Something in the works…

*Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”* Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

Maybe the title should say…something in the words once you here what is coming!

Let me beginning by saying, this book illustrates an imperfect writer striving to point others to the one and only perfect author, God!

After writing Crown the Sword, I honestly never dreamed of writing another book. I know, I know the book ends with the words “until we meet again”. Maybe I thought God would have me writing short devotion books or something of that nature.

I have started this book several times and then stopped. It didn’t feel just right or the direction was off somehow. He kept drawing me to it though. I knew God wanted me to write about being intentional with Scripture and tips on increasing a relationship with Him and infusing of His Word. Are you kidding God? I am not an expert on anything, especially this!

All I can share is my experience and discovery. I can witness to my own journey in reading, studying, and applying the Bible. It turned my life upside down. I went from being a surface level believer to a God fearing, sold-out lover of Him and His Word. When I finally surrendered to His authority, the living resource I found through Biblical text changed everything. It even birthed the Refining ministry!

I have accepted the fact that God has called me out and asked me to step into a spiritual maturity ministry helping others go BEYOND, to the best of my imperfect ability. Look, I do not have all the answers, but I am willing to share my experiences and gained knowledge. The LORD has impressed upon me the importance of helping others discover effective ways to read, comprehend, pray, and infuse Scripture on an individual level. He wants every believer to be fully equipped, including YOU!

The book is in its rough draft form currently. I would ask you to pray for the days ahead and its revision. Pray that each word within this writing will encourage others to go BEYOND their current Scripture intake level whether it be an occasional visitor or daily reader. May it be an invitation to go BEYOND what people say about the Bible to letting GOD speak a personal message directly to readers through His Word.

If you on own a quest to find an individualized plan to in-depth Bible study and desire to sit at the feet of Jesus absorbing His perspective above and BEYOND all else, this might be the book for you.

May the journey from rough draft to full publication be directed by the hands of the Almighty Father only. Please pray for a hedge of protection in the process because this will impact someone’s life in the days ahead.

Until we meet again…

September 11, 2022 0

Noting the Promises of God

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But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 (NIV)

In all of your earthly relationships, who do you place the most trust in? Do the words loyal and faith describe their character? Do they primarily have remarkable follow through with their promises to you? Have they or will they let you down at some point?

I once was advised by a church leader to never have expectations of humans, then I would never be disappointed by them. Well, as much as this appears logical, how could one ever develop an intimacy and deep friendship with no expectations?

I am of the opinion most people choose their circle of friends, you know-those beyond acquaintances, based on trust and dependability. Why would you ever entertain a close association with someone if you didn’t have some type of faithful expectations? How could you truly believe what they said or promised if there wasn’t some level of trust?

Good news-you never have to question the promises of the LORD. He is forever constant in fulfilling and has proved this over and over. Just compare Old Testament prophecy to New Testament fulfillment.

His character is steadfast. God is the only relationship delivering constant, dependable trust. It is His character-loyal, faithful, devoted, and reliable. What a privilege to call Him friend.

When reading Scripture, search for those promises made directly by the father. These guarantees and assurances furnish hope on a big scale. Why? Because you can count on it, my friend! Believe it, trust it, and know it will happen. They are oaths made by the LORD himself.

These promises enter our minds as only information as we read and discover them. But, if we take the time to study each one intimately, God exposes His love for us and declares truth we can certainly hang our hat on. (Oops, that might have come from my Texas upbringing) It provides an insight of eternal hope and builds an even greater scale of confidence in the creator of our soul, Elohim.

As you find the promises of the LORD in your independent reading, decide what your plan will be.

Will you highlight them a different color than everything else in your Bible?
Will you write them in a special journal filled with nothing but God’s promises? (I call this God’s victory file. It comes in handy on those days the enemy is larking and working overtime. It helps call him out for who and what he is, a liar!)
Maybe you are a prayer journal lover. You can write the verse/s of promises directly in your prayer journal book with complete reference. Then pray out the promise/s into your life and those around you.

These three ideas are only the beginning to honoring the promises of the father. Each promise is a revelation you can expect to happen. They embody a powerful force, capable of crushing the attempts of evil. (Think about Jesus’ responds when tempted by the enemy.)

