Guest Post: 21 Days to Clarity, Day 4--Follow the Process

Hello new friends. Unless I hear otherwise from my commander and chief (Julie), this is my last guest post here. Julie will be returning from Kiev Saturday evening. I'm sure she has so many wonderful things to share.

Thank you for your hospitality and your comments. You made me feel very welcome.

Praying you hear God speak today,
Sandy

God knew exactly what He was doing when He called me NOT to home school. It’s not that I don’t think home schooling is wonderful and beneficial for the entire family. I do. And had God blessed me with a different temperament, we would have chosen that path. But if I home schooled my precious kids, as much as my children and I share mutual love and adoration, I fear we may hurt one another. See, the tension level rises exponentially in our home whenever a certain child needs certain assistance with a certain subject. The names have been omitted for obvious reasons.

It usually starts off with a simple request of, “Mom, will you explain this to me?” and a simple reply of, “Certainly.”

Then I start to look over the material to figure out what she’s working on, and she immediately starts to get frustrated that I have to look back through the entire chapter to refresh my memory. She seems to forget that although I graduated from college with honors, it’s been about 31 years since I did fifth-grade math, and therefore takes about 31 years to figure out how to answer her question.

Anyway, once I get a handle on the material, I generally try to guide her through the entire mathematical process so she can answer the problem on her own. Her irritation with me escalates because now she KNOWS I know the answer, but instead of just telling it to her so she can get on with her life, I’m walking her through the problem, line-by-line, step-by-step. And, not only that, but I’m making her show her work.

“Mom! Just tell me the answer! I don’t need to go through this whole problem again! ARRRRRRRRR”

“Yes, you do. If you learn it now, it will help you solve all the other problems like this. I’m not doing you any favors by just giving you the answer. Math is like building blocks…you learn certain principles and then you build on them blah blah, blah blah blah blah blah blah….”

Usually, about this time, she’s rolling her eyes and mumbling something like, “I’ll just ask Mrs. W. in the morning…” While I’m hovering over her shoulder lecturing her about lining up her decimal points.

And it goes downhill from there.

And herein lies the reason I send my kids to school.

In the practice of hearing God’s voice, I’m so much like my daughter. It usually starts with a simple request of, “God will you tell me what to do?” and a simple reply of, “Certainly!”

But it isn’t long before I start to get frustrated. See, I know God knows the answer. And I know that if He wanted to, He could speak clearly enough for me to understand—either audibly or through a vision or by way of angel or SOMETHING—anything to just give me the answer so I could obey and get on with my life. That seems like the easiest, most logical and most efficient thing to do, doesn’t it? But God doesn’t usually just “give” me the answer. He starts guiding me, directing me, convicting me, wooing me.

The Lord is trying to teach the people a lesson;
he is trying to make them understand his teachings.
But the people are like babies too old for breast milk,
like those who no longer nurse at their mother's breast.
So they make fun of the LORD's prophet and say:
"A command here, a command there.
A rule here, a rule there.
A little lesson here, a little lesson there." (Isaiah 28:9-10 NCV)

While God knows the answer to my question, He also knows that it will serve me better to guide me through a spiritual process. Serving God is like building blocks. The initial principles we learn never change, but instead provide a foundation upon which we build everything else we learn. Going through the step-by-step progression while we are seeking direction reinforces those Biblical truths and teaches us vital spiritual insight. Insight we will need tomorrow and next year and 31 years from now. Insight we will need for future hearing—future serving.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matthew 7:24-27)

So if today, you are rolling your eyes at God and saying, “Just give me the answer already,” remember that understanding the spiritual process will serve you better in the long run—so you can serve HIM better in the long run.

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If you would like to read all 21 day of this series, click here.

21 Days to Clarity, Day 3-Abide, By Sandy Cooper

Hi Julie's friends!!! I'm still here guest posting, running a series I did on God Speaks Today last year. Here's another clarity-producing post for you. Enjoy.

~Sandy

When it comes to Bible translations, I’m a New International Version kind-of-girl. Modern language. Easy to understand. Bible translation for the simple-minded (like myself). What’s not to like?

Except today. Today I’m all over King James. Some of ye often tarry therein, but I have not so much dwelt within the pages of this ancient translation of late, since discovering God hast given us more moderneth translationseth.

But today, I journey back to the KJV because of the word “abide.” The translators of the NIV used other words to translate these passages, but not our friend King James. He liked the word “abide.” I liketh it, too.

Main Entry: abide

Pronunciation: \ə-ˈbīd\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): abode \-ˈbōd\ or abid•ed; abid•ing

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English ābīdan, from ā-, perfective prefix + bīdan to bide; akin to Old High German ir-, perfective prefix — more at BIDE
Date: before 12th century

transitive verb

1 : to wait for : AWAIT

2 a : to endure without yielding : WITHSTAND b : to bear patiently : TOLERATE

3 : to accept without objection

intransitive verb

1 : to remain stable or fixed in a state

2 : to continue in a place : SOJOURN

synonyms see BEAR, CONTINUE


As in:

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)

And


He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1)


And also

Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. (I Corinthians 7:24)

I’ve been thinking about this word all day and its relevance to hearing God’s voice clearly. And I’m wondering if maybe one of the reasons we don’t hear Him speak often or at all is because we don’t choose to abide in Him.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (John 15:4)

I remember as a new Christian reading scriptures that commanded me to pray without ceasing. I didn’t get it. Prayer was a deliberate act, often performed on the knees or in some proper prayer position, completely alone or with other believers who were also deliberately performing the act of prayer in proper prayer position.

