Seven Sacrifices to Joy

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Oh, it’s a great day to write from my heart to yours, to have this sort of fellowship/communication that I don’t take lightly but cherish knowing we spend this time together! Grab your coffee and come on in for some more foundation of communication.
Hebrews 13:16 says: "But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." The word “communicate” means to share what you have. But why am I trying to spiritualize communication, you ask? Well, the simple answer is: This is a spiritual matter but let me explain a bit more, and thanks in advance for hearing me. :)
I don’t know about you, but my flesh can be incredibly greedy and stingy and unwilling to part with my acquired pride which drives my opinions and my need to be heard and/or understood! This becomes a fleshly hindrance to a spiritual gift but also a key to the ultimate way that communication is a sacrifice. See, the Spirit in us is quick to share, to give, to communicate. And not that we want to compare sacrifices or level of sacrificing, per se, but God is pleased when we sacrifice that which hinders the type of communication that edifies and builds up. This sacrifice pleases God because God is a living God and desires for His children to be like Him, pursuing relationships, healthy relationships.
Did you know that information is giving out while communication is pouring in? I just heard that in class the other night and thought I’d share it with you! :) So communicating is a type of sharing of ourselves, especially when it leads us to helping others or to consistent fellowship. This of course requires that we share our time, thoughts, resources, and our prayers with others. Sometimes the greatest gift you can share with someone else, especially with God, is yourself. And when people you love the most communicate the least, isn’t that infuriating? No communication is like being in a big dark room with someone and you know you’re eventually going to bump into them, but you’re not sure when! You’re left with all kinds of suppositions, predispositions and crazy expectations.
Just the other day, my husband and I were walking to our car and he communicated something to me that brought me out of what feels like that dark room and I stopped as he spoke. He said, “You know how when you’re asked, ‘how’s your day,’ or ‘how is this,’ or how is that going,’ and you don’t even think and you just say fine?”
I wasn’t quite tracking what he was saying so I said, “Sort of.”
And then he gave me a sweet example where he replayed a typical conversation we’d have at the dinner table with little Bryden and asking about his day and his one-word answers were either good or fine and we’d have to get a little bit more specific to help him use some different words. I smiled at the memories and nodded my head.
He suddenly indicated to his head by pointing to it and saying, “Well, I have so much in here, but when you ask me stuff, all I can say is the same thing.”
I was stunned into silence, my heart falling more in love with him. I didn’t know what to say. Imagine me, speechless! :)
He went on: “I know it’s a guy thing, but I don’t want to be that way with you.”
My darkroom suddenly went white with bright light and all I could do was hug him to me and suggest that maybe I could slow down, and be a safer place for his thoughts, as jumbled as they may be to lands.
Oh, you talk about a huge dose of sweet humility! Coffee Hour Friend, things are never as they seem, even in the darkroom of no communication. Continue to pray, seek to speak words that edify and build up that you and those you desire to communicate with can rise above the darkroom of no communication or painful conflict!
Love,

Evinda

Seven Sacrifices to Joy

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Happy Hump Day … middle of the week. I love Wednesdays! Grab your coffee and your Red Strand of Faith and let’s go rewind to remind us of the sacrifices we’ve learned about so far before we wrap up the Sacrifice of Righteousness.
There are seven sacrifices required of us in the course of our faith walk! The first one we uncovered was the Sacrifice of Praise. To praise Him in the storm is considered a sacrifice. We don’t necessarily have to praise Him for the storm but we are asked to praise Him in the storm. Do you see the difference? Just like it’s easy to love those we know love us, it’s also easy to praise Him and be thankful when things are going well. But our faith is put to the test when stormy circumstances crash into our lives and beckon our praise and we lift it up above the crashing waves.
The second sacrifice to joy is the Sacrifice of Righteousness, and we have covered a lot of ground on this subject by giving a few examples of what is considered a Sacrifice of Righteousness, including the ground of forgiveness!
Remember, righteousness translates to doing what is right in the sight of God, even when you feel wronged! Since righteousness constitutes a spiritual sacrifice, it stands to reason that it will cost us something. Doing what is right many times carries a genuine price tag.

