Seven Sacrifices to Joy

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Thanks for joining me today for our Coffee Hour and more of the Seven Sacrifices to Joy. I hope you brought your red Strand of Faith so we can tie some knots in it together! Let’s get back to a Sacrifice of Righteousness because there are so many things that count!
We left off with a thought-provoking teaching by Jesus Himself in Matthew 5:39 wherein He teaches us to resist evil. Oh, how freeing that can be. Often when we think of evil, or an evil doer, don’t we think of a non-believer? For me, one of the most disillusioning lessons in my earlier calling to ministry was dealing with those in the church who hurt others. I believe that He knew that the greatest wounds would come from within the church and this one verse is the greatest prescription for such a sick thing. I now know, through life’s experiences, that when Jesus was speaking to us about resisting evil, He was not and is not confining it to a person who is not a follower of Christ. The church is not a place for perfect people, or I surely wouldn’t be able to attend any church! Oh, that each church would recognize that they are to be like a hospital which doesn’t turn away sick and wounded patients, but takes them in and begins the symptom assessment through a history and physical and then begins treatment!
It is in the church that we are treated for and taught how to not act out of our flesh! How do we resist evil? By not reacting to it! The reason that’s difficult for us is because too many of us put unreasonable expectations upon others, especially those within the church, placing unrealistic hope in people instead of the Author of Hope. Psalm 146:3 tells us “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is not help.”
I don’t want to belabor this sacrifice, but I feel in my bones that since we deal with people, and God uses relationships to heal us, we need to sit in this for just a bit more. Not that I have perfected this requirement, to resist evil, but now that I understand it I have begun to practice it and each time it gets easier. Now, prior to my truly listening in that example I shared last week, there have been many occasions that I did not turn the other cheek to receive any more words of wrath! In fact, I have been known to spit out a mouthful of nails! You may be saying, “Well, why would you? That’s not what Jesus is saying in that verse.”
I agree; we are not to be doormats; however there is a fine line between turning the other cheek and hurling nails out of our mouth to pierce the heart of the one who hurt us! Have you ever felt like that; like all you wanted to do was strike back and hurt the one who just hurt you? The fine line that must be looked at is the line of pride!
We cannot offer up a sacrifice of righteousness when pride is by our side!
Returning to the incident I shared with you last week, I remember praying before getting out of the car to meet with this person in an effort to resolve conflict, to help me leave my pride in the car. If pride were a child, the conversation would go something like this: I’ll be right back; you stay in the car, I won’t be far. I promise I’ll come back for you! Pride, you stay inside while I go outside!
When we push our pride to the side, we are better equipped to turn the other cheek emotionally from the evil acts of those who hurt us, and face them in love, without retaliating. Could this be a sacrifice of righteousness?
Oh, but I can see now how different it could have turned out; I could have been so ripped off of the spiritual and emotional victory I felt when leaving that meeting.
When dealing with conflict and wanting to offer up a Sacrifice of Righteousness, perhaps if we remember that no matter how right we feel about something and how wrong we feel about someone, in the long run, when we are face to face with Him, He’s not going to ask us about their side; we are going to only talk about our actions and our failure … or success to offer a sacrifice of righteousness! Which shall you choose?
Oh, Abba, I fall short, miss the mark every day, and some days are worse than others. I thank you for your mercies that are new every morning, for your Word that works as a double-edged sword, piercing my heart and trimming away what needs to go. Help me offer up a sacrifice of righteousness, even when I don’t feel like it! When it all comes down to it, Father, what matters is my relationship with you and my relationship with others affects my relationship with you. Help me to be Christ-like to those who slap me in the face with their evil acts.
Seeking to offer a sacrifice of righteousness

 Evinda

Jenn's Journey from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Good morning! Grab your cup of coffee and spend a few minutes with me. Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts!

