Roots

Recently I sat under the shade of an old live oak tree. I was sitting on the rope swing, listening to praise and worship music and resting my soul when the Lord began to speak to me.

He said look at this tree, the branches reaching to the ground in places, providing shade for many and a strong sturdy trunk. The family is like this tree. You are growing for generations to come. Your parents and grandparents before you, your children and grandchildren after you, but now is your time.

What are you growing? Are your roots running deep? Are you established in the word and tapping into the source of life? Or are your roots running on top of the ground with just enough to keep you standing and satisfied ? With surface roots the storms of life will eventually destroy you! With roots that run deep you will withstand the storms.

There will be casualties because we live in an imperfect world as imperfect people, divorce, death, addictions, the tree will need to be pruned but rooted deep you will thrive. You will provide shade for many, a place of rest, a place that brings peace and joy because your tree is rooted in Christ.

What tree are you growing right now? Are you growing deep roots for future generations or will your children and grandchildren feel the affects of your weak surface roots? Mamas, I know you are tired. You run, work, cook, make sure the games are attended, the uniforms are washed , baths are taken and most of the time you feel unappreciated.

Make time for Jesus in your schedule. There is no greater gift to give your children than established roots in Christ. Dads, husbands, I know you often feel unappreciated, like the wallet for your family, working hard and dishing out money but your job is so much greater. You are the the earthly father, the earthly husband start mimicking the heavenly one! Your job is so important. There has been a lack in family systems. It does not matter if you are married, single, divorced, parents or not. God is speaking to us today to grow our roots in him because the storms will come, they always come. It’s time to get rooted in him so that we are not easily blown over .

If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy , the branches are too.

Romans 11:16

The mind

In the book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul addresses one of the greatest and long-lasting human struggles – the mind. While speaking to the church in Philippia, Paul wrote in chapter four this verse, “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things. “(Phil. 4:8)

This verse stands as the brain-checklist, the original document to go back to when our minds decide to venture outside of these standards.

The main points from this verse that stood out to me were:

  • Truth is not subjective; there is only one Truth, and that is found in the Word. 
  • Nobility is simply doing what is right(a synonym for this word is in fact, “righteous”). In the mind, thinking nobly would be thinking righteously. 
  • To think rightly would be in terms of Micah 6:8. It’s the “Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly” type of attitude.
  • Purity is both a mind and body goal. And while we do fall short of the glory of God from time to time(Rom 3:23), purity is not a one-and-done thing. Praise be to Him that in a world where purity is specifically targeted, His grace and mercy still overshadow any impure moments. Just as the mouth speaks out of the heart(Matt 12:34) the body acts out of the brain. Therefore, if the mind is impure, it is hard, if not impossible to keep the body pure. 
  • To think about lovely things sounds pretty self-explanatory. We are to not think in a way that does not reflect God’s character. Since God is love and created a way for us to love each other, we are to think about each other in a loving way.  
  • Lastly, to think on things that are admirable re-emphasizes the entire point of a godly mindset. We are to fixate our minds onto exemplary and praiseworthy subjects, emotions, and people that bring glory to God. In doing this, we bring glory to him by  obeying His commands concerning how to think. 

While this is the goal of a godly mindset, this is all easier said than done. We are imperfect humans and while we strive to accomplish every part of this verse, we are prone to mess-ups. 

The rapper NF states in his song “The Search” that “The mind is a powerful place, and what you feed it can affect you in a powerful way.” In this sense, if we feed our minds(purposely or unconsciously) with impure, unloving, unjust, untrue and unrighteous things, it will be the direct definition of “difficult” to have a godly mind. Proverbs 4:23 instructs us to protect our minds, “for life flows from it.” Protecting our minds is important because it does produce life, but living and surviving are two different things. 

In order to be different in this world, we have to live differently. Whether that means we monitor our screens, environment, or the books we read, we have to fill our minds with God honoring thoughts and themes. Living a different, godly life begins with a different, godly mind. So, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, and whatever is admirable, think of these things.”

Puzzle

God is writing and creating your masterpiece. It may not be the puzzle you wanted to assemble, but I assure you it is a masterpiece.

Handcrafted and knitted together by a King who loves you.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

– Jeremiah 29:11

We hear this scripture a lot. Especially during the graduation season. We bring it to memorization. We trust in it. My question is do we really listen to it? Listen to the meaning?

He has plans for you.

They might just be totally different than your own. That is beautiful. Often times our life can feel like a messy, messy, out of place puzzle.

There are so many good pieces that we hold close to our heart. Then there is the group of bad puzzle pieces that a lot of the time we just rather not speak of. We would rather them get lost within the rummage of life. As we listen to the love of Christ and walk with him, entrusting that he knows the plans he has for us, know that the puzzle may be full of pieces we want to get rid of.

You can’t get rid of them though.

You have to hold on tight for the ride. Allow the Holy Spirit to walk you through those tough moments within the masterpiece. You have to trust his plans will prosper. I am so confident that when you trust his plans and trust in his will for your life that you will back up and realize one day that it is a masterpiece hand knitted by a loving God. Realizing in order to walk according to his will it took some ugly puzzle pieces to complete the puzzle. Be thankful for them. It’s not what we would call a masterpiece within our human selves, but it is very much crafted by the almighty King. He’s a redeemer and covenant maker.

