I admit, I am not a gardener. I do not have a green thumb. And I am not one to spend days in a garden planting and weeding. As a matter of fact, I generally plant and weed in the early spring and expect the garden to remain in good shape throughout the summer.
The other day, however, I spent 6 hours in just one garden area of my backyard weeding and mulching. Believe it or not, I had actually weeded this area in early spring. The problem was I had never covered it with mulch, leaving it to fend for itself. A big mistake. Soil, sunlight and plenty of rain promotes growth. What grew were weeds. Wow, did they flourish! This caused the garden to look like chaos and choked out the the desirable plants.
I know that if I had covered this area in mulch and tended to it, it would have remained a beautiful area. A protective layer of mulch and a commitment to nurture this garden would have kept the weeds at bay.
What about the “weeds” in our life? You know, things like selfishness, worry, busyness, chasing wealth, trying to please others, gossip, hurt, insecurities, addictions, distractions and so many more.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes a weed like this: a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth. One that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants.
We allow these types of weeds to spring up in our life (our garden) all the time. We ignore them, and they flourish. Eventually, they have us gripped so tight. Choking our joy. Creating chaos in our lives.
We pull them. And everything is fine.
Or is it?
Have you ever pulled weeds only to see them grow back thicker the next time? Choking out the desirable plants, or in life…fruit of the spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
Why do you suppose that is?
I have found that in my life, I can’t just pull the weeds and forget about them. I need to ask God to cover each situation I am dealing with, with grace and mercy. And I must commit to nurturing my garden, not neglect it. If I don’t, the weed will slowly find a way to creep back in and take over. That’s what weeds do.
How many times have you pulled “weeds” out of your life? Do you find yourself pulling the same ones over and over? Ask God to cover the situation in a protective layer of mulch, “grace and mercy”, and then be sure to nurture your garden.
Beautiful gardens do not grow naturally. Weeds do!
“Lean on me when you’re not strong and I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on…” ~ song lyrics by Bill Withers
Physics. Not one of my favorite subjects. However, I do remember the “Sink or Float” experiment as a young child.
Do you remember? The teacher would have a clear bucket on the table filled with water and several different items sitting next to it. As she held each item up she would ask the class, “Will this sink or float?” We would give our prediction, then she would drop the object into the water and we would watch expectantly. Hoping that our guess was right.
Stone, sink. Cork, float. Marble, sink. Rubber ball, float. Coin, sink. Lego, float. We may not have fully understood at the time why buoyant objects float and dense objects sink. But what we did realize right away was that no matter how many times she dropped that same object into the water, it consistently did the same thing. If it floated the first time, it floated every other time. If it sank the first time, it sank every other time.
So is it possible to help a sinking object float? Well yes, of course. But one of two things must happen. The object cannot remain the same. Something about it MUST be changed.
1. We can change the shape of the object. We know if we take a metal pipe and drop it into the water, it will sink to the bottom. However, if we take that same pipe, hammer it out to a flat piece of metal and bend it into the shape of a boat, it will float.
2. We can attach the object to something that does float. Every time we drop a marble into the water, it will sink. But what if we take that same marble and put it on a piece of foam? It will float. By attaching it to something else that will float, the marble is able to float.
OK, so much for the physics lesson.
My question to you is this… In the midst of today’s “social distancing” procedures and “stay at home” order, are you floating? Or are you sinking? We are all being affected. Unfortunately though, while some people are able to float others are sinking.
If you are currently floating (still have a job, able to pay your bills, enjoying time at home with your family, etc), you will probably continue to float. You may experience a little bit of water flowing over top of you at times, but most likely you will rise back up to the top and continue to float. “I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the wonderful things you have done.” ~ Psalm 9:1 (GNT)
If you are currently feeling like you are sinking (lost your job, isolated alone, lost a loved one, etc) there are actually ways to get you floating again. Just like the metal pipe and the marble, you can make a change and begin floating again.
1. Changing shape. Just breathe. Did you know that taking a very deep breath and completely filling your lungs with air will make the difference of whether a person will sink or float in water? This changes the shape of your chest enough to make you float. Yes, that is all it takes… a deep breath and you will be able to float!