Change. Don't you just dread it? If there is anything you can count on, it's that nothing stays the same. Knowing change is a part of life doesn't make it any easier does it? I was remembering the other day how hard it was adjusting to life with a new born. Just when I thought ''phew, finally we're on a schedule" Bam..that little stinker would switch it up!  Oh how I like routine and knowing what to expect. I've been that way since I can remember. But as I get older, I am beginning to learn to roll with the punches as my dad likes to say.
I like how the dictionary defines change.." to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone"  Hmmm. Who would I be if I had just been 'left alone'? I think back to all the changes life has handed me, and how each of them has contributed to who I am today. I balked at many of them, you can be sure of that. Yet, I can honestly say, that even the most painful changes were necessary to bring me to where I am in life today.
God is all about change. He loves me where I am, but He sure doesn't mean for me to stay there. Sometimes He changes the circumstances, but most often, He changes minds and hearts. This is what I am currently learning in my own life. I often quote Romans 12:2 to myself  "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.."
Renewing of the mind=transformation and change.  Perhaps God is calling you to different circumstances. Perhaps He is calling you to a new way of thinking, of relating, of responding.  Remember  in those ups and downs of life..there IS a constant...""I am the Lord, and I do not change." Malachi 3:6.  "The Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you" Deuteronomy 31:6

This week, accept the challenge. He is right there with you, every step of the way.
Until next week, be blessed.
  Jenn

Faith Filled Fridays From Croley’s Corner of Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Here it is, Faith Filled Friday already! So glad you could join me. I’d like to ask a question of you: Do you have a garden or are you thinking about one for this year? If so, have you surveyed the land for the right place to see the best results? I’m always excited when it comes to experiencing what He has prepared for us together, so let’s not delay any further. Grab your coffee, journal and let’s get started.
I love my prayer walks; each day He speaks to me something new. He is always faithful to give me a word of inspiration. Why? Because I have made myself unavailable, not capable of being disturbed by anything… no texts, no phones, no list of things that need my attention this very second.
In my walks lately I’ve noticed the parchedness of the ground and for many who have beautiful landscaping, the amount of water, or lack of water being used has certainly had its effects … because of our drought
Water, no matter what the condition of the ground is… lifesaving. Water is essential of any kind or way for life!
I know He’s been speaking to my heart about soil and as I shared last week in “A call to Sow,” the question still echoes: “Who are you sowing into?”
But after you’ve carefully tilled the ground, one must ask, “Are you sprinkling and saving on watering?” It struck a chord in my heart.. “Wow, am I under watering? Am I that busy that I only hear in part?” Sure, my intentions are pure yet sometimes I can be over-cautious in order not to offend. And the question is “Who am I offending?” If He has prepared them for me to do some sowing, then I’d better be prepared to sow…and if I’m supposed to water, then I better be prepared to water.
In order to sow, we must prepare in the rightful manner of God’s Word so it can abide, imparting His love upon their hearts and minds and if their hearts are not duly ready and prepared to receive it, it falls on hard ground. This is where the watering comes in. Water is vital in order for the seed to germinate. Watering is equivalent to pursuing keeping a watchful eye on what you’ve just sowed.
Life at this point of the sowing is very precious and fragile; timing is so important.
The devil is very busy, about ready to steal from the hearers that you’ve been sowing into just as the fowls of the air go about the seed that lies above ground. When the heart, like the highway, is untilled, he is like the birds; he comes swiftly, and carries away the seed of God’s Word sown.
Remember, He takes consideration in every single person ….just as we must take into consideration those whom He sends our way.
Using the right tools when we sow and reap is also important to the process. You cannot use a sowing tool when you reap and you cannot use a reaping tool for sowing. Oh, the steps of a garden: the tilling, the right seeds in the right season, and the right amount of watering and weeding in order to reap a bountiful harvest!
My prayer for you as you take some time to read today or this weekend comes from Isaiah 55:8-11 & John 4:27-38: that you will understand that you are used for every part of His “soul garden” and that He will accomplish His Word through you, for His ways are far greater than our ways…. lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already ripe for harvest… and remember; A word spoken in due season, how good it is!
Thanks for stopping by today’s Faith Filled Friday’s and keep Him close to your heart.

