Have you ever wondered why you are the way you are? Have you ever looked around and said, ” If only I was like Jane, or George or Sally…because they have red hair and mine is brown or their eyes are green and mine are blue?”
As humans we are always comparing ourselves to someone else. Why? Because we have failed to grasp that we have been intentionally and uniquely designed by God and have been placed where we are, at this specific time for a unique purpose.
God has put us here to shine for Him…to share His love, in a way that only we are can do. In God’s perspective, there’s no one on this earth that He has not designed for a reason.
Ephesians2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ , Jesus to do good works which He has prepared in advance for us to do.”
In my new book, “Disaster! Around the Bend”, I introduce you to Jan, who is a quirky little twelve-year-old girl. She is the youngest member of her family and feels like she has missed out on the genetic material that she needs to make her special. She hasn’t got the brains of her sister Susan nor the confidence and skill of her brother Brad. She is fearful of everything new and now she is faced with moving away from familiar friends, her family farm and her best friend, Gaston. She looks up to God and asks, “Why?”
But God has made her unique, for a special purpose that she will only discover through trials. You see, just like these majestic mountains are formed through the impact of catastrophic events like volcanoes, and tectonic plate collisions, so, too are we molded and shaped through adversity and trials…for purpose.
Our God is not random…He designs with a plan in mind. Each step chosen to achieve the goal for which He has made us. Never doubt, that our God has a purpose for all of us. Big or small, God loves us all. No matter what the trial…look up and trust, that God is in control.
I was studying Philippians 4:6,7 this morning in my devotionals and I was struck with the thought of how often I let my worries take over…to dominate my thoughts. They interfere…because I let them. I realized that I need to give my head a shake, because I know that God has a plan for my life, I know that I am His, I know that I can trust Him. So…I half-heartedly give my woes to Jesus, and He doesn’t instantly take them away. Why not? He is able…the Bible says so. For that matter, why do I have troubles anyway. I am saved, I am assured of eternity…then why am I still burdened?
Because God knows thatI need them to grow!
So life goes on…full of troubles, worries and concerns. If allowed, these things can take over our lives. They can dominate our thinking and leave us weak and weary, unable to function. They can swallow up our joy, destroy our relationships and poison our attitudes towards home, work and people.
They can carry us along ona river of despair.
Well, it’s time to jump out of that river…swim for shore, my friends.
But this is Not the life that we are designed for.
This is NOT what our God has planned for these momentary trials.
YES…God is involved in our troubles…He is aware of our problems…
He is not absent when DISASTER strikes.
He says in Romans 8:28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
We do not control our own destiny, God does.
When worries threaten to sweep us away…
Be INTENTIONAL…give them to God…
And the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds (Phil 4:6,7)
By guard, I think that God means protect…shield from the fiery arrows of Satan, who will blow our problems all out of proportion, so that they dominate our lives. By giving them to God, we take this weapon away from the evil one.
Romans 8:31,32
“…If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Think about it…I certainly will. I am going to be Intentional about trusting God with my problems.
Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His Word, just to rest upon His Promise, Just to know, thus saith the Lord
(Lyricas by Louisa Stead)
Hi Everyone:
I started writing this blog, this morning to share a little bit about the new book that I have written, entitled, ‘Disaster! Around the Bend’. But this song was mentioned in my devotions, earlier and I just can’t kick it out of my head.
I bet most of you have sung this hymn at some point in your lives. It’s a classic, written over 100 years ago, but I think that the words still ring true, today. The world we live in is filled with struggles…wars, famine, family breakdown and financial ruin. But so was the world 100 years ago…even 1000 years ago. Mankind has always struggled and likely will continue to do so.
So that begs the question, “How can I go on, how can I live well in this world?” The only answer lies in this song…JESUS! He alone provides the wisdom to go on (The Bible), and The gift of peace (His promises).
Things will happen to you, that you won’t understand, just as they have happened to me. Often I have looked up (because somehow, I always picture God as sitting in the heavens) and asked God…Why? God, generally does not answer that question in the way that I expect, but directs me to His perfect answer…found in Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
In this passage, God asks us to trust Him…so today, I’m once again going to try to JUST DO IT.
I’m going to try…I know I won’t be perfect at this, since I’ve tried before, but God does not give up on me, nor on you.
So, how does this tie in with my new book? Well, Jesus and faith, tie into practically everything I write and the new book, ‘Disaster! Around the Bend‘ is no exception.
Picture an adventurous family – the MacLeans; a family with a mom, dad and three children. It’s got all the regular family dynamics going on – a brilliant older sister (Susan), who simply knows everything, a middle brother (Brad) who considers himself an expert in all outdoor skills and the youngest sibling (Jan) who is funny, quirky, clumsy, chattery, loud and weird (she talks to donkeys…and all other critters). This is Jan’s story…told by her. Under all of her external characteristics lies a little 12-year-old girl who is afraid. Jan has hidden this guilty secret under her bubbly-blustery veneer for years. But suddenly she can no longer hide it…it spurts out for her whole family to see on their annual canoe trip…then the journey begins!
