Got Questions?

What’s the best way to find out a secret?

Ask questions. Lots and lots of questions. If you really want to know something, the best way is to never stop pursuing the answer.

How can you tell the difference between someone who really wants to know the truth from someone who doesn't? Look for the one who's asking the questions and seeking the answers.

In Mark 4, Jesus tells the parable of the sower. If you aren’t familiar with it, I encourage you to read it. It may sound confusing at first. Wanna know something cool? Jesus did that on purpose. In fact, He did it often. Why? So those who really, really, really wanted to know the truth would need to seek it. And guess what, those who sought it, always found it.

After Jesus told the parable, He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” Who were the ones who had hears to hear? We find out in the next verse:

“When He was alone, the Twelve and the others around Him asked about the parables.”

The Twelve (the disciples) AND THE OTHERS. Man, I love that. Jesus always taught His disciples, AND He was willing to teach anyone else that stuck around after the sermon to ask questions.

Check out verse 11:

He told them, “The SECRET (or mystery) of the kingdom of God has been given to you.”

Given to who?? Those who stuck around long enough to ask questions.

Dude.

May I speak boldly? Don’t be discouraged if you have a gazillion questions about the Bible, about faith, or about God.

Questions. Are. Good.

Ask away! But whatever you do, don’t fail to seek the answer after you’ve asked the question. Just remember, the Truth we seek will always be found in Jesus alone. What's the best (and only) way to know what's true? -

Read. Your. Bible.

Let me echo Paul's words in Colossians 2:2-3 -

"My goal is that you will be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that you may have the full riches of understanding, in order that you may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

Boom.

The answer to our questions will be found in Jesus Christ. So, let's keep asking questions and let's keep seeking answers.

Man, I love God’s Word.

Happy Monday, y’all!

#FindingJoy
#HappyMonday
#YouCantAskTooManyQuestions
#SeekAndYouWillFind
#ReadYourBible

Can YOU amaze Jesus?

Is it possible to amaze Jesus?

Yep.

The Greek word for marvel or amaze (thaumazō) is used often in the New Testament and most often it's used in the context of how people responded to Jesus. That's probably not a surprise.

But that's not the only time the word is used.

Y'all. There are TWO times that we are told Jesus was amazed.

One is found Mark 6:7 - Jesus was amazed at their lack of faith. #ouch

The other time is in Luke 7:8-9. A centurion sent his friends to ask Jesus to heal his servant. The centurion said, "I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed."
When Jesus heard this, He was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."

Jesus was amazed at the centurion. Why? Because he demonstrated great faith. How? By displaying humility and belief.

Humility + Belief = a beautiful display of faith that amazes Jesus.

Honestly, I find it amazing that it's possible for me to amaze the One who continually amazes me! I can either amaze Him by my faith, or amaze Him by my lack of faith. And I get to choose which it will be, and so do you.

Want some JOY in your life? Humble yourself and choose belief. Go ahead, amaze Jesus today.

#AmazetheAmazingOne
#ChooseHumility
#ChooseBelief
#ChooseJoy
#HappyWednesdayYall
#FindingJoy

God's Promises and Your Choice. What's the Connection?

My mind has been running 100mph since 5:30am. For those of you who aren’t morning people, I apologize in advance for the elevated enthusiasm in this post, but if I kept silent this morning the rocks in my flower beds were sure to cry out. I have a fire in my bones this morning, yo.

Here’s something that should kick-start your week off right:
If you are a believer and follower of Jesus Christ – YOU ARE PROMISED JOY.

I hesitated to write a post that mentions God’s promises because so much of what has been written about God’s promises falls into a category I label “Bunnies and Balloons” and y’all, I’m just not the bunnies and balloons type of girl. So trust me, this ain’t a bunnies and balloons type of post.

See, here’s the gig about many of God’s promises – 
They require our participation.

I realize that’s a loaded statement and I will thoroughly unpack it in “Finding Joy,” the Bible study I’ll teach this September, but this morning, I wanted to share with you just a taste of what I’m dwelling on these days.

Truth: God is a God of promises.
Truth: He is faithful to keep His promises.
Truth: God gives us the gift of CHOICE. We get to choose whether or not we experience His promises.

Straight up – if you and I want to experience JOY – the kind of joy that is promised by God – then you and I have some serious work to do, because this promise from God requires our participation.

Consider Jesus' promise of rest:

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

The simple truth is that we will have rest IF we come to Jesus.

IF.

Guess what? It’s our choice. The promise of rest is a sure thing. Literally it’s there, waiting for us to CHOOSE it, by coming to Jesus.

Jesus is a gentleman. He will never force His will on you.

You GET to choose.

You want rest? Go to Jesus.

Girls, if you ever hear me say anything, hear me say this: Read Your Bible! We desperately need to be in the Word of God so we will know the Word of God for ourselves.

God has promised us so much. The question is, are we participating?

Happy Monday, y’all. Choose well.

#FindingJoy
#ChoiceIsAGift
#GodsPromisesAreSure
#GodIsFaithful
#GodPromisesJoy
#JustSayNoToBunniesAndBalloonsTheology

Just thinking about Spring and greater things yet to come...

Maggie, our *perfect* Goldendoodle, was born in October 2017 and we brought her home in December. It was soooooo cold her first week with us and it snowed a lot. If you know me at all, you know I am NOT a cold-weather kinda gal. (Every single year I tell myself that I'm going to have a better attitude about winter and look for God's beauty in it. I willingly admit to you, not counting the two times I said while it was snowing, "Oh that's pretty", I have failed at it yet again. My attitude is terrible. Sorry. But I digress.) 

I don't know what I was thinking when I decided to get a new puppy in the dead of winter. Puppies need to go outside - A LOT - and every single time I froze to death. It takes me longer to put on my sweater, scarf, coat, gloves, snow boots, and multiple hats, and any other random piece of warm clothing I can manage to get on under my coat than it does for her to do her business outside. I have tried to explain something to her as I'm putting all my layers on - "Maggie - I promise you - it won't always be this way! Someday soon it won't take me 10 minutes to get ready to take you outside. All I will have to do is slip on my Wonder Woman flip flops and we can go outside! Someday soon you will see green leaves and green grass and beautiful colorful flowers! Birds will chirp, the sky will be blue, and it will be WARM! I know you don't believe me. It's hard for you to even imagine it because you've never experienced it...but just because you haven't experienced it doesn't mean it's not real! You'll see! It WILL happen, I promise!! 

As I was saying this to Maggie for the 100th time, I felt God nudge me and say pretty much the same thing I'd been saying to my puppy. "It won't always be like this. I know that now all you see sometimes is the pain, suffering, heartache and frustrations of this life. You yearn for something more but it's hard for you to imagine it because you've never experienced it. But just because you haven't experienced it doesn't mean it's any less real." 

