A long way up

If we looked at our journey from the bottom of the mountain I am fairly confident most of us would never even take the first step. But our lives instead are a constant steady motion of going forward, step by step, day by day.
As believers we can take comfort in the fact that we do not go this journey alone.
And what plans God has for us along the way are for our betterment, plans not to harm us, but to prosper us.
Does that verse feel worn out to you? Do those words not hold the same encouragement they did at the beginning of the journey when you were fresh? Was the start line so far behind you that  you've lost sight of what life looked like before you began this journey? Then this message is for you.
Despair not my friend.
You may be halfway up the steepest, seemingly unspeakable mountain. Are the rocks sharper than you care to speak of? The terrain rougher than you'd ever have believed? Raise your eyes child...
Look to the next step and see, your faithful Father stands with hand extended.
He will not time warp you to tomorrow, because He is with you in the now. He is standing with you on the rocky crag of today.
I've stood there on the ledge of today, and wanted to give up. When I was weary before I even began. But this usually happened when I looked down, or up the mountain, I have come to recognize the beauty of looking at the here and now. At looking at today. Only. Each step will come as He leads you by the hand.
There is no danger HE will not walk through with you. He will never leave you up there on the mountain. You however can turn around and leave His path, but the journey down without Him is worse than the journey up with Him. The climb may feel difficult, but in this journey you are learning things you could never learn had you not started up the mountain.
Whatever day it was that He looked at you and said, "Follow me.." as HE started up the journey He wanted to take you on...the date matters not, but what matters is that you followed Him. Stay in step with Him. Do not turn to the right or the left. You will hear a voice behind you saying, "this is the way, walk in it.." His Spirit will lead and guide you!
DO NOT DESPAIR! DO NOT TURN BACK. Keep moving in step with Lord.
He has you where He has you for a reason. He will never leave you. He will never run farther than He knows you can go. Be affirmed in His constant presence. Be assured of His knowledge. OF His wisdom! He knows what you need. He knows how much you can handle. HE knows your limits and He meets you when you get to the end of yourself. He will not stretch you farther than you can go because He made you, so He knows you fully. All your strengths, all your weaknesses, all your desires and all your hurts. He knew you before you even were.
Do you feel your assurance mounting? Do you recognize you are not alone?
HE laid down His life, that we could be set free. He wants to free us from whatever masters us. When you started up the mountain you are currently marching up, there was probably some personal demons He asked you to leave behind. Some things that held you captive, some ideology that He wanted to free you from. Whether it be some past negative thinking, some old way you used to live, some bondage of the mind... He looks at us and says, "Lets leave that baggage behind so you can walk up this mountain free..." but usually we try to lug it up the mountain for a while...soon we recognize how heavy our burdens are, so we begin to lay them down one by one in the grace that which HE provides. If we could see with spiritual eyes, we'd see back down the path we've climbed and it would be littered with our baggage. Hurt, pain, fear, dis-trust, anger and many other things that have held us captive would be littered along the path.
It is so freeing to travel hands free.
Like when you drop your suitcases at the baggage claim, and walk through the rest of the air port with out something heavy to pull! Isn't that freeing? When you transition from huge diaper bag, to small purse...how nice it is when your children learn to walk and can get out of that big baby car seat...life is full of examples of how lighter loads free us.
This is the process by which HE takes us as HE frees us from our past, our sin and our sorrows.
Jesus teaches us along the journey, and reveals to us our need to lay it down.
So here you are, on the mountain side, and feeling as though there is no end in sight. Is it the end that you really want?
I'm really not even sure any more, walking with Him has been so amazing..
I've learned more on this journey that I could ever begin to explain, but I'm going to try to take all these things i've learned, hold them up as treasures in my heart, and use these nuggets
to encourage others...
One day, I woke up, laced up my hiking boots and got ready for my journey for that day, excited about what He would teach me along the path, unafraid of what I'd have to go through, because as I had learned from the past, He is always with me. Over the past years of climbing I had seen how constant He was, and knew that I no longer needed to fear. The next step that i'd take really mattered not to me anymore because I knew He'd be there with me. As we walked He stopped. I stopped too. Knowing He is the light unto my path .... "Look over there, " He said, and pointed just a few steps ahead of us. "The top" He said. My heart caught in my throat. All these years of walking up this mountain, and we were finally here. The top. I had grown to love this rugged mountain. Filled with crags, and rough patches, times it was so steep I almost had to crawl. I had put blood, sweat and tears into this mountain side, and now that I had reached the top I wasn't even sure I wanted to be done. But here we were. The top. Tears started to roll down my cheeks, I recalled all I had learned along the way, and I began to slip to my knees. As I kneel there, at the top of the mountain I worshiped Him who had stood by my side the entire time. I praised Him and recounted every time He had called me to stand, taking my hand and helping me to continue  on. "Now what?" I asked? He looked at me, the deep wrinkles in face turned out as He smiled the  biggest smile I'd ever seen, and He replied, "Follow me..." In my joy I stood and together, I looked  back down the path we climbed up, only now, the path seemed different. It really wasn't the path that was different though, it was I who had changed. He had made me stronger, braver, and more confident in HIS ability to help and save. I started my climb afraid, doubtful, and trembling. He made me confident, hope-filled and fully trusting in His ability to completely save me. It was Him all along who got me through, and now I knew it for sure. I had such a history now to build on. I had a not a leg of my own to stand on, but knowing fully He was all I needed. And would ever need. Before I started the trip down, I stopped, and asked Him if I could spend a moment reflecting on all that He had done, He nodded. I built an alter on that mountain and offered sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise to the one who had set me free and conquered. Just as my forefathers had done years and years ago. I rose from my knees, and I told Him I was ready. He took me by the hand and together we started down that mountain, all the while I praised His holy, all powerful name.  I do not know what the next journey will look like but I am not afraid of it. His track record has been one of consistancy that makes me trust Him fully. I know my true journey, my ultimate journey will not end until I reach heeaven, but along the way as I travel this earth He will make me, shape me, and use me. And for this I am eternally grateful.

