The True No Fail Diet Plan

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35 NIV

The first thing I thought of when I read this verse was my current diet plan: basically, no refined flour or junk food. It's been working so I can't complain too loudly. But, I do miss bread some days. More than that I miss fried chicken! I'm a southern girl....I love my fried chicken. Even though I'm cutting calories i rarely go hungry. I've adapted to smaller meals and healthy snacks. And that's good because as soon as I fall off the wagon I'm sure the weight will come right back.

But I do miss some of the things I used to eat. I hunger for them, crave them. So why is it so difficult to believe that we could crave Jesus? He is our bread of life. If we go too long without him our bodies and spirits should crave his presence the same way we crave sweets. And when we satiate ourselves with his word and through prayer, it is then we have the strength to continue our work. When I don't eat enough to match my activity level, my energy drops. If I don't pray and spend time with God, my spiritual energy will drop and satan can get a foothold. Don't let him. He's not worth it. Just like that Texas toast...it's not worth it. Walk away.

Feast on God's presence and his word every day. It's the for sure no fail diet plan.

Who Can You Trust

Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. Proverbs 27:5‭-‬6 NIV

It's interesting that this version talks about hiw an enemy multiplies kisses as though kisses were a bad thing. But that's just it. The kisses are just enough to keep you hooked. Then when your guard is down, they strike. This is often the case with abusers. They hide behind their supposed love. You cant trust them as far as you can throw them. They prey on the weak  and insecure.

But true friends, and if you have at least one count yourself among a very small percentage, can be counted on to tell you the truth even if it's not what you want to hear. They say it in love because they want what's best for you and dont want to see you struggle.

The hard part is knowing the difference. Knowing when you can be free to speak your mind and when to not reveal too much because it will be used against you. This is where God's discernment is needed. Spend time in prayer and seek his wisdom.

Be a Busy Bee

Wait for the Lord ; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord . Psalm 27:14 NIV

Hurry up and wait. I've heard that expression my whole life. And anything that's worth it is worth waiting for. That's a good one too. Those of us old enough to remember our homes without microwaves and internet know all about waiting. Even though we now have instant grits, I'd much rather wait for the slow cooked kind. Yeah, it's worth waiting for.

Today's generations not so much. Waiting is hard and something they're not used to. Everything is instant from information to food to communication. If they had to wait for a fax they'd probably combust.

But I must say that today's generations do have a skill that is useful: working while waiting. If they MUST wait for something, they are multitasking and doing something else while waiting. They're not just standing around twiddling their thumbs. They're checking emails, sending texts, conducting business, all while waiting for that tall, no fat, hazelnut mocha pumpkin latte or whatever they order.

I think we could learn from them. Yes we must wait on God to answer our prayer or show us a sign or bring someone into our lives or take someone out of our lives. But while we wait we should be doing the work he's set before us. We should not be idle. Working while we wait builds character and strength for when he answers and places us where he needs us.

So hurry up and wait but work while you are there. Be a busy bee.

Bonfire of the Vanities

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

I'm pretty sure I just got called out. I've always been a bit on the vain side. If you like, you could say it was my dads doing. At 2 years old he would walk me across the table singing the Miss America theme song. As I've gotten older my focus has changed somewhat but it's still there, and simmering more these days with my daughters upcoming nuptials. Beauty is both painful and expensive and a lot of work on a daily basis. I'd say right now it's for a good cause and maybe I can relax a little after the wedding. Who am I kidding...naaahhh!

But guess what? No matter what I do to my physical appearance, no matter how shiny I make myself, God sees none of it. How shiny is my heart? Is it black with sin or washed in his son's blood? That's what he sees. You can talk a big game, throw money at churches and do every good deed, yet it's all in vain if your heart isn't right.

Make sure you take care to beautify your heart every day through prayer and spending time in gods word. Inward beauty, like outer beauty, does not come overnight. It's to be worked at daily.

In Whom We Trust

I will say of the Lord , “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:2 NIV

Trust is in little supply these days. You can probably count on one hand thr people you know who you can absolutely confide in. Unfortunately most are self serving with a personal agenda. They will tell you anything as long as it gives them the upper hand in the end. It is disheartening to say the least. And even those closest to us will let us down. We are after all only human.

But we know the One in whom we can always trust. He will never abuse our trust or be self serving. Everything he does he does for our good. It is painful sometimes but we can trust his judgement because it never fails.

Rest easy tonight knowing God has your back.

