I entered a Twitter contest last week that offered four floor seats to the local ABA team, the Jacksonville Giants. Much to my surprise, when I got home, I had a message saying that I had won the tickets. I am not a huge basketball fan. I usually only watch my nephews play and I watch March Madness and the NBA playoffs. But, since I won free tickets and it gave me something to do on a Saturday night, I went to the game.
ABA basketball is a little bit different than NBA and I noticed in the program that they have a rule called the 3D rule. This rule means that if the defending team steals the ball before the offensive team crosses half court, the next shot is worth three points instead of two. So, the teams often incorporate a full court press into the defense, which means they start defending the ball as soon as the other team is awarded possession rather than waiting until they cross the half court. When I was reading about the rule, I thought that this is a good strategy to employ when we are trying to reach our dreams and goals. Many times, when we are going after our dreams, we leave it up to others to bring us the resources we need, or we wait for the perfect plan, the perfect chance to arise to take what we have been after. We set up our defenses and try to prevent anything bad from happening. The thing about a full court press as opposed to a traditional half court defense is that if the offensive player gets past the press, the team on offense generally outnumbers the team on defense and they may have an easier chance to score. But, if the defensive team can get the ball away, they usually have a one-on-one shot at the basket and can score easily. It is a risk versus reward thing. We have to ask ourselves, “Am I ready to fully press in? Am I ready to press into the loving arms of God and step out in faith, knowing He has everything under control? Or will I sit back with my defenses up and just wait to see how things go? Am I willing to risk failing in order to ultimately be successful?” I can only answer those questions for myself. However, I do know that doing things the same way and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. So, for me, I have to be willing to try a more aggressive approach every once in awhile. This is not done without praying first. I will not take the step if I feel that God, my coach if you will, has not given me the signal to go after it. And, when I listen, if I don’t get the expected results, I know there is something can learn from it. If my attempt is successful, I might get a little more than I even expected. That, to me, is a win-win situation. It is a lesson I wish I had learned and put into practice long ago. Nevertheless, the past is gone and I can only focus on how I approach my dreams in the future. Another lesson I learned from the ABA 3D rule was that teams will employ the full court press even when they are far ahead in points. Sometimes, when we are successful, we are even less motivated to take a risk than we are when we have failed. I feel like this is when God takes the opportunity to shake up our comfort zone and force us to do something radically different; something that requires that we fully press into our faith and trust in Him. So, when approaching your dreams and goals don’t be afraid to try a full court press. Start attacking from the start, create your own opportunities, and at the very least, you will show the devil and the world that you are serious about your plans. At the very most, you will show God that you trust in His plan. Ms. EV
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Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you had a problem, but you knew the solution was unlikely to happen? I have. In fact, I struggled with something just this week that fit into that category. I say all the time that God wants to hear all of our problems, big or small. Even if others might not think it an issue, if you are His and it is an issue to you, it is an issue to Him. So, I started praying about this problem. Stop being nosey; I am not going to say what the problem was (I keep SOME things to myself...LOL).
