Merry Christmas - What are you giving Him?

Merry Christmas! I can only imagine the breath you just released. It's Christmas and all the running around have finally led to a load of food and wrapping paper left behind after opening presents. Why do we do it? It feels good to give and be together. We want our children to have more than we did. But, what does all the stuff gain them and how long will they even enjoy all the stuff? We have to remember to teach them about character, compassion, and that it is more important to store up treasures in heaven instead of all the latest games or toys.

While we are so busy getting stuff to give, are we considering the real reason for the season? God gave the perfect gift when we didn't even want it (John 3:16).  It was a case of not knowing what we needed until we met Him.  Christmas is a time for us to reflect on that perfect gift of Jesus and how we can give back to Him. 

While we celebrate this wondrous, joyous season and the amazing gift God gave, let's not forget those less fortunate. Let us follow God's example and help those in need. Many of us have so much yet give little.  One thing I've learned is the more you give, the more He will give to you (Luke 6:38).

What better way to honor Him ťhan to intentionally give of our treasure, our time and our talent for His glory. After all, it's Jesus's birthday. He deserves it. 

Praying that you have a wonderful Christmas holiday and a fantastic New Year!  Be blessed!

The Best Gifts

It’s a week before Christmas and all through the town there are families running around……buying and wrapping gifts, sending last minute cards and packages, stressing about how much is left in the budget and so many other things. At this time of year, more than any other, folks are sprinting to closest store to get those last-minute treats and gifts….in many cases grabbing things that will never be used. Why do we do that? 

As a giver, I get excited about picking just the right gift. Finding the thing that I know will bring a smile to my friend or family member’s face. I want to make them happy and let them know how important they are to me. However, I sometimes forget that the best gifts are those where I give a little bit of myself - where I create something for them or plan an adventure. Those tend to be the gifts my people remember and the experiences I remember as well. 

And, given the best gift of all time, it seems appropriate. God gave His best to us when He gave us His only begotten son more than two thousand years ago (John 3:16). God didn’t give us a material gift that was temporary and would deteriorate (2 Cor 4:18). He gave us the gift of eternal life which only comes through His son (John 14:6). That is a matchless gift. We could never do better, but we can give of our time and talents to those around us and to Him (Luke 6:38). 

We are all so busy, it’s difficult to set aside time for those who are important to our lives and to set aside time just to be. This Christmas holiday season take a look at all the loot you’re buying and giving and just evaluate whether that is the best gift you can give. Is there a way to give of yourself? Is there an experience you can organize? I know it’s a week so it can’t be a formal event, but getting together to look at Christmas Lights or singing carols or making cookies don’t take very much planning. You’ll get to make memories that will be with you no matter what comes. What gifts are you giving? Will they last? Or are they just temporary? Give your best gifts. 

Time Flies

Birthdays are times to reflect on who you are, where you’ve been and where you’re going. I celebrated another birthday last week and went on my annual birthday trip. This year, a girlfriend met me in one of favorite places and we had an awesome time – catching up and hanging out. It was great. I’m so grateful for good friends and family. I have an extremely fulfilling job where I practically impact people’s lives every day. I get to bless others as a result of how God has blessed me (Prov 11:25). In spite of the challenges, God continues to strengthen me and show me new mercies every morning. 

As I reflected over the last year, I thought of all the ways my life changed. Selling a house, moving to a new city, buying a house and all it entails, have been the major changes but there have been lots of small ones. I found a church I really like and have made some connections here. I am getting to know my neighbors. I’ve been blessed with a great group of co-workers. Sure, there have been challenges – getting my office bookshelf finished and finding a doctor, etc., but the pros outweigh the cons by far. 

So now, I’m thinking on the next year. What is my focus? I’m striving to align my life with God’s will consistently over the next year (Rom 12:2) – regardless of topics or issue. What I know for sure is that His ways are not mine and His thoughts are not mine (Isa 55:8-9), but I want them to be. I want to look more and more like Him. I only have so much time and it flies, so I need to be intentional about how I spend my time (Psa 90:12). I understand that the enemy is all about distracting me from my goals but it’s totally up to me what I do with that information. I can allow it to happen or I can do what I know to do and press forward anyway. I just have to remember that time continues to fly and there is no time to waste. 

