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God, Where Are You?

Homeless Man in Subway

The disciples wanted to know the answer to that question. They thought they had it all figured out.
Their Savior (from the Romans) had arrived and would conquer their enemy. But, then He died. He left them. Why? Why did He leave them? How could they ever go on without Him? How could they have been so wrong about Him? He died! And worse yet, they thought someone must have stolen His body from the tomb! They were lost. They were purposeless. Can you relate? I know I can!

And then, He appeared ALIVE in their midst

“The touching part of this story is where and how Jesus appears…He doesn’t call the disciples to the temple, or to some other place to see Him. He comes to them where they are, both literally and spiritually. He shows them that He’d kept His promises.” – Anchor devo, July 2022

I love that Jesus meets us where we are, just as we are. No pretense. In real life right where we are, spiritually and literally.

Object lessons

God is faithful to send object lessons along the way in order to solidify any lessons He is currently teaching us. Often, for me, it comes in the form of a song, a devotional, a comment from a friend, a radio Bible lesson, or a movie. And often, it comes in all of those things one after another. I guess I am a bit dense, so He has to repeat His messages to me in multiple ways. THIS week, it is about God meeting me right where I am.

Movie title

The title of this post is actually the title of a movie I watched this week: God, Where Are You? The man—the subject of the story–had been on top of the word. Famous. Rich. With lots of “friends” and admirers. And then his world totally fell apart and he was homeless, filthy, hungry, and absolutely alone.

Kindness reminders

The movie is actually a great reminder of our mission on earth. To help those God sends our way to see that God does indeed meet us right where we are. Everyone. Always. We don’t have to wait to be (almost) perfect, in order to help others (as we discussed last week in the post.) To LISTEN to their story. To feed them when they are hungry. To NOT TAKE OFFENSE when they get angry with our lame attempts to help. To be PATIENT with them in their inability to trust that we don’t have a hidden agenda in our helping them. There are so many lessons in this movie. I hope you will take the time to find it online and watch it with an open heart to what God might be teaching you through it. We all need kindness reminders that God is in our midst. Always. Sometimes the smallest act is exactly what is needed to begin a mindset shift.

A dark tunnel

One of the characters is a woman that had found her way out of the dark tunnel of homelessness. Malachi encourages each of his “customers” (as he refers to them) to keep a gratefulness journal and to write down each thing that BY CHOICE they are grateful for. This woman had learned “Being grateful for all that I have is the biggest step to get away from what I didn’t have”.

It reminded me of life coaching. Yes, it is important to look at the past because it made us what we are today, but it is important to not stay there. Rather, to look to the present and what we can be grateful for and then to look forward to what is possible. To NOT GIVE UP!

We CAN. With JESUS

So when we ask: “God, where are you?” He responds: “I am right here with you every moment. Look for Me and you will find Me!”

All things are possible…

ALL things are possible. All THINGS are possible. All things ARE possible. All things are POSSIBLE. Always! To God be the Glory! Don’t give up!

Gratefulness Journal

Those of you who know me well, know that I have kept an Ebenezer (Thus far God has led me) Journal every since I went through a very difficult crossroads. It can be like throwing a life raft to a drowning person. To choose to walk in an attitude of gratitude and keep a gratefulness journal to read when you go through dry seasons…as a reminder of what He has done and so will do again! To help those God sends our way, to see that God does indeed meet us right where we are. Everyone. Always. Whether we realize it or not. HE is faithful. We don’t have to wait to be (almost) perfect…We can start today…

Amen? So be it!

Discover Living From Your Strengths (LFYS) Life Changing Mentor Coaching.

Do you have questions? Through the Ministry Insights assessment, you will Discover your strengths. And then, through mentor coaching, you will learn how to daily Embrace and Live out your strengths. You can contact me by clicking on the blue button beside the signature line. Or leave me a private message on Facebook.

Leading from Your Strengths

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,Strengths Mentor Coach — Tags: , , , , , , , — Pam Taylor @ 7:00 am

Expectation Management

Perhaps Today

Download Photo for Your Desktop

Today is the seed for tomorrow.

