God Is Doing a New Thing!

Last year was a very grueling year for me.  In my career, I was forced to make decisions I never imagined I would have to make.  And once I made those decisions, I endured consequences I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.  After nearly eight glorious years of happily running my own business publishing magazines and believing I had settled into my lifelong purpose, I was suddenly called in a different direction.  For more than a year, I deliberately ignored the new vision I felt God was impressing upon me.  “Certainly, He must not realize that I don’t need a new dream because I love my job and I'm very pleased with my life,” I thought. 

I prayed for more spiritual growth in my business hoping to steer God back to my plan and when that didn’t work, I began to bargain with Him making deals and promises – all to no avail.  The longer I ignored Him, the worse things got.  Sales that had once sky-rocketed were barely trickling in and clients who’d been faithful for years had all but vanished, pinching pennies in hopes of keeping their own businesses afloat. 
  

As I continued with my own plans down my own path, minor snags became colossal problems. The more I tried, the more obstacles I created.  There was no longer anything I could do in my own strength to get the business back on track and the passion and fire that had been the driving force for so many years were hardly a flicker. 

I woke up one day and realized this was not the vision I had for myself and more significantly, it couldn’t be the vision God had for me either.  Nowhere in His Word does He encourage us to stress, toil or be anxious.  As a matter of fact, He says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6

So I feebly relinquished my selfish determination and presented this simple request, “I am here to do Your will.  Please guide me and give me the strength to follow You into all You have created me to be.”  And although I’d like to say that my situation transformed instantly, it didn’t.  However, God was immediate to hear my prayer and to let me know He was working on my behalf with plans to prosper me and to give me hope and a future.

I have since moved to a different city, finalized the closing of the business and started a new career, but still I see God doing a new and exciting thing!  So many opportunities have come my way, stirring long lost dreams and desires.  Each day I awake is a new adventure and He is so faithful to do as He promises in Isaiah 43:19 “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

Today, I encourage you to surrender your life to God and know He is faithful to do good things.  Even when our eyes cannot see and our minds cannot fathom a reasonable result, God will make a way.  He reminds us in Isaiah 55:8-9  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Trusting Him is so exciting and rewarding even when my limited vision cannot see the way!

Vanessa

The Light of the World

In a recent conversation with a former colleague, I innocuously professed the goodness of God and His many blessings in my life.  As I excitedly gushed and raved about my wonderful Jesus, a dark, defensive mood oozed from her spirit and filled the room.  Puzzled, I quieted down and apprehensively awaited her response.  Had I said something wrong?  Was there a valid reason why she seemed so offended?

What came next couldn’t have been more appalling and disappointing.  An array of heartbreaking emotions swirled as she blatantly denied the existence of God and denounced the belief of Christianity.  In a lifeless tone, she said, “I don’t believe there is a God.  I believe there may be a higher energy that the world creates, but I’ve never had any reason to think that a real god exists.  I’m agnostic and we believe there is no proof that substantiates the existence of God." 

As if the fact that she was standing before me, breathing, healthy and employed wasn’t enough proof of His unmerited favor over her life, I composed myself and feverishly began to defend my Friend and ultimately blurted out, “The Pharisees needed proof and look what happened to them.” 

As tensions grew, I was passionately ready to duke it out and go toe to toe with her when a firm, silent voice in my spirit said, “It isn’t your job to prove that God exists, it is your job to act like He exists.” 

I was then reminded of Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”  

What a sobering and accurate message!  I am here as a vessel for the Light of Christ to shine through me.  Whether it is a contagious joyful spirit, an unfaltering faith during difficult times or a peace that surpasses all understanding, others should see something so significant and outstanding in me that they would be impressed to believe a much greater power is within me than anything I could possess in my own strength.  My calling is not to force my beliefs on others or to fight for the truth in His name, but to allow Him to prove Himself through me.   Ezekiel 20:41 says, “I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy through you in the sight of the nations.

How liberating it is to know I am not responsible for ensuring that others believe the truth.  I can just stand firm in hopes that they see the truth!

Vanessa

A Different Kind of Resolution

I woke up this morning with a pit in my stomach that exuded guilt, shame and a little sadness.  As I cleared my head and gathered my thoughts, the reason for this heaviness became quite obvious.  It is December 31 and not only does it mark the end of a challenging year, but it also marks a reminder that I fell short of accomplishing the goals and resolutions I had set for 2010. 

I didn’t lose all the weight I had committed to lose.  My bank account reflects that I don’t have the amount of money I strived to acquire and my closets (along with a few other things in my house) indicate that I didn’t get as organized as I promised I would.

In conclusion, I think it is safe to say (by anyone’s standards) that I was failure.  Wow! That’s a brutal label and definitely hard to swallow.  While I’ve had a few letdowns and disappointments in my life, I’ve never considered myself a failure.  But isn’t the definition of a failure something that neglects to meet its expectations? And didn’t I?

Just as soon as the mocking voice in my spirit jeered, “failure, failure, failure,” a stronger, calming, comforting voice spoke “loved, blessed, worthy, pleasing, precious…” So, as I search for the truth of who or what I really am, I stand on the promise of God’s word that tells me:

I am loved – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16

I am forgiven – “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”  Colossians 2:13

I am favored – “For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favored them:  Psalm 44:3

I am chosen – “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”  Luke 10:2

I am precious - “How precious also are Your thoughts about me, O God!  How great is the sum of them.” Psalm 140:17

I am fearless – “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.”  2 Timothy 1:7

I am victorious – “What then shall we say of these things:  If God is for us, who can be against us?”  Romans 8:31

I am healed – “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

I am redeemed – “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” 
Ephesians 1:7

I am heard – “I love the Lord because He has heard my voice and my supplications.” Psalm 116:1

I am protected – “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.” Psalm 27:7

I am an overcomer - "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."  1 John 4:4

I am saved - "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

There are so many more wonderful things that God has to say about me.  So this year, I’ve decided that my resolutions will be different than previous years.  Rather than committing to accomplish anything in my own strength and almost certainly falling short by mid-February or possibly March (if I’m lucky), I pledge to follow the lead of my Sweet Jesus and to heed to the calling of His voice that says, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11.  This year, I won’t be a failure and this I know because the Bible tells me so! 

Happy New Year to everyone and may God bless you with prosperity, health and complete favor in 2011.