There WILL be a day when eternity is not something we only talk about - it will be our reality. It's so hard to imagine it, because just like my dog who has never experienced anything but the cold, will someday experience a beauty and warmth she doesn't even know exists yet. 

I try to remind myself of this truth as often as I can. It won't always be like this. For those of us who know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, our eternal summer is coming. Our eyes have not yet seen and our ears have not yet heard all that God has prepared for those who love Him. So we wait. But we wait with hope. And that makes all the difference. 

Crossing the "Got Ears?" Finish Line

I honestly didn't know what to think about this morning when I woke up. For the past 9 months or so, the first thing on my mind every morning has been one of the churches in Revelation. I have lived and breathed the 7 letters to the 7 churches and writing Got Ears? pretty much consumed me. Last night, I drove myself to the church, set up the room where I've been teaching for years, and taught the last lesson on the letter to the church in Laodicea. When I finished, we turned off the camera and had a time of sharing. It's one of my favorite things about teaching. I love hearing what others have learned and how God has spoken to them through the study. I told my class time and again, this was a hard one to write. I cried. A lot. So needless to say, it was very encouraging to hear how God used this particular study to speak to them. I had many ask when and what I will be teaching next. Um, I have no idea. I'm sure God will stir something in me soon. But for today, I'm just trying to slow my brain down a bit. I'm not sure I remember how. 

I told my class the first week that we were all standing at a Start Line about to begin a journey (and it did indeed turn out to be one heck of a journey!). We needed certain supplies for this journey - a map, a mirror, a cross, the gift, and our big girl panties. (If you were there, you are grinning with me. If you are reading this and wondering what the heck I'm talking about, you'll have to watch the first teaching session at ignitewomen.com). Last night, we crossed the Finish Line together. However, we had come so far on our journey, it just didn't feel right to pack up our supplies and head home without remembering how far we had come. I felt we needed a quick trip down memory lane. So, with that being said, here's a little something I wrote with a big grin on my face as a way to remember each of the 7 letters.

Enjoy!

Our journey began in Ephesus and we learned quite a lot –

Their deeds were oh so good, but their hearts were not.

Their To-Do lists were long,

But something had gone terribly wrong –

Deeds aren’t the goal,

It’s loving Jesus with all our heart, mind and soul!

We traveled from Ephesus to Smyrna where slander was in full season,

But Jesus assured them, it wasn’t without reason.

“Stand firm,” He said, “and stay true to My Name,

And when persecution comes, proclaim My fame.

Stay faithful even if you die,

And I will bring you home to be with Me on high.”

Next stop, Pergamum, and their example we shouldn’t follow –

They were eating idol food with one giant swallow!

"What’s the big deal?

It’s just another meal!

It’s just, it’s just, it’s just..." –

And with that they left the teachings of Christ in the dust.

Listen to the words of Him who has the sharp double-edged sword,

And you will eat at His table where your real treasures are stored.

We moved from there to Thyatira where everything seemed to be going wrong,

Jezebel was on the scene, teaching many to sing her song,

And many followed her, quick to join in the throng.

Team Tolerant wouldn’t stand up – they too sang right along.

But Team Hold On knew right from wrong,

And they stood firm – it was God’s Word they were standing on.

“Hold on” Jesus said, “Hold on until I come,

You march to the beat of My drum.

To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end,

I will give authority over the nations and I will call you friend.”

Next we went to Sardis where they looked as alive as could be,

But on closer examination, they were dead asleep, you see!

Jesus cried as loudly as could be,

“Wake up! Wake Up! There’s no time to sleep –

Wake up and follow Me!”

“My words have been clear, I have not slurred,

Therefore remember what you have received and what you have heard.

If you don’t wake up I’ll come like a thief in the night,

It will be a shock to those who aren’t dressed in white.

So walk with Me,” says the Lord,

“And I promise you, you’ll never get bored!”

We slid on in to Philly and not a rebuke was heard,

Rather, eager hearts were stirred.

The Lord had placed before them open door after door,

Because they had not denied His Name, He promised even more –

“Even in your weakness you will be strong,

Your enemies will bow before you before too long.

Be patient, stay strong and endure,

And your reward will be great, eternal and secure.”

And lastly, in Laodicea, things weren’t so great,

They were neither hot nor cold – much was at stake.

Jesus told them, “With your riches you think you’re slick –

But honestly, you’re making me sick

Either heat up or cool down

Just be useful – turn around!

Hear that? It’s Me, knocking at the door,

Let me in and I’ll give you so much more!”

We have heard seven letters to seven congregations

Now it’s up to us to take them to the nations.

We’ve journeyed long and come to the finish line

So let’s ask ourselves one final time

Do I have an ear –

And will I hear –

What the Spirit says to the Churches? 

3 Questions to ask ourselves before posting political opinions on social media

It’s probably safe to say that we have all become weary this election year. Quite frankly, I’m ready for it to just be over. Just like you, I’m bothered and disheartened by many things including by what I’m seeing on my social media feeds. The airing of political opinions abounds. Hear me clearly – I’m all about free speech. I firmly believe we are free to have opinions and we are free to share them. However, those of us who hold any type of leadership/influence position and wear the name Christian/Christ-follower, hold a high moral obligation to think through our posts before making our political opinions known.

I would like to propose three questions I believe will be helpful to ask ourselves before posting our political thoughts and opinions on social media.

1. Am I willing to offend those who disagree with me?

I fear far too many of us have reached the point of being so frustrated and so angry that have become calloused to the point of not caring if we offend anyone who disagrees with us. I fear the answer to this question may be “yes” and that scares me. First, let’s state the obvious. Whether we like it or not, not everyone shares your opinion or mine. Not everyone who follows us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram sees things the way we do. Our political posts that lean one way or the other will undoubtedly offend some. You and I should never willingly offend anyone just to make our political opinions known. The second you and I click "post," it becomes a willing action.

2.  Am I willing to alienate those who disagree with me? 

I’m not convinced many of us think long enough about our posts to consider we risk alienating some. Whether we like it or not, political opinions stir emotions that run deep. When we post our political thoughts and opinions, there will be some who disagree and we risk alienating that person.  So I ask, is it worth it? Is our opinion worth losing the privilege of speaking into someone’s life about other issues?

3. Do I wish to divide or unite?

Of course, when we read this question, all of us are going to immediately respond with the correct answer. Obviously, we wish to unite and not divide. Then I ask again – why would we risk causing more division by insisting on posting our political thoughts and opinions? Whether we like it or not, our political posts will increase the division between us and those who disagree with us. Our political posts only serve to unite those who agree with us.  