I would encourage you to devise a promise plan right for you. Determine a method of noting these assurances. Highlight them, write them, pray them, use them to encourage others, and cling to them for a lifetime. You may already have a strategy working for you in this area. How could you possibly enhance it?

You can always trust God’s assurances to be prevailing, mighty, effective, impressive, and everlasting! Who else delivers such guarantees?

Oh yeah, one more thing-have expectations of the Father. They will always be fulfilled BEYOND human standards and in accordance with His immaculate plan. Pinkie promise!

September 8, 2022 0

Exceeding Text Elevation: More Than Typography

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*Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”* Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

Warning-moment of truth!

Looking back at the time in my life when a devotional Bible seemed ideal, I was cracking open God’s Word maybe once a week. I used God’s Word to find verses highlighted during a bible study, sermon, or devotional. Mainly, just to find Scripture presented in a different translation because I felt mine was easier to comprehend.

Unfortunately, my craving and value for His Word had gradually faded outside of church and beyond the daily devotional conveniently appearing in my inbox each workday morning. It crushes me to tell you this. Nothing captivated my heart to dig deeper into the Bible at the time. The surface level reading seemed sufficient. I was satisfied with my limited exposure. I probably would have even justified my actions as proficient at the time. (If you are in the education world, remember proficient is good for an evaluation rating.)

Permit me to explain. See, my focus and a large portion of my energy was spent on a multitude of earthly loves. A period of time where I wanted to move up in my career, make an impact in the community, be the perfect wife, participate in a ton of events, and the list continues. BUSY-Being Under Satan’s Yoke! I had goals and ambitions. I had very little time to sleep let alone get past the mere printed text after I read it once. (Lesson learned, but that’s another book!)

After going through a season of discipline, my love for God’s Word grew exponentially. It rebirthed the same hunger I exhibited as a child. I even wanted to revert to finding a closet, grabbing a flashlight, snagging the bed pillows, propping myself on top of a wooden toybox, and getting lost in God’s Word. Oh, the sweet craving of Scripture was back. This newfound reverence and desire finally outweighed everything in life.

Without a doubt, the Bible is more than text on a page yet, many copies of God’s Word are only consumed as print on a page. The potential elevation level of the text remains flat, especially when the Bible remains closed. Even when being read, God’s Word can often become a checkmark on a “To Do” list.

Unfortunately, I know this Scripture relationship all too well.

It is read, but not consumed.

It is treasured, but no life value displayed.

It is highlighted, but not truly understood.

It is set apart from any other writing, but so many other books are used.

It is God’s own voice, but everything else is heard above and beyond it.

It is paired with good intentions, but the follow through is overshadowed by “life”.

Yes—you could probably add more statements and I dare to say they too would probably be familiar to my past.

So, how do we break free from these chains? What can we do to ensure our relationship with God and His Word are more than lip service? Where can a person start? I am not sure I can answer these questions for each reader, but I can share my journey and the ways God captured my heart for Scripture.

It began with a simple prayer of asking the Lord for help to grow closer to Him and know Him more. The Holy Spirit reminded me if I truly wanted more of God and less of me, I had to love His Word as much as I loved Him. It required me putting skin on Timothy 2:15, which states, Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (NIV).

From this humbly plea, my quest to investigate the importance of Scripture was birthed.

Since then, I can personally attest Scripture is the very words of God:

Living

Miraculous

Powerful

Set Apart

No matter the print arrangement, the Bible is filled with life instructions, promises from the LORD, filled with His attributes and characteristics, and many examples of what-to-do and what-not-to-do.

It is clearly a beautiful love story revealing a God who gave His blameless Son to die for our sins. Book after book of the Voice of God is printed for our engagement and supported by the Holy Spirit’s ability to convey its wisdom.

So much more than typography—an opportunity to go beyond text elevation!

August 29, 2022 0

Why “Mountain Tops” are Brief Moments in Life

North Carolina’s Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains offer an attractive area with waterfalls and streams of water flowing all around. I am intrigued by the mountain tops and even more so by the view they offer. The breathtaking perspective at its peak makes me appreciate the climb.

I recently partnered with a couple of other leaders to deliver a women’s retreat weekend in the quaint area of Burnsville, NC. It was an opportunity filled with personal discovery for each woman to encounter who GOD IS…for them. The location was lush, green, and nestled amongst tall trees.

