““Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”

Romans 12:2-3

They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But I think that you can! In fact I think it’s not only healthy, but expected, for us to learn new tricks and change the way we respond to the world, even if the world doesn’t change for us.

And as the New Year rolls in, may we reflect and resolve to learn new tricks, to try new things, and to better ourselves – not only for how it will benefit us, but for the sake of others as well.

Sometimes though it’s hard to embrace change, especially when it involves ourselves. In a world that is constantly changing, we can choose to be the old dog, or we can choose to learn new tricks to navigate the changes without compromising what we know to be true.

This can prove to be challenging for sure. But when we allow God to be Who He is and incorporate His unchanging character (Hebrews 13:8) into our resolutions to love better, lead better, and live better, we are less likely to fail.

Here are a few ways that you can embody the unity between Christ, yourself and the world. Whether you have decided to learn new tricks, or feeling like the old will do, incorporating these disciplines into your life can accomplish only good.

• Make time to be alone with God. This is not something that comes easily, but it is an intentional sacrifice that will prove to be powerful in your journey to change (Mark 1:35).
• Ask God to search your heart and give you a humbled and surrendered Spirit (Psalm 139:24).
• Be mindful of what you are watching and listening to. Keeping your eyes on things that are good, excellent, and praiseworthy will keep your mind positive and moving forward (Matthew 6:22-23).
• Ask a friend to join you in your journey. Share your challenges and what you hope to gain by learning new tricks. Ask them to evaluate you as well. And see what tricks might be up their sleeve (Ecclesiastes 4:9).
• Dress yourself for Success. The devil is gonna’ be on your back so wear that armor provided by God to stop those darts of defeat (Ephesians 6:10-20).

But of course, our desire to change can only come from Christ. And when He compels us to do so, it is for the good of our witness for Him and increases our effectiveness to love like Him, live like Him, and fulfill His mission in the world.

May the Spirit of the Living and Unchanging God reveal to you new tricks that you can use in this ever-changing world to build a firm and steady bridge to His Kingdom.

Happy New Year Ya’ll!

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“For the Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. “I am the Lord,” he says, “and there is no other. I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the Lord, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.”

Isaiah 45:18-19 NLT

Two parents. Three heart procedures. Two scheduled admissions for surgery. One unscheduled admission for unfinished surgery. Two unscheduled ER visits. One unscheduled admission for complications. One emergency visit to the surgeon’s office. Three unscheduled follow ups. All in nine days.

Ya’ll, it’s been chaos. But ya’ know what? I’m still standing. And fairly sane. WHY? First of all, the family unit that my parents created is amazing! My Dad’s four girls, including the one who was laid up with him, didn’t fail to stick together during the intensity of the moments. But mostly I made it by the grace of God.

You see, God didn’t create this world out of empty chaos. And he didn’t create it to be lived in empty chaos. He created us to find meaning and fulfillment even through our chaos. And even though these past few weeks are kind of a blur, they were filled with meaningful moments of seeing God show up. In our conversations. In our interventions. In our wisdom. In our tears. In those moments of pulling our hair out. God was in the midst and He never left us alone.

Our first order of business in any chaotic situation is to look at God and how He created the world! I can’t even imagine the chaos that was taking place as the light appeared in the darkness. As the seas were separated from the heavens and the earth. As the sun and the moon appeared. As the skies and earth were filled with life. As trees and plants popped up to bless all that He had created. He had a plan from the beginning to use chaos to bring blessings, purpose, and fulfillment.

And He is a God who shows up to bring us all of those good things. He isn’t a God who tells you to seek Him and then can’t be found. Oh no! He is a God who is right there! He boldly proclaims that He can be found in the darkness and confusion of life and He keeps His promise to show up.

In the middle of chaos or crisis lies the greatest of opportunities. The opportunity to seek God and allow Him the blessing of walking with you. The opportunity to be still allowing Him to infuse peace. The opportunity to give up control and trust Him to restore order. Admitting that it may not be in our timing or even the perfect way that we envision it, but if we pay attention and hang in there with Him …it’s an order that is magnificently designed to bring some kind of beauty to our battle.

One of the greatest mysteries of trusting God for me is the patience of not knowing what or when His outcomes will be. But I know that just as when He created the world and it was good, what He’s creating in me and for me through trusting Him will be just as good.

First Corinthians 2:9 reminds us that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him”. And I imagine that in the midst of our chaos and confusion, we can’t even begin to imagine what He is preparing for us.

I am still processing all that He has done in these past few weeks, but what I do already know, is that as I wept in confusion and slept in exhaustion, I also shouted for joy because I know my God was there. When I sought Him, He showed up. And for that, I am thankful.