Say it From the Heart

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2 NIV

Have you ever had someone say something about you that wasn't true? Or maybe their assessment of you was false and not really who you are or the virtues you embody? If you haven't, give it time. People can be cruel, but we are also marked by our own perceptions that may or may not be accurate. You may think you are being fair and honest but someone else only sees prejudice and malice. It's not necessarily fair but its reality.

This verse promises us that God is our defense and salvation. It's so insistent that it repeats itself: the Lord, the Lord himself. Not a proxy. Not the spirit. Not Jesus. God himself is our defense. We must have faith that we are acting according to his word and teachings. And we must also consider what the other person says in order to test the spirits. Is this person a gossip or storyteller? If so, they may not be telling the truth, only their version of it. You will know by weighing their words against God's. Do they have your best interest at heart? If not, move on. They're not worth listening to.

God knows your heart and intent. He will ensure, as your ultimate defense, that your truest self is heard and seen. You need only say it from the heart.

Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?

The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 NIV

I'm an English major which means I take the use of who and whom very seriously. They are not only different from each other, but they are very different from other 'w' words such as what or which. What refers to objects; whom is the object of a verb. This verse isn't asking of 'what' should I fear, but rather 'whom' should I fear if the Lord is on my side. That's a big difference - what versus whom. I'm not afraid of people, although there are particular 'whats' in life that I am afraid of. I think everyone has a healthy awareness of what they are and are not afraid of. For some, it can be overwhelming and debilitating, resulting in life-altering conditions. Others are able to manage their fears. I like the line from Princess Diaries where Mia, quoting her father, says that courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the knowledge that something else is more important.

There are many things - both living and otherwise - to be afraid of in this world. Hence why we have a fight or flight response pretty much built into our anatomy. Our brain is hardwired to run away and protect ourselves from that which we fear might do us harm. But sometimes what we fear is truly only in our minds because its the unknown. This is where God steps in. We do not need to fear the unknown because the one who knows everything, for which there are no unknowns, is with us and is lighting our way.

The world offers much to fear. Don't let the world rule your heart and mind. Let God's peace and knowledge light your path instead.

The Greatest Love

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13 NIV

God's been so good to us lately. No, things aren't rosy and perfect, but it could be worse. He looks out for us day to day. But that's what fathers do right? What about friends? Do you expect them to look out for you? I don't. So it's always a nice surprise when something happens and your friends come to help. They're not laying down their mortal lives, but they are putting their own needs aside to help a friend or loved one. That's the greatest love we can have and show.

Laying down one's life isn't just about dying. It's about living for each other. An officer helping a homeless man get a job by helping him shave. A friend offering a bed when a home isn't safe to be in. A neighbor coming over to physically help with work. These people are exhibiting the greatest love in that for that moment they are putting their own needs aside and helping someone else.

That's real love. Honest love. True love. Spouses do it every day for each other. Parents do it every day for their children. Teachers do it every day for their students. Employers do it every day for their staff. It happens all over the world and is not acknowledged for what it is. God's love. Agape love.

The world would be a better place if we all let God's love shine through us. Be the greatest love.

All You Need Is Love

Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ Matthew 22:37 NIV

So while I sit here blogging this, I should be packing. We are headed to a taekwondo tournament and I have a shot at winning grand champion in my division. But I sit here at my kitchen table with 2 cats circling me like vultures waiting for a kill because they want their snack. My hubby is cleaning the car. I'm sipping my coffee wondering how well I will perform when I haven't been able to train like I really should have.

And thats the context of this verse. I need to be packing, cleaning, feeding pets, washing dishes, stretching, training...whatever it is in a day that we need to do. That could be work, play, chores...you name it.

But what really matters at the end of the day? Is it how clean your house is? How full your checkbook is? How many accolades you got at work? No. It's love. It's how well you loved and how well were you loved in return. And where does love come from? God. He IS love. We are busy people but at the end of it all, there is only love. It starts and ends with God. He is the alpha and omega. He is love. Therefore it starts and ends with love. So this verse helps to remind us that we should love first and foremost. Everything else will work itself out in time. Even John Lennon widely proclaimed all you need is love.

So before I go pack and clean and calm the vultures, know that you are loved and return that love to its origin.

Walk This Way

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord , and who meditates on his law day and night. Psalm 1:1‭-‬2 NIV

I recently hurt my back somehow. Ok not somehow. It was while I was teaching Jazzercise or taking taekwondo. My body sometimes cannot keep up with my desired level of rigorous, physical activity. My back hurts to the point of sending pain down one leg making it difficult to walk anywhere, much less get myself in trouble. So I could take this verse a couple ways.

