What is Stopping My Progress?

During 'Rona 2020, it's been really difficult to progress with my goals. 

It seems crazy; because I actually have more time, yet accomplish less.

Why is that?

Could it be I'm spending too much time listening to outside voices telling me all the things I should be doing?

• You're not doing enough, some say.
• You're doing too much, others will pipe up.
• You shouldn't do this.
• You shouldn't do that.

It's enough to make my head spin.

I think real progress is made when we reaffirm our purpose; and then weigh everything in light of our calling.

I'm called to be an encourager; so my voice may not be serving its best purpose in some venues. If an activity or a conversation has nothing to do with either giving or receiving encouragement; perhaps I should let it go.

Goodbye, mindless scrolling of social media!

~~~

This post was written in response to the one-word prompt, "progress" shared by Five Minute Friday community.

My five minutes are up, but I wanted to share something that is helping me progress through all the voices currently yapping. (See what I did there?)

I downloaded the app "One Minute Pause," associated with John Eldredge, author of "Get Your Life Back." The app gives you options for one minute, three, five and ten minute pauses that play restful music, encourages deep breathing and helps you pray encouraging words of scripture. I highly recommend it - and it's free!

~~~

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Check out this week's top 5 posts:

Praise Post #10

Thankful List

Praise Post #12

Fearless Revisited: Coping Skills

Sign

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I'm sharing this post at:

Grace&Truth

Inspire Me Monday

InstaEncouragements Link-Up

Let's Have Coffee

#TuneInThursday

Not now! I'm in the middle of something ...

Don't you hate to get interrupted when you are in the middle of something?

It happens to me all the time at the office. I will have my agenda laid out beautifully and then someone comes by with a random question and the next thing you know, I've left the plan and stumbled down a rabbit hole. I'm lucky to get out before the end of the day.

But such is life. After all, it's impossible to make people wait until you totally finish one task before addressing them.  So you must juggle all the things until you can get to them. In fact, that is part of the challenge of being an administrative assistant. It would be boring to just be able to tick off tasks one after another without a challenge or two being thrown in.

Isn't it great, however, that we can approach God at any time. He never has to put us on hold while He finishes up something. He's never impatiently tapping His foot, thinking, "Spit it out, I've got things to do!

(Five minutes are up!)

I'm wondering how He does it. I've got 3 kids and I feel bad that it seems I can never have enough time for all of them at once - how does He do it with His millions of kids? Oh! He's God, that's how - another reason to praise Him with wonder ...

‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV)

He says, "I will answer," and not "Not now! I'm in the middle of something."

I want to be respond more like He does the next time I'm interrupted.

What about you? How do you handle interruptions?

~~~

This post was written in response to a one-word prompt, "middle," shared at Five Minute Friday, where writers free-write for 5 minutes on one word.

I'm also linking up at Grace&Truth and #FreshMarketFriday

Don't be Distant!

Today I’m joining the Five Minute Friday group of writers who are free-writing on the one word prompt, distant.


I always like to look up the word prompt first before writing. Here is a condensed version of what dictionary.com said about it:


Distant – far away in space or time, remote – or aloof, reserved, detached


Today, I’ll include both meanings in my writing.



[GO]


When I think about a far away space, I always think of missionaries in distant lands ministering to the natives and telling about Jesus. However, the bible says the gift of the Holy Spirit gives us power to witness about Christ, both at home and in remote places.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NKJV)


In the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we are told we are to witness in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. To the original group of people who received this commandment, it would have meant, “witness to those at home (Jerusalem), then to your region (Judea), then to neighboring countries (Samaria) and finally across the seas (to the end of the earth).”


First, you witness to the people around you. Your Jerusalem, in other words. And of all the groups mentioned, this is the group that will probably be the most resistant to your words – because they know you best! But your witness is not limited to your words – it includes your actions. Your example. Living life among them.


This is where the second meaning of the word distant comes into play. You can’t expect to make a difference for Christ if you present yourself as a distant, uninterested party.


[STOP]


A believer can only be an effective witness if he jumps in with both feet and does life with those around them.

Hey! I know it can be pretty scary.

That's why this assurance was given:

... and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 (NKJV)

~~~

I'm linking up with the Five Minute Friday community as well as with #FreshMarketFriday.

Willing

Today, I'm joining the community at Five Minute Friday where writers free write on a one word prompt for 5 minutes. Today's word is:  WILLING

GO!

When we give our lives to Christ, we don’t start dwelling in Utopia. We still have challenges; the difference is, we now have Christ beside us to guide us and be with us.

