The Ocean of Opportunity

The Lord Almighty is with us.

Psalm 46:7

Clara is just as relaxed out of the water!

I smile as I watch them, so different in their relationship to the water. Clara is a fish. She jumps in without reservation like her body was made for the wide open water. Carynne is bullrush. She wades on the steps as her temperament prefers the safety of shoreline. 


They are in the middle of two weeks of swim lessons. Clara is clearly at the top of the class. Carynne is...well I'll just be positive and say she gets a ribbon for 6th place. There was this one day last week though when her ability suddenly surged. At one and only one lesson she exhibited incredible confidence and peace. What made the difference?


The presence of her father.


I traveled over the weekend. Before I left, I invited God to interact with my heart and in my circumstances. I asked Him to open my eyes to people who needed a touch from Him in their ordinary day. 


Honestly I would have rather waded on the steps - read my book, talked to no one and landed at my destination in solitude. At best my natural inclination to help others is 6th place. I saw a mom juggle her baby and bags - I offered to take the bags. My row mate missed beverage service - I ordered her one anyway. What made the difference?


The presence of my Father.


When I'm standing in the laundry room surrounded by more piles of laundry than I have family members, the presence of my father turns drudgery into gratitude.


When I'm stuck in traffic and know my schedule is getting tossed, the presence of my father pervades my worry with peace.


When I'm standing at the shoreline uncertain if an ordinary woman can make any difference, the presence of my father floods my fear with confidence.


The presence of our Father eases us from the shore of the ordinary into the ocean of opportunity.


Into what ordinary task can you invite God today?

Full Time Desired; Application Previously Submitted

Have you ever heard someone refer to being in "full-time" ministry? I recently heard this expression. It fell on my heart like a key turning a lock. Aren't all Christ-followers called to follow Him full-time?


We aren't temp housing. He isn't a drifter. He's taken up permanent residence.


I wrote on this topic today at Godly Writers and want to invite you to visit there. Let's find out together what it takes to go full-time with God. God's looking for full time Christians. He submitted our application 2000 years ago.

The Root that Makes Dreams Float

I could break the Guinness World Record for floating. I know. I looked it up. There isn't one. But seriously I was somehow designed by God for excellence in drifting atop the water. Seems strange when you realize I'm afraid to put my face in water doesn't it? But on top of the water I feel relaxed, invigorated and at home.


As we discovered yesterday, each person is packaged with God-given passions and dreams. These dreams are powered by love. The gap from dream to reality is closed by putting feet to your faith. Here are a couple steps to walking out your dream:


Take an Inventory 


This is your "at home"


Have you taken an inventory of the things you do particularly well? They may be something as oddball as floating or as ordinary as smiling but each is God-given. Each should make the list.


Connect the Inventory to Your Dream 


This is where you get invigorated.


Let's take my "gift of floating" for example. My ability to float may not asset my heart's passions but my ability to relax wherever I am does. This is the connection between this inventory item and my dream. Find the connection and use it to your advantage.


Make a Plan and Trust It 


This is where you relax. 


Once each inventory item is connected to your dream, you make a strategic plan to use the gifts you have to live out your passion. Most of us get entangled in what's not on our list. While we can work on our weaknesses and possibly turn them into neutrals instead of liabilities, few of us will ever transfer them into assets. 


Stop wasting energy on the "don't haves". Trust that God equipped you with the "must haves". And relax.


Find your home, get invigorated and relax. These are the roots that make dreams float.


What is one of your strengths? Inventory it in a comment below and tell us how you can use it to achieve your goals and dreams.

That's the Power of Love

Do everything in love.

1 Corinthians 16:14

We were young and just naive enough... to wait out the rest of the concert goers. My sister, good friend and I lingered outside Huey Lewis' limo long after the last note. Eventually a stubby man saddled up beside us. 

Photo Credit: billboard.com

We expected to be dismissed. We were.


He called himself Something-a-Rather Lewis, claimed to be Huey Lewis' personal manager and invited us to a private after party at his hotel suite. We were young and just naive enough... to actually go.


After a half hour of Cokes and pretzels, the door handle turned. In strolled Huey Lewis and the News. Huey Lewis was quintessential cool. He learned everyone's name in the room in a matter of minutes. He was affable, friendly and charming. He entertained us with his favorite tunes - all country and western. 