One of my favorite views each day was a mountain top glimpse-a place high above the rest. Oh, to live at that uppermost area-on top of the world. The brief thought of living at the top sounded peaceful, relaxing, and charming. What a captivating dream until realistic thinking kicked into gear.

Being on a “mountain top” broadcasts the perfect life when people mention it. However, it took on a different angle the minute I heard someone say, “You can’t survive at the pinnacle of a mountain-if you do you will wither away.” (Talk about bursting my bubble even though I consider myself a beach bum!)

There is great truth to the statement I heard. Although the crest of a mountain offers amazement and an amazing viewpoint of things below, it is not meant for everyday living.

Let me share 3 reasons why:

1. First, what is the purpose of a “Mountain Top” in life? To celebrate the struggle and hardship to get to the summit, right?

It is not easy graduating from college, there is major work in overcoming addictions, it takes sweat equity to break generational strongholds, the battle of a nagging ever present temptation takes skills beyond a solider, the years of facing cancer face-to-face, and the list goes on and on.

But oh, the glory once it is conquered-a mountain top of life-a moment worth celebrating. It is here where we take the time to express gratitude and sincere love for the LORD. A commemoration for what God has brought us through and reflecting on the valley of hardship survived.

Much like a birthday party or anniversary, it is an observance, a remembrance and it is a great treasure forever in our hearts. Nevertheless, the celebration is brief and daily tasks await.

The “Mountain Top” is a salute to survival and a glimpse of God’s training in life’s trials.

2. Next, the conditions atop the mountain doesn’t sustain life.

Yep, the air is thin. It is not meant to be a place where one should abide. The higher altitude places a restriction on the oxygen level-sometimes the point of unhealthiness. Also, let me add the fact that the climate conditions can be extremely harsh.

Therefore, maintaining this “mountain top” lifestyle becomes harder than the struggle that got us there.

Think of it in vacation terms. Boy, what joy to go relax and take a break from day-to- day pressures of life. Kick back and enjoy while someone else cleans, cooks, drives, etc. But, at some point if I want to stay at this level of “resort” I will need to put in all the work myself. This level of luxury isn’t free and money can only stretch so far.

I think I would quickly see it is impossible for me to provide for myself at this level. It would begin to choke the life right out of me. There wouldn’t be time to even sleep let alone rest. At some point I would be begging to go back down the mountain.

The mountain top has boundaries and restrictions that are meant to be experienced as brief moments in life. It cannot provide a healthy daily supply of what we need.

3. Finally, there is very little growth at the mountain top.

Water is scarce and the soil is usually lacking the proper nutrients. Take a good look around. What happened to that lush forest and streams of water? It somehow disappeared.

Why? Because a mountain peak wasn’t designed for growth. It only provides a view of how far you have come and what lies ahead. It is a mere pinnacle of life to celebrate and encourage. But in order to continue to mature, grow, and truly live you have to enter back into a valley.

It is in the valley where you will find life-sustaining air, streams of refreshing water, comfort in the vegetation, perseverance in the trials of life, and true growth in your faith. The LORD is able to refine us to become more and more like Jesus in these oxygen rich conditions.

THOUGHTS:

Enjoy the Mountain Tops in life. Celebrate them for what they are worth! Yet, always remember the ascension, descension, and valley is where trust, faith, and endurance abide.

CLOSING THOUGHTS:

Regardless of the amount of Mountain Tops you encounter in life’s pathway—cling to the true Living Water, feast on His great substance, and live fully in the valley.

August 14, 2022 4

Happy Salvation Birthday!

A gracious gift from God
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What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole. 1 Peter 1:3-5 (Message)

Salvation. What is it to you?

For me, it was definitely a new life! A birth into a new family and a new identity where I am loved and treasured. It is a regeneration I took for granted for years. I precious gift freely given that took decades for me to really appreciate and fully understand.

His grace choose me and I didn’t deserve it by any means.

The LORD really captured my attention through the mountain of trials. Dates began to unfold-new births in our family, more anniversary dates to remember, and many dates of death. A moment in time and I could quote them one-by-one. Why? Because I deemed them important.

Yet, you could have asked me my salvation birthdate and I would have had to ponder and ponder and ponder. The date in my life where I received a magnificent gift from God and I couldn’t remember. When I realized this, it broke my heart. Why had I let this become a fading memory?

