Last night a good friend called me. Ironically I was headed to bed, having already fallen asleep earlier, sometime around 7. (It was a l-o-n-g day.) But we had not spoken for a long time. His wife has been dealing with some pretty unusual sickness issues. I wanted to bring comfort and so I stayed up. On some levels it was more for me than for him.
A lot of our conversation was focused on the “next” step. I needed that. Continue reading Choosing To Go Over
I wrote this January 1, 2005 after multiple dreams. Some of these have come through. A lot of it actually.
Over the last week I have had many dreams and last night was no different. Continue reading Answered Prayers and Prophecy
I wrote this some 10 years ago, but as I was drawn to it last night, I realized it still holds true. Please read it and think about the questions at the end. Continue reading Deception-Losing Your Destiny In Lies
A new season…
What does that really mean? How do we digest that? What do we do with that? So often we think a new season is going to be great, but what if it isn’t?
For instance I began a new season a few months ago. By my standards (And others…) I failed. For the first time in my life I was “unsuccessful” and did not meet goals or expectations. Was that a good season? Does God look at it and say “you failed” or you had a bad season?
The result of my “bad season” is I have turned inward. I have stayed closer to God. (Further from friends and family.) I don’t have my verve. I am not sure what it looks like to be like Paul and Silas in a prison singing praise. Do not get me wrong. I have praised God. Only yesterday I am sure some folks thought I was “loose” from somewhere as I sang my songs of praise.
Here we are. August.
As I spoke to many people, most were ready for July to end. It had not “panned” out the way they thought. So what are our standards? I had a new grandchild. Made a couple of new friends. What is your thought?
I believe that the “hunger” for the Lord to move has increased. Things often change in a day or a moment. Only last month people wanted Health Care resolved but today it is the fears caused by the border explosion: hungry children, disease and violence.
Down seasons can make you bitter or better. They can reduce you or increase you. Who is your hope tied to?
Lee…where is the word? I believe this is it.
Today is the day of the beginning. The day where you can say “I am going to praise God in my season of downness”. To recognize God with my praise. To look for Him in what I do not see Him doing yet. To review what He did do for me in my season of down, of apparent failure. To recognize He is “now” in my now.
I looked at Joseph. The man who seemed to lose coats. The man who went from the pit to Potiphar’s, to the prison to the palace. How long did he sit in his place of apparent failure, of despair while in the pit? How long did he languish after he gave a “great” word to a baker and a butler? What was his standard? Did he give up? Did he stop giving words or interpreting dreams? Apparently not, because it was an interpretation that set him free.
Will you extend grace in your pit? Will you minister in your prison? Will you not waver in the “house of Potiphar”?
My time in “darkness” has revealed to me what I am good at and what I am not.
August. The dictionary describes the word August, as majestic, imposing, dignified or of noble birth. So, I say to you this day, what will you birth of majesty, of dignity? Will you release that which has been within you all these years?
Regardless of your prison or palace, God is in you, seeking a place to express Himself through you. Whether it is in the work place or in the grocery store. God invested in you. He invested with a return in mind and He is a long term investor. Regardless of the season, the return is coming.
My frustration
Today I was in a meeting for work and the question on the table was, “what is your major frustration?” My answer was a simple, “I don’t know what I don’t know.” My reason was simple. It seemed like the idea of a “simple” sale (One that didn’t need extra parts, special efforts or more.) was beyond me. Each sale seemed to require extra forms and effort to get it all together. I was fast coming to a place of “melt down”. Too many things were being required and each time I thought I had a pathway, a different route was required. Continue reading Where Have All The Birdies Gone?
Many years ago I was part of a canoe trip on Lake George. Lake George is 30 plus miles long. A large wind had kicked up and a storm had blown over the westerly side of the lake. The waves were easily 3 feet high and feeling like they were climbing. I was not worried abut drowning or getting injured, but I was worried about what would happen if the canoes capsized with the food in them, as well as our clothes and such. The wind increased and the waters whitened on the crest of the waves. Out of the fog and the mist appeared one of the Lake George steam ships. As it cut across in front of us, the wake got higher and higher. I could see the waves headed towards our 7 canoes. Above the roar of the waves and wind the counselors were screaming, “hit it at a 45 degree angle!!!” Everyone began to adjust their canoes. As canoes disappeared in the troughs of the waves, my thought was the food! Continue reading A Change In The Weather
Like many children I learned to fish at my dad’s feet. My dad had been an awesome fisherman. He fished all kids of fish, all kinds of places. One of the main rivers he took us to fish was a tributary to the Connecticut River. I loved to fish and while I preferred lake fishing and live bait, I learned the ways of the river and the fish.
Last night I was in a meeting and I saw my dad, I saw fish and I saw something that I saw from roughly 1995-2001. It was during that time I saw something involving fish and spirituality. On the way home from the meeting I was reminded of it and saw the emphasis of. Continue reading Salmon And The Land Of New England
This is my final piece in the mentoring series. I hope you have enjoyed them. Feel free to share them. Thankful for all that went before me and all that will come after me! Continue reading Spiritual Parenting Is Passing It Forward
Change a person, change a community. Change a community and change the world. The progress is simple, though the actual happening a little more daunting.
I often think of the people who are changed by spiritual parents or mentors. Continue reading Change One, Change The World
A true spiritual parent or mentor will ascertain the gifts and the strengths of an individual. They will also look to the weaknesses as well as areas of change that can be worked on. But in the end, they look at both and encourage an individual to move forward towards completeness, wholeness and His pathway of purpose.
In the early 90’s I worked for a retail company. I worked in a lot of the locations. I traveled here and there adding “maturity” to their workplace as well as expertise. It was during that time I met some young men who over time became “friends”. As I moved up in the company they often contacted me with their business thinking and some conversations about faith and such. Continue reading Wisdom Walks In Freedom
