“We look upon Jesus Christ as the best Example of the Christian life; we do not conceive of Him as Almighty God Incarnate, with all power in heaven and on earth…we do not take off the shoes from our feet when He speaks. Jesus Christ is Savior, and He saves us into His own absolute and holy lordship.”

Oswald Chambers

When we pray…

We are on Holy Ground. One of my favorite ways of thinking of Jesus is that He is my Friend. But I must never forget that He is my Savior and my Lord. Yes, Jesus is truly a wonderful Friend of sinners, but He NOT our “buddy”. When we enter into His presence, it must be with awe that we are in the presence of the Most High God, Creator, and we must take every thought captive to believing that He is THE MOST HIGH GOD. He is above all other gods that have been made with human hands and imaginations. HE is the ONLY Way, the ONLY Truth, and the ONLY Life.” Other religions of the world do not believe those basic facts. He is Lord of lords and King of kings. From the beginning to now and forever.

Jesus’ authority is not partial, but absolute! He says…

He did not TAKE it. God GAVE Him that authority. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth…” (Matthew 28:18a)

Prayer

Prayer is not passive. It is actively and expectantly talking with God and listening and waiting for God’s answers. Waiting (in the prayer sense) has been described as actively enduring until the answer comes.

David Wilkerson writes…

in the book The Cross and The Switchblade: In the early 1960’s, in the inner city, Wilkerson was hosting a rally in New York City for inner city kids. Most of the kids were deeply involved in dangerous gangs. He’d rallied 65 churches to join him in the planning and counseling training for after the rally. They were enthusiastic and expectant about what God could and would do. Things didn’t go as hoped…

He was discouraged

“On the 4th night, 100 people showed up. The arena would hold 1,000 people. The ones that did show up were disruptive and loud and rude. They made lewd remarks.”

What about you?

Have you ever felt like God wanted you to do something and when you obeyed, it flopped and you felt mad at God? Or maybe you felt like a failure? Did you quit?

David was ready to quit

That 4th night, David broke up the meeting early and went home, brokenhearted and angry at God. He was ready to quit. He felt lower than a snake’s belly, as my Dad used to say. David spoke plainly with God about his feelings.

Wilkerson’s brokenhearted prayer

“Lord, we’re not even beginning to reach these boys and girls. What am I supposed to do?”

Here’s what I want to focus on…

David Wilkerson wrote in His book, The Cross and the Switchblade: “And as always—why is it I have to learn this again every time?—“

When I REALLY asked

I was REALLY answered

David Wilkerson

What about you?

Have YOU experienced the difference between asking and REALLY asking (out of desperation or fear)? If not, isn’t it about time you do? If you have, what happened?

What about David Wilkerson? What happened?

If you haven’t read his book, isn’t it about time you do? His story is one of my all time favorites. Biographies are faith-builders!

Purchase on Amazon

From a flock of geese to a dog on a leash, the pages of this winsome little book are filled with things we see around us every day. Pamela A. Taylor takes those everyday items and looks at them through the eyes of a child; making them seem exciting and new while also teaching children how to be grateful for the God who created them. Take a walk with Pamela through the pages of this book and help your little ones see God’s hand in the beauty of life.

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!

Awaiting His shout,


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

Which will we choose? Murmuring or gratefulness? Can we actually learn to overcome grumbling? There are certainly lots of challenges to capture our attention and direct it toward the negative aspects of life.

Job (of the Old Testament book named after him) had friends that were miserable comforters. He lost all but his wife and yet he did not curse God and die as his wife suggested. Job had lots of questions. He didn’t know that he had been chosen to be an object lesson to satan to prove how authentic Job’s faith in God was.

It is possible to recognize a true follower of God by observing their lives. Did Job grieve over loss? It hurt him as deeply as it hurts one who has not yet experienced the transforming light of God. The difference is, those with a relationship with God have hope…even if they don’t understand. They trust that God is The Lord God Almighty. Maker of Heaven and earth. Creator of all that exists. And much, much wiser than our own limited earth-bound understanding.

Those with a relationship with Father God know that whatever trials…whatever painful ordeal…whatever suffering…whether it is character-building or whether it is to show the world how a Christian reacts to crisis, they continue to follow…maybe with sadness, and a sense of loss, but also with hope. Maybe with confusion, but also with trust in the God of the Bigger Picture. We earthlings see through earth-bound eyes. God knows how it all fits together for the Bigger Picture. He sees through the lens of Eternity.

Murmuring or Gratefulness?