Allow me to share with you why I feel so strongly about this and why I have made the deliberate decision to keep my political opinions off of social media.

I have the incredible privilege of teaching the Bible, not only at my home church, but often at women’s events and retreats. It’s no secret that those in the Church are just as divided when it comes to political opinions as those outside of the Church. If I chose to use my social media platform to voice my political opinion, I would undoubtedly offend, alienate, and divide some of my friends/followers. Consider this possible scenario. Imagine if one of my Facebook “friends” who didn’t share my political opinion were to show up at one of my bible studies, unaware I was the teacher. Before I ever even open my mouth, I have already created a barrier that I may or may not be able to tear down. My Facebook “friend” may suspect that because I hold a negative political opinion and view of their candidate or party's platform, I may hold a negative opinion and view of them. I’m not saying it’s fair or right, but sadly, this is the emotional unstable climate we create and have to live in every election year. Honestly, I don’t want to risk not being about to tear down that barrier before they hear words that come out of my mouth that actually do matter.  

So I ask all of us again, is it worth the risk of offending, alienating, and dividing?  

Sometimes, it’s best to keep our opinions to ourselves. Even when we believe we are right.

Sometimes, the old saying, “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all” is spot-on.

Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves, we might not be right, and swallow a big dose of humility.

Leaders, teachers, and all those who boldly speak in the name of Jesus – please stop using social media to air your personal political opinions. Should we have political conversations? Absolutely. Key word being conversations. Real conversations that don’t require we click “post”. Conversations that are dripping with grace and great humility. 

Bottom line? We must not be willing to offend. We must not be willing to alienate. We must not be willing to divide. 

What makes home, home?

So let’s chat. Got your coffee? Good. I’ve already had my 2nd cup and will be going back for my 3rd here in a bit. Coffee. It’s just one way that Jesus reminds me of His love for me in the mornings.

I want to ask you a question. It may sound like a weird question, but hear me out. Sticking with this Home theme I’ve got going on, I’d like to know, what are the feelings you associate with your home? I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately and I think I’ve narrowed it down to the top 3 feelings that I want to be associated with my home.

The first is comfort. I'm not talking about just physical comfort, which I do believe is extremely important as well (I’m a huge fan of decluttering and keeping things in place and may or may not be slightly OCD) but I’m talking mostly about emotional and relational ease. “What does that look like?” you ask. Glad you asked. I strive to make my home a place where everyone feels comfortable and I do that in very practical ways. One way is by telling people that come over, “Make yourself at home” and I mean it. I point them to the kitchen and tell them to not be shy. Not too long ago one of the kids (I call them kids but they are in their 20’s, but whatever, they are kids to me now because I’m old enough to be their mom) went to the kitchen and decided to make himself a peanut butter, jelly and whipped cream sandwich. Okay, I don’t get the whipped cream part but whatever, I’m just glad he felt comfortable enough to do it. And apparently 22 year old boys eat weird things.

The second one is safe. Creating an environment where everyone feels safe takes deliberate time and effort. Jake and I strive to make our home a place where our friends know they can be themselves and are safe to express their thoughts and emotions and ask questions. Nurturing a safe home means no judging, just listening. Open ears and hearts are necessities in a safe home.

And lastly, joy. I’m learning a lot about the pursuit of joy. I’m discovering that a lot of the time, joy is a choice. It needs to be pursued. I desperately want my home to be a place where people come not only to feel comfortable and safe, but also to laugh a lot and feel a deep sense of joy. The world is crazy. We need homes that offer places of refuge and laughter. Sweet moments of delight are best when shared.

Please don’t think I’m batting 1,000 on these every single time. Some days I’m feeling super selfish and I don’t want to share my home. Some days the last thing I’m feeling is joyful and my grumpiness is contagious (I’ll be talking about the ways women control the emotional climate in their home in a future post) and some days I’m emotionally exhausted and feel I have nothing left to give (it’s really important for people to fend for themselves in the kitchen on those days, otherwise they’d starve). But, as I’m learning to keep comfort, safe, and joy in mind, it helps me to refocus when I get all funky.

Remember what I said in the last post? This house isn’t really my home. My home is found in my relationship with Jesus. He is the one that gives me comfort, makes me feel completely safe, and is the source of all my joy. He is the reason I want to offer my home to others in hopes they will know what home is too.

What about you? What’s most important to you about your home?  What makes your home home?

This is my home. But not really.

This is my home. But not really.

I’ve lived in Indianapolis for the past 16 years. I call Indy home.

I lived in Kentucky for 27 years. I still call Kentucky home. (You can take the girl out of Kentucky but never Kentucky out of the girl. Go Cats!)

I call the current house I've lived in for 8 years home.

I still call my mom and dad’s house home.

The word home evokes strong emotions in me. I love going home to mom and dad’s. I know what I’m getting when I get there. Comfort. Love. Homemade biscuits and gravy. My dad’s sweet prayers. The sound of my mom’s singing and sewing machine. My brother, sister-in-law, nephew and great niece coming over to eat. These are all a few of my favorite things.

I also love and look forward to coming home to where Jake and I (and a few others!) live. I know what to expect here, too. Comfort. Acceptance. Laughter. (Although sadly there’s not even a chance that the smell of homemade biscuits will ever come from my kitchen. More like the smell of spaghetti.)

I’m not going to lie. I’ve grown pretty comfortable here. We moved so much in our first few years of marriage that when we bought our current house I told Jake I wasn’t moving again until I was dead. I’m not a fan of moving. And I’m not a fan of change. If I had it my way, we’d stay here until the very end. (Unless God said move to the Caribbean, but so far He hasn’t, but I keep asking.)

A few years ago, it looked like there was a possibility that Jake might land a job overseas and we would have had to sell everything and move. This went over like a lead balloon with me.  I wrestled with the thought of leaving my home and everything I had grown to love. In fact, I was so upset over it, I was losing sleep and if you know me at all you know that Paulette doesn’t lose sleep. She takes her sleep very seriously.

One such morning when sleep alluded me, I finally gave up trying and came downstairs to spend some time in the Word. Although I tried, I just couldn’t focus on anything other than the fact that I might have to leave my home. The dam finally broke and I ended up on my knees with my face in the carpet. There may have even some wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Lord, this is the house we prayed for! We promised You when we moved here that we would use it for ministry!

Lord, I’m not finished with my degree yet!

Lord, I just started a great job at a great ministry!

Lord, I’m responsible for a thriving ministry at church!

Lord, I love it here!

Help me! I feel like I’m dying here, Lord!

“Exactly.”

That was the word I heard the Holy Spirit whisper to me in the midst of my crying/snot fest.

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25

Die to self.

Basically, my home had become more important to me that the One who made it a home.

Ouch. And thank you Father for the sweet conviction of your Holy Spirit.