A great way to walk towards a Sacrifice of Righteousness is by taking a step back. This allows Him to move forward. I was reminded of this after a heated telephone conversation just the other day. Oh, how I love this truth: His word gently but lovingly teaches me while chastising me at the same time! Romans 12:18: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men (others).”

Do you see the beginning part, if it is possible? Those words do not denote a permission slip to retaliate; rather, they relieve me of the burden of trying to get the other person to see things my way, or for the other person to be nice! Only what is possible with me! It is not reasonable to expect healthy words and/or actions from unhealthy hurting people! As I write this particular blog, our God is doing all He will to teach me a balance of friendship vs. ministry, and let me tell you, it’s a tough line to figure out. Sometimes, I find myself so passionately involved that it becomes contradictory to ministry and ministering. Did you know you can actually do ministry without God?

Coffee Hour Friend, I so understand how hard it is to just first step back, and not move forward until you can let go and let God! We must become determined to learn this lesson of offering up a sacrifice of righteousness, a lesson that is so multi-faceted; each facet shining through the different form of righteousness and adding depth and solidarity to my joy.

So when we began this particular sacrifice, I had an opportunity to offer Him up a sacrifice of righteousness by being silent after feeling attacked and ridiculed by someone I love in front of someone I love. I failed in that test and the very thing I was teaching someone not to do, I DID!
But God’s not done!
It seems lately that every opportunity to offer up a sacrifice of righteousness involves the same principle but with a bit more depth, and while I’m usually taken off guard when the circumstance happens, I am now more prepared to step back before moving forward in deed and in words.
I’m so thankful that God loves us enough to grant us do-overs, to give us as many second chances as we need to learn how and when to offer up a sacrifice of righteousness.  Trust me when I say He loves us too much to not grant us opportunity after opportunity to offer up a sacrifice of righteousness. In fact, I can almost bet you will have at least one to three opportunities to do just that. And when you get stopped in your tracks by someone else’s meanness, sarcasm, or any kind of act that is intended to hurt you or maybe not intended to but it does, think on the ultimate example of Christ as He hung on a cross so that we could become righteous: “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do?”
Yes, each do-over is a form of refining and God’s refining fire is so painfully brilliant at times it throws me to my face in humility and causes me to beg for the water of His Word. Yes, humility is a necessary pool to bathe in, especially as I prepare to go into the trenches with others who are struggling with wounds, weaknesses, and worries. I must not forget where I came from and how I came to Who I came!
There are so many mini downloads, as I call them, for the recent lessons He has been faithful to teach me about offering up a Sacrifice of Righteousness, but the loudest one echoing in the nooks of my heart and gushing out into my whole being is found in 1^st Peter 5:6: “Humble yourself before the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time”: in other words, when I feel others have wronged me, I don’t need to be the teacher of the lesson I think they need to learn. The cost is too great! Think about it like this: When a fire starts, do I add a match, or walk away and thus let it go out?
I love what He promises in 1^st Peter 5:7 when we do just that: “casting all your cares on Him for He cares for you.” After all, if I am a Christian who does not love the unlovable, then I am without the greatest gift, love which grows joy!
Oh, friends, He is so good to hold us accountable and I am not quite giggling as I realize He’s done just that: held me accountable to the very thing I share with others on so many occasions in ministry: Just because someone verbally slaps us with their perceptions, doesn’t give us permission to slap them back with ours. There is no unity in that. In fact, love is the framework for unity and truly listening adds shades of beauty to beautiful to describe but seldom seen. If all I am able to do is concentrate on defending what’s being said, then I am not focused with a heavenly perspective of unity. Rather, I have missed what’s not being said and forgotten about the One who will defend me when it’s all said and done.
Having a heavenly perspective in an earthly battle will keep us from stepping out of the bigger picture, which is unity in and for the Bride of Christ, the ultimate Kingdom of which we are headed. Oh, to be a kingdom builder and not a building destroyer.
Ask yourself: Can I agree to disagree, in love, for the greater good of Him?
Whew, I better let you go and tomorrow we’ll wrap up this sacrifice … for sure, and move on to the third of seven!
Love,

