God Sees You

At one time or another, we have all felt overlooked.  One of man's greatest desires is to be seen or acknowledged as a person.  We want someone to really see who we are and all that we have to offer. We want others to recognize our talents, our abilities, our strengths, and even our weaknesses and accept us. Yet, there are many times that we are passed over and others don't take the time to really get to know us. Others may not intentionally do this or maybe they are intentional because they have a sense of superiority.  Well, if you are feeling this way, I want to let you know that God sees you.  He sees every part of you. In Genesis, we read about a woman named Hagar.  She was the servant to a very important woman named Sarah. God promised Sarah that her descendants would be blessed through a son that she would one day have. Sarah became impatient with God and had her husband sleep with her servant Hagar, hoping to produce a son through her. When Hagar became pregnant, the Bible says that Hagar began to despise her mistress. Shortly after, Sarah physically dealt with Hagar and sent her away.  The Angel of God found Hagar in the desert sitting near a spring. He assured her that her son would be blessed and would be the father of many nations as well. He asked her to return to Sarah and submit to her. In awe of God's message to her,  Hagar said, "You are the God who sees me...I have now seen the One who sees me” (Genesis 16:13). God took the time to come to Hagar to relieve her distress because God saw Hagar's heart even when others didn't. He saw her heartbreak and desire to be loved and accepted.  He saw the injustice of what she experienced with Abraham and Sarah. He looked past her attitude towards Sarah because He saw the true woman the true her.   God knows your heart, your thoughts, your beautiful spirit, your skills, talents, and every part of your being as well.  He sees you.  When others overlook you, look up to God and know that He has called you by name, He knows the numbers of hairs on your head, and He has you engraved on the palm of His hands all because HE LOVES YOU.  It doesn't matter if no one else sees you.  The only one that truly matters is God.

The Virtuous Woman When She Was Not So Virtuous

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies....Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all."
Proverbs 31:10-31

Julia Child was a famous American chef who introduced French Cuisine to American households. There are countless books containing her marvelous French recipes and countless more books written on her exquisite life.   I recently read a quote which read, "Julia Child wasn't always Julia Child".  At one time, she was an ordinary wife who struggled with cooking and didn't even know how to probably boil water. Yet, this part of her life is rarely focused on. We focus more on her final outcome than the process that she underwent to become this amazing chef.  Don't we often do the same thing...praise the outcome, but not the journey that led us to the final success?   I began to ponder about the life of an even more special woman- the Proverb 31 Woman, or the Virtuous Woman as we know her.
      For the longest time, I avoided reading Proverbs 31 about the virtuous woman or woman of excellence. To me, she represented perfection and something I could never be. Think about it, she makes her own clothing, she gets up in the wee hours of the night to prepare meals for her family, she's in real-estate, she has a job in agriculture, she also works in sales, and she volunteers to help the needy, all aside from being a full-time wife and mother. To add, she is also able to maintain a fashionable appearance, she's not a gossiper, and she's doesn't waste or squander her time. Wow!  We've got a Ms. Superwoman on our hands. Her discipline and her life balance put me to shame. I'm lucky if I can even grab a frozen lunch from my freezer on my way to work in the morning and here she is cooking up a storm in the early hours of the morning. One afternoon, as I read about this virtuous woman, I rolled my eyes to her. Oh please....like that could ever be me. Then I heard Him. God whispered in that still small voice, April, this woman of excellence didn't just become excellent over night. It took time and practice.  She wasn't  always so virtuous. She had to start somewhere. This got me thinking.  The woman in Proverbs 31 is described as someone that her husband could trust, but we never hear about the times where she messed up, ran up the credit card, lied to her husband, and had to work towards gaining back his trust again. We read how she reached out her hand to the poor, but we don't know about the time that she got burned out and tired of helping people, secretly wishing that they would get a job and help themselves. We don't read about the time she avoided Sister Susie because she knew that Sister Susie would again ask her for another favor or for another loan. We read that she wasn't a gossiper, but what about the time that she accidentally repeated something that she wasn't supposed to and had to humble herself before that person and ask their forgiveness?  We read that she wasn't prone to eating the bread of idleness, but what we don't know is that there were days that she spent too much time watching soap operas instead of praying and too much time on Facebook instead of meditating on the Law of God.  We know that her children praised her, but she'd cringe if we knew about the time she screamed at her kids and husband in a moment of frustration. Lastly, we are told that she was a woman of strength and confidence, but we don't realize how many times she was overwhelmed, tired, and weary from all her responsibilities, secretly wondering if she'd be able to maintain this balance that seemed to be hanging by a thread.  No, we don't know about this part of her life, the part of her life that was not so virtuous. The journey of the virtuous woman was probably not an easy one. Yet, her life experiences and failures were stepping stones to becoming the woman that God intended her to be. The same goes for us.  There is no such thing as perfection, but we are a work in progress.  Don't condemn yourself for your flaws and short-comings, but see them as bridges that God can use to create growth in you.  Realize your need for Jesus and lean on Him. A special note for single women- if you're not married, realize that you will not get married and all of a sudden be this amazing wife and mother. Proverbs 31 says that the virtuous woman did her husband good and not evil all the days of her life. This includes that time before she was married.  She took that time to cultivate herself and her talents, time to gain wisdom and understanding, to draw close to the creator of her soul.  My advice is simply to start now. Start the journey of being that amazing woman of God.  It will not happen overnight. There will be times you fail terribly, but get back up, let God wipe your tears, and keep pushing forward.  One day, just like a caterpillar transforms into a beautiful butterfly, we we will eventually transition from that  not-so virtuous woman to that amazing woman of excellence to the praise and glory of God. 

