DON'T MISS A THING

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“I work really hard NOT to miss GOD in the intimate and smallest details of my life.”

That is what she said.

Who you ask?

Ms. Amy from “Land of Goshen” Treatment Center in Ironton, Ohio. land-of-goshen

land-of-goshen

She said that after sitting down with me and some of my partners from The Nest and Her Story Recovery projects.  The reason she said it was because the conversations that ensued after our little breakfast and introductions and prior to the session getting started were clearly organized by GOD.

We hadn’t planned on meeting with Ms. Amy and her colleague Amber, but it didn’t take long to realize that we NEEDED to meet.

Encouragement NEEDED to be shared.

Best practices NEEDED to be discussed.

Partnership NEEDED to be forged.

Opportunities to help the addicted NEEDED to be explored.

GOD knew that!

So He took care of the details!

And while some may say that maybe we are “going a little too far” with this, I don’t believe, especially in the spaces of ministry and serving that much happens by coincidence.

I mean I would never question GOD’s interest and heart for the addicted and hurting and I would be the first to say that this epidemic that we are in the middle of is most certainly a “all hands-on deck” sort of challenge.  

So WHY WOULDN’T GOD help to orchestrate collaboration and relationships?

Interestingly GOD didn’t stop there.

No.

Later in the day Ms. Amy began to share a need in Lexington, Ky. that one of my partners from Springfield may be able to assist in.  She shared a desire to expand and assist the folks in West Virginia where the Lord has opened doors with my team and the Attorney General to move that along.

And the LORD didn’t stop.

A Pastor who has been on my to do list for a follow up for a couple of weeks bumps into me while I am headed out to be with my son-in-law who was at a the time dealing with a potentially severe eye issue.  Not only were we able to move the ball forward on the needs of his ministry and of Van Wert County, that Pastor was also quick to lift my son-in-law in prayer and encourage me! 

By the way, we received a wonderful report from the eye doctor.  All is well!

But I think you are getting Ms. Amy’s drift. 

GOD is engaged in the details of our lives, we just need to be watching and ready to acknowledge them.

And what is especially cool is that HE WILL BLESS us immeasurably when we do!

The fullness of joy is to behold God in everything.- Julian of Norwich

So, that brings me to you today.

Are you alert to what GOD will do in your day today?

Have you paused and asked Him to heighten your awareness to encourage your obedience so that you “don’t miss a thing”?

Remember - God doesn’t miss a thing – Proverbs 15:3 (MSG)

And we should do our best to not miss GOD in anything!

Have a blessed weekend.

I love you all!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE

MESSAGE to THE MIRROR

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

How is that guy or gal in the mirror doing today?

The one looking back at me looks weary.  You too?

Yet aside from needing maybe needing a little more sleep, how are things looking?

Ready for another day?

Ready for the today’s challenges; it’s triumphs and trials?

I know it may seem silly, but we all need to spend a minute with the one in the mirror because they are going to be with us all day today. There is even an old saying in recovery. “Everywhere you go there YOU are.”

So, true.

So why not take a second to chat with the person staring back at you in the mirror and make sure that you both are on the same page for today. In fact, maybe it would help if you took a moment to remind that person of a few things before you dive into the fracas.

Like what you ask?

Remembering that GOD said…

I’m going to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Don’t you see it? I will make a road through the wilderness of the world – Isaiah 43:19 (TLB)

Maybe you both need that one because yesterday was a complete train wreck, a real wilderness and a new start is just the ticket.

Or how about reminding that mirror buddy that…

… he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…Philippians 1:6 (NIV) 

You needed that one, did you? 

Were you considering giving up today?

No need for that now.

The GOOD work is still carrying on!

Say you need one more for your mirror mate?

You are God’s child, and you will receive everything he promised his children. Galatians 4:7 (ESV) 

That should ward off those feelings of discouragement.

You may be saying Pastor this is silly, but I don't think so!

Yesterday while sitting through one of the sessions at this year’s OHIO RECOVERY HOUSING CONFERENCE, George Brault of Brault Consulting, a leader in the recovery community, remarked on several occasions, we should wire ourselves to EXPECT success.  Far too often we set our sights too low about our possibilities and potential.  And while he was talking in a recovery context, that we can EXPECT to recover, we can take that same approach about today; expect it to be fresh, new, and full of possibility!

Lucado once remarked, “Two types of voices command your attention today. Negative ones fill your mind with doubt, bitterness, and fear. Positive ones purvey hope and strength. Which one will you choose to heed? You have a choice, you know.”

Let’s choose the message of success, let’s choose to believe those truths presented from GOD’S WORD!

Unfortunately that person in the mirror often is our worst enemy. We let lies pollute our identity and our potential and that in turn pollutes the day. We enter too many days defeated by yesterday’s mistakes instead of empowered by GOD to make the most of THIS DAY; the day He has made worthy of praise. (Psalm 118:24)

So, rub the sleep from your eyes and look squarely at the one staring back at you in the mirror and say confidently…

“Today both of us are going to remember and be emboldened by that familiar truth, (WE) CAN do all things through CHRIST (Philippians 4:13)!

I love you all!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE

TRUST, DELIGHT, COMMIT

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Got some big plans?

Some major aspirations?

Some dreams? 

Have you talked to GOD about them?

You see, GOD has a wonderful strategy when it comes to our aspirations and dreams.

I don’t know if you knew it, but when we trust and fully commit to GOD’s plan for our lives and ENTRUST GOD with the dreams of our hearts and are FAITHFUL to follow His direction and His plan, He promises to fulfill our hearts desires.

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this… Psalm 37:3-5 (ERV)

So, trust. 

Take delight.

And commit your ways and openly share with GOD the desires of your heart!

Now I am not saying to walk up to GOD and say, “I trust you for a million dollars” and expect a million dollars to fall from the sky. 

GOD isn’t our supernatural vending machine.

But GOD will examine the desires of our heart and if we are trusting, if we are taking delight in His Word and instruction, if we are listening to Him, our dreams will inherently start to come into alignment with HIS WILL and HIS perfect direction for lives. His dreams for us will begin to become our dreams for us and HE and those will never disappoint!

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! – Ephesians 3:20

“The biggest wall you have to climb is the one you build in your mind: Never let your mind talk you out of your dreams, trick you into giving up.  - Bennett

Therefore, openly share your dreams with the Father.

Be fearless as you aspire toward them TOGETHER!

Take the steps each day to be sure your life expresses commitment to Jesus. - Charles Stanley 

And when you do, GOD will begin to open doors and show you ways to see those dreams fulfilled!

For when our dreams and GOD’s dreams for us come into alignment, when we trust His perfect will for our lives, we will begin to experience REAL contentment and joy and that at the end of the day is a TRUE HEART'S DESIRE!

Remember:

God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him. - Jim Elliot 

And that goes for those dreams too.

I love you all!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE