The Square Peg

The peace sign is often associated with the 70s and/or hippies, but peace isn't just some hippie ideal. At least, it shouldn't be. People try to manufacture peace, either for themselves or for others. Info-mercials promise better rest, better air quality, more money, a better body, etc, so we can have peaceful lives. Politicians promise to change the government, laws, and administration so we can have peace in the world. But you and I both know synthetic peace is a poor substitute for the real thing. Besides, you can't give what you don't have.



Peace doesn't mean lack of noise, war, hatred, etc. We'll never eradicate those things from this world, but does that mean we shouldn't pursue/promote it? In the words of Balki Bartokomous: "Of course not, don't be ridiculous." Should we consider a paradigm shift regarding peace and its role in our lives? Absolutely.

I believe the real thing should and can reside within us.

In John 14 (the message), Jesus said:

The NIV reads this way:
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

I used to spend a lot of time worrying. And I was good at it, too; I not only worried about the stuff I couldn't control, I worried about the stuff I could control. But the more I read my Bible and meditated on what Jesus had to say, the more I realized I was starting to resemble the double minded man referred to in the book of James. I was going to church, saying the right things and singing the right songs, but I wouldn't have recognized peace if it walked up and slapped me across the face.

At one point, after I'd spent a fair amount of time praying (which, in this case, is code for complaining to God that He wasn't fixing things in my life fast enough or good enough to suit me), this question popped into my head: do I believe what He said more than I believe my emotions and what I'm able to see? Ouch. Yikes.

Mistrust is the enemy of peace. It's that simple. If we don't trust God when He says He loves us like no other can, and believe that He's always working for and with us, we'll never experience true peace. And we'll continue to seek and chase something that is isn't hiding or running from us. Peace isn't the absence of war, uncertainty or problems. It's the trust that your Creator has your back and is big enough to take care of things in ways you never imagined possible.

Today's all-skate question: what have you been trying to fix yourself instead of peacefully putting it down to let God handle?

There are so many directions I could've gone with this blog carnival topic, it was hard to make a choice. Mine is one of many posts on the subject today; please click on the hyperlink above to read other posts. I'm sure they'll challenge and comfort you.

Bridget is hosting today's blog carnival. It's open to everyone; if you want to participate, go to her page and leave a comment with a link to your blog after you've posted your entry.

Love is the most powerful force in the universe. And from where I'm sitting, it seems there are 3 categories of 'love' we experience most often.

Casual - This is the kind of love we hear and see the most yet it has the shallowest meaning. It's never meant  in a deep, committed, or sacrificial kind of way.
"I love those shoes."
"I love your hair."
"I love to play golf."
"I love that song."
Casual love doesn't require us to do anything. We can use the word love to describe our feelings and not suffer any consequences when we change our mind. If you don't love those shoes any more, you just stop wearing them. Nobody cares and you won't be held accountable.  

Convenient - This is pretty straight-forward; as long as it's working, we love it.
I used to say I loved Arby's fast food until I lived in Wichita Falls, Texas. The only store in the city was located at the bottom of an exit off the freeway, didn't have a drive-thru and only took cash; no checks or debit cards. You had to really want Arby's to go there. After a few times of spending 30 minutes of my busy life trying to find a parking spot, walking inside and waiting in line, followed by sitting in traffic to get back on the freeway, I realized I didn't really love Arby's as much as I thought or claimed. The hassle wasn't worth the reward.

Sometimes it's convenient to love someone we think we can get something from...whether it's an inheritance, something he/she can do or provide that propels us forward at work, or gives us leverage, position, status or power.

This type of love has hurt me the most personally. Discovering I was convenient to love (and subsequently stop loving) cuts me deeper than being loved casually or conditionally for some reason and leaves me feeling like I've been sucker punched.

Conditional - This is closely related to convenient love but this is typically based on our performance (or lack thereof).
"You obviously don't have what it takes to be with someone like me"
"You called a few times but did you ever come over or offer to help financially?"
"If you can't try to understand me or what I need, then maybe we don't have anything worth fighting to save."