This book is a story about Jan’s journey from cowardice to courage. It’s a journey that changes her life perspective and her siblings as well. Join the fun…discover the secret that saves.
I bet that you are wondering about the title of my blog today? Well as you might guess, it has something to do with my Goat Tails books. Above is a picture of Scruffy having trouble again, as he so frequently did in Scruffy Finds His Way and in SuperScruff. In this picture, Scruffy has just landed right smack into the middle of Pudgy Pig’s mudhole, where he gets pretty stuck. Poor Scruffy, he’s always up to mischief, which usually turns out badly for him, even when he’s trying his best to do something good. I think that many of us are like that too. And sometimes seemingly bad things happen to us or around us that we do not instigate…unwanted and unwarranted…downright unfair.
How are supposed to deal with these events in life? Well, as usual the Bible has some suggestions. It tells us in Romans 8:28 – that ALL things work for good; the good, the bad and the ugly, for those who LOVE the Lord. Now what’s that supposed to mean? It means that even when apparently bad things happen that God has full knowledge (though he doesn’t make them happen) and has a plan to use these events for our good…for KINGDOM goals.
Nothing slips by God. He is always at work and is always aware. Let me give you an example. I was reading this morning in the book of Esther – chapter 4 about the pivotal time in Esther’s life. A time where one decision on her part could mean her death and the death of her kinspeople – the Jews. Esther was the Queen and she had the opportunity to save her people from annihilation, but perhaps at the cost of her life. A huge decision and a frightening one. Esther 4:14 it says, ” …and who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Well, Esther prayed and fasted, with her friends, then made the decision to act and her people were saved.
This story and many others teach us that God gifts each one of us for a specific purpose, which He will make known to us as we watch and pray. Each of us are special, placed on purpose in a time and a place to do His work. Ephesians 2:10 says, ” For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
I am so encouraged by this. I have been made for a purpose, and I am special to God and here’s the big news…so are you!
Have a great day, Lynn.
P.S. – A new book in the Goat Tails series will be launched late this fall…entitled, Even Pigs…Have Purpose. Surprise!! Watch for it.
Today I’m going to comment on a topic that I think all of us have thought about at some time in our lives. And that is…”Ger, life is not fair!” (I’m sure some of you are wondering about my spelling of the word…Ger, well that’s kind of a joke. You see, my husband and I were hiking in Newfoundland and found the half-sign that I am pointing at in the picture and it reminded us of the disgruntled sounds our very ferocious Jack Russell Terrier makes when he doesn’t get his way…haha. )
Ok…back on topic. “Ger”…I’m not really complaining, I’m just commenting on the vast number of times that things don’t work out as we think that they should. You know- like when you work really hard at your job or on a project at school- you do your very best and you are certain that your best is good enough to win the prize…the promotion, the recognition, the gold medal. But at the end of the day, some “nobody” who hasn’t worked half as hard as you wins that coveted reward. Outwardly you smile and sometimes congratulate them, but inwardly you scream…”not fair.” In this world we expect to succeed. We expect the rewards for effort. We expect to be able to be “number one” at something…perhaps always. We take aim at our chosen targets, put in our best effort and go for it, with our own power and strength. Then DISASTER strikes. We lose the race, miss the goal, lose our health, lose a loved one, fall off the cliff that we’ve climbed…just when we are about to say…”ta da.” And we sit down and cry, “not fair.” Sometimes we look up and ask, “where are you, God?”
Oh, my, why do we suddenly blame God, when we haven’t really consulted Him before? Probably because we do not wish to blame ourselves. Now that we’ve fallen off of our pedestals, and are sitting in abject defeat, we have time to ponder…our condition, our goals and our relationship to God.
In the Bible, God presents a different picture of our relationship with Him, of our potential goals in life, of what our expectations should be. He says, “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-58 If there was one “person” on this earth that could scream, “Ger…not fair,” it was Jesus, who came to earth to live an unmatched life of service and love, then was judged guilty by sinful mankind and put to death on the cross…for what? For loving us so much, that he sacrificed himself for OUR SINS. Totally not fair, totally LOVE IN ACTION.
So, next time I get lost in my own projects and plans and am tempted to “Ger…not fair,” when things don’t work out, I plan (I hope) to stop, breath and thank the Lord who made me for giving me an opportunity to grow.
In my devotions this morning, I read, “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” Psalm 145:18 And that got me thinking.
