How do you handle this kind of conversation?

I have a few tips to share should you ever find yourself in a similar situation.

1. Don’t Gossip

• Be very careful to discuss the problem without names.
• Details are unnecessary, stick to the big picture.
• Focus on the problem, not the people (the sin not the sinner).

2. Don’t Judge

• Keep your heart tender.
• Recognize your own sins.
• Remember the mission is to extend God’s love to hurting people.

3. Put Away Your Weapons

• Words can be weapons of mass destruction.
• Don’t divide God’s army into regiments by stirring up strife.
• Engage the Sword of the Spirit personally through prayer and Bible study.

4. Be Patient

• Pray.
• Wait on God to open doors for you.
• Pray.
• Trust God’s timing to walk You through open doors.

I’m going to share with you that this list has come through many personal failures.

I used to be a “fixer.” I’d see a problem and charge in wielding my weapon and war would be waged. But wars always leave casualties. Always.

In Scripture, there were certainly times when God led His people into battle quickly . . . but there were also times when He told them to wait while He went ahead of them and prepared the way. Either way, the point is that God was doing the leading.

Just because I am agitated about something doesn’t mean that God is preparing me for battle. He might be, but He might just be inviting me to pray for the individuals whose battle it is to fight.

Pray and wait!

When it comes to battles I pray and then I pray more. I ask God to help me to keep my eyes on Him and trust His guidance. Then I wait for Him to open doors, and I ask Him to give me a nudge through those He intends for me to walk through.

I said to the Lord, “You are my God!”  Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy!
O Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued me, You protected me on the day of battle.
Lord, do not let evil people have their way.
Do not let their evil schemes succeed, or they will become proud. Psalm 140:6-8

But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:15-16,22-23a

 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

I awakened this morning with the title of this post running through my mind. What if the first time you had a thought, it was just that . . . a thought? The second time you thought it, you were granted a mulligan by God’s grace. But if you continued spinning it around in your head, it appeared across your forehead in ticker tape format. Right there for everyone to see!

I often hear individuals say, “But I can’t control my thoughts.”

It’s true that it is very difficult to control our thoughts, but our heavenly Father must provide a way for us to do so or He would not have told us to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Would we be more deliberate about controlling our thoughts if we new that they would be revealed to everyone around us? I think so!

If God gives us a command, He has a plan. He has provided us with ways to change our thoughts and turn to Christ.

1. Pray – If the first time we have a less than God-pleasing thought we repented of it and prayed for God to deliver us; I believe that with the help of the Holy Spirit we would be less likely to spin on it the third, fourth, or fifth time.

2. Read Scripture – The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is able to defeat the enemy’s attacks. Reciting or reading the Bible is a wonderful way to manage our thoughts.

3. Turn up the Praise – Play some awesome praise tunes, then sing and dance your negative thoughts away.

4. Count Your Blessings – Start thinking about all of the wonderful things God is doing in your life. Big things and even the little things. It’s harder to to have ugly thoughts when listing all of the good things God has done.

Okay, now it’s your turn. What will you do to keep from having ticker tape thoughts?

Reclaim your commute.

It sounds simple enough, but what does that really look like?

If you are like me, you like to multi-task and the commute is the perfect time to get phone calls made or even just chill out to some great music. However, what if we did take these three words to heart? What if we took the time that we are in the car every day and gave it over to growing in our relationship with Christ?

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

Here’s what it could look like if we put down the cell phones and turned off the mindless noise.

We could:

-          Listen to audio books by Christian authors, Pastors, speakers that challenge us or inspire us,

-          Listen to sermons or podcasts from Pastors from all over the world,

-          Record our own podcast full of prayers, Scripture or promises from God and listen to it,

-          Pray without ceasing for our marriages, kids, extended family, friends and those God brings to our hearts,

-          Memorize Scripture

Can you even imagine what the benefits of this would be?

Think about it…you would grow closer to God, you would probably have a better start to your day, and your prayer life would grow exponentially. If I had to guess, I would even say that your whole outlook on the ups and downs of life would dramatically change as well, not because things aren’t as bad as they were before but quite simply because your faith in Him would overshadow the other stuff.

Some of you might be saying, “Well, I’ve got my kids in the car with me all the time how am I supposed to do that?” and that is a great question. What if you reclaimed your commute with them too?