 Evinda

The Highway to Destination? Joyful!(tm)

Happy Thursday to you! It’s a great day for a sacrifice of righteousness on our way to Destination? Joyful! ™ Grab your coffee and let’s go explore what this particular sacrifice costs!
So when we began this particular sacrifice, I had an opportunity to offer Him up a sacrifice of righteousness by being silent after feeling attacked and ridiculed by someone I love in front of someone I love. I failed in that test and the very thing I was teaching someone not to do, I DID!
This next opportunity to offer a sacrifice of righteousness involved the same principle but with a bit more depth, and while I wasn’t prepared for the circumstance to happen, I was prepared to step back before moving forward in deed and in words.
It’s kind of funny, because the very thing I had drawn my line about in this second circumstance, I was being tested in! God’s refining fire is so painfully brilliant at times it throws me to my face in humility and causes me to beg for the water of His Word. Yes, humility is a necessary pool to bathe in, especially as I prepare to go into the trenches with others who are struggling with hurts, habits and hang-ups. I must not forget where I came from and how I came to Who I came!
There are so many one-liner lessons in the two situations that have happened back to back in my journey, but the loudest one echoing in the nooks of my heart and gushing out into my whole being is found in 1^st Peter 5:6: “Humble yourself before the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time”: in other words, when I feel others have wronged me, I don’t need to be the teacher of the lesson I think they need to learn. The cost is too great! Think about it like this: When a fire starts, do I add a match, or walk away and thus let it go out?
I love what He promises in 1^st Peter 5:7 when we do just that: “casting all your cares on Him for He cares for you.” After all, if I am a Christian who does not love the unlovable, then I am without the greatest gift, love which grows joy!
Oh, friends, He is so good to hold us accountable and I am not quite giggling as I realize He’s done just that: held me accountable to the very thing I had shared with this person on so many occasions in our friendship: Just because someone verbally slaps us with their perceptions, doesn’t give us permission to slap them back with ours. There is no unity in that. In fact, love is the framework for unity and truly listening adds shades of beauty to beautiful to describe but seldom seen. If all I am able to do is concentrate on defending what’s being said, then I am not focused with a heavenly perspective of unity. Rather, I have missed what’s not being said and forgotten about the One who will defend me when it’s all said and done.
Having a heavenly perspective in an earthly battle will keep us from stepping out of the bigger picture, which is unity in and for the Bride of Christ, the ultimate Kingdom of which we are headed. Oh, to be a kingdom builder and not a building destroyer.
Ask yourself: Can I agree to disagree, in love, for the greater good of Him?
I thought I would get into the cost of this sacrifice, but at the risk of staying on His platform longer than I am welcome, I will let you go. Thank you so much for joining me for our coffee hour and I truly pray that the lessons I am striving to learn will become preventative medicine to your soul and in your journey with Him!
We WILL wrap up this second sacrifice next week and then get to our October’s WOW!
In His grip,

Evinda

Coffee in Cabo-from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Thanks for joining me for more Cabo highlights and revelations. Grab your coffee and come on in.

When I woke up on Tuesday, the ocean’s voice beckoned me to be still. This was book signing day. I fixed our coffee and went to sit on the couch, the place I came every morning to be still, work on my Bible study, and journal. George had turned on the IPod and Michael W. Smith’s voice rose above the sound of the ocean.

George came and sat beside me as “Your Grace” began to play. Suddenly, yet ever so naturally, we both began to sing the lyrics, lost in worship song after song. Oh, how I had yearned for connection like this and it happened. I could have stayed there like that for hours.