There may be many things in our life right now that are not in our control. So let’s focus on what we can control (attitude, perspective, gratitude). Take a deep breath. Breathe in and let the Holy Spirit create a new shape in you. “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!” ~ Ezekiel 37:5 (NLT)
2. Attach yourself to something that floats. When someone is drowning in water, they can begin to float again if they reach out and hold on to the life preserver. You’ve got this! Reach out. Hold on. Jesus is your lifeline. Read the Scripture. Pray. “Rescue me, Lord, as you have promised; in your goodness save me from my troubles!” ~ Psalm 143:11 (GNT)
Also, reach out and hold on to your friends who are “floating”. Ask and allow them to help. Right now, we all need to lean on one another. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” ~ Galatians 6:2 (NIV)
These really are different times. We need more than ever to stand on the promises of God. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33 (NIV)
“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” ― Corrie ten Boom
Have you ever peered over the edge of a 700 ft drop (216 meters)? The equivalent height of a 70-story building.
Just imagine. You are on a bridge, 700 feet above a river gorge. The scenery is beautiful. A slight breeze is blowing. You look down and see trees and boulders below you. Way below you. You think you see people looking up at you, but you can’t quite make out the small ant-size figures. The sky above you is bright blue. The white clouds are seemingly within grasp. And then the countdown begins… 3…2…1. You jump! You trust the bungee cord will not break.
Those of you who don’t like heights are probably having a small panic attack right about now.
Last month, some friends of ours were visiting us in South Africa. As we traveled along the Garden Route (the southern coastal route), we came upon Bloukrans River Bridge. The highest commercial bungee jump from a bridge in the world. The view was breathtaking. We stopped to have lunch and watch the few daring jumpers.
Bloukrans Bridge, South Africa
During lunch, our friend kept trying to decide if he was going to jump or not. He had thought about bungee jumping in the past. Now was his chance. And why start small. This was the largest bridge jump in the world! Not just in South Africa — in the world!
By the time we were finished eating. He had made up his mind. He would do it. Personally, I was thinking that he should have done this before he ate, not after.
We all went to the registration desk. The three of us non-jumpers tried not to let on that we thought he was crazy. But he was confident in his decision. This place had not had any incidents since opening 23-years ago. A seamless record of safety. He put his trust in their promise of his security.
To give him moral support at the actual jump site, and curious to see the jump from that point of view, I went out onto the bridge with him. His wife and Kurt stayed below to take pictures. Once there, several employees wrapped his ankles with velcro type straps, wound the cord around his ankles, shuffled him to the edge and gave a few quick instructions. Next thing I know, just like that, he leaped!
Remember, he knew their safety record. He had no reason to think he wouldn’t be safe. So he confidently jumped, trusting in the promise that everything would be just fine.
I’m not sure if this is how it works everywhere, but here at this particular site, once you jump, you hang there upside down until someone comes down to get you and bring you back up. It was during the wait (maybe 2 minutes) when fear set in. Not before the jump. Not during the jump. But after the jump. Fear. He felt his ankles were slipping out of the grip of the straps. He began to doubt the promise of safety.
Hanging after the jump.
Can you imagine? There you are hanging upside down over a rocky gorge and you feel like you are slipping out of the grip of the ankle straps!
How many of us have trusted God’s promises and taken the leap, and then fear we will slip out of His grip? And why? We know we can put our trust in his promises! He has a seamless record of promise keeping.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; for I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
I allowed this to happen to me several years ago when Kurt and I were moving our family of six from Florida to Virginia. I had never lived anywhere except Florida. I was born in Hollywood, grew up in West Palm Beach, went to college in Tampa and then had my first job in Orlando. I was a Florida girl through and through.
Eight years into our marriage, Kurt was offered a transfer to Virginia Beach. It was not a mandatory move, but an opportunity for growth. Should we take it? It means uprooting our family. Not an easy decision. We turned to the Lord in prayer, separately and together. We got our answer. Move.
Trusting God, we tied the bungee around our ankles, shuffled to the edge and jumped. We announced the move to our family and friends, put our house on the market, and began making preparations for the move. We knew it was what we were supposed to do. It was exciting. Exhilarating.