Since no one is able to perform the right way all the time, this type of love is extremely frustrating and typically unfair. It's pretty easy to spot though, because it doesn't take long to rear its ugly head.

Much of the time people who are love casually, conveniently or conditionally aren't even aware of it.

But there is another kind of love. And it also starts with a C.

It's Christ's love. But His love isn't anything like the ones I listed previously. In fact, His love is the polar opposite because there's nothing casual, convenient, or conditional about His love for humanity. He's committed to us. He's all in. He's true blue.

But I think we sometimes try to put His love in the first three categories because we have a hard time grasping it. If I don't love you unconditionally, it's pretty easy for me to assume that God doesn't love me unconditionally, either. But that's so wrong...

If you have only experienced the first three types of love I listed, please hear me: God has crazy love for us and it's not affected by our performance, lack of faith, mistakes/failures, accolades we've received, our ability to study/teach His text, or make money.
He loves us because we exist.
And anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to you.

Some despise it.
Some have been hurt by it.
Some haven't 'represented' it very well.

But...
Our knowledge won't increase it...
                                 Our inabilities won't hinder it...
                                                               Our failures won't paralyze it...
                                                                                            Our enemy won't prevail against it...

It really is worth far more than we can begin to comprehend.

Except it's not an it.
We are it.
It is us.
It's a body.
It's a person.
It's the bride.
And the bride is cherished by a deeply, devoted King.


Thanks, Bridget. :D

I'm participating in a one word blog carnival and today's topic is "remember". Thanks to Peter Pollock for hosting.

When I hear the word 'remember', I don't think about lists to prevent me from forgetting items at the commissary (that's military-speak for 'grocery store'), where I left my keys, or that the dog needs a walk later. For some reason, when I hear the word 'remember' I think about where we came from, our backgrounds, and the feelings, relationships and circumstances that shape us and make us into who we are.

my grandfather and the #1 piece of marital advice he gave me over and over in his thick, rich, deep, Hungarian accent when he was alive. "Love each other, Evi, and don't fight." I remember the way he used to look at me. Not just glance at what I was wearing, or at my lips as I spoke so he could understand what American word I was saying, but the way he looked at me and how I could physically see his love for me on his face. He was taken as a political prisoner of war when the Russians invaded Hungary. He eventually escaped by cutting a fence with a pair of pliers only to find that while he was in prison his wife divorced him, took their daughter Eva, and left the country. It was because of his suggestion that I got my name. Mom wanted to name me something common like Stephanie or Nicole (no offense to readers whose name are Stephanie or Nicole) but he asked Mom if I could be called Eva. I'm glad she agreed because I love my name and its meaning suits me perfectly. It means 'life'.

the prisoners of war. If we can't find them and bring them home, the least we can do is remember them. All gave some, some gave all.

people need to be told they're loved and appreciated. We're all afraid of being forgotten, whether we'll admit it or not. Saying good-bye to friends goes with the territory of being a military wife, but I've become adept at showing people how I feel about them while I'm enjoying their friendship, not just when it's time to move to another base and the fun has to come to an end.

the people/things who affected change in my life.
**Like Lisa Riddle, who let me ask any and every question about homeschooling I could come up with when I started entertaining the idea of schooling Ryan at home. I probably drove her crazy, but she was a trooper. I educated our boys at home for their entire high school career and it was partly because she let me ask questions and ponder my beliefs about parenting, education, and responsibility.
**Like Mrs. Pruett, whose constant reminder throughout my senior year of high school of 'it's easier to keep up than to catch up" deeply influenced my schedule of housework, tasks in the workplace (back when I had a job that actually paid me for my organizational and management skills), and still helps me when organizing big projects and determining the importance of various tasks.
**Like my husband who is never, ever ungracious to people, even when they deserve it. He always takes the high road and never stoops to someone else's level. I love that.
**Like Rick Godwin whose book Training for Reigning helped me realize that little areas of faithfulness are big indicators of trust, responsibility, and character qualities as well as capacities. If you can't handle picking up trash in the church parking lot without getting an attitude, you'll never be able to lead that flock as their pastor. I'm just sayin'.
**Like Fred Rogers, whose children's TV show convinced me that I (as well as all others) really did have value. Laugh if you want, but I never hear the word 'neighbor' without thinking of Mr. Rogers, his sweater, and the shoes he changed into each day. In fact, the six-year-old next-door calls me "neighbor" because she can't remember my name. And every time she does, I smile - and remember Mr. Rogers.