When we decide that we have come to the end of ourselves, and we finally surrender to the Lordship of Christ, we come to Him as broken vessels in need of repair and restoration. ONLY GOD can do that. Some come with expectations that there will be an instantaneous change. Some expect that wealth and prosperity will follow. Some will sit back and have the mental attitude that they will merely wait for Christ’s return. Some will believe that all relationships will be restored, thinking they can bypass consequences of previous decisions and actions.

Giving and getting.

Some will believe they can pay the bills and have some fun, and whatever is left over, will go to God. The only problem with that is God asks for the First Fruits, not the left-overs. He has expectations, too. He expects to be FIRST in every aspect of our lives. He instructs us to GIVE. He promises that then, it will be given to us, good measure…running over…However, the GETTING is not to be our GOAL. The GIVING is to be joyful and off the top. The BEST. FIRST. THAT is GOD’s expectation before He grants ours. He wants our hearts. Not our leftovers.

Time management.

Some will daily meet with Jesus to get their marching orders for the day. And to surrender their will for His will. To submit to God so we have the strength to resist the devil, so that he will flee from us. It is a moment-by- moment conscious decision to follow after Jesus.  Managing our time to give First Fruits of time to developing a relationship with God is essential.

THY Kingdom come.

“When you pray, pray ‘Your Kingdom come’ and ask God to rule in your life until He returns to rule the world.“
{However}…”Before we can pray ‘Thy Kingdom come’, we must be willing to pray: MY kingdom GO!!!” –Alan Redpath

“Your Kingdom come…” Is our agreement and expectation of God’s right to rule!” –David Jeremiah

God’s Kingdom is within us. He is always in our midst! Are we living our lives with that expectation? That understanding? We must choose to manage our expectations from worldly expectations to Godly other-worldly expectations.This world is not our home. We are merely passing through. And then we enter eternity.

God’s will.

God’s will and God’s rule are the same. God’s will is always done in Heaven.
It is done on earth when we submit our will to Him—as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane”
(See Luke 22:42 ) – David Jeremiah

What about you? What is an expectation, anyway?

Expectation: ”The feeling or belief that something will or should happen.”
— The Cambridge English Dictionary

Expectation: “A mental attitude. A prospect of future good or profit. The degree of probability that something will occur” — Dictionary.com

Synonyms: Expectancy, anticipation, hope, trust.

Verses about expectations

In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice;
In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.

Psalm 5:3

“And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in You.

Psalm 39:7

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

1 Peter 1:3

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

Luke 6:35

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13:12

What seeds are you planting, friend? What are your expectations? Do you have some re-planning and re-planting to do? Tomorrow may come sooner than you planned. What if TODAY is the day of His return? For over 30 years, I have had this quote (the graphic) on my kitchen counter. It is part of my expectation management. It helps keep me focused.

Perhaps Today

“Don’t get too comfortable here. This world is not your home.
It’s a transition place. He’s coming for me”

Discover Living From Your Strengths (LFYS) Life Changing Mentor Coaching.

Do you have questions? Through the Ministry Insights assessment, you will Discover your strengths. And then, through mentor coaching, you will learn how to daily Embrace and Live out your strengths. You can contact me by clicking on the blue button beside the signature line. Or leave me a private message on Facebook.

Leading from Your Strengths

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

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Loaves & Fishes Coaching

“…Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

Philippians 4:8

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 7:12

“Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore, love is the fulfilling of the Law.”

Romans 13:10

After a walk by the swimming area of the lake today, I prayed for the men of our town. How difficult it must be to control their thoughts with so much FLESH visible that it leaves little to the imagination!

No matter what the foolishness of the current culture is trying to tell us, men and women are different. In all aspects. And I am praising the Lord for that. I wish I knew how to get that message out so it would truly be heard. My soul was grieving at what we are becoming as a society.