I knew what a great solution to the problem would be. I knew it was highly unlikely to get the outcome I envisioned, but God is able to do the impossible. So, I kept praying...the same prayer...over and over and over again. "Lord, let this happen so that my problem can go away. And, please let it happen soon." Days went by and I thought my head would explode because the problem persisted and I was pretty sure that God was saying "no" to my request for assistance. Then, in the middle of praying the same prayer, "Lord, I just need You...," I paused. And, then I thought about it. That was the perfect place to stop. Instead of telling God how to fix my problem, I just needed to say, "Lord, I need You!" After praying that prayer, I started to feel some relief from the situation, but it still lingered. I knew that God was on it, so I added to the prayer, "Dear God, just be You for me." I thought I knew the solution to the problem; an improbable solution, but one that would change the circumstances surrounding me. God is showing me that my circumstances don't need to change. I just need to trust Him to change me and how I view the circumstance and how I view what He is capable of doing. He knows everything. And, He knows everything we need. So, I continue to pray and I invite you to pray, "Lord, I just need You. Dear God, just be You." Ms. EV Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead! And he did it, rescued us from certain doom. And he’ll do it again, rescuing us as many times as we need rescuing. 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (MSG)
I was caught in a very precarious situation this morning. Though I was not the target of a violent act, I was caught in the crosshairs, closer than I had ever been before to a fight. In the midst of the melee, I was able to escape, but was quite shaken and it took some time for my heart to return to a normal rate. In the moment, I thought my life might be in danger because I did not know the people or the extent to which the issue would escalate. Thankfully, I left unscathed. In refelction afterwards, I had to say, "Thank You, Jesus!" The situation could have gotten very ugly, but God! I am not sure how I would have reacted had I been hit or pushed. I am not sure how the students around me would have reacted or what would have happened if my family heard something happened to me. And, I thank God I don't have to find out. This is not a regular occurence, but it caused me to think about the fact that I constantly pray for blessings and protection for others and I don't ever really ask that for myself. I think I actually take for granted the protection that God gives me day by day. So, I am grateful that God protects me and rescues me even when I don't recognize; or worse yet, when I recognize it, but resent it because I think I know what is best for me life. I am so thankful that I know that God loves me. The God who can raise the dead will protect me and rescue me as many times as I need it. I am glad that God was on my side today and will be forever and ever. Ms. EV Have you ever wondered what God sounds like? We definitely can communicate with Him, but sometimes, I admit, that I do too much talking and not enough listening. When I do try to be still, be quiet, and listen, my head often gets clouded with my own thoughts. Sometimes I find it difficult to determine which thoughts are my own, random ones and which are God speaking something into my heart.
Because God created me, He knows what I voices will break through and make me sure that He is speaking. And, I would venture to say that it is the same for you. When I was younger, and I was about to make a bad decision, I would hear my dad's voice telling me not to do whatever I was contemplating doing. You have to understand that my father has a booming and beautiful voice. He speaks with authority; we call him Mufasa. His voice calls for a reverent fear, so when I heard that voice in my head or in real life, it gave me pause about whatever situation was brewing. I am not saying that I always listened, but I could distinctly tell that God was trying to get my attention. As I have gotten older though, God has used my love for music to speak to me. One day, after hearing a couple of my songs, my mom said, "How do you come up with these?" I said, "Well, sometimes I am sitting around and words pop into my head, so I write them down, put them in a rhyme scheme, and then, the melodies kind of appear. Other times, I have a melody in my head, so, now that I have a guitar, I pluck out the melody and keep playing it until the words start forming." Either way, it is a very therapeutic exercise. The latter way happened with Worth Dying For and it happened again a couple of weeks ago. I was sitting in my house and a melody was stuck in my head. At first, I thought it was a song I had heard, so I was trying to figure out what song it was, which can be a frustrating process. I got a message from a friend asking me how my music was going and I told her that I was at a stand still and was not really sure what to do. Then, the melody kept playing in my head, so I turned the television off and picked up my guitar. I strummed the chords over and over and just hummed until I felt this amazing peace in my spirit. And suddenly the humming turned into words, "'Cause, as far as I know, this is how it's supposed to be...This is where I'm supposed to be... ." I sent a message back to my friend letting her know that God had asnwered the question with a song. An amazing song, that, in His timing, I will record and perform, or that will just serve as a reminder for me when I have questions about my life. And, to top it off, as I sit this week and was beginning to feel the blues about another area of my life that seems to be in a holding pattern, God showed me this in His Word: "And don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there. God, not your marital status, defines your life" (1 Corinthians 7:17 MSG, emphasis added). So then, all I could do was sing: I'm not going to cry No more tears falling from my eyes And I'll tell you why 'Cause as far as I know this is how it's supposed to be I'm not going to sigh No more complaints from me And I'll tell you why 'Cause as far as I know I'm right where I'm supposed to be... God still speaks. He speaks to the quiet places that no one knows about but you and Him. Allow Him to calm your mind, and settle your spirit, and give you peace that passes all understanding. Yes, we make mistakes, but God does not, so if you feel like you are in a holding pattern, perhaps God has you exactly where He needs you to be. If things have suddenly been shaken up in your life, consider that it is because God has you right where you're supposed to be. Ask Him. He will answer. Ms. EV Growing up with siblings, it is inevitable that at some point, one or more siblings will have what one or more other siblings want. The items can be anything from toys to candy to clothes to money. Now, if you are the sibling who wants the commodity, you face the dreaded task of having to bargain with your sibling for said commodity. You know the drill, “I’ll do your chores for a week,” “I won’t bother you while you’re on the phone with your friends,” or “I won’t tell mom and dad that you were…when they thought you were…;” seems like it’s all about leverage with siblings. But, sometimes you have nothing with which to barter, and you are just hoping that your sibling will let you have or borrow whatever it is that you need. If you are the sibling with the hot commodity, you are in a fantastic situation. You can choose the payoff for the prized item. And, if there are multiple items from which to choose, you get to pick which one to let your sibling have or borrow.