Which will you choose? I keep a daily Ebenezer journal. Ebenezer is an old word that means, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” No requests. No murmurings. Only gratefulness. Through this daily evening written record, I see major interventions of God in my life. I begin to see a trend of God being involved in my life. My dreams are sweeter and I wake more refreshed and at peace. I begin to actually look forward to each new day as I look expectantly for God to show up. I am actually recording His involvement in my day-to-day life.

Try it…and then let me know how it changes your outlook on life.

Maranatha!
Come Lord Jesus!

God bless you bunches!

Awaiting His shout,


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

WHAT defines you? WHO defines you?

This shut down of much of our country and the world can be challenging to say the least. Who IS the master of your fate? Is it the United States Government? Is it a foreign power? Is it just “chance”? Is it God? Is it satan? These scary times can bring loss, fear, and a sense of betrayal. Some of you come to the table with challenging questions, trials, and decisions that must be made quickly. It is more than “Should I wear a face mask or not?” It is big and it is serious!

Quotes from my past

I grew up in the 50s and 60s. It was definitely the years of great confusion, fear, and rebellion against government who was leading us into fearful situations. We called it the LOVE generation. The songs were about war and love. And we claimed we knew the answer. Our expressions of love would fix the world. But it was really rebellion against all authority. I can still personally remember my generations struggles to understand, which caused us to rebel against what we did not understand. We see a lot of that with the youth of today, too. Has it always been that way with each generation? I can only speak from my own experience.

We would say with firm sarcasm: “Who died and left you in charge?” And then there was the: “You’re not the boss of me!” (FYI neither of those worked well with my father.) My Dad was most definitely IN CHARGE. He was also the most loving person I can remember in my whole life. He was not huggy feeley, but I absolutely knew I was loved unconditionally by him.

Does rebellion make you into a master of your own fate?

My Mom was ill much of my life and she died when I was 12 going on 13. That is a bad time for a girl to lose her mother. I must have had a dozen crushes on guys. I know because I wrote their names on my notebook. Thankfully, there was little time to pursue my crushes. I missed much of the rebellion of that season because I had to go home, do my homework, and start dinner every day after school. And do the ironing. Those were the days when we ironed EVERYTHING…even the bed sheets. We used cloth handkerchiefs, so even they had to be ironed, too. (No such things a disposable tissues…at least WE didnt have them in my family home.)

The Master of My Fate poem

I remember learning a poem in high school about being the master of my fate. The poem has stuck with me throughout my life. For many years, it confused me because I subconsciously thought, “If I truly am the master of my fate, why cant I make my life work right?” And even though I didn’t rebel much on the outside, the poem affected my attitude on the inside. For many years. It was very bad theology!

A Bible teacher shared a story

Many years later, I began to question what I had carried with me in that poem. I knew something was “off”. I began a search for God. (I wrote about that in an article “Maybe I’ll Try Church.” I had tried everything and nothing worked. So, at a Bible study taught by a former rebellious youth, now matured in the faith, he shared a story that thankfully now overrides the poems instruction that encouraged rebellion.

The illustration

Its all about where your focus is placed. Maybe you have heard the story he shared that night so many years ago: It is as though there are two “dogs” inside of each of us. A black dog and a white dog. And whichever one we feed the most, will be the strongest.

Of course, the black dog illustrates our sin nature and the white dog illustrates life after surrender to Jesus Christ the Lord. And the feeding is our focus and all the conscious choices we make that can cause us to either be better or bitter.

Haven Ministries devotional

A few years ago, a devotion published by Haven Ministries started me thinking about “fate” and “masters” again.

Heres what it said:

“Society teaches us constantly that we are the masters of our destiny, that we are what we make of ourselves, that we write the script. Knowing Jesus Christ as our Savior, however, shows us otherwise. Christianity is not about me and what I make of myself; its about Christ and what He has done for me. He is the author of my faith;…all my days were ordained in His Book before a single one of them came to be.”

It goes on to say: “Those lessons come to us over time when our best-laid plans fail and we are forced down other paths. Instead of feeling that we write the story of our lives, we see that every day is a journal page – a record of all the Lord has done for us. He is the author of our lives! With our eyes fixed on Him (not ourselves), He carries us through and writes us into the wondrous plan of His Kingdom.”

Jeremiah 10:23 states:

“I know, O LORD, that a mans life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.”

Coming to terms with the truth

So, have you come to terms with who truly is the master of your fate and the author of your life story? Maybe its time to do what I finally did: surrender all of the questions and doubts and rebellion to Creator God and trust that “Father knows best.” Because He truly does! 🙂

Your whole life will take a turn for the better as peace and joy show up in your life on a routine basis because you realize that Gods “got your back”. Amen? Amen! So be it! Come Lord Jesus!

