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I Was Blind But Now I See

Blind man walking
I was blind but now I see!

Do you ever flirt with temptation?

I know there are times that I do.

How close do we allow ourselves to get to temptation?

In the Bible story, the man was born blind. What if he had been tempted to believe he would always be blindly stumbling around?

Yet, he took a chance. He believed. He trusted. He obeyed.

After applying mud to the man’s eyes, Jesus told him to go wash it off.

The man obeyed and was given the gift of sight. Just imagine his joy! He could now physically see the One who healed him. Jesus.

Then along came the Debbie-downers.

People were skeptical. They asked the man if his Healer was a sinner? The man realized that was not his “call” to say.

But he did absolutely know one thing. And he proclaimed the truth of it: “I do not know whether He is a sinner and wicked or not…

“One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:25, NIV)

What About You?

Does God ever ask you to do crazy things like He did that man?

Have you wondered what you would do under similar circumstances?

Sight: (conquering blindness) comes through using the tools of daily prayer and daily Bible reading. Actually choosing to spend time with Jesus. Those are our “weapons” to fight the good fight, as scripture calls it. The good fight. The inevitable daily temptations.  They are tools for those times when the Debbie downers show up. When your faith is tested.

It can’t be just rushing through a verse or two, but prayerfully reading whole chapters at a time. Be radical. Develop a deep and lasting friendship with the Healer. Saturate yourself!

2 Corinthians 5:7 reminds us that we walk by faith and not by sight. The blind man trusted. He obeyed the crazy thing with the mud and the washing it off part. The blind man didn’t question. He took a chance. He believed. He trusted. He obeyed. He walked by faith and received his sight.

That can be your story,  too. You can say, “I was blind but now I see!”

We build our faith and trust in the Lord through daily Prayer and Bible Reading. DAILY. It’s actually like food for the Soul. Feeding your soul daily is just as important as feeding your body daily. No shortcuts or we become emaciated and weak. Kinda blind in a sense. We don’t see temptation and sin sneak up on us. Because we have not nourished our soul that day.

Obedience: is stepping forward toward holiness. (The opposite is falling backward toward temptation.) It’s consciously realizing when we are being a slave to the tyranny of the urgent. It’s choosing to do what makes Father God happy as our priority.

Related Post: Learning to Lean

A lesson from computers

The computer term GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out) fits well here. What we get back is indicative of the amount of time and care we take with the input. AND being attentive and careful WHAT what we actually have put in.

So, to prevent flirting with temptation–our thoughts, and what we put into our minds through our eyes, our ears, and our actions, must be diligently and carefully guarded to prevent viruses (temptation) from causing a CRASH.

Onward, dear friends. Let’s choose to walk by faith together. To God be the Glory.

I’d love to hear from you. I’d love the opportunity to walk alongside you as your Christian Coach. Wonder how coaching works? Hit the connect button and set up a time for a complementary call. Life is tough and we all need a place where we can be real and safe. Where we can work out our struggles with our very own cheerleader. Encouraging us on to victory in our walk with the Lord. Someone who understands our personality and believes in us.

Until next time.

Do you need encouragement in your walk with God?

I offer one-on-one coaching and would love to come alongside you to help you become the woman God created you to be.

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Spiritual Life — Tags: , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

Losing Control

Short post. True confessions time… Let’s talk about losing control…

I’m normally even-tempered. I seldom get angry or lash out.

Today I did BOTH. I was angry and lashed out.

My reaction surprised me. I didn’t see it coming.

Afterwards, I was asking myself: WHERE did that come from?

There have been a series of events. And apparently, this thing today was the “straw that broke the camels back”.

In itself, it was a minor issue, but it came from a person that has routinely been rude and unkind to me personally. And, it hurts!

Up until today, I have responded with God’s grace and just let it roll off my back.  “I will take no offense” is a daily “mantra” for me. It is so freeing to CHOOSE to take no offense. However… this time, I forgot to CHOOSE…

I’m just sharing this because I want you to know that I absolutely know I am still a work in progress, just like you. I am not happy with myself how I reacted. I know God loves me anyway, but I know it also made Him sad, too.

Normally, I can praise the Lord, laugh and move on. Today, I did NOT! Today, I blew up at that person! I took offense!

And then I stomped away like a toddler…with her and her friend yelling at me, saying she was just kidding. I had to walk past them again a few minutes later, and she and her friend grabbed my arms, to try to make me stand there and listen to them. I felt angry and I felt trapped! I felt bullied.

Have you ever felt that way?

I can also report that we all three ended up having a calm discussion about what happened. It will never be great, because I have never felt safe with either of them.

I will always have my guard up. AND I now know that they have the ability to “trip my trigger”. So, I know now to be alert and choose to be calm. I should have cried out to “Jesus!” But I tried to handle it on my own and I failed miserably! (I think I need to watch the movie “War Room” again. I want to be more like Miss Clara.)