Something shifted in me that morning. Did I get up off my knees jumping up and down at the thought of moving to a country where German was the official language and I can barely manage to speak English? No. Of course not. But I realized that I was clinging to something that could not offer me what I was truly seeking. Somewhere along the way I had started craving the gifts over the Gift-giver.

I resolved that morning that I would strive to hold all things loosely, with open hands, as best I could, including this house that I love. I want to cling to Jesus, not cling to the stuff He gives me.

So you may be wondering, why then would I choose to tattoo the word Home on my wall? Well, honestly, maybe this makes me a little morbid, but I chose it as a reminder. So every time I see this….

I am reminded that this not my home. Ironic? Weird? Yeah, I guess so. But I like being reminded that although I love what I’ve got going on here, it really is temporary. I have no idea what the future holds. I could be in this house until I’m 85 or God could call me somewhere else tomorrow. Who knows. And I’m okay with it. So for today, I’ll just be grateful that I can call this house home, all the while knowing that Jesus is my real home.

What about you? Where do you feel at home? What makes it home? ​

Home is where....

A few months ago my husband and I finally did something we’ve been wanting to do for about 8 years. We finished our basement!  (And by we, I obviously mean we hired people who knew what they were doing.)

Here’s some before pics:

And here’s what it looks like now!

(BTW, Mulder and Scully look amazing on that gigantic TV. #XFiles)

(And if you think that's a huge whiteboard, you'd be right.)

I knew for a long time that I wanted to get a wall tattoo. It felt pretty permanent so I thought long and hard about what word I wanted to see every time I was in the basement – which is often because that’s where my new office is. 

My uber-talented and super cute brother agreed to paint/tattoo my wall. Here's some fun pics of the process:

Drum-roll please.....

Home. 

The word home means so much to me. It evokes so many different feelings and emotions. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time y’all so I’ve decided to share all my deeeeeep thoughts with you. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to be sharing my thoughts on these topics with you:

This is not my permanent Home

Home is what we make it

How we (women) control the climate of our Home

Home is where real community happens

Martha Stewart does not live in my Home

And who knows. I may come up with more ideas before this whole Home thing runs its course.

I’m looking forward to sharing some virtual coffee with you as we talk about Home. See you soon! 

Thinking about leftovers

I know that not everyone is a big fan of leftovers. Me? I’m a big fan. Knowing that I can rummage through the fridge and find something to eat instead of having to make something, well that’s a huge bonus. I’m already looking forward to the leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner. I should be able to get away with not cooking for at least a few good days.

Have you ever considered the concept of spiritual leftovers? Honestly, I never had, until I read something in Scripture this week. It caused me to think in a whole new way.

In Matthew 14 we read the account of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish. The disciples picked up 12 baskets of leftovers after everyone’s stomachs were full. In Matthew 15 we read a very similar story of Jesus feeding 4,000 with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. This time the disciples picked up 7 basketfuls of leftovers. Pretty amazing stuff! You would think that these experiences would have been burned forever into the disciples’ minds, wouldn’t you? How could you ever possibly forget something like that? And yet, in Matthew 16:5-11 we read this:

When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”

Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread?”

I could write an entire lesson on the significance of why Jesus was warning the disciples about the teachings of the religious leaders in their day, but that’s not my purpose right now. (That was more for me than you because I was about to chase a different rabbit and needed to remind myself to stay on task.)

Don’t miss the significance of Jesus asking, “Don’t you remember?” Pay close attention to what He was asking the disciples to remember:

Their experience.

Think about it. Jesus could have easily said something like, “Why are you worried about not having any bread? Don’t you remember that God parted the Red Sea and rescued your ancestors from slavery? Don’t you remember that God rescued Daniel from the lion? Don’t you remember that God sent manna from heaven every morning?” Really, the list of examples that Jesus could have used are endless. And yet, Jesus purposefully directed their attention to something the disciples had experienced for themselves.

Now, I’m just speculating here, but why did the disciples not bring the leftovers with them in the boat? Where had they left all those baskets? And if they had brought the leftovers with them, would they have better understood Jesus’ statement to “guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees” because they wouldn’t have been distracted by their lack of bread? Maybe because they didn’t have the leftovers with them,

they forgot about Jesus’ miraculous ability to produce bread at will and

they missed the whole point of what He was trying to say because they were too distracted by what they didn’t have that they should have had in the first place. (did you get that?)

Hmmmm.

Now before you go and accuse the disciples of having short-term memory loss or just being dumb (come on, you know you’ve thought it) let’s ask ourselves, do we do the same thing?

Work with me here.

As a follower and believer in Jesus, has there been a time when you have experienced God richly blessing you with all that you needed? What about a time where He not only supplied your needs but blessed you with more than you even asked for? Has your heart ever felt like it could overflow with gratitude? When we hang on to those precious memories and experiences it’s like collecting basketfuls of leftovers. Big, beautiful baskets full of leftover blessings.

The next time you find yourself in a difficult season and wonder what you are going to do, lean in. You may hear Jesus sweetly asking,

“Don’t you remember?”

When we take time to pull out those basketfuls of leftovers and recount the many ways God has provided for us in the past, amazing things begin to happen. We are reminded that God was faithful to us then, and He will be faithful to us now.

This Thanksgiving, let’s pull out those basketfuls of leftovers… and remember.

I don't have to understand the how, I just need to know the Who

Sometimes I think that if anyone ever read my journal, they might think I have schizophrenia.

I decided last January that I would read through the Gospels this year. I started in Matthew and when I finish with John, I start back over in Matthew. I’m not sure how many times I’ve read through them so far, but my goal was not to read them a certain number of times. My goal was to get to know Jesus more. It’s been an interesting little experiment, I’ll admit. One of the biggest challenges I faced was to pay attention to what I was reading because, let’s admit it, familiarity often leads to a lackadaisical attitude, and that was not what I was going for! I’ve discovered that if I journal my way through the text, I pay much more close attention. I also constantly pray and ask that God will open my ears to hear Him speak. I desire an ever increasing sensitivity to His Word. It IS alive. It IS active. And I DO want it to change me and challenge me. And that’s exactly what’s happening…

This week I read Matthew 11:28-30:

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

How many times have I read that verse? Probably a gazillion. This time when I read it, I slowed down and really thought about it. Do I get it? I mean, really get it? Honestly? Nope. I really don’t think I do.

When I realized this, I went a bit schizophrenic in my journal:

Am I weary and burdened? YES! Am I weary and burdened with things that I shouldn’t be burdened with?

Aren’t I supposed to be burdened with the pain and need of others?

Isn’t being burdened what leads me to cry out to Jesus?

What does true rest really look like?

What exactly does the yoke of Jesus look like? How do I trade my yoke for His?

