Pump the Breaks on Pride!

Do you ever feel that tug in your heart telling you to pump the breaks and slow down enough to let humility take over? I do. It's that whisper you hear saying, "STOP. Come to me. Don't think you can do this better on your own. I'll show you a new road filled with grace, truth, and favor."

 I fail daily at humbling myself before God, my spouse, friends, or co-workers. I let pride take the front seat, while humility escapes out of the back window and is quickly a forgotten command in the rear view mirror. Before I know it, my pride is taking me on a high speed chase down the wrong freeway, towards a cliff, a tall cliff in which I can't help but go over unless I humble myself before the Lord and call out to God for a change in direction. "Lord, hand me a map before pride takes me off the grid!"

 If you've ever been in a relationship (& I don't just mean one with the opposite sex), then pride has probably test driven through your bond with that person. Ladies, you know I'm speaking to you on this one! We have those prideful thoughts, "I look better than her. My outfit is cuter. I have a better job. My family is more normal!" GASP!!! Men, don't think you are getting off the hook that easy! "I have a better car than he does. I make more money than him."

Did you know that any thoughts, words or actions that compare yourself to another, excessive self-esteem, or any arrogance is PRIDE? Not only do those thoughts put God down, but harm your humility growth in the process. Can you imagine if your friend or spouse heard those prideful thoughts out-loud?! YIKES! If my pride was exposed more often, I probably wouldn't have a spouse, friends, or family, let alone a job. I need to keep this verse as a passenger in my heart, "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness." Corinthians 11:30.

I challenge you, next time you are feeling prideful, say that prideful thought out-loud, to yourself. How does it sound? When you say it, does it make you feel good about yourself? Is this thought or action competing with another person to be better? Can you see humility escaping out of the back seat window? If you said yes to any of the above, see below for ways to check your pride at the starting line, so you can end the race full of humility, reflecting God's glorious love & humble example!

When you are feeling prideful, go through this mental checklist to re-align yourself to God given humility.

Pride Check:
1. Is this thought/action pleasing to God?
2. Do my thoughts/actions align with God's word?
3. Do these thoughts/actions further God's kingdom or hinder my growth?
4. Would this thought/action negatively effect others?
5. Am I boasting my strengths or weaknesses?
6. Is this thought/action supposed to be kept between God & I?

Remember, James 4:6, "God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble." So today, I challenge you to humble yourself before the Lord and other's. Let humility be your gas pedal and pride be the break you quickly pump if your headed down the wrong road.

Want to read more on pride? 7 Things You Should Know About Pride

Foot Loose

"Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:25

This verse struck me today. I've been out of step with the Holy Spirit these last few weeks and in turn have created my own line dance in an attempt to keep up. It's one of those line dances that no one can catch onto. There seems to be no set steps, too many turns, off beat claps, and more than enough partner changes. A dance where the more you try, the more lost you seem to get. Meanwhile, along the way you get stepped on by too many steel toed boots and elbowed by more belt buckle wearers than you can count.

My life these last few weeks has been continual eight counts, where I never seem to make it through the full eight. I start with one, wake up and forget to pray, then onto two, make a decision fully dependent on myself, forget step three, skip onto four, and before you know it I'm stopping at count five, six, or seven realizing my joy is robbed, my truths are lies, and where I've landed is not on the same dance floor as I started. All the while leaving count eight up to chance--or should I say the enemy--who is constantly asking me to dance with him and follow his lead...as if he knows the steps!

Lucky for me (and you), we have a God that beats out the enemy himself on every episode of "Dancing With the Stars." A God that can keep up with any rhythm, every beat, and each mistake...picking us up everytime we fall. Don't let the sparkly costume, good looks, and deceptive charm of the enemy lure you away from the way, the truth, and the light of God.

Instead of moving to our own beat, let's call on God allowing Him to teach us every step of the way.

Go ahead, hold His hands, step on his feet, and just let Him lead...just like the good daddy He is.

"Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives." (Galatians 5:25 The MSG.)

Grace and Purpose

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

I keep finding myself in the same spot. I find myself constantly asking God what His plans are for me, not finding the answer I want, getting frustrated, and then I wait a few days and repeat the cycle. I start with faith and I end with a plate full of worries, too full to rely on faith. It's like eating a really bad meal, getting full, and then realizing that you could've started with a delicious dinner and dessert that would've kept you even more satisfied.

I recently read this from my favorite Max Lucado daily devotional, it reads, "When we submit to God's plans, we can trust our desires. Our assignment is found at the intersection of God's plan and our pleasures."

Let's think about this for a moment. What drives you everyday? What are your passions and your joys? What do you love to do and hope to continue doing? Everyone's answers to these questions are different as God created us to value, desire, and long for different things than our parents, siblings, and friends. He created us especially for His use and desires to use these passions that fuel you in your everyday life. We have these longings in our hearts for a reason, they are not incidental, but critical messages from God.

When we begin to get discouraged about God's plan for our lives and feel as if He isn't steering your car at all remember what Max Lucado writes, "God is TOO gracious to ask you to do something you hate."

Whew! That puts it all into perspective! I feel better reading and re-reading that knowing that God is on my side and working out His plans for my life that include my passions, goals, and dreams.

Remember, that there is a time, season, and reason for where you are in life right now. You may not love it, but God is using it to get closer to using your passions in just the way He wants. So, next time you hear me complaining, getting frustrated, or going straight for the worry buffet line remind me to read my own blog and give me a helping of faith.

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

It's always comforting to know that the God of the Universe has a specific plan for your life. One that will not only glorify him, but one that is also tucked in perfectly with His plan for the rest of the world. More often than not, we are so worried that because we don't know what the future holds, that God doesn't either. We are so antsy and quick to jump to the conclusion that if it hasn't been revealed to us, than He must not know the plan either.

Do we ever stop to consider that we may not be ready to hear the plan? Have we ever stopped so long to understand that God has us in this season and place he has us in, so that He can equip and grow us until the plan of our lives can be revealed?

Our human nature is to run as quick as we can from the dry season we may be in, but God tells us that He instead wants us to run to Him to see what He wants to reveal to us in the desert. Don't look at your past, don't focus on your future, but focus on today. God is working things in you and equipping you today so that you can be ready for His plan tomorrow. The great thing about our God is that He doesn't want to keep you from discovering His will for your life. Watch what He has already entrusted you with, and wait for Him to reveal to you how it will be used in your future.

Remember that the timing of the call is just as important as the call itself---when it is time for us to know, we will. When God shows you His plan, trust that you also have been equipped with what you need to know for now. He will always give you more when the time is right. He is Jehovah Elohim--the God who can create something out of nothing!

"The vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal, and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay." Habakkuk 2:3

Dog-Gone Thankful!

"Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands."

Psalm 63:3-4

I woke up today with a little cheer in my step, and an excitement about the day. There is nothing big happening in my day today to be excited about...I have my normal routines of the week--work and school...and I didn't even get that much sleep last night thanks to the Monster energy drink I had at noon and my two dogs. My parents are out of town and us kids are playing "doggie parents" for the week. Most of you have never met my dogs, so let me just sum them up by saying they aren't normal. Cute (in their own way), but not normal. They take over your bed at night and act as if they are just as human as you are. Yes, they even get under the warm, cozy covers and fluff the pillows to rest their head on (*See picture above of my dog, Bubba, taking a nap! :)).

For some strange reason this morning, I woke up laughing about my dogs sleeping habits. The fact that they take over your entire bed, should've woken me up on the wrong side of the bed. But instead of grumpiness I was taken over by laughter. Not just a small chuckle, but a big belly laugh at 6:56am, all because of those silly dogs! I can't say that happens everyday! Haha!