There are so many fantastic resources for mommies to have in the car for the kids, try some things like these:

-          Veggie Tales,

-          Adventures in Odyssey,

-          Kids Praise & Worship CD’s (you’ll be surprised at how awesome some of these are),

-          Record your own CD of you reading from the Bible and play it in the car for the kids (they will love to hear mommy’s voice on the radio),

-          Talk to your Kids Ministry Director/Pastor at your church, they will have some great ideas too.

Three simple words…Reclaim Your Commute…what would our lives look like if we all did this?

Father God, we want to be women who are passionately pursuing You. Father, help us as we start this New Year to reclaim our commute for You and You alone. We want to be women of the Word, full of Your truth and wisdom. Guide us as we embark on this fantastic journey. Lead us Lord, here we are…in Jesus name, Amen.

Now it’s your turn…

Are you going to join me as we Reclaim our Commute?

What does that look like for you?

What are some ideas that you use to Reclaim Your Commute?

PS – The sermon I was talking about was this one, Disciplining Your Mind, check it out…yes, I am biased because it was my husband preaching, but I really think you’ll enjoy it too!

Never did I think a girl that grew up in a small town of rural Kentucky would ever have a heart for missions.  Let’s face it; I grew up in a tiny little place that had one blinking red light, a roller rink, and a main street that was lined up with lots of mom & pop stores.

I loved growing up in a small town and still wish I had a chance to raise my boys in that small town life, but God had other plans.  When I was in high school my parents decided it would be a great time to start over–go on a great adventure per se–so we packed up our whole small town life and headed for the big city of Miami, Florida.

Oh yeah, you read that right, we went from one little blinky light town to the hustle and bustle of life in Miami.  I had never been a part of so much diversity, so many cultures and so many people. The adjustment took a few years, but this was now my home.  God, in His great goodness and mercy knew that I needed to get out of that small little world so that He could open my eyes to see that He was planting in me a Heart for Missions.

Fast forward a few years and I met my husband, also a southerner transplanted to South Florida. We got married and quickly started our family.  Over the course of our married years God began a new work in our hearts and lives and called us both to ministry.  It was an incredible adventure and we have seen so many highs and lows throughout the ten years we have been in ministry, but in the last four years God has stirred us up yet again and watered those seeds into our Heart for Missions.

My husband, a small town country boy from Alabama, has been to Cuba (twice), Guatemala (where he met our Compassion daughter Erika), and now Haiti (twice).  I have gone to the Bahamas to work in an orphanage and even our oldest son started down the road to missions work this summer when he went to Haiti with my husband.

I have no idea what God is going to do next, but I do know that He is growing that seed right in front of our eyes…it’s an amazing thing to watch as He grows in our family a Heart for Missions.

How about you?  Has He been creating a Heart for Missions in you?

Here are a few of the organizations that we serve with…

check them out, pray about it, then see what He has in store for you and your family!

Foreign Missions

• Great Commission Alliance (GCA) ~ Haiti
• Compassion International
• Operation Christmas Child

Local Missions (South Florida) – look for similar ministries in your area

• Sheridan House Family Ministries (South Florida)
• 4 Kids of South Florida
• Taylor’s Closet (South Florida)
• HOPE Women’s Centers (South Florida)

Also…if you have any other great organizations that you serve with please leave a comment so we can find out more about them too!

Father God, open our eyes to see where you are leading us, open our hearts to be ready to receive the invitation from you and create in us a willing spirit to go where you send us.  Create in us a Heart for Missions as we seek to serve those you place in our path.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

“Sometimes, Staci, you just need to get in the car and go through a drive-thru for a Coke.”

I’m not sure how much stock I put in that nugget of information at the tender age of seventeen, but I do know how wise I’ve come to view those words as I raised my own children and maneuvered through a myriad of life’s complex twists and turns.

Sometimes we just need a time out–a few minutes to back up, regroup, rethink, and recharge.

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”  ~ I Peter 5:7

I thought about this verse this morning. Too many times I wait for thunder bolts and lightening strikes or—at the very least—Oprah-like “a-ha” moments for things to get my attention. Deep,  probing sermons that prompt hours of thought and speculation. Or significant happenings that signify a life-changing moment.

And these moments do happen. Occasionally. But in the meantime LIFE happens and, if I’m not careful, I become too bogged down in the everyday and the mundane and I forget to take notice of the basic things. The simple words.

