The Flow

Everything about this situation sounded right.  If I wrote it down and showed it to you, you would smile and say, "Yesssss".  If I told you about where I'd been in my past and posted my #currentsituation, you'd say, "Won't He do it!"  If I read you the list of all the pros, you'd say, "What is there to think about?"  Yet with all my pretty little ducks in a row and quacking vibrantly, this thing would not seem to "flow".

In the midst of my situation, I read the story about Samuel anointing the next king of Israel.  As each one of Jesse's 7 sons entered the room, he thought to himself "Surely, this is the Lord's anointed."  But the Lord spoke to him and said, "The Lord does not look at the things people look at.  People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  Samuel was in the right house with the right family at the right time, but not with the right son.  He knew he was where the Lord sent him, so he asked Jesse, "Are these all your sons?"  In essence, he was wondering "Are these the only options?"  It wasn't until Jesse called in his 8th son, David, that Samuel heard the voice of the Lord say, "This is the one."  Samuel arose and the oil began to "flow" as he anointed David.  (1 Samuel 16)   

Rereading this story shed a whole new light on things in my life.  I was so frustrated trying to make this thing flow, then it occurred to me to ask myself, "Am I trying to make something work that is not anointed by God?"  Was I looking at the outward appearance while the Lord was looking at the heart of the matter?

Sometimes we have to stop and ask ourselves what's stopping the flow?  Is it the wrong season?  Is it the wrong idea?  Is it the wrong relationship?  Is it the wrong job?  Is it the wrong conditions?  Or ask the question Samuel asked,  "Are these the only options?"  When you ask these questions, be prepared to hear the answer, because until you are truly operating according to God's plan, you will not flow in his anointing.

Proverbs 3:6 says, "Listen to God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track."  We can set the conditions, but only God can cause the "flow".

Love Always,

Shy

http://lovealwaysshy.blogspot.com/

https://www.instagram.com/lovealwaysshy/

Love (verb)

It was one of those seasons in life where my beautiful friend was going through a very tough time - a season that was cold and dark without any sign of daybreak.  She couldn't even see the light of the moon in what was her darkest night.  Love was the only thing that would bring her light in the midst of this dark time.  Ironically, even though she felt alone in the darkness, she knew her friends and family loved her.  As one of her dear friends, I knew that knowing I loved her would not be enough.  I knew love required something of me.  It wouldn't be enough to just say "I love you."  It wouldn't even be enough to just say "I'm praying for you."  In this situation, I knew I couldn't just say love, but I had to do love.

Throughout the years, I never considered love to be a noun, because I don't consider it to be a "thing".  I've always considered it to be a verb, because it requires action.  So when Jesus told us He loves us, He didn't just say it, then go fishing.  He did love.  He healed, provided, encouraged, protected, and ultimately, died for us.  He really LOVED (verb) us!

In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus gave us two commandments:
1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind
2. Love your neighbor as yourself

Sounds easy enough, right?  But how exactly do you love your neighbor?  Good question!  You love your neighbor (which can be anyone) by providing a need where there is a void - offering a kind word to the brokenhearted, extending compassion to the hurting, serving where help is needed, giving your time to the one who is lonely, offering support and understanding instead of judgement to the one who already feels condemned, and so many other ways.  Bob Goff put it best in the title of his book "Love Does", because the fact of the matter is...love does!

When I think of what Jesus meant when He said I should love my neighbor, I know He didn't just mean love (noun) my neighbor, rather love (verb) my neighbor.  So let's take it from Jesus and get busy loving.  Look around and ask yourself "What does love require of me?"

Love Always,

Shy

http://lovealwaysshy.blogspot.com/

Love Always Trusts

As a little girl, there was no safer place for me than next to my mother.  I was absolutely sure she loved me, so I trusted she would make the best decisions on my behalf.  Most of all, I trusted that even when she didn't give me what I wanted, she still had an unwavering love for me, and that love produced trust.