While we hung there for 4 months waiting for the actual move, the fear set in. What are we thinking? How can we move away from our family? How can we uproot our children? Our oldest was starting Kindergarten and would be moved after the school year started. We would be leaving so many friends. We would be leaving the church family we loved. How do we afford clothes for different seasons (this was not something I ever dealt with in South Florida!)?
What I think I was really asking was, “Will God really take care of us? Do I trust in His seamless record of promise keeping? Or now that we have jumped, will we slip out of His grip and fall?”
I am glad to tell you that the transition from South Florida to Chesapeake, Virginia was smoother than I ever expected. God kept his promise. Although I could not change the fact that we were moving away from our family, God certainly took care of all of my other fears. Our children met new friends the day we arrived in Virginia and acted like they had always lived there. Our Florida church family had a going away party and brought winter clothes for each of the kids. Our oldest who was struggling with full-day kindergarten in Florida, transitioned into half-day Kindergarten in VA with ease. People in our new neighborhood quickly friended us. We found an awesome church family right away. God took care of everything. Everything!
Have you ever trusted God, jumped, and then feared slipping from His grip? In Jeremiah 17:7 we are reminded, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.
As you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and trust in His promises, I encourage you not to fear slipping from His grip. God has an awesome record of being a Promise Keeper!
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
“Try not to get lost in comparing yourself to others. Discover your gifts and let them shine!” –Jennie Finch
Whenever we order water at a restaurant in South Africa, the question we are always asked is “Still or Sparkling?”
That got me to thinking…
Does God reveal himself to you in a still (quiet and reflective) or sparkling (exciting and exuberant) way?
It is probably safe to say that most of us have experienced both. There are times in our Christian walk when we are contemplative, seeking, listening, possibly even in a valley. Other times we are on the mountain top ready to shout the good news.
What about when you asked Christ into your heart? Did you experience a still, peaceful, quietness? Or did you experience a sparkling, life changing transformation?
I grew up in the United Methodist Church. And as is the tradition, my parents had me baptized as a baby and then I attended confirmation classes in middle school. Confirmation is a time to learn, reflect and choose for yourself whether you accept Christ as your personal savior.
I readily chose Christ, as I always believed. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t. So when confirming my faith in middle school, I did not experience a life changing, life altering, shall we say “sparkling” moment. It was just a matter of confirming my faith in public.
All was good. I was confident in my faith. A stillness in my heart. And then, I heard some friends talk about the “day” they were saved. They were born again. The exact date. The time. The place. The experience. Wow. It was such an eye opening, “sparkling” experience for them. And they will never forget it! They will remember that date forever.
Then the questions were asked of me. “When were you saved? When were you born again?” Me? You mean an exact date? Well, I don’t know. Maybe my confirmation date? Is that when I was saved? Is that when I was born again? No; I don’t believe so. But at least it was the date I made my public profession of faith. Hmm, if only I could remember that date. Then I would have an answer to these very awkward questions.
Over the years, those questions would cause me to doubt my salvation just a little bit each time I was asked. Am I “born again”? Am I “saved”? I have always believed. But I do not have a life changing, “sparkling” transforming experience to share. And I certainly do not have an exact date. Hmm, if only I could remember that confirmation date.
I started to believe that I had to have a “sparkling” conversion experience in order to know I really had accepted Christ. I found myself asking Christ into my heart over and over again. Whenever I attended youth events and everyone was invited to close their eyes and raise their hand to accept Christ, I would find myself raising my hand. Maybe this time I will experience that sparkling, overwhelming, earth shattering, life changing transformation. Then I would have a date and a story to share. But every time it was the same. A stillness of knowing Christ.
Then, as a young 20-something I attended a 4-day Christian Retreat. The weekend revolved around listening to 15 amazing talks presented by 15 different women. What I heard was so many awesome stories of how God transformed their lives. They were saved from so many different situations… alcoholism, drug addiction, abuse, neglect, bad marriages, failed relationships, etc. Their lives had completely changed when they accepted Christ. They had stories to share that would certainly help lead others to Christ.
Once again, I felt lost. What is my story? I have lived a good life. I grew up in a loving family. Never got into any kind of trouble. Graduated from college. Got a good job. And on that retreat weekend, I was one month away from marrying the love of my life (Kurt).