When would I go to work? When would I go to school? When would I eat or sleep or hang out with my friends and family? How was I supposed to live a productive life if all God wanted me to do was pray all day? I mean, seriously, our church held services four times a week (and I did my best to show up to each and every one)…wasn’t that enough?

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. (I John 2:28)

As I learned more about serving God, I realized God never intended for me to separate my secular actions from my sacred actions. There was never really meant to be times I did God-things and times I did human-things.

But rather, a life that abides in Christ knows how to intricately integrate the two.

I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. (Psalm 61:4)

There are times when God calls me away to a private place to speak with Him and meditate upon His word. And surely there are times when I go to the house of God to worship with others in the body of Christ. But the other twenty three hours of the day, He simply calls me to abide in Him.

Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. (Psalm 15:1-2)

When I walk through life obeying God’s commands for me, doing good for the people He’s placed in my life and meditating on the truth of His word, I’m abiding in Him no matter what else is going on at the moment. It doesn’t matter if I’m working or resting or playing or eating. Those are just details.

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. (John 15:10)

Acknowledging God in everything I do—from the mighty to the mundane, from ministry to the orphans mopping up the floor—keeps my mind fixed on His holiness and His plan for my life. It helps me remember that every single minute of every single day is to be used for His purpose and for His glory.

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. (John 12:46)

And in doing so, I create a clear path through which God can speak to me. See, if I’m consciously living to trust and please my Savior, He delights in revealing more and more truth to me. He wants me to know Him and His will for my life. Really, He does!

But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. (I John 2:27)

And the more He reveals to me about His character and His purpose for my life on this earth, the more I long to abide in Him. What a wonderful cyclical effect!

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5)


How about you? Do you find your life to be a juggling act between God-things and human-things, or have you struck a balance and learned to abide in Him? Tell me about it…

Guest Post: 21 Days to Clarity, Day 2 Read the Bible, by Sandy Cooper

I told you this would be basic. I don’t mean to insult (or bore) any of you with the obvious, but I, for one, could use some reminding every now and again about the basics. Reading the Bible is one of those spiritual disciplines that is always at the top of my list of priorities, but is usually the first to go when I’m short on time. Why is that?

Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word. (Psalm 119:37)

Maybe it’s because in the U.S. we live in a culture saturated with Christian things: Christian music, Christian coffee houses, Christian books, Christian blogs, Christian schools, Christian calendars, Christian bumper stickers, Christian picture frames, Christian fast food. Living out our busy lives in the midst of our Christian culture can lull us into a false sense of intimacy with God and the Sacred Scriptures. I’m not saying having a Bible verse scrolled across your coffee mug is a bad thing. I’m just saying, on busy days I find myself resorting to whatever scriptures I happen to bump into along the way in order to feed my hungry spirit. I would never feed my physical body that way. Why would I treat my spirit-man with such neglect?

I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word. (Psalm 119:16)

When someone tells me she has a difficult time hearing God’s voice, either in general or about a specific situation, the first thing I ask her is, “Are you spending time in the Word?” I often ask myself the exact same question. And inevitably I find that the people who spend the most time reading and studying the Holy Bible are the ones who hear God’s voice most clearly.

Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are ever with me.
I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts. (Psalm 119:98-100)


And even if they do not hear Him on every single matter, the ones immersing themselves in the Truth are the ones with the most peace and the most trust concerning the silence.

Your statutes are my delight;
they are my counselors. (Psalm 119:24)

I realize God can and does speak to individuals through dreams, visions and audible voices. Individuals who have neither knowledge of nor access to the written Word. Over the years, I’ve heard many missionaries report this sort of thing when reaching a remote area or people group. But if you are reading this blog (i.e. have access to the internet, and therefore access to the Bible in every known translation at the click of a mouse) then that ain’t you. And it ain’t me.


Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
for I believe in your commands. (Psalm 119:66)

We are the privileged generation of believers who have unlimited and unrestricted access to the Word of God. I have no excuse for letting days and days go by without so much as picking it up and cracking it open, much less studying it, meditating upon it, and writing it on my heart.


Give me understanding, and I will keep your law
and obey it with all my heart. (Psalm 119:34)

So today will you turn over a new leaf with me? Today can we decide that if we want to hear God’s voice, then we must make the Word of God the top priority of our spiritual lives? Not to add another thing to our to-do list. Not to give the Enemy one more thing for which to condemn us if we fail to follow through. But instead, to get us intimately acquainted with the One whose voice we seek!

Because if you ever wondered what God’s voice sounds like, I can tell you with 100% assurance that it sounds exactly like His Word.


Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long. (Psalm 119:97)

Guest Post: 21 Days To Clarity, Day 1: Ask, By Sandy Cooper

Just in case you didn’t catch the name or the purpose of my blog (God Speaks Today), I believe with all my heart God still speaks to His people today. I also believe God wants us to know what He’s saying: namely, His plan, His purpose and His will for our lives. I believe He does not find it amusing in the least that most of us don’t hear Him very often, or at all.