When I got back to my apartment, I talked on the phone with a dear friend who knows me and loves me even when I act like a toddler throwing a tantrum. I don’t think she has ever seen me that way, because it seldom happens, but she listened. We laughed. She suggested a cup of chamomile tea. I’m so grateful she was there for me! I needed a friend right then. Jesus with skin on.

BUT…it still hurts.

Aren’t we glad we have a God who covers our sins with His Blood?
Aren’t we glad that He loves us even when we mess up?
Aren’t we glad He will make up for our lack? We just have to ask Him!

“Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens: Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.”

Psalm 36:5

“Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!”

1 John 3:1

“Therefore, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:6-7

Thanks for your prayers. You can see that I desperately need you holding me up in prayer. This world HURTS sometimes. But God is bigger than all our hurts.

Do you need encouragement in your walk with God?

I offer one-on-one coaching and would love to come alongside you to help you become the woman God created you to be.

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Freedom,Spiritual Life — Tags: , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

Finding Perspective in Times of Testing

Woman with son on beach

Is your life a mess? Are you going through a rough patch? Do you wish things were different? Do you wish YOU were different? Do you want to be a better person? In this post, we’re going to cover finding perspective in times of testing.

I have to remind myself daily that my basic calling and focus is to pursue an authentic relationship with Jesus. Key word: Pursue! Yup! Deliberately pursuing Him! Not to be better, but to choose to be with Him!

We all have difficult seasons of our lives

Times of testing. Sometimes our perspective gets a bit skewed. Maybe you have questioned if God even exists. Maybe thinking: If God is good, why do bad things happen to good people?

All that sounds so reasonable in our humanness. However, God is the only One who is truly “good”. And He calls us to a higher ground. He says, “Trust Me.” We don’t have to feel it, especially at first. But it has to be a conscious choice. We can’t wait for the feeling to come. It has to be a moment by moment and daily choice to trust Him no matter what! Why? Because He is good. All the time. In good times and bad, God is ALWAYS good! Do we understand why things happen? Not usually, but we can trust that He has purpose in all that happens. Beyond anything earthly.

Jesus came to restore us to relationship with God.

He experienced all the emotions we experience. AND…He feels your hurt. He is not a distant deity. He is a very personal God. When you hurt, He hurts. He chases after you until you find Him. And then He draws you into relationship with Him. It is your choice how deep you want that to be.

Finding perspective

When someone hurts you, betrays you, or speaks lies against you, what do you do? I remember when I first found out my husband had been unfaithful through our entire 20-plus years of marriage. We were on the mission field when I found out. Talk about feeling “lower than a snake’s belly” as my dad would say. We were in California. I ran outside alone, walking and walking, and crying out to God. The mountains loomed in the distance and a verse I didn’t even realize I knew, came to my mind: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people, now and forevermore.” (Psalm 125:2) I just kept saying that verse over and over until I believed it. I didn’t understand, but God was assuring me that He was with me and He would help me through the, “Now what?”

Related Post: Not for One Second

That was a tough one to work through.

Everyone has to seek God’s wisdom and direction after a betrayal like that. It is not easy. It hurts to the very core of your being. But God walked that lonely painful road with me. Our Savior went through some rough relational problems while here on planet earth, so I knew He understood. And I knew He was good. The situation was bad, but God was/is good.

What about you?

Do you remember a book about: Are you a FAN or a FOLLOWER? Isn’t that a powerful question? We all know what fans are. They get together with other fans and scream and yell and love it when their team wins. But God expects MORE than that. He wants us to follow after Him, even whether we are winning or losing! God’s not about winning. He is about BEING! He expects us to be fully committed to Him no matter what happens. Let’s commit to being a FULLY DEVOTED FOLLOWER of JESUS. Putting our hand to plow and not looking back. (When you look back, you plow a crooked row.)

“Come and see what God has done, His awesome deeds for mankind…”

Psalm 66:5

“To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven…a time to weep and a time to laugh.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4

The Song Trust and Obey

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, but His smile quickly drives it away. Not a doubt or a fear, not a sign or a tear, can abide while we trust and obey. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share. But our toil He doth richly repay. Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross but is blessed if we trust and obey.

The book of Psalms

It is comforting to know throughout the Psalms, that others have walked in shoes similar to whatever we ourselves experience. Pain and joy, doubt and confidence, defeat and victory, hatred and love, confusion and clarity. No matter what you are feeling, you will find comfort in the Psalms. Praise will always lift you out of hum drum and into a joy-filled relationship with the Lord of Lords. Time spent in the Psalms daily will not disappoint.

Here’s a few suggestions to get you started:

“My heart has heard you say, ‘Come and talk with me”. And my heart responds, ‘LORD, I am coming.’”
…Even if my father and mother abandon me the LORD will hold me close”

Psalm 27:8, 10

“The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses…with peace.”