Questions? Id love to talk to you about this!

God bless you bunches!

Awaiting His shout,


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

“Now then, go, and I, even I, will be with our mouth, and teach you what you are to say.” – Exodus 4:12 (NASB)

Spanish Language School

While in language school in Costa Rica, I struggled over basic grammar rules, the meanings of words and the tenses of the verbs. I often felt frustrated. Like Moses, I reminded God that I was slow of speech. I knew He wanted me to go out and speak anyway, even though I was afraid. There are no good excuses when He says “go”. And of course, He was faithful through it all.

WHERE do You want us to go?

Another time, after Spanish language school, the mission group sent us to Haiti, where they speak French and Creole. I felt like I could have written the book about When God Doesn’t Make Sense. I struggled with everything. I was unprepared for the culture and I again struggled over basic grammar and word meanings and tenses of verbs. I most definitely felt frustrated and actually I felt betrayed by the mission group. But once again, God’s faithfulness was evident, as He once more reminded me that it was He who told me to go; and that He would teach me what to say.

Communication is more than just words

I learned that when I smiled a lot and used my hands a lot I was able to find ways to communicate with the people of the countries where we were sent. I’m grateful that I did not let my fear win the battle. It was actually hard to leave both countries because God had been so evident in my daily survival there; and He taught me what to say, just like He promised.

Inadequacy is a condition, not a place

Just because I am no longer in a foreign country doesn’t mean that the days have ended for my stepping out and “going” when I feel inadequate for the task. He reminds us that it is the very definition of the Christian life. His sufficiency in exchange for our insufficiency. Every day. All day. No matter what. No matter where. No matter who. No matter when. He is our “How”. Always.

Let’s pray together:

“Where do you want us to go today, Lord? Thank You for the examples of Your proven faithfulness in Your Word. Help us to remember times past when you were faithful, so we have courage for today to trust You to be faithful again. Always. Thank You for the testimony of other believers. It gives us courage. May we bring You joy this day. Amen.”

Until Next Time,

Awaiting His shout,


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

In Matthew 14, the people brought to Jesus all who were sick. They begged to just be able to touch the hem of His garment. We are told that those who touched the hem of His garment were “made perfectly well”. That is a powerful statement.

I want to be made perfectly well. Don’t you?

What does it mean to be made perfectly well?

I don’t think this story is so much about physical healing as it is about being made perfectly well. Our earth-bound bodies and minds are puny and can’t comprehend the greater picture. We want what we want and we want it now. We want NO problems. We want physical healing, but there is so much more to desire than physical healing.

A courageous woman desperately in need

In Mark 5, A woman who had been ill for 12 years had spent all her money on doctors, yet she was worse than when she started. She was in need. She was desperate. She was brave. She did the unthinkable. In the midst of a crowd, she reached out and touched the hem of Jesus’ garment. INSTANTLY she was healed. Instantly she KNEW she was healed. “And Jesus, IMMEDIATELY KNOWING in HIMSELF that the power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said “who touched my clothes?”

She knew and she worshiped

The woman was afraid. She was trembling. But she also knew what had happened to her. And she knew how it happened. So, she worshiped. She “came and fell down before Him.” She “told Him the whole truth.” (Of course He knew it anyway, but this woman who had been bleeding for 12 years and was considered unclean and could have no human contact for 12 years. THAT woman knew immediately that she was “made perfectly well”. MORE than physical healing. She was made perfectly well. That is powerful.

The safest place to be

Jesus cares. The safest place is to be bowed down, reaching out to the hem of His garment, pleading with Him to give the healing that is needed. The soul healing is the greatest need of all…the soul—mind, will and emotions. This woman was desperate enough from the failure of human intervention to reach out to Jesus. Jesus was her last resort. And He made her “clean” and “whole”. Her shame was gone. I don’t think she probably ever forgot the compassion shown her that day.

Yes, Jesus heals. Some of us are healed here and some on the other side. It is a mystery.

Pray with me?

Lord, may I stay that close to you today—that I continually touch the hem of your garment—that my soul may be made perfectly well. That I may have full strength to bless—MAKE me a blessing, Lord…Help me keep my eyes on you and my hands on the hem of your garment—bowed down (in order to touch it). When I start to sink because I have taken my eyes off you, help me remember to cry out to You and reach out to You, so You can pull me out and “catch me” as you did Peter when he began to sink that day he stepped out of the boat toward You!

Please share your thoughts and experiences. Either here on the blog or privately. How can I pray for you?

Until Next Time,

Awaiting His shout,


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