This beautiful salvation Christ brought you and I is often forgotten. It seems “life” gets in the way and clouds our memory of a treasured date-the day we trust in the LORD and join God’s family. How this must break the heart of the father!

Today I choose to remember. I celebrate the beautiful gift and give thanks to all who will listen. Jesus is in charge of my life for eternity. I trust in His words and rely on Him to live my life. He is the only reliable source of hope and joy. I rely on Him to change my heart and keep me ever grateful for August 8th.

I pray God will fill me with the desire to always say YES to His calling and purpose. May I never forget this date and the price paid for it.

Thank you LORD for my beautiful gift. HAPPY SALVATION BIRTHDAY!

Do you know yours?

August 8, 2022 2

COME MEET MY FATHER

When I was learning to walk and talk, my birth father was enticed by other women, sex, and money. They were more appealing than his wife and child. After receiving divorce papers, he accepted a large sum of money from his own family to walk away from me.

I craved a father. For years every man in my life was selfish, abusive, and untrustworthy. They took what they wanted and discarded me as an irrelevant misfit with a different last name. After all, I was fatherless and my mother was working long hours because the financial support rested on her shoulders..

I always dreamed of the sound of my father’s voice, a glimpse of his smile, and the touch of his love. If only I could meet him face-to-face! And then it happened. His own father died. At the age of 16, I pedaled over to his parents’ house and knocked on the door.

There he stood-the father I longed to meet. “Hi! Are you one of the neighborhood kids here to see my mom?”, he greeted. “Yes and no, I am your daughter and I came to meet you as well.”, I replied. After the surface level conversation, my expressed condolences, and his unfulfilled promises, I left unknowingly that it would be the last time I heard his voice.

I can’t tell you the numerous times I wrote him. I tried filling my life with lots of “stuff” to satisfy the hole he had created. I became a workaholic and prided myself in my own efforts. I fought anyone and everything in my way. I was determined to leave a life of poverty, go to college, move away, and never look back.

I later got married, moved to Europe, and had twin boys. I just knew grandkids would entice him, especially boys. NOPE! I continued to send Christmas cards and letters. Then one particular letter struck a chord with my stepmom and half-sister. They reached out and became part of my family circle from that day forward.

For decades I heard about my biological father. His sex addiction lingered. My stepmom and sister went to church every Sunday. As they drove off, he would leave, choose a “lady”, bring her home, and return her before church dismissed. My stepmom and sister spent endless hours on their knees on his behalf.

I choose to spend my time differently.

I didn’t care about him anymore. He was nothing to me, but a mere form of a human. I quit asking about him and they stopped talking about him as well.

You see-I found a father! I discovered my Daddy and His name is GOD. He is truly the one who formed me in my mother’s womb and protected me above any earthly father. He extended grace, mercy, and everlasting love that will never run dry. He made a way for me to become whole. I know the sound of His voice, the warmth of His smile, and the embrace of His saving love. He calls me His own and He will never leave me nor forsake me.

Cancer took my stepmom home in 2013 on January 21st. Eight years later to the day, my birth father died from heart issues. Less than seven months later, my sister went to be with Jesus.

I buried my dad and sister’s ashes beside my stepmom. I even performed the graveside service.

As I uttered my finally goodbye, I said, “I love you dad.”

You see my heart had changed towards him. I cried big grateful tears after saying goodbye because his life had meaning for me—his absence drove me to the arms of Jesus. For once, I was glad my dad never invested in my life.

Christ changed my heart. He taught me to love when others could not. He healed my bitterness and imparted a forgiving spirit.

This is only the beginning of what God can do for you. Accepting Jesus can bring radical change for your heart, thoughts, actions, words, perspective, and on and on. Christ can fill your life with much more than anything or anyone can! If He can save me, He will and can save you.

If you have never accepted the LORD as your personal Savior, today is the perfect day. Come find the comfort in His voice, the warmth of His smile, and the embrace of His love.

Your Father awaits. Come meet Him today.

August 3, 2022 3

JEREMIAH-Bible Study online

Our latest Bible study is HERE! We start on Monday, September 12th. Join us?

We are so excited about our upcoming online Bible study! We’ll be walking through the first half of the book of Jeremiah.

This study is FILLED with numerous opportunities to experience the power of God’s WORD.