Like my mom’s advice…

Take a moment and go buy yourself a Coke.

And for His word. Give me all your troubles. I care.

I’m clinging to those teachable moments today.

He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.
Proverbs 21:23 NIV

It’s funny how something so small as the mouth, something so seemingly insignificant, can get so many people into trouble. I can’t tell you how many times I have done this, witnessed this, or experienced this to be true.

For example… you are the 3rd party in the middle of a conversation when all of the sudden one person says something that leaves everyone in the conversation stunned.

Almost in silence.

Did you know that this is not something that’s new to today?  I cannot even begin to tell you how many variations of the word “mouth” there are in the Bible; I lost track somewhere over 300 times.

As a mom to two teenage sons, I have to tell you that the mouth, at least in our house, is the biggest enemy to peace and happiness.  I wish it weren’t so, but for most people I know the mouth can be their biggest downfall.

Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin. Proverbs
10:14 NIV

I don’t want to be a fool; I don’t want to bring about destruction and ruin. I want to learn, grow, build up, encourage, and be a lifter of God’s Word and His people.

At my house, we have challenged each other (yep, all four of us) to memorize Scriptures that we have all have struggled with and one of our family favorites is Ephesians 4:29.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is
helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29 NIV

We’re not anywhere close to perfect, but we have come so very far in trying to get control of our Big Mouths. I’ll share more in my next post here on August 21st, but for today, here are some things that I’ve found helpful:

1. Acknowledge that most people struggle with having a Big Mouth.
2. Forgive yourself and ask for forgiveness when it is needed.
3. Learn from your mistakes.
4. Seek wisdom from God’s Word.

Father God, thank you that you love us in spite of ourselves. Help us Father to use our words wisely, lovingly and as an encouragement to those around us. Fill us Father with your wisdom and discernment as we seek to be more like you. In Jesus name, Amen.

Earlier this spring I went out on the back porch and saw this:

Last fall these bulbs were sitting perilously close to the surface, in danger of becoming a mid-winter snack for the fat, scavenging squirrels that have the run of the neighborhood.

I lifted them from their precarious spot, and stuck them on the shelf, intending to bury them deeper in a more advantageous location. But as the weather turned and I stopped going out back, they sat forgotten.

Honestly, I thought they might disintigrate the way some lily bulbs did when I failed to plant them. But there they were, sprouting roots and tender shoots, despite the lack of soil or water.

And I wonder if that’s not the real meaning of that saying.

I’ve spent what feels like a long time without some of the things that nourish my soul. I know it’s temporary, and I look forward to the day that I am firmly planted in nutrient-rich circumstances.

But regardless, all that God has fed in me in the past, all that I’ve stored up from wells of deep teaching and nourishing fellowship isn’t gone. It’s been tucked away for times such as this.

Maybe you’re in one of these dry places too.

A place where circumstances suck the life, the joy–maybe even the hope–out of you. But be encouraged; He will not leave you to wither to dust. He’s given you what you need to ‘over-winter’ and you will again be planted where your roots can grow deep and your spirit bloom in the warmth of His love and care.

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.
(S)he will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8

The part that is true in that statement is that God never changes.

Malachi 3:6 says
“I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.”

All of the circumstances and people around us change . . . our jobs, our kids, our world and even our spiritual walk at times. Just yesterday I found out that my job of four years is not the direction that I need to be heading. God has redirected my path to a new career and honestly I am scared to death.

The Lord is definitely not in the business of leaving us comfortable and independent. He wants us to be totally dependent on Him and why wouldn’t we want to be? His will is perfect. He and His will really are the only things in life that are perfect and unchanging. He is the only one that we can truly count on. But God and His purpose remains the same. God never changes. His mood does not change with the wind (like mine). We never have to wonder what He thinks about things or people. He is always loving and compassionate!

So, since we serve an unchanging God, guess who has to change? Yes, we have to be the ones to change. Jesus speaks in Matthew 18:3

I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

The reason we have to change is so that we can enter the Kingdom of Heaven, as well as, become conformed to His perfect image. He has to use our circumstances to make us more like Him. (Romans 8:29)

So the next time I am frustrated with my husband, I am going to try to remember, there’s hope, the only one who can stay the same is God. May our unchanging God, whom we serve, bless your life today.