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/

Water Your Seeds of Happiness

I had this one thing in my life that I'd convinced myself was absolutely awful.  When I spoke of it, I made sure to point out the negative things associated with it.  I mean I remembered all the bad things that had happened anytime this topic came up.  That's how I had trained my mind to think in regards to this thing.  

One day, I shared a picture with a friend of this "dreadful" event and he said "That looks nothing like you've described all these years."  He saw something totally different.  It caused me to wonder if it was as bad as I'd trained myself to think, or if I'd simply been watering the wrong seeds.  The seeds I'd watered had turned into bushes and bushes of thistles and thorns in my mind.  So much so, that I didn't see the roses in the garden of this area of my life.

Paul says in Philippians 4:8, "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think on these things" (i.e. water these seeds).  Mind blown!  I was indeed watering the wrong seeds. 

That one moment with my friend, reminded me that there were roses in the garden.  I just needed to be reminded of them and water them.  And the more I watered them, the more I saw their beauty, the more I smelled their fragrance and the more I appreciated their presence.  Sometimes the things that make us the happiest are the things we neglect or simply don't make time for.  But like the lens on a camera, we simply have to make an adjustment to change the focus and get a totally different picture.

What seeds of happiness do you have in your life that simply need to be watered?  Water them today and watch your happiness grow.

Love Always,

Shy

I Can't Do It Alone

I just love listening to people tell their story.  If we listen closely, there's always an encouraging and empowering thread woven through even the most painful story.  Some of the worse tragedies are laced with hope, strength, grace and triumph.  Today, as I was listening to a particular celebrity tell his story, I heard just that - hope, strength, grace and ultimately triumph.  He told of a tragic, low point in his life and how someone came along, walked with him and helped him turn his life around.  He told the story of being on the streets for 2 year, going into a drug rehab and eventually being well enough to leave rehab and live on his own again.  Upon leaving rehab, the person who had walked with him through this dark time had given him a home to live in to start over.  But when she took him to the home, he asked her not to leave him there, because "I can't do it alone."   Wow!  That really struck a cord in me.  I appreciated his honesty with himself.  Clearly, he understood his vulnerable state, his desire to succeed at a better life, and what it would take to achieve it.

I was reminded of a poem by Dr. Maya Angelou entitled Alone that says, "nobody but nobody can make it out here alone".  How often are we walking through something that we can't do alone?  Sometimes we need someone to walk with us through a particular season, while other times we need to walk with someone through their season.  Either way, Dr. Angelou was right.  We can't make it out here alone.

Ecclesiastes 4:9 tells us "two are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed".  No matter what you may be going through, know that you don't have to go through it alone.  Don't be ashamed, embarrassed, or too proud to ask for help.  Find someone trustworthy and ask them to walk with you as you grow through your situation.  Whether it's a friend, a family member, a therapist or a life coach, hold someone's hand and strive to succeed, because nobody, but nobody can make it out here alone.

Love Always,

Shy

Sinking Fear

Have you ever stepped out on faith doing what you know God called you to do and right in the middle of it you had a sinking fear?  I mean, you had absolutely no doubt that you were walking along the path that you were called to walk along.  Then, the sinking fear happened.  You started to doubt if it was God who actually called you and if you could actually be successful at it.  All the thoughts telling you it's impossible rose up, fear took over, and you began to sink.

If this has ever happened to you, then you know it can be overwhelming.  Well, you'll be happy to know you're not alone.  Peter did the exact same thing!  He was in the boat with the other disciples when Jesus called him to get out of the boat and come to him.  He was definitely called!  So, he got out of the boat and took the first step.  He apparently had enough faith to answer the call and step out of the boat.  That is, until he realized he was operating a in realm far beyond his own power.  And right in the middle of his calling, he started having a sinking fear.  (Matthew 14: 25-31)  Yikes!  What I love the most is that even in the middle of his fear, his faith was strong enough to say, "Lord, save me!"  Thank God for that mustard seed faith.  It wasn't strong enough to keep him on top of the water, but it was strong enough to know Who to call when he was sinking. 

I was reminded of this story one day when I was walking along a path that I'm sure I was called to walk.  And it was like I got a tap on the shoulder out of nowhere saying, "Hey, you know you can't do this."  WhaTTT?!  The voice was right.  I couldn't do it...in my own power, that is.  That's when my faith kicked in and I said, "Lord, save me!"  Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."  TRUST in the Lord keeps me from sinking daily.  TRUST!  It's a huge thing, and it's the only way I'm able to stay afloat.

Trust me!  Well, maybe not me, but trust God.  When He calls you to do something, He will deal with all the obstacles along your journey.  You don't have to understand the how.  You don't have to know all the details.  Your job is just to flow in His will.  He makes the way.  You just have to listen, be obedient, and flow.  And when that voice of fear speaks and you feel yourself sinking, just do like Peter did and say "Lord, save me".  He will hear you and answer every time.

Love Always,

Shy