’s even more important to maintain that freedom. Regardless of what type of freedom we’ve experienced in the past, freedom isn’t a one time event. Freedom in our minds and hearts is a daily battle because the enemy doesn’t respect your freedom. When you are on purpose and on target, the enemy is going to attack your freedom with every opportunity and temptation possible!

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.  -Galatians 5:1 NKJV

So freedom is a daily fight. It’s worth it. Stay free and don’t give up any ground today!

Oh…. and eat a burger and light a sparkler 😉

 

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Transitions

 

Change is good.

 

Transitions is a great word. No matter where you are in life you will experience change. Change is good. We have been told that all of our lives. Change happens regardless of whether it’s welcome or not. It just does. Things change. God has incorporated that into the DNA of creation. Seasons, sunny days, rainy ones… regardless of what the yard looks like now or how old your neighborhood is, it always changes. Change isn’t always good but it is necessary for growth. One thing I’ve learned over my 42 years is that change is inevitable but progress is optional.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 New Living Translation (NLT)

3 For everything there is a season,
    a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
    A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
    A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
    A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
    A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
    A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
    A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
    A time for war and a time for peace.

 

The bible is clear about timing. They say the key to comedy is… timing. I’d say that one of the keys to life and relationships is timing as well. I’ve spoke to so many people who are going through transition and I’ve even experienced many myself. Whether it’s a geographical move or a new career choice or anything that would cause change… one thing that is true… you take you everywhere you go. You have to be willing to grow through the transition. No matter how much exterior transition is happening there must be an internal peace that is maintained through the fruit of the Spirit. This is when we don’t have all the answers but we know the One who does. Jesus is the Master of your transition just like He is mine. I have never seen God let me down… and if you were honest, I’d assume the same thing is true for you. Transitions can be scary and uncertain but that is why God requires and responds to faith! Don’t allow fear to rule your decisions. Faith always gets God’s attention.

In conclusion, I want you to experience God’s blessing in a new and a fresh way. When we trust God in the transitions, we can rest in His provision. God is good and He has nothing but good things for you. Trust Him… it is all going to work out!

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In Light of Eternity

 

In light of eternity, does it really matter?

 

I’ve said this phrase many times in the past to myself and those closest to me. Recently I’ve just kinda started thinking and saying it again. Last month I was able to head back to my hometown and see family but it was extremely sad because my stepmom had past from this life to the next. Attending the memorial service and just kinda being back home reminded me of this phrase.

In light of eternity, does it really matter?

Think about how powerful that question is. I mean it really is a sobering thought. ETERNITY. Sometimes we get all caught up in stuff that is so petty and small in our minds and our relationships. Our focus becomes so microscopic in comparison to the way God wants us to look at our world.

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus
Ephesians 2:6 NIV

Our position is way bigger than our problem! God has positioned us but it seems we like to sink down and look at everything at a lower level of living. We get caught up in what she said on Facebook or what that guy said to us at work or confronting that person because they needed to be checked or whatever. We seem to talk about people and situations with no regard to the consequences of our words. Jesus wants us to get out of the low level of living and sit in the position he paid so dearly for us. So… let me ask… In light of eternity, does it really matter?

When we live with a larger perspective in mind it helps us rediscover or discover our values, which then help us establish our priorities.

I know it’s a bit of a short post this week but it’s just because I have had a ton of irons in the fire. One of which is design… if you need a creative project, well… I know a guy. 😉 But seriously, click this link and let’s chat about your creative upgrade for 2017!

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