I encourage you today, whether you are in the midst of chaos or resting in confidence, to take some time to seek and get to know God. Don’t wait until you are in dire need! His mercies are new and His promises hold true every day! They will not return empty as He invites you into a personal relationship that can be found right now! A relationship that will bring order in and out of chaos, now and forevermore.

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace”.

Isaiah 55:10-12a

Rain! As it can be such a blessing, we often complain that it never comes at the right time! During droughts it doesn’t come soon enough. And during the floods, we wonder when it will end. When we have outdoor plans, we pout at the disruption and redirection of our day. But God sends His rain because it is good. He sends His rain because He is good. And He has reminded me lately how much I need His rain!

Not the wet stuff that falls from the sky, but His Word that He plants in my heart to nourish and grow my soul.

His Word wasn’t necessarily appealing to me for many years. But that day He grabbed my attention was the day the floodgates opened up. He revealed Himself to me as the gift from heaven who could offer me life! Life! Unlike the one I was living. Unlike the one I imagined. Life! Enriched with meaning and purpose. Living to honor Him and reflect His goodness. Life! Loved, valued, and redeemed by Jesus!

And in the stress and insanity of this past month, when I felt empty and dry, I have been so thankful that God cared enough about me to send me rain! I’m thankful for the flooding of my soul with His Word and His faithfulness so many times in the past that I could confidently know that He would do it again!

Just as God sent rain to protect Noah and his family, He sends rain to protect us from our emotions and strain. He sent rain (manna) to feed the Israelites and He continues to send rain to nurture and refresh us.

God rains down Scripture and encourgement before we even know that we need it. It might seem like it’s not useful at the time, or that it doesn’t apply to us, but every Word that God has written is useful to teach us, to convict us, to prepare us, and to equip us to do every good work that He has planned for us to do (2 Timothy 3:16-17). And He does this because He loves us!

But if we have our umbrellas up and are not paying attention, we might miss what He has in store for us.

In Deuteronomy 11:14, God tells us He “will send the rains in their proper seasons – the early rains and the late rains – so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine and olive oil”.

God desires to bless you with a harvest of joy and peace! He desires to annoint you with the Presence and the Power of His Spirit. And He desires to equip you with everything you need. Whether it’s strength and energy, motivation and passion, or patience and self-control. God’s Word will always accomplish what He desires for it to accomplish.

But we have to desire it too. We have to allow God’s Word to saturate our soul – meditating on it day and night. We should obey the commands to love God first and to love each other regardless of how we feel. And we must embrace the fact that God’s Word was written out of love to help us shape our lives into lives that love.

Every good and perfect gift is sent from above (James 1:17) and He is waiting to shower that gift on you! Will you let God’s goodness rain on you today?

12 words

Into every life some rain must fall. Let it be from God!

#SaturdaySoulSearch

Soak in some Worship time with Micheal W. Smith! (You’ll have to skip through the ads).

https://youtu.be/ghHfnXPp2AA

“But Jacob replied, “You can see that some of the children are very young, and the flocks and herds have their young, too. If they are driven too hard, even for one day, all the animals could die. Please, go ahead of us. We will follow slowly, at a pace that is comfortable for the livestock and the children. I will meet you at Seir.””

Genesis 33:13-14

I’ve always excelled at understanding software. Not all the logistics of development, code writing, and database design. But implementing and troubleshooting software has usually always been pretty easy for me.

Now I will say, that for the generation just younger than me, software is a no brainer. But hey, considering I took computer lit classes on a TRS – 80 DOS machine in 1986, I figure it’s a win for my ancient brain.

But one thing I’m not so good at is teaching others how to use it. I find myself irritated and frustrated when others don’t understand what I’m trying to show them. (Marriage counsellors all over the world would have a hey day at my house). Because what seems so easy for me to understand, is still a mystery to others.

And I think sometimes our faith can be the same way. We are all at different places in our spiritual journey. Some of us have walked with Him for a long time and are still drinking milk. Some of us are new to the journey but filled with wisdom and understanding. And those who are further along in the journey, no matter how long they have been on it, can sometimes forget how hard it was to get where they are today.

We all know that software helps us to work smarter and not harder. But with our faith, we have to work smarter and harder to be an effective witness for Christ.

We have to work harder because walking with Jesus isn’t just about knowledge. It’s also about transformation. It’s harder because we have to be willing to let our stubborn and long-term characteristics be transformed into spirit filled attributes. We have to live smarter because we must have wisdom in how we use our transformation to influence others. And because our journey will always be transformative, we must remember that everyone changes at their own pace. If we try too hard or push too hard before they are ready, we might just push them away.

