Making Good Decisions

I read a bit of a cyber friend's blog this morning where she confirmed that I am not the only one who is afraid of failing, or making the wrong decision, and on top of that, try everything possible not to make choices that will cause me to fail, regret, or be discouraged.

Although I've had many, two decisions in particular come to mind when I reflect upon past forks-in-the-road, and the tiring mental/spiritual tennis match that accompanies the effort to make the right decision:
1.) What to do after college
2.) Am I suposed to marry Justin Copling.

In both cases, I am thankful to say I have no regrets, and am also grateful for the wisdom of friends and family that helped me pray, decipher, and come to a healthy decision. Their wise counsel has stuck with me to this moment.

The question of "how do I know God's will?" is one that every Christian faces continually throughout his life. When we focus on our end of the situation-how it will affect us, what happens if I don't like the decision once it's made, what will people think of me-it is a daunting task. Pretty much impossible because of all the factors and people involved in our situation.

What many people don't realize is that it doesn't have to be so complicated. When our focus is on God and obeying what we know He has already told us to do, the unknown pieces do fall into place. Often the hard part is fighting our selfish urge to know NOW instead of waiting on God.

Our pastor spoke on Proverbs 3:5-6 this weekend, and while I took enough notes to practically repeat the sermon here, I will simply share the application he gave: tests for good decision making.

1. Scriptural test: Has God already spoken about it in His Word?
2. Secrecy test: Would it bother me if everyone knew this was my choice?
3. Survey test: What if everyone followed my example?
4. Spiritual test: Am I being pressured or Spirit-led?
5. Stumbling test: Could this cause another person to stumble?
6. Serenity test: Have I prayed and received peace about the decision?
7. Sanctification test: Will this keep me from growing in the character of Christ?
8. Surpreme test: Does this glorify God?
9. Significance test: If it passes all the other tests, and you love Jesus more than anything and want to please Him, than make the choice and go for it! (Decisions do exist that have no direct right or wrong)

We must know God and trust Him if we are to know His will. Put those things in order, and He will make our paths straight.

Several of the tests above helped me with my decision to move to Texas after college as well as my decision to marry Justin (one of the best decisions I've EVER made). Have you used any of these tests in your decision making? Is it hard to wait on God when you're praying about a decision?

Please share any lessons you've learned in decision making-whether good or bad!

Limitless, Abounding Love

I love the body of Christ, and I'm thankful to be part of a local body that is on fire for Christ and challenging it's members to grow and to serve. My current small group is also evidence that God is moving and altering our comfort zones with the purpose of making us more effective for His kingdom.

One of the ways I like to season my worship is with a visit to a local messianic Jewish worship service. Once a month, I attend a short dance class where anyone who wishes may learn a couple of dances to participate in the service, and then attend the worship time. The service includes a reading of the Torah, and a few other traditional Jewish prayers and blessings, and the worship is a blend of more traditional Jewish praise music and modern worship songs. Geoffrey Cohen (Pastor: Jewish Ministries) teaches with a style that that bridges Jewish history with The Gospel of Yeshuah: Jesus Christ the Savior of all people.

Last night was the October service and once again, God blessed my socks off by meeting me in worship and using the pastor to teach me something new. My favorite part was the pastor's testimonial that happened the week before: one of His personal life highlights!!

While he was in the Ukraine last week teaching, he had the opportunity to have lunch with three Jews who had escaped the prison camps during the Holocaust. For about twenty minutes Geoffrey talked to them about how much God loved them, even with all that they had been through, He cared for them and wanted to bring peace to their lives. When he finished, one gentleman (who had been saved at 16 when he miraculously escaped a terrible mass killing) told Geoffrey that he spoke with such conviction and passion that he couldn't deny what was being said. And he invited Jesus Christ into His life as His Savior, right there. After over 60 years as a Holocaust survivor and living as a Jew, the love of Christ reached down into His life and competed His salvation...this time, spiritually. (You can hear the entire message at the link below)
http://gateway.vo.llnwd.net/o25/audio/Jewish/2009/20091009_TheComingKingdom.mp3

Stories like that give me chills when I think about how God is always working behind the scenes to soften the hearts of the people whom He loves. And sometimes, we might be the one He wants to use to plant another seed, or as in Mr. Cohen's story, actually pluck the harvest. Our God wants all to know Him, regardless of religion, race, location, age, or circumstances. He is Awesome!! Praise His name!