What is an easy yoke?!?

What is a light burden?!?

I desperately want rest for my soul. I desperately want to experience JOY and PEACE in the midst of crazy circumstances. I WANT to experience true rest. Whatever the yoke of Christ looks like….sign me up for that!

Sometimes I hear my own words that I have spoken to others echo back to me in my head, “No matter what the question it, Jesus is the answer.”

If you think I figured it all out and I’m about to tie it up in a nice bow for you, well, um, yeah…sorry to disappoint you. I’m a work in progress, peeps.

How about a little transparency? Here’s what I wrote to Jesus in my journal:

I don’t have the answers. I don’t know how not to be burdened. I don’t know what your yoke is. I DO know I want rest for my soul. I DO know I want your joy and peace. I may not understand, but I DO believe you are the answer.

Maybe I need to quit seeking the HOW, “How do I do this? How do I do that? How do I trade my yoke for yours?” and just focus on the one part of these verses that I DO understand:

“Come to Me…”

That’s it. That’s all. That’s all I can understand right now. I will come to you, Jesus, and you will give me rest. I’ll just come to you. I’ll choose to trust you to give me rest. You want me to “learn from you” so I will trust you to teach me. This is my opportunity to know you better. Yes, I am weary. Yes, I am burdened. But, I will come to you.

And, I will rejoice in this profound and beautiful truth: You INVITE me to come. It’s your idea, your invitation. That alone gives me hope, and maybe I’m even beginning to get a taste of the rest you are talking about – just knowing that you have extended the invitation to my tired and weary soul. An invitation to find rest - just by coming to you.

I’m so very thankful that Jesus doesn’t wait around for us to figure everything out before He extends the invitation to come to Him. We don’t have to figure it out. We don't have to understand the "how?" All we need to do is take Jesus up on His invitation,

“Come to Me.”

There’s no place I’d rather be. 

A word for the weepy

It’s been one heck of a year, peeps. I realize it’s only the 10th of November so it’s a little early for my yearly self-evaluation. I usually wait until mid-December to start looking back over the past year to see what events and circumstances have occurred that have shaped me, challenged me, pushed me, broken me and grown me.  But, despite being about a month before my usual time frame to do such, I have found myself the past few weeks taking a deep look at all that has happened to me and around me in the last 12 months. I thought about writing a list but decided against it. Truth is, I’m not sure anyone would actually believe it.

Lately I’ve felt like I’m walking around with a tornado in my frontal lobes. There are so many heart breaking and devastating things going on around me that sometimes it feels like I’m about to crack under the pressure. But, at the same time, God has been and is very active. His Presence in my life is undeniable and He has been and is doing some amazing things – things that I know good and well would not and could not happen in my own strength or by my own efforts.

I do my best to focus on these things.

I do my best to practice an attitude of gratitude.

I do my best to make every effort to be thankful and to practice opening my mouth and speaking out loud Scriptural truths.

I do my best to fix my eyes on Jesus.

Do I experience His peace? Yes.

Do I experience His hope? Yes.

Do I experience His strength in me? Yes.

Do I still bawl my eyes out? Oh, yes. On a regular basis.

Sometimes I wonder if I’m spiritually bipolar. (Is it just me??!!)

Then just this morning, I read this sweet little verse tucked away in Acts 20:19:

“I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing…”

Wow.

I don’t know about you, but this verse was exactly what I needed to hear. It reminded me that there is a reason why Paul wrote elsewhere in Galatians 6:9:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Hey. Guess what? It’s okay to cry.

It’s okay to feel the weight of difficult and trying circumstances.

So I’m just gonna keep on crying when I feel the need to shed a few tears. (And by a few, most often I mean a good old fashioned ugly-cry).

I believe the key to crying well is where we are we crying.

One of my favorite moments recorded in the Gospels is the account of the woman in Luke 7:38:

As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

What a beautiful picture.

Here’s what I know:

Life is not easy.

I’m going to cry.

But, by golly, I’m not going to give up.

When I cry, I will cry at the feet of my precious Savior.

And some day, I will reap a harvest.

“Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.” Psalm 126:6

Straight-Up Crazy

The parting of the Red Sea.

The walls of Jericho falling.

Gideon changing from a big chicken into a mighty warrior.

David taking on a giant with just a few small stones.

Three men walking into a blazing furnace and believing God would not forsake them - no matter the outcome.

Peter getting out of the boat. 

These are just a few example of the stories I grew up hearing and believing. I don’t think there has ever been a time in my life where I doubted the stories in the Bible. I also grew up hearing stories of missionaries in other parts of the world, their great faith, and how God moved through them to do amazing things. I’ve always enjoyed praising God for what He was doing in and through others.

 Then I got irritated. 

I started looking at my own life. Boring. Mundane. Predictable. And to be honest, there was no need for me to have extraordinary faith because frankly, I was just hanging out in my comfortable and safe boat. I had been content my entire life just watching and hearing about everyone else who had enough faith to actually get out of the boat and walk on water with Jesus. I had been content merely hearing stories of other “water-walkers.”

 But then I started to wonder, “What if?”

 What if the stories in the bible were meant to fuel my faith?

What if God really hadn’t changed and He still delighted in doing the extraordinary through ordinary people, just like me?

What if the Jesus that told Peter to come to Him on the water was the same Jesus that would empower me to do the impossible if I would just step out of my boat? 

So. I tried it. 

Yep. That’s right. Boring, predictable, mundane me actually stepped out of my comfort boat and trusted God to be God. Guess what? I didn’t sink. 

Was I scared? You bet I was. Was I in over my head? Absolutely. Was it worth it? A thousand times YES. Has Jesus had to pull me back up when I let the waves overtake me? Many times. But He’s never let me sink.

 Once you get a feel for wet feet and windblown hair, you won’t want to climb back in your boat. You will begin to crave the intimacy that grows between you and your Savior as He walks next to you. You will begin to crave the exhilaration that comes from trusting Jesus to do the impossible both in you and through you.

 You will begin to crave a faith that is so radical it looks straight-up crazy. 

I believe God puts a desire within all of us to experience the Divine. All of us crave to see Him move in ways we could never, ever take credit for.

Many years ago I started praying that God would send a holy revival among His daughters.  I prayed He would raise up a generation of women who were willing to leave their comfort boats behind, throw off everything that hinders and every sin that entangles and run the race He has marked out for us (Hebrews 12:.1). By golly, I believe He’s doing it! More and more I am seeing a movement of women who are strong, courageous, sword-yielding, Jesus-loving water-walkers, and it fires me up! It’s an exciting and opportune time to be a woman on fire for God! 

So now what? 