The reason we are not immediately taken to heaven after conversion is that we have stuff to do and stuff to learn.

How much easier will it all be if we are willing participants in the things the Lord wants to teach us? If you’ve ever tried teaching a class with an unwilling student, one that does not want to be there, then you know you have a tough assignment!

One time I was part of a group exercise where you listed on an index card a quality you appreciated about the person. The card was passed around the room and everyone wrote one thing. The thing I treasured most on mine was this: “She is willing to do whatever is asked of her.”

I’ve got big dreams and goals in life, almost impossible ones that I’m stretching toward. Yet, if that phrase, “willing to do whatever is asked of her” can still be said at the end of my life, I’ll feel pretty good about things.

One caveat – I should say, “willing to do whatever God asks of her,” because sometimes humanity will heap too much on us. Sometimes … it is myself that heaps too much on me!

STOP

Do you feel you are a willing person? What do you want said about you at the end of your life?

~~~

I'm also linking up at #FreshMarketFriday. Join us!

Why Pray? Our World Needs Us!

Today's Five Minute Friday word prompt fits in so well with my series, The 5 Questions of Prayer: Who, What, Why, Where and How. The prompt is the word, "world," and I will use that word as I write about the "why" of prayer.

Go:

There are a host of reasons to pray, but today we will look at three:

The first why: Our world needs us to pray. As children of God we can come before the throne of God and ask for help in time of need - not just for ourselves, but for others, too. The most selfless thing we can do is to go into spiritual battle for other people.

Sometimes, people are sick and discouraged and have no strength to pray. We can do it for them.

Also, people who don't know the Lord need us to pray for them. We pray that the Lord of the harvest will send forth workers into their field. 

In other words, we pray the Lord will send the people to speak the word and tell of God's love in just the right way to catch their attention. God knows what it will take to get us to listen. Our part is to pray for willing workers to be sent; and then if He sends US to go, too, we are to be willing to go.

Sometimes our family members won't listen to us, but they will listen to a co-worker or a classmate. Sometimes a complete stranger knows just the right word to say!

Then, we are to pray because we're commanded to do so. Obedience is our second why!

" ... men always ought to pray and not lose heart" Luke 18:1b NKJV

We are not to give up when it seems we are not getting results. When we pray, God is setting the answer into motion. Don't give up. Be persistent. The answer will come!

Stop! (But of course, I must finish up with my third point.)

Our third why of prayer: God made us for fellowship. How can we be companions if we never talk to each other? If you never talked to your spouse, family or friends, it wouldn’t take long for them to believe you don’t care about them. In the same way, God wants us to pray and to communicate with Him.

Ministering to others, obedience, fellowship - it's why we pray and impact our world.

Are you in the habit of prayer? Leave a comment and tell us all about your "why" to pray.

I'm linking up at Five Minute Friday and #FreshMarketFriday and Inspire Me Monday

Influencing your culture

Culture is today’s word prompt at FiveMinute Friday. I immediately thought of two ways to use the word culture, the way society behaves, or the medical term of growing bacteria, etc. in a condition suitable for growth. (Sometimes cells are taken to grow in a culture to determine what a disease really is.)

So, for the next five minutes, I will examine both concepts.

GO:

As a faith writer, I want my words to influence the culture around me. I want to spread hope! I sure don’t want the culture I live in to influence me. We live in a dark time where everybody’s ideas of right and wrong are far from biblical, and a voice speaking truth and hope needs to be heard above all the conflicting babel we hear. 

As I see it, our job as faith writers is to gently point back to Christ in everything we say and do.

A former pastor’s motto is “Jesus Christ is the center of everything.”

That motto resonates with me.

I want Him to be at the center of everything I do, every word I write, every word I say.

The Word tells us to speak the truth in love; I think the same is true for writing.

I want to build around my friends and family a culture that is suitable for growth: plenty of doses of the Word, with prayer and praise surrounding us.

STOP

What are some ways you think our culture can be influenced? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

I'm linking with these communities:

Five Minute Friday

#FreshMarketFriday

Living Mary in a Martha World

I think there are two kinds of people in the world.

Marthas and Marys.

Do you remember the story of Jesus' friends in Bethany? Lazarus, Mary and Martha were great friends of Jesus and he would stop at their house for a meal and conversation with his friends.

Martha was the hostess with the "mostest" and wanted to make sure things were just so. She was a flurry of activity cooking, serving and washing up.

But Mary only wanted to sit at the feet of Jesus and feast on every word he said.

You know what happens when you keep a pace of flurry and hurry? You get tired.

And when you are tired? Cranky can't be far behind.

So, Martha does what she thought was a reasonable thing. She goes to Jesus to ask him to make Mary help her.

Jesus was so wise! His answer kept peace between the sisters and yet praised Mary's choice.

In the many times I had heard this story, I had never noticed before that Mary said nothing.

Perhaps when we've been at Jesus' feet, we are empowered to keep our mouths shut, and let Jesus speak up for us. I can imagine any other sister would have risen up in indignation at Martha's words!

Here's the thing: God loves both the Marys and the Marthas. 

It takes both. If we never had a Martha, nothing would get done. But a Martha without a Mary spirit and heart will soon get burnt out from all the doing.

I think the ideal is for each of us to have components of each personality. Yes, it is better to sit at Jesus’ feet, but if we are always taking in, and not giving out, we became fat and bloated and barely able to move.

I think it should be a continual process of sitting at Jesus feet with our spirit but being busy accomplishing things with our body. It’s sort of like what Brother Lawrence wrote in his book, The Practice of the Presence of God, we invite the presence of God even while we are doing tasks. We're feasting on the marvelous while doing the mundane.

I also think there should be TIMES of just sitting at His feet with nothing to distract. Of course, that is the better part, as Jesus said, and things learned at His feet can never be taken away from us.

But there is always a time for action, too. Being mature in the Lord is knowing when to do each!

It leads back to a main principle, trusting the Good Shepherd to taking care of our every need.

Giving your problem to the Shepherd is freeing! How much lighter you feel when you say, “I don’t have to worry about that. That’s in the Shepherd’s hands and it’s HIS problem to take care of.

Imagine if we could get to the point where we roll EVERY burden, every concern, onto the yoke of Jesus? If we are truly able to do that, how light, how free, we would feel.

Another analogy is the idea of God piloting our vessel. Can we hand over the controls of our life to our Pilot, and let Him lead, let Him guide? Is that even possible in this life to fully do that? It can, if you've spent time at the Pilot's feet

Is that what this life is for a Christian? Learning to fully hand over the reins of this life I’m driving and trust Him to turn it into the paths He has laid out?

You might say, well then, I’m a robot, and I have no say. But the whole reason He made us was to have fellowship with beings that CHOOSE to love Him and serve Him.

Perhaps it’s more like I’m driving this vehicle but at every twist and turn, I ask the Lord what He wants me to do and where He wants me to go – and then I obey. And when it looks like He is telling me to go to slow or take a detour, I trust Him. And when it feels like we are going dizzyingly fast and taking hairpin curves on two wheels, I trust Him.

And eventually, we’ll get Home.