I want more of you Jesus. I want more of your plans.

⁃ More of knowing that you know what’s best.

⁃ More of knowing that you know what I need.

⁃ Knowing that you designed and know me better than I know myself.

I could never get enough of you. I could never get enough of trusting in the masterpiece you are knitting together.

Closer

The great thing about this side of heaven is we all have weaknesses. We all have things we stink at, say wrong, do wrong, and just can’t do right. Just hear me out friends.

Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 that his weaknesses laid the ground work for God’s power to be seen in his life. In his humanness he begged the Lord to remove them though…just like I would to be completely honest. Who the heck wants weaknesses anyway? But this is what the Lord said…

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT

For us today, it’s hard to wrap our minds around the idea of weakness being a good thing. We’re suppose to have great grades, not get speeding tickets, not have a temper, and show all the fruits of the spirit all the time right? Psh, even the Lord knows that’s not possible.

It’s time we realize our weaknesses are an opportunity for us to grow closer to Jesus. They’re an open door to understanding God’s word better and applying it to our lives. If we really stop and think about it, it was our weaknesses that brought us to Jesus in the first place. It was what we could not accomplish on our own that brought us to the one who could conquer all things.

No, I’m not saying you get a gold sticker for the things you aren’t good at. It doesn’t work that way. But I hope and pray you allow your weaknesses to set the stage for God’s mighty power in your life.

-Harley Jo 💗

Control

Control has always been something I crave. When it comes to the sequence of events in my life, I need to know exactly how it’s going down…like every little detail. I get filled with anxiety when things don’t turn out exactly how I planned in my head and try my very best to get back on track before I have an actual meltdown. Even with all of my best efforts, there are some circumstances and situations that I just can’t change. There is a greater power who does have the control and strength needed to deal with any and every circumstance. His name is Jesus. I’m thankful this pressure to control doesn’t rest on my shoulders.

 

We can find peace in learning to surrender to God’s timeline. No matter who you are and what you have done, God loves you and has a unique plan for your life. That plan is perfect in his eyes; even if it does not line up with what you had in mind. What if everyone around you seems to be thriving while you keep getting handed one bad situation after another? God remains faithful and cares for you. He knows the bigger picture and sees it clearly. As we know, this life is unpredictable and that can be unsettling at times. God may be using your current situation to prepare your heart for something greater. Today, you can choose to let go of control and cling to God, He’s got you. 

 

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” Lamentations 3:22-25

Pride

Lately I have been trying to dig deep and root out some lingering strongholds of I guess… as hard as it is to admit….bitterness or unforgiveness.

As I was studying and praying I came to Proverbs 13:10 NKJV By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well advised is wisdom.

More studying and more praying 😳. It’s hard. So hard to admit things are possibly my fault 🤷🏼‍♀️.

I mean by worldly standards I’m 💯 justified in harboring resentment or anger or whatever I want to harbor.

It’s my party and I’ll be mad if I want to.

But……by God’s standards if there is strife it’s a pride issue. If I’m following Christ I’m supposed to esteem the other person higher than myself (Phil 2:3). It’s hard to keep that flesh crucified and even harder if I’ve just been coasting along unchecked for a little while.

But………Christ is worth it. Not because of what He can do, but because of who He is. He is the light of the world, He is the beginning and the end, He is Lord and Savior. How can I not try to do what He asks?

I can start the “get back on track process” with Proverbs 8:13 “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate.

Pride happens when we lose that fear or awe of God. I forget who I am in relation to Him and basically I get too big for my britches. My flesh justifies my position and I go about my way. The problem is I’m dimming my light. Facebook posts are great, but it’s my daily interactions with the person in front of me that really counts.

The verse goes farther to say some things He hates. Since He is God and I am confessing Him as master I need to also hate those things. Pride, arrogance, the evil way, a perverted mouth…..easy to say……hard to navigate in real time with real people. Pride is sneaky.

The key is to replace those things with what He says is good.

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

He didn’t say this walk would be easy. He knows I fall short daily, but He loves me anyway and that is what I need to do for others. Love them even when they fall short.

Let’s all try it today. Let’s seek Him first and see if all these things will fall into place.

Let’s Ephesians 4:32🎶 😘

Heart change

Did you know as Christians we are to live on earth as citizens of Heaven? God expects us to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy to spread the gospel of Christ His Son. We are to stand together in the faith, encouraging one another, agreeing wholeheartedly with one mind and one purpose. It is a privilege to trust in Christ and to have the ability to spread His word. It is even a privilege to suffer for Him! In order to carry this out we must always have the attitude of Christ.

What does it mean to have the attitude of Christ? First of all, we must walk in humility. Humility is an attitude of spiritual modesty that comes from understanding our place; freedom from pride or arrogance. It means that our hearts should always be tender and compassionate with no selfish ambition, free from trying to impress others. We should always think of others as better than ourselves. Jesus was the perfect example of humility.

“Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” Philippians 2:6-8

As human beings our nature struggles with pride. We tend to feel like it is weak to be humble especially in situations or circumstances when people attack our beliefs and motives. We may really be trying to do the right thing and when someone questions that we go straight to wanting to defend ourselves. That is PRIDE!! Jesus was attacked in every way that we are and more. He still chose to die an embarrassing and painful death on the cross. He was beaten and ridiculed for us, knowing that we would continually sin against Him, but so we can be forgiven. That is HUMILITY!!!! We struggle with forgiving people who just simply hurt our feelings 10 years ago. Pride hinders our spiritual growth and causes strife, but humility helps us grow in the truth and grace of Christ, who saves our souls.

Having the attitude of Christ is also having love for one another. God is love and sent His only Son to die so we can have eternal life. There is no love greater than this. God commands us to love each other to show others that this is the characteristic of a Christian. It is how the world can and should be able to identify us. To love like Christ we must experience a true heart change. This does not come naturally but as a result of the Holy Spirit coming to dwell in us. We are to have a love that is unconditional, sacrificial, and forgiving and it should be for everyone, even those that may not love or like us back. The more we surrender to loving others the more God lives in us and our love becomes more perfect.

“If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And He has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.”

1 John 4:20-21

So remember to walk in humility and encourage and love each other in the faith! Have a tender heart and compassion and a little extra grace for each other, knowing just how much grace we receive from the Heavenly Father everyday!!! Let’s have the attitude of Christ!!

Unless

Then he (Moses) said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.”

Lord, I’ll just stay right here, unless You’re going with me. What if I kept that desire for His companionship burning daily in my life? It would be life changing!

I see Moses’s relationship with God as amazing and one to be desired, but that can only happen if I make God the center of my life. I know Moses may not have actually seen the face of God, but he experienced a level of intimacy with Him that can only come from 2 people having each other’s full attention.

This is the kind of relationship that God desires to have with each one of us.

Exodus 33:11 says the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. That my friend, had to be an unforgettable moment in time! Moses and God were so deeply involved that he could not imagine proceeding without His Presence.

And although God had promised him success, Moses didn’t want just good results, He wanted God. Once we become so involved with Him and experience His Presence in our lives, we begin to realize that we cannot ever be satisfied with a life outside of His Presence.

Jer. 29:13 “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart”

I believe that if we take the time to search Him out, get to know Him so well and feel like He can talk to us like a friend, sharing His heart with us as we share ours with Him, ‘we would trade in everything just to be In His Presence.’

20 years

20 years, y’all.

20 years.

That’s huge, and it’s certainly something to celebrate. I never really write about marriage on here – some things I do keep to myself. But today – 20 years later – let me give you some good ol’ fashion marriage advice:

Your spouse wasn’t placed on this earth to serve you – to worship you. Get that idea out of your head before you ever say “I do”.

They were placed here to serve God – to worship God. Now, if they are truly living in that realm then you won’t have to worry about how you are being treated. If they truly love Jesus, then they will truly love you.

A question to ask yourself each day: Am I helping my spouse serve God or am I hindering them?

Pray for your spouse, and love them like Jesus does.

And some advice from Frank:

Marriage is such a beautiful gift from God and should be treated with reverence. If I was to give any advice I would say these things: 1) Love your spouse for who they are, not for who you think they can or should be like. 2) Embrace your differences, you’re going to need different perspectives and balance when navigating through parenthood and life. 3) Be respectful to your spouse, with your spouse and more importantly when you are away from your spouse.

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:2-3

This Moment

The word “ministry” has sort of been “boxed in” to be a word that requires a professional title.  We think of pastors, small group leaders, and other leaders of the church body to be the people doing “ministry”. However, ministry requires no title at all. Instead, it requires a call, and the good news is we’ve ALL been called to ministry.

In The Great Commission, Jesus tells his disciples “go and make disciples,” (Matthew 28:19-20). If we are going to call ourselves disciples of Christ, then we can’t just ignore this call to ministry. Let’s break this verse down a little more to see how we can apply this daily. The first word Jesus says here is “go”. This doesn’t have to be across the world, to a foreign country, or leaving your job to become a pastor. “Go” can be to Motiva, or being a truck driver, a mail man, a CEO of a tech company, a stay at home mom, a teacher, anything! You can reach people and spread the good news of the Gospel wherever you are planted.

The next thing we are called to do is to “make”. Now, we can’t be effective at making disciples if we’re harsh and act like we know best. Instead, we are supposed to love them where they are at in that very moment as Jesus would. Be the one who goes the extra mile for someone. Smile at a stranger. Leave a large tip at the restaurant. Hold a door for someone. Share your faith publicly. Be unashamed of the Gospel. Ask someone you see struggling if you can pray with them.

Through these actions, people will want to know why you’re living this way and how you’re so full of joy doing it. You’ll lead people to Jesus best when you’re acting like Him and walking with the Holy Spirit.

This is ministry.

All of those acts that I mentioned above and so many more can be ministry. Don’t put the work that Jesus has called us to do in a box. We were created for more than that!