Stopping for Fast Food

I love the convenience of fast food restaurants. McDonalds has always been my go to choice. If I forget my lunch, am running behind for breakfast, or the kids have an event at night, driving through a drive through is fast and convenient.

But I have noticed that even the fast pace and convenience of "fast" food has been a bit slow for me lately. Take McDonald's for example. They have added 2 lane drive thrus, but the service time seems to be slower. I find myself waiting for my order to be taken longer than before.

When God nudged me with the correlation between my impatience at fast food places and my impatience with Him, I chuckled. Well, at first I did. Then, denial set in.

I mean, I'm a good Christian girl, always waiting on God's perfect plan in His perfect timing, right?

Wrong!!!

My impatience has set in more and more as my anxiety over our future work has grown increasingly higher.

I have questioned God in more ways than I care to share. Asking Him, why don't you just tell us exactly? Is this really the plan you put in place for us? Why do we have to wait? Are we going to fail? Why do we have to only know each step a little piece by piece? You ARE the God of the universe, you CAN speak and control each resource that is needed to complete your work, so why don't you do that?

Why does it have to be so hard???

I know if you are reading this you are saying, "What is your problem"? I know. It looks stupid to you, and even writing it out, it seems stupid to me, too. But when you're in the midst of a trial, an obstacle, a calling, it doesn't feel stupid, but instead, it feels....quiet, sometimes lonely.

But one thing has always been clear to me. God WILL answer. In fact, He already has. I just wasn't listening.

So, He allows me to question, and read, and talk, and finally, be silent....so I can HEAR.

 Hear that He provided the Israelites all they needed for their 40 year journey by only giving them enough manna for each day. Because if He provided them with enough food for 2 days, or a week, or a year at a time, they would forget that it was He who had provided their nourishment, not themselves. 

 And the realization sets in that I am very much like those Israelites. I am also trying to manipulate, and orchestrate, and figure out the why, and how, and when. But I can't. Only God can.

So for now, He provides me with enough nourishment for each day, each micro step along His journey, that is needed to grow me for the task ahead.

How I wish I had figured that out a few months ago...but I guess that's part of this process of maturation.

I'm thankful my Abba Father is patient with me and doesn't treat me like a fast food line backed up from slow service.

Exodus 16:4-5: Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.”

How is your journey for reaching the world for God's Kingdom going? What has He been teaching you along the way?
 

Bigger and Better

My family and I have lived in the Lone Star state for the past 3 years. Moving here, I had limited experience with anyone from Texas, but the experiences I did have told me that everything in Texas was “BIGGER AND BETTER”! I mean, their houses were bigger than mine, their furniture was bigger than mine, their cars were bigger than mine, and their personalities were bigger (and more fun!) than mine! So, coming to TX I was expecting GREAT things!

 Well, we are now nearing the end of our journey here, or at least the end of Part 1. And I’m reflecting a lot lately and going back to my original expectation that everything here was bigger and better.

Has it been?!?

I would have to say…..yes, but not for the reasons listed earlier.

Texas has brought our family bigger time of trials, bigger times of intense spiritual warfare, bigger times for leaps of faith, bigger times of stretching beyond belief, and bigger times of just pure exhaustion from it all.

But are we better for it?!?!?

Absolutely YES! God is refining us to be more like Him, to want more of Him, to seek more of His kingdom, to desire for all to be part of His kingdom, and to fill our time with a sense of urgency.

 Times of refinement are never pleasant, but we hold fast to the promise that though we may face refinement, we do so in order to give praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:7).

And, oh, by the way, God has also provided us with bigger and better answers to prayers than we could have EVER dreamed of! Just one more way He’s more awesome than we could even imagine!

 

The Unknown Road

Martina McBride wrote a song a few years ago called “In My Daughter’s Eyes”. The first lines say:

In my daughter’s eyes, I am a hero. I am strong and wise and I know no fear. But the truth is plain to see, she was sent to rescue me. I see who I want to be in my daughter’s eyes.

The song is such a loving tribute sung from a mother to her daughter. I cry every. single. time.

But the truth of the matter is that I do know fear. I stare into its’ eyes every day. It’s called the fear of the unknown.

Now, most who meet me would never think I would struggle with something as trivial as this. And if you knew my entire testimony, you would even think I was being heretical to struggle with the fear of the unknown when God has clearly brought me through some difficult challenges. But I'm trying to stay honest here.

Take the rest of the lines of Martina’s song.

In my daughter’s eyes, everyone is equal. Darkness turns to light and the world is at peace. This miracle God gave to me gives me strength when I am weak. I find reason to believe in my daughter’s eyes.

I could definitely sing this song to my 2 daughters, and to my son for that matter. They have truly been such a God-send in my life. They have taught me some lessons that you would think I would have known at this age, but that I obviously hadn’t learned. 

