Dare to Be:: Embracing here and now {Day 7}

Have you ever felt like a misfit toy? Like you were supposed to be there, but you are still here? 

But, no matter what you do, things are just beyond your grasp of being able to make things happen?

I know what it's like. I'm there right now.

And, it's hard.

{Read my story here.}


I'm asking God a lot these days about why he still has me where I am. Feeling like I am not fulfilling my potential. Wondering what His purpose is for me now.

I feel like I'm harboring gifts he's put inside me like a diamond ring hidden under layers of cake. 

I had a real sleeping dream several months ago, that I was in this new place. There.

The place where my God sized dream is. 

It was so real. Down to the detail of the dated carpet in our new apartment. 

What did this mean? Had God just dropped that dream, that vision, into me?  To give me a glimpse of my dream fulfilled? 

I do not know.

It seems sometimes that my heart is already parking itself in this new place that in real life I am not close to being yet.

I'm still not there physically. I'm here. 

I wonder if God gets tired of me asking the same questions over and over.

Why am I still here and not there? What are you doing? What is my purpose?

Finally, as if on silent cat feet, God softly whispers.

I've given you work to do now. It's here.

It's now.

The now that is right now in front of your face is not wasted.

Now has purpose.

It might not look like what you wanted and envisioned it to look like, but I have you where you are at this appointed time by no accident.

Your being here has good reason.

Trust Me with your here and your there.

Trust me with now and trust me with later.

Okay, God, I think I get it. But, you might have to remind me tomorrow.

How about you? Do you have the challenge of embracing here and now, while you are waiting to be there? I'd love to hear your comments.

Click my button to see a list of all 31 Days posts. Thanks so much for stopping!

~Anne

days where you need to dig deep

Today seems a bit dark. It feels like life is closing in with it's gray gnarled fingers and threatening to choke every last shred of joy and creativity out of me. On a day like today, it feels like I am a party of one. Maybe it's just lack of sleep.

It's on days (and nights) like I'm having recently that I need to dig deep into the well where my faith resides. Dig deep to find the gems hidden there that can breathe new life into my sagging mood and motivation. Sometimes even digging seems overwhelming. 

Today I am reminded how I need to lean, trust and rely on God. For everything. I've read that verse hundreds of times in my lifetime and I am tempted to gloss over the facts. 

This morning, feeling like I need to be in control over something that I am currently not able to control, this verse jumped out at me. So many times what I know to be true in my head after many years of following Jesus, hasn't made it's way down the several inches to my heart.

Today lean, trust and rely moved a couple more inches towards my heart. If I am leaning, trusting and relying on God to do things for me that I absolutely cannot do, what is there that I need to control? Nothing. Leaning, trusting and relying on Someone else must mean that I can be resting. What a novel idea that is. Rest.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (amplified Bible)

How about you? Do you ever feel like there are days when you need to remind yourself that Someone else in in charge?

When it's hard to see God's face

I choose to believe.

to never give up hope.

God is good

He's in control.

These lyrics to Phillips, Craig and Dean's song resonate through me. They go on to say,

and even when His face is hard to see, 

I choose to believe.

There are definitely times in my life that God's face is hard to see. His voice is hard to hear. I know that doesn't mean He is not there and that He is not in control. But, this song moves me. It touches my heart and reminds me that God is always in control of my circumstances, no matter what it going on. It reminds me to never give up hope.

I do have to choose this however. It is my choice whether to trust that God is good. To trust that He is in control and to trust in Him enough to keep my hope. 

It is my choice. 

I had lunch with my college daughter today. I asked her a question that was posed in my Alpha group a few weeks ago. I asked,"How do you answer someone who asks the question 'what does your relationship with God look like'?"

She said that sometimes she has to choose to read her Bible, or choose to worship or choose to pray, even if her feelings don't match up to that. "Every good relationship has to have time put into it. I can't just meet with them once in awhile and expect that relationship to be a close one. The same is true in my relationship with God." Very wise words from a girl of nineteen.


God is indeed a good God. 

eyes wide open to abundance {day 3}

Eyes wide open.

Ears that are eager.

 John 10:27 "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."

John 14:26 "But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative--that is, the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you."

Bible open, pencil in hand, journal in lap, and the words start pouring out on the page. The still, small voice of Truth. I'm listening intently, even as I am writing feverishly. I want to have eyes and ears of faith. I want to have an open mind and heart to everything God has for me.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Your life belongs to God. I, your Heavenly Father, am your Need Meeter. I provide everything you need. 

When you look to yourself or other people to meet your needs, you may see that they are met for awhile, but not really. In the end you will see that you will barely get by and your apparent abundance will just be an illusion. All that you thought was filling your hands will slip through like sifting sand.

The Enemy of your soul will always tempt you to trust in yourself or other people apart from Me. Don't take the bait. Trust only in Me. What I provide will always be satisfying and it will be lasting. I am the Beginning and I Am the End. I Am First and Last. Therefore, My provisions are trustworthy and lasting. They are satisfying. They are like a rock that cannot be moved.

Keep your eyes on Me, your Need Meeter. Expect Me to provide. Expect Me to act. I am always working behind the scenes to provide for your every need. 

Friendships? I've got that covered.

Food? I've got that too.

Peace? Yes, it's provided.

Joy? It's yours in abundance.

Love? Oh yes. My love is everlasting. My love is eternal. My love for you is provisional, unconditional, immovable.

My love for you is what motivates Me to provide for you. When you look to anything or anyone else that I created to provide all that you need, you miss out on My very best for you.

I love providing for you. I never tire of it. I am Love. Everything I do is out of Myself, Love.
I am trustworthy. Keep your eyes on Me and you will know. Keep your heart tuned in to Me and you will truly see. You will see the truth, and the truth will set you free and keep you free.

John 10:10, "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)."

please go to day 1 to see a list of all 31 posts.