In fact, I believe He created each of us with the ability to hear His voice with crystal clarity, and one aspect of His perfect will for our lives is to learn to discern His voice with that crystal clarity. Furthermore, I believe (this is starting to sound like the Apostle’s Creed), the problem with the lack of hearing rests solely with the hearer (me and you) and not at all with the Speaker (God).


I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob's descendants, 'Seek me in vain.' I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right. (Isaiah 45:19)

And that, in a nutshell, is what drives me to do what I do on my blog week-in and week-out.


I don’t know what you believe about hearing God’s voice. Depending on your religious background, this concept can sound impossible, improbable, fanatical, heretical or normal. Depending on your experience, it may seem intriguing, boring, frightening, frustrating or exciting.

But just for kicks, I’d like for you to try to lay aside any preconceived notions you may have about God speaking and just try to approach it from a fresh perspective. At least for the next few days. Because today begins a new series I call 21 Days to Clarity.

Each day, for the next few, I'll introduce you to one simple concept that, if applied, will bring you closer to hearing God’s voice. No frills. No hype. Just simple and basic truth.

Since I only have the rest of this week to share on Julie's blog, it will be more like "Four Days to Clarity" and you'll have to come to God Speaks Today for the rest of it.

Day One: ASK


“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him." I John 5:14-15

One of the best pieces of advice I received as a new Christian was this:

When you open up your Bible to read it, ask God to make its meaning clear to you.

I chose to take this advice a step further. I not only asked God to clarify the meaning of the Word, but I also asked Him to help me to fall completely in love with it—fall in love with HIM.

“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:22

As a teenage girl armed with a big ‘ole King James Version—a version with an over abundance of “thee’s, thou’s, hath’s and verily’s”—that advice literally changed my life. From day one, every single time I cracked open my Bible, I first breathed a prayer asking God for clarity and passion. And God answered my prayer.

“I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” John 16:23b

Over the years, I’ve continued that prayer with greater intensity and greater faith. And in the last ten years, the prayer has taken such deep root in my heart that it has become the very focus of my ministry. No, I don’t always understand everything I read in the Bible. And no, I don’t always know exactly what He is saying to me at every moment of every day. But it gets clearer and clearer all the time. And it all began as a simple desire that I expressed to God in the form of a simple prayer.

You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:14

So today, as we begin our 21-day search for clarity together, I can think of no better advice to give:

Ask God for it.

“Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights." Isaiah 7:11

Ask Him to help you understand His word. Ask Him to help you discern His voice over the other voices in your head. Ask Him to help you recognize when He is using someone else to speak into your life.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

No fancy formula here. Just be sincere. And be yourself.

"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” Matthew 18:19

I’m praying for you like never before that the next 21 days rock your world. See you tomorrow for Day 2.

Guest Post: Today When I Look in the Mirror, by Sandy Cooper

Happy Friday to all my new friends at His Love Extended! Over at my blog, God Speaks Today, I have a weekly feature I call Fitness Friday where I discuss all things fitness and nutrition. I thought I'd introduce you to the series by posting one of my all-time favorite editions.

I hope you like it.

Blessings,

Sandy

Today when I look at my face, instead of leaning into the magnified, lighted mirror analyzing each pore, each scar, each blemish, each stray eyebrow and each new wrinkle I will thank God I can see…

I will marvel at the multiple colors inside my eyes, and how they seem to transform depending on the day, the mood, and the colors around them. I will thank God I have senses that allow me to smell my coffee, my pumpkin pie-scented candle and the sweet aroma of my children’s skin. I will remember with joy instead of regret, each day of my youth spent in the sun without my SPF-15.

Today when I brush my teeth, instead of focusing on the two bottom teeth that still overlap, despite two years of braces and many more with a retainer, I will thank God I can eat…

I have the ability to chew, taste, swallow and properly metabolize food. I have unlimited access to food. While others in the world have no idea when their next meal will arrive, I live in abundance and excess.

Today when I step out of the shower and begin applying moisturizer to my legs, instead of focusing on the dry skin, increasing cellulite and decreasing muscle definition, I will thank God I can walk…

I can chase my spirited children in circles around the couch and carry them up to bed at night. I can dance with them in the kitchen and leap out of my seat to cheer at their sporting events.

Today when I get dressed, instead of focusing on the c-section scar across my abdomen, I will thank God for the miracle of birth…

The fact that I was able to assist God in creating two human beings, who grew from single-celled organisms to actual people inside my body simply blows my mind. I will praise God that I live in an era where doctors know how to get babies out of bellies by way of surgery, so they can live and not die.

Today when I examine my arms, instead of focusing on the fact that I still cannot do more than two pull-ups to save my life, I will thank God for my strength…

I can embrace my husband and tickle my children and sit at a computer and write and write and write. I can lift laundry baskets and bags of groceries and gallons of milk. I can brush tangles out of hair and adjust little neck ties with elastic bands. I can pull fitted sheets over mattresses (which is way harder than a pull-up) and tie double knots in little shoes.

Today when I swallow my daily anti-depressant, instead of focusing on the fact that I hate taking medication, I will thank God that I am not depressed...

I will celebrate the doctors who researched and developed medication to help people with depression. I will thank God for allowing me to live in a time where these medications are available and in a country where they are accessible. I will remember every doctor, therapist and friend who supported me in my sickness.