So, in this scenario, if the sibling receiving the item would prefer to have a different item, but has no leverage, the phrase, “Beggars can’t be choosers,” is often used. What this means is that, because one is in a needy position, he or she should be content with whatever item is acquired. After all, he or she is the one in need with nothing to offer in return. How then does someone with nothing to offer have the audacity to make demands about a loan or a gift? Having been in this situation with family members, friends, and students, I understand what it is like to offer assistance to someone who is in need only to have them tell me that they want something more or different. So, I get why people use this phrase in certain contexts. However, this idiom should never be used toward or by someone who is waiting on God for a blessing. It occurs to me, as I expand my visibility in the dating world, that I have a very specific “someone” for whom I am waiting. If you pinned me down, I could make a list, but honestly, I just know if someone will be a good fit for my quirks. I actually am glad that I have a lot of idiosyncrasies. It narrows down the amount of people I have to wade through to get to the right one. I am beginning to think that there may actually only be one person who can fit the mold. And, that is fine by me because: a) I only need one person to fit the mold; and b) I will know that this person is sent by God because it is really difficult to be the person I desire to have in my life. I am 34 years old. I am divorced and I have no children and a ticking biological bomb (yes, I meant to say bomb and not clock). I would love to have someone with whom I could go to dinner or cuddle on the couch or go to karaoke or sporting events. But I am not a beggar, and therefore, I can be a chooser. I once was a beggar. I was a desperate girl who just wanted to be in a relationship, so I compromised. I compromised who I was, what I wanted in life, what I deserved and what I believed in on more than one occasion for the sake of not being alone. But, at this point in my life, I have been alone for so long, that it would just seem silly to start making compromises now. I hear this all the time, “I’m not saying lower your standards; I’m just saying be more open. You never know where love will come from.” Um, actually, I do know where love comes from; it comes from God. He is the same God that I talk to all day every day; the same God that knows me inside and out and know that I am weird--er, um unique. God knows exactly what I want and what I need. I don’t think I hear Him saying, “Girl, sending you a man that fulfills all of your desires is just too hard for Me. Can you ease up a bit?” Rather, I think God is saying, “I made you who you are and I know you. You will know who to choose because you will know that I sent him because he will be the perfect one for you.” My best friend says, “Every pot has its lid.” And, I cannot help but think of my parents, who have been together for thirty-nine years. They are so different from each other, but they understand each other’s quirks and they are each other’s best friend. They don’t try to change each other. Okay, well my dad tries to get my mom to try weird food, but he would never leave her because she is not like him and vice versa. I am not a beggar, and beloved of God, neither are you. So, wait for what you want. Being a chooser does not make you uppity, suddity, bourgeois, or ungrateful. It makes you a human being who knows what he or she wants and trusts God to deliver on His promises. Now, run and tell that! Ms. EV I’m sitting here watching our high school’s biggest rival play a football game on national television. As I watch, I see four of the guys that my nephews played sports with in middle school being featured on national television. Now, our team, the team for which my nephews play, beat this rival and got beat by the team that they are playing, but they are on national television and my boys are at my parents’ house watching the game.
