Sisterhood of the Traveling Plants

"Forget the former things: do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland" (Isaiah 43:18-19).

"How could plants that thrived for a decade deteriorate to near death in eight weeks?", I asked my husband in astonishment. Unable to take them into our hotel room while we searched for a new home we entrusted them to a close friend. She informed me they were struggling a "little", as she followed my instructions regarding their care. She meant well. But somehow they were slowly neglected and arrived at my doorstep parched and shriveled; a mere shadow of their former beauty and a lot like me.

The dragon plant took the worst hit shrinking from over four feet tall to half its size. With tape and sticks my sweet friend attempted to repair the damage she'd done on the plant's drooping trunk. It looked like it was on life support! Thankfully, my precious husband hid the plants in the garage until after my friend's visit. When my eyes first beheld them I gasped in shocked then burst out laughing. As tears rolled down my laughing face I exclaimed, "These plants are a metaphor of me!"

Watering my plants I realized my sisterhood with them. We'd both traveled a rough journey during this relocation. Uprooted from all that was familiar to me, all that made my life comfortable and easy, I wasn't thriving spiritually, physically or emotionally in our new city. I miss our friends, our church; our neighborhood. Now life is foreign and lonely like a dry wasteland. It's pretty here but I feel displaced.

Some days I chastise myself, angry that I'm acting as if I've been exiled to an awful place. But it's not an attitude of ungratefulness that's stunting my growth. I lack nourishment because I've rushed through my quiet time with Jesus. My plants are a reflection of the way I feel inside, but all is not lost! Just as there are tiny green leaves of new growth pushing through my plant's withered stalks, so there is life in me. This desert season has increased my compassion for those who struggle far worse transplanting, such as our brave military and their families.

As I read my Bible and God's Word washes over my parched soul, I am reminded of His purpose for the uprooting. He is more concerned with character development than comfort; there is something new He's birthing in me. If I let Him plow and plant something beautiful will bloom for His glory. "Father, help me remember the goodness of the past without hanging on so tightly that I miss the new thing you are doing" (Isaiah 43:18-19). Thank you!

Your sister and herald for Jesus,

Mary

The Scary Place of Grace

"For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told" (Habakkuk 1:5).

This was the summer of change. Two years in the making, my husband's company merger was completed and our tenure in Raleigh ended. An offer on our house came from the first viewers hours after being listed. The sale closed on September 13 seventeen years to the day I came to Raleigh from Boston. It is God's plan that wisked us away from the home and friends that we loved. Change is scary and so is grace.

Why is grace a scary place to be? Because it means we're not in control. It was only an illusion that we ever were to begin with. We do our best to execute our plans, but it's the Lord that determines our path. God's grace is our hope and peace when the uncertain future frightens us as we mourn our comfortable past. Grace helps us to let go of our tightly clenched hands and reach for God's ever-loving hand. 

With big dreams and big sunglasses to cover the big tears I cried, I drove behind my husband's overloaded pickup truck to Charlotte. It's been almost two weeks now. We are living in a hotel in Uptown Charlotte as we house hunt in the suburbs. Each morning God meets me in my prayer time and His Spirit comforts me. I feel Him as I walk the city streets breathing silent prayers for family and friends as well as strangers passing briskly by. Grace has helped us adjust to this change.

These days Jon and I feel God's presence in magnitude. He has steered us away from houses we thought were right for us, so we are confident He will confirm the exact place we should purchase. Change is unsettling and that is good! Christ needs to shake us up to wake us up. Grace is becoming less scary as our trust in Him is increasing.

Are you scared of major change in your life? It's natural to be hesitant but don't let your worries consume you. Take them to the Lord and watch His supernatural power work miracles in your life. This journey is where you will see His grace in abundance and your trust in God will increase if you release your fears. Don't be scared, be excited! "For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you wer told" Habakkuk 1:5.

Your fellow herald for Christ,

Mary

Finishing Well

"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in your Master's happiness" (Matthew 25:23).

How did you do with your 2011 resolutions and goals? Did your enthusiasm carry you to a glorious celebration in December, or did you crash and burn by February after the exuberance died down? Mine was a mix of starts, stumbles and do overs. This was a hard year, the roughest I've had in awhile. Some resolutions were not kept except for one, the one that enabled me to finish stronger in December than I started in January.

A year ago I asked God to help me make His voice; His Word the first priority of my day. Instead of rushing out of bed and turning on the television to digest the local news, I met with Jesus quietly in an over-sized chair as I read my devotional and Bible. As I knelt and prayed before walking downstairs to begin my myriad of tasks, I asked the Holy Spirit to disciple and still my soul. Crowding out the demands of the world for precious time with my Savior gave me strength and courage for the day.