Perfect Forcast

You all know what that "perfect" day looks like, where no cloud is in the sky, the sun is shining and the temps are warm and the slight breeze is a delightful touch on your face. We've all had those days. Those are the days we tend to make big plans, and spend the days outside, rejoicing in the beauty of God's creation.
It always amazes me how different each day can be. One day may be as the description above, and the very next day the clouds can set in and the winds pick up and can bring  with it rain and turmoil. The creation we rejoiced over now somehow seems dark and we wonder, "what happened to the sun?"
It's on these darker days, these windy days, these cold days that we wonder, "why the change God?"

It's also on these cold, darker days that we decide, "it'd be better if I just stay in today."

I've noticed a trend in my own life that reminds me of the weather. When my life feels happy, sunny and joyful I tend to tell God, "yes, I'm available today, use me!"  And I gladly strap on my shoes, roll up sleeves and get to work.
But, what about the day that I wake up and the skies feel dark, and the rain is drizzling down in my heart, and with much heaviness I look to God and say, "Lord, today is the not the day I can do anything for you." And I hang the "closed " sign on my heart.
It's not that God couldn't still use me on these days, but I am not a very willing participant. This can happen periodically, and it may seem there are no negative affects  to those who observe this process...but it in essence says to God, "I call the shots, and I will be of service to you on my watch."
I do not recall Jesus ever saying that in His word or with His deeds in the 30 some years HE walked the earth...

What happens when it's been raining in your heart for weeks on end? Do you sit all these days out? Do you tell God that this is just a season that you are putting a "temporarily out of business" sign on your heart?

I've done this before. I close my doors, I shut my windows and tell GOD that when He brings the sun back out, then I will strap on my boots and head out into service again. But as long as keeps the rain coming, I'm going to stay where it's safe.

What happens though when the rain does. not. leave.

Anyone ever had this? You go to bed with such high human hopes that tomorrow will be good? And then tomorrow comes and the heaviness in your heart remains? We've all had these seasons i'm sure.
But in all transparency, ask yourself, "what do I do with this season?"

I will tell you what God asked ME to do. He handed me an umbrella, and a pair of rain boots, and said, "You can still got out."
I looked at Him in disbelief. I could not believe that He was asking me to work in these types conditions.
"Im not well rested. This rain has been keeping me up at night."

"come to me and I will give your soul rest" He said.

