No Path, No Direction

 This year the Lord gave my life verse early. I usually prayerfully ask for wisdom on December 31st in seeking a Life Verse for the year, but when I read this scripture mid-December I knew it was me in 2012. It’s in Hebrews, the Bible’s Hall of Fame of Faith, and its perfect for where I am right now in my life spiritually, professionally, personally, financially, emotionally and all those other words that end in lly!

“So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.” Hebs. 12:12-13

Contrast that verse with the ones He gave me last year and you will see how wonderful they complement each other and how this year’s verse is a natural next step in His teaching, guiding and healing.

Regarding my general walk last year, He pointed my heart to follow Isaiah 41:13.

For I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, Who says to you, Fear not; I will help you!

Then, regarding 2011 business and other such endeavors, He gave me Habakkuk 3:19:

The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!

Those who know me have often heard me say that I want the New Year to start in the worst way. I am personally done with 2011 and am not sad to see it end by any means. I do understand that it’s through trials that we grow the most, but, I am anxious for a reprieve. 2011 was marked by great loss, disappointments and frustrations – more so than  usual. I needed those verses and many times they got me through difficult times because I knew God was holding my right hand and that His army was battling for me. How I clung to those verses.

This year, due to weathering the storms of 2011, I do feel a bit stronger and need to take

So take a New Grip with your Tired Hands....

a new grip with my tired hands and thus, strengthen my weak knees. It’s time to stand firm in my Faith and know that God is in control and is going to provide. There’s no more room for DOUBT. And there’s no more excuses for me not marking out a straight path so I won’t fall but become strong! This verse is perfect.

I often teach students that if they don’t have a plan or goal, they won’t have direction. Heck, without a map or a GPS device, we get lost.

So I’m charting out a map and keeping to it. God is my compass and I Trust Him Always. He’s keeping up his end of His promises and all I need to do is take a new grip. Will you join me?

Happy New Year!

All My Best,

Cindy

When You are Overwhelmed Do You Call Jesus for Help?

My daytime shenanigans are spent in social media. I simply can’t get enough of working in this space. It’s my passion and I do think it’s my call.  I recently attended a speaker’s conference on digital media where the speaker, Trust Agent author Chris Brogan reminded us of the fact that everyone’s business is pretty much hurting. He wanted us to remember that businesses are dying and that if we can align with others, so be it the better if the partnership does makes sense.

I loved that reality check for its absolutely true. We’re all in the same boat and the waves are crashing in around us and some of us are trying to empty the boat as fast as we can.  But, I wanted to remind you (us), that although we may feel like we’re drowning or doomed that all we need to do is look around and see that Jesus is right there with us.

Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. ⁴⁸ He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning^[a] Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, ⁴⁹ but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. ⁵⁰ They were all terrified when they saw him.

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!^[b]” ⁵¹ Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. Mark 6:45-51

Are you seeing Jesus or is he walking by and you are not recognizing him? He’s there and he wants to be in your boat. When He’s there, the waves will calm and you can have His peace. We just need to recognize Him and lean into his care. Ahhhhhh.

Case in point...many of you know that I am embarking on my favorite conference this week, well in fact tomorrow.  With that, it was very important that my computer be up to snuff. I have never had any problems with it until today of course.  Five hours were spent on trying to get it to load programs and my blogs.  I had to shut it down and leave it to attend Brogan’s engagement.  As I drove to the venue, I spent that time in prayer with a friend and I believed that God would fix my problem.  Five hours later…I’m back on my computer and blogging.  God is good and He is in the boat. We just need to ask Him to join us and trust that He’ll take care of the storm.

I’ll be writing again soon.

All My Best,

Cindy

Jan Provoost’s “Abraham, Sarah and the Angel" - Man, look how old Sarah looked! Can't blame her for her disbelief.

Just when I thought God wasn’t in my daily plan, He goes and explodes upon me a heaping plate full of love.  At the beginning of summer, several things that I had taken for granted as being “sure things,” were disrupted, halted or ended. The life that was certain, suddenly became uncertain.  And it left me feeling out of sorts and well, discouraged and at times a bit hopeless. Hence, my lack of blogging of late.

