Congratulations Graduates

Graduation.... the month of June brings so many bittersweet and happy memories for many students. June is a time of endings but also beginnings. The ending of one phase in your life but the beginning of another. I would like to congratulate all the new graduates and wish you God's blessings as you enter a new phase in your life. I'd also you like to leave with you the ABC's for ladies that I wrote for Girl Talk magazine about two years ago.

Unlikely Hero

Sometimes we find a hero in the most unlikely places and people. Today my hero arrived dressed in baggy old shorts, an old tee shirt and dirty tennis. He didn't carry a sword and shield in his hands, but something much better... He carried a weed whacker which he used to get my much overgrown yard back into shape. My hero today was my eighteen year old nephew Timothy. Without a grumble, a complaint or even the expectation of a reward he freely gave up his Saturday morning to help his "damsel in distress" aunt with her yard.

The help my nephew gave me this morning made my day, not just because of what he did but because of the attitude he did it with. I thought about the many times I myself have done something with a less than gracious attitude, and really who gets glorified when we have a bad attitude?

Today I was reminded that whatever I do, I should do it with a good attitude as if I'm doing unto Christ. (Thanks for the reminder Timothy)

Our way, right away

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

God has promised in his word that if he begins a good work in us he will indeed complete it. However the period between the beginning and the completion is often very hard and much longer than we would like. This is because we always want everything done right away. However, God never promised us that we will get what we want, our way, right away. We simply have to believe in him and trust him to bring his word to pass in our lives. He knows what's best for us and he knows exactly what's doing. There is a lesson between the beginning and the end and we need to learn that lesson before we can reach the end.

Faith

Fearlessly
And
Intently
Trusting
Him

Faith... sometimes that little word seems like such a big deal. It is so easy to have faith when everything is going well. Unfortunately, there are times when it seems that nothing is working out the way we want it too and our backs are against the wall. In those times it's difficult to trust and have faith in God. However those are the times when we need to fearlessly and intently trust him (God). Surely our God has proven many times He's worthy of our trust.

Why Worry?

"I've already spent$1,200.00 on my ticket and it's non refundable! I can't afford to lose that kind of money! I should have gotten it by now, what am I going to do if it doesn't reach on time?"

This was me a few years ago when I was preparing for a trip to Germany. I had already bought my ticket and was waiting for the special visa I needed to go there. As the time for the trip drew nearer I got more and more worried because my passport with the special visa that would allow me to travel to Germany had not reached yet. In fact I wasn't sure I had been granted the visa.

Finally after waiting as long as I dared I called the UPS office to see if a package was there for me. Guess what? The package with my passport and visa had been there for three days. However, due to some error they had not called me. So for three days I had worried unnecessarily over something that God had already taken care off.

Isn't it amazing how often we do that? We get ourselves all upset and anxious over situations that we can't change by worrying anyway. So instead of worrying over things we can't do anything about why don't we simply trust God. He's the answer to everything, even the things we worry about.

A sunflower's Tale

I've always been fascinated by the sunflower. I love its beautiful, bright, cheery petals that seem to reflect the beauty of the sun's rays. Whenever I see one I never fail to think, "How beautiful!" However I'm not just attracted by it's beauty, I'm intrigued by its story.

If flowers were known for their personality type the sunflower would be classified as an optimist. The sunflower always turns away from negativity. When everything is dark and bleak the sunflower turns itself until it finds the little sunlight that is peeking through the clouds and it turns its face that way. It focuses on the little positive and backs away from the negative.

Wouldn't it be nice to be like the sunflower? To turn your back on the negativity and face the brightness of possibility? Just as the sunflower closes up and loses some of it's luster and beauty in the dark so do we lose our bright smiles, enthusiasm and exuberance in the darkness of negativity.

Today let's try to be like the sunflower. Let's turn our back on the darkness of negativity and face the brightness of God's possibilities. Remember God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalms 46:1) So when you're going through a dark period in your life he's the ray of sunshine shining through the clouds that you need to turn your face towards.

(Written July 17, 2004)

A Picture of Trust

I was out for a Sunday drive recently with my cousin and her daughters, one of whom happen to be my very cute goddaughter.

While my cousin and I were chatting in the front I happened to glance in the back and saw the sweetest sight... my goddaughter looking like a little angel, still in her church outfit had fallen fast asleep. As luck would have it, I had my camera with me because I couldn't resist taking a photo of such a perfect picture of innocence and complete trust.

Later as I looked at the photo I thought that it told a story without saying a word. My gooddaughter fell asleep knowing that she was safe and surrounded by people who loved her. Oh what trust. Her photo reminded me that God's word tells us that "unless we become as a little child we cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven." He expects us to have the same childlike faith in him that children have in their parents. In fact he reminds us to "cast all our cares upon him because he cares about us."

So, I encourage you to put all the things that concern you in God's hands. Put a picture in your mind this week of the little children you may see and the trust they display. Remember that God wants us to display that same trust in him.