Today when I look in the mirror, instead of focusing on every flaw, defect, limitation and deficiency, I will thank God I’m alive. Instead of allowing myself to become overwhelmed with the day’s tasks and responsibilities, I will praise God for a new day. An opportunity to love my family and my friends. A day to color a picture with Elliana, have a pillow fight with Elijah and listen to Rebekah play a new song on her violin. A day to express to Jon how much I appreciate his commitment to me and the kids. A day to open up my home to a friend and connect over coffee.

Today I will remember my friend Lisa, whose life turned upside down a few days ago** when she learned she has a rare and aggressive form of cancer.




Who over the next few days will not be folding laundry or tying double knots in little shoes, but will be sitting in cold doctors’ offices discussing treatment and prognosis. Who will be lying helpless and motionless at the hand of a surgeon as he removes this evil intruder called cancer. Who today, is not at all noticing her lack of muscle-tone or her sunspots. Who today, is living in perfect and total clarity about what is important and what is not.

Today when I look in the mirror, I will look past the imperfections and instead, see the miracle.

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**Update: This post originally ran on January 29, 2010. My friend Lisa finished her last radiation treatment this week and is now cancer free! Thank you, Jesus!!!!! You can read about it here.



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If you'd like to read another Fitness Friday post, come over to God Speaks Today where I'm talking about Eating Clean. I'm also having a give away for a $25 Target Gift Card!

Guest Post: Can God Trust You with the Silence? By Sandy Cooper

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."

When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.

Can you imagine the silence in the household of Mary and Martha in the days following Lazarus' death?

Silence, except for the weeping at the loss of their brother.

Silence, except for the questions expressed between sobs and moans...

"Where is Jesus?"

"Are you sure you told him Lazarus was really, really sick?"

"What is taking him so long?"

"Why isn't he coming?"

"I thought he loved us..."

In June of 1998, I lost my precious 9-month-old son, Noah. Though I was surrounded by loved ones comforting and aiding in funeral preparations, the silence was deafening. Frightening, actually. For the first time in my life, I found myself questioning God's motives and His ability to act on my behalf.




Like Mary, I was comfortable worshipping at the feet of Jesus. I loved spending time in His presence, soaking up every word coming from His mouth. I was Jesus' friend and I knew it. I never hesitated to run into His arms whenever I needed Him.

But here I was... instead of receiving divine healing, I was sitting in a hospital room singing lullabies to a shell of what used to be my baby. I was loading my car with an empty car seat and a bag of baby boy clothes. I was picking out caskets and floral arrangements and wording for an obituary.

And in the chaos of the days that followed, all I heard from heaven was silence. Silence except for the questions expressed between sobs and moans...

"Where are you, Jesus?"

"Don't you know that Noah died?

"What is taking you so long?"

"Why aren't you coming?"

"I thought You loved me"

"I thought I loved you..."


Oswald Chambers in his book "My Utmost for His Highest" has an incredible perspective on God's silence:



Has God trusted you with His silence— a silence that has great meaning? God’s silences are actually His answers. Just think of those days of absolute silence in the home at Bethany! Is there anything comparable to those days in your life? Can God trust you like that, or are you still asking Him for a visible answer? ...His silence is the sign that He is bringing you into an even more wonderful understanding of Himself.

Are you mourning before God because you have not had an audible response? When you cannot hear God, you will find that He has trusted you in the most intimate way possible— with absolute silence, not a silence of despair, but one of pleasure, because He saw that you could withstand an even bigger revelation. If God has given you a silence, then praise Him— He is bringing you into the mainstream of His purposes.


The mainstream of His purposes.

I love that.


Though twelve years ago on that devastating June morning, I never would have comprehended what God would do in me in the next several years as a result of losing my son. Certainly, no one could have explained to me that God was bringing me to the mainstream of His purposes, or giving me deeper revelation . That He was entrusting me with anything or bringing me into intimacy.

Quite frankly, I could not have cared less about His purposes, revelation or intimacy. All I wanted was my baby.

In those days and months following my loss, I pounded on Heaven's door and demanded a response...because of the silence. I screamed. I fought. I yelled. I cried. I beat my pillows and I threw things across my kitchen...because of the silence.

I wrestled with God. Literally. With truths I previously thought to be sound, but now questioned. With clarification as to who He was, exactly. And what He promised and did not promise, exactly. With whether or not I could trust a God who would give me parking spaces I prayed for at the mall, but would deny me the healing of my little boy.

All because of the silence.

Slowly, carefully, lovingly, God spoke. And I became aware of the fact that He never really left, He was holding me more tightly than ever.

He said things like
I love you.

Ask me anything you need to.

Don't give up.

I am with you.

I understand.

I know.

Trust Me.


Unlike Mary and Martha, I never received an explanation as to why Noah died (I plan on getting that first thing the other side of Glory.) Nor did I receive the miracle of Jesus raising Noah from the dead. (Trust me, I asked Him.)

The miracle I received was my resurrection.
God took me from a crumbled mess of tears and sorrow and transformed me into a woman full of joy and expectancy. He took me from one doubting the goodness and power of God to a woman who now falls on her face daily in awe of God's bigness. From a woman asking, "where are you Jesus?" to a woman who confidently shows others the way.

Can God trust you with silence?