What do I do, when the storms of life hit…you know, the really bad stuff, like sickness that just won’t go away, like a cancer, it just hangs on – ruining your life. Or the death of the person that means the most to you or the loss of the job that has brought meaning to your life. Or the storms that catch you in the middle of a lake, with no place to land- temporary but terrifying. Disasters!! What do I do? Cry, get angry, turn so moody that no one can help me or calmly face them?
Well, I can tell you one thing. I couldn’t possibly face the disasters of this life, without God. He has promised in the verse above to be always near to those who call upon Him. Ah…that’s the key. He never leaves me, nor forsakes me, but I leave Him. When times are good, when I’m paddling in calm waters, I tend to forget the God who got me there- who was with me all the way. I pat myself on the back and offer inward congratulations for a job well done. How foolish I am.
Ah…but when disaster strikes, I run crying to God for help. And He does! Oh, He doesn’t always lift me from the pit that I dug, then fell into, nor does He always cure my health issues nor bring back the person I love. But, He always brings me peace…in the presence of trouble, that sustains me and helps me to go on. So next time the storms of life descend upon you…call, call, call upon Him, while He is near (Isaiah 55:6), because we know that He always hears us.
I went out a few mornings ago for my regular early morning prayer walk and as I walked I noticed these two trees, growing side by side along my path. I pondered why one tree was tall and straight while the tree right next two it was twisted and misshapen.
Both trees were reaching up to the sky for light, both were fairly tall, both were deep rooted and strong, yet something had obviously happened to the twisted tree to make it take a different route to reach the sky. But what?? Well, I suppose I will never know…but it got me thinking about life.
No two people travel exactly the same path in life. Each of us have events in our lives that change us. Sometimes wonderful events, like love and marriage or amazing accomplishments at school or work or sometimes disasters…troubles. Sometimes events are by choice and sometimes they just happen to us (or seem to), but whatever the cause, these moments in life shape us…like this tree was shaped.
God says in His Word, that He is “in” the events of our lives and that He uses these events for good, for those who love Him. Romans 8:28. Hmmm, all events? Yep, that’s what He says. Lots of us have gone through catastrophic, even ugly events in life, surely God doesn’t mean those? I think that He does. He knows the beginning of our stories and the end and everything in between. He sees what we do not see and asks us to trust Him to carry us through the nasties of life…will you trust Him? I do.
Today, I want to consider friends. In particular, the friends that we can go to when disaster strikes. My husband, Bob is my best friend. Throughout our 48 years of marriage, we have had tons of adventures…some fun, some really scary. He’s the one person that I would call…go running to when disaster strikes.
Who is the first person that you would call? Your parents, your siblings, your neighbour, your donkey (cat, dog or guinea pig)? Who?
In my latest story, “Disaster! Around the Bend”, I tell the tale of a young girl, whose best friend, her most important confidant is a pet donkey. She would tell all her deepest secrets, her wildest ideas, her saddest events to him, first. Why? Well, because he has all the qualities of a great friend…he is a great listener, he accepts her as she is, he is always available, he never betrays her trust, he never shows disapproval and he never scolds her- likely because, as a donkey, he can’t really speak. I have a dog that I, also talk to; who has the very same characteristics as this donkey, and I can assure you that he doesn’t always give me good advise (not in words, but in looks and actions).Like when I’m a little turned around (aka- lost) in the bush and I ask him to show me the way home. More often than not, he leads me astray, following some rabbit trail…totally unhelpful in getting home. And while, he doesn’t exactly talk, the looks he gives me, clearly proclaim, that if I am dumb enough to follow him, surely I deserved to be more lost than I was to begin with! A prime example of the necessity of choosing better friends!
Yet, while it might seem perfect to have a critter or a friend that wouldn’t voice their opinion of our actions, I think that most of us value friends, whose opinions are based on love and respect, who are there to help us sort out / live through our disasters. Like I appreciate, Bob’s wise counsel…even though it might make me feel uncomfortable at the time. I know, that his words come from love…from a desire to help me.
Well, the Bible tells us that God is an even better friend, than my husband or my dog…He is the perfect friend. He is all knowing, all wise, mighty in power, all loving, all caring and always available. While He doesn’t always choose to remove my disasters, because my disasters help me to grow, He does promise to be with me, always. An ever present help in trouble. He’s the best friend that I have. He loves me and you beyond understanding.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
John 15:13
Now…that’s a friend! Tap into that friendship, today…don’t wait for the disasters of tomorrow.
Today, I am going to start a new series of blogs about the unpredictable things that happen in life. You know…the car won’t start, you miss the bus, you wait until the very last minute to get a work assignment done and the computer fails-leaving your work stuck inside or you perhaps, go over a falls. Ya, those regular everyday, ordinary DISASTERS!!! But it doesn’t matter how big or small they are, a disaster is a personal catastrophe- something impactful to you. So, how do you face the disasters in your life? Do you run away screaming or do you calmly accept them?