God planted a dream deep in my heart a few years ago. I dreamed of a place where women of all ages, races, and denominations could come together in unity and be equipped by God’s Word, empowered to live out their faith in every area of life, and to work together to change the world. That’s right, you heard me -

A massive unleashing of believing women to CHANGE. THE. WORLD.

I know those words are often thrown around with nothing of substance to back them up. But what if we really could change the world?

I think we can. Together. 

And I have a crazy plan to do it. And I believe it will work. But I’m going to need your help. 

Imagine a place where you could be in community with other women who are willing to share the wisdom they have gained through life experiences such as divorce, step-parenting, trauma, anxiety, depression, and many more.

Imagine a place where you could participate in Bible studies with other women from across the world that will deepen your knowledge of Scripture. 

Imagine a place that offers tailored groups where you could find hope, healing and encouragement from other women who have been hurt by the church, whose husbands wrestle with a porn addiction, who are recovering from sexual abuse/trauma, and who are navigating the waters of addiction recovery.

Imagine meeting other women who can help lead you down the sometimes difficult and confusing path of the adoption process, both domestically and internationally.

Imagine learning from seasoned leaders that will empower and equip you to enhance your leadership skills.

You can experience all of that and much more as a member of Ignite Women. And as if all that wasn’t awesome enough, it gets even more awesome -

Ignite is strategically partnering with large Not For Profits that are doing amazing work across the world to help end poverty, help end abortion, help increase adoptions and help end human trafficking in our generation. We are not messing around! A portion of every membership dollar will go to empower them to do even more.

It IS possible.

Together, we really can change the world.   

I invite you to visit Ignite Women and check us out. I’m confident you will find a place where you can invest in your own spiritual growth and simultaneously join with other women to change the world!

A dose of honesty

How about a dose of honesty?

My world has been a little cray cray lately. And by lately, I mean since around last October. I was one week into teaching my latest bible study, Rescued, when whammo! I was hit with one of those things you can’t see coming nor can you plan for it. Someone I love dearly suffered at the hands of evil. It was devastating. I knew that healing would take a very long time and the road wouldn’t be easy. But what I didn’t know was that the enemy was just getting started. The initial trauma was followed by a series of painful events that dragged on for months, and continues to do so. The saga continues. It isn’t even close to coming full circle yet. There have been some small victories along the way, but this is not over. Not even close.

I was so deeply affected by this that I couldn't hide it. I’m usually not one to try and hide how I really feel anyway, so when I was asked how I was doing, I didn’t respond with the expected “I’m okay,” or “I’m doing great!” or “Fine!”, ‘cause let’s be honest, I wasn’t okay, great or fine. I was heartbroken. Confused. Angry. Exhausted emotionally and spiritually. And quite frankly, terrified that maybe things weren’t going to turn out the way I hoped and prayed that they would.

But wait…there’s more. Recently, my husband and I faced something that we’ve only heard stories about. It’s something you believe only happen to other people. I’m watching my husband lose sleep over it and wrestle with how to best handle it. It’s extremely stressful, very complicated, and has shaken us in ways we could have never expected. (For the record, he and I are fine, our marriage is strong. This is something that hit us from the outside.) It’s also a situation that won’t be resolved quickly. The ramifications of this will last for a very, very long time.

In addition to of all of the above mentioned, God is also calling me to trust Him in ways I’ve never had to before. He's calling me to do something I've never done before, and something that quite honestly, I KNOW I cannot do. I know, I know, that’s part of a growing relationship with Jesus. It’s one thing for me to talk to others about trusting Jesus, it’s another thing when I have to wrestle through this myself. Recently, I sensed God whisper this to me:

“Paulette, you are going to have to learn to trust me in this. I know I am asking you to do something you have never done before. I know you want to know the details of the plan, but I’m not going to give them to you right now. I want you to follow my voice. I will lead you through the dark. Trust me. And yes, I am well aware of the fact that you cannot do what I’m asking you to do; that’s the point.”

(Sometimes I think I hear Him end with “Duh.” But maybe that’s just me.)

So what am I’m learning in all of this? I’m learning that it’s possible to be on the Crazy Train and simultaneously have one or two toes on the Struggle Bus. I’ll be honest peeps, I’ve been struggling! But through it all, here’s what I’m learning to be true:

God is faithful. He who began a good work is faithful to complete it.

I don’t have to see how all of this works out. I just have to trust Jesus. One step at a time.

It’s okay to struggle and wrestle through things. And it’s also okay if the struggle goes on for more than a day. Or two. Or weeks. Or even months. God is faithful to meet with me in the midst of my struggle.

He really does give strength for the day.

His mercies really are new every morning.

It’s very important to have good girlfriends around that will listen as I wrestle through some of these things. Sometimes a good laugh really is the best medicine. And the faithful prayers of a friend are worth more than all the chocolate in the world.

Let's be honest. We all struggle sometimes and life will get crazy every now and then. But just because life gets crazy doesn't mean we have to. Let's resolve to lean into Jesus and allow Him to grow our faith roots deep during the crazy times. I want to come out on the other end of this struggle stronger than before, don't you? I'll be doggoned if this will be in vain! Something good WILL come out of it. God said so. :) 

And we know that all things work for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

What do you want me to do for you?

As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus stopped and called them.

 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”

Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. (Matthew 20:29-34)

I like to play the “What If?” game a lot. This morning as I sipped my beloved cup of coffee while sitting in my favorite over sized chair and reading this passage in Matthew, I felt the urge to play the “What If?” game.

What if Jesus walked into my room, stood in front of me, and said, “Paulette, what do you want me to do for you?”

Well now. That is one heck of a “What-If?” don’t you think?!

I’ll admit, I chewed on this one for a while.  Before I jump in and share where I finally landed, let me point out a few things in the passage that, in my opinion, should stand out.

 First, when the blind men heard it was Jesus, they demonstrated their faith that he was the Messiah by how they addressed him. Apparently, in their minds, the issue of Jesus being the Son of God and the promised Messiah, had already been settled.

 Their faith was solid.

Secondly, they were obviously desperate. Desperate enough to shout. And who cares if everyone around them tried to get them to shut up? That just made them all the more determined to be heard. It worked, because it got them an audience with the King.

Desperate, stubborn and determined.

Thirdly, they knew what they wanted. There was no hesitation or pause before they answered and told Jesus what they so desperately wanted. My heart melts every time I read “Jesus had compassion.” Jesus. The Son of God. Creator of the Universe. The promised Messiah. The King of Kings. He feels compassion toward the desperate. Wow.

Jesus acts when He feels.

“Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.”  

“What do you want me to do for you?”

Like I said, I chewed on this one for a while. My answer was not as immediate as the two blind men. I had to think about it for a minute. Here’s where I landed:

Lord, I want you to give me ears to hear you.