.

A Beautiful Wedding and Marriage....

This video really inspired me. “The Story of Ian & Larissa” from DesiringGod.org

God, You Choose...

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding^. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."  Proverbs 3:5-6

image:  (C) by www.martin-liebermann.de

Choices.  We make them everyday.  Some are more important than others.  Some have more long-term effects than others.  Daily, we choose the outfit we will wear, where we will go, what we will do, what we will eat, and who we will talk to. Some bigger choices include what career we want to go into, where we will live, what college we will attend, or whether or not we will attend college at all, who we will marry, and how many children we will have.  I still remember deciding to accept Jesus Christ as my Savior. I also remember deciding to attend college. These produced positive effects in my life.  I also remember some not so good decisions that I made which caused me to live with the negative consequences for a long time.  I'll confess that sometimes I get overwhelmed by all the choices I have to make. Gosh, there are so many. Sometimes, they make my head spin.  I'll even admit that sometimes I wish I could hand the reins over to someone else so they can make decisions for me, but no luck so far finding such a person.  Nobody wants that extra responsibility (email me if you want the job).  he he. Anyhow, the question often becomes, how can I make sure that I am making the right decision for my life? For many, they go by the choice or decision that feels the most right to them at the time or what's in their heart. Yet, the Bible tells us that our heart can be deceitful.  So how do you trust something that is often deceitful?  The answer is simple.  You don't.  About a year ago, I was having coffee with a friend of mine.  This friend of mine is a godly woman who has served as a mentor for me. She and I were discussing some of these choices that we must make. I mentioned that I wanted to meet someone, but was afraid to enter a relationship with the wrong person.  My friend took my hands and said with such conviction and fullness of the Holy Spirit, "Let God choose! April, you tell God, I want you to choose for me Lord. He know the hearts of all.  Tell Him you don't want to make any decision on your own. Tell Him, God, You choose."  We prayed together right then and there and asked God to take the reins of my life and choose what was best for me in every area of my life, including relationships.  I have never forgot that prayer.  I have made it my prayer each day.  Now let me tell you, it has not always been easy to give the reins over to Him, but I do anyways because I trust Him. God sees the big picture so I know He sees things that I can't see in the future.  Sometimes, I have resisted His way because it was not what I wanted, but in the end, I gave in knowing the prayer that I prayed. Yes, I could make my own decisions and I might be ok with God for the most part, but I love God so much that I want Him to be in every one of my decisions. His Word says that in all our ways, we should acknowledge Him and He will direct us in the way we should go. Let me note, anything in the Bible is a given. If your decision has to do with starting a ministry to reach the lost etc, to participate in ministry, then you already have God's stamp of approval from His Word.  In conclusion, I don't want my way, I want His way. If you are struggling with having to make a big decision, whether it be what college to attend, should you date the guy or the gal, should you start that business you've always wanted to, should you move churches etc., stop where you're at and give the reins over to God.  Let Him choose. I promise, you won't be disappointed.

Image Crossroads (C) by www.martin-liebermann.de

The Art of Being Still

"Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with swelling thereof...Be still and know that I am God. " (Psalm 46:2-3, 10)

