Sometimes, God is … GOD!

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blessings, challenges, difficult life, faith, God, GOD’s love, hardships, Laura Story, life, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Omniscience, purpose, trials and tribulations, trust

Many people quote this verse at various times and sundry situations in their lives. It is a vital truth! “Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Is 55:9 CEV) God’s priorities in our life are different than ours. He uses anything and everything we ALLOW Him to use as teaching tools for our growth in Him. That means He uses our prayers and answers them as He sees fit. It means he uses Nature to teach us His Ways. He uses other people, knowingly or unknowingly, to work His purpose deeper into us. There is nothing God cannot or will not use, as we pay attention. But it is His purpose He is working out in us, not our own!

We generally seek our own comfort, ease, or wealth. God, on the other hand, is changing us (with our cooperation) into the likeness and image of Jesus Christ. (2 Cor 3: 17-18 CEV) Our Spirit is regenerated and new, but we live in corrupt bodies with unhealthy and unholy desires and habits. We all want our own way! We pray for healing, for smooth roads through the “wilderness,” for easy answers to life’s deepest questions, and we panic or revolt when we don’t see the responses we seek. Right?

There are times when God gives us exactly what we want or need. There are also times when, thankfully, God doesn’t give us what we ask for because He knows where He is taking us and what He is building into us. We seldom know.

Remember Paul’s story? He was a passionately religious man raised in the height of the traditional Jewish knowledge and traditions. So fervent was he that he chased down and murdered new Believers until God confronted him personally, like He does each of us. In that moment, Paul saw Jesus as his Messiah, and he never looked back. ACTS 9: 1-22 CEV Some believe Paul was visually disabled for the rest of his life. Paul gained a deeper revelation of God’s grace. “My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you.” (2 Cor 12: 1-10 NCV)

Years ago, I was a single soldier stationed in Alaska. It happened that I was the ONLY single girl in the small Christian fellowship on the base. I remember fervently praying for a Godly husband. A single man began to show interest, and we dated a few times. One night while praying again for “my husband,” thinking of this young man, I felt God say to me, “You can have this man if you wish, but He is not my BEST for you.” WHOA! The ball was in my court! Reluctantly, I yielded! I wept for days after I explained my feelings to the guy. We continued to be friends, and a few months later, he reunited with his fiance. Last I heard, they were living happily ever after!

We can pout and throw our tantrums, but if we are truly surrendered to Christ, we must acknowledge that He knows best. His ways are best. His plan is best. When we are securely nestled under the shadow of His wing, we can hear His heartbeat of devastating love for us and know that everything … EVERYTHING that we encounter comes through His fingers and is laced with His love to accomplish the purpose He intends. Even the traumas and tragedies that we each face at times, will produce good fruit as God redeems the situation.

Don’t hear me saying that God creates bad or difficult situations for us. That is not what I’m saying. He permits them for His purpose. Some difficulties are simply a result of our own unhealthy attitudes or behaviors, and we are simply “reaping” what we “sowed.” Some hardships are simply part of living in this corrupt world. We also have a very real enemy but, GOD is in CONTROL, right?

Do you love God? Are you “called according to His purpose?” If so, then trust that even the most painful and challenging situations that face us are meant to build the character of Christ into us, and for that, we can be eternally thankful!

MEDITATE on THIS: Psalm 139

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TRAINED FROM BIRTH

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education, goals, honor, life, morality, poetry, purpose, SGT Sanchez

Although still recovering from his injuries overseas, Sgt. Sanchez insisted on leaving his electric wheelchair to walk the flag down Main Street, U.S.A., saying “If it’s for the colors, I’ll walk”

I was born at a time when freedom was honored,
Trained from birth to be a productive adult,
Emotive and intuitive, pensive and strong,
With many gifts and talents, among them, the gift of thought.

Back in those days, Parents and Teachers actually taught;
We learned how to read, how to interpret and think,
To see life’s difficulties as training for coming events,
Fodder for the cut and paste adventures in Life.

I just don’t know how things got twisted around,
And comfort and ease became watch words and goals,
Is nothing worth working toward, nothing innately prized,
And what about morality – Is it all about fast pleasure?

I weep and I mourn for our culture of leeches,
Unwilling to work – unable to dream,
But able to kill, to rape, and to languish
Without a purpose, without goals, without freedom.

Oh people, my friends, don’t you see what’s going on;
Don’t you feel the manacles tighten with each handout received?
Don’t you sense the great insult: always underestimated,
Coddled and indulged as lies wrap around and around?

Hear me and break free; please open your hearts,
To think for yourselves as the valued creations you are;
Yes, masterpieces of ability and bundles of talent,
Nobility untried awaiting Truth to break you free.

** For Inspiration Monday via Bekindrewrite

Something Different ~ A Serenade in LOVE

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Big & Rich, Kalai, Kari Jobe, Matt Maher, purpose

Once upon a time, Americans were … Americans. We were neighbors. We helped each other. We shared as needed. We laughed and cried together as communities, neighborhoods, families. We were one nation under God!

But now, we’re too sophisticated, too well educated, too rational, or just too busy to be a community member, a neighbor, a family member, so we complain about how empty our life is. We cry out for the Government to help us, to FIX our community, our neighborhood, our family.

We fuss and fume about contraception, pro-choice, increased family violence in straight AND same-sex relationships, and unwanted pregnancies, and a general decline in civility across the nation, but cry “FOUL” when God is mentioned, when a high school valedictorian wants to pray at graduation, or Marines want a cross to represent fallen comrades.

We-the-people have shut down the Source of help, the supplier of our provision, and the guide to happiness. We have no one to blame but ourselves, my friends, and only we-the-people can correct our path – our attitude – and involve our Creator on His terms.

How important is it to you that America survive her current “testing?” How important is it to you that Americans are returned to work? How important is it to you that each American can worship as they choose without government intervention?

Hate won’t do it! Anger won’t do it! Name-calling and political games won’t do it. Only one thing is stronger than hate, than anger, than political power … genuine self-less LOVE. Not soft, sentimental, emotional love, but clear, decisive, giving love. It is the soft answer that turns away wrath! It is mercy that triumphs over justice! It is repentance that brings a second – third – fourth … chance! And there is NOTHING stronger than the love of GOD! Nothing!

Sometimes I Wonder

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"life lessons", confusion, God, grace, life, poem, poetry, purpose, shame, uncertainty

Perseid Meteor ShowerPhoto by Joe Westerberg

Sometimes I wonder why I try,
Why I always seek to find
The high road that seems untried,
Why I yearn for more,
To learn, to grow, to soar.

Sometimes I wonder what You want from me,
I give You my best,
I struggle, but I rest
In Your amazing love
That I know covers me from above.

I’m at a loss for words, it seems,
And I don’t know what is next,
Where do I put my foot,
Where do I place my hands.
I feel completely vexed.

You are my Father, my Lord, and my Friend,
Did I hear You wrong,
Did I miss your song
That floated on the tender breeze
Tell me what’s next … please.

I will wait for You and try not to panic,
I will trust in Your sovereignty,
I rely on your constancy;
You are always the same,
And in You, there’s no shame.

Sometimes I wonder why I doubt You,
Why I panic and question Your ways,
Why I long to see Your face,
Then I realize it’s Your grace,
Walking me through this worldly maze.