We made our way to the lobby for the morning session of the book signing. My heart dropped a bit when I saw that I would be sitting by the back sliding doors again. That is where I was last year, and it was really difficult to engage with anyone because most people are walking in and out so fast that they don’t look to the right or the left; they just keep going. I could fill pages and pages full of all the emotions I kept finding myself stuck in, but suffice it to say, at this point in the day, I am hiding behind my tablet playing solitaire, looking like I’m having fun as I relentlessly remind myself that it’s not about books but about hearts.

To be perfectly honest with you, that truth is still making its way down from my mind to my heart, but I am determined

Book signing day!

to push it on in there! 

But despite my inabilities and flaws, God showed up. He brought a couple of divine appointments that reminded me of His purpose. There was a lady who came in from the pool purposefully to purchase all three of the books and she let us know that she was there because of what she had read on Amazon about the books! I was so encouraged! Shortly thereafter, Dinorah, a young lady who headed up the tours for the Solmar Helping Hands charities, came over to check the books out. She said she had heard about the book signing from several people and wanted to come take a look.

We talked about the Helping Hands foundation which opened the door for me to share each of the books and the respective charities that they are dedicated to. She nodded her head in open appreciation and picked up A Cup of Hope, exclaiming how cute the cover was. She glanced through it and got so excited. “These look like what I would like.” She picked up A Cup of Encouragement and then handed them both to me.

I had my first sale in pesos! I got so excited figuring it out I could have sworn I had a hot flash, but then just as quick as it came on, it was gone! I signed them both, and thanked her. When she asked if we came every year, I assured her that we did. “Well we need to stay in touch through email and I will bring you out to all the timeshare representatives and the helpers for the charity. They love to buy and they need your books.”

I had to remind myself to shut my mouth before a Cabo mosquito flew in it! Talk about an unexpected gift! By now, it was just about time to wrap the morning session up, but before we packed it up, Rodney and George suggested that I ask Paula, the Chief Concierge, if there was any way we could move to a better location. I prayed for courage as I made my way toward her across the lobby. I don’t know why I felt so inept and awkward, because she really is the sweetest and most accommodating concierge I have ever met.

For those of you who were with me last year, do you remember the fiasco with the books being stuck in customs and not making it to us? Well, she was so incredibly helpful through that whole thing.

Anyway, she stood as I approached her and we hugged, and then I asked her, “Paula, is there any way that we can move for the afternoon session?” I went on to share with her about the first year I was in the lobby and where they had put me, which was an amazing spot at the end of the resort receptionists and definitely a prime location in comparison to where we were now.

“I understand, Ms. Lepins. Let me talk with my manager and see what we can do. I don’t think it will be a problem as long as the spa staff does not mind.” I thanked her and walked back to our table.

Rodney and George could tell by the smile on my face that the attempt had been well-received, but I still couldn’t stop from exclaiming how incredibly understanding and receptive she had been.

Cheryl and I began to pack up the books, and we agreed to leave the signs out with a “Back at 3” sign taped to the table. We were about to leave and Paula came over with the General Manager, Rodrigo. We all shook hands and he then went on to say that Paula had told him we wanted to move the table. He said, “It will be no problem to move you, Senora Lepins. I will see to it myself that we move everything by this afternoon.” Talk about humbled. Rodrigo’s kindness rang a bell of truth in my heart: You can’t be genuinely kind without humility!

Please join me tomorrow for more Cabo highlights and revelations. And I can’t wait to tell you who I met at the pool!

Joyfully,

Evinda

My New Years’ Prayer From Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

It’s hard to believe we are starting another year together. Time seems to fly faster as we get older. Wasn’t it just yesterday that I began Coffee Hour?

That Chicklit Power Ministries began? As we begin this New Year, I can’t help but reflect on the prior one and do a bit of inventory. How else can I prevent myself from making the same mistakes? Gain victory over struggles? Appreciate the journey? Grab your coffee and come on in.