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If you would like to read more about Noah's death and how God spoke to me through the storms of my life, read my series God Speaks Through the Storm

Guest Post: Behind the Scenes and Silent, by Sandy Cooper

At the time I have decided, my words will come true. You can trust what I say about the future. It may take a long time, but keep on waiting--it will happen! Habakkuk 2:3 (CEV)



The day was glorious. After nine long months, I was about to give birth to my daughter, Rebekah. Because of some prior health complications, she would enter our lives by way of scheduled cesarean section. We arrived at the hospital at 6:00 am and spent most of the morning waiting—for a room, for the nurse, for the doctor. Now, nearly six hours later, I was strapped to a table, flat on my back—waiting again for the procedure to begin.


(FYI...this is not me but a lovely, albeit nameless, model)

I was completely numb from the chest down, and a curtain hung between me and the surgeons, blocking my view entirely. My husband Jon stood at my side holding my hand—with a bird’s-eye view of both my face and my belly. I waited patiently (sort of) while Jon and I exchanged nervous smiles.

The pregnancy had been of the “long and difficult” variety. Even though I knew I would be giving birth shortly, I was tired of waiting. If I could have been tapping my foot at that moment, I certainly would have been. The doctors hovered quietly over my belly for what seemed like an hour—saying nothing. I could only see the tops of their heads. At this point in the game, I was in the final stretch and ready for it all to be over.

Jon, a man of few words, had nothing much to say. Assuming he would give me a play-by-play once the doctors began to cut, I waited for them to make the first incision…

“When are they going to get started?” I thought. “What are they doing down there anyway? Why haven’t they begun the surgery?”

Finally, I whispered to my husband, “I wish they would hurry up and get started—can you please ask them when they are going to start the c-section?”

I will never forget my husband’s hilarious response:


“Honey, your guts are all over the table!”



“Ahhh! They are?!”


I was shocked. I had no idea. I felt nothing. And because there was no verbal communication, I assumed nothing was happening. Moments later my doctor held up my beautiful baby girl—and before I knew it, my life changed forever by Rebekah’s entrance into the world.

I am currently in another season of waiting…literally and spiritually. I am literally waiting for children in carpool lines and baseball games, waiting for traffic in the long commute to and from the children's school, and waiting for Jon to come home after a long day. I am spiritually waiting for direction in my ministry, waiting for doors of opportunity to open, and waiting for prayers to be answered.


To top it all off, I am waiting for my feelings to change about my circumstances. Frankly, I’ve been doing a lot of foot-tapping lately.

I feel idle.

I feel unproductive.

I know something is supposed to be happening, but I can’t see it, I can’t feel it, and no one’s talking...so I assume nothing is happening.

Why won’t God act?

Why won’t He speak?

Doesn’t He realize that He can change my circumstances in an instant?

Has He forgotten that He’s got me strapped to this table and I can’t move?

But I wonder if maybe I’m just under a kind of


“Godly anesthesia.”


How painful—indeed, unbearable—surgery would be without it. I’m wondering if I were granted a bird’s-eye view of my life, if I’d see that the Great Physician is on the other side of the curtain cutting away my fleshly desires, removing impurities that hinder my ability to hear His voice, and stitching wounds so deep that even I don’t know they are there.

But also, in His infinite love and mercy, He is protecting me from both the pain and the details of the procedure. The curtain and the silence have a purpose. It seems the silence does not indicate a lack of action on God’s part, but rather a lack of perspective on mine. Maybe—just maybe—my guts are lying all over the table…and I’m just moments away of giving birth to my dream.

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If you would like to learn more about Hearing God's Voice in everyday life, visit me at God Speaks Today.

Blessings,
Sandy

Guest Post: The High Value of Humility, by Sandy Cooper

"Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth...he [God] said, 'Listen to my words: When a prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal myself in visions, I speak to him in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord.'"
(Numbers 12:3,6-8a)


Do you want God to speak to you more clearly? Don't you think it would be awesome to see "the form of the Lord"? (I don't even know what that means, but it sounds really cool.) The fact that you are reading this blog tells me you probably do. I do, too. But oftentimes, doesn't it feel more like God is speaking in riddles?


Foggy.

Patchy.

Muted.

Muddled.

For me, it sometimes seems as if He's purposely withholding His direction from me altogether. Seriously, what's that all about?

"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
(James 4:6)

One thing I'm coming to understand in my pursuit to hear God more clearly and more often is the high value God places on humility. The following statement sounds downright ridiculous to me now, but early in my walk with God, I didn't think I had a problem with pride.


By my definition and in comparison to other "really prideful people" I knew, I was doing pretty well in the humility department. The sermons on pride were for bragadocious people. The in-your-face, I-can-only-talk-about-how-great-I-am people. The people who thought they were all that and a bag a chips.


I knew I wasn't all that or a bag of chips. So what was the problem?


Well, God decided it was about time I learned what the problem was. He enrolled me in what I like to call The School of Pride. I'm not sure how long I'll be here or what exactly is required to pass. I'm pretty sure I'm still a freshman, though I've been taking classes here for several years now. I hope some day to graduate. But I'm starting to think maybe graduation day is simultaneous with my passing from this life. I am certain that it involves some sort of death.


"It is in the death of self that humility is perfected." ~Andrew Murray


Anyways, at The School of Pride (TSOP, as I like to call it), God shows me all the ways I'm full of pride. Sometimes, He reveals something to me quietly and privately in a sermon or a book. That's not too bad. But mostly, I don't really "get" it unless the lesson involves other people and some level of embarassment. My embarassment.