Lessons like learning to let go of the fear of the unknown and leaving the unknown in God’s hands alone.

My daughters are quite opposite of one another in their own right. My son is a mixture of the two, with a little of his own uniqueness sprinkled in. But they all love Jesus. And when this life is said and done, I pray amidst my fear of the unknown, that I have had some part in who they have become in Him, because I KNOW they have had a huge part of who I am in Him.

Where Does Our Road Lead To?

When I wrote the last post, my husband and I were on a Vision Tour to see if God was calling us to minister in that particular location. This location had been on my husband's heart for almost 2 years when he first visited the city with a class from his school. He came home from that trip saying, "I know we want to work in this other place, but THIS place is where I can see myself working and where I think God may call us". Well, little did we know at the time, but he was right.

Nothing happens quickly with my husband or me for that matter. We are not your fly by the seat of your pants type people. So to say that we knew God's will in the matter of 6 quick days while on this tour is actually not true. We have prayed for years for God to reveal where and in what He was leading. But it wasn't until most recently that God has slowly open His hand to us to reveal how He has been orchestrating His plans for us for years...well actually, since time began.

And since we aren't the fly by the seat of your pants type people, you would think we would be okay with the waiting for the 'what next' part...you'd think. But, being imperfect people, we aren't always okay with it. God has revealed the where for us, which was actually different than where we had originally thought. However, until God reveals the how He will provide us the opportunity to be involved in the work He has planned for us, we pray...and wait.

Yes, there are "things" we have to do to ready ourselves in the meantime. Things such as assessments and interviews and fund raising and meetings and brainstorming and preparing the children and visiting family and...and...and.

But in the midst of all the waiting, I am S.L.O.W.L.Y learning that God's plan does not happen ahead of God's perfect timing.

How can you help? Pray! Pray earnestly and with all your might every day for us because this place we are called to is under attack. And pray because Jesus said where two or three are gathered in His name, He is among them.

Luke 10:2-3: And He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

Love,

Miles of Air

As I sit on the plane, staring down miles of sky through the beauty of God's creation below me, I am struck by the following stirring in my heart:

God has called me to be His disciple; to be a follower of Christ. That means I follow Him anywhere. I don't get to choose whether I follow Him in warm or cold weather, in the midst of a city or the countryside, near or far away from my extended family, living in a luxury high-rise or on a dirt floor.

God's people are everywhere, waiting for one of His called disciples to say, "Here I am, Lord, send me"!

I am willing, ready to give up my wants, desires, and what I think are necessities because I know God desires that of me...."Take up your cross and follow me"....

Are you willing to follow Him wherever and however He leads?

Isaiah 42:6-7: I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

A New Adventure

The year has started out with a chance for a new adventure.

Until this year, I have never been one to make resolutions at the start of a new year. And I have to say, that I probably still won't be making resolutions, per se.

But, in going through the devotion for the 1st day of the new year with my daughter, she reminded me of an important life lesson.

This is what I learned:

• I am never too old to make a fresh start.
• I am never alone in making a fresh start.
• God will see me through ALL He has called me to, one day at a time, one step at a time, and in HIS time.

The start of the new year gives me a chance for the start of a new adventure. The adventure may have some bumps, potholes, and ditches along the way. I may get a flat tire or two, bump into someone's rear, or be in an all out wreck on the adventure, but each new day brings with it the opportunity to bask in the glory of my Lord and the adventure He has brought me on thus far.

So my only "resolution" for the new year, is to be open to whatever adventure God has me on.

Contentment isn’t a state of organization, a weight on the scale, a state of better: better kids, better marriage, better health, better house. Contentment is never a matter of circumstances; contentment is always a state of communion — a daily embracing of God. A thankfulness for all the gifts – and moments and life, just as He gives it. Trying harder may only bring harder trials and contentment, it won’t be be found in the resolutions, but in the revolutions – in the turning round to God. ~Ann Voskamp

Love,
Rhonda

A Rainbow in the Midst of a Storm

We’ve all heard the cliché ‘the calm before the storm’. Our family has been through the calm (as calm as our lives are right now), and we were now entering the storm. 

The storm we knew was brewing while we were determining God’s will for our future. And we knew Satan would unleash the storm once we went forward with the plans that would begin to fulfill God’s calling. Although I’m never sure why I’m surprised by others reactions, I’m typically surprised by how others allow Satan to use them and their reactions to cut. But that’s okay. We are prepared and ready for the storm. We may be shaken about and tossed to and fro, but at the end of the day, we will still be standing.

What I wasn’t prepared for was the rainbow in the midst of the storm.

We have had glimpses of the various colors shining through since our vocal, out loud willingness to go forward. Colors that shone through in surprise finances, surprise gifts, surprise connections.

But I wasn’t prepared for the FULL rainbow in my daddy’s words. Peaceful words that rolled off his tongue as though they had been put there only by our mutual Heavenly Father:

“I guess I need to get my passport ready.”