    In the teaching world, there is a popular phrase we tell our students when they can't seem to sit still and behave themselves. We tell them manage your impulsivity. This means they need to control their natural tendency to be distracted, to want to squirm their way out of their seats, and their natural desire to act out of impatience. This is extremely hard for middle school students, but we still expect them to learn this concept.  As Christians, we too must manage our impulsivity, or our natural tendency to act out of impatience.
       In Isaiah 30:21, we read that the Israelite people fell into a sinful state by building alliances with the Egyptians, who were a type and figure of sin and the world.  The Israelites were weary in heart and had little strength left in them. As a result, they became desperate to make something happen in their lives. Yet, instead of turning to God, they found comfort in Egypt and in all the provisions it seemed to offer them. They refused God's counsel (v. 1) and in the end, were left confused (v. 3). Yet, after God's rebuke, He invited them back into the stillness of His presence, a place of rest, and a place where He could guide them once again and prepare their way.
     There are moments in life where you experience weariness, lack of strength, and desperation for God to answer you.  It is in those very moments that your true character is revealed.  You can either choose to trust in God to meet your needs or you look to other things and people for the answers you so desperately need. Sometimes we think that if God is not "showing up" it is our job to help Him out.  Often, we feel that we need to intervene on our own behalf.  Don't get me wrong, there are many times when God requires that we act in faith, but there are also times when God tells us to be still and know that He is God. In verse 7, the Lord speaks to the people through Isaiah saying, "For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose...Their [Israelites] strength is to sit still." Verse 5 goes on to say, "For thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength..."  How hard is it for us to be still and to rest in the Lord?  It can be very hard at times. Despite what we tell ourselves,  a season of rest and stillness is of God.  In these seasons, we often think because we are not doing anything extraordinary at every moment of every day or because no great event is occurring in our lives, that our life serves no purpose. Lack of excitement, unanswered prayers, and moments of waiting can cause us to be anxious to the point where we can act too hastily.  I can see this happening in a variety of situations. A young woman is tired of waiting on God to bring her that special someone so she runs out and dates an unbeliever who has different values than her and could care less about God's calling upon her life. Or sometimes, a guy will settle for a nice Christian girl that doesn't have the same calling up her life that he has. Sometimes a person will take a job that interferes with Church and ministry or a job that promotes values opposite of their own because they become desperate.  Sometimes, a couple will get tired of living in that one-bedroom apartment and purchase that large house even when they know they are not ready for such a large mortgage. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. It is in those resting and quiet seasons of our lives where God's power truly works through us. In the same chapter above, we see a couple of verses later that God beckons the children of Israel to return to him so he could direct them once again, "And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious to you...blessed are all they that wait for him...And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying, This is the way, walk ye in it..." (Isaiah 30: 18, 21).  Know that when you choose to be still and to stand in the quietness of God, you are positioning yourself to hear from God regarding the direction you should go. He will show His way for you and tell you to walk in it.  To me, that's powerful. Know that quiet times in God are just as powerful as moments where God is doing a quick and  powerful work. Author Elizabeth George tells about a time in her life where God forced her to rest physically and spiritually. For many months after she and her husband, as well as their children moved to Singapore, she stayed in their apartment with her kids. She longed to be out there with her husband in the city ministering to the people, giving conferences, and training other women in the Kingdom of God, but God did not open those doors quite yet. She finally accepted this circumstance and began to spend more time in prayer, with her children, adjusting to the new culture, and in general, just resting in God's presence. Later, her life got busy once again, but the time of rest that she experienced those first few months gave her the strength she needed later to serve more fervently in God's kingdom. God ordained that time her life and God is ordaining this quiet and restful time in your life as well. Don't fight it.  You don't know what lies ahead, but God does. You may need to store up strength for a later season. Don't lose heart, God is still directing you and guiding you. Just continue to be Still and know that He is God. No matter what is happening around you or what is NOT happening around you, be still.  God has everything under control.

Wait a Moment....

 ^{"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is for a moment, worketh in us a fare more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."}  

                      ^{II Corinthians 4:16-17}

Everyone that knows me knows that I have a problem with time.  My perception of time is very different from others' perception. Five minutes to me could mean 20 minutes.  If I say that I'll be ready in a moment, that means sit down and wait another 20-30 minutes.  I'll admit that this bothers my family like crazy.  At work, I feel like I fit in because, teachers for the most part, seem to have the same problem.  We are always a little off on our time and we accept each other for it.  he he. If we think about it though, many of us are spiritually "off" on our time. Our perception of a moment  is different than what the Bible says about a moment.  Paul said, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment..."  Paul was not only referring to our trials and life tests, but he also meant that our life is short in the light of eternity. When we get to heaven, our time on earth will seem like  it occurred in the blink of an eye. In contrast to Paul's idea of what a moment is, for many, our idea of a moment has come to mean a very long period. Some of us live our lives like we're going to live forever. We do not regard eternity as that important because we are living in the here and now.  Eternity seems so out of our reach and death seems like it is so far away.   James described our lives as a vapor,"For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away" (James 4:14).  That's pretty powerful. Further, we are told to not focus on the things we see, but on those things which are not seen which is heaven and eternal life with Christ Jesus.  So why do we invest so much energy and worry on a "moment" that will pass us by?  Why do we worry so much about silly little things?  Why do we devote our lives to meaningless tasks and ambitions? I believe it is because we've made this moment out to be longer than it really is.   My encouragement to you today is to stop worrying about things that don't really matter. Stop worrying about your high paying career. Stop worrying about what kind of house you want. Stop worrying about getting a new car.  Stop worrying about what others think of you.  Stop worrying about building your earthly kingdom. You are blessed by God and He will provide what you need for this moment in time, but don't focus so much on life here.  This earthly moment will pass us by sooner than we think.  Just keep your eyes on Him and His future Kingdom.   Make this moment count eternally.