It isn't very fun. But it is very, very necessary.

"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." (Proverbs 11:2)

I think my biggest lesson I'm learning in TSOP is how much of what I think, say and do is rooted in pride. For example:


1. My irritabilty, impatience and short-temper...that's pride

2. My need to incessantly plan and control my life...also pride.

3. My confidence in my ability to handle whatever life throws at me...pride.

4. My need to defend myself until I'm at the very least, justified, and at the very most, completely understood...yep, pride.

5. My strong opinions about other people, their parenting techniques, religious beliefs, music preferences, spending habits, blah, blah, blah...pride, pride, pride.


"This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." (Isaiah 66:2)

I want to hear my God when He speaks to me. I sincerely want to be purged of anything that hinders this line of communication. And if that means I stay in TSOP for the rest of my days, then so be it.

I'm learning more and more what true humility looks like. And it looks a lot like Jesus. Exactly like Jesus, actually. And not very much like Sandy.

I'm learning that I don't have to have it all together, hold it all together or keep it all together. God wants to do that through me.

I'm learning that despite the fact that I've had a great life so far, I really can't take any credit for it. God chose my family, my birthplace and my DNA. Not to mention the fact that He set my beating heart in motion and keeps my brainwaves waving. I don't have anything to do with that.

I'm learning that to be truly humble doesn't mean thinking less of myself, but it means to think of myself less.

I'm learning that I really do have a lot of weaknesses, and God is OK with that. In fact, He's been waiting a long time for me to realize how weak I truly am so that His strength can be perfected in me and His power can rest upon me.


I'm learning that God wants me to run after Him with every ounce of energy I have. Total abandon. Radical obedience. He wants me to use every good and perfect gift He has given me for His glory and for the advancement of His kingdom.


And at the end of the day, all God really wants from me is complete and total dependence on Him. For the breath. For the strength. For the wisdom to do what He created me to do.


That's true humility. And that, my friend, will open our ears to the voice of the One who longs to speak to us.

See you in class. Good luck on the test.

Blessings,
Sandy
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If you want to learn more about hearing God's voice, come visit me at my blog, God Speaks Today

What Do You Hope to Leave as Your Legacy?

T.E. Lawrence once said, "All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds awake to the day to find it was all vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for the many act out their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible..."

In a recent interview a dear friend of mine asked, "In the legacy you leave, what is one thing you hope out shines before all others?" (You can read the entire interview Friday at: http://robinsnest66.blogspot.com/

What a great question. What a great thought to keep hold of. Robin's question stirred my thoughts, especially as I prepare to leave for the Ukraine, leaving my family behind for the next 2 1/2 weeks!

Each one of us has been called, equipped, and designed for a specific purpose and task.

Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“ NIV

Don't forget your dream! Don't let go of God's vision or calling on your life!

My hope and prayer in the legacy I leave behind, is that my family, friends, and especially my children will have experienced the evidence of God’s love and mercy in my life and actions. That they will know that God’s love for them is unconditional. And…just how marvelously He made each one of them.

I hope that my life extends God's love, mercy, and grace. The sole reason for "His Love Extended's Ministry" is to be exactly that...an extension of His love...to be His hands and feet...to share the good news of hope!

How about you? "In the legacy you leave, what is one thing you hope out shines before all others?"

Can I just encourage you to press on! Don't get sidetracked by "the Goliaths" of your life! Don't allow fear to paralyze you! Run headlong into the grace and power provided for you, knowing God will help you fulfill the dreams He's planted in you!

So many stop short missing the reality of their dreams! Don't be part of the "many"...press on! DREAM WITH YOUR EYES WIDE OPENED!

You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)Created in the image of God Himself (Gen. 1:27) and destined for good works. (Ephesians 2:10)The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave lives in you and has empowered you. (Romans 8)

Today is my last post until I return on July 5th. In my absence, my dear friend Sandy will be sharing amazing posts with you beginning on Monday...so, allow me to introduce her to you!

Sandy describes herself as "...a freelance writer, fitness buff, wife and mother with a single goal: to humbly stand before my Heavenly Father one day and hear Him say, "Well done good and faithful servant."

But Sandy is so much more. She's witty, charming, amazingly talented and one of my dearest friends. I know you will be blessed through her posts! You can learn more about her at: http://www.godspeakstoday.net/

Thanks Sandy for sharing and thank you dear friends for your prayers and financial gifts that have made this trip possible...thank you for standing with me to be His Love Extended! Can't wait to share the miracles! I value your prayers!

PRAYER: Father, fill us with all of You so that as others look at us they see you clearly! In Jesus name...amen!

How About It...Will You Join Me?

I've been thinking a lot about the life of David lately and have decided I want to be more like him. What I love about David is that he was known as a man after God's own heart.

David's passion for God separated him from his comrades.

* While tending sheep He praised God.
* When uninvited to the family celebration (with Samuel) David didn't get discouraged...and guess what? God sent him a special invitation and anointed him as King.
* When others saw Goliath, David saw God!
* David didn't concern himself with pushing his way into the palace, He simply
remained faithful where he was found...and again...God positioned him to royalty.
* When King Saul attempted to kill him 6 times, David chose to spare the King and
not take his life...the end result--God avenged him!

