The Process Is Necessary

If you watched my last video blog then you know my family is currently moving to a new home.  While I am extremely excited about how the Lord has blessed us, I have found myself grumbling about the tiring process of moving from one place to the other.  Anyone who has ever moved knows that moving is no fun, and having small children makes it quite challenging at times.

With my husband working long hours and most weekends, I've taken on the responsibility of sorting and boxing up everything.  I thought it'd be a fairly easy task since I initially had three weeks to pace myself and get everything done.  That is, until my husband came home two nights ago to tell me that moving had to be completed before the end of this week, because for next two weeks he has no time off.  There goes my plan to pace myself!

Yesterday, I thought I would go insane!  While trying to get things done, the kids seemed to be extra clingy.  Everytime I'd walk outside of my 6-month old's sight, he'd scream to the top of his lungs.  My toddler set a new record for the amount of times the words ma, mommy, or mama could be used in a 10 minute time frame.  And the hold music playing in my ear from every company I called to have all of our services transferred had become beyond annoying.  In my frustration I yelled out in the best whiny voice I could make,"I hate this process!!!!!"

I immediately heard the Lord say, just as He had said a few days prior, "Without the process, there'd be no progress."  He's right...as always. In order to transition from one place to the next, in any area of life, there is first a process you must go through.  And although I'm not very fond of the moving process, I know that once I get through it, I will be able to enjoy the wonderful blessing He's given to my family.

The process of becoming who the Lord wants you to be can sometimes be one of the hardest things to endure, but every pain; every tear; every sleepless night; every heartache; every heartbreak; every loss; every ounce of persecution; every struggle; it's all a part of God progressing you into your rightful place in Him.

I have tons of work to do, and though there's so much more the Lord has shown me through this moving process, I'm going to save it for another post and cut this short.  I'm leaving you with the NLT version of 1 Peter 5:10 to help you as you endure whatever process the Lord is taking you through right now.  It says, "In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation."

Til next time...may you live in His love.

Video Blog: It's Okay To Let Go

Hi everyone! I have another video blog for you.  I brought in a little visitor; hope you don't mind. :)

Blessings!

Don't Bow Out

For the past couple of days, the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego - populary known as "The Three Hebrew Boys" - has been on my mind.  Reluctant to stray away from the passage of scripture I'd already been studying, I obeyed the leading of the Holy Spirit this morning and opened my Life Application Study Bible to Daniel 3.

You know the story:

*paraphrased* King Nebuchadnezzar built this huge golden image.  After having a dedication service for it, He ordered everyone in the province of Babylon to bow down and worship the golden image whenever they heard music playing.  Nebuchadnezzar commanded that anyone who failed to adhere to his order to worship the golden image be immediately thrown into a fiery furnace. 

Well, some snitches went running to the king to tell him that three of his leaders - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego - were not following his orders, and would not serve his gods or bow down to the gold statue.  King Nebuchadnezzar became furious and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought to him at once.  He confronted the three, and gave them another chance to obey him, and escape the fiery furnace by bowing down in worship to the image.   Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to obey the king, or to explain to him why they refused, and basically told him "If you're going to throw us in the furnace, then so be it.  But the God we serve is able to save and rescue us; and even if he doesn't, we'll still never serve your gods or worship your golden statue."

Nebuchadnezzar became outraged at the stance they took against him, and commanded the furnace be turned up seven times hotter, and that they be bound and thrown into the furnace.  And so it was, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were tied up and thrown into a furnace that was so hot, it instantly killed the men that threw them in.  The king, who thought the furnace would kill the three of them, was amazed when he looked in to see them not only still alive, but walking around in the furnace.  And he was further amazed when he saw a fourth image that appeared to him to be a god.  In his astonishment, the king called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to come out of the furnace.  When they came out, they were totally unharmed...their hair wasn't singed, their clothes weren't scorched, and they didn't even smell like smoke.

At the end of the day, King Nebuchadnezzar ended up acknowledging and giving praises to their God, and commanded that no one speak against the God that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego served, and the three of them were promoted to higher positions in the province of Babylon.

A three-word phrase came to mind as I finished my reading this morning:  DON'T BOW OUT!  That's the message I want to embed in your spirit today.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego could have easily chosen to go ahead and bow to golden image to avoid being thrown in the fiery furnace; however, because they trusted wholeheartedly in the God they served, they refused to bow when faced with opposition.  They knew without a doubt that He was able to deliver them in their time of trouble, and would bring them out.

There are many situations that occur in life that cause us to want to take the easy way out.  Sometimes challenges present themselves in such a fiery way, that bending seems to be the only alternative to avoid being burned by its flames.  But I want to remind you that no matter how hot the fire, if you stand on what you believe and refuse to bow to your problems, the Lord will bring you out unharmed.  In fact, He will purify you in the fire, and just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, He will elevate you - whether naturally or spiritually - for standing flat-flooted on what you believe.

In the midst of adversity, don't bow out.

In the face of your enemies, don't bow out.

In the turbulence of life, don't bow out.

Stand tall...stand strong...stand on the power of your God, unwavering in your belief that He is able and will deliver you in your time of trouble.  Just as He walked in the fiery furnace with the three of them, He will walk with you through the furnace of your affliction. 

Don't break...don't bend...don't bow. 

If you just have to bow, do so in prayer, praise and worship. And after you've done that, stand on your faith.

Allow the song below to minister to you.

Video Blog #2

Hi guys!  Here's a quick message for you.  Excuse the video quality - it isn't the best - I've got to work out a few kinks.  But, I hope you're encouraged by what I share.

~May you live in His love.~