Now that I am an adult, I sometimes want to make sense of the things happening in my life or the things God has allowed in the lives of loved ones, but I have to remember to have that child-like trust.  If I am completely honest, I have to admit there are days when I want to have a full-blown grownup tantrum.  I want to stomp and scream and yell and demand an answer from God.  “Why can’t I have it now?!”  “Why did You allow this?!”  “When will You step in on my behalf?!”  But, I have to trust that He knows what’s best for me.

Why is it that some areas of life are so much harder to exercise trust?  Life isn't always as simple as a recipe where you follow a set of instructions for a desired outcome, and viola!  But in life there are those foggy places when we can't see what's ahead and we struggle to have faith with each step.  Sometimes we’re not even sure if we’re headed in the right direction, but one thing we can trust for sure – our Lord and Savior is with us and has promised never to leave us.  He has the ability to direct our paths, straighten out the crooked places, place signs along our journey, block certain roads, reroute us to our appointed destiny and (like FedEx) get us there on time.

So next time you can’t see the road ahead, proceed with trust.  Trust that He is there in life’s dark foggy places.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

Love Always!

Shy 

http://lovealwaysshy.blogspot.com/

Love always trusts. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Happily Ever After

I gave God the options - either A or B.  I even gave Him a timeframe in which I needed Him to have everything completed.  And somewhere along the way I even decided I should help Him get things done.  After all, we're supposed to put action behind our faith, right?  Well, I was busy "actioning".  So, it was no surprise that in a short period of time, I received my "blessing" and lived happily ever after...for about 2 weeks.

While I was busy taking matters into my own hands instead of "waiting on the Lord" (Psalm 27:14), it turns out He was waiting on me to "be still and know that He is God" (Psalm 46:10).  Amazing what can happen when we get still, quiet, trust in the Lord AND leave the possibilities open to His plan.  Suppose God wants to do something in my life that's far beyond what I could ask or imagine?  Suppose His plan not only fills my happiness, but FULL-fills my purpose?  Suppose He actually knows why He created me?  LOL!  Just suppose...

When I look at my history and how God's AMAZING grace has brought me over, pulled me under, moved me around and kept me through life's challenges, it amazes me that I continue to be tempted to get in the way.  If I've learned nothing else in life, I've learned that God does indeed have a plan for me to live my best, most fulfilled, purposeful life.  

So the next time I'm in need of answers and am tempted to give God "options" on how to move on my behalf, I've decided to leave room for my mind to be blown when He chooses "none of the above."

Love Always,

Shy

http://lovealwaysshy.blogspot.com/

Flying Partner

Fortunately, I don't have the distraction of texting while driving.  However, my biggest distractions are the birds souring overhead or flying in a V-formation to their next destination.  I find myself making the music in the car their flying soundtrack.  These birds have no idea I'm actually making up an entire story about their little bird lives.  Crazy, I know!  But I have a wild imagination (to say the least) and a serious affection for nature.

The other day, when I was driving, I saw 2 ducks flying overhead.  Since they weren't in a flock, I couldn't help but wonder if one of them was recovering from an injury and the other one was his flying partner.  As standard procedure (Yes, ducks have a standard procedure!  Don't you and your flock?!), when a duck is injured or grounded for some reason, one of the ducks from the flock stays with him until he/she is able to take flight again.  What an awesome support system!

Wouldn't it be nice if we automatically had that same system in humankind?  If one of us were "grounded" for some reason, another one of us would walk with us through the healing until we were able to soar again.  

This brings me to a particularly time in my life when I was going through a tough situation and felt "grounded".  It was awful!  I mean I was down on the ground with a serious broken wing, but God was so good to send me a friend who stuck with me until I was able to fly again.  This friend wanted absolutely nothing, but to see me soar.  I was so grateful to God, because he sent a friend to be the flesh of His promised word in Isaiah 41:10 - "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

So, the next time you have a friend who is down, I would encourage you to interrupt your regularly scheduled flight to sit with them, encourage them, help them until their strength is renewed and they are able to take flight again!  Being a flying partner isn't just for the birds!

Love Always,

Shy

http://lovealwaysshy.blogspot.com/