I am trying to put this into practice for myself as I remember that with every person I come across, their journey is different than mine. Whether it’s software integration, Bible study, or just spiritual conversations. Some are way ahead of me. Some have not even begun yet. Some are right there with me every step of the way. But if we are going to be effective in teaching and exemplifying Christ, we must slow down and wait. We must meet people where they at. Just as He meets us where we are at.

Here are a few things I’m trying to remember when I’m irritated or frustrated –

• Be patient, just as Jesus is patient with us
• Don’t underestimate your postitive (or negative) influence
• Don’t try to impose or push too hard
• Let God lead you. Don’t move ahead of Him
• Pray that as you lead and teach, whether in Word or action, you BOTH will be transformed for the good of Christ.

We can’t make a difference if we are not different than everyone else. So as we take what we know about us and take what we know about Christ, let’s not drive people too hard to keep up with us. Let’s let them follow at their own pace, developing them as they go, and meet them at the same cross that was lifted for us all.

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“By this time, they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So, he went home with them. As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared! They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, who said, “The Lord has really risen!””

Luke 24:28-34

My heart was on fire! All I could do was cry and be thankful. I knew it was Jesus. And I knew He was calling my name.

Even though I had been baptized when I was seven and journeyed with Jesus over the years, I had allowed him to slip away. I guess I never fully recognized the power that His resurrection held over my own hopes, dreams, and expectations, but this day in 2014 is the day I invited Him to stay.

I had never taken the time to really get to know Him. I mean, I knew that He had died for my sins and that I would get to heaven. I knew that I could pray and maybe get what I wanted. But the reality of a relationship, a mutual partnership in the Kingdom of heaven, a teacher, a friend, and an ever-present hope and help was far from being emblazoned in my heart until now.

In the passage above, Jesus had met these two disciples along the road to Emmaus. He had been brutally crucified and their hopes of Him being their savior was crushed. They had expected tangible power and overthrown kingdoms, but now they doubted and feared the future. They didn’t recognize Jesus when they met them on the road, but they listened to what He had to say as He explained how the Scriptures fulfilled God’s plan through His life, His suffering, His death, and His resurrection (Luke 24:13-27). This precious time with Jesus led them to want more and they invited Him to stay for dinner.

But what they didn’t know was that Jesus would actually be their host. As he broke bread and gave it to them, a transforming revelation of the living Lord and understanding of the Scriptures would set their hearts on fire! Their doubts and fears would be left behind and with a fresh passion for Jesus, they would rush to tell others of His victory over death.

How often do we recognize Jesus in our lives? And how often do we invite Him to our table?

Our resurrected Christ longs to sit at your table. He will walk on by if you want Him to, but He will accept every invitation to satisfy your hunger and reveal His love for you. He yearns for you to receive His transformational power and to live with hearts on fire. And all you have to do is ask.

I pray today that you will ask Him to come and stay awhile. I ask Him to set your hearts on fire with greater passion as you move beyond a superficial belief to encounter His living presence and truth. And I pray that as you spend time with Him, you will hear and embrace His promises of peace, hope, purpose, and salvation.

There is no greater treasure than talking with Jesus. May you experience this eye-opening conversation today!

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“Pour into me the brightness of your daybreak! Pour into me your rays of revelation-truth! Let them comfort and gently lead me onto the shining path, showing the way into your burning presence, into your many sanctuaries of holiness. Then I will come closer to your very altar until I come before you, the God of my ecstatic joy! I will praise you with the harp that plays in my heart to you, my God, my magnificent God! Then I will say to my soul, “Don’t be discouraged; don’t be disturbed, for I fully expect my Savior-God to break through for me. Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again.” Yes, he is my saving grace!”

Psalm 43:3-5 (TPT)

New beginnings, significant crossroads, and life changing events and opportunities! All of these landmarks dot the maps of our lives! But unfortunately for most of us, we must also leave dots in the wilderness. And the wilderness isn’t the place we normally look for excitement, expectation, and hope. But as we leave our dots in the barren sand, we discover the hidden goodness of the badlands. 


Sometimes we are keenly aware of what is happening, and other times we just feel stuck. The anxiety, the confusion, the pain, the feeling of lost purpose and direction, the impatience. None of these are pleasant and can leave us feeling distant from God and each other.

But God always has something good in store for us, even if we can’t see it. God uses our wilderness experiences to elevate our dependence on Him, to deepen our trust in Him, to refine our character and strength, and to lead us into unchartered territory.

There are many Biblical examples of the wilderness. Some were self-imposed and some were imposed by others, but all of them resulted in great moves of God because, in the wilderness, people always encountered God!