I liken it to the fact that right now walking is difficult. I'm going to choose very carefully where and why I have to go anywhere that requires moving my feet. If it's not 100% necessary, it ain't happening. So should we react when we think about making decisions that would lead us down a path God cant follow, and won't. We should tread carefully where our actions are concerned and be crystal clear why we must go or do anything. It's the only way to be sure we hear God's voice when we need to and abide by his word.

Or he could be telling me to sit down, shut up and listen to him by dwelling on his word. Of course we should be doing that anyway, yes?

Where Did He Go?

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:11‭-‬12 NIV

Dear readers, its been a while since I've written a devotional. Life has thrown us a few curve balls lately and I've never been good at sports. Zippo hand-eye coordination. I've kept up with my daily readings but I guess I was a little selfish in that I kept the message from the reading to myself. Then again, the Bible does encourage us to go into our closets to pray in secret at times. I think God knows when we need to take a break from outward stressors causing our focus to be imbalanced. He knows when we've had enough, so to speak, so he allows life to happen in such a way as to get us to slow down or change direction or thought process. So in keeping my readings to myself he's been building a foundation upon which I can rest the rest I so desperately need.

Which is how this verse speaks to me today. I could go on about love, but I focused on the 'no one has seen God' part. What? No one has ever seen him? Nope. Not the living anyway. We see the results of his work. We feel his presence. We breathe him in much like taking in the scent of your mom's perfume that brings back memories of childhood. He's there, working behind the scenes to make it all happen. We don't see him, panic, and then he must work to instill peace in us again by giving us glimpses, but only small ones. Then we panic again and he starts over because he loves us, not because we love him.

I'm sitting at home this morning when I should be at work because I've caught a cold. God's saying sit! Or he knows I just need a break. But what am I doing? Panicking because I don't have a lot of time at work to be off. I need leave time for other things. So he's now working through this writing to being me peace to say it will be alright even though I can't see it....yet.

Never doubt that God is there even though you can't see him.

Best Disney Ride

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. Psalm 119:114 NIV

Disney in the summer is hot and crowded. Hey, it is Florida after all. In fact, I guess its crowded and hot all year long, except for the one year when it was the coldest on record and we froze. But I digress.

Here in Florida we pack plenty of water and sunscreen. But even so the heat and sun can become unbearable. During our day at one of the parks we took refuge on rides and in stores. The rides are mostly covered giving us a respite from the direct sun and the stores provide AC to help shield from the heat. The indoor water rides, like Pirates, offer both along with a way to sit and rest.

God is our cool indoor water ride. Just imagine the worst day and you are sweaty and tired and miserable. You're in pain or under stress. Your feet hurt. Run to God. He will give you shelter from the pain and a cool place to relax for a while. Ahhhhhh sweet relief. That's what God is. He's the ultimate Disney park ride and so much more.

Let him give you refuge today.

How to Tie Your Shoes

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19 NIV

All throughout history we see evidence that parents and mentors passed on what they had learned in life to the next generation. Millions of dollars are spent each year on college attendance to teach the up and coming workforce. Yoda cautioned Luke to pass on what he had learned, that the only way for the Jedi to survive would be to have one remaining master and teacher. I teach children and adults what I've learned through my martial arts training, giving them the confidence to advance. Dozens of community action professionals just finished a national exam led by their predecessors, ensuring that the values of grassroots community work and leadership are continued.

Every day in every nation people train others. So why do we have an issue when it comes to training others in the gospel, the absolute best news of all? If we want to carry on God's work and bring as many to salvation as possible then we must pass on our knowledge and faith to others. It should be as simple as learning to tie shoes.

So be like Yoda: pass on what you have learned. Don't let others remain ignorant about the love and grace of God.

Test Day

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 NIV

I like to think of all the ways this message is taught from the pulpits. I sense grandiose explanations of the greatness and awe of Gods throne and temple and how Jesus's death rent the curtain so we can enter. We're to get in our prayer closets and ascend to the highest level of intimacy and not come out until the problem is solved and the need is met.

Well, I don't think it's that complicated. Right now I am proctoring a national exam site for candidates taking a certification test. They've been preparing for literally months for this exam. For many it will mean an increase in responsibility in their organizations as well as an increase in pay. It's a big deal. They've been studying and learning. They can approach this test with confidence that they know the material. In their time of need they can draw on the knowledge of what they've been studying.

So it is with God's grace and mercy. We don't have to throw ourselves on the ground moaning and wailing begging God for help, waiting for some magical force to solve our problem. We've been studying his word. We've been talking with him. We can draw on that knowledge to help us when we need it most. There's not a mythical solution to our problems as in that car you need will not magically appear in your driveway because you've prayed and fasted for 3 days. God's word is all we need. He's already given us the tools we need to work through our needs, or survive them as the case may be. But either way there is an end and we have faith that he's with us through it all.