It's not unpreparedness...just disobedience

When God calls, He is prepared. Not just to handle our iffy responses like Moses' "I'm not a good speaker" or Gideon's "we don't have enough money, and I'm the least in my family." You've made similar excuses at some point. "Even mission trips costs too much money," or "I don't know all the answers." When God calls us to something, large or small, if it takes us out of our comfort zone, it's easy to list the reasons we can't do what He's asked: excuses given in fear. Gideon

The funny thing is, He never asks us to do something He isn't prepared to equip us for. Both Moses and Gideon succeeded in the thing God called them to. Not because they contained within themselves the ability or strength, but because when they obeyed, THEN God used His power to make up the gap in their human contribution. Moses

Recently, God opened a door for me that if I had not stepped through, I would not have experienced the miracle of Him working behind the scenes. I knew that I was teetering on the edge of going further in obedience to Him than I had before, and I was afraid. What came out of my mouth was not a fluent, professional speech, but a humble, timid, obedient statement. And what I heard in response, was resounding agreement. God had prepared the ground ahead of me, and had I not asked the questions, I would not have known God's power in the situation.

How many times do we miss out on the blessing of seeing God work because we deny Him the chance to show us His power. And how exhilarating it is to know God wants to use us, and can if we just obey.

How is God raising the bar in your life? What does/has He asked you to do for Him that you need to obey?

And what is your story of God's blessing in your life because you obeyed? I would love to hear about the miracles He's shown you, because you allowed Him to prepare when you obeyed!!

All comments welcome.

Adventure Kitty!

Our precious black kitty has made a full life out of his nine years. At this stage, I think he qualifies as retired, but he will not give up the opportunity for adventure. Whether it's an open closet door, a closed cabinet he thinks should be open, or a fuzzy rug begging him to play rough, Sergio is up for the challenge.


Last week we had a cricket in our apartment. Thankfully, he didn't make much noise and so Justin and I didn't lose any sleep. However, Sergio found him fascinating and the first chance he had to pounce, he did.

Now, I must catch you up on the facts. Sergio used to be a great outdoor hunter, and even a good fighter who's reputation preceded him (I heard the stories, even though he didn't belong in our home until the last year). But, as is the fate of many domesticated kitties, Sergio had his front paws declawed-and he has been king of the indoors ever since.

When Sergio found the cricket, he brought him to the living room-his boxing ring, if you will-and made the most of his find. Without claws, he had no sword power, but his batting and catching skills matched even that of a young kitten. Up in the air Sergio would toss little Jimminy, and then hold him to the carpet with his paws. Carefully, he'd release him just to watch him for signs of life, then pounce on him before the little cricket even had a chance to catch his breath.

Heroic in his endeavors, the pride over his victory was evidenced by his smug face, and the licking of his lips as he swallowed the 5th of six crunchy legs. His predator instincts satisfied as his hunter DNA released on the poor little insect.

Of course, we were happy to see the bug go, and to know that our king of the jungle has not lost his wild skill.

In Memory 9/11

I was a senior in high school the evening of 9-11-01, and had an accounting test as part of my homeschool co-op. None of us could believe we were still holding class, especially because we had a scheduled test. However, our teacher explained the importance of staying focused and moving ahead, even in the midst of tragedy, so following a prayer for our nation and families directly affected by the plane crashes, we proceeded with our test.

The rule was that when we finished a test and turned it in, we could quietly occupy ourselves with reading or whatever until everyone in the class was finished. Following the submission of my exam, I decided to write a poem and this is what poured out, almost word for word without stopping. Sometimes lyrical poetry is the easiest way to turn something over to God, and to pray, and to try to encourage others.

God Is Good

God is good, all of the time,
When I'm poor as a mouse and don't have a dime.
He loves me even when I'm ungrateful,
He's always near me, ever faithful.

Rejoice in the Lord, all you peoples of the earth,
For He is the sole One responsible for your birth.
He knit you creatively piece by piece,
And made you a daughter, a grandpa, a niece.

If God cares for birds who are so tiny and small,
Won't He watch over you both short and tall?
Praise Him above with all of your heart,
For all He has done for us from the start.

He gave us salvation, took our sins away,
Repent to Him now, just do it today.
Christ gave up His live so that I may live,
I'm so very thankful that I am His.

So now during trial of life and of patience,
I look to Him to uphold me with His graciousness.
I know for certain that I am loved,
And always watched from up above.

God is in control, He always is,
His mercy and grace He surely will give.
I'll make it through this uncertain time,
For God is good, all of the time.

Windy night in the big D!

If you ever need help blowing up an air mattress, I have the ccontact for you! My soon-to-be 16 year old cousin (Danny) has the mad skill to not only play baseball like a star in the making and to drive his sweet Ford Focus like a pro, but he also has enough air to get his bed firm and comfy when the pump gives out!