(As I was walking away from the area, today, I thanked God I am not a man. I’m not sure I would be strong enough to keep my thoughts pure. It’s not just on the beach, but also around town.)

Then I noticed some men sitting alone–some in cars–some in work vans (the names of their businesses were on the side of their vans)…They just sat…looking toward the swimming beach. I prayed for them to take their thoughts captive.

(There were plenty of parking spaces by the sea wall where they could have sat and not viewed the FLESH that leaves little to the imagination…and yet they were there…at the swimming beach area…just sitting and watching.)

I began to fear a bit for the women and the young girls. And to pray that they will be wise and thoughtful to help men to wrestle LESS with their thoughts, by choosing to reveal less. To be feminine and modest. To be prudent and wise and kindhearted.

On my way back home from my walk, I prayed some more for the men and boys of our town. That they will be strong and resist following through with the temptations that their eyes cannot resist. It’s not MY idea…

God made His message clear Throughout the Old & New Testament:  Job said in Job 31:1 (Good News translation) “I have made a solemn promise never to look with lust at a woman.” And Jesus said in Matthew 5:28 “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  And James in James1:14, 15 taught, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed…”

May women see the need to not entice men and may men choose wisdom and strength and look away.

Lord, have mercy.  We desperately need You. We are weak but You are strong! To God be the Glory!

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!

–Adapted from a post from 2015. Still very relevant today. Sadly so.

 

Personality and Jesus

Do you know who God created you to be? Have you ever stopped to think about how your personality affects the way you interact with others? Find out more in this new book by Pamela A. Taylor.

Personality and Jesus

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

Acknowledge He Is God.

Loaves & Fishes Coaching

For many years, I have added to a list of requests for God. I pray through the list daily. However, I was beginning to realize something.

First, I’ll give you the prayer list. Then, at the end, I will share with you, how God opened my eyes. Ready? Here goes…

Father, Please…

  • Make me a blessing (to bless means to bring out the best in another)
  • Give me favor
  • Give me wisdom
  • Give me understanding (of that person/situation)
  • Cleanse me of anything not of you
  • Lord, refine and purify my motives
  • Protect me, Lord, that I may be your “yielded vessel”
  • Give me integrity and contentment
  • Don’t give me the desires of my heart if it brings leanness to my soul
  • Give me discernment and knowledge
  • Don’t allow me to enter into temptation
  • Give me strength for today
  • Bring me to the one you have prepared
  • BE my strength
  • Lord, what would you have me do today?

He opened my eyes

I was beginning to be aware of something new.(Of course there are specific things that God tells us to ask Him for.) But…these things on my list…subtly, without realizing it,  I had been believing if I didn’t pray these specific things, they wouldn’t happen. Then, this last week, I suddenly realized, as a follower of Jesus Christ, I already have all those things. He promises to provide all our needs in these earthbound lives.

Then, I remembered…As with any gift anyone gives us, we have to reach out and receive what has been given.

My suddenly was to realize… My prayers needed to be tweaked. They have now become prayers of gratitude for each of those things in my list–for what He has already given. And to believe He means what He says.

 

Thank Him for His blessings

My prayers are now...Father, Thank You that You have already supplied all I need for every situation. You have blessed me beyond measure. You had already given me what I had all those years been asking for. Forgive me for thinking it depended on my asking for them. I just needed to receive what was already offered. (A small “tweak” but so very important.)

Rather than “GIVE me…” or “I need… I say “Thank You Father, for…”

I now choose to believe and embrace what my Father has already given.

I still go through the list daily, but now it is a reminder of my blessings rather than a list of requests.

I thank Him for His patience with me as I continue to learn what it means to be a fully devoted follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank Him that He continues to convict me, teach me, disciple me, forgive me, and love me through the many seasons of life.

What about you?

Has God tweaked your prayers, or has He taught you something new lately? Please share…

Until next time,

Personality and Jesus

Do you know who God created you to be? Have you ever stopped to think about how your personality affects the way you interact with others? Find out more in this new book by Pamela A. Taylor.

Personality and Jesus

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
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