Jesus Calling - Day 57 - February 26, 2015

Have you ever been talking to someone about a movie that you have not seen yet, but the other person has?  In their excitement they end up telling you how the movie ends!  I have been the victim of others saying for example, “I was so sad that the ship sank!”  It takes away the anticipation of watching the movie when you already know the outcome.   I love watching a movie and not knowing what it going to happen.  I love to watch it unfold.  

When Sarah Young wrote, “Your future looks uncertain and feels flimsy - even precarious,”  I think of the movie, “Titanic.”  At one point, Rose’s mother tells her their situation is precarious because all of the money is gone.  Rose’s mother is trying to control & lead Rose down a path that she doesn’t want to go.  She truly is making a mess out of things.  

God is asking us to trust Him daily.  He knows our story.  He will lead us, step by step if we would just take His hand and trust Him.  Just like watching a movie unfold, I love to watch in wonder and see the story of my life unfold. I know it already has a happy ending.  As believers, if our lives bring glory to Him, with Jesus as our Leading man, it will be the greatest story ever told!  

We have an Oscar winning story!

mama eydie! 

Jesus Calling - Day 56 - February 25, 2015

I must admit that I spent so much of my Christian life waking up and bolting into the day.  When I picture the way that racehorses bolt out of the gate, that truly was the way I started my day.  I found myself stressed and focused on the tasks that seemed to be never ending. Then everything came to an abrupt halt.  But my life was so out of control it took something drastic for the Lord to finally get my attention.   

At first I didn’t know what to do.  But because I found myself suddenly with free time in the morning after quitting my job, I began to spend it taking prayer walks.  Those quiet times alone with the Lord became more and more precious.  I began to understand the difference in “bolting out the door” on my own, rather than walking out with Jesus at my side.  I am very protective of my mornings alone with the Lord.   I find even now the days that I am more on edge are the days I rush out without having the time alone with Him.  

I definitely have times when my schedule is fulll.  During these seasons is when I hear people still say, “You are too busy.”  For example, there was a two week period last year that consisted of Carol visiting for a week, Kiana in a play at CBU for 2 weekends, my fieldworkers from London visiting, a mission’s conference, and meeting with team members for the July trip to Uganda.  Full schedule, yes. Busy - no.  Because I protect my time alone with the Lord, consulting Him to direct my days, I don’t have that frazzled, busy, frantic feeling within.  

Instead of bolting out of the gate, I spend time with Him first...and I still win the race. It allows me to “fix my eyes on Him and run with endurance the race that is set before me, without stumbling or falling.”  Hebrews 12:1-2.  I find myself with the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).  True peace comes when you rest in Him alone!  You will win every time walking with Jesus at your side! 

Fixing my eyes on Him! 

mama eydie! 

Jesus Calling - Day 55 - February 24, 2015

From the Life Application Study in reference to Ephesians 3:17-19  “God’s love is total, says Paul.  It reaches ever corner of our experience.  It is wide - it covers the breadth of our own experience, and it reaches out to the whole world.  God’s love is long - it continues the length of our lives.  It is high - it rises to the heights of our celebration and elation.  His love is deep - it reaches to the depths of discouragement, despair, and even death.  When you feel shut out or isolated, remember that you can never be lost to God’s love.  For another prayer about God’s immeasurable and inexhaustible love, see Paul’s words in Romans 8:38-39.

I am so thankful that God’s love is total.  How overwhelming a thought this is.  I need to truly acknowledge His Loving Presence throughout my day and know this is all I need to carry me through!  

His Love is Limitless! 
Mama Eydie! 

Jesus Calling - Day 54 - February 23, 2015

I get nervous if I am standing near a cliff and there are no guard rails. It scares me to think of getting close and falling over the edge.  I looked up a website called WeGlobals.com and they had a story on the reasons people get hurt in Yosemite National Park.  The first reason is the one that I thought of when Sarah Young talked about “not going near the edge of the pit.”  

“The first reason people get hurt is when they do not pay attention to the warning signs. These signs are all around the park and one must read and obey the posts to stay safe. The signs say important things about the area that person is in. For example, a sign in Yosemite near a waterfall says “Climbing or scrambling on rocks and cliffs is Dangerous. They are slick wet or dry. Many injuries and Fatalities have occurred.” These signs are there for the purpose of keeping people safe. These warning signs can be found in places that people have previously gotten hurt. A warning sign must at all times be followed to keep one safe.”

The pit of self-pity is a dangerous one.  We all have difficulties we face in life.  But when we resort to the “feel sorry for me” attitude or “no one really understands what I am going through” trap, we will find ourselves falling over a cliff of despair.   Instead, don’t go near that cliff.  Instead of focusing on circumstances, praise the Lord and have more of a thankful attitude.  Warning signs in our spiritual lives are there to help keep us safe.  Sometimes those signs come from friends that have already gotten hurt & learned the lesson the hard way.  Just like warning signs at Yosemite...if we go ahead and ignore the warning signs from friends because we think we know better, we may just find ourselves “falling over the cliff” and we’ll say, “I should have heeded the warning signs.”  