Love, Deb

Seven Sacrifices to Joy

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Happy day, Coffee Hour Friend! Thanks for joining me today for more of Seven Sacrifices to Joy! Grab your coffee and your Red Strand of Faith and let’s go back about 2000 years to Jesus and His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, and then we’ll do a fast-forward to apply His words to our lives.
Matthew 5:39 He says: “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.”
Now let me share another life-lived experience that brought this scripture dancing to life within me!
As I got out of my car, armed with prayer for this conflict resolution meeting, I was confident that He was with me and would speak through me, after I kept my mouth shut and listened. Yes, that was the plan; to sit and listen as He had been teaching me to do so I could teach others, but I had never engaged in such a listening exercise; only read and taught about it. I greeted her with a hug, as if there were no problems to resolve, and I remember genuinely feeling the love which I offered. We got our drinks and went outside and sat down. I began the conversation by asking her permission to take notes, confessing this would help me to keep my mouth shut and truly listen to her. And then I shared that I wanted to show her more respect.
If eyeballs could pop out, hers would have and here’s why I say that: everything leading up to this conversation was problematic, putting it mildly, and I just don’t think she was prepared for me to show her kindness and respect. Trust me; it was Him in me, every bit of it, for when I am a vessel full of myself, nothing good happens, but when I got out of my car that day, I left pride in the passenger’s seat, assuring it I’d be back for it afterwards!
I don’t need to glorify the enemy and I won’t by repeating our conversation. However, and this is a big however, because I kept my mouth shut and my ears opened as she spewed out her hurtful comments and opinions, I was able to detect that much of her present was mixed with painful moments in her past of which she wasn’t even aware! She was/is so focused on others’ behavior that she was totally unaware of her own, and I don’t say that to be demeaning. Quite the contrary because it shed light and gave me compassion. It was as though there was this invisible connect-the-dots picture and each comment laced with hurt and anger equipped me to visibly connect the dots internally. It was this incredibly out-of-body experience where He equipped me to listen, and because I really listened, I was able to validate all of her misperceptions! It was the most freeing hour of my life!
Now let’s return to the words spoken by Jesus Himself in Matthew 5. I wouldn’t call this person who had been keeping this silent scorecard of wrongs evil, although her words and opinions felt evil. But maybe, just maybe there’s something to this verse that applies to these types of in-the-heat-of-the-moment situations. At least this verse is speaking to me ever so loudly in a soft kind of way. See, as I sat there and truly listened to this person spewing all of her misperceptions about situations we had been involved in, I listened, one insult after another … turning one cheek, then the other, and then turning back and repeating the cycle. This went on for over an hour and I have to tell you, because I chose to turn the other cheek, in other words, keep my mouth shut and truly listen, I was able to pick up some very enlightening information and understand why/how she had connected the dots the way she did.
Guess what? Her venom and bitterness really had nothing to do with me – she thinks it did and that’s okay -- but had I not turned the cheek … over and over again, I wouldn’t have recognized that powerful truth and my anger would have erupted and spoiled the victory!
Could it be that actively listening was accounted as an act of righteousness for me that day? Oh, please know that I take no credit for anything but showing up and shutting up … Oh, to continue seeking to offer a sacrifice of righteousness!
Please join us tomorrow for our Faith Filled Fridays with Debbie Croley!

Love,

Evinda

Seven Sacrifices to Joy

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

It’s a great day for more of this journey through the Seven Sacrifices to Joy! Grab your coffee, your Red Strand of Faith, and, please, come join me as I give you a front-row seat to yet another real-life lesson He prepared for me to learn in my quest for meekness!
I don’t know about you, but when I am having a really difficult time with a really difficult person, my first reaction is not to do the celebratory happy dance and high-five my neighbor. In fact, many times I just want to run, hide and the more invested, the deeper the heart hurts! But what if I were to tell you that it is possible to do the happy dance and experience victory when dealing with a hedgehog? I have experienced freedom in this area recently and I know that I know that I know that what I endured led to a sacrifice of righteousness, but I’ll explain that a little later. It would take me on a long detour and I want to stay on track!
This truth is becoming a more beautiful reality to me as I work with hurt people who continue to hurt people. The reality of it reminds me of Jesus’ lesson on retaliation that He gave to the crowd of people on the Mount, as well as to you and me. In Matthew 5:39 He says: “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.”
Oh, but there’s a mouthful right here. Let’s explore what it means to resist because at first glance, this doesn’t seem to make sense without any digging. I mean, I’m thinking in my initial thought process that resist can mean to turn away from but let’s see what the Greek concordance says.
Hmm, the actual Greek word is interesting: “anthistemi,” pronounced “anth-is-tay-mee” and it comes from the Greek word anti. Well, looking at the prefix, I automatically go to anti being against but hold on here; there’s more. The actual definition for this context is: to stand against, i.e., oppose, withstand.”
So if we break it down, “anti” means against, and “histemi” means to cause to stand.
So, what is Jesus telling us? Is He telling us to stand face to face with the one who slaps us on the cheek and offer the other side? Is this really a sacrifice of righteousness?
What a baffling and mind-boggling question and/or concept, one that is too hard to digest without our spiritual selves, so please remember that component as we dig to understand what in the world Jesus is telling us in Matthew 5:39!
According to Matthew Henry, that is exactly what He’s saying! He says: “The plain instruction is ‘Suffer any injury that can be borne, for the sake of peace, committing your concerns to the Lord's keeping. And the sum of all is that Christians must avoid disputing and striving. If any say, flesh and blood cannot pass by such an affront, let them remember, that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God; and those who act upon right principles will have most peace and comfort’.”
That may sound incredibly confusing, but oh my goodness; I just got a word picture! I hope with all my being that I can help you see it too! The “evil” that Jesus is referring to in this context is not the enemy himself, rather, the human acting in their flesh!!!!!
Oh, how easily I can see myself in that word picture now! Have you ever acted out of your fleshly desires or emotions, for example, out of anger or jealousy? This renders me humbled; what about you? But oh, the beauty of His grace that weaves forgiveness and favor in the tapestry of our lives, the very thread of grace having no obvious pattern for its necessity is everywhere. His mercies are new every morning because He knows we live in a tent of flesh and must resist the countless temptations to act out of our flesh!
Oh, friend, He who began a new and good work will be faithful to complete it … until the time of Christ! Stay in the journey and on the path of His grace and this tendency will decrease and your righteousness increase!

