Guess who's watching?

Isaiah 11:6b

“…and a little child shall lead them.” (GNTD)

Matthew 18:3

“I assure you that unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven.” (GNTD)

On Saturday my sister treated us (myself, niece and nephew and a child they were babysitting) to California Pizza Kitchen (thanks again sister!). After looking at the menu I decided to order the Five Cheese and Fresh Tomato pizza. Yummy, yummy! My niece ordered ravioli, my sister had a salad, while the other boys had pizza as well. 

After our food came I offered a slice of my pizza to my niece (it’s a tradition). I mean, I just couldn’t keep the hot melted taste of Gouda to myself, it was too good-ahhh (in my Italian voice). Half way into the gooey goodness I offered her another piece and she accepted.

A few seconds later the youngest member of our party (age 4) said, “I want to share my pizza too! So he turned to my sister and asked in the cutest, softest voice, “Would you like a slice of my pizza?”

Heart…melting…awww. I was so touched by his generosity and willingness to share, because you know, at that age kids, aren't too keen on sharing.

As I was thinking about the exchange, my mind went to our scripture for today, “…and a little child shall lead them.” In his innocence and desire to be like the adults he emulated my behavior and gave something that he really liked to someone else. But maybe even deeper than that, I believe he just wanted to see my sister happy and make her smile, just as my niece had done when I gave her a slice of my pizza.

Isn’t God the same way with us? Doesn’t he delight in making us happy, in seeing us smile? This is why it pleased Him to give His son so that we could have the freedom from sin and live an abundant, full life. He also delights to see us mirror the same selfless behavior to our fellow man so that they too can experience the simple pleasures of life or have a heavy burden lifted.

Today, be ever mindful of your actions to family members, co-workers, or strangers on the street, because you never know who is watching!

What If...?

2 Corinthians 5:5

“God is the one who has prepared us for this change, and  he gave us his Spirit as the guarantee of all that he has  in store for us.” (GNTD)

Jeremiah 29:11

“I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.” (GNTD)

Some of the greatest books written and movies made start with a “what if…?” These two words in the form of a question are very powerful. Movie writers, marketing executives, entrepreneurs, and the whole of Silicon Valley, all started with someone asking a question. Think about Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Karl Benz, Madame CJ Walker, and countless others who posed a question and changed the lives of millions of people, even to this day.

I must confess, I have had many ‘what if’ moments in my short lifetime, even wrote some of them down, but I eventually said to myself, “this what if isn’t good enough, no one will ever like it or believe in it.” Do you have those same thoughts as well? There are millions of what if’s laying in cemeteries all across the world, full of what if’s that were supposed to change the word, but fear never allowed them to manifest. 

Think about how different American life would be if Jerry Baldwin hadn’t imagined having a specialty coffee house that just sold coffee. Coffee? Yep! Now Starbucks is worth $4.4 billion dollars (2013).

When you think about it, it’s pretty absurd to think that our "what if" is meaningless, trivial, too out there. I mean, c’mon, who is your daddy? Only the greatest thinker-upper of all things as we now know them, duh! This, original thinking, thought giving, no limitations inviting, God, is…well, He is! There is nothing that He is not. (Selah)

Today, what “what if” has God placed within your heart? I am speaking to myself as well. Our daddy, the master creator, is looking for you to change the world! He is looking to us adults to inspire and encourage our children to take their limitless minds and change the course of history. 

Let’s encourage one another today to take our “what if’s” and take a risk. It may seem like an out of this world idea, but guess what, that’s exactly where God is and how He created us to be!

P.S. Take a moment to share your “what if” in the comment section, I promise I won’t laugh! Or talk with God or a trusted friend. We must decree and declare it by speaking those things which are not as though they already are.

Look Up!

  

Job 35:5

“Look to the heavens and see; and behold the skies which are higher than you” (AMP).

One of my favorite movies is Contact (1997) with Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey. Foster is a scientist who spend the bulk of her time researching intelligent life forms by listens for abnormal sound rhythms in the universe. One day she and her research team are contacted by celestial beings that send them a message to build a space machine. 

Although Foster makes this amazing discovery she still has to face a committee of world leaders to prove her worthiness of being the one to represent the world. McConaughey, a man of the cloth, who is her love interest but also a committee member, asks a critical question just before the committee hearing ends, “Do you believe in God?” Stunned by his question, Foster answers in the negative and is disqualified to be the first human being to make contact with the aliens.

There are many twists and turns in this movie, but in the end she does go on this mysterious trip into the unknown. My favorite scene in the movie is Fosters' reaction to the celestial worlds she encounters through the worm hole. She is awe struck and speechless at the beauty and magnitude of the universe and how small she feels in comparison.

No matter how many times I see this movie I tear up when she see the “celestial event” and exclaims, “I didn’t know…I had no idea.” I imagine myself being with God as He takes me on a cosmic tour of the universes, those scientists have discovered, and those that are beyond the reach of our limited technology. Like Foster, I think I too would say to the Father, “I had no idea.”

I praise God that we don’t have to go before a committee to see and speak with the Father. Because of Christ we have full 24/7 access to Him who never sleeps and never slumbers. And because He loves us so much, He has allowed us access into the realm in which He dwells daily. In this realm there are no worries, no fears, no limits, no time. There is only love and unlimited possibilities.

