Faith

Leave a comment Posted on ASL Adventures, Daily Blogs, Faith Journeys

Assurance vs. Control

  I had an opportunity to interpret tonight! 

It was my first time at Victory Christian Church and my interpreter friend allowed me to help her out during a small group Bible study. 

Sign language is such a part of my life now. Meeting some deaf friends and getting involved in deaf ministry is an important aspect in my move to Tulsa. 

My first priority is being a student at Rhema, of course, but I can’t imagine not signing…

God is faithful, though, and He knows what He’s doing. 

Whenever you’re in a transition period, trust that God is working on your behalf and leading you to the right people and the right places. 

Sure, my involvement in deaf ministry looks nothing like it did back in Birmingham. 

And that’s okay because:

  • God knows my heart. 
  • God knows my gifts. 
  • God has a plan and a place for me. 

This is all the assurance I need.  

Interpreting tonight was fun because God opened the door. 

The biggest lesson I’ve learned since moving is that I like control way too much. 

Just call me a recovering control freak…

My 5th and final goal for 2016 is to stop seeking control over every detail. I don’t have to be a micro manager. 

Being in control is not my job –it’s God’s job. 

Leave a comment Posted on Daily Blogs, Faith Journeys

The adventure ahead

My first Monday in Tulsa went well.

I had a job interview and took care of a few other things that needed to be done. 

Getting established takes time, so I’m happy that I drove out a week early. 

It’s also nice to have a bit of down time before school starts. The last several months have been busy with the holidays and my extra job and preparing to move. 

I am trying to not let my thoughts get to far ahead of me…

What will this be like?

I need to have this paid by this date.

My schedule is in free fall, which can make this recovering control freak nervous. 

Part of what I am learning now is to enjoy the ride.

Relax!

God is in control. 

He’s the provider and sustainer. 

I know all of these things, but keeping my thoughts in check is a full time job.

 You can’t let them stray too far or you’ll lose sight of the truth: God is faithful. 

I am so excited about school starting. Things are shaping up. 

I am choosing to focus on the adventure ahead instead of the minute details that don’t matter in the long run. 

Leave a comment Posted on Daily Blogs, Faith Journeys

30 seconds or less

I just watched The Golden Globes for the first time. There were so many movies that I had never even heard of!

I’m not one to follow celebrities, but it was interesting to see the fashion and winners and the general hoopla surrounding the whole affair. 

I’m surprised at how little time they give the winners to say thank you. 

Only 30 seconds to express gratitude for projects that took a year or more to make?

I can’t even imagine what I would say or do under those circumstances, though, as a Christian, I’m often under the same pressure when asked questions about my faith. 

Short answers are hard to give, yet that is what many people demand. 

Explain God in 30 seconds or less…go!

Wow. 

How can I explain the love of the Father, the sacrifice of the Son, and the job of the Holy Spirit in that time frame?

We are instructed to have an answer ready for any occasion. 

We are also told that the Holy Spirit will tell us what to say. 

And most conversations about faith ebb and flow nicely between those to paradigms.

 The difficulty level, for me, comes in trying to express the fullness of joy I have found in my relationship with God. 

It’s rich and deep and intimate and fun and challenging and intentional (and I could keep going). 

I usually get really worked up in my explanations because there’s just so much I can say, which is why I can relate to all of the Golden Globe winners. 

Sometimes I can wrap up my thankfulness in 30 seconds or less, sometimes I can’t and I keep talking until the commercial break. 

Leave a comment Posted on Daily Blogs, Faith Journeys

3 days and counting 

My posts will probably be short this week. 

I spent today packing for my move and visiting with friends. 

My car is ready for pick up in the morning, so I’m all set for my Friday morning departure date. 

Things are falling into place…

I still need to find a bank and a car insurance company, but those things won’t be hard to do once I arrive in Tulsa. 

It’s hard to believe that I’m leaving Alabama for a second time….

The adventure of following God will take you places that are beyond your wildest dreams. 

I’m entering 2016 by accomplishing something that’s been on my heart for about 5 years: going to Rhema!

Never underestimate what you can do with help from the Lord. He will order your steps. 

Leave a comment Posted on Daily Blogs, Faith Journeys, Family

Every good gift 

I gotta good deal today!

I needed to replace my brown boots and the sale was amazing. 

Me-maw bought me a new pair of jeans and received a coupon for 50% off a pair of ladies boots. She then turned around and gave me $10 toward the boots, so they only cost me $25. 

The shoes were $65 and I paid $25…

I’m not one to pray for closer parking spots or anything, but it was so exciting to see how everything just worked out. 

And there’s nothing wrong with that happening either.The book of James says that every good gift comes from the Father above. 

We need to keep this scripture in mind because too often God ends up looking like Scrooge. 

He loves us. 

He wants what’s best for us. 

Listen, this post is not meant to make God out to be a slot machine. 

Corvettes won’t fall from the sky and giving an offering to a televangelist won’t make you rich. 

But God does give good gifts to His children. 

He will take care of you. 

So, today I thank God for a good deal on my shoes.