As a Christian I am supposed to accept and even “count it all joy,” when these trials of life occur. That’s pretty hard to do…impossible, I would say, without the Lord. But that’s just the point, isn’t it? It seems that it takes the disasters in my life for me to realize that I just can’t cruise through this life without God-at some point I am bound to discover that I need His power, wisdom and strength to make it. We all do. There is no one strong enough to meet all the trials of life, alone.
Psalm 46: 1,2 says, ” God is our refuge and strength an ever-present help in trouble, therefore I will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountain falls into the heart of the sea.”
The psalmist is not talking about any lightweight disaster here, he is talking about an earth shattering occurrence, yet we are told not to fear. Why? Because God is our refuge and our strength. Believe it and apply it by faith to your next…Disaster!
Life is a journey. From beginning to end…it is filled with the delights of discovery and the drudge of disasters. All of us experience good and bad during the course of our journeys. Most of my books look at the adventures of my life, in an attempt to discover the lessons…lessons that have helped me to grow. And growth…spiritual growth is the purpose of events both good and bad in our lives. God uses these times to change us…to make us into the Super people He has designed us to be!
Today I am going to continue the road to discovery of what it means to be “Super” according to God. We are told in the Bible that God created each of us for a special purpose that He designed for us before the earth was created (Eph2:10). In fact Ephesians 1 also tells us that as believers we were chosen before the creation of the world…that means chosen before we had a chance to do anything…nothing that would prove that we were worthy of being called Super. Well, that thought blows me away, since by nature I am an eager, beaver, over achiever- but apparently it is not the daily things that I do that make me Super in God’s eyes! That puts God firmly in control…not me…how humbling!
Over the next few blogs I am going to share one particular story with you…a crucial part of my journey, that really caused me to change my view of God.
This journey began with having to learn who God really is. What is your view of God? This is an important question to ask yourself because it will impact your reaction to events in your life. Do you view God as all -powerful, all- knowing, the designer, Holy and inerrant, but also all-interested in us as individuals…as Love itself? Or as your personal slave?
If your view of God is that He is in charge…He’s the boss, then when troubles come you will pray, believing that He is working out the situation for a good purpose…His purpose. (Romans 5:3-6, Romans 8:28-30))
The problems that God allows in our lives give us the opportunity to be patient, which develops strength of character. We need to learn to trust God…until our faith is strong.
Real Faith brings practical results…it brings Real Peace, because we know, really know that God is in charge of everything and is working out everything for a good purpose.
Our pathway to this type of Real Faith is our journey through life’s difficulties and trouble.
One of the pathways to this discovery for me, was having to move from Manitowaning to Massey…join me on the journey… I entitile this story, “I do it myself”, because that was the way I approached this journey…I was in charge of this change…little did I know, how wrong I was!
I do it Myself!
At the time of this story I lived on Maple Grove Farm in Manitowaning, onManitoulin Island with my husband Bob and three children…RandiLynn-14, Joan-13, and Bill-9
It was a lovely farm, with lots of room for the kids and animals…where we had friends, and good fellowship but where there was very little work as a pharmacist. Unfortunately, I had to work…full time in order to keep the creditors away!! Over the years, Bob and I had accumulated quite a bit of debt, starting with student loans for university, then endless loans and mortgages accumulated from the necessity of moving for work 4 times following graduation! Anyway the bottom line was…we both had to work full time! But on Manitoulin…at that time, there was no full time work for me, only for Bob. We tried everything we could to make full time work out of part time positions, but they all involved lots of travel and no sure pay cheque.
So in the fall of 1996…we prayed! Prayed for work and for help with the debt, which we finally admitted was a problem! And God answered our prayer with a job offer! It was a great offer…great wage, full time managing a store, benefits, Monday – Friday work…no nights, no weekends! Perfect for the family! There was just one small problem…it was in Elliot Lake…200 km away!
We discussed the job with the family and prayed again, for clarity.
But this is where my problem really began…you see in my mind I felt that if God had given me this great job, then He was going to solve all the seemingly huge issues involved in taking this job and He would do it NOW! (because I wanted Him to…since I was in control)
NO ONE ELSE in the family wanted to move…but they grudgingly accepted the need for it and unhappily agreed!
I took the job!
I was elated, I was excited, I was expectant of a quick answer to my prayers…I was in for a BIG shock…because God does not work in our timing, but His!
My view of God was that He was…My personal Genie in the Lamp…I rubbed and poof…He performed!. This was the time in my life to learn a valuable lesson…that God sometimes says NO, in answer to my prayers!
Ponder that thought, then join me next time to find out how I responded to this new revelation. So long for now.
shield from the fiery arrows of Satan, who will blow our problems all out of proportion, so that they dominate our lives. By giving them to God, we take this weapon away from the evil one.
Hi Everyone;