Until tomorrow,

Evinda

Seven Sacrifices to Joy

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

It’s a great day to seek joy! Grab your coffee and your Strand of Faith and let’s return to the seven sacrifices that add richness of gold to our joy. I’m so glad there’s you to take this journey with me!
Before we move on to the second sacrifice to joy, I just want to share one more thing with you about the sacrifice of praise. Hebrews 13:15 reminds us that a spiritual sacrifice of praise needs to come from the heart and is prompted by the Spirit, which is exactly what happened in my situation with my hubby. And as I think about one of my recent tests in Meekness 101, I have to acknowledge that greater is He that is in me than he who is in the world. It’s His Spirit in me moving me away from me, teaching me to right the wrong, immediately, instead of resorting to old behaviors and being stuck on stupid or bitter!  In other words, we must remember the spiritual part of ourselves in all circumstances!
A sacrifice of praise not only stirs up our joy but increases our joy!
A sacrifice of praise leads us right into the second sacrifice, a sacrifice of righteousness. Psalm 4:5 tells us to "offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord."
Well, that sounds a little holy, huh? For me, those eleven words are shedding some glorious light into a dark situation that He used to help me unlearn and relearn some powerful truths that are shaping me in the area of ministry and especially meekness. But like any huge test, it requires a lot of studying, and more studying and only when it’s applied can it really sink in  it’s a grueling and exhausting process at times. Thinking about it gives me a sort of emotional hang-over. I’ve been known to mutter, “Lord, why do you have to use so many people to teach me all these lessons?”
Have you ever felt like that, a bit beat up and weary by others?  Despite the way that this most recent test ended, there were moments where I felt that this person’s bitterness was like poison, a hot, searing poison that oozed out and threatened to harden my heart a bit instead of melt it and make it right!
Whew, I know, that may be a bit too transparent for you but I’m humbled that despite me, He wants to speak to me so He can speak through me.
We will do some digging into a sacrifice of righteousness, but for now, let me share what it is speaking to my heart: See, when someone wrongs you, how likely are you to offer a sacrifice of righteousness? NOT! Well, trust me; He doesn’t give you a test without giving you all the answers! He’s an incredibly fair Professor/Teacher!
I am currently attending a leadership class (working on my Bachelor’s in Ministry; I’m seriously excited) and I am reading an amazing book called On Being a Servant of God by Warren W. Wiersbe and let me tell you, I have more of his words highlighted than not! There are so many powerfully encouraging truths in this book about ministry, and they are truly speaking to me in this class of Meekness 101, enabling me to offer up a sacrifice of praise. I can honestly see how each of these tests in this class have stretched me just a little more toward righteousness, even when I don’t get such a good grade in the current test!
In his book, Warren reminds us that “ministry takes place when divine resources meet human needs through loving channels.” Everyone can be a minister! He also says, paraphrasing, that people not only have problems, but can be problems and just because we are in ministry doesn’t make us any more deserving of His grace than those causing us problems! In fact, we are to remain loving channels!
He compared those problematic and difficult people to hedgehogs and I couldn’t help but giggle especially when I put a face to the hedgehog! Here’s his analogy about those difficult people, aka, hedgehogs: “the closer you get to them, the more they stick and poke you with their protective quills”! That got me to thinking … uh-oh, we’re on dangerous ground now! Could it be that hedgehogs are His chosen mascot for this school of life?
Here’s a crazy truth that I have experienced to be true and that His Word confirms: Those very people that are poking, sticking us, and hurting us don’t deserve His grace any less than us! If Jesus continues to love the wrong right out of me, how then can I not be motivated by His love to love those hedgehogs?
But here is the other side of that truth: When we get there, He’s not going to talk to us about what they did to hurt us in the way of poking, sticking, etcetera; He’s going to talk with us about our reactions to their actions!
Why? God is as concerned about the lesson as He is about the learner! When someone becomes a hedgehog in our life, what is our first response? Do we try and trap them, conquer them, one-up them, put on our horns and ram them? Or do we maybe manipulate them or retaliate and hurt them back? Do we try and sting them with our words? Do we fight an external fight hoping for an eternal reward?
What if God allowed that hedgehog to saunter right up and into our lives to help us become more righteous by becoming more dependent on Him, less dependent on our own abilities? I guess what I’m trying to say is it’s no coincidence that I’m taking the class I’m taking, reading a book totally un-required to the class but having everything to do with the class and what He’s currently teaching me. This assures me that He will continue to provide you and me with all the answers to any test He’s ever going to give us, no matter what class it is. Oh, that we would remain teachable, hungry to leave our pride outside of each class that we might learn how to offer up a sacrifice of righteousness and earn the prize!
Join me tomorrow for more of this second sacrifice.