 On top of everything else He’s done, which is much bigger and more important, I am thankful for this fun gift as well. 

Leave a comment Posted on Character Corner, Daily Blogs, Faith Journeys

An outstretched hand

There’s nothing wrong with being weak sometimes. We all need help. 

The Bible talks about how God is our strength when we are weak. 

The Bible also talks about bearing one another’s burdens and helping each other carry them to the Lord. 

I’m not the best at allowing others to see me down. We’ve talked about this many times, but here’s something new I’m learning:

An element of building trust in a relationship is to ask for help.  

Do you know that it’s hard for others to trust you when you won’t ask for help?

Dr. Brene Brown talks about this in her lecture on The Anatomy of Trust (It’s a free class she offers at  courageworks.com). 

Slap away an extended hand too many times and you’ll find yourself all alone. 

One of my goals in 2016 is to get better at asking for and accepting help. 

I know that the Lone Ranger mentality is glorified in western culture, but it’s a myth. 

You can’t go it alone. 

 

Leave a comment Posted on Character Corner, Daily Blogs, Uncategorized

The gift of empathy

7-christmas-tree-backgroundI bumped into a bad memory last night. It happens from time to time….

I allowed myself to think back to the people involved, the events of the evening, and the décor of the room.

The emotions were strong and I found myself gasping for breath. I was choking–trapped–in the moment and all I wanted to do was run out the door.

I’m sharing this story with you because I learned something in the process:

You can deconstruct the past, face the truth, and then move on.

The reason people remain stuck in the past is that they never learn how to see it from a place of freedom.

I am free from the pain, shame, and guilt of my past. (Notice that I didn’t say sadness of my past. It’s not possible to remove the sadness.)

With time and a year of counseling, I stopped seeing my past as a bully that’s holding my present hostage and casting a shadow over my future.

I can now face up to the memories instead of running from them.

Christmas will be here in 3 days and Facebook posts are already warning us to be sensitive to the hurts and pains of others.

No one can have a good Christmas (and don’t even think of sharing your joy online) because hurting people will be scrolling through their newsfeeds.

This kind of attitude is detrimental.

Even if everyone didn’t share about their holidays, there would still be hurt in the world.

There is nothing sympathetic about making others feel guilty. Likewise, there is nothing empathetic about walking around on eggshells.

Why don’t we comfort our hurting friends and family?

Take hold of their hands, give them a hug, and sit with them through the tears.

This is genuine empathy and it leads to healing.

There’s no magic formula for grief and sadness, but genuine empathy is the greatest gift you can give this Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leave a comment Posted on Daily Blogs, Faith Journeys

God’s simple answers

  Great news! I am very close to having Rhema paid for this year.

This is all because of God’s faithfulness. 

Several months ago, God spoke to me in a time of prayer about paying attention to the opportunities right in front of my face. 

The wisdom of God is awesome. A lot of it is quite simple too. 

There was no angelic voice or writing in the sky. 

Pay attention. 

Look around. 

That’s all I heard and all I needed. 

Maybe it’s all you need too. 

I encourage you to see the hand and wisdom of God in the simple things. 

Don’t get flustered if it’s not shown in a grand gesture. The still, small voice is the primary way we are led by God. 

I am convinced now that the reason we miss God sometimes is because He didn’t use a megaphone. 

We wanted something cool like the story that one guy or gal told at church that one Sunday night. 

Why can’t you talk to me like that, God? 

We whine and our pitiful cries drown out His instruction.

Pray. 

Be quiet. 

Listen. 

Obey. 

Leave a comment Posted on ASL Adventures, Daily Blogs

AIDB Christmas Chapel

Tonight was our last chapel of the school year. 

We had a big gathering with all the schools from the Alabama Institure for the Deaf and Blind (AIDB). 

The chapel was packed! 

I played a shepherd in the children’s reenactment of the nativity story. (My leopard print tunic made me the most fashionable shepherdess of them all.)

There was drama, dance, music, and a brief message was preached. 

Afterwards, we ate dinner together. The kids received goody bags full of Bible study material, candy, etc–the staff did too. 

Everyone enjoyed the time of worship and fellowship. 

I am happy to be a part of such a thriving deaf community that really pours into the lives of the children. 

Please pray for the chapel volunteers and staff at the school. 

They need guidance and wisdom for the upcoming year as more events like this are planned. 

Leave a comment Posted on Character Corner, Daily Blogs, Faith Journeys

On being nice

Let’s talk about being nice.

Did you know that you don’t have to agree with someone to be nice?

It is possible. 

Not everyone thinks your ideas are awesome. 

Not everyone goes to the same church as you. 

Not everyone…(fill in the blank)

And you can still be nice. 

There was a time when social media was fun and encouraging. 

I’m trying to stay positive, however, my newsfeed’s had nothing but garbage on it this week. 

This mean streak is disheartening because it’s not promoting the heart of Christ: His love of everyone on this planet. 

My encouragement to you, my friends, is to really think before you post. 

Just be nice. 

Show love. 

Promote respect. 

I know we can’t change the whole internet, but we can make our little corner of it a brighter space.