Today I challenge you to take a few moments throughout the day and look up to the skies. Imagine taking a journey through Orion, the Omega Nebula, or Ursae Minoris. Then imagine this same God that created all of these galactic systems taking care of you! He is big enough to handle it all, but He is all the more caring to personally take interest in all you have to face every day.

*Lou Giglio: "How Great is our God" & "Indescribable"

There's a Blessing in the Storm (Part 2)

Ezekiel 41:17-18

“The inside walls of the temple, up as high as above the doors, were completely covered with carvings of palm trees and winged creatures. Palm trees alternated with creatures, one following the other, all the way around the room” (GNTD).

Psalm 92:12a

“The righteous will flourish like palm trees; they will grow like cedars of Lebanon.” (GNTD).

Roots

I was having a conversation with my father a few months ago about today’s verse in Ezekiel.  God had shown me Ezekiel 42 just before I was about to enter into my next test or storm, but for the life of me I could not figure out why. Verses 17-18 stood out to me, but I didn’t see any possible connection or significance it had in my life. I would read it and then re-read it during really tough days, but I never quite got it. “Maybe one day you will reveal the meaning,” I whispered to God.

After I shared the verse with my father he began to tell me about the life and growth of a palm tree. “You see, he said in his teaching voice, ‘in order for palm trees to grow they have to go through storms.’”

“When the tropical storms come, the torrential rains and wind force the roots of the tree to go deeper.’ ‘This is how they are able to withstand the heavy winds and rains.’”

“Think about it, he continued, ‘have you ever seen a healthy, stately palm tree in climates that are calm and cold?’”

 “No,” I replied as I thought about it.

“That’s right,’ he concluded. ‘The palm tree was designed to flourish and grow in storms.’”

WOW! I was stunned as well as amazed by the revelation. My amazement was twofold, one because months before my storm would begin God had giving me hope, assurance and encouragement that I would make it through the storm.  Secondly, God viewed me as a palm tree, which in the Amplified version of the bible says is long-lived, stately, upright, useful and fruitful. Little ole me?  Whoa, that was pretty heavy for me, in a good way.

My soul can’t help but burst into thanksgiving to God for speaking life into my situation and allowing the storm to come so our relationship could mature, become more intimate and my spiritual walk deeply rooted in His love, so that no matter what may come, I will bend to His will and come out stronger than before. Isn’t that a blessing?

What storm are you facing today - financial hardship, strained relationships, spiritual wasteland, failing health? Whatever the storm may be, rest assured that God is with you. You are not alone. Start rejoicing today and remember that when the storm has ended you will flourish like the palm tree, and you will be unmovable. This is God’s promise to you!

Worthy of our Praise!

1 Chronicles 16: 9, 11

“Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; meditate on and talk of all His wondrous works and devoutly praise them! See the Lord and His strength; yearn for and seek His face and to be in His presence continually!” (AMP)

Growing up, music was always played in our home. Gospel, classical, jazz, R&B, easy listening; no matter the genre, the air was filled with beautiful melodies. I remember humming tunes from Andre Crouch, Walter Hawkins, the Carpenters (am I telling my age?) and wishing I could sing like them.

Now, sangin' wasn’t one of the primary gifts that God has given me. You know the kind of “sangin' that gives you chills or pierced your heart and soul. Although I have always wanted to be a great singer and praise God with my voice, I understand that my greatest praise will come through testifying and writing, and that is ok!

Asaph* and his brothers were master musicians and singers, the Levites were priests, others were dancers. But no matter the gift, they were all praising God with the gifts that were apportioned to them and they did it very well and with all their heart.

So you may never see my upfront singing by myself (maybe in a choir though), but I will use my mouth to tell of the goodness of God and His great love for me, and use my fingers to write my story and experiences of how God has blessed me above and beyond my wildest imagination.

Today, spend some time sing, testifying, writing, playing or dancing your praises to God. He has blessed us all in different ways and He truly deserves all of our praise!

*1 Chronicles 16:37

There's a Blessing in the Storm (Part 1)

When I woke up early this morning the song “Blessing in the Storm”up early this morning the song " by Kirk Franklin  was playing in my mind. As I was humming the chorus I began to repeat the lyrics over and over again. Suddenly, it hit me! Eureka! There really are blessings in the storms of life!

Now, I know you’re saying, 'what the heck are you talking about’? ‘A blessing, in this mess’? Umm, yeah! But it's not readily recognizable when you are being tossed and turned, almost thrown overboard, in the midst of the storm. I want to share three blessing that I have recently received through my storms:

• Relationship 
•  Roots
• Revelation

Relationship

God loves us so very deeply and all He really wants is to be in relationship with us. I mean, He's into us like no other human being is. Sometimes however, we tend to ignore Him (ladies, you know how we can do), and what does he do, pursue us even harder (men, you know how you do!). I know, it’s a vicious cycle, but God knows how to get our attention.

We encounter storms that basically force us to pay attention to Him. In fact, in the really, really, really bad thunderstorms, I have found myself prostrate at His feet, desperate for Him to save me. Was it the only way for me to notice Him? Of course not, but in my case, it was the only means by which a lasting relationship could be established, and now I can truly say, it was a blessing!

Being in relationship with God has left me wanting to crave Him like I desire chocolate, shopping, or a good book. Because I have experienced being with Him, knowing Him, talking with Him, there is nothing on this earth that can ever truly satisfy me, and I want to crave that knowingness, that intimacy, every day for the rest of my days.

This deeper relationship could not have happened unless I had gone through the storm. And now I praise God for it!