I realize your response may be completely different from mine. I don’t think there is necessarily a wrong response to this. (Well, that’s not entirely true. If your response was “I want you to give me a brand new Porsche” then you may be slightly off-track. Just sayin’.) Let me explain my response.

Currently, I am in a different place in my life than I have ever been. I’m calling it the “Hit the Gas” season. God has granted me more favor than I could have ever dreamed of. Hear me clearly: I am WELL AWARE that this favor is not for MY good, nor to prosper ME, rather it is for the good and prospering of OTHERS. God has opened amazing doors for ministry opportunities that, quite frankly, are blowing my ever-lovin’ mind. I have a dream that I whole-heartedly believe can help change the world. Yep, you heard me right. Change the world. (More on that later!)

This dream of changing the world comes with much responsibility. God revealed something to me about myself this morning. Let me paraphrase what I heard:

Paulette, you have learned to trust me with the really BIG things. I am so pleased that you are able to say with full confidence that you believe me to do the IMPOSSIBLE in you and through you. I know you believe that I am the same God that split the Red Sea. You are willing to charge hell with a squirt-gun believing you will win. You have full confidence in my willingness and ability to do the impossible. However, while you are so focused on changing the world, you sometimes miss my voice in the moments. And when you miss my voice, you miss the opportunity to die to yourself. When you miss the opportunity to die to yourself, you slip into disobedience. The impossible cannot happen where there is disobedience.

Ouch.

You see, God is showing me that He wants to trust me with really big things, but He can only trust me with big things if I am surrendered to him in the little things. Moment by moment.

Hence, my answer to Jesus’ question. Lord, give me ears to hear you. If I will tune my ears to the voice of my Savior, I will hear him speak to me in those moments when I’m tempted to be selfish, or tempted to run my mouth about so-and-so for doing such-and-such. If I have ears to hear Jesus, then I will hear him whisper to me the needs of the woman right in front of me and know how to answer her, or how to lead her, or how to love her well. If I have ears to hear Jesus, then I will discern the decisions he wants me to make in the big matters and the small matters.

I so want to hear Jesus when he speaks. I so want to be obedient. Not because I have to. But because I want to. Because I love Jesus. I really, really love Jesus.

What about you? How would you answer Jesus if he asked you,

“What do you want me to do for you?”

How about a rebuke with your morning coffee?

It happened to me again this morning. I read something that I’m very familiar with and yet, a phrase I have never paid attention to before, jumped out at me. Well, it felt more like it leaped off the page and smacked me upside the head. Yep. A good old fashioned smack-down by the Holy Spirit. And honestly, I’m thankful. His holy smack-downs are done with such grace, gentleness and love, that I want to respond in repentance. Why? Because I know that my God is FOR me, not against me. 

Luke 18:35-43 

Jesus was on His way to Jericho and there was a blind man on the side of the road. When he heard the commotion and asked what was going on, he was told that Jesus was passing by. Immediately he began calling out, 

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 

This always makes me smile. I try to picture the scene and I imagine an older man who had probably been blind and helpless his entire life. Relying on the kindness of others was his only hope in the world. He must have heard the stories about this Jesus person who had the power to heal. Maybe for the first time in his entire life he felt a quick, sharp pang of actual hope. And with every ounce of strength he could muster up, he yelled, his own voice piercing his darkness: 

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 

What a beautiful picture of sheer and absolute desperation. What an authentic display of desperate hope. While I cannot relate to his physical blindness, certainly I know and can relate to a desperate need of the Savior’s mercy.

As I sat on my couch sipping my morning beloved cup of coffee, I’ll admit I was feeling good about this awesome little story in Luke. That is, until I read the next line:

 “Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet…” 

Granted, I have never given much thought to “those who led the way” other than to think, “What the heck is wrong with them? What’s their problem?? Surely they know Jesus loves to heal so why would they tell this poor man to be quiet??” But this morning, the phrase “those who led the way” struck a very personal chord.

For reasons I will never understand, God has placed me in leadership and I am in a position of “leading the way.” I’m ashamed to admit, there have been times I have become so focused on the ministry vision, mission, and hard work that has to be done, that I have dismissed the sideline cries coming from those who are desperate for hope. 

“I don’t have time to answer that email. I’m too busy.”

“I’ll call her back later. She can wait.”

“I don’t have time to sit and talk over coffee. I’ve got way too much work to do!”

And I justify my busyness and hard work and lack of availability all in the name of “ministry.”

Ouch.

No, seriously. Ouch.

I think it comes down to this: 

When ministry becomes more important than the people we are called to minister to,

we have missed the mark. 

I don’t want to miss the mark. What about you?

Sweet Jesus, thank you for the loving rebuke this morning. Please give me ears to hear what You hear, and eyes to see others the way You see them. And please Lord, give me Your heart, so I will respond like You would. Amen.

Bring on the Dizzy

I thought God had finished asking me to do things I was uncomfortable doing. I was wrong. Honestly? I’m less than thrilled with what He is asking me to do next. More honesty? I just flat don’t want to do it. Brutal honesty? I’m a little mad about the whole thing.

 I’d better clarify. I’m not mad at God. I’m mad at me. 

I thought I had matured more in my Christian walk. I thought that I would jump at any opportunity God placed before me that would result in a stronger and deeper relationship with Him. I thought I was able to “count all things joy.” Yeah well, guess I’m not as mature as I wanted to think I was, ‘cause I threw myself a little fit/pity party this week. I just flat don’t want to do what I believe God is asking me to do. 

This situation that the Lord is asking me to jump into…well…dang it…it brings all sorts of insecurities to the surface. Insecurities I thought I had long ago put to death. Insecurities that used to keep me shackled and unable to move about in the freedom Christ called me to live in. If you had asked me a few days ago about these insecurities, I would have looked you in the eye and broken into Chris Tomlin’s chorus as a testimony:

“My Chains are Gone, I’ve been set free!” 

Hmmm. Guess it took God putting me into this situation to show me, I ain’t so free….yet. 

I liked to think of myself as a decent jar of clay. Nothing fancy, mind you. Just a regular ol’ jar of clay that The Potter had worked very hard on. I endured many spins on the wheel allowing Him to do His work in me. Somewhere along the way, I obviously crawled off of the wheel thinking I was looking pretty good! Geeze. I’m obviously good at fooling myself. ‘Cause now I hear the voice of The Potter, “Paulette. We’re not finished yet. Get back up here on my spinning wheel. Let me continue to mold you and shape you. Yes, it’s going to be uncomfortable. Yes, it will be hard work. And yes, you are bound to get dizzy. But let me finish what I started in you.” 

The good news is this: while I may not be jumping up and down about this, I’ve been with Jesus long enough to know He doesn’t call me to be dizzy for no good reason. I’m about to endure a painful reshaping, but I trust my Potter’s hand.