So study, learn, pray regularly. You'll be more than prepared when the test comes.

A Visionary

“Ah, Sovereign Lord , you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32:17 NIV

I seem to be a bit more progressive than some people around me which means my ideas are more radical than expected. It's very hard to try to help people understand what I mean and to describe my vision. To me it's not that hard. A plus B equals C. We can do this. But it just doesn't come that easy for others. Being a visionary is sometimes lonely.

I like to think that God is a visionary, very forward thinking, always looking to the future without sacrificing the present. But I know that we don't always understand. We can't see his vision for us so things he asks of us may seem hars. But they're not to him. And he's here to help us.

So I'll continue being a visionary helping others along the way with God leading me. That's how we roll.

On Being Human

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13 NIV

I don't have much in the way of forbearance to give these days. I've been stretched to the end of my proverbial rope and I feel very sorry for anyone who crosses me at the moment. Why? Because I'm human and not perfect and experience human emotions. I think sometimes I experience them more deeply because I truly care about others. But we've been put under a lot of stress lately and little things set me off. I'm sure in time I'll return to normal.

But just because I may feel this way in the moment, it does not negate my obligation to others to treat them in a way that they see Jesus through me. They need to know that no matter how I feel, God's love for me doesn't change and my relationship with him remains constant.

Which means that God is always working through me, even when I'm being very human.

Suffering and Manicures

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3‭-‬4 NIV

Ok so I don't know about you but I'm not so sure I want to glory in my sufferings. I'm not even sure that I'm hopeful they will bring perseverance and character. I think I'd rather earn those a different way.

Beauty is painful, exercising is hard work, learning is tedious. I guess we could call this suffering in a way. In the end we have met the goal we set out to accomplish. But that doesn't make the journey any less painful.

I'm just being honest. No one invites pain and agony into their lives. But we can learn some powerful lessons along the way. I only hope I learn the lesson the first time. I think repeating anything would be like going back to a salon that ruins your nails. That's a whole different level of suffering.

Be the Voice

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2 NIV

The world desperately needs this promise. It's inhabitants need to fully accept the hope emblazoned in these words. The world's souls are empty vessels that must be filled with God's love and his message of hope. The prophet Isaiah's word from God himself is reaching through the ages to deliver a message. A message of love. A message of hope.

We all suffer low days. We all are inhibited by human limitations. But our empty vessels are being filled with hate and loneliness, and are crying out for help. Those around to hear are not able to articulate God's word because it's been forgotten for so long.

People are hurting. People are dying inside. People need hope and a future. Be the voice of the prophet who brings them that kind word and fills their vessel with love.

God's Stanley Cup

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

So I just came to bed and the end of the Stanley Cup finals was on tv. The Washington Capitals just won for the first time in many years. Many players on the team have never won the Stanley Cup. Pro hockey is a punishing sport so to survive the brutal game schedule and win the championship is truly a skill to be admired. I've heard that a player can lose 10 to 15 pounds per game, not to mention the missing teeth and multiple facial cuts and bruises.

But I'm sure that all the punishment and misery endured over the season is a distant memory for those guys hoisting that Stanley Cup. All the sweat, tears, injuries and pain has been worth it for this moment.

So how much better is our reward at the end of our life here when we believe in the one true God? We know what awaits us. But we must first endure our time here before hoisting our own Stanley Cup. So keep your eye on the prize. The reward is worth the work and the wait.

God Knows Skin Care Products

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 NIV

All these things that Jesus is talking about are what we consider basic necessities: food, drink and clothing. He says not to worry about those things, pagans run after those.

Well, I guess the Bible is right in that we are all sinners and there are none righteous. I've been chasing outfits for my daughter's wedding for months now. Months. I'm still no closer than I was when I started. And today I ordered some new skin care products because the ones I used to purchase are no longer carried by the store or online. I also ordered bug spray from Avon because that's the only kind we can use. And I bought groceries this weekend. And I lose my daily battle with what should I eat or drink so I can lose weight and stay healthy.

Somewhere in there Jesus is telling me I'm chasing the wrong things. Sure I need to take care of my family, but why do I let these petty things take over? Do I think God is too busy to help me find the outfits for the wedding or lead me to the right skin care products? As silly as it may seem, no he's not. He cares about what we care about but we must seek him first.

Seeking him first trains us to listen and know God's will. It is then he will lead us to the right decisions for us and our family.