I got ready and arrived to work thankful for the day ahead. I can't take credit though, because I know it's the Holy Spirit excitedly moving in me...which I'll gladly accept. I mean who else is up at 7am to laugh about dogs with you? I came to work excited to finally have time for another blog, and began to look for verses on praise and thankfulness. I looked in my bible, looked in a topical index, searched bible gateway, and couldn't find a thing! Everything was about worry, repentance, faith, hope, etc. Don't get me wrong these are all great topics with much need for verses, but I was so surprised to find that nothing came up on thankfulness or praise. Aren't we told to be thankful in all things and in all circumstances (Phil 4:4-6), and to praise our Mighty God?

I want to encourage you today to be thankful in all things. Praise God with your heart, actions, and in prayer. Don't let a second go by that you take Him for granted or choose not to serve Him. He's trying to reveal Himself to you trough the simplest of things---a dogs love, a serene sunrise, providing a hot breakfast, a Facebook request from an old friend who's become a Christian...

This week let's make a conscious effort to give Him ALL of the praise, glory, and thankfulness that He deserves (after all, everything good in our lives comes from Him). Whether it's because your dog made you laugh, you stepped in gum and can't get it off your shoe, are facing trials and tribulations worse than you ever imagined, or are blessed beyond your wildest dreams...let's give thanks and remember Him through praise. Don't let a day go by, without a heart full of thankfulness and hands lifted in praise.

Live Strong.

"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD." Psalm 31:24

Instead of weakness, live in strength. Instead of worry, live in hope. Instead of solving it yourself, live in prayer. Instead of uncertainty, live in His promises. Instead of wavering faith, live confidently hoping in Him. Instead of uncertainty, live in expectation.

Wait Confidently. Trust Steadily. Pray Patiently. Take up your Sword. Live Thankfully. Grace Giver. Hope Unswervingly. Expect Knowingly. Love Extravagantly. Serve Generously. Tender Truth. Utmost Faith.

Move what you know from your head, into the core of your heart, let God do the work and lead you to where He wants you. Don't give up before He can complete the good work He has planned for you.

"Be brave. Be strong. Don't give up. Expect God to get here soon."

Psalm 31:24 (MSG)

I'm Coming To The Party!

Psalm 40 (The Message)

A David Psalm

1-3 I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened. He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn't slip. He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God.

4-5 Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God, turn your backs on the world's "sure thing," ignore what the world worships; The world's a huge stockpile of God-wonders and God-thoughts. Nothing and no one comes close to you! I start talking about you, telling what I know, and quickly run out of words. Neither numbers nor words account for you.

6 Doing something for you, bringing something to you— that's not what you're after. Being religious, acting pious—that's not what you're asking for. You've opened my ears so I can listen.

7-8 So I answered, "I'm coming. I read in your letter what you wrote about me, And I'm coming to the party you're throwing for me." That's when God's Word entered my life, became part of my very being.

9-10 I've preached you to the whole congregation, I've kept back nothing, God—you know that. I didn't keep the news of your ways a secret, didn't keep it to myself. I told it all, how dependable you are, how thorough. I didn't hold back pieces of love and truth For myself alone. I told it all, let the congregation know the whole story.

11-12 Now God, don't hold out on me, don't hold back your passion. Your love and truth are all that keeps me together. When troubles ganged up on me, a mob of sins past counting, I was so swamped by guilt I couldn't see my way clear. More guilt in my heart than hair on my head, so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out.

13-15 Soften up, God, and intervene; hurry and get me some help, So those who are trying to kidnap my soul will be embarrassed and lose face, So anyone who gets a kick out of making me miserable will be heckled and disgraced, So those who pray for my ruin will be booed and jeered without mercy.

16-17 But all who are hunting for you—oh, let them sing and be happy. Let those who know what you're all about tell the world you're great and not quitting. And me? I'm a mess. I'm nothing and have nothing: make something of me. You can do it; you've got what it takes—but God, don't put it off.