They are great kids and they are awesome athletes. When the oldest was getting ready to leave middle school, I played a pretty big part in convincing their mom that they should go to our alma mater for academic and athletic reasons. It gave me the opportunity to keep an eye on them and their progress and to watch out for their best interests because I teach there. But, as I look at this game ad these other players on national television getting exposure to colleges, I feel that I owe the biggest of apologies to my nephews. My need to be in control possibly got in the way of their futures in athletics because their current coaches could care less about getting them national attention or even into college; all they care about is winning. One of my favorite quotes is, “We plan; God laughs.” Yet, I still have this inane need to feel in control; to interject myself in situations where God is telling me to just stay out of it. I know that God is able to rectify the situation. I know that not I (as in control as I think I am) can get in the way of his plans for those boys’ futures, or for that matter in the way of my own future. I can wish all day long that I had stayed out of it, but I didn’t, so at this point, all I can do is ask the boys’ forgiveness, ask God’s forgiveness, pray, and trust Him to chart out the best course for all of my nephews and my niece, and for me and everyone I care about. As for me, I will stay out of it. Ms. EV God is still speaking to me this week. Today, His provision was through Scripture, support, and a supplement. The Scripture is Romans 4:3-5 (MSG):
“What we read in Scripture is, “Abraham entered into what God was doing for him, and that was the turning point. He trusted God to set him right instead of trying to be right on his own.4-5 If you’re a hard worker and do a good job, you deserve your pay; we don’t call your wages a gift. But if you see that the job is too big for you, that it’s something only God can do, and you trust him to do it—you could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked—well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God. Sheer gift.” “Trusting Him to do it is what sets you right with God…,” those words stood out to me as if God was whispering in my ear, “You cannot do this on Your own, just trust me.” Within hours of this revelation, several prayers were answered. They were answered in such rapid succession that I was overwhelmed. I was just trying to take in all that God was doing in a matter of moments. I was getting answers to prayers that I have been praying for months. I was overrun with God’s wisdom and so thankful. I am a huge believer in “be still and know that I am God,” but that doesn’t make it easy to wait for answers. But we don’t show our faith by jumping up and trying to make things happen for ourselves. We show our faith when we wait for God to work it out because we know that the job is too big for us. That is what sets us right with God. Upon receiving the support and supplement, I was tempted to move forward in my own direction. I was tempted to take the easy path, but that was a path that I had control over. So, I prayed for wisdom to do what was right with God’s blessing. And, for the first time in a long time, I received an immediate answer and I obeyed. I took the step of faith that I believe God was asking me to take and I am trusting that He will lead me in the right direction. I would be more specific, but, honestly, I don’t feel led to give the specifics right now. Just know that God hears you. He knows what you desire and what you need. And, when you trust Him to do the things that you know you cannot do and obey His Word and His promptings, He will provide. God is not man, one given to lies, and not a son of man changing his mind. Does he speak and not do what he says? Does he promise and not come through? Numbers 23:19 (MSG)
For much of my life, I was known as a worry wart. Not the kind of worrying normal people do, but I had a paralyzing sense of fear over the smallest details. In my mind, little problems turned into catastrophes in a nanosecond. For example, if there was thunder, I thought the sky was falling. If I felt sick, I thought it was an incurable disease. When I was a senior in high school and had not ever had a real boyfriend, I thought no one would ever love me or want to marry me. When I was younger, I thought everyone thought this way. About ten years ago, my anxiety had such a tight grip on me that I suffered from insomnia and paranoia. I finally decided, with the help of some of my inner circle, that it could not be normal, and I sought help. After some therapy, I was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder. I was so conflicted about this diagnosis because, as a Christian, we are not to have fear or anxiety or worry. But remember, those of us who are saved, are in this world, but not of this world. As long as we are a part of this world, we are subject to the trouble of this world, which includes illness – even mental illness. But, praise God that He created doctors, therapists, and medicine. There is no shame in seeking help. It does not make you less of a Christian. That is something that the devil would have you believe, so that you can stay sick. I knew that there was an issue, so I followed the treatment plan of my doctor, and I got the issue under control. I have been fine for years, but recently, I started to feel that old familiar feeling of paralyzing, worrisome thoughts. Only this time, I knew that it was irrational and it was nothing but the devil trying to distract me and throw me off my path. How do I know this? Because the anxieties that were, and still are, going through my head are blatant lies. And, I know that there is nothing to even be concerned with because God, my Father, cannot and does not lie. And, God, my Father, has told me that I have nothing to worry about or fear. And, God, my Father, has told me that He will never let anything happen to me that I cannot handle. And, God, my Father, told me that He will never leave me or forsake me. So, anytime thoughts cloud my mind about having a desperate need or being devastated or abandoned, I know they are lies and God does not lie. Ms. EV Being an introvert means that I am only outspoken when I am extremely passionate about something. Other than that, I am loud when I am in performance mode and when I am around the people with whom I am the most comfortable. Alternatively, I am quiet most of the time. I spend most of my time by myself, so it would be weird if I talked a lot. I am quiet when I am processing or thinking about something. I am quiet when I know that what I say will cause a confrontation because I hate confrontation (unless it is something about which I am extremely passionate). Most of what I say is in my head though, and although, other people cannot hear it, God knows exactly what I am saying.