It's easy to say that God is good when life is smooth, but hard to remember God is faithful when testing comes. So I started to record my prayer requests and the Scriptures God revealed to me along the way. Some days He gave me a verse or two early in the morning. Other days it came from a friend, my husband, or our pastor's Sunday morning message. I wrote the verses in a journal and reviewed them on New Years Eve. What a blessing to see how much the Lord delivered me from and carried me through!

Like you, many of my prayer requests are still on going needs. Some have not been answered yet. But I am sticking with my 2011 resolution and taking it into 2012--making God's voice and His Word the first thing I hear each day. It's exciting to see Him change me and to watch my marriage grow. With each passing day I am increasingly thankful for God's mercy and grace that enables me to finish well.

As God's girl I know I am here for a bigger purpose than to see all of my goals and resolutions fulfilled. God wants to use me if only I will get out of the way and let Him work. How I want this to be my reality--a little light for Jesus in a dark and troubled world. Do you feel the same about your life? Let us pray for each other to take hold of all the power God provides. Remember, starting well is only great if you finish well! Here's to a fabulous 2012 in our service to our Almighty God and Father. Happy New Year! "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in your Master's happiness" (Matthew 25:23).

Your fellow sojourner and herald,

Mary

Who is in Control?

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

“God is My Co-pilot” the catchy bumper sticker read with a crucifix beside those words. Sounding so clever and right, why did it make me feel uneasy? If God is my co-pilot that means I’m still in charge, or does it? Longing to silence the discussion in my head, I looked up the meaning of co-pilot in the dictionary. Here’s what is said, “A qualified pilot who assists or relieves the pilot but is not in command.” Uh oh, sounds like that bumper sticker needs a rewrite!

Have you ever made a decision without consulting God first that left you stranded and begging for help? So often I run ahead of Jesus with all my dreams of grandeur asking Him to bless my plans when the ride gets too bumpy. I have reduced God to some roadside assistance genie that exists to smooth out trouble spots instead of seeking His will in prayer. Without realizing it, I had switched places and made myself God’s co-pilot. What a frightening thought!

Our imaginations can take us on a wild ride, but not always to places God wants us to go. To reach the destination He created us for, we need to read God’s roadmap and follow His directions. Reading the Bible and praying for God’s instruction will keep you from running off course. “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

Do not fear giving Jesus control to drive the all-terrain vehicle of your life. Ask Him to show you which way to go before you set out on your daily trip. Abide and listen for His voice; then follow the path in obedience He designed for you. He will empower you to accomplish His plans for your life. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Your fellow sojourner,

Mary

More Than We Can Handle

“I will lift my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).

Crushed in spirit by an unexpected crisis, I broke down in tears. How much more can I handle, God? My already full plate shattered when the news that a family member was in serious trouble was heaped upon it. It was the kind of trouble I was powerless to fix. Looking for encouragement from friends their cavalier response, “You’re strong, have faith, God won’t give you more than you can handle” made me want to scream in rebuttal. Can you relate?

Does God give us more than we can handle? I believe He does. Is it because God is unsympathetic and delights in seeing us suffer? No, it’s because He wants us to surrender the problem to Him for help. Have you ever posed the question of God’s goodness and mercy to your friends only to receive a reply that made you feel more discouraged and alienated? We interpret this as unfair when Jesus allows comments from well-meaning friends to baffle and frustrate us. But if we probe the Scriptures we begin to see that the Lord longs to be our greatest source of comfort.

Honestly, if we could solve all our problems ourselves, or by following the advice of others, why would we need God’s help? As life clutters our minds we forget we were created to know God, to love God, and to worship Him. Often it takes a “beyond our control” situation to bring us to our knees in prayer. Jesus is not being cruel when He allows trouble to befall us. He’s using it to draw us near to Him because He is the one person who will never abandon us.

God who is perfect created us for human relationships, but we are all imperfect beings. None of us can adequately meet anyone’s needs no matter how much we love them. It’s not that we shouldn’t seek human advice, but what happens if that person cannot help, or they die? Are we left without counsel or comfort? No, because God is all powerful and everlasting. That is why we seek Christ first. Sometimes He speaks to us through others, but always He talks to us through His Word.

Learning to trust in the Lord takes time and practice. If you spend time talking with God about life’s heartaches you will find the peace you are seeking, even if the problem hasn’t been resolved. Psalm 121:8 says, “The Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.” He can and will handle whatever you give Him.

Your fellow sojourner,

Mary