This study is designed to be FLEXIBLE so you can tailor it to the time you have available each day.

WHAT: A seven-week Bible study Jeremiah (Chapters 1-28)
WHEN: September 12^th-October 24^th (Reading plan starts Sept. 6^th)
WHO: Anyone ready to dive deep into God’s Word through Bible study
WHERE: Online via zoom, Monday nights 6:00-7:00 p.m. (CST)
HOW TO JOIN: Contact us via email to get started. The study packet (pdf) is $10. We will send the Zoom link and study packet after receiving your completed registration. Deadline is September 5^th.

THROUGH THIS ONLINE CHAPER-BY-CHAPTER STUDY YOU WILL

Gain a better understand of the book of Jeremiah
Get a deeper look at God’s character and patience
Receive discernment and direction for your own spiritual life
Enjoy a committed community of women sharing like desires to walk with God and dive deeper into Scripture

If you are interested, email us at refiningjourney@gmail.com prior to September 5th.

We hope you can join us!

August 2, 2022 1

GOD IS…

Have you ever wondered how many names are associated with the LORD? I’m sure there is research out there to solidify a certain number. However, I choose to believe GOD IS…beyond human description. The LORD is so much more than what the human mind cannot comprehend.

One thing I have found is GOD IS…personal for everyone. Although, we all would agree on the “token” names such as Wonderful, All-knowing, LORD Almighty, etc., the LORD wants to be known individually by each person. Our pathways are different and unique no matter the similarities and therefore, GOD IS…defined uniquely for each of us according to His plans and will for our lives.

Many years ago, I was craving to know the LORD beyond what a list could provide. I read book after book written by amazing Christian authors which defined God and His attributes by leaps and bonds. I loved hearing their experiences and life stories BUT, many of these characteristics of the LORD seemed foreign to me. I wanted background, personal understanding, and true encounter with these attributes. I needed God to be real within me and my familiarity to be on a deeper personal level.

So, I stopped reading a lot of those close associations to God’s Word and went straight to the source of truth, the Bible. Let me just say—I found myself crying out to the Holy Spirit over and over for wisdom and discernment. Why? Because I had become very reliant on others to interpret Scripture for me and tell me who GOD IS… I had to learn how to comprehend the Bible on my own and I quickly discovered one deficiency hindering my personal discovery of who GOD IS…

Since 2018, my study habits have immensely evolved. The LORD answered my cry with a simple method to digest His Word and document my discovery of Him. Chapter by chapter, verse by verse, word by word, I am uncovering attributes of the LORD so personal and intimate to me. GOD IS…revealing Himself on such an intense plane. The breakthrough for me is beyond my wildest imagination and my humble plea.

Through intentional study, a true desire to know God more, and a unique note booking discipline, my spiritual life and relationship with the LORD has deepened.

Today, I would like to share with you one small aspect of my approach to discovering who God is. As a work through the Bible book by book, I document my journey by using Scripture Notebooking. (It goes beyond Bible or Scripture journaling) Although I am continually searching for promises, commands, keywords, etc., my focus is discovering who GOD IS… to me within the verses.

This approach is not always direct and many times I find myself pondering a chapter for days. However, God proves faithful in every encounter with His Word. The Holy Spirit guides my thoughts and reveals the LORD to me on a personal level. (some times I have to wait for it longer than I want)

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

I would encourage you to define GOD IS…on a personal basis for you by approaching Scripture differently. Let your journey through the Bible bring you closer to the LORD and give you a description of Himself beyond the token answers. Grab your Bible and simply start. God is waiting for you.

July 21, 2022 0

Rejection Hurts, God!

Have you ever been rejected? Maybe you have been told you aren’t the perfect fit for something. How does it feel when you put your best foot forward to obtain something and the door closes quickly? Have you ever been replaced by someone else? Maybe you are truly needing a window of opportunity because everything else has come to a close. It hurts!

The LORD knows our struggles and He definitely comprehends rejection-to the point of death! Our worldly trials are nothing compared to what He faced. Yet, somehow rejection pain stings like the strike of a scorpion. Why? Possibly because of fear of the future and the mental unknown—maybe caused from us planning our own future and seeing our life the way we want it to go. (Guilty. I often want some kind of input in the equation and I truly dislike doing things I don’t enjoy. ME! ME! ME!)