~~~

I'm linking up at
#TellHisStory, 
#TuneInThursday and #FreshMarketFriday
Let's Have Coffee

I get to

Today's word prompt for writing for five minutes is:

OPPORTUNITY

At my church, we have listed in the bulletin, “Opportunities for Service.” This is a list of events that take place during the week where one could participate. Instead of saying, “show up for bible study,” we are saying, “here is an opportunity for you in which you can grow in bible knowledge and become more like Him.”

“We need children’s church workers,” becomes “On Wednesday nights we have a service called Dig-In geared to children 4 years old through 6th grade. Here is an opportunity where you can come minister to them.”

It makes me think of a Jeff and Sherri Easter song, “I Get To.” Instead of having the mindset, “I have to go mow my mother’s lawn,” you think, “I’m so thankful my mom is still alive, and I get the opportunity to go over there and mow her lawn. After all, think of all the things she has done for me over my lifetime.”

[Subscribers, please click over to my blog to see YouTube video.]

What a joy to change your attitude of having the opportunity to do something instead of begrudging the time.

For instance, I have my family over three nights a week for Family Night.

Stop

I have to admit sometimes I’m tired, stressed out, or in general have had a bad day. Sometimes meal planning is hard for me. Yet, I have the wonderful opportunity to share in my family’s day three nights a week. I get to witness, first hand, all the little things my grandkids do or say. Surprising things are said around the dinner table!

I get to hear things from my kids the stuff of their lives that would take too long to spell out in a text message.

In other words, I get to share in their lives, all for the price of chopping vegetables and putting together some kind of delicious edible concoction.