I pride myself in knowing that I can accommodate up to four extra people in in my two bedroom apartment because of my double guest bed, and my queen air mattress. Not only that, I purchased a battery powered air pump to make the process simple and seamless.

What I didn't realize, was that if you leave the pump uncharged, in it's box in the closet for over a year, that it will take more than an evening to re-charge the batteries. So, at 11:00pm last night when we're preparing the beds, I whip out my pump and turn it on just to realize it's starting at only half power. When the mattress reached 4/5 capacity, my magnificent pump slowly groaned to a mild grumble with barely the strength to keep air from coming back out of the mattress.

I was worried that he was going to have to sleep with his rear end dipping to the floor through the limp air mattress, or try to fold his long body on our shorter-than-he-is couch, but at the last minute, we decided to test his lung capacity and he proved that he is truly winded-in a great way! Several power puffs, and his bed lay firm and full, ready to support a young man who earned his night of sleep :o)

On top of that, Justin and I had such a fun time eating, talking, playing cards, touring the Rangers stadium, and drinking bubble tea, that it was sad to wave goodbye this afternoon. Just another reminder how precious family is, and how grateful I am to have a family that gets excited about visits and visiting! I have been blessed abundantly!

God's Word is Alive!

One of the gifts I received for my birthday last year was a daily verse calendar (thanks Nicole!). It sits just to the right of my computer at work, and every morning I look forward to turning the next page and reading a verse to get me started for the day. If I were to lose that flip calendar, I would shed tears...it's such a sweet part of booting up in the morning.

The morning before our first fall bible study, I turned the calendar over and my eyes fell upon my newest favorite verses from Ephesians. Chapter 5, verses 1-2. "Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

Immediately I snatched it up as my personal theme verse for the 12 week bible study in Romans, and I shared it with the ladies that night. If studying God's word together should do anything it should challenge us to be more like Christ. Ever since then, the Lord has been using it in my life, in conjunction with other verses and reminders, to cut out habits, behaviors and attitudes that don't belong in a heart seeking after God's own.

Verse one is my favorite part thus far in my study. "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children." To take the verse in context, I looked back at what Paul had been saying in the verses just before 5:1. He was challenging the Ephesians to let go of their life before Christ, and everything that went with it. Anger, malice, and all evil speaking was to be put aside, and instead put on the new self, found in redemption through Christ Jesus, and "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32).

So when Paul says, "Therefore," he is saying that because we have Christ living in us to defeat the sinful and selfish ways of living as we did before, and now that we have a new life with Power to love each other, in doing that we ought imitate our Lord.

The image that came to mind when I focused on imitating was that of a small child. One who is old enough to make decisions about how to treat his friends and how to respond to his parents, but who is young enough to know that the way Mom and Dad do things is the best way. For example, when a small child helps her friend up after a fall at the playgound, and then offers to "kiss it to make it better." Or the way young boys start holding doors open for their mother and sister because that is what he witnessed dad doing. In similar fashion, we are to imitate our heavenly Father who loves us and desires what is best for us. The way we serve, the things we think about, and how we treat others, are all ways to imitate the behavior of Christ.

But not only is it a "beloved" image, that of a child copying his parents, but it is also one of the highest callings we'll ever have, because it requires us not only to modify our behavior but also to prune the very heart condition that motivates our lives. Christ didn't live perfectly because He had to, He did so because His very nature demanded it. On top of that, Paul didn't make it optional. "Therefore, be." Not, "If you feel like it try," or "On good days, do..." but "because you have been saved, do as Christ did." Our new nature should become like that of Christ so that we can't help but behave like Him.

That's a high charter to uphold, and requires much more than simply loving our neighbor, feeding the poor, and studying the scriptures. It also means we must be vigilant against sin, and use the power of the Holy Spirit to help us cut off those dead branches of bad habits, less than perfect thought life, sub par television choices, and earthly pursuits. Maybe the rotten fruit that needs pruning is more internal: pride, selfishness, jealously, laziness, or apathy. Whatever it is, we have no other choice than to evaluate and break out the trimmers.

So, that's where I am now. Holding the trimmers and trying to decide where to start. It's an exciting and nerve wracking adventure that is sure to alter the way we live, if we will but take Him seriously. And it will definitely lead to producing more fruit: aren't flower gardens the most beautiful in the days following the Gardner's pruning spree?

I ask you to consider what God might be asking you to cut off from your life, and also, to hold me accountable to what He has begun in my soul!!

"Don't take lightly the things of our God, but rather step lightly to follow where He has led."