Wednesday, September 7, 2016

New Beginnings






New Beginnings


Delete, Delete, Delete

Have you ever "accidentally" deleted something?
Something that after you pushed that button, you wished you could get back?

Well, that's exactly what I did Sunday morning before church.


I clicked along through my e-mails on my phone. You know the type, the ones that think their sooo smart. 

I was looking for a particular e-mail but didn't find it. I did notice, however, that I had some mail in my spam and junk folders, so being the de-clutter bug that I am I deleted them. In my enthusiasm, I went to ALL MAIL and clicked away...

I gasped, shook the phone, and groaned as I melted into an e-mail-less puddle onto the couch.

I remained in that state for a few minutes. I think a medic would have declared me in shock.

Then I wanted to get angry; I wanted to yell at the phone for not being smart enough to retrieve my lost essentials.


But I didn't; I knew it was my own fault.
Time was pressing me forward. . I had to get ready for church.

So, I scooped myself up and tried to see the good in this situation.

It's something I've been trying to do lately, to exercise my what can I be thankful for muscle.

To be honest, this was like trying to do that 50th chin-up; I wasn't sure it could be done.
(For the record, I can't do one...)

But then in the middle of getting ready, a picture came into my mind.  I could see an empty trash can with a fresh clean liner, and this thought accompanied it: a new beginning.

I grabbed a hold of that thought and embraced it.  A new beginning.

No more old e-mails from 2014 hanging out waiting for me to decide what to do with them.
No more codes that I wrote down but was too timid to get rid of the original.
Nope, a nice clean slate.


God works like this too. We must do away with the old in order to be filled with the new.
Delete, Delete, Delete.

"Therefore, if anyone is united with the Anointed One, that person is a new creation. The old life is gone - and see - a new life has begun! All this is a gift from our Creator God, who has pursued us and brought us into a restored and healthy relationship with Him through the Anointed." 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 The Voice Bible.

Yes, we are new; we should celebrate our new life in Christ everyday. His forgiveness gives us that clean slate.

My e-mail box is not empty anymore. It has already started filling up again, but now, it is filled with the things that are relevant for this season. Just like my e-mail box, our lives will begin to fill up with the things of Christ as we delete the old life and seek to live in Him.

May God bless you and may you never delete all your e-mails.


bym

Monday, September 5, 2016

Roads



Roads

"Place your trust in the Eternal; rely on Him completely; never depend upon your own ideas or inventions. Give Him the credit for everything you accomplish, and He will smooth out and straighten the road that lies ahead." The Voice Bible, Proverbs 3:5-6.

It's September.  Everyone is rushing off in different directions.
The under ten crowd headed back to school with new backpacks and crayons.  The teenagers are busy with sports, after school activities, and part-time jobs. Everyone is heading out - in a new direction, on a new road. It's what happens in September.


I'm on a new road too.  I call it the "What should I be doing now?" road.

I've hit that season of life where the road is taking a bend, and the Lord is leading me into new and different, a place along my path where I have never been. Yet, the strange thing is all that has come before this moment is helping to direct me into the next step.  






The Father promises throughout His Word to lead, guide, and direct us. And He always keeps His promises. He knows I am a wordy girl. He made me that way, so I know He is going to use my love of writing, photos, and all things English in whatever He calls me to do. My part is to seek Him and obey by taking the next step.

Life in the Father's kingdom is an adventure. You never know where the bend in the road will lead. You don't have to because He does. So, if you are like me and are in the place of "What next, Lord?", breathe. He knows the way, and what's around each bend that awaits you.

Oh, and if you hear someone behind you huffing and puffing, its me trying to remember to breathe

Blessings friend,
bym