What an opportunity!

~~~

What opportunities show up in your week? I'd love to hear all about it!

I'm linking this post at:

FiveMinuteFriday 

Grace&Truth

#FreshMarketFriday

The Teacher

Every year during Holy Week, I love to revisit this post I wrote a few years back. I find it so incredible for Jesus to not only eat with His betrayer, but wash the feet of Judas as well!
Could you do that for someone you knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, was going to stab you in the back?

Me neither.

Our Savior can and did, so my original piece was named, Teach By Example.

The Teacher had a special group of students, men whom he had poured three years of his life into as they had lived life together. There was nothing about those students he did not know, their strengths as well as their weaknesses, and how they would react under pressure. Yet he loved them and always would.

Time was short. Not much longer would he be able to impart to them what he wanted them to know. Home was calling him back.

So, they had one last supper together. The Teacher knew that one had already decided to betray him, yet he treated him the same as all the rest. It was meant to be.

After supper, the Teacher stood up and got a towel, basin and pitcher. He wrapped the towel around his waist and then knelt down, and one by one, he placed each student's feet in the basin, scrubbed the foot and then, much like a mother would do, propped the foot on his knee,drying it with the towel that was still wrapped around his waist. What an intimate humbling act for a teacher to do!

That rascally student, Peter, who was always quick with a retort, spoke in wonder, "Do YOU wash my feet?

The Teacher smiled and said, "I know you don't understand now, but one day you will."

Peter insisted, "Teacher, you will never wash MY feet."

The Teacher replied that if he couldn't wash Peter's feet, then Peter could have no part in the Teacher's ministry.

Always one to go "whole hog", Peter did an about-face and wanted the Teacher to wash his head and hands. The Teacher said there was no need for that. They were all clean and only needed their feet washed - well, except for one ...

When all twelve students' feet were washed, the Teacher put away the towel, basin and pitcher and putting back on his robe, he sat down again in his place.

All their eyes looked at him expectantly. "Do you understand what I did?" he asked them.

"You all look to me as your Teacher, as well you should. What I just did is an example for you. You should wash each other's feet, just like I did yours. A student is not greater than his Teacher. You should always do like you've seen me do."

~~~

The greatest Teacher who ever lived, and who lives forever, is Jesus. He came and did life with us for 33 years. While He was here, He taught us about what is important, and what's not. 

He taught with words, lecturing in places like synagogues, boat decks and mountaintops. But, He also taught by example, always willing to bless and to heal, letting the crowds come to Him with their overwhelming needs, always putting others first and somehow finding time to spend alone with His Father.

On that fateful foot-washing night long ago, the Teacher gave a new commandment to apply to the life of anyone who calls themselves one of His students:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

Students, let's follow His example.

~~~

I'm sharing this with GraceFull Tuesday,   #TuneInThursday, #FreshMarketFriday and Grace&Truth.

The Measure of a King

Today, I'm joining the writers at Five Minute Friday as we ponder and write for 5 minutes on the word prompt, "measure."

Go

As I mulled over the word, "Measure," I thought of the post I had just written yesterday to be used on the blog next week. I thought about how I'd written we are so valuable to the Lord that He takes note of how many hairs on our head.

Then I got to thinking how valuable HE is to us!

I immediately thought of the song "Above All" where Michael W. Smith says "there's no way to measure what you're worth!"

And it is so true!

After all, He's our Savior, Redeemer, Counselor, Provider, the Glory and the Lifter of our Heads. 

He's a friend that sticks closer to us than a brother would. 

He's our Advocate, our helper in time of need. 

Not only that, but He is our healer, our voice of wisdom, our guide, and our Shepherd.

Most of all, He's our good, good Father. 

Impossible to measure the worth of King of Kings and the Ruler of the Universe who just wants each of us to be His child.

He's beyond priceless! Yet, a truly seeking heart can find Him at anytime.

Stop

~~~

I'm linking this post at Five Minute Friday and #FreshMarketFriday.

Rewarded Openly

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:6

Last week, we talked about the secret place, meeting the Lover of our souls in private. 

Today, we are focusing on why we do such a thing. Why do we secretly meet our Lover? 

First and foremost, there should be such a longing in our souls for Him that we can't keep ourselves from going to Him. Just like the example of earthly lovers in last week's post, if we are truly in love, we can't keep away from seeing our Loved one.

It should be the same, and more so, with Christ!

But the gist of this verse is the attitude with which we approach meeting with our Lover. We don't want to brag openly with our prayer life. If we do that, however people treat us after hearing of the "hours on our knees," that's our reward. If it is respect from others we are wanting, words of affirmation or an "atta-girl," we might get it - and that would be all we get!

(5 minutes are up)

But I want more than that, don't you? A life spent in visiting the Lord secretly will result in rewards such as being blessed for all the world to see. It will result in answered prayer, in blessing and favor with God. He promises if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.

I would consider that a far greater reward than someone thinking "I'm all that," whenever I might boast saying, "I have to go to my prayer room now." In essence saying such a thing means, "Look how devoted I am to the Lord. I spend my precious time praying to Him."

