Mission for the Year...More Likely for Life

I've been working through the Experiencing God -- Knowing and Doing the Will of God Bible study by Henry T. Blackaby and Claude V. King. It is definitely a humbling and eye opening daily study.

Today's lesson was about faithfulness. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Heb 11:1 - NIV). The point of this lesson was what good is our faith if we don't step out and take action based on it?

This led me to journal about the things God is asking me to do and my responses (or lack thereof). Sometimes I think I am clear about what He wants me to do, then I feel like I'm redirected. I end up wondering if I misunderstood or if maybe I got distracted. Why is it such a struggle to understand my purpose? It really should be clear -- to believe, worship, and glorify God -- to be Godly in all I do. It's the 'how' that always trips me up.

So what is a Godly woman? One who knows without a doubt that God is in control and who seeks to know Him and show Him in everything she does.

How about a Godly wife? One who is a helpmeet to her husband, who honors and obeys him and helps him succeed. Then there's that love and respect thing, too :o)

And what does a Godly mom do? Daughter? Employee? Volunteer?

Maybe it all comes back to Know Him and Show Him.

So how do I get to know him better? By reading his word -- not as a story but in an attempt to understand (as much as a mere mortal can) his promises, expectations, and character. I can study with others to understand the intricacies of interpretation and to gain a larger perspective. I can pray, spending time in reverence and thanksgiving, seeking to listen more than talk (and not to fall asleep...). I can watch God in action, looking for his fingerprint in every situation.

Then how will I show Him? This one seems to be two fold -- how do I show God my love, respect, and faith, and how do I demonstrate His love to others?

God wants me to show Him that I 'get it' by praising and worshipping, in whatever way seems appropriate (and those who sit around me in church know this isn't by singing loudly!). It means doing my best in every situation because I know I am ultimately working for Him.

To share Him with others, I need to take action. I can share with words (writing, speaking, counseling) and by serving others in need. Understanding how and where to spend my time is a real struggle here. So many people seem to have a passion in a particular area that allows them to focus their efforts. I struggle to name my passion.

Maybe if I make 'Know Him and Show Him' my mantra, I'll be able to focus the actions I take. And the better I know Him, the easier it is to Show Him! Maybe my passion doesn't have to any more specific than that.

So, if you've read these confused ramblings all the way to the end, what do you think? What works well for you in getting to know God better and demonstrating Him to others? Do you struggle with a sense of purpose too?

God Instances

Some days God has to use a 2x4 to get through my thick skull. Today must be one of those days.

I've found lots of great resources for Bible study lately, so I use two devotionals, a book on prayer, and an older Henry Blackaby Bible study text on the mornings when I have quiet time. I want to have quiet time every day, but unfortunately I let the world get in my way sometimes. So instead of being on-time with lessons that are designed to be done Monday through Friday, sometimes I'm off schedule.

Today it was fascinating to see how each of these four books linked together to give me direction.

I use Stormie Omartian's book, The Power of a Praying Wife, to pray for my husband. It has thirty short chapters, each ending with specific scriptures rewritten into a prayer, so I try to read the chapter that coincides with each days' date. The prayer in chapter 30 is about a vision for the future. One of the verses is Luke 18:27 "the things which are impossible with men are possible with God."


Next I read the October 30th devotion from My Utmost For His Highest, by Oswald Chambers. Today's verse is "Without faith it is impossible to please Him..." (Hebrews 11:6). The devotion focuses on how God reveals truth in ways that seem impossible for us. Chambers says that "the life of faith says,'Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I'm going to step out boldly, trusing in Your Word.' " He mentions that stepping out if faith is always a fight, not just sometimes.

After that I opened a devotional that I'm reviewing for my blog called Jesus Take the Wheel by Stuart Migdon. I'm starting a new weekly segment about living a selfless life. It tells the story of Moses -- his birth and adoption, the murder of an Egyptian, and his flight to Midian. Migdon shows how Moses was self inspired, not God inspired, in his actions in Egypt. He believed that his own way was more rational than God's way and it took forty years as a shepherd for Moses to reframe his perspective. He could not be used by God until he had the faith to step out and take actions that would glorify God, not himself.

Finally, I worked on the next day's study of Henry Blackaby and Claude King's Experiencing God. It tells the exact same story of Moses, and asks the question, "Why do we not realize that it is always best to do things God's way?" It leads you to realize that understanding what God is about to do where you are is more important than telling God what you want to do for Him. If we don't cling closely to God and His way, he will leave us to our own devices (Hebrews 3:7-19), and then we will never experience what God wants to accomplish through us.

The message that I got from these lessons is that I am relying too much on my own 'logic' and not on God's plan. It addresses my life over the past few years (trying to define how I would work for the kingdom through writing, teaching, consulting, or coaching) and especially over the past week or so with things we are experiencing as we deal with the last days of my father-in-law's life.

God, please help me to put myself aside and focus totally on you. You know the situations we are facing and how to resolve them for your glory. Please make your desired actions clear so all involved will trust your way instead of our own. I believe there is something big you are trying to do...please don't let me get in the way!

The One That Got Away

Have you ever seen or heard something that caused you to look back at the choices you've made in your life? I saw an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about Charlene Binder, the new senior vice president and chief people officer of the Hershey company. She will oversee global human resources, corporate communications, and facilities management.

Ms. Binder is 47 years old.

I turned 47 just a few days ago, and my last job was as a human resources executive.

Our lives are very different...but a few subtle changes in the decisions each of us had made could have resulted in a sort of 'Trading Places' scenario.

Please don't misunderstand what I am writing. I'm not saying that I could take her job or that her choices are in any way wrong. Nor are mine. They are just different, and a series of small choices can end up in very different outcomes.

I don't know anything about her personal life...if she's married or has children. I do know that she has changed companies at least three times. She worked for Unilever from 2001 - 2006, and for Group Danone (Dannon Yogurt) recently. Her new job will include the benefit of unlimited chocolate.

So is this typical midlife evaluation and comparison? Maybe, but the result of this particular review is relief and peace. As I got ready this morning I thought about the things she must be going through this morning. She doesn't start her new job for a few weeks, but I imagine she's a bundle of nerves and energy. She faces saying goodbye to friends and collegues at her current company. She may be packing up her life and her family as she heads to a new location, and soon she will have to jump on a steep learning curve to understand a new company, new people, and new challenges in her job.

Today I face a quite different scenario. After we all get ready, I'll drop the boys off at school and Sammi will run some errands with me (her school is closed today due to power outages). We'll hit the bank, the grocery store, Target, and a few other places. This afternoon I'll struggle some more with my book proposal as I prepare to submit it for critique and I'll do some house cleaning. My near future includes a trip to Jackson Tennessee with my folks and Doug's parents to see our oldest, Alicia, perform her senior recital...one of the final requirements for her college graduation. Next week I'll travel to California to attend what has been billed to be an amazing Christian Writer's conference. I expect to be overwhelmed with my lack of ability and to develop a plan for improving my skills so I can do what I believe I'm being called to. My job includes increasingly limited hugs.

I wouldn't trade my life for anything. Not even all the chocolate I can eat!

Charlene, I pray that you, too, are right where you want to be in life. I wish you the best in your new position.