There's a story in the Bible about two harlots who went to King Solomon to settle a dispute they were having. Both women had recently given birth to boys. The first woman said the second woman had rolled over onto her own baby during the night and killed him, and then sneaked into her room to swap the babies and kept the living infant as her own. The second woman said the story was the other way around and that her baby was fine; it was the first woman's baby who had died.

Solomon ordered a sword be brought to him so the living baby could be cut in half and each woman could have a piece of him. One of the women spoke up and told the king not to cut the baby but rather to let the other woman have the child whole so he could live. The other woman was actually OK with the child being cut in two. Solomon ordered that the baby be given to the woman who was willing to give him up because he knew she was the mother of the living child. You can find the story here, starting with verse 16.

I've always been fascinated by that story. Fascinated that a woman would rather steal another woman's child than accept a terrible tragedy had taken place (talk about misery loving company!). Fascinated that the mother of the living child would let her child go to someone else rather than see him dead (I would've fought to keep my child from going to the unbalanced, emotional woman). But especially fascinated with Solomon's wise action and insight. It shouldn't come as a surprise that when God told Solomon He'd give him anything he wanted on earth, Solomon chose wisdom. He could've asked for money, position, or any of the other earthly things someone would typically ask for, but he didn't. But Solomon's wisdom did end up bringing him many of the things you'd expect someone to want, such as wealth, power, status, and the like.

I think I've probably longed and asked God for wisdom more than almost anything else in my adult life. And I think God wants to give me wisdom even more than I want to have it because I don't think God wants a weekend warrior; I think He's looking for someone to stay the course, trust His character, and who's willing to be an instrument for His kingdom, whatever that looks like. Wisdom plays a part in that because sometimes it's hard to swallow what some people dish out, and wisdom operating with faith will often get you through some pretty rocky places.

Wisdom can be a catapult as well as an anchor. A catapult because it can launch you into areas you wouldn't have been able to enter into without it, and an anchor because it can keep you from being swayed when standing firm is necessary.

Obtain wisdom at all costs.
Peace.

I was listening to Carrie Underwood's cover of Home, Sweet Home today and thinking that her voice is so pure and clear. I know studios typically 'tweak' voices when recordings are edited and all that, but she sounds pretty much the same as she did when she was on American Idol.

And then I thought about a few of the times I've heard God's voice and how clear and unmistakable it was:

• Like the time I was thanking Him for letting me survive my first marriage (it was violent), showing Ryan and me such amazing grace, bringing Moose into our lives, and for giving us an incredible testimony about His work and He interrupted me and said "that's my story for you, Eva; I have a whole different story for Ryan to tell about Me". 

• And the time I left my wedding ring in the ladies bathroom at the base hospital and spent a week calling every clinic in the place asking if it was turned in only to be told it wasn't. Four months later I was leaving the hospital after another appointment and heard "go into the eye clinic across from the ladies bathroom and ask the girl at the desk about your ring." I wrestled with a million thoughts as I walked down that hallway toward the eye clinic. Turned out that gal had my ring all four months. She was getting off work a few minutes later and I followed her to her dorm to get it.
  

•  Then there was the time I'd bought a gift for Ryan that was to be given at a Christmas party. I had asked him to do something for me that was completely unrelated, but he didn't really want to do it. He asked if he'd still get the gift if he didn't do as I requested. I responded, "Ryan, you're going to love what I got you and I'm giving it to you regardless of your behavior; my gifts don't hinge on your actions." Ryan said "OK" and walked back to his room. And I distinctly heard God say, "And that's how it is with my love, Eva. It never hinges on behavior."

After going over those instances in my mind and recalling the time I've spent worrying about how God was going to answer questions and work stuff out in my life, it's pretty clear it was all for nothing. After all, He did say I'd know His voice (see John 10). He didn't lie.