So. Bring on the dizzy. 

Don't freak out

I love it when I read a passage in Scripture and something I hadn't thought of before pops out at me. This morning I was reading Luke 8:22-25.  It’s a very familiar passage. Jesus tells His disciples to hop in the boat so they can go over to the other side of the lake. During the sail over, He falls asleep. And then…

“A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.”

And then the disciples freaked out.

Freaking out is a natural, human reaction, don’t you think? I mean, it says plainly, “they were in great danger.” I freak out if I’m in danger, don’t you? Seems like a reasonable response. In their freaked out state, they woke up Jesus. You know the story. Jesus rebuked the wind and the water, and of course, the wind and the water immediately obeyed. (I wish I always had an immediate obedience response.) I’m thinking they didn't expect what He said next: 

“Where is your faith?” 

Hmmm. Let’s be honest. They were just reacting to a very real situation. They weren't imagining things. This wasn't a hypothetical situation. Their situation was, in essence, reality. Here’s what popped out to me today:

 Jesus is even greater than our reality.

I’m totally grooving on this truth today! Because no matter what is going on around me, Jesus is greater. He doesn't lessen my reality. He doesn't expect me to deny my reality or downplay my reality.

 He wants me to remember that He is GREATER than my reality.

I need to remember when the storms hit (and whew! They seem to be hitting frequently here lately!) that I need to not freak out! I need to remember that Jesus is greater than the storm that threatens to drown me. Basically, as long as I’m hanging out in the same boat with Jesus, there’s no chance that any storm is taking this girl down. 

Just flat crazy

I had a teacher in the 7th grade that I thought was a little nuts. She was older, probably in her early 70’s or so. I remember laughing at something in her class every day. Okay, well maybe I was laughing at her. We seemed to share the same sense of weird humor. I have a vivid memory of her writing on the board one day. She stopped in mid sentence, and with no preceding behavior on my part, said “Paulette, you’re crazy! Sooooooo craaaaaazy!” Mind you, she never even turned around when she said this. And, as if that weirdness never even happened, she just proceeded to finish what she was writing. Crazy. Yeah, that about sums me up.

A few years ago, God began calling me to trust Him. I mean, really trust Him. It started when I began to dig into God’s word and see that the Creator of the universe was pursuing me. That’s right – little ‘ol insignificant, non-gifted, pretty ordinary me – being pursued by God Himself. I began to notice when God called ordinary people in the bible to believe in Him and to trust Him, they never remained ordinary. In fact, in every single instance, God called these ordinary individuals daring to believe Him, to do crazy things. Well, crazy by our standard anyway. I’m beginning to see that our crazy, is God’s normal.

Think about it.

Moses?            Ordinary.       Split the Red Sea – Crazy!

Elijah?             Ordinary.       Call fire down from heaven – Crazy!

Daniel?           Ordinary.       Spend the night with hungry lions & live to tell about it – Crazy!

Peter?              Ordinary.       Walk on water – Crazy !

The list could go on and on.

I recently shared with a good friend my thoughts about this kind of crazy. I described it like this:

When I made the decision to be obedient, radically obedient, to God’s calling and leading in my life, things began to happen. It felt like I became a passenger on a train – God’s train. He strapped me in and we took off. This train moves super fast and every once in a while I’m brave enough to glance out of the window. Whenever I do take a peek, I see destination signs confirming that I am indeed on the right train. However, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared at times of where this train is headed. Thankfully though, whenever I’m tempted to jump off, I hear the voice of my Savior, “I will never leave you, Paulette. No need to be anxious or scared of where I am taking you. I am already there.”

I lovingly refer to this train as the Crazy Train.

If the truth be known, I don’t want to be a passenger on the Ordinary Train. I really do want to experience God do crazy big things in me and through me.

I’m convinced that when God knit me together in my mother’s womb, He used crazy thread. And you know what? I’m glad He did. Because non-crazy is boring. Ordinary is dull. I want to add my name to the list of people who did crazy things for God. And I’m just crazy enough to believe He wants me to.

Tired of ordinary? Jump on the Crazy Train with me. It will be the ride of your life!

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

It's raining...It's pouring!

I prayed what I believed to be a huge prayer about 8 years ago. What I didn’t know then, was that God’s answer was way bigger than my prayer.

I prayed God would surround me with women who were crazy in love with Jesus and craved His presence and activity in their lives more than anything else. When I said this prayer, I knew it was a big one. At the time, I wasn’t surrounded by any women, let alone women who were craving Jesus on the level I’m speaking of. When I moved from Kentucky to Indiana, I moved to a new town where I didn’t know anyone. When my husband and I finally found the church we believed God wanted us to be in, relationships didn’t happen as quickly as I had hoped. Looking back on it now, I realize God used this lonely time in my life to refine and kindle my deep hunger for Him, all the while preparing me for something I could have never imagined in a million years.

Like the first few drops of rain falling on a hot summer afternoon, God began sprinkling my path with women who shared my hunger for Jesus. One here, a few there. These precious women craved Jesus more than anything else and were desperate, just like me, to see God move in unexplainable ways in their lives. Our hunger for Jesus grew and we began praying for God to bless us with more women who longed for Him. Soon the sprinkle turned into a steady shower and I found myself surrounded by more and more women desperate for the Lord. Thunder began rolling in the background and lightning strikes filled the dark sky and before I knew it, I found myself standing in the middle of a downpour -

A holy downpour of women more desperate for Jesus than their next breath. 

Have you ever noticed that everyone gets wet in a downpour? Even those that try their best to keep themselves unscathed under umbrellas the size of Texas still get wet because they just can’t stay dry in a downpour.

Ladies, it’s pouring. 

I bet you’ve noticed. I bet some of you reading this have prayed for years like I have that God would surround you with other women who are desperate for God’s Presence in their lives. I bet you too, have sensed God stirring in the hearts of His daughters. A hunger. A longing. A fresh desperation…

A MOVEMENT. 

If that stirs something in you, I am happy to announce, “You are not alone!” I believe more than ever before, the time has come for us to join hands, raise our faces to heaven and boldly pray, “Sovereign Lord, rain down on us! We are desperate for You!”

One of my God-sized dreams is to create a way for all of us who share these sentiments, to connect, a way for us to join together, a way for us to know – we are not alone.

Together, we can grow deeper in our relationship with Jesus.

Together, we can better serve one another.

And together, we really can change the world!

In the near future, you will begin to see many changes and opportunities made available through the ministry of Ignite Women (www.ignitewomen.com).  You will be given the opportunity to join a movement of women, who together, will make a difference. A global difference. So, stay tuned.

Can you feel it beginning to rain?