To reflect is to marvel at His hand in my life, and not just the distant or recent past, but my present and my future. As I do this, the words overflow out of my heart, through my fingers and onto the keyboard, and thus out to you. Here is my New Years’ prayer for you and for me:

As this year begins, Father, be my beginning and my end

Entwine my heart with yours and be my very best friend

May my life be an act of worship speaking louder than my words

A fragrance more pleasing than the sweetest of all created herbs

Help me begin each day lingering in your presence

Worship you more and more, letting go of resentments

Help me not to get lost and drown in any and all sorrow

For your Word promises you will bring joy in my tomorrow

Help me seek your Word for answers and your unfailing advice

When I’m lost and wandering in problems rising to great heights

Help me keep an eternal perspective despite adversity

And to remember any trial I endure is only temporary

Preparing me for greater things is your refining fire

May an eternity with You be my consuming desire

Help me not be directed by pride, but seek true humility

Knowing I am nothing without You residing within me

May I continue to remember I don’t need to know it all

For You don’t call the qualified but you qualify those you call

When physical or emotional pain threaten to rob me spiritually

Pick me up and hold me, mind body and soul completely

Help me just be still, and soak up all life’s precious moments

And help me, Abba Father to not be guided by my emotions

Father, I have one more wish as we begin another year together

Help me to love the gift of my husband that honors you a lot better

For when I get there we won’t talk about what he did or didn’t do

But about how I loved and cared for him through the power of You

Yes, Father, You began a great work in me a long time ago

And I’m thankful for your grace that helps me to know

That as another year begins, I need to remain teachable

For you will carry me beyond anything unreachable

Oh Abba, help me to remain on the wheel each day

For you are the Potter, and I long to be the clay

Mold me and make me more into the likeness of you

So others will see you in each and everything I do

I pray this for me and for you… Now let’s get seat-belted in for the ride through 2013! Join me tomorrow for our first WOW of the year!

Evinda

The Adulterous Woman-Conclusion! From Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Thank you for joining me for your coffee break today at Chicklit Power. Grab your coffee and let’s get back to you, me and The Adulterous Woman.
Jesus has just spoken fifteen words that create one of the most important lessons we as Christians desperately need to learn. Basically, He’s beat the prideful Pharisees and religious leaders at their attempt to have Him arrested, but no trickery was involved on His part.

Now, at this point, the adulterous woman is sitting on the ground, “in the midst” the scriptures say and I found this painting of her online that I must share with you that captures her so beautifully.



Though there is nothing in the book of John suggesting that her hand was outstretched, all I have to do is close my eyes and put myself in The Adulterous Woman’s place, and this is exactly what I would do, especially after hearing such words of conviction! I would reach my hand out just like this and I probably wouldn’t be able to keep my conviction quiet, either as I begged for mercy and tears stream down my face!

After Jesus spoke, He stooped back down and the Scriptures go on to confirm that those who heard Him, indeed their conscience convicted them and they left the Temple one by one. No one remained except Jesus and The Adulterous Woman. But wait! How interesting is this? Now she’s standing. Can you imagine the disbelief she stood in, mixed with relief? Something tells me her recognition has fully dawned and she realizes she’s looking at her Savior.

Then Jesus raises Himself back up and said to her: “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” And she replies, “No one, Lord.” Jesus thereafter voices His forgiveness of her sins and encourages her to go and sin no more.

Wow! All I can say is HE is the only one with that power and authority to forgive the adulterous woman, aka, you and me. Only He has the videotape of my heart and yours, or any other adulterous woman’s for that matter, and He is who we all will answer to. May we learn to be less and less like the Pharisees and more and more like the forgiven adulterous woman clothed now in humility!

Thanks so much for sticking with me in this series. I hope you can join me tomorrow for a new mini-series called Dancing with a Butterfly.

Humbly,

Evinda