Peace.

No, not that "G spot". I'm talking about the God spot. That's the place inside every one of us that can only be satisfied by His presence. The place where nothing else will do. Nothing.

You can try to anesthesize the pain caused by its lack using drugs, food, sex, alcohol, things, people, cigarettes, power, money, knowledge, children, education, reason, adrenaline, or whatever else suits your fancy, but in the end it all comes down to one thing: it's called the God spot because He's the only One who fits in there exactly right. Substitutes are for schools, sugared soft drinks (and sometimes not even then), and athletic games, so don't waste your time and energy.

You don't have to get crazy about it. I'm not saying you have to give up everything you think is fun in order to get what I'm talking about, although it's possible your definition of fun will change. You don't have to pull out that 25 pound family Bible that's been covered in dust at your grandmomma's house since the day you were brought home from the hospital and start dragging it with you everywhere you go. You don't have to clean up, start subtracting things from your life, or adding weird things in. This isn't about measuring or comparing yourself against anyone else.


But if you're...
                          searching

                                             wondering

                                                                 thinking

                                                                                 wishing

                                                                                               hoping

                                                                                                            hurting

                                                                                                                          doubtful

                                                                                                                                           desperate

                                                                                                                                                              or ready to give up...

why not give it a shot? Just once (or just once more), fill your G spot with something real. Something organic. Something pure. Something that'll quench your thirsty soul like nothing else has or can. 

Are you trying to steal third base because you're afraid if you don't you'll never make it to home plate? Are you worried you'll be stuck in the outfield forever? You're not alone. But being unwilling to wait can be dangerous.

What you're doing in God isn't based on what comes next. If you fear someone's going to be dishonest with you, don't cheat him first. God requires more from those He's going to do more in.

Have you really been touched by God, or just by the atmosphere?

Be wary of the synthetic plan of man. Promotion comes from God.

Why is asking God to damn something considered taking his name in vain but saying "Lord, bless his heart" isn't? Aren't they both a type of prayer, even if one of them has meanness at its root?

My friend Chris’s Facebook account was hacked today. I signed on this morning to see his status update listed as ”NEEDS HELP URGENTLY”. I thought that was odd and wondered what it meant. And then ”Chris” IM’d me. Here’s how it went down (baseball umpire style):

“Chris”: hello

(Swing & a miss, strike 1! I know Chris and he would’ve said “hey” or something cool and hip, not “hello”.)

me: hey, stranger. how’s life?

“Chris”: why do you say stranger?

(Steeee-rike 2! Chris would’ve known since we haven’t seen each other in a month of Sundays)

me: because I haven’t seen you in forever

“Chris”: I’m in London

(He. Is. Outta here!)

me: Bullshit; this isn’t Chris.

(Yes, I actually wrote that. I figure since God read my response and knows I cussed, I might as well be real with you.)

“Chris”: what?

me: Lemme guess; you need $, right?

“Chris”: why do you say it’s not me?

me: Your village just called; they want their idiot back. Now go away.

Following our chat, the poser IM’d several other Facebook friends and told them he was robbed at gunpoint in London and needed money to get back home.

After I updated my status warning people about it, I got to thinking…what if I hadn’t known Chris as well as I do? I might’ve believed the poser’s lie and fallen for a scam.

And then I wondered how many times I’ve fallen for lies from the enemy (poser) because I didn’t know God’s character. And I thought about how important it is that we know Him.

Know Him so we don’t believe the lies that tell us we are:

• worthless
• unloved
• unwanted

Know Him so we know:

• what love really is
• where He’s working
• how to help (don’t spectate; participate!)

Know Him so we won’t be fooled by persuasive deceivers. Because knowing about Him isn’t enough.

I’m so excited about Sunday! Forty-five days ago I told you about my decision to take part in Lent because I wanted Easter to be at the forefront of my mind this year. I have seen that desire reached. I’ve been keenly aware of this Easter season and have spent a lot of time thinking about different aspects of its meaning. I have also participated in a 28 day challenge to read the book of Matthew, one chapter each day beginning the 28 days before Easter. This challenge was extended by Pastor Pete in Nashville whose blog I read. You can read Without Wax here. This 28 day challenge has been instrumental in narrowing my focus during this time.
Today’s reading was chapter 26 and something struck me as I read.