People-pleasing never really pays off, anyhow. It's just like fame - fleeting and temporary.

I'd rather be a God-pleaser, wouldn't you?

~~~

I'm linking up today with the FiveMinuteFriday community whose prompt "reward" is the reason for this post. I'm also sharing with the #FreshMarketFriday community.

Secret Place

Where is the best place to pray? My husband read off the marquee aloud to me as we passed by a church on our way to our own church.

I answered, "in your prayer closet," but when I looked the scripture up to be sure, I preferred what the translator in the New King James put:  "the secret place."

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. - Matthew 6:6

You see, you can go into your room and shut the door, and instantly, your room is transformed into the secret place.

I'm thinking of lovers who have a special place they go to so they can be alone in each other's company. The one wouldn't be there without the other. It's a place where the world is not invited in, only they, each, are free to meet there. It would be their "secret place."

Now, in the case of a follower of Christ, you don't have to wait for the Lover of your soul to come, He is already there. Could that be ... because ... you are carrying Him in your heart already? So, where you go, He goes!

In the natural, lovers meet as often as possible. How often do you meet the Lover of your soul? Actually, the place is optional - just somewhere quiet away from prying eyes and ears, but the Partner? The Partner is crucial. Only one Lover of your soul would ever really satisfy - JESUS!
[5 Minutes Up]

And because the Lover, Jesus, is a perfect gentleman, He lets YOU set how often you come to the secret place.

Don't let life happening keep you from going to your secret place.

~~~

This post was written in response the word prompt given at FiveMinuteFriday. You are most welcome to join in!

I'm also sharing at Crystal's #FreshMarketFriday community.

5 things I learned I needed this winter

I needed a planner: For the last couple years, I used bullet journals. I thought I was totally on board with a bujo. I could customize it. I could make it mine. But you know what? It was just too much work, lol.

I didn’t know I wanted a planner, until my daughter bought me one for Christmas. And I fell in love. It’s a lot bigger than my bujo but it fits in my tote bag, and it has room for. All. The. Things.

I’m in love.

I needed another night a week at home: I shared with my readers how at the beginning of the year, my church decided to make a radical-for-us, thinking-outside-the-box, move and cancel midweek services in favor of twice-a-month Family Night fellowship and bible study.

Y’all!

It’s made such a difference! For me personally, it is so helpful to have that extra night. I determined I wasn’t going to waste it, so I moved my laundry day to Wednesday night; and while I wait on spin cycles to finish, I do book-keeping for my second job, thereby creating extra space in my jam-packed Saturdays.

It’s like … more margin in my week!

It’s also been good for the church. There’s been a lot of interest shown in our Family Night, and we’ve had good attendance.

Win-win!

I needed motivation: I attended an online webinar hosted by Jeff Goins and he challenged us to write 500 words a day for 30 days straight. He further encouraged us to do it first thing in the morning.

Seriously? I’m already trying to get up early for my quiet time (or my Daily Offering, as I like to call it). Now, I’m supposed to get up even more early?

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same things but expecting different results. I gave it a try and now I’m on day 49.

I’m not going back.

I needed to hear these words:

Whatever your thoughts are, your brain will work to make it true.

Edie Wadsworth

“Is this a good decision or just an ego decision?” – Jon Acuff

The difference between a professional and an amateur is simple — it’s practice. The amateur quits; the pro never gives up.

… Jeff Goins

I needed a revelation:  It was in January when I felt a whisper from the Lord during one of my quiet times with the Lord.- 

What if you focused in 2019 on believing, really believing, that goodness and mercy was going to chase you down? (see Psalm 23:6)

I took that as a challenge, as my mantra for the next year. Yes, my One Word is consistency (and my motivation of the daily 500 is helping with that goal); but this challenge is good for me spiritually.

I’m on the hunt to see every time goodness and mercy catch up with me.

Take for example, this week. I had several good days – days where I got my work done in record time and had time to do the extras. I had some inspiration regarding my writing. I had encouragement from my life coach (which is a new journey I’m embarking on). I had great participation and interest in the class I’m teaching on the book of Daniel.

Life is good. I’m holding onto that thought because if I listen to the news and see the awful events unfolding in our world, I could get glum … really glum

Instead I choose to believe what God has said: In 2019, goodness and mercy is going to chase me down.

Won’t you join me in that belief?

~~~

Today, I'm linking up with the communities at Emily P. Freeman's What We Learned this Winter, Crystal's #FreshMarketFriday, and Grace&Truth