God bless you!

What's Your Next Move?

I’ve been thinking lately that my life is good. I can really complain about anything in it. Yes, I could lose a little weight and I could save a little more money. I could give a bit more of my time. I’ve also been wondering about my next steps. I’m almost settled in my new town and home. I don’t know what the Lord has in store for me, but my career is in a great place – I couldn’t ask for a better job (outside of retirement).

So, what am I supposed to be doing? Or getting ready for? While I have this “down time”, there are plenty of things for me to work on. 

1) My health – I do need to lose a bit of weight and exercise. God wants us in good health (Psa 104:14) and being overweight contributes to all sorts of illnesses. So, while it’s not easy, I’ll be working on a bit of discipline. 

2) Enhancing my skills and talents. I regularly assess where I am and while I’ve done a lot, I still have a long way to go. The more skilled I am, the more opportunity will present itself (Pro 22:29; Matt 25:14-30). I’ve learned that many of the skills we develop are transferrable. I don’t know how they will be used in the future, but I know they will be. 

3) Finding ways to give. This time of year, there are so many in need and not enough resources, so I’m looking for ways I can give to others and inspires others to give cheerfully (2 Cor 9:7; Acts 20:35). It’s better to give than to receive. 

4) Seeking God more. I tend to have so many balls in the air all the time, I sometimes move before I seek the Lord and His will for a thing. I need to consistently seek Him first so I’m allowing Him to always lead me (Matt 6:33, Pro 3:5-6). If I lean on him and not my own understanding, He will direct me. 

So, what is your next move? If you haven’t stepped back and taken a look at your life to identify areas needing work, you should. We all have choices to make about our lives and the more reflection, the better we’ll be at making those choices. Remember, God is faithful to complete what He began in you (Phil 1:6). All the best on your journey! Be blessed!

The Power of Yes!

When was the last time the Lord led you to do something difficult? How did you respond to it? Did you doubt, question, hem and haw about what you were being led to do because of your own abilities? Did you think you weren’t good enough? Did you think you weren’t smart enough? Did you think you didn’t want to work that hard? 

I know exactly how that feels. When I was compelled to apply for my current job, I didn’t know what to think. I had acted in the position for four months prior and really liked the team and for the first time considered that a role like this one could be for me. However, I had no real desire for it or plan to move from the home that was almost finished paying for. I had plans for that house and my retirement and none of that included a move to the Midwest and the cold (it snowed last night and has been below freezing for most of the day). 

But I knew God had something more for me to do. It wasn’t what I wanted, but I wasn’t able to sleep at night until I decided to apply. My prayer – if I wasn’t hearing from God and this job wasn’t for me, that He would block it. Like I said, I didn’t want the job, but I knew He was preparing me for more. Would it be a challenge? Absolutely. But would it be rewarding and fulfilling? Probably. Would I be stretched and sometimes uncomfortable? Sure – it’s not comfortable to grow (Isa 41:10). 

I was forced to remember that God doesn’t call us to anything we can do on our own. If we can do something in our own power, it’s not God. Think about all the heroes and heroines of the Bible – nothing God called them to, could they do on their own. He always leads us to something where we have to lean and depend on Him. He will get the glory – it will not be ours. When we trust and acknowledge Him, He will direct our path (Prov 3:5-6). 

The times I’ve said “yes” to God’s will for my life have been some of the most challenging but most fulfilling overall (this one included). It’s been in those times that I’ve learned the most about Him and myself and my relationship with Him. Saying “Yes” to the Lord is never a mistake. He knows what’s best for us and because He does, our following His leading always works out for our best (Rom 8:28). Saying “Yes” to God is really surrendering our will to His will (Jam 4:8-10). Recognizing that He knows better than we do and His will is better than ours, can only bless us in the long run.

Want to glorify the Lord and be blessed by Him, say “Yes” to Him. He will never disappoint. And even when trials come, He will never leave nor forsake you (Psa 55:22; Deut 31:6). Try Him for yourself.