Verses 40-41When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”

Oh, that describes me so well sometimes! I can’t count the number of times I’ve wandered into temptation inadvertently. And like so many others, I’m both eager for God and too lazy to leave the coziness of the fire. But I love that Jesus gave the solution before He even pointed out the problem; stay alert and pray. Since I strive to be a person who is proactive rather than reactive, that’s right up my alley. By staying alert and praying, I can curtail the problem.

I told you I wanted to find a unique way to culminate the Lenten season and celebrate Easter. We decided to go hiking at Stone Mountain in Atlanta on Sunday. We’re gonna find a trail, hike up a hill, sit together and enjoy God’s creation. Don’t tell the kids, but we’re going to take communion in a different way. Since Jesus is the bread of life, and bread comes in many forms, we’re going to pick up donuts (preferably Krispy Kreme) to symbolize the body that was broken for us. I want us to associate the sweetness of the donut with God’s sacrifice for us. I often say that coffee is God’s nectar, and since I joke that it’s what gives me life in the morning, we’re going to use coffee to symbolize the shed blood. Like I said; unique.

Tres Dias is a 3 day non-denominational Christian conference. It’s for single or married folks, and is set up so that married couples go one weekend after the other; men first. I went this past weekend; Moose the weekend before.

Attendees don’t necessarily hear something new so much as hear it in a way we’ve never heard it before. Communion is done every day, in ways I’ve never seen it being done before. It was really thought-provoking & full of power and meaning.

There are 36 attendees on a weekend, and it’s designed to help you have a fresh encounter with God. They have speakers, skits, and singing. It takes team of over 80 people to serve the needs of 36.

In the room where talks are given, you are assigned seats at tables, and each table is named after a male or female character in the Bible, depending on whose weekend it is. You sit in the same seat at the same table each day with the same group.

I was assigned the chair next to a lady named Josephine at the table of Elizabeth. Josephine is my grandmother’s name, and Elizabeth is my mom’s.

Before each meal, a song of blessing is sung, and after each, a song of thanks. Both are sung to the tune of Edelweiss. And to sing them, everyone stands up, links arms, and rocks back and forth while singing. My grandfather’s (Papa) favorite song was Edelweiss, and my mom’s side of the family is German. Linking arms while singing together has a really special memory/feeling to me.

Do I really need to tell you how strongly I felt the spirit of our family’s legacy of love all weekend long? Didn’t think so.

When Olllie (one of the speakers) told us with all sincerity and passion in his voice that our Daddy loves us so much, I was immediately taken back to all the times Papa told me he loved me and how concretely I believed him. I never, ever doubted His love for me; not even once. I always knew Papa was pleased with me, even after I married my first husband (and if anything would’ve tested parental love for me, marrying him was it). I identified as a teenager that I believed God loved me the way my dad loved me…distantly and non-emotionally, but I soon came to realize that belief wasn’t true. But this weekend I wondered why as a little girl I would choose to associate a distant, non-emotional kind of love with God’s love for me rather than a real, never-changing, always present and passionate love for me, like Papa had always shown me. I still haven’t figured the answer to that question. I know Dad loved me in the only way he knew how, but I knew Papa loved me unconditionally and with a love that never wavered. This weekend, the connection with God’s love and Papa’s love was solidified even more strongly. I know my Mom and Mama have always loved me (never doubted that, either), but there is something really, really special about a Daddy’s love for his baby girl. And while I might be 42 years old with grown children of my own, I will always be God’s little girl, whose Daddy is always pleased with her. This fact is true whether I feel it, like it, want it, or acknowledge it.

Seeing all those women working so hard to take care of us (you’re not allowed to get anything for yourself), gave me a new love and understanding of the body of Christ. It was a weekend that exemplified God’s love and service to/for us. I’d seen it before in smaller pieces, but it was so huge this weekend, I was completely & utterly humbled.