Huey sang about the Power of Love. This message resonated with people, making it a Billboard #1 hit in 1985. At the time I didn't think much of Huey's dichotomy. He sang one style of music but his passion was another.


I don't know why he didn't pursue his passion. Perhaps he thought his passion would pay less. Perhaps his passion seemed a greater risk. Perhaps he lacked the confidence to pursue his dream.


I'm no longer young but I'm just naive enough... to believe God wants us to pursue our deepest passion and our highest calling. But how?


How do ordinary people who get frustrated in traffic, perform hundreds of routine tasks a week and forget to buy things at the grocery store live a life like that?


The Power of Love.


Love should be our motivation.
Passion should be our guide.
Do everything in love.


I want to nest my heart firmly in His love so passion can fly from my heart.


What could the Power of Love do for you?

Transforming Prayer - Lord Direct Me

My husband and I are contemplating building or buying a new home. It’s not the lengthy process of packing and unpacking that boxes my heart in distress. It’s not the mound of decisions and details that pushes my emotions to the edge. It’s two words – show condition.

Show condition.

Has my house ever come close to this standard? I’ll give you a hint. My first name isn’t Susie and the bunny doesn’t just hop by our home on Easter. The six of us have occasional rabbit visitors of the dust variety.

The amazing thing is I’m okay with it.

I’m a natural goal setter and achiever. A paper with every item crossed off is beauty. Honestly, I’d rather get an “A” than a “10”.

For years I lived in a constant state of panic – too many tasks and too little time to complete them. I fretted over keeping my hampers empty and my pantry full. I stressed about holidays and ordinary days. My emotions and outlook rode the wave of my daily “to do” list. The more I accomplished, the better I felt.

With so much achievement my life had absolutely margin. There was no room for God to work in my home because I was too busy doing it all for Him. I decided to make a radical change.

I began to pray a simple daily prayer – Lord Direct Me.

I gave Him the pen to my notepad.

I offered Him my time to manage.

As I breathed this sentence throughout my day, He breathed peace into my home.

As I prayed Lord Direct Me, my home became less type A and more type Him.

Does your home need an extreme makeover? What would change if you breathed this prayer into the space of your home and heart?

Spit That Out!

You will go out in joy  and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 

Isaiah 55:12

Working my frustration of the day into it chew by chew, my jaws grew weary from their work. I was chomping on gum for pleasure but my pleasure waxed to pain. Have you ever noticed the longer you chew a piece of gum, the harder it gets?

A certified people pleaser, nothing upsets my soul more than conflict. I can chew on misplaced, harsh or angry words for hours. The longer I chew, the harder it gets.


Each bite of instant replay moves forgiveness farther from my reach.
Each taste of concern over my phrasing turns my focus away from God.
The longer I chew, the more bitter my world becomes.


Conflict is inevitable so how can we communicate with others without making a midnight snack of our conversation?


Accept Responsibility


We own what we say. By taking full responsibility for our words we move from reaction mode to response. A reaction is a thoughtless, involuntary retort. A response is a God-directed, well-thought reply.


Move Toward Reconciliation


Be the first to offer forgiveness. Take the lead in healing. Leave the conversation without regret by moving toward reconciliation.


Refuse to Replay


After the conclusion of your conversation, mentally press stop. Refuse to allow your mind to dissect and dwell on every exchange. Allow grace to cover your mind and your conversation.


When we stop chewing, joy fills the spaces of our heart. We will leave the conversation, go out in joy and be led by peace.


What are you chewing on today? What would be required for you to spit it out?

Don't Take a Vacation...

Two of My Cuties, Vacation 2009

Vacation is my favorite week of the summer. With kids scattered from kindergarten to closing in on college, my daughters will find themselves on mission trips in Joplin, driving over 24 hours on a bus to Colorado for Jr. High youth camp and serving at our church's Vacation Bible School. Our summer is jam packed.

But...a pause is coming. I'm counting the days. 

A pause is coming. I'm mentally packing.

A pause is coming. I'm researching fun.

As much as I long for the coming week, there's one thing I don't want our family to take a vacation from...time with God. For me, it's even harder on the road than home to take intentional time with God. 

Today I'm a guest at Encouragement Cafe where I'm sharing my tips on how to take Jesus on the road this summer. Join me as we learn how not to take a vacation from Him.