So when I was staring at the walls of the pit instead of up at the stars, I really felt like I was becoming Sarah.  You remember Sarah. She was the wife of Abraham and she scoffed at what God told her husband.  I can’t say that I wouldn’t have either.  I mean if I was up in my years and beyond the natural age for childbirth, I’d chuckle too if God told my husband that I’d get my youth restored and give birth to son! That’s just too crazy for a miracle, don’t you think?

But, never under-estimate God. For He did just that. Abraham and Sarah gave birth to a beautiful son, Isaac, who is honored to be in Jesus’ lineage. This miracle of super-sized proportion actually happened. So why do I feel like and act like Sarah then?

In one of the five bible studies I am in the moment, one is Francis Chan’s “Crazy Love.” And this is what I just read today – “If life were stable, I’d never need God’s help. Since it’s not, I reach out for Him regularly. I am thankful for the unknowns and that I don’t have control, because it makes me run to God.“

So, as fall is now upon us, so is a new adventure with the season. It’s up to me to be either a scoffing Cindy or joyous Sarah.  So I’m honestly asking myself if I have enough belief in God to expect a new thing?

I mean I’m hearing and seeing His direction in my daily life– but at the end of the day do I really believe that it will come true? Do I honestly think He is cooking up something extremely wonderful, earth-shattering and unbelievable in my life? It just seems so outlandish and impossible. And isn’t that just like God to do the impossible?

A New Season is Upon Us and Its Joyous!

So, I’m going to believe and expect his favor and thank Him for it in advance. I am definitely understanding that He is guiding my path into places that are unfathomable to me and not understandable. But, I know that they are purposeful and in line with my call.

As I type this I am so excited for what He is birthing in me that I can’t stand it.  So as Pastor Chan recommends – I am thankful for the unknowns because they make me close to God. And with that, I understand, that  It’s in the uncertainty, that He becomes certain in our lives.

Stay tuned,

A Joyous Cindy

There always is a sticky side to transparency

I sat in an amazing session last week led by Alex Hamilton (The Redeemer Church) at the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit. He told us he would be talking about one of the most important issues facing the church – when leaders fall and how you handle it. Well, being a crisis communication executive, my ears certainly perked up.   Kudos to Pastor Hamilton – he did lead one of the most important seminars of the conference and what he had to say about how to handle it was spot on – he took a risk and was transparent with his congregation when his church was faced with such a problem.

Pastor Hamilton had to deal with two of his pastors who were in an affair together.  He wanted to tell his church about it and trust them to not gossip nor stone the victims. So he sent a letter to congregation stating the fact that two pastors have professed to the affair and that they were now going through a process and may or may not return.  He told the congregation that he would talk about it further on Sunday. That next Sunday, the church was packed to hear about how Pastor Hamilton was going to address the sin.

How did he handle it?  He hit it head on and asked his congregation to drop it and let the guilty parties go through the steps of healing. He said that he received numerous letters from people who thought he handled this brilliantly while others said he should have hid it from its members. Transparency is always the best way to deal with crisis.  It nips any further speculation, gossip, lies or rumors from spreading. It’s also the fastest way for a situation to blow over.  This was handled beautifully. Very impressive.

The old ways of cover-ups never really work. Eventually, as more and more lies are told to cover up the initial sin, the truth will come out. Leaks do happen.  Just read the papers every day.  Also, in this day in age of social media, it’s harder than ever to keep things under the wraps. Every one with a smart phone now has a recording device with them.

Transparency is key in every situation as a Christian, not just for church leaders.  God calls us to be transparent with Him. No matter how much we try and hide our sins and try and cover them up – He’s all knowing.  The best way out is the honest way out.  Tell God everything that hurts you and where you need forgiveness and grace.  The burdens will immediately fall off your shoulders and the baggage will be left behind.   Transparency is the key to the other “t” transformation.  Always remember the importance of crossing your “t’s” in prayer.