Evinda

Jenn's Journey

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Happy March!! I have always liked the saying that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb....but however this month goes, may there be more Peace from the Lamb given to you in your moments. Grab your coffee and join me this morning; I’m so glad you are here!
I admit that I am one of those people who have a very hard time being 'in the moment' as they say. I've always thought that quite cliché’ to tell you the truth. I used to pride myself on being able to tell you on any given day what might have been going on one, five or ten years ago on the same date. Can we call this living in the past?? I come by that honestly; in my family this is a common habit. I guess you could say this might be a human problem, as often you hear the older generation ruminating about the good ole’ days…and how nothing is as it used to be. You might know someone whose past still runs their life, or someone who wishes for days gone by so they could see that loved one again.
When I first began my career as a dental hygienist, I found the day-in-and-day-out drudgery of work to be incredibly boring. I was constantly wishing for something exciting to happen, for the weekend to arrive, or vacation. I remember clearly how I kept thinking, is this all there is??
In those days I was single and hoping for that special someone to come into my life. Seems awfully human of us to do this as well, doesn't it? If we're not wishing for a day gone by, we're rushing on toward whatever 'it' is that will make us happy and satisfied.
So what does “being in the moment” really mean? Can we truly be at ease in whatever situation we are in, whether it turns out exactly as we'd have it or not? I've been on the journey for that type of peace for a very long time. It's tempting to wish away the days sometimes. I think that looking too much to the past and too much to the future can be an avoidance tactic. I think we're called to more than that as children of God. John 10:10 says "My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." If I concentrate too much on either the past or the future, I don't feel very rich or satisfied. How about you?
The other day I was praying and crying to God…for Him to change a situation. At the same time, I was asking Him to help me face it as it is, and bring me peace so I could enjoy my day. I kept asking Him, how? How do I enjoy this day when I want something much different from it? It hit me during that prayer that I have greatly misunderstood something...and that is, thinking that I can only be happy and at peace if God granted me peace that day. The funny thing is after I prayed I went on to have an absolutely blessed day with family and friends. Did the sadness I felt earlier go away? No. But I was able to hold both feelings of sadness and feeling blessed and know that God was right by my side.
A couple days later I found this quote "Life with God is not immunity from difficulties but peace in difficulties."
That is the key...He is the peace in the past, present and future. I bet I will need a refresher course in this lesson! Thank God He is patient with me! I leave you with one of my favorite verses: John 14:27- "Peace 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."

Until next week, be blessed
Jenn