What has God called you to? Do you worry about how YOU are going to FULFILL GOD's PROMISES? Do you shrink at the sight of Goliath? Do you seek revenge against your tyrant kings who seek to destroy you? Or...do you like David choose to seek GOD?

David didn't seek Titles! David didn't seek Recognition! He didn't demand His way! He didn't focus on HIS abilities! He focused on God!

Matt 6:33 encourages us to "...seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." NIV

Do you face a huge battle? Don't fear...Don't be discouraged! 2 Chron 20:15 says, "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's." NIV

How about it...will you join me? Will you resist the temptation to cower before your giant and instead turn your focus toward God? Will you resist your desire to take revenge on your tyrant kings and allow God to protect you? Will you seek after God with all that is within you, loving Him above all things?

PRAYER: Father, we give You our life. Use us for Your glory. Help us to follow passionately after You! Help us to keep our eyes focused on You! We put our trust in You and love You. In Jesus name, amen!

God Will Bring Our Giants to Their Knees

"...Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the Living God?..." 1 Samuel 17:26

While Israel's army measured their size with the giant's, David compared Goliath's power to God's. There was NO contest. Sure Goliath was big...but not big enough. Sure he caused men to shake in the natural, but his size was no challenge to the LIVING GOD? Put side by side, Goliath wasn't even a speck when compared to the all powerful God!

While others cowered to the giant, David remembered God. While others stood powerless to press forward, David ran to the battle. He rejected conventional wisdom of swords and shields, passing them up to trusted weapons experienced while shepherding in pastures--Five smooth stones and a sling would do the trick.

Goliath hurled insults, threatened, and towered over David...but NONE of that mattered.

David, defied his insults, shouting back, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." (1 Samuel 17:45)

David recognized the weapons formed against him. He saw the sword, the spear, the javelin...but NONE of that mattered. David didn't just see his temporal surroundings, he remembered God.

Friends, many of us face huge giants. The battle are very real. We see the enemy's sword, spear, and javelin...but none of that matters! Our giants CANNOT compare to the power of our God.

Sometimes it's good to get good and mad! Sometimes we simply need to put off conventional wisdom and ATTACK the giants hurling insults. We need to remember when our giants threaten us they defy OUR LIVING GOD!

What are your giant? Mounting Bills? An Uncertain Future? Perhaps you battle feelings of insignificance? Sickness? None of that matters!

Don't get me wrong. I have my own giants! I know the temptation to shrink and cower. I've experienced the inability to run headlong into battle. When I compare my size with my giants...there is no contest. There is no way I can win! BUT AGAIN, NONE of that matters Because when I compare my giants with my God...I know I CANNOT FAIL!

Today, will you cower to your giant or will you look to God? What captures your eye?

In 1 Samuel 17:47, David shouts our the key to our victory, "...the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S..." God will give our giants into our hands and bring them to their knees. We come against them in the power and authority of the living God! Declaring, "You come against us with your threats and accusations; you tower over us in the temporal... but we come against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, whom you have defied!"

Will you, along with me, rise to run out to battle? Will you, along with me, turn your gaze from your giant to God?

God will bring our giants to their knees!

PRAYER: Father, we look to You. We see the reality of our situation but we choose to remember Your promises. Fulfill Your promises and bring our giants to their knees. Fill us with faith and expectation. We put our trust in YOU! In Jesus name, amen.

A 30 Day Challenge...Are You Up To It?

So often our mind contemplates on fruitless thoughts. We wonder and worry about finances, health, provision, positions...and a long list of endless possibilities pointing us only to defeat.

What if the money doesn't come in? What if the plane crashes? What if we lose everything we have? What if it's cancer? What if...What if...What if...

But, "what if" Jesus really is who He says He is..."what if" He really fulfills and keeps His promises..."what if" He really returns soon..."what if your dreams come to reality..."what if you are on the brink of a miracle but you stop short, paralyzed by negative "what ifs".

Over the next 30 days I want to challenge you to join me; each time a negative thought or "what if" enters your mind replace it:

1. First replace the negative "what if" with a positive "what if"...Like, what if God really is working all things together for my good?

2. Then go a step further and hold fast to the truth; confirm the positive "what if" with the truth. Confirm it by saying God is working all things together for my good.

3. Finally, praise God for your circumstances; for example, "Thank You Father, that Your promises are true. Thank You that You work all things together for my good. Though I don't know how You are going to work out this situation, I KNOW that You will and that Your promises are true.

It doesn't have to be these exact words; follow the principle. You might say, "what if Jesus really does keep His promises?" Then follow it up with the truth, "The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made." (Ps 145:13) And follow it up with step three and praise God; Thank you Father that Your promises are true. Thank You that You are faithful toward promises and loving toward me. Thank You that You will do what You said You would. I can't wait to see what You do!

Do you see that pattern?
1. Replace negative what ifs with positive what ifs.
2. Confirm the positive what if, confirming it with the truth of God's word.
3. Thank God for the promises found in His word.

Pretty simple...But pretty powerful! I hope you take the challenge with me.

Beloved, our God is faithful! He is working miracles on our behalf. He promises to be with us in the fire; He won't let the waters sweep over us; He encourages us to NOT be afraid because He is with us. (Isa 43:5)


Psalm 146:5-6 encourages us, "Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them — the LORD, who remains faithful forever. (NIV)

PRAYER: Father, give us the power to overcome all of our negative thoughts and replace them with the Truth of Who You Are and the Truth of Your Word. In Jesus name, AMEN!