Thank you Pastor Hamilton for being so transparent with us.

Also, as a sidebar to this discussion, Pastor Hamilton left us with some practical steps on how to avoid temptation.

5 R’s of Resisting Temptation

• Remember who you are – a follower of Jesus Christ – A child of the king!
• Recognize the consequences of your actions – will I feel better or worse after I’ve done this. Will I be proud or ashamed? Who will be hurt by it?
• Rededicate yourself to God – stop, drop and pray
• Reveal your struggle to a trusted friend.
• Remove yourself from the situation.

What I kept hearing this morning was so simple – if I keep to it – I won’t have any problems in my life. And that message was doing what God says to me through His word, prayer and others.  The scripture just shouted this out to me for here’s what it said plain as day.

Proverbs 4

A Father’s Wise Advice

¹ My children, listen when your father corrects you.
Pay attention and learn good judgment,
² for I am giving you good guidance.
Don’t turn away from my instructions.
³ For I, too, was once my father’s son,
tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.

⁴ My father taught me,
“Take my words to heart.
Follow my commands, and you will live.
⁵ Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
⁶ Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
Love her, and she will guard you.
⁷ Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
⁸ If you prize wisdom, she will make you great.
Embrace her, and she will honor you.
⁹ She will place a lovely wreath on your head;
she will present you with a beautiful crown.”

¹⁰ My child, listen to me and do as I say,
and you will have a long, good life.
¹¹ I will teach you wisdom’s ways
and lead you in straight paths.
¹² When you walk, you won’t be held back;
when you run, you won’t stumble.
¹³ Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.
Guard them, for they are the key to life.

¹⁴ Don’t do as the wicked do,
and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
¹⁵ Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
Turn away and keep moving.
¹⁶ For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
¹⁷ They eat the food of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence!

¹⁸ The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
¹⁹ But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
They have no idea what they are stumbling over.

²⁰ My child, pay attention to what I say.
Listen carefully to my words.
²¹ Don’t lose sight of them.
Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
²² for they bring life to those who find them,
and healing to their whole body.

²³ Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.

²⁴ Avoid all perverse talk;
stay away from corrupt speech.

²⁵ Look straight ahead,
and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
²⁶ Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.
²⁷ Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil.

Doesn’t it seem so simple! God has given us this advice just as a Father should.  Read this Proverb over and over and over again.  If you follow its instructions, just as it says…you’ll have a full life.

God Bless,
Cindy

This Field is Taking A Rest Before it Produces Again.

God gave me a good word today out of a place I’d never expect it – Leviticus 25. I mean I usually skim through this book because it’s full of procedures for atoning, but He gave me a gem for those of us who are in “transition” – which is the politically correct word nowadays for unemployment.

The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai, ²³ For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. ⁴ But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. ⁵ Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. ⁶ Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you—for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, ⁷ as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten. “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the LORD.

My devotional today asked me this question – Do I have the faith to do what God required of Israel?  In essence, do I have faith to place my source of livelihood completely in God’s hands?

So if God have given me two decades of work – and now – is giving me a year of sabbatical rest – can I trust him in that?  I know it’s God will for me to be without study employment at the moment, but I never saw it as truly a gift from him of rest. For me to get my soil rich again – to give it a breather so it can gain nutrients that have been depleted over the years.  He’s ordained this.  He wants me to rest. Rest in him. Trust him.

So if you are in transition…why not say the correct word – you are on Sabbatical. A God appointed Sabbatical. See it as a gift from God and that He knows exactly what you need to get the proper nourishment.  This was never more clearer to me than last week when my back collapsed on me.  That injury caused me to stop my world for a time and forced me to rest in him.  He keeps saying to me “rest, my child” just rest.  How come that is the hardest thing for me to do?

May you find peace, comfort and rest in whatever year you are in whether on a sabbatical or working during this period.  If working, look ahead – a sabbatical will be coming.

God Bless!