The other day, I was reading a devotional and came across this verse in Exodus, “God will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!” Exodus 14:14 (MSG). It was a slap in the face, but the good kind; the kind that wakes you up. It was akin to one of my favorite prayers, Lord, keep Your arm around my shoulder…and Your hand over my mouth. Our words are very powerful, and I try to choose mine wisely, but I know that I am guilty of using my tongue as a sword. I used to be quite proud of having that as a talent. I loved the fact that I never had to actually put my hands on people because I could do much more damage with my words. I know that is a flawed mindset, but it was my defense mechanism. Now, that I have become more careful with my words, I still find destructive speech goes on in my head. Sometimes, it is directed at other people. Sometimes, it is directed at me. And sometimes, though I am not proud to admit it, it is directed at God. When I read that verse, it reminded me that no matter what is going on in my life, God has the final say. He can and will fight all of my battles and win. My job is to shut my mouth, whether that means not saying something out loud or quieting the negative voices in my head. The verse was directed towards the most quintessential whiners in all of history: the post-Egypt, pre-Promised Land Israelites. Despite all of the times God had delivered them, they still complained every time even a hint of adversity appeared. Now, before we get all high and mighty and condemn their whining ways, let us remember, well at least I know I need to remember, that we do the same exact thing. God rescues us over and over again, even sometimes when we create the calamity, and yet, we have doubt when a new storm arises. So, this verse reminds us, while God is fighting, we just need to be quiet, listen to Him and let Him handle it. Remember, we have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Ms. EV I walked into a room to speak with a colleague and before I knew it, the room was filled with people venting about our job. They talked about changes that are in progress. They talked about changes that are being considered. They talked about changes that aren’t even being considered yet. It was very depressing, especially considering that I was finally starting to feel comfortable about my career decision. I was finally confident that God had reassured me that I am right where He directed me and where He placed me. But, everything around me looks so grim, so uncertain, so scary…. I imagine that this is what Joseph felt like when he was in a pit being sold off by his brothers. Or, when he had finally earned his spot in Potiphar’s house, only to be accused of rape by Potiphar’s wife, and thrown in jail. These are the times, the grim, uncertain, scary times, when the devil wants us to doubt that God placed us where we are. He whispers, “A loving God wouldn’t put you in a situation where you’re uncomfortable and frightened.” He preys on our vulnerabilities. But, GOD… God will lead us right back to His Word and in that Word, we can see that God was with Joseph and the darkest of circumstances worked out for Joseph’s good. What’s more is that God promised that He will work everything out for the good of those who love Him. So, if I love Him and I trust Him, there is no need to fear. No, the situations and circumstances are not fun and can be unnerving, but the God I serve is my source, not my employer, not my family, not my friends, but God. Because God [is] with [me]; whatever [I do] God [will make] sure it work[s] out for the best. (Genesis 39:23). Ms. EV |
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