Love in Action

We often hear people say they love someone or something. We say it often. But what does that mean? Do we have soft emotional feelings about a thing? Do we want what is best for someone or are we more focused on ourselves? Do we even understand what love is? 

First Corinthians 13 lays out what love looks like. Love is more than a feeling. It’s a change of heart and it’s action. Love is patient and kind and is not rude or arrogant. Love loves the truth. Love carries burdens for others. It is forever. Can you say you feel that way for someone else? If so, how do you show it? Love is an action word. It is not passive or complacent. 

God is Love (1 John 4:16) and He gives to us daily (Matt 7:11), so therefore Love Gives. According to scripture, it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). So if we love, we are patient, kind, not arrogant or boastful, we rejoice in the truth and we give. While there are other traits, these stand out to me. To live in this space, we have to be unselfish, putting others ahead of ourselves and our own desires. 

How often do you put someone else’s needs ahead of your own? How often do you make time for someone close to you instead of taking care of your own wants? How patient are you with your children or co-workers? How often do you calm irritability or stop resenting others? Love isn’t always easy, sometimes it requires sacrifice (John 3:16).  But it is worth it. We are all called to it - Love God and Love our neighbors as ourselves.

My regular prayer is that God would help me love as He loves. I’m a long way from it and I can get irritated or impatient just like the next person, but I strive more and more every day to look and act like He does. I can only do that under the power of the Holy Spirit. I lean and rest in Him. Take a long look at your life and see if love is obvious in your life. If not, now is the time to seek God and change it. 

As Paul wrote, we are nothing without love (1 Cor 13:1-3). So now faith, hope and love abide, these three, but the greatest of these is love (1 Cor 13:13). 

All Lives Matter

This weekend I spent some time at the African American Museum (my first time visiting) and it was phenomenal. I only viewed three floors (the history floors) and not everything on them but the thing that was clear and evident was the strength and courage of the Africans and African Americans who came before me. It’s only due to their commitment and passion for freedom that I can sit here writing this blog. They paved the way for me to even have the opportunity to be successful by human standards. 

Along the way through the history floors, I got angry at certain sections where Black people were mistreated, abused, and thought of as nothing more than property and then I realized I was able to stand in that area. I was proud of who we are and who many of us are becoming. Are there some who are wasting their lives away and an embarrassment to me and my ancestors? Of course. I don’t think our ancestors suffered and died so some could be “free” to squander their God-given talents and abilities. We can be so much more than that but we have to make a choice to be and to do the work. But that’s a story for another day. 

As I walked along the wall and saw the names of all the slave ships that brought Africans to America, the Caribbean, Europe, etc., and all the lives that were lost per ship during the Middle Passage, I could only think of all the dreams and accomplishments that were lost due to greed and ego and desire for power. It was evidence of the truth that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Tim 6:10).  It was also clear the people who perpetrated the atrocities didn’t know Jesus in their hearts. The Bible says a tree is known by its fruit (Matt 7:16-20), so if the fruit is evil or bitter, so is the tree. Only an evil or bitter or greedy person could believe the violence and terror aimed at the slaves was okay. 

At the end of the day, all lives matter. Meaning no lives matter more than others – Black lives matter just as much as all the others. Everyone has something to contribute – some smaller than others. None of us deserve more than others – we all deserve death, but Jesus. God has given us talents and gifts (Rom 16:6) for His glory and He’s provided what we need to gain wealth (Deut 8:18), but it is up to us to live up to the potential He has placed in us. That pesky free will allows us to choose. 

When we realize all lives matter, we realize we all miss out when lives are lost or dreams die.  It also helps us to realize that we have a responsibility to support equality and fair treatment – what people do with it is up to them.  But as bringers of peace and the Good News – accessibility to the Prince of Peace is for everyone, if they choose and it’s our responsibility to be about our Father’s business pointing them to Him because all lives matter. He wants none to be lost (2 Pet 3:9), but He won’t push Himself on anyone. Your life matters! What will you choose to do with it?