I started to question myself again, “Am I really saved? Born again? Can I be if I have no story to share? No sparkling, life altering transformation?
Before that weekend was over, God revealed himself to me again in a still and quiet way and reminded me of my story. A very blessed life. A story of the grace, love and peace with which He covered me throughout my life.
I am thankful that my salvation story is one of stillness and peace. Now may my life story sparkle as Christ shines through me. ~ Tracy Cooper
Have you ever felt so ill-equipped to do the task God has laid before you, that you actually lay out a fleece before God?
“Gideon said to God, “If this is right, if you are using me to save Israel as you’ve said, then look: I’m placing a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If dew is on the fleece only, but the floor is dry, then I know that you will use me to save Israel, as you said.” Judges 6:36-40 The Message (MSG)
Gideon was willing to do what God was calling him to do, but because of his feelings of inadequacy, he wanted confirmation.
There was a time when God called me so far out of my comfort zone, that I wasn’t really sure I was hearing Him correctly. How could he possibly think I was capable of doing that job?
Have you ever felt that way? How could God possibly be calling me to… confront that person?… complete that task? … handle this situation?… move my family?… change jobs?
Well, that was what I thought. I was fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home mom when our children were young. A job I loved. I always knew that was the job for which I was created. So when I started to feel restless, 15 years into the gig, I wasn’t quite sure why. Why would I consider doing anything different than what I have been doing? I am comfortable here. My family needs me in this role.
Yet, I was being nudged to do something new. Something that might take time away from my family. Was I ready for that? I didn’t know what it was, but the nudge was real.
The struggle started to take place just before Lent in 2004. Lent, a time to reflect on the life of Christ. A time to dig deeper spiritually and to self-reflect.
Many of us use this time to sacrifice something we love. This gives us time to reflect and pray whenever we are craving that “thing”.
Others of us choose to add something to our day. Daily Bible reading, devotions, acts of kindness. Anything that helps us draw closer to Christ.
I decided to “add” to my day and read through “The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For?” by Rick Warren. A 40-day study. Perfect.
As I went through the study, the nudge grew stronger. It was definitely time to do something new. And what I was hearing was it was time for me to do some work outside of the house.
Well, that is a scary thought. I haven’t worked in the professional world for 15-years. What could I possibly do now? And besides, I love being a stay-at-home mom.
So, it was time to lay out my fleece. Lord, if I am hearing you right and I am to go back to work, then you must meet these conditions. Yes, that is exactly how I said it… snarky and all.
I will work only during the hours my children are in school.
I must have all holidays and summers off with my children.
Although teaching is probably the only job that fits into these conditions, I cannot be a teacher!
I needed to know if it was just me feeling restless because my children were much more independent (10 yrs. – 15 yrs at the time); or if it was God putting this restlessness in my heart. Hence, the fleece.
Well, God accepted the challenge. He immediately dropped an opportunity right into my lap. New Life Church was looking for a new weekday Preschool Director and asked me if I’d consider the position. The thing is, my degree and experience were not in education. I knew that I knew nothing about being a preschool director (except that I was a preschool mom for many, many years).
Ok, let’s check the fleece. Surely it won’t pass the test. (1) √, (2) √, (3) √.
But wait God, I forgot to add one more condition. (4) It must be something I know how to do. God has such a sense of humor!
I knew His answer, “I have fulfilled all of your conditions. Now you must trust that I will equip you for the job.” Wow. How do you argue with that?
I accepted the job and learned that I needed to hire a new staff and purchase a curriculum. Did I mention I was not an educator? Hiring teachers and choosing a curriculum were completely out of my comfort zone. “Trust me,” I heard.
God supplied the preschool with amazing, qualified teachers and an awesome curriculum that year. And I knew that He was in control!
I was blessed to be in that role for 10 years. And I was amazed that God used me in a position I never imagined I was capable of doing. And I wasn’t. But He equipped me, guided me and provided me with everything I needed because I trusted Him.
Are you being called out of your comfort zone? Have you laid out a fleece, yet still don’t trust that God will equip you? I encourage you not to miss the opportunity God is calling you to. Trust him. If He is calling you, He will equip you!
Gingersnaps 