Even in the midst of difficult circumstances, you don’t have to live in the land of self-pity. Keep your distance from the cliff of feeling sorry for yourself.   Stop making excuses by ignoring the warning signs.  Thank the Lord and Praise Him continually throughout the day!   Psalm 89:15-16 is a good one to memorize...and to obey! 

Staying away from the edge, 

mama eydie 

Jesus Calling - Day 53 - February 22, 2015

 “Your neediness, properly handled, is a link to My Presence.  However, there are pitfalls that you must be on guard against: self-pity, self-preoccupation, giving up.”  I realized that when I depend on people to fill the gap of my neediness, that is when I experience so much despair.   People will let us down, but Jesus never will.   It was a person who told me that the work I do in Africa is impossible.  It is Jesus that says, “Nothing is impossible with Me.” 

Another example is when I am talking with someone and they are not really listening to me.   It is like in Peanuts when they are in school and the teacher is talking.  All you hear is, “blah, blah, blah, blah blah...or wah, wah, wah, wah.”  Has that happened to you?  When I worked at the church I always had so much work.  I used to call it the “revolving door syndrome!”  No sooner did one person leave, another would walk in.  I had a hard time accomplishing all the desk work that kept piling up.  It really makes me sad that I ever gave the impression that I was too busy to listen to others.  Especially because I know what it is like now to be on the other end.  Can’t we always tell when someone is too busy to listen?  My feelings get hurt and I think that what I have to say must be worthless.  Again, this is a result of depending on people to fill my gap of neediness.  

Because Kiana is in school, I yearn for the times that I hear her voice over the phone.  Whenever she calls, I want to give her my full attention.  No matter what else is going on, I am ready to listen.  Those moments are some of the most precious times in my life.  

This is how our Heavenly Father waits for us.  I believe that He yearns for us to talk to Him as we yearn for our children to talk to us.  He is always ready to listen to us.  He will never be too busy or distracted to talk.  

“God’s there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it.”  Psalm 145:18 (The Message). 

Learning to depend on Jesus not man...

mama eydie 

Jesus Calling - Day 52 - February 21, 2015

Reading this I can’t help but think of my ISP journeys when I have asked students to trust me. If you look back on Day 44 (February 14th) it has more of my thoughts on this.  But I think about how every time I lead a team overseas with ISP or Raining Hope, I have to start all over again asking a team to simply, “trust me.”  I watch how everyone varies in how they deal with this issue of trust.  I have often wondered if team members truly understand what team leaders, especially with the ISP program, go through to lead.  I know for me as a team leader, I always have my teammates best interests in mind when I ask them to trust and follow. For ISP training, we have participants take the   Myers-Briggs personality test.  For the past 2 years I have sat in the debriefing of what personality types can effect the dynamics of a team. It is a good reminder of how we are all wired differently so we all respond differently. 

Think about God.  In a team context, think about Him as our “team leader.   All He is asking is for us to Trust Him in this journey of life.  Think about how many of us there are!  Wow!  That is a team!  Think about how frustrated He says, “Trust Me,” and by our actions we say, “I know better.”  Oh brother! I am guilty of that for sure!   I am challenging myself to trust Him like I ask you to trust me when I lead.  He is a way better team leader!!  And He is leading us on a much longer journey!   

“Trust protects you from worrying and obsessing.  Thankfulness keeps you from criticizing and complaining: those ‘sister sins’ that so easily entangle you.” 

Let’s all trust Him today as our Team Leader!  Our Heavenly Father does know best! 

mama eydie! 

Jesus Calling - Day 51 - February 20, 2015

What has made the difference in the last 8 years is that I truly have learned to live from the true Center in Him.  I love how Sarah Young put it, “There is a gold mine of Peace deep within you, waiting to be tapped.  It was a hard road getting there.  I thought that my peace came from “the world around me, in circumstances, or in human relationships.”  I didn’t realize how much I was depending on my job and the work I was doing to define who I was.  No wonder I was living in such a state of stress!  

Going to Uganda in 2006/2007 was the start of my “treasure hunt” for this gold mine of Peace.  God used that journey there to help me realize that I was making my “center” religion rather than relationship.   It is so deep within that He sent me half way around the world to quiet me to hear.  If you find yourself in the same place of being too busy, you don’t have to go all the way to Africa to figure it out!  Just find a quiet place and spend time with Him.  He will help you to tap into this treasure of wealth!!   Believe me, it is a treasure worth uncovering! 

Still seeking His treasures, 

mama eydie!