When God’s truth sounds more like a Beatles tune than a plan.

Posted December 10, 2013

Filed under Story

So let me just say upfront that I am a truth person. And the truth is that life is going by very fast, and I do not want to waste my time…my life…not doing what I am called to do.

As a Christian I trust God to lead me and guide me into “all truth” knowing that I will have the best of all possible outcomes.

But there was this one time when the truth that God had spoken to me sounded more like a Beatles song than reality.

All You Need is Love

It was about three years ago. I was in college and trying to survive the effects the loss of my husband had on my four children.

It was hard, but I held on to God’s promises, even though there were days I just wanted to hide.

One of my children was really struggling. And angry, very angry. At me, at the world, at God.

This child began acting out, and even ran away from home for the longest night of my life.

When my child, teenager finally, came home, and started ranting and raving. I thought “God I cannot take much more of this.”

God said “Just love” …

I was like “What do you mean just love! This child needs some guidance. This child need some discipline.”

God said “Just love”

I thought “God what about truth. This child needs truth.”

“I will take care of truth. You take care of Love.”

I remember thinking “Oh this is not going to end well. God is telling me that, to deal with this child “Love is all I need!” It made no sense to me. I thought, “What I need is a cell I can hold my child in until the age of 18).

BUT

I knew God’s heart for me. I know God’s heart for my child. so,

I trusted Him.

I did what He asked me to do. It wasn’t easy but with God nudging and reminding me to, I did not get mad, I did not discipline, I just loved my child, finding ways to be kind and compassionate. Even though my child was angry, really angry, and said some horrible things, I held on to God and just loved.

THE RESULT

It did not take long for me to see God make a way.

It did not take long for me to see God drawing my child…His Child…to Himself. God asked me to trust Him with my child and wow He knew what He was doing!!!

God opened the doors for my child to go to not just one, but two church camps that summer. After the second one my child came home forever changed. And, letting go of the past, has followed after God ever since.

This child has gone from getting f’s to a 4.0, from being ignored in school, to being voted the student body president for their School.

From walking away from God, to daily walking with him, with heart and arms open wide,

This child is Happy!

This child is forever changed, because God asked me to trust Him and gave me the grace to do it.

What is God asking YOU to trust Him for?

What seems impossible? What makes no sense?

What are you going to do about it?

What faith isn’t vs What faith is

Faith isn’t the ability to believe long and far into the misty future.
It’s simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step.
– Joni Erickson Tada

Being who you are called to be

God doesn’t make molds. We are each of us unique. Designed by Him for His Glory. As this article points out all God requires of us is our obedience to Him and the call He has placed on our lives.

Why Switchfoot won’t sing Christian songs.

What a great example Switchfoot is for those of us who are following God’s leading in our lives.

They are TRUSTING GOD to lead them, and are not swayed by what the “crowd” says.

A great link

The 7 Habits of People Who Place Radical Trust in God

This writer reads a lot of Biographies about inspiring people who “who place radical trust in God.” She found some common threads among them and lists them here. I found some areas I need to brush up on (or radically overhaul) and I would share in light of “iron sharpening iron.”

A Pea Coat, A Girl, And a Lesson in Trusting God

Posted November 30, 2013

Filed under Story

All of my adult life I have wanted a pea coat. So I was very excited when I finally was able to buy one. I loved it. It was brown, fit me perfectly, and was snuggly warm.

Not long after I bought it, I wore it to church. They were having a class that my oldest daughter (around 18 at the time) and I were taking. We were dropped off and were going to walk the mile or so home after it was over.

When we came out of the church I immediately noticed two things. 1) There was a full on blizzard happening. It was lightly snowing when we went in and was pouring snow (at an angle due to wind) on the way out.

My daughter and I were up for the challenge. We loved long walks, were bundled up, were looking forward to talking uninterrupted on the way home (something that is hard to come by in a home full of young children).

So we started our walk, but only got as far as the parking lot when we came upon, 2) A girl, who had been kicked out of her home at 18. She was barely making it and that day was just getting out her car, to meet with someone at the church. I immediately noticed how she was shivering from the cold.

“Where is your jacket” I asked (after the usual hellos).

“I don’t have one.” she replied.

“You don’t have one?” Are you sure?” I was just too shocked. How could anyone not have a jacket.

“Ya. I did have one but it got lost in the move.”

“I am so sorry” I said, and was just about to say goodbye and wish her luck, and potentially pray for her to get a jacket. When God stopped me and simply said “Give her your coat.”

I quickly replied in my mind, “But God I don’t think you understand, this is the coat I have always wanted. This is the coat I have dreamed of. This is the coat that I got on sale for 75% off and that I know there is no more of, this is the coat!”

“Give her the coat.”

“But God do you even understand that I still have to walk home a mile in this blizzard. I will surely freeze to death.”

“Lisa look at her, she is freezing. She needs to coat more than you do. Give her the coat. I will make sure you are warm.”

So I gave her my lovely brown Pea Coat (it fit her perfectly by the way), and after giving her a hug, started my walk with Megan home.

About five minutes into it I noticed how warm I was. It was like I had an internal heater and someone had set the dial up to toasty warm. I do not remember much about that walk home except that I kept saying over and over, “How cool is this. I am actually warm.”

It was a miracle! God kept me warm and taught me a lesson at the same time. That if I step out and do what He is calling me to do, He will take care of me.

I never did get another Pea Coat. But that is ok, because my friend bought me a winter jacket that is the warmest jacket I have ever owned. And every time I wear it I am reminded that God is trustworthy.