That was not the particular type of rest I was looking for I said.

But He persisted with my rain gear. When I failed to reach out and take it, He set it by the door and told me it'd be there until I was ready to take it.

I had no idea what that meant, but I grabbed my blanket and curled up my feet under me, and stared out the window, shaking my head, and musing to myself that I couldn't believe that He would ask me to do that. "pffff....go outside in these conditions. unbelievable."

Oh my hard heart. How I sorrow over my disbelief in His ability to conquer over the storm.

As the story continues, I will not leave you hanging, the rain did continue. I did not see the sun even peek it's face out for weeks on end. I started to despair. I began to contemplate moving. Thinking that if I moved to a new location my sun would come back out.
I took a little vacation even. I packed my t-shirts and flip flops, but when I got off the airplane, to my dismay, the rain had followed me.

I cried out in anger.

As I got out of the car upon returning from my attempted escape from reality, I stood at the gate by house, standing there in there rain, I looked up at the sky, and said to the sky..."you win. I surrender." And sopping wet, I ran in the house, and came out shortly with my rain boots on, and my umbrella in hand.

As I stood there with my rain gear, I waited, I asked Him, "what do you want me to do?"
I started walking. Looking. Watching.
Little drops fell off my umbrella, and splashed into the puddles that gathered all around me.
As I began to walk farther, listening to the rain, I began to enjoy myself. I saw the little bugs running too and fro, dodging the drops. I saw birds, splashing in the rain, and puddles.
The rain began to sound like a little song in my ears.
I saw a lady struggling with her groceries, so I stopped to help her. She smiled at me in appreciation. "I'm so glad you were out here to help me in this!" She exclaimed.
My heart caught in my throat.
"me too..." I replied.
I kept walking.
I saw a man in a wheelchair, getting soaked as he slowly made his way down the sidewalk. I handed him my umbrella. He looked at me in appreciation. As I watched him wheel down the sidewalk with my umbrella hooked to the back of his chair, I felt my heart warm and swell with joy.
I didn't even feel the rain splashing on my head as I continued on.
I shared a laugh with another fellow as I passed and we joked about our soaked condition. We walked together for a bit, encouraging each other.... He called out after me, " the rain will stop at some point."

Tears sprang to my eyes, I smiled, and responded, "I know, but I can still enjoy the day, even if it doesn't."
The man smiled back at me, "that's the spirit.." He said, and gave me a wink.

My step was lighter now. I almost felt like skipping. "Nice day..." I commented to myself as I walked onward. Completely soaked and happy...I knew this was what The Lord was talking about now.
All I'd seen and what I'd been learning, was building up to this day.
It was all to help me follow His plan.
I can't profess that I understand it. But I see His hand holding my hand.

As I rounded the bend to my home, I saw the lights on, and a fire going in my house..as I walked up my walkway, He opened my cottage door for me, there He stood, smiling. "Nice walk?" He asked. The tears sprang to my eyes.
I hung my head.
He reached out, lifting my chin, He made my gaze meet His. "I'm not mad at you...but this was something I had to teach you." He said.
Looking at Him with tear filled eyes I nodded. "Im sorry for my attitude.." I said.
"I forgive you. I always will forgive you.." He said.
Now I was sobbing. I threw my arms around His neck.
He embraced me for a while, and comforted me.
After HE left, I saw a new umbrella sitting in the corner of my entry way. I smiled knowing He had left it for me.

The next day when I woke up, I hoped it would rain! And true my hopes, it was raining! Laughing I jumped out of bed, I grabbed my boots and new umbrella, and ran out the door. I smiled, laughing as I waved at everyone I passed, "Nice day!" I called out to a woman I passed on the walkway. She looked at me in disbelief. And timidly smiled back.
As I came to the street sign that flashed "stop" I stopped to wait for the traffic, I looked over at the fellow I was standing next to, waiting for the light as well. There HE was! He looked at me, giving my shoulder a little half hug squeeze, the smile lines that ran deep in His face shot out as the corners of His mouth pulled up in a great big smile. "well done." He said.
Together we walked on.

The sun may come out soon, but even if it doesn't, I'm OK. I have Him to walk with. And now I know that I can't just work when the conditions are perfect.


I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13 NIV)