That’s all he said. He slipped it in when I least expected it. And for me, amidst all the naysayers and the “you can’t’s”, he shone a rainbow into my heart.

Thank you, Daddy. I love you!

Braking in Traffic

When I was younger, I would sometimes get a stern talking to by my mother. (I know, hard to believe, right?!?)

This talk would typically not come about because of soemthing I was doing wrong, but more often than not, because of something I wasn't doing. For example, if I would become tired and overwhelmed and allow my ugly side to come out, she would talk to me more about what I shouldn't be doing to allow myself to become so tired and overwhelmed. Although I dreaded those talks, I was always glad she had intervened and helped me in the end.

The same holds true of my Christian walk with God today. I sometimes (okay, more than sometimes), whine and complain about the current place of ministry my husband and I are in. I go through the motions of trying to be a "good girl" and keep it to myself, not going overboard in my complaints, but I am at the point that enough is enough already!

So, I do what I typically do at this point and I cry out to God. "Please help me. Please rescue me. Please tell me what to do!"

At times, He answers. At other times, like now, He is silent. But He still reminds me, when I take the time to look, that He is very much present during the silence. He is still teaching me, molding me. So for now, I'll wait until He speaks. I don't know why He has called me to this place now. I don't know why He has called us to leave our extended families. I don't know why He has called my husband to study His word from a seminary at THIS age. :) And I don't know why He has called us to a place and into an area of ministry that will require the ultimate preparation and sacrifice just RIGHT before my husband was to graduate, resulting in more preparation time.

I don't know the answers to these questions; questions we have, as well as well-meaning questions others have. But I do know this, beyond my whining and complaining and my questioning of the daily and mundane, once I hear His call, I no longer question, but I do. I do resting in the knowledge that He who began a good work in me (in us) will carry it out to the end....if we will get over ourselves and my cry baby antics and just let Him.

"When my ugly comes out, I am so often temped to think God leaves me. I wouldn't blame Him. But God is too full of grace to walk away. Grace doesn't give me a free pass to act out how I feel, with no regard to His commands. Rather His grace gives me consolation in the moment, with a challenge to learn from this situation and become more mature in the future." (Lysa TerKeurst, Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl, 124.)

Getting Back on the Right Road

Epiphany: a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something; an intuitive grasp of reality through something usually simple and striking (Mirriam Webster Dictionary)

Have you ever thought about what the word “epiphany” means? I had an experience or “awakening” the other day. In describing my new found truths to my husband, I told him I had an epiphany. Then I started doubting I was using the word correctly! So I decided to look it up and from that found YES I was definitely using the word correctly.

The past couple of weeks, well more like the past couple of months, have been particularly hard on me. 

I have doubted my contribution to God’s Kingdom in every area of my life. I was in a dry spot and not seeing any fruit of my work for the Lord. I had allowed Satan’s lies about my lack of ability to be used for great things in God’s Kingdom to become truth in my mind. I have prayed, I have called out to God, I have read the Word, I have listened to sermons, I have read books…..but I finally realized, the one thing I hadn’t done was…..L.I.S.T.E.N. 

As I was complaining and almost crying (I don’t cry very often) to my husband about this time in our lives and just wanting to be done with it, he said something that started a spiral of events for me.

He said,

“I’m glad we are where we are right now. I wouldn’t change it for anything. I see God changing you and shaping you in order to use you for Him and in our ministry. And however long that takes, I’m willing to keep at it.” 

Now, I have to tell you, he may have not noticed, but I was speechless after that. I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing. 

One of my most favorite verses is Psalm 46:10: Be still and know that I am God….That has been my life verse for many years since my mother spoke this verse over me during a particularly tough period in my life. Oh, isn’t it so easy to forget though? Be still. That’s the hard part for me. Am I not supposed to be doing? That is what that verse really means, right? DO and know that I am God????

In my life's vocation, I have been paid to make decisions, lead others, be calm in tough situations, and get the job done quickly with as many people still on your side as possible. My human side wants to do that in all areas of my life. But God wants…demands…requires something different of me. HE wants to get the job done. And in whatever capacity He chooses to use me during that, then so be it. It is ALL for His glory.

My new favorite song is “Awakening” by Hillsong United. 

One of my favorite lines is: “For You and You alone, awake my soul”. My epiphany was simple, yet profound, and it was this: 

I have equipped you with all you need to serve Me. By serving Me in WHATEVER capacity I give you, whether through loving your husband, through serving your children, through your current job, or by talking to your neighbors, do it unto Me and those fruits will be used greatly to further My Kingdom. Stop trying to do it all by Yourself. You don’t need to. Just keep your heart and mind open and I will guide and direct your path.

  

Something so easy, so simple, yet for a “doing” heart, something that has AWAKENED me to my present and put an urgency back in my drive. 

Psalm 143:8: Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.