Visions were given. Missions were issued. Transformations were witnessed. New life was birthed. And in the midst of the desert, their sufferings could be considered all joy.

And our sufferings can too. Not that our wilderness is a happy place. But joy can be found because we know that God is still in the business of refining us, restoring us, and rescuing us right where we’re at. He is the God who has the power to bring water out of a rock (Exodus 17:6) and new life to dead trees (Ezekiel 17:24). And He is the God who will show up to save us! He is the reason that in our wilderness we CAN look for excitement, expectation, and hope.

God’s compass leads to truth and light, and when our battered and worn-out boots are dotting the wilderness with tears and fears, our good and hope filled future is guided from the heart of our Creator as He pours His heart into ours.

You may not all be in a wilderness season right now, but you all know someone who is. So, whether it’s for you or for a friend, let this be your prayer today – “Lord, pour into us the brightness of your daybreak! Pour into us your rays of revelation-truth! Let them comfort and gently lead us onto the shining path, showing the way into your burning presence”. And then let us praise Him for more new beginnings, for more significant crossroads, and more life changing events. And yes, let’s even praise Him for the dot that is being left behind as a landmark in the wilderness.

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“What good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation— a god that can’t even talk! What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols, ‘Wake up and save us!’ To speechless stone images you say, ‘Rise up and teach us!’ Can an idol tell you what to do? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless inside. But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him.””

Habakkuk 2:18-20 NLT

What began with the heartless Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz, has become driverless cars and human less conversations. Ah…the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

AI can give us answers in an instant, makes data more useful and research more productive, brings perspectives to our questions and thoughts, and keeps us organized and efficient in our accomplishments.

The benefits of AI are many! But in the end, AI is as heartless as the Tin Man. It can’t interact with our emotions. It can’t bring us life. It can’t instill personal wisdom. And it can’t compassionately, faithfully, and eternally love us. AI cannot speak Life into us. It can only speak algorithms from a man-made machine.

We have become so accustomed to turning to the lifeless Google that we forget to turn to the One who actually speaks. To the One who can actually save us. To the One Who’s pearls of wisdom bring life and peace. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and The Life and He speaks. He saves. And He is full of Life! He answers your questions too, but He is not an impersonal analysis of calculations. He is a personal God, who will love you and walks with you through your questions, your doubts, your emotions, and even your physical death.  

Google is our friend. But Jesus is our Lord! Give Him what he deserves today; your time, your praise, and your heart.

Will you take to time to be silent before him and listen to him speak?

#SaturdaySoulSearch

“Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’, so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” What Jesus did here in Cana was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.”

John 2:6-11

Miracles happen every day! But we are often far too busy to recognize them or far too calloused to realize their power. As Jon Bon Jovi says, if we change our perception though of what a miracle is, we’ll see them all around us.

I think when we think of miracles, we think of something big! We seem to bypass the small ones in search of the life changing whammy! But in reality, it’s the everyday miracles that build our faith and increase our confidence that God will do it again! And again. And again!

When Mary asked Jesus to help her friend who had run out of wine, I’m not sure if she knew just how He would respond. She was confident in His ability to help, but did it ever cross her mind that He would take something as plain as the water, and turn it into rich and flavorful wine? And not the watered-down kind either! Jesus saved the best for last! And it made a lasting impression.

Jesus is in the business of miracles. But it’s hard to see the possibilities until we receive the impossible. And I think the greatest impossible is the changing of our hearts. He doesn’t want us to just ask for miracles and signs, He wants us to believe in Him! And He wants our whole hearts so He can use our beliefs and experiences to help others see His glory. He wants us to leave His lasting impression on those we encounter every day.

God promises in Ezekiel (36:26) that He “will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you, removing your stony, stubborn heart with a tender, responsive one”. And in this miracle of changing water to wine, He proves His power of transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary!

Jesus loves to grab hold of our hearts. He loves to turn our challenges into blessings, our ashes into beauty, our trials into testimonies, and our bitter into better. He loves to turn His people from ordinary to extraordinary, infusing them with his rich and flavorful grace. His miracles of restoration, healing, and provision are greater and more prevalent than we can even imagine. He already does it everyday! So why not embrace it and grow in His grace through every little and every big occurrence. Be open to change – not only your heart, but your perception of who He is and what He is doing. If He can change water to wine, He can change the hardest of situations and the hardest of hearts.

Imagine what God can do in your life. Let this image of water to wine stir you into action to seek His miraculous transformation of your heart, your hurt, and your Spirit. Take what He gives you today and allow it to ferment! And remember, it gets better every day. So the best is yet to come! Are you ready?

#SaturdaySoulSearch