Ready...Set...Reset...Now Go!

Lately, life spins from one wonderful activity to another; I busily move from one event to the next...Don't get me wrong, life is good...But juggling my "to do list" is challenging.

In the midst of packing boxes, finishing my book, preparing to move to Florida, getting ready for a mission trip to the Ukraine, and keeping up on household duties, and taking time to love on my husband and children...well...let's just say if I fail to write something down, I may forget to do it!

Let's face it! Life holds many demands. Juggling activities can distract us from our mission and purpose. Though important, we could still forget to do what God has called us to!

Habakkuk 2:2 says, "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.”

I want to encourage you to Write down God’s promises. Keep it posted in a place you’ll be sure to see it.

Why?--Because it is too easy to get discouraged. Life happens. Seasons come and go. Years pass by quickly. And sometimes make us feel like we've missed the fulfillment of God's promises! The only way to overcome discouragement is to recall Who we serve and remind ourselves what He’s promised. Having a place to come back to helps us remember why we're here and what God has said.

I remember as a kid, when we'd get ready to race, someone would shout, "Ready?...Set?....GO!"

As an adult, I've ran at the commission of God's command to go...but along the way lost my sense of direction...became tired and weary...and had to set the reset button to remember where God was leading. Sometimes we simply need to press the reset button and remind ourselves...this is what God said. Perhaps, as an adult we need someone to shout, "READY...Set...RESET...NOW GO!"

That's what I felt I needed to shout to you today! God has called you! He has commissioned you! You have amazing purpose set before you! DON'T forget...on your mark, get set, go! The kingdom of God needs you!

Take a few moment and remember what God has called you to. What has He promised? Write it down so you don't forget! Post it so you can remember the truth!

PRAYER: Father, help us to not grow weary. Remind us of Your will for our life. Fill us with EXPECTATION of Your goodness and purpose! In Jesus Name, AMEN!

Hold Fast to The Word Sown In You

Take a deep breath! Breathe in...Breathe out...Remember, God fulfills His Promises. Don't let the cares of the world choke them out. Don't stop short of your promise!

In Mark chapter four we read about the parable of the sower and the seed that falls on various types of ground. So often, I've applied the purpose of this verse to others, using it as an evangelistic tool to surmise why some get saved while others fall away.

BUT today, as I read the passage, its relevance applied directly to my life, helping to serve as a warning.

Friends, God designed each one of us for a distinct purpose; those purposes vary from one another but fit together to fulfill God's purpose. Some of us are called to preach the word, some are called to nurture, some are called to areas of practical service...but each of us are called!

Mark 4:15-19 warns us that, some hear the word sewn in "them" but Satan comes and takes it away...Some receive the word with joy but have no firm root, so when affliction or persecution arises they fall away...still others receive the word but then "the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful."

Finally verse 20 hits the emphasis of the whole parable..."some have seed sown on good soil, they "accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."

Again, as I read this passage, I saw it more than an explanation of salvation, I read it as a means for producing more life from what has been sown in us.

God has and is calling each one of us to serve Him. To use our gifts for His kingdom.

Romans 12:6-8 teaches us that, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully." NIV

In short...you have a design...so do it! Don't let Satan's lies about you steal what God has sewn into you. Don't let affliction or persecution stop you-obstacles are a part of life-God will use our trials to strengthen us and build us up. Don't let worries or the deceitfulness of riches or the desires for "things" choke out your gift! Deny your "Plan B" and pursue God's "Plan A". Stay steady your course! Press on! And you will witness the fulfillment of God's promises and bear MUCH fruit!

I want to encourage you in your gifts today! One of the ways we defeat the enemy and stay true to our mission is to share what God has called us to or to share what He has promised! I would love to pray for you so please take a quick minute and share what God has spoken to you, called you to, or promised you below that you don't want to forsake. Leave your comment in the the comments section and I will pray with you!

PRAYER: Father, Help us to fulfill Your purposes. Strengthen us. Empower us. Fill us with Your Spirit. Remind us what You have sown into us. Don't allow us to let go of Your promises. In Jesus name, amen.

Learning to Hope Again!

What do you do when everything turns upside down...your world seems uncertain...your dreams, desires, and end destination seem derailed?--You simply learn to hope again!

George Muller wrote, "Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends."

Our hopes, dreams, and desires rest in God's provision not ours. God gives life. God gives strength. AND, God restores hope.

In Ezekiel 37:14 God promises, "I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and done it," declares the Lord.' "

You see, "Faith is not merely your holding on to God--it is God holding on to you. He will not let you go!" (E. Stanley Jones) You will see what God has promised you come to pass.

God is faithful; when He speaks no one can reverse it; He fulfills all His promises; His Word does NOT return void!

So, remember what God has promised you! Hold fast to what He has called you to. You will not be forsaken. No matter how bleak your surroundings, no matter how dismal the circumstances...GOD IS FAITHFUL!

Augustine wrote, "Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe."

The truth is...we will witness God's Provision. So anticipate God's goodness. Expect His intervention on your behalf.

PRAYER: Father, we put our trust in You. Restore our hope. Fill us with expectancy! Fulfill all Your promises! Grant us Your favor! IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY--AMEN!