Psalm 29:11

“I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.”

Psalm 9:1-2

Notice the CHOICE. The “I WILL”. The CHOICE to praise. The CHOICE to walk in relationship. The CHOICE to take the time away from the world, and into the Presence of the very One Who created you. Father knows best. He adores. Be sure to give Him lots of opportunity for you to experientially know that.
David Jeremiah: By the Word of God, we are taught, challenged, corrected, and trained, so that we “may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (I Timothy 3:16-17)

My friend, Dawn used to say, “I know it in my KNOW-ER.” Perfect!

Until next time…

Do you need encouragement in your walk with God?

I offer one-on-one coaching and would love to come alongside you to help you become the woman God created you to be.

Let's Connect!
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Freedom,Spiritual Life — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

Creative Injuries and the Spalding Method

Woman teaching a class

Continuing Ed Classes

I had been teaching a continuing ed class at my community college. The room was full of people that actually paid for me to teach them. Wonder of wonders, many were public school teachers. The class I was teaching was “Spalding, The Writing Road to Reading”. It is an amazing language arts jewel that teaches the Spalding method. The class was going well and the adult students were engaged with lively interactions as they learned new techniques. They were excited about the potential for their students. It is actually fun!

Homeschooling and Tutoring

Having taught my own children and also having tutored other people’s children, I was confident and enthusiastic because of the excellent results I had gotten using this method–even when the child presents a dyslexic challenge. All children benefit!

I had begun sharing an experience I’d had with a distraught and frustrated mother who had come to me for help. Her dyslexic teenage daughter hated reading. The mother had gotten all sorts of reading material for her, to encourage her to read ANYTHING. Nothing had worked.

Sidenote: I have a rule

I won’t teach another person’s child the Spalding method unless at least one parent goes through the training of the basics, with their child, because when the parents also learn the Spalding method they can reinforce at home what their child has learned in my tutoring sessions. We all need to be on the same “page” with the same direction and goals so their child has the greatest opportunity for success. So, the mother learned the basics along with her daughter.

A phone call

Then, one day after just a few months of learning the Spalding method, the mother called me. She was over-the-roof ecstatic! She had come home to find her daughter reading THE NEWSPAPER of all things. She was reading EVERYTHING in sight. Talk about a joyous conversation! Wow!

The Continuing Ed class reaction

As I was sharing that story with the continuing ed class, I mentioned that I homeschooled my own children. This was many years ago, when homeschooling was almost considered child abuse, and the Teachers’ Unions and Legislators were fighting against homeschooling. I once even had a teacher tell me she was actually TAUGHT in college that parents were INCAPABLE of teaching their own children. So, when these “educated” teachers found out I homeschooled–suddenly, what they previously had thought was wonderful, COULDN’T be because I had taught it and I did not have a teaching DEGREE.

That, my friends is an example of a Creative Injury.

Related Post: Back to School Days – 17 Ways to Keep Your Sanity

Success no longer mattered

They were furious at me—this UNSCHOOLED ordinary woman. Never mind that I had had great success. And never mind that they had been so excited about all the possibilities with their own classrooms of students. Never mind that it actually makes learning FUN!

Suddenly, I was an “ordinary woman”

I suddenly had no credibility in their eyes. It was a stunning experience. But one for which I am grateful. Do you wonder why I am grateful?

This is not a new thing.

We humans do it all the time. We put education and degrees above knowledge and wisdom and experience. We are impressed when someone has a bunch of degrees after their name. Sometimes, all that means is that someone is very good at taking tests. Or something else as simple as that.

But God has a different criteria

I knew that in many ways, I was not as smart as the experts were, but I also knew that God sent me the kids HE wanted me to teach, encourage, and influence—including my own. I also knew that I had been trained and was qualified to teach the Spalding method. I knew that I had experiences they did not have. I had proven the effectiveness of the methods in the trenches, where it matters.

I am grateful Jesus chooses misfits

He loves to astound the elite. The educated. The prideful. So, He chooses people who are willing to be ridiculed as they follow in His steps, seeking His wisdom and guidance all along the way. I’d love to hear your experiences from either side of this equation.

An example from Scripture that there is nothing new under the sun..

”The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.

Acts 4:13 NLT

As each of us deal with our own experiences of “creative injury”, may people be able to say of you and me that they recognize that we have been with Jesus.

Life is challenging and sometimes people hurt us, but God is good all the time. BE with HIM and all else will fall into place in your life and you will have JOY because you have lived your life in His presence.

Do you need encouragement in your walk with God?

I offer one-on-one coaching and would love to come alongside you to help you become the woman God created you to be.

Let's Connect!Until next time,
Awaiting His shout,
pam_signature-c49a6c

Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com

Filed under: Christian Life Coaching,Spiritual Life — Tags: , , , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am