God has an answer for every rejection we face. However, there are times we don’t understand it nor do we love the situation. It is very easy to go down the pity party pathway and feel like everyone else in the world experiences success except you. That is a lie from the enemy. He is a jerk!

Recently, I have had to face rejection. I truly went to the LORD and asked for His perspective. (He knew I couldn’t rely on my own!) As I sat reading the first chapter of Jeremiah, I found myself captivated by what the LORD was revealing to me.

God laid out His plans for Jeremiah but Jeremiah was afraid of his future. Fear of the unknown. He knew rejection would be his and the world would claim “good reasons” not to listen to him as he claimed God’s prophecy. He went to the LORD with his concerns. Jeremiah noted his weaknesses. He felt unqualified and too unexperienced for the task God had directed. Doubt and fear began to rise.

As I read through chapter one, I found myself in the Scripture. Rejected by the world and feeling as though I can’t meet set standards. Feeling as though the next decade is a career path I don’t want to travel, yet I can’t wait to see where God takes the Refining ministry.

So, I pause…laid my heart open to the Father and said, “Rejection Hurts, God!”. And He gently responded through Scripture in chapter one of Jeremiah:

I have your back! verse 8: “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
My plans will happen! verse 12: The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”
I will provide & protect you! Verse 19: They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

If you are dealing with rejection, go to God. Dig deep into His Word and ask for His discernment to shine through Scripture. Give yourself a chance to see your story through biblical characters and read several chapters of their experience.

Remember, Psalm 23 and 91 are great starting points to reject the lies of the enemy and to help you see your circumstance through the LORD’s eyes.

Rejection hurts but GOD IS. . .

(May you find the rest of this statement through God’s Word in the days ahead.)

Until we meet again my friend.

June 24, 2022 6

YIKES! Change Found Me

Romans 12:1-2: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Happy HOT summer my friends. Boy, the change in weather occurred recently-it was 109 degrees this past weekend. I wasn’t ready for it nor the fact that it came with 20-30 mph wind gusts. It made me want to skip over the next three months and go straight to fall.

But this isn’t the only change that found me over the past week. I went from a headache to a full-blown sinus infection in less than 24 hours. Having a fever during the intensive heat was draining and once again I found myself wanting to skip over the next few days and go straight to feeling better!

And then…a change I knew would come sooner or later yet, for some reason I didn’t think it would heavily impact me. In less than a week, I have a new direction in my employment along with several others in my department. Change-I normally like it! Can I just skip to September 1^st and know the end results of all of this?

Yes, I like change and I am an advocate for change. I find freshness and excitement in learning and experiencing new things. However, I want to be the agent of change and I would prefer it be on my terms! My first reaction when change finds me—well, let’s just say over time it seems to get better.

As I sit here mentally preparing for a job interview, God’s wisdom washes over me. He reminds me that none of this surprises Him. He allowed some overnight changes for a reason. The LORD gently reminds me that He is in control and my future is secure in His hands. No change on earth will alter His great love for me nor the overwhelming attributes of His character. I have a steadfast Father who has my back!

What about you? How do you handle change? When you journey from mountain top to valley low to long straight plains and repeat again and again, do you ever want to skip over the waiting, healing, unknowns, transitioning, etc.? Do you have a hope outlook or a doom and gloom perspective when unwanted change comes?

God really shared His perspective for me in all of this.

Change found Jesus Christ. He went from a perfect man to a shredded form of life in a matter of a few days. The weight of the world was placed on His shoulders. His earthly life was taken in the most painful manner and given a resting place in a tomb. Life on earth was turned upside down and a new covenant was established. Yet, it came with brokenness and blood. A change that made a way for all of humanity to be saved if they would only believe. Change found him because God loved us.

Through it all, God stayed steadfast. The LORD kept His promises, and He gave the world a Savior, the Messiah, a fulfillment of prophesy and full depth of love. Where would we all be if it wasn’t for the change? And Christ submitted to the call of change.

Romans 8:6: The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Perspective of God towards me – Relax! Change has found you for a reason. Don’t skip the experience and take each step in full confidence that I have worked out your pathway. You don’t need to be afraid, upset, or nervous in the days ahead. Live each moment with hope in ME. I will not change, and I will be beside you always. Now, go face that interview!

June 13, 2022 4