The theme for the weekend was “His love is unending, His grace is amazing”. I heard that over and over all weekend long. If it wasn’t ingrained in my head before, it is now.

Peace.

We would leave the cover off our pool year-round if we didn’t have so many trees in the back yard. Now that they’ve all fallen, we uncovered it today.

I missed seeing the water this winter. As I sat outside and chatted on the phone with my friend April, it was mesmerizing to stare into it again. The pool is like a sanctuary of sorts for me. I don’t know what it is about water, but I do my best meditating, relaxing, and connecting with God by the pool (and in the shower).

Sometimes I lie on my stomach on the diving board and watch the dragonflies skim the top of the water’s surface. Other times I flip over on my back and close my eyes and listen to the birds as they serenade me. I hear Mocha, tired after playing ball with Moose, walk down the steps, stop on the bottom and slowly turn around to dunk her back end into the water to cool off. I hear the squirrels playing in the branches of the tall Georgia Pines.

It is here that problems seem smaller, stress loosens its grip, and peace begins to reign inside me once again. I feel inspired, thoughtful, and calm.

Where’s your sanctuary; the place you go to get a new perspective?

God's got a plan for your life and the level of sacrifice is different for the man (or woman) of God than for the Sunday Christian. If you want to be a man of God you have to allow people to speak into your life as an authority figure. Learn from someone in the next 5 years what you need to continue the race rather than learning alone in the next 20. Take what God has given you, dotting your I's and crossing your T's. Be faithful. God doesn't need another weekend warrior. As Momma Joyce says: "You've got to go through to get through because there are no drive-thru breakthroughs."

You can be powerful or pitiful but you can't be both at the same time. There's no room in your hands for a sword and shield if you're sucking your thumb & clutching your blankie.

To recap the truths that would revolutionize our decision making processes:

1) God knows what’s best for you better than you know what’s best for you
2) Everybody you lay eyes on is a person for whom Christ died
3) God is up to something in the world and you are invited to play a part

Ready for the fourth?

• The single greatest obstacle to living a breakaway life is that when we wake up, we don’t set out on a truth quest.

We only chase what makes us happy. When we become people who make decisions that will make us ‘happy’, we have to make up excuses to justify that decision.

If I bought a new car and told you I bought it because it’s safer than the Trailblazer, that’s crap. That’s not why I’d buy a new car. I’d be buying a new car because my ‘wanter’ kicked in and I ‘obeyed my thirst’ (no, Sprite isn’t paying me for that plug). And I’d get something with heated leather seats, an in-dash multiple CD player, GPS, MP3 capability, and a sun roof. And that’s just for starters. But buying a new car would only make me happy until I got the new payment and realized how much further in debt I am; then I wouldn’t be happy anymore. So which is it? Did buying the new car make me happy or not?

The thing is, when we make excuses to justify our actions, the people we tell don’t believe it. And we don’t believe it when they tell us their excuses, either. But we convince ourselves it’s true, and our self-deceit is our biggest hindrance to living a breakaway life.

Jeremiah 17:9 says the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? We already heard it once earlier in the series, and here it is again: you can’t trust your heart. If we pursue happiness rather than truth, God’s will will always seem extreme. When we chase truth, God’s will doesn’t seem so severe. In fact, when we seek truth, we’ll realize God’s will brings peace and contentment rather than the unrest that often follows carrying out our own will.

Joe wasn’t trying to change anybody’s behavior; his point was that we aren’t always honest with ourselves. He challenged us with these questions:

• Why am I doing this, really?
• If someone in my circumstances came to me for advice, what course of action would I recommend?

Since it starts here, I think I’ll go look in the mirror.

In 1 Chronicles 29, David’s son Solomon had been chosen to build the temple and it was a huge undertaking. David gave his resources to the buiding of the temple: gold, iron, silver, wood, bronze, onyx, turquoise, stone and marble. After he gave a huge amount (the Bible lists the specifics but I’m not going to), he gave his personal treasures to be used as well. Then he asked the assembly if any of them would be willing to give as well. Everyone gave willingly.

David never saw the temple built, but he gave a lot of resources to make it happen. Ditto for the folks under him. And the Bible says they did it willingly. Sidebar: I had to sit and let the principle of giving even though you might not see the result sink in. The point is that God owns it all. We can call stuff ours, but the truth is we’re just the managers of that stuff.

This is where it gets a little weird. Money is one of those things that makes people a little crazy or uncomfortable or trippy when it comes up. But money is just a tool; nothing more, nothing less. Most folks don’t think they have enough. Others seem to have an endless supply. But everybody has strong beliefs about how it should be managed. I’ve heard some say that you have to have money in order to have something to worry about managing. But that’s not true. There’s a Biblical principle that says if you manage what you have well, you’ll be given more to manage. And that’s pretty much true in all of life; employees who manage their tasks well are often given more tasks. Why do we complain about being given more responsibility at work to manage, but never about being given more money to manage? What’s up with that? I’ve seen people with plenty of money somehow manage to have nothing to show for all they’ve made, and others who have made very little, yet stretched it quite far. Most people fall somewhere in the middle.

What really stood out to me was David’s giving out of his kingly resources and then giving out of his personal accumulation. OK, I’ll bare my soul a little here: it seems that when I feel comfortable with what’s in my bank account, I tend to be more generous, but when I feel I have very little, I tend to become more stingy. But if I’m just a conduit, what am I worried about? God can give me some of His stuff to manage, and then move it right on along into someone else’s hands to manage for a while or maybe even for forever. Shouldn’t I care more about the way I manage His stuff, rather than how much of it I manage?

This week’s truth:

Sounds overly simplistic, doesn’t it? Sounds small, huh? Like it’s not that earth shattering. Like the sixth grade school play, right? Nu-uh. Not this. And definitely not when you read Psalm 33:8-11 (New International Version)

Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. (hint, ‘ALL’ means that none are left out!)

Warning! All your plans are candidates to be cancelled and He might not check with you first. But His plan CANNOT be stopped. No matter what people try to do to stop it. No matter what they say. No matter who they tell. No matter the circumstance. No matter the money situation. No matter how many times you screwed it up before. No. Matter. What.

If you don’t chase God’s plan rather than your own, when you get what you thought you wanted, you’ll discover it wasn’t worth the chase.

That’s freakin’ huge. At least it is to me, cause I’ve chased a lot of stuff that really wasn’t worth my time and energy.

God’s plan is gonna happen. And His plan for you is good. He said so in Jeremiah. 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.”

Have ya read “The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren? That book confirmed what I’ve felt in my gut most of my life; that we’re meant for something big. Something important. Something more than we ever could’ve imagined on our own. That we’re meant to do something that’ll last forever; long after we’re gone.

Do you want to breakaway? Read Rick’s book.If you don’t have a copy, let me know and I’ll get one to you. Message me. It’s that powerful. And your life is that important.

When you were young, you wanted to blaze a trail (I still do, that’s why I drive a TRAILBLAZER!). But what happened? You woke up one morning and realized you’re nowhere near where you wanted to be. Culture tells us to runaway rather than to breakaway. Can the whole trajectory of our lives change in a moment?

The second life changing truth Joe shared this week is this:

That includes the well dressed lady you saw in the grocery story, the dirty, smelly guy you saw at McDonald’s, the kid with the mohawk, tattoos and piercings standing in front of you in line at the gas station, and the one whose reflection you see in the mirror every day.

Simple economics says that value is determined by what we’re willing to pay for something. Since God wants to have a relationship with us, He sent His Son to pay the price for our sin (which is death), so we could be with Him. The value of our souls was worth the cost of His Son’s death. Yeah, sit there and let that sink in for a second…I’ll wait.

OK, so that means the framework of every relationship we have needs to be based on the understanding that God valued every person you come into contact with so much that He died for him or her. God doesn’t love us because we’re valuable. We’re valuable because He loves us. Has anybody else ever offered to give up their life to save yours?

In Breakaway 1, I told you I’d share 4 truths that would